Farming News

Farmers nationwide can now benefit from the UK’s most comprehensive and first independent guide to selecting, establishing and terminating cover crops, co-designed by farmers with the help of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s Farmer Scientist Network. As a free and easy-to-use online tool, the Cover Crops Guide - www.covercropsguide.co.uk – is scientifically supported to give farmers [...]

Some 300 members of Yorkshire’s farming community enjoyed an evening of celebration at the first ever Harvest Dinner Dance held by the Future Farmers of Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, raising £7,000 to be shared between two invaluable charities. A glittering occasion to bring together farming families and all those who work in agriculture and its [...]

Future Farmers of Yorkshire invites you to their first ever Harvest Dinner Dance on Saturday 18th November 2023. A fun evening is in store at Pavilions of Harrogate at the Great Yorkshire Showground where Future Farmers and the wider Yorkshire Agricultural Society community will be brought together in celebration. The dinner dance will be a [...]

In this blog post, Elizabeth Hudson, Mixed Farmer and Manager of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire explains why the network is holding its inaugural Harvest Dinner Dance, and introduces the next Future Farmers training opportunity. It can be hard to remain upbeat when it’s not the glass that’s half full, it’s the rain gauge. We’re [...]

Free farming-focused Mental Health Training is being offered by Future Farmers of Yorkshire at Selby Auction Mart on Monday 4th December 2023.  Delivered by RABI (the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution), this course will help you to build the confidence to start a meaningful conversation. The training day is sponsored by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and [...]

New devolutionary powers are evolving the focus of a rural network that gives the countryside a voice, as it seeks to ensure countryside dynamics are considered by policy makers. The Yorkshire Food Farming and Rural Network is a group supported by farming charity the Yorkshire Agricultural Society that has been operating for more than a decade. The Network [...]

Part-funded mentoring and assessment support with SALSA Certification (Safe & Local Supplier Approval) is being offered to North Yorkshire businesses, with funding from the Yorkshire Food Farming and Rural Network and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. What is it? SALSA is a robust and effective food safety certification scheme, which is appropriate for smaller food producers [...]

A Christmas Wreath Making get-together will be held by our Women In Farming Network at York Auction Centre on Wednesday 6th December. A social occasion to bring the Network's members together, plenty of places are available and it promises to be very Christmassy and great fun. Don't see yourself as a creative? We will provide [...]

Stories of innovative diversification and skilled rural careers have been shared at a sold-out Autumn Gathering of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s Women In Farming Network. The milestone 10th autumn get-together of this thriving network of women who live and work in the countryside brought together 130 delegates at Pavilions of Harrogate on the Great Yorkshire [...]

A workshop for farmers wanting to take the first steps into direct selling, at any scale, will be held by the Future Farmers of Yorkshire on Wednesday 8th November 2023. The Direct Sales Workshop for Farmers will be held between 10am and 4pm at Anna’s Happy Kitchen, Thorpe Rd, Howden, Goole, DN14 7AZ. It comes [...]

In our latest blog post, Emma Throup, a Future Farmers of Yorkshire management board member explains how she is benefiting from being part of the network, as she looks ahead to the Future Farmers Harvest Dinner Dance on Saturday 18th November. Now we have passed the Autumn Equinox, I always think it is a good [...]

Schoolchildren enjoyed unique flavours of the fruits of the land during the Yorkshire Agricultural Society's Apple Day at the Great Yorkshire Showground. Some 65 primary school children toured the Showground’s best kept secret, its orchard of regional apple tree varieties in Harrogate this week, where they were inspired by a tasting session and got hands-on [...]

In this blog post, we share the words of The Right Reverend James Jones KBE who kindly delivered the following sermon at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s 2023 Harvest Thanksgiving Service at Ripon Cathedral. It might seem a little odd to begin an address about harvest with a story about an aeroplane! I was flying from [...]

Every year, the Future Farmers of Yorkshire group, supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, sponsors a select number of Future Farmers to attend the Oxford Farming Conference and its rival the Oxford Real Farming Conference, which is fast gaining in popularity. The 2024 Oxford Farming Conference will be held from 3rd-5th January and the theme [...]

Farming families can benefit from a fresh round of free business support and advice in the new 'scale up' phase of Defra’s Future Farming Resilience Fund. The Fund makes free expert support and advice available to farmers and land managers in England during the early years of the Government’s Agricultural Transition Period to help them [...]

In this latest blog post, Future Farmer Becks Lonsdale reports back on her bursary place visit to Groundswell festival in June. My husband Gavin and I are two young-ish new entrants to farming who are taking our first steps into regenerative land management with a tiny fold of Highland cows, alongside our full-time jobs. In [...]

Cheese lovers at the Great Yorkshire Show have raised more than £5,000 for Herriot Hospice Homecare to go towards providing vital hospice care across parts of rural North Yorkshire. An auction is held every year in the Cheese and Dairy Section of the Great Yorkshire Show, giving visitors the chance to bid for a round [...]

All are welcome at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s Harvest Thanksgiving Service held at Ripon Cathedral on Sunday 1 October at 10.30am. We are delighted that The Rt Revd James Jones KBE will be our preacher for the service. The Rt Revd is a former Bishop of Hull and Liverpool and has been appointed to various [...]

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society is proud to present its new President – Martin Cockerill. Martin picks up the reins from Simon Theakston, while Geoff Brown MBE has succeeded Martin as the new President Elect. At the end of the Great Yorkshire Show this July, a ceremonial handover saw Simon (pictured below, left) officially hand over [...]

The latest funding opportunities for farmers are explained in this update from Madge Moore, Chair of the Yorkshire Food Farming and Rural Network, a group supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. As agricultural policies change, farming businesses are having to adapt, bringing about both challenges and opportunities for productivity and profitability. At YFFRN, we believe [...]

In this blog post, Fiona Macdonald, Coordinator of the Women In Farming Network at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society offers an update on the Network's latest activities. There are 68,000 women employed in UK agriculture, forestry and fishing today, according to new figures published this month by the Office of National Statistics. Add in the many [...]

The Tye Trophy Competition will take place again in 2024 - see below for details of the competition held in 2023. The Tye Trophy highlights some of the best farms in the North of England and recognises the contribution of farmers to conservation and environmental improvement. The overall winner of the Tye Trophy competition is [...]

In this blog post, farmer, doctor, Future Farmer and Yorkshire Agricultural Society trustee, Michael Smith, offers an important perspective on making farm safety a priority. I am rare breed of farmer/doctor. I farm with my aunt on a traditional 250-acre mixed farm with a small suckler herd, sheep, cereals, and Clydesdales. I am also a [...]

Future Farmers of Yorkshire are now inviting its members to apply for a bursary place on this year’s RABDF Entrepreneurs in Dairying course, starting in the autumn. This business training programme is for aspiring dairy producers and is organised by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers in collaboration with The Andersons Centre, AHDB Dairy [...]

In this blog post, learnings from Groundswell 2023 are shared by Blair Wallace, Vice Chair of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire and Managing Director of The Land Management Partnership. Last month, I had the fantastic opportunity to attend Groundswell 2023, a festival which provides a forum for farmers, growers, or anyone interested in food production and [...]

Funding is available to support rural businesses and communities via the Rural England Prosperity Fund which has been launched by DEFRA. The Rural England Prosperity Fund aims to support capital projects for small businesses and community infrastructure, to help improve productivity and strengthen the rural economy and rural communities. Capital funding is available for: New [...]

The Great Yorkshire Show is a great opportunity for the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to pursue and promote its charitable aims: to support and promote farming families and British agriculture, and inspire the next generation about all things farming, food and the countryside. And the 164th Show, held on 11-14th July 2023, was no different. Our [...]

More than 200 farmers and industry professionals came together for the Future Farmers of Yorkshire’s popular Breakfast Meeting at the Great Yorkshire Show where they were urged to cut through tough economic challenges by focusing on factors within their control and plotting a clear plan for their businesses. This flagship annual get-together of Future Farmers, [...]

In this blog post, Caroline Horn, Chair of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire Breakfast Meeting at the Great Yorkshire Show and Partner and Rural Chartered Surveyor of George F. White LLP explains why the Breakfast Meeting topic is so relevant. Brexit, change in the agricultural policy, removal of basic payment scheme, the COVID pandemic, the [...]

Farmers and scientists have vast potential to unlock sustainability benefits for the environment and for agricultural profitability if they work ever closer together, according to the new leadership team at the helm of the Farmer Scientist Network. Land-based academics Dr Dave George and Professor Jonathan Leake (pictured) have been appointed as the new Chair and [...]

In this blog post, Izzy Eames, Knowledge Exchange Manager for AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds and management board member of Future Farmers of Yorkshire previews the Future Farmers Breakfast Meeting at the 2023 Great Yorkshire Show. Although Brexit changed the rules of farming, direct payment reductions have exposed the constants of farm business success. Farmers have [...]

The Yorkshire Food Farming and Rural Network is seeking a new Network Chair. As a group supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the Network exists to champion the rural voice. It enables connectivity across the food, farming and rural sectors and is a vehicle to share important information to regional stakeholders. It is a valuable [...]

In this blog post, Yorkshire Rural Support Network Coordinator Fiona Macdonald explains why the Network is offering First Aid training for farmers in Yorkshire this month. It is a sobering statistic that, even though farming accounting for one per cent of the working population, it accounts for 18 per cent of all workplace deaths. A [...]

In this blog post, Yorkshire Food, Farming and Rural Network Coordinator Holly Jones explains two fantastic training opportunities available for farmers across Yorkshire in May 2023. It may be a show business cliché to never work with children or animals, but at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society we do both through our educational work to inspire [...]

In this blog post, Fiona Macdonald introduces herself as the Yorkshire Rural Support Network Coordinator at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. The last time I wrote an article like this was in 2017, long before I took up the post of Yorkshire Rural Support Coordinator at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. It seems like a lot has [...]

Future Farmers of Yorkshire is sending a six-strong contingent to Groundswell this summer. This annual regenerative agriculture-focused event continues to be a hot ticket and a key centre of debate around a much-talked about topic in British agriculture. Representing Future Farmers Earlier this year, Future Farmers of Yorkshire invited its members to apply for a [...]

Filming on Your Phone is the topic of a new workshop from the Future Farmers of Yorkshire. Here's why... Social media is a powerful tool to connect with millions of people from the comfort of our own home, or indeed, farming business. This platform gives us all a voice, and whilst that may come with [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer Anna Longthorp shares her thoughts on some of the impacts of the pig crisis.  Eternally optimistic: that’s how I have always felt about the future of British farming, or that was at least until the last couple of years. Everyone needs to eat, right? My son was recently diagnosed [...]

Agriculture is considered the most dangerous industry in the UK. Some 22 farm workers lost their lives on British farms over the past year. A sobering statistic and so the Yorkshire Agricultural Society wants to do what it can to promote best safety practices on farms. That's why our Yorkshire Food Farming and Rural Network has [...]

Do you want to learn how to host safe and impactful farm visits? The Yorkshire Food Farming and Rural Network at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society has teamed up with LEAF Education to offer part-funded places on a CEVAS (Countryside Educational Visits Accreditation Scheme) course in February 2024. Farmers living or working within Yorkshire are eligible to [...]

Yorkshire Food Farming & Rural Network Training Support Programme What? The Yorkshire Food Farming and Rural Network has secured legacy funding from the Partnership Investment Fund Limited, to offer a training support programme for the benefit of rural and farming SMEs in North Yorkshire. The programme aims to enhance knowledge in basic business skills and [...]

Farming’s culture is being challenged by the so-called regenerative agriculture movement, with its role in shaping resilient and profitable farming futures at the heart of the debate, a packed audience of Future Farmers of Yorkshire heard at the Great Yorkshire Showground. Some 240 farmers and allied industry professionals took part in a lively Spring Debate [...]

Unique perspectives from across Yorkshire are being shared in a video series created by the Women In Farming Network. Talking Heads brings fascinating insights from a collection of rural voices together in a rolling series of episodes. Intended to inspire viewers about their own professional and personal journeys with useful advice shared along the way, [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer Christina Liddle reports back from her visit to NFU Conference 2023. Springtime means lambing time for my family and I on our farm near Harrogate where we produce grass reared native lamb, but I enjoyed a change of scene recently, heading to the ICC in Birmingham for the NFU [...]

Future Farmers of Yorkshire is offering two fully funded places to Groundswell 2023. This farmer-led show and conference is proving a popular annual date in the farming calendar. Sharing practical ideas about Regenerative Agriculture, places are at an absolute premium. Groundswell takes place this year on Wednesday 28th June and Thursday 29th June at Lannock [...]

In this blog post, farmer Nikki Yoxall looks at the topic at the heart of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire's Spring Debate on Monday 6th March. Nikki is one of our panelists for the evening event. Regenerative agriculture is often considered a hot topic. The term is much contested and surrounded by claims of greenwashing [...]

In this blog post, Yorkshire Agricultural Society CEO Allister Nixon explains how the Society strives to inspire the next generation about British agriculture. Every so often the results of a new survey suggest that shocking numbers of children have never heard a sheep ‘baaa’ and that they think milk originates from supermarket shelves instead of [...]

  In this blog post, Future Farmer Zander Metcalfe reports back from the 2023 Oxford Real Farming Conference. Zander attended the big industry date after successfully applying for a Future Farmers of Yorkshire bursary place. I farm with my family near Northallerton on a small mixed farm of arable and grassland with sheep and cattle. [...]

A first-generation West Yorkshire farmer is combining her passion for growing with her medical training after being awarded a prestigious international scholarship, sponsored by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Dr Hannah Fraser, 26, of Denby Hall Farm near Cawthorne is embarking on a two-year Nuffield Farming Scholarship to explore ‘Displacing empty calories with nutrient dense food’. [...]

Farmers heard about the merits of adopting regenerative agriculture principles on their farms at an open event hosted by the Farmer Scientist Network at the Great Yorkshire Showground. At Pavilions of Harrogate, the Regenerative Agriculture Open Event on 9th January 2023 brought together nearly 100 farmers and others who work in the industry to hear [...]

At the start of a new year in farming, when we are all looking at what we want from the months ahead, my advice is not to overlook the power of working together to achieve your aims. Regardless of where we are in our personal and professional journeys, there is so much to gain from [...]

British agriculture and the continued commitment of Yorkshire farming families to producing food for the nation will be celebrated at the start of the new year at Ripon Cathedral’s Plough Sunday Service, supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. All are welcome at the service on Sunday 8th January 2023 which, in time-honoured tradition, will see [...]

The Future Farmers of Yorkshire is offering bursary places to attend the 2023 NFU Conference. The National Farmers Union's industry summit takes place on Tuesday 21st February and Wednesday 22nd February 2023 at The ICC in Birmingham where the direction of the industry will be discussed. With an array of high profile speakers from across [...]

Comprehensive Financial Planning training is being offered to members of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire at the start of 2023. Knowing Your Numbers: Financial Planning for Future Farmers will take place over three days: 19th and 25th January 2023 and 1st February 2023, from 10.30am to 2.30pm on each day, with a break for lunch [...]

Farmers and land managers are offered more information about changes to agricultural support and new funding opportunities in a mini-series of short webinars hosted by Defra and the Yorkshire Food Farming and Rural Network. With changes well underway towards new farming policies and payments in England, the forthcoming webinars focus on one theme at a [...]

Farmers have been reminded of the importance of taking a step back from the pressures of high inflation to review how best to make their farm businesses pay, at the Future Farmers of Yorkshire's Autumn Debate. More than 160 guests joined the Future Farmers of Yorkshire at the Great Yorkshire Showground for the group’s Autumn [...]

New leaders are being sought by the Farmer Scientist Network at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. This unique network in Yorkshire, which brings together the best of farming, agricultural academia, and land-based science and technology, seeks a new Chair and Vice Chair to drive forward new ideas as the industry seeks meaningful ways to mitigate challenges [...]

An ambitious new project led by award-winning Yorkshire farmer Angus Gowthorpe intends to help other farmers across the UK to unlock precious improvements to soil health at a crucial time for agriculture and the environment. With assistance from the Farmer Scientist Network, a group supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Angus, who runs a 500-acre [...]

Future Farmers of Yorkshire will hold their Autumn Debate, entitled 'Ploughing on Through High Inflation' on Thursday 1st December 2022. All are welcome to attend what promises to be a fascinating discussion and opportunity to network with others in the industry. Here, Future Farmer Board Member Ian Pennock, pictured below, previews the evening event by [...]

Farm Tenancy Programme Why: There is intense competition for farm tenancies. To be successful, applicants must be prepared to showcase their practical farming ability, business experience, financial sustainability and sound judgement. That's why the Future Farmers of Yorkshire has teamed up with industry professionals to deliver a two-day workshop which will help our members to [...]

Modern agricultural lives were proudly brought to the fore at the Women In Farming Network’s Autumn Gathering at the Great Yorkshire Showground, as members of the farming community were reminded to be kind to themselves amid changes in the industry. The Women In Farming Network is supported by farming charity the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to [...]

The Yorkshire Rural Support Network invites all members of the farming community, and their friends, to two events this November which aim to bring people together. Up Hill & Down Dale All are welcome at ‘Up Hill & Down Dale’ on Tuesday 1st November, 2-4pm at Pavilions of Harrogate on the Great Yorkshire Showground in [...]

*** This event is now fully booked. However, please do complete the registration form below should you wish to be added to a reserve list in case of late drop-outs *** Join the Farmer-Scientist Network for a farm ‘walk and talk’ to explore regenerative approaches to agriculture. This informative farm walk is hosted by livestock [...]

Be inspired by real-life stories of rural entrepreneurship and community with the latest season of the Women In Farming Network's Talking Heads series. This Autumn, we have teamed up with another sparkling cast of rural women to share their unique and fascinating stories from the countryside. You will hear about the success of a local [...]

Future Farmers of Yorkshire is looking to appoint a new committed, hard-working and passionate Vice Chair and Board members to join its Management Board. Ideal candidates will possess strong interpersonal and communication skills. These are voluntary roles and the commitment is likely to be no more than one day per month, depending on the level of [...]

Part-funded places to join a farm carbon auditing course are being offered to rural and farming SMEs in North Yorkshire, courtesy of the Yorkshire Food Farming and Rural Network. The Network is offering 10 subsidised places - up to 80% of the cost of the course - for farmers to attend the upcoming 'Let's talk [...]

Be at the epicentre of all agriculture's pressing issues at the start of 2023 by heading to the Oxford farming conferences courtesy of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire. Future Farmers are offering bursary places at the Oxford Farming Conference and Oxford Real Farming Conference to help its members engage with the key topics affecting their [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer Victoria Hudson explains her journey to finally securing a long sought after farm tenancy. Victoria will be sharing more about what she learned at a forthcoming Future Farmers of Yorkshire tenancy training session on 2nd November 2022 at Pavilions of Harrogate. To register your interest in attending this training [...]

A series of Farmers Breakfast events are taking place in the village of Lythe, near Whitby, with the help of sponsorship from the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Ryedale Carers Support is hosting the get-togethers at Lythe Village Hall (post code YO21 3RT) from 10.15am to 12pm-ish on four Wednesdays between September and December 2022. A social [...]

Future Farmers of Yorkshire are now inviting its members to apply for a bursary place on this year's RABDF Entrepreneurs in Dairying course, starting in September. This business training programme is for aspiring dairy producers and is organised by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers in collaboration with The Andersons Centre, AHDB Dairy and [...]

Nick Grayson, the Chair of Future Farmers of Yorkshire, explains the importance of mentorship in this blog post. Are you feeling like you’re at a crossroad in your farming career, or finding yourself overwhelmed by the magnitude of a project you’ve taken on? Then, the Future Farmers of Yorkshire may have the answer. Having been [...]

‘Farming & Food Insecurity’ was the topical subject of discussion as members of Future Farmers of Yorkshire came together for their annual Great Yorkshire Show Breakfast Meeting. The breakfast is a firm fixture of the Show and was held at the new GYS Stage on the morning of Wednesday 13th July where a knowledgeable panel [...]

Future Farmers held talks with Defra's Victoria Prentis at the Great Yorkshire Show. On the eve of the planned meeting, the Minister had announced an urgent review of the British pig supply chain amid an ongoing crisis within the industry caused by labour shortages and rising costs. These difficulties for pig farms were among the [...]

Working in ag? Wanting to work in ag?   If you answered yes to either of the above, then you may be interested in the brand new Future Farmers of Yorkshire Mentorship Scheme. Launched at this year's Great Yorkshire Show and backed by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the programme has been designed through industry collaboration [...]

Innovative rural entrepreneurs shared their inspiring stories of success at the Great Yorkshire Show. The Yorkshire Food Farming and Rural Network hosted ‘Let’s celebrate! Yorkshire’s thriving rural businesses’ at the new GYS Stage on day three of the 2022 show. Presided over by the Network's Chair, Madge Moore, we heard all about the amazing Yorkshire [...]

Policy changes, future support for farmers and better communication between government departments and the farming community were all topics up for discussion during a Q&A with Defra's Janet Hughes at the 2022 Great Yorkshire Show. A public Q&A session with Janet, who is Director of the Future Farming and Countryside Programme at the Department for [...]

The Farmer Scientist Network will be showcasing regenerative agricultural practices which support farmers in improving soil health and increasing biodiversity at the Great Yorkshire Show (12-15 July 2022). This includes: ‘A year in Regenerative Agriculture’ photography exhibition Visitors will be able to see how regenerative agriculture is shaping farming methods for the future. The exhibition [...]

Register today for a free place at the Future Farmers of Yorkshire Breakfast Meeting at the Great Yorkshire Show 2022. Held on Wednesday 13th July 2022 from 8.15am to 9.30am at the GYS Stage, near Grey Gate, the theme of the debate will be ‘Farming & Food Insecurity’. Our panel will be debating rising food [...]

An award-winning farm in South Yorkshire is hosting a farm walk in conjunction with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. The Tye Trophy Farm Walk will be held at Peacock Lodge Farm, Wentworth, Rotherham S62 7UN on Tuesday 7th June 2022. Chris and Nicki Pearson have very kindly organised the walk and as part of this have [...]

Are you interested in Regenerative Agriculture? Future Farmers of Yorkshire invites you to Approach Farm in Escrick by kind permission of Angus and Kerry Gowthorpe. The specially hosted visit on Thursday 16th June involves a guided farm walk from 6pm followed by supper. This is a great opportunity to see how an industry-leading farm implements [...]

Nick Grayson, the new Chair of Future Farmers of Yorkshire, explains what the network means to him in this blog post. Not long out of university, fresh faced and full of ideas, I quickly learnt to stand on my own two feet. I lost my father to stomach cancer and succeeded to the farm tenancy [...]

Farming and academic experts are wanted by the Farmer Scientist Network to help drive change in British agriculture amid pressing sustainability and climate change challenges. The Farmer Scientist Network is part of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s family of networks which provide support, advice, and opportunity for those within the agricultural industry to develop personally and [...]

Future Farmers of Yorkshire are being invited to get interview-ready with Anna Jones this summer.  Agricultural journalist, writer and broadcaster, Anna, who is founder of Just Farmers, is returning to run a second Media Skills Workshop for Future Farmers on Thursday 9th June 2022 at New Hall Farm, Ardsley, S71 5EZ. It is a fantastic [...]

Announcing our Future Farmers of Yorkshire's new Chair, Nick Grayson South Yorkshire tenant farmer Nick Grayson has been chosen to drive forwards the Future Farmers of Yorkshire at a time when setting a positive course in his industry is vital for farming families. Nick, aged 32, runs his own farming business alongside his wife Carys [...]

Future Farmers of Yorkshire are being given the opportunity to develop their leadership skills this summer. As part of the network's ongoing mission to inspire and develop the very best to lead Yorkshire’s agricultural industries to a thriving future, a one-day Leadership Training session will take place at Pavilions of Harrogate at the Great Yorkshire [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer of Yorkshire Duncan Berkshire explains the deep crisis that continues to affect pig farming across the country. It cannot have escaped the attentions of many people over the last 10 months that we have a major crisis within the UK pig sector. There have been reports all over many [...]

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society has met with North Yorkshire’s Police Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe and the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) to discuss rural crime. At a meeting held at the farm of YAS Show Director Charles Mills, near York on Wednesday 13th April, the Commissioner heard first-hand farmer accounts of rural [...]

A compelling story of rural women’s integral role as part of modern, forward-thinking countryside enterprises is being shared by the Women in Farming Network at Ryedale Folk Museum. Photography exhibition All in a Day’s Work tells a powerful story of female entrepreneurialism in the countryside through an evocative and atmospheric collection of 27 stunning curated [...]

A special screening of archive footage at the Great Yorkshire Showground will reveal a fascinating portrait of Yorkshire farming and rural life in the 20th Century. All are welcome at the Rural Life on Film screening and social get-together at Pavilions of Harrogate on Wednesday 6 April 2022 from 1.30pm to 4pm. Around an hour [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer Angela Kirkwood explains why taking the time to step back from day-to-day business is essential. As a farmer, I work alongside my father Peter on our mixed farming business of pigs, arable-land, renewable energy production and a direct retail butchery called East Riding Country Pork Butchers. Agriculture is an [...]

A gathering of 150 farmers, scientists and academics explored how regenerative agriculture practices can be adopted at a fascinating summit at the Great Yorkshire Showground this month. At a time when productive and profitable farming in the most environmentally sustainable way has perhaps never been more topical, this free afternoon event from the Farmer-Scientist Network [...]

Two Future Farmers of Yorkshire are being given the opportunity to attend an event examining the growing demand for non-food crop, Industrial Hemp. Demand for Industrial Hemp, a botanical class of Cannabis grown specifically for industrial or medicinal use, is rising as interest increases in the use of sustainable natural fibres to support the transition [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer Pete Meadows shares his career journey and reflects on his experience attending - virtually - the Oxford Farming Conference in January on behalf of the network. I studied Agriculture at Aberystwyth before starting my career, which has subsequently brought me up to Escrick Park Estate, just south of York. [...]

Members of the farming community are welcome to join us for a lunch time event at Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart on Monday 14 March 2022. The Yorkshire Rural Support Network's next Farming Community Lunch, entitled ‘Cart horses to Combines; Sharing Memories of Farming in North Yorkshire’, will feature an interactive talk with freelance curator and [...]

In this blog post, outgoing Chair of Future Farmers of Yorkshire, Alastair Trickett, reflects on his time in the hotseat and explains why you should consider applying to be his successor. April 2022 brings the end of my three-year stint as Chairman of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire. It also brings the opportunity for someone [...]

Adding value to your business may prove all-important in the years ahead as agriculture moves into a new era. In our all-new Spring season of Talking Heads episodes, the Women In Farming Network brings you more fascinating insights from rural women at the helm of diverse businesses in the Yorkshire countryside. The series, first launched [...]

Free online training to understand how world and domestic markets influence UK farm gate prices is being offered by the Future Farmers of Yorkshire. Price fluctuations are one of the few constants with grain trading, and farmers can optimise their returns and manage risks by having a good understanding of this market volatility. Members of [...]

Roadshows to offer clear advice and information on the agricultural transition are to be held by the CLA. Open to everyone, not just CLA members, the roadshows will take place over two days, 9-10 March 2022. Advice will be geared towards those with medium to smaller sized farms at a time of great change in [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer and farm vet Miles Middleton from the Yorkshire Dales explains why he chose to study dairy's net zero mission as part of his 2022 Nuffield Farming Scholarship, sponsored by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.  It was with great pride that I was recently named as a 2022 Nuffield scholar, studying [...]

Charles Mills, farmer and Show Director of the Great Yorkshire Show, shares a message with the farming community at the start of a new year. Like anyone else at the start of a new year, as a farmer, I take stock and look at what’s important for me and my family, and in my world [...]

All are warmly welcome at Ripon Cathedral on Sunday 9 January 2022 for the Plough Sunday Service to celebrate Yorkshire’s farming community.  This service is a chance for the community to come together to celebrate rural life with farming families and friends, and to celebrate God in creation and the place of the church in the countryside. [...]

Be challenged and inspired to develop your leadership skills in agriculture, and apply for a Future Farmers of Yorkshire bursary place at an exciting, upcoming industry event. Future Farmers of Yorkshire are offering two bursary places, including overnight accommodation, to attend the national AHDB AgriLeader Forum 2022 at East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham on 8-9 [...]

Two bursary places to attend the 2022 NFU Conference are now open for applications, courtesy of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire and the National Farmers Union. The major industry summit takes place on 22-23 February 2022 at the ICC in Birmingham. Entitled 'British farming: a blueprint for the future', the conference will see a packed [...]

Cases of Avian Flu have increased both regionally and nationally causing huge disruption for poultry keepers and their flocks. As well as concerns for keeping poultry safe, we recognise that the situation will be distressing for farming families who are having to meet heightened biosecurity rules and are facing day-to-day uncertainty about their flock's health. [...]

Farmers and landowners based in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and National Parks can take advantage of new funding opportunities.  Under the new Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, farmers and land managers can get funding to support and improve AONBs, National Parks and the Broads, the country's wildlife national park. The programme is a [...]

All generations of farming families share the responsibility to broach constructive conversations about the future of the family business and it is never too early to do so, an audience at the Great Yorkshire Showground heard. At the Future Farmers of Yorkshire’s Autumn Debate, the often-sensitive topic of farming succession was put under the spotlight [...]

Join our Women in Farming Network for a Winter Warmer evening this week. By kind permission of the Mills family, this seasonal social will be held at Woolas Barn, Appleton Roebuck, York, YO23 7HT on Thursday 9th December 2021. Starting at 7pm, the event will include a walking tour and talk about this wonderful rural [...]

The success of Crop Health North, a ground-breaking research project to trial the use of biological alternatives to chemical pesticides, is shared in this free webinar. Biologicals for disease & pest control in cereals: a farmer led case study was originally streamed live in July 2021. The footage explains the outcomes of The Farmer Scientist [...]

Three Future Farmers have been awarded prized bursary places at the big farming dates in Oxford in January 2022. Ellie Exelby, Joe Weston and Pete Meadows will be tuning in virtually to hear and take part in wide-ranging, topical debate about farming and its future. Ellie will be our chosen sponsored delegate at the Oxford [...]

Two members of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire have been awarded bursaries to help further their dairy careers. After careful consideration of all applications, Future Farmers have selected dairy farmers Georgina Fort and Sam Else to take up a bursary offer to take part in and benefit from the Entrepreneurs in Dairying training programme. For [...]

In our latest blog post, Management Board member Davina Fillingham explains how farming succession will come into sharp focus at our 2021 Autumn Debate. Farming has very much been my passion from an early age. I was brought up on a small farm near Driffield and this led me to a career as a Chartered [...]

Farming families can now access free business support and advice from a number of established organisations following grants awarded from Defra’s Future Farming Resilience Fund. The Fund makes free expert support and advice available to farmers and land managers in England during the early years of the Government’s Agricultural Transition Period to: understand the changes [...]

Women play hugely significant entrepreneurial roles on farms and in rural business, and their influence will be crucial to countryside industries meet future challenges, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s Women in Farming Network heard as members across the county met at the Great Yorkshire Showground. For the first time in two years, around 110 women – [...]

We are bringing together farming families once again this autumn with the return of our Farming Community Lunches. Held by the Yorkshire Rural Support Network, the next date for the diary is Monday 1st November 2021 when there will be a Farming Community Lunch at Thirsk Auction Mart. All are welcome. A hot two-course lunch [...]

Enquiring younger farmers who are keen to get ahead as their industry enters a new era, are invited to apply for some fantastic bursary opportunities from the Future Farmers of Yorkshire. As an enterprising network of younger farmers, vets and industry professionals supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Future Farmers sponsors a select number of [...]

A trio of fascinating business perspectives will be shared as all-new Talking Heads episodes from the Women In Farming Network go live. The series, first launched last Autumn, returns in September, November and December to bring viewers fresh insights from a varied collection of rural voices. It's a chance to share in some inspiring stories [...]

Enthused by her recent trip to Groundswell 2021, Beatrice Guthrie explains why she was grateful to receive a Future Farmers of Yorkshire bursary to attend. I arrived at Groundswell at 9 o’clock on the Wednesday morning. It was a gorgeous sunny day and the grounds were buzzing with people. With a rumbling stomach, my first [...]

In this report, Future Farmers of Yorkshire bursary recipient James Johnson shares his findings from his recent visit to Groundswell 2021. Since I came back from Harper Adams University, my father and I have been farming in a way that is probably seen as intensive agriculture, following the typical route of heavy cultivations, artificial fertilisers [...]

In this blog post, Alastair Trickett, Chair of Future Farmers, explains why now is the perfect time to join the network's leadership team. We’re proud of what we do at Future Farmers. Yorkshire has one of the most diverse agri-food and drink sectors in the country, generating roughly £2.5bn in revenue and employing 23,000 people. [...]

Book now - the Women in Farming Network will hold a day of information, challenge and celebration on Tuesday 12th October 2021 at Pavilions of Harrogate. The award-winning events venue at the Great Yorkshire Showground is the setting for the Network's annual Autumn Gathering which will be held between 10am and 2.30pm, sponsored by Barclays [...]

Emerging agricultural policies are unpicked and discussed with Defra social researcher Thomas Smith in an exclusive two-part audio series. Hosted by the Yorkshire Food Farming and Rural Network, Defra's link network with Yorkshire and a group supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, you can listen to discussion below. In the first clip, Thomas explains what [...]

'Brand Britain on agriculture's global stage' was the theme for our recent Future Farmers of Yorkshire Breakfast Meeting. The annual event was held at the Great Yorkshire Show last month and featured an exciting high-profile panel who all offered up their own perspectives on what Brand Britain means and how it can be embraced in [...]

At the Future Farmers of Yorkshire, our mission is to inspire and develop the very best young professionals in our region to lead Yorkshire’s agricultural industries to a thriving future. To achieve this we are continually reviewing the opportunities we can offer our members in order to nurture their professional and personal development. After all, [...]

There has never been a more critical time for farmers to get to grips with their farm finances. That's why the Future Farmers of Yorkshire have teamed up with Savills to provide our members with a comprehensive Financial Planning programme. Participants will cover all aspects from account analysis, to business planning and sourcing funding. Learning [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer Luke Upton explains how his career is benefitting from a bursary place on the RABDF's Entrepreneurship in Dairying Programme. I have been farming my whole life. My parents are county council tenants and during my early career I worked on a few intensive farms. My passion however has always [...]

Free farm business training is being offered to farmers based in Yorkshire. The 'Preparing for Change' webinars are designed to help farming families to prepare for the biggest change in the agricultural industry for 60 years. Taking place over three dates this year, the online series is a response to major changes in British farming [...]

A welcome cohort of new members will strengthen the Yorkshire Food, Farming and Rural Network's voice to Westminster. The network, which acts as Yorkshire’s link network with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), has appointed four new members following an application period for prospective candidates. The newly appointed members bring vast experience [...]

A powerful portrait of the role women play in modern rural businesses is being be showcased in a well-received photography exhibition from the Women In Farming Network. Initially launched at the 162nd Great Yorkshire Show, the YAS-supported network has teamed up with Ampleforth-based documentary photographer Lucy Saggers to tell a compelling visual story of the [...]

Farmers and other farming professionals visiting the Great Yorkshire Show are invited to help Defra design the future of agricultural policy. From 2pm on Wednesday afternoon (14th July 2021), Defra (the Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs) will be staging drop-in sessions and co-design workshops in the Picnic Area marquee on Avenue L. Come [...]

In this blog post, the Vice Chair of Future Farmers Nick Grayson explores 'Brand Britain' which will be the hot topic of discussion at the group's Breakfast Meeting at the Great Yorkshire Show. Wow! It feels great to be able to write about attending the 2021 Great Yorkshire Show. Such an iconic tradition in the [...]

Register today for a free place at the Future Farmers of Yorkshire Breakfast Meeting at the Great Yorkshire Show. Held on Wednesday 14th July 2021 from 7.30am to 9am at the marquee in the Picnic Area on Avenue L, near White Gate, the theme of the annual show date will be 'Brand Britain on agriculture's [...]

At the Great Yorkshire Show, find out more about Farmer Time and how you can get involved with this fantastic educational initiative. Farmer Time, by kind permission of Future Farmers of Yorkshire, is holding a drinks reception at the Show to celebrate and thank the farmers who participate in the initiative that connects school classes [...]

Troubling new insights into the prevalence and impacts of hare coursing in the countryside have been provided by farming families in response to a survey carried out by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. More than 300 people took part in the survey and the findings demonstrate how important it is that this horrific crime, which involves [...]

Younger farmers and industry professionals are invited to a Nuffield Farming Scholarships Reception at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show. Taking place on Wednesday 14th July 2021 at 4pm on the CLA stand (Avenue O, stand number 192), the reception is organised by the Future Farmers of Yorkshire and the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust (NFST), and [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer Sarah Pick explains her Nuffield Farming Scholarship journey to inspire others to follow in her footsteps. In 2019 I was lucky enough to undertake a Nuffield Farming Scholarship, and what a life-changing experience it was. I grew up on a small suckler beef farm near Tadcaster, North Yorkshire and [...]

Upland farmers and livestock disease experts have shared the findings of a collaborative three-year project to tackle liver fluke disease. Now available to watch below, 'Managing liver fluke in Hill Sheep – a farmer led approach' was first held as an online event on Wednesday 26th May. This focused webinar reports on how a joint [...]

Farmers and their families are being reminded about the small changes to everyday habits that they can make to best deal with the rigors of everyday life. Important health and wellbeing messages are usually shared by the YAS’s Yorkshire Rural Support Network during free health checks delivered by fully trained health professionals at auctions marts [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer Angus Gowthorpe explains how regenerative agriculture is shaping his farming methods this spring. As I type it is raining steadily, our first rain since early March. To say that our arable crops and grassland are desperate for a drink would be putting it mildly. The combination of dry soil, [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer Charlotte Middlebrook explains why farmers should consider taking part in Farmer Time. Coming from an agricultural background and having a full-time career as a teacher has made me extremely passionate about, and very much aware of, how vital it is to educate young people about where their food comes [...]

A group of farmers brought together by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society have met virtually with Defra's Janet Hughes to discuss the direction of new agricultural policies.  Members of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire and Women In Farming Network took part in the online video call to gain fresh insights as they pitched their burning questions [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer Joe Weston covers some key talking points from the National Farmers Union's (NFU) recent virtual conference. It is remarkable how little sheep notice when they have some freshly rolled barley in front of them and their heads are in the trough. Even my young and extremely keen sheepdog will [...]

As the barbaric act of hare coursing continues to plague rural communities, on behalf of farming families the Yorkshire Agricultural Society says, “enough is enough”. Ineffective laws to prosecute offenders, an inconsistent response to police calls and significant underreporting of the crime means too little is being done to stop the countryside from being targeted [...]

Future Farmers have until the end of this week to vie for a free place at this year's NFU Conference. The National Farmers Union's annual conference is taking place virtually this year amid the ongoing coronavirus disruption - read the full conference programme here. NFU Live 2021 comes at a hugely important time for British [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer and Barnsley butcher Daniel Binns reports on his experience attending this year's virtual Oxford Real Farming Conference, courtesy of a bursary from Future Farmers of Yorkshire. Firstly, I would like to thank Future Farmers and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society for giving me the opportunity to attend the ORFC 2021, [...]

In this blog post, Sir William Worsley, President of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, offers his thoughts at the start of a new farming year. We live in strange times. Yet again we have been locked down and as I write this the snow is falling creating a beautiful white landscape outside my window. This pandemic [...]

In this blog post, Amelia Preston, recipient of a Future Farmers bursary to attend the 2021 Oxford Real Farming Conference, explains her learning journey and reports back from the ORFC as it went online to a global audience. Leaving my Yorkshire comfort zone to study a degree in Agriculture has been my best decision yet. [...]

A major survey has been launched by farming charity, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI), to better understand the physical and mental toll of farming today. RABI's Big Farming Survey aims to be the largest ever piece of research of its kind across England and Wales, and looks at the interactions between physical health, mental [...]

A new series of short videos produced by the Yorkshire Rural Support Network is being shared on social media this week to remind farmers and their families of how they can look after their biggest asset - their health. In this blog post, David Moyles of Samaritans addresses the importance of looking after our mental [...]

As Christmas approaches and we draw closer to the end of a strange year, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society's Honorary Chaplain, Canon Leslie Morley, offers his own poignant reflections and a seasonal message of solidarity and hope. There is one element of the Christmas celebrations that I will really miss this year – joining a carol [...]

The Future Farmers of Yorkshire are proud to announce that their new Vice Chair is tenant farmer Nick Grayson. As he assumes the role, here, Nick introduces himself and offers his thoughts. I run our tenanted farm near Rotherham with my wife Carys and two young sons. We farm 200 acres of arable land, a [...]

Every year the Future Farmers of Yorkshire group, supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, sponsors a select number of Future Farmers to attend the Oxford Farming Conference and its rival the Oxford Real Farming Conference, which is fast gaining in popularity. Rather than heading to the hallowed examination halls of Oxford in 2021 however, you’ll [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmer and New Zealand-based vet Anna Cornforth shares her thoughts on what New Zealand's response to the Covid-19 pandemic can teach farmers about disease control.  A great deal has changed in the world since my last blog post in January. With the Australian bush fires, Black Lives Matter riots and Covid-19, [...]

Anyone can be an entrepreneur regardless of their starting point, according to a panel of successful business figures brought together by the Future Farmers of Yorkshire. The Yorkshire Agricultural Society-backed farming network took its annual Autumn Debate online for the first time and delivered valuable messages of inspiration and frank advice to an audience of [...]

In this blog post, Charlotte Middlebrook, a member of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire Management Board, explains why the group’s Autumn Debate is all about adopting an entrepreneurial mindset. Like many industries, agriculture is facing a challenging period of change. Many forces beyond our control are impacting businesses, such as Covid-19 and the phasing out […]

Future farming leaders must engage with an agenda of challenging agricultural change as they look for creative solutions to drive sustainable businesses, according to the sponsors of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire’s upcoming Autumn Debate. On Wednesday 11th November at 7.30pm, Future Farmers will live stream a debate offering ‘Top tips for Keeping an Entrepreneurial [...]

In this blog post, Susan Briggs, Director of The Tourism Network, pictured, relays her message from our Women In Farming Network's recent Autumn Gathering.   The last year has certainly been momentous, horrible in many, many ways but I’m determined to find some silver linings and some positives to counteract the terrible losses. I work [...]

In this blog post, Future Farmers of Yorkshire member and East Yorkshire pig farmer Kate Moore – pictured – explains how easy, powerful and rewarding it is to connect with schoolchildren as part of the Farmer Time initiative. Having seen how well it works first-hand, Kate thinks other farmers should consider getting involved too.   […]

The Farming Community Network (FCN) is inviting supporters to step out on a fundraising quest to celebrate the farming help charity’s 25th year. This weekend – on October 10th-11th – FCN’s milestone anniversary will be marked by FCN’s Big 25. FCN is asking supporters, friends and family to get involved by pulling on their walking […]

Two up and coming young farmers have been awarded RABDF bursaries from the Future Farmers of Yorkshire to help them develop their dairy careers. As part of the Network’s ongoing efforts to nurture the personal and professional development of its members, this summer Future Farmers invited individuals to apply for bursaries as an incentive to […]

At the Future Farmers of Yorkshire, our mission is to inspire and develop the very best young professionals in our region to lead Yorkshire’s agricultural industries to a thriving future. To achieve this we are continually reviewing the opportunities we can offer our members in order to nurture their professional and personal development. After all, […]

A new digital service designed to help growers and agronomists predict the likelihood of crop pest and disease outbreaks on their farms has been launched by agri-tech centre CHAP. Crop Monitor Pro is a “significant advancement” on the Defra-funded regional risk evaluation service Crop Monitor, which was first launched in 2003 by Fera Science Limited […]

In this blog post, Kate Dale, Co-ordinator of the Yorkshire Rural Support Network (pictured below), introduces our plans for a virtual Autumn Gathering of the Society’s Women In Farming network. Whichever way you look at it, 2020 has been a momentous year. It would be all too easy to list the negative reasons why this […]

In this blog post, Future Farmers of Yorkshire chairman Alastair Trickett writes about an exciting new vacancy on the group’s management board. I always enjoy these opportunities to write down my thoughts. It gives me a chance to step off the relentless treadmill and consider what’s going on outside our farm gates. It also is […]

In this blog post, Dermot Meehan, a dairy farmer and a member of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire, explains how he benefited from an RABDF training course. Future Farmers of Yorkshire is making the course even more accessible this year. Originally from a suckler and sheep farm in Ireland, I moved to the UK permanently […]

A campaign spearheaded by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society is celebrating the crucial role that farmers and farm retailers are playing amid the worst public health crisis for a generation. Farm To Fork is a social media-led initiative which champions the region’s important agricultural sector during the coronavirus pandemic. The campaign highlights the innovative ways in […]

This week is Farm Safety Week. An annual initiative led by the Farm Safety Foundation, it seeks to reduce the number of accidents in farming. Some 20 farm workers and one member of public – a four-year-old child – were killed on farms over the past year, according to a newly published report by the […]

In this blog post, Joe Weston, a member of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire, reflects on this year’s potato crop and soaring demand during the coronavirus pandemic.  In the grand scheme of things, I have not been in agriculture a long time. I’m not from a farming background and it was never something that was […]

Today as part of the Great Yorkshire Virtual Show, the president of the National Farmers Union (NFU), Minette Batters, has delivered a special address to the Future Farmers of Yorkshire, as well as answering a selection of questions submitted by Future Farmers. We received so many great questions to pose to Mrs Batters – too […]

In this latest blog post, Leanne Forde, farm vet and Future Farmer, provides a fascinating insight of how veterinarians are adapting to the challenges thrown up by Covid-19. I have now been qualified as a vet for eight years; for six of those I have been a purely farm animal vet for Bishopton Veterinary Group. […]

This is an update for members of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire from the group’s chairman, Alastair Trickett, pictured. Hello, I will skip the platitudes about “uncertain times” and “the new normal” as I’m sure you already have enough of them in your inbox. Instead I’ll explain what’s been happening at Future Farmers and what […]

In this latest blog post, primary school teacher and Future Farmer, Charlotte Middlebrook, explains why life lessons in appreciating the great outdoors should start at an early age. Growing up on two mixed family farms near Selby, south of York, with experiences in dairy, beef, poultry, arable and even mushroom compost production and a farm […]

Kate Dale, co-ordinator of the Yorkshire Rural Support Network (pictured below), reflects on how rural communities are reacting to the coronavirus situation and how we can all play our parts in supporting one another at a testing time. There is a strength to our farming and rural communities which has always been there when the […]

In this blog post, Future Farmer Jessica Mackintosh – pictured below – reflects on the value of her visit to the National Farmers Union’s annual conference. Having only recently joined Future Farmers of Yorkshire I was somewhat reluctant to apply for a sponsored place at this year’s NFU Conference. However, after a few wise words […]

As COVID-19 impacts upon food, farming and rural employers, the Yorkshire Food, Farming & Rural Network is highlighting useful sources of support and advice available to businesses in Yorkshire. The region’s Business Growth Hubs have listed the various targeted packages of government support that have been announced so far to support businesses and people through […]

Farmers affected by recent flooding in parts of East and North Yorkshire can apply for a share of a new £6m extension of the Farming Recovery Fund. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced the measure today as it responds further to last month’s severe flooding. As well as parts of […]

As part of our #Farm4Zero campaign Future Farmer Angus Gowthorpe, pictured above, explains how the approach he is taking on his farm is improving soil health year after year. I farm 400 acres on a diverse range of soil types between York and Selby; 300 acres is arable and 100 acres is a mix of […]

As part of our #Farm4Zero campaign Future Farmer Angus Rob Daniel, pictured above, gives his perspective as an agronomist on climate change. Carbon emissions and climate change, words and phrases that we just don’t seem to be able to currently get away from. Whether it’s Greta Thunberg embroiled in a war of words with politicians […]

A new #Farm4Zero campaign aims to energise farmers and rural businesses about how they can respond to the climate change challenge as British agriculture seeks to reduce its carbon footprint. Although agriculture accounts for just 9% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, compared to proportionally higher impact sectors such as transport (23%) and industry (21%), […]

In this blog post, Madge Moore, chair of the Yorkshire Food, Farming and Rural Network, explains why rural-minded champions should consider applying to join the network. At this delicate juncture for British agriculture and the countryside, it is crucial that the Government hears the voice of our food and farming industry and our rural communities […]

In this blog post, Nick Grayson, a member of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire who is pictured below, details his experience at the recent Oxford Farming Conference. Each January, the Future Farmers of Yorkshire group sponsors a select number of members to attend the Oxford Farming Conference (OFC). But the rival Oxford Real Farming Conference […]

Farming Online is working with Liverpool University to develop a better liver fluke forecasting service to provide more accurate data. Once complete, the liver fluke model is a service where a user can feed in their location and feed out a liver-fluke forecast for their farm. The aim is to help to decrease the chances […]

Income from tourism in the Yorkshire countryside can be boosted if rural businesses capitalise on a growing desire for authentic experiences. That was the message from Yorkshire Dales marketeer Susan Briggs at the latest meeting of the Yorkshire Rural Support Network, held at Pavilions of Harrogate on the Great Yorkshire Showground. Addressing the theme of […]

Alastair Trickett, who farms near Leeds following a management consultancy career in London, was awarded a 2020 Nuffield Scholarship, sponsored by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and the National Trust. Here, Alastair explains his chosen topic, 'The role of brands in scaling Regenerative Agriculture'. Wholefoods Market selected Regenerative Agriculture as the top food trend for 2020. [...]

Are you well-versed in the challenges facing rural communities? Do you want to be part of a committed network of like-minded individuals who have the platform to inform change? If the answer to both of these questions is ‘yes’, then why not become a member of the Yorkshire Food, Farming and Rural Network? This determined […]

In this blog post, Janet Thornton, vice chair of the Yorkshire Food, Farming and Rural Network explains the efforts being made to ensure new local industrial strategies are ‘rural proofed’. She explains… “Local Enterprise Partnerships have been tasked with producing their own Local Industrial Strategies (LIS) to complement the national Industrial Strategy. “The local industrial […]

Farmers in the Vale of York are needed for a European project which aims to demonstrate how complex on-farm decisions can be when applying to agri-environment schemes. Academics at the University of Leeds are seeking farmers from all sectors to take part in on-farm interviews to inform the BESTMAP project. The project aims to develop […]

It is as important as ever to take control of our own farming livelihoods. Evolving political forces and consumer choices mean our industry is expected to undergo huge change in the years ahead. With this in mind, now is the time to ensure your business is maximising its economic potential. To help you to do […]

By Anna Cornforth, a member of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire board who is currently working as a vet in New Zealand. It’s become commonplace nowadays that, while you are young, you disappear off travelling for a stretch of time. For me, the draw of meeting new people and exploring new scenery has meant that […]

Yorkshire’s farming community will be celebrated at Ripon Cathedral with the support of the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire. Johanna Ropner will give an address at the Cathedral’s traditional Plough Sunday Service on Sunday (12th January), where the message to the assembled congregation will be one of positivity, support and pride. The service is supported […]

The Future Farmers of Yorkshire group recently arranged negotiation skills training in East Yorkshire, with support from our friends at Bishop Burton College. Our Future Farmers enjoyed a day of practicing the core skills of negotiation, using the tools to be in a stronger position the next time they enter into a negotiation. Kate Moore, […]

Every year the Future Farmers of Yorkshire group, supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, sponsors a select number of Future Farmers to attend the Oxford Farming Conference, in January. But the rival Oxford Real Farming Conference is fast gaining in popularity. Indeed, for the last couple of years, Michael Gove has spoken at one and […]

The past couple of months have seen extreme rain, with many areas of autumn drilling looking almost impossible and growers struggling to harvest potato and maize crops. Along with the barrage of negativity being thrown at the farming industry, there is a temptation to withdraw and batten down the hatches. In reality, there couldn’t be […]

Members of Future Farmers of Yorkshire can apply now for sponsored places at next year’s NFU Conference at the ICC in Birmingham. These places have been kindly provided by the NFU. Places are at a premium for what promises to be another intriguing annual conference held by the National Farmers’ Union on the 25th and […]

Leading academics are seeking soil samples from Yorkshire farms to help inform a project to ‘ruralise’ urban areas. In collaboration with the Universities of Liverpool and Lancaster, Cranfield University is undertaking a two-year ‘Rurban Revolution’ project which looks at the potential of urban greening and food growing. One of the aims of researchers is to […]

A timely reminder about the support available to farmers has been offered by the Yorkshire Rural Support Network at the latest free farmer health checks in Thirsk. As the darker winter days draw in, the free checks with nursing professionals were offered to members of farming families at Thirsk Auction Centre’s Christmas Fatstock Sale on […]

A whole cocktail of factors makes farmers vulnerable to stress, but troubled minds can be overcome with the right support, consultant psychologist Dr Caroline Knott told an audience of farming and industry supporters at the Future Farmers of Yorkshire’s #Fit2Farm event. Family members can offer crucial support to help an individual relieve mounting pressures, but […]

By focusing on just putting one foot in front of the other and solely being alive to the act of running, Will Evans has found a way to help him channel the stresses of farming life. The Welsh beef farmer and host of the Rock and Roll Farming podcast told the Future Farmers of Yorkshire’s […]

A new online portal to open up access to the expertise and facilities of the eight Northern universities that contribute to the N8 AgriFood programme will be launched in Sheffield. The N8 AgriFood programme combines the expertise of 8 of the most research intensive universities in the North – Leeds, Sheffield, York, Durham, Lancaster, Liverpool, […]

A powerful evening of brave, honest and inspiring accounts told of how physical and mental health has to be continually worked upon to nurture farmers’ wellbeing – and the industry’s safety record. The Future Farmers of Yorkshire’s #Fit2Farm campaign culminated on Wednesday 20th November with a focus on mental health and a free event at […]

“We have forgotten there is a question mark at the end of how are you,” the vice president of the National Farmers’ Union told the Future Farmers of Yorkshire’s #Fit2Farm event. Stuart Roberts told an audience of more than 100 farming and industry professionals at Wednesday’s gathering at Pavilions of Harrogate that the farming community […]

The new free alerts service from CropMonitor, which will be received by all registered users of the regional pest and disease forecasting system, has now been launched. This report is available for winter wheat and winter oilseed rape, as an automatically generated weekly summary of the latest predictions for disease and pest risks, crop development […]

Planning for the future can be a daunting process, especially in farming where we are experiencing so much change. The internet has opened up a wealth of information, but for those who are not ‘computer savvy’ or who work alone, it can be difficult trying to ‘sort the wood from the trees’. Information overload can […]

There’s no single cause to the mental ill-health or poor well being that some, working in the farming community, face. The unique demands of the work and the lifestyle are often contributing factors and a feeling of Isolation is not necessarily limited to those living in the most remote areas. Media and public misconceptions about […]

Every six seconds, the Samaritans respond to a call for help. No judgement. No pressure. They are there to help anyone who needs someone… and isn’t that all of us, at some point?

Everybody needs help at some point in their lives, don’t be too proud to ask” says Sally Conner, North East Regional Manager for RABI.  

“Ensuring that we are fit to farm is an absolute necessity. We not only owe it ourselves, but to future generations in setting the best possible examples for them to follow.” So said Future Farmers of Yorkshire board member Neil Eastham – pictured – in a series of news reports this week that previewed our […]

A farm support charity is fast-tracking payments to ease the financial strain facing farmers affected by the floods across the North of England. For the second time in a month, farming charity R.A.B.I is releasing money from its Crisis Fund to provide emergency grants to farming families via its Helpline 0808 281 9490. The decision […]

Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership calls on apprenticeship levy-paying businesses to use their powers to support firms in the region with levy transfer. Levy funds not used within 24 months are reclaimed by government to spend outside the region The Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is calling on apprenticeship-levy paying businesses across the City […]

Grants of up to £750,000 available to rural firms to boost productivity and create local jobs Rural businesses across the country are set to benefit from a guaranteed £35 million in government funding to create new jobs, boost tourism, and unlock growth in rural areas. This figure could be increased to £50 million if there […]

£50 million Woodland Carbon Guarantee scheme will encourage farmers and landowners to plant more trees and help to tackle climate change. The government has launched a £50 million scheme to help boost tree-planting rates in the fight against climate change. The new Woodland Carbon Guarantee will encourage farmers and landowners to plant more trees and […]

Harry Runciman studied Agricultural Mechanisation at Harper Adams and is now a Feedstock Manager for Future Biogas. In his vlog Harry talks about the steps he takes, to ensure that his staff remain safe. And you’ll be pleased to know that having a cup of tea is a critical part of any plan! Follow Future […]

James Chapman highlights the dangers of farming with his own poignant story Probably the best known Farm Safety Ambassador is Warwickshire farmer James Chapman, former National Chairman of NFYFC and Nuffield Scholar. Jim was only 23 years old when, on a cold January morning in 2005, he received a call from a friend whose farm […]

When a vet arrives on farm they are not only arriving at a business, but also a home. Many farms have been with the same practice for many years and so vets and farmers have often grown their respective businesses together. Bishopton Vet Leanne Forde talks about this privileged position of trust and how she […]

As rain keeps on falling, the challenges of Autumn 2019 keep testing us further and it is all too easy for frustration and negative thoughts to creep into minds of farmers and people working within the wider industry. My role as an Agrii Agronomist within the Vale of York does always vary somewhat, however this […]

The latest leaflet published by DEFRA sets out intended changes which will shape English agricultural policy to enable Farmers and land managers to provide high-quality food while enhancing and protecting the countryside. Download the leaflet here  Visit the DEFRA website to find out more information  

Yorkshire Rural Support Network has been organising free health checks (in collaboration with funders) for farming family members, throughout Yorkshire, for the last ten years. We know that farmers are the last to seek help from a doctor, so qualified nursing professionals carry out a basic MOT, including blood pressure, blood sugars and cholesterol, at […]

FREE Conference Askham Bryan College 18th November 2019 9am – 3pm Do you use nitrogen on your crops? If so, then this conference may benefit you by providing the information you need in order to increase crop yield as well as minimizing your costs. Guest speakers include: Dr Kevin Hicks (University of York) Research Associate […]

An invitation to all in the farming community! Come and see us for a checkup and a chat between 11am – 1.30pm at the following events: Thursday 28th November 2019 – Thirsk Christmas Fatstock Show & Sale at Thirsk Mart Wednesday 15th January 2020 – Ripon Farm Services Open Days at the Great Yorkshire Showground, […]

The Yorkshire Rural Support Network, supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society welcomed over 130 delegates to their Annual Conference at Pavilions of Harrogate, Great Yorkshire Showground on Tuesday 15th October 2019. An exciting day of information, challenge and celebration was promised and speakers including Sophie Throup, Head of Senior Corporate Affairs (Agriculture) at Morrisons; Becky […]

People often ask me why I go to the gym when I have such an active job, and the answer is simple. I love it. They ask me how I find time, and the answer is I make time, because it’s important not only to my physical health, but also my mental health. Farming can […]

James Daniel is Founder of Precision Grazing. He grew up on a family farm in Cornwall and studied at Harper Adams University. He was introduced to managed grazing systems in New Zealand in 2015 and since then has worked with livestock farmers across the UK. He shares what it means to him to be Fit […]

As many people say, “farming isn’t a job, it’s a lifestyle”, so how will improving a farmer’s physical fitness, benefit his/her lifestyle? Physical strains or damage are more of a regular occurrence when muscles aren’t used, or supported correctly, or are pushed to beyond limits they are naturally capable of. To prevent long term injury […]

Levels of depression in the farming industry are thought to be increasing, with suicide rates among farmers among the highest in any occupational group. More than one farmer a week in the UK dies due to suicide. That’s an achingly sad statistic that doesn’t even begin to describe the pain that those broken families will […]

Friday 15th November 2019 8.15am – 5.30pm Bishop Burton College, Beverley HU17 8QG We would all like to be masters of the art of negotiation but in reality, many of us struggle with where to even start! You’re invited to join us for our Negotiation Skills Training Day. This course will give you the tools […]

We were very thankful to finish harvest earlier this month which has been the focus of our efforts at home. We are now busy drilling up for next year, looking after sheep and cattle, keeping on top of our administration and preparing for the winter months. While working on the family farm, I also run […]

For farmers and rural business owners, working in isolation can very much be the norm, but what happens when something goes wrong? What is what3words? what3words is a really simple way to talk about location. What3words have assigned each 3m square in the world a unique 3 word address that will never change. For example […]

When I left my parents family farm to study at university, I didn’t fully appreciate how closely my future career would revolve around farming and agriculture. From delivering stewardship advice at Natural England, to farm consultancy at ADAS and now launching Fern Farming, the one thing all my roles have had in common is the […]

Last week Madge Moore, Chair, Yorkshire Food Farming and Rural Network along with Carolyn Frank, Federation of Small Businesses, met with Mr. and Mrs. Otterburn and Kevin Hollinrake, MP Thirsk and Malton and a paddock full of Mangalitza pigs. Mrs. Otterburn had raised concerns about African Swine Flu. The impacts this would have on specialist […]

Adaptability in the face of change We are entering a possibly fast-paced restructuring of our industry. Winning farmers will be those that understand their businesses and are good at distinguishing opportunities from distractions. We must be primed to act and ready to adapt. Joined by speakers Minette Batters (NFU President), Hannah Jackson (Red Shepherdess) and […]

Help for the Farming Community affected by the July flooding in Yorkshire. We know there has been a great local response to the recent flooding disaster. You may already have contacted a membership organisation (Dales Farmer Network, CLA, NFU or TFA) but the following contacts may be able to provide you with some additional practical […]

Written by Sarah Hunt My name is Sarah Hunt and I have worked in the accountancy profession for 15 years. I am Finance Director at the Oak Faming Group, which includes arable, dairy goats, renewables and a holiday park. I am also a member of the Future Farmers of Yorkshire group. When the Yorkshire Agricultural […]

Rural Community Energy Fund open for applications Clean renewable energy generation at the community level is beneficial both to the community and the wider environment. By reducing dependence on fossil fuel-based energy generation, communities can secure future energy supply. Gain protection from rising fuel costs and duties and reduce the risk of fuel poverty. Income […]

24 Hours in Farming is the agricultural industry’s biggest online event. Highlighting the pride of the nation’s food producers and encourages farmers to show the general public a typical working day through the power of social media. This year is once again sponsored by Morrisons and the event will take place from 5am August 8 […]

THE NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP SHOW 2019 Tuesday 8th – Wednesday 9th October 2019   For the second year running, The Yorkshire Agricultural Society is delighted to offer a targeted LAND BASED area at the National Apprenticeship Show. Allowing farming and related industries to showcase what fantastic career options are available within the sector. Do you have […]

On Friday the 28th June I attended a meeting with the secretary of state for farming, the environment, and rural affairs; Michael Gove. The meeting chaired by Kevin Hollinrake MP gave the opportunity to question the secretary of state on issues surrounding the UK’s departure from the EU and the Agriculture bill, which is currently […]

Exmoor Hill Farming Network visit to the GYS on Wednesday 10th July 2019 We were delighted to welcome 14 ladies from Exmoor to the Great Yorkshire Show on Wednesday. They attended the Future Farmers of Yorkshire Breakfast Meeting. ‘Adaptability in the face of change’. Chaired by Freddie Watson of The Organic Pantry near Tadcaster. With […]

Fun for all at the Great Yorkshire Show in the family area, comprising of the Discovery Zone, Gen Z, and the outdoor sports area. Discovery Zone Come along and get hands-on with new ways to learn about the countryside at the Great Yorkshire Show family area 2019. Meet some newly hatched chicks, find out how […]

The YFFRN, in partnership with Centre for Crop Health and Protection (CHAP) based at FERA Science Ltd, York. We’re pleased to host a farmer meeting with the Rt Honourable Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Defra, last Friday. To give Yorkshire farmers the opportunity to speak with Michael Gove. The event was chaired by Mr. […]

Supporting Early adoption of Agri-Tech Innovations Date: 25th June 2019 Timings: 9:30am – 5:15pm Venue: University of Sheffield (INOX), S3 7RL The Knowledge transfer network would like to invite farmers and growers to their dedicated event. To help engagement between agri-tech companies and agri-business on the ground. What are the benefits of attending? Contribute to […]

University of Leeds N8 AgriFood Farm Open Day  Date: 21st June 2019 Timings: 1:30pm – 6:00pm Venue: Headley Hall Farm, Spen Common Lane, LS24 9NT   Farmers and agribusinesses are invited to “peek over the hedge” into an operational research farm. To have their say on where scientists should be focusing their efforts to support […]

The Butcher The Baker and The Ice Cream Maker The popular Women in Farming evening was a great success in late May at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s Farm Shop and café Fodder. The evening reception started with a delicious and refreshing glass of elderflower fizz. The attending women used the opportunity to chat with friends, […]

Open Farm Sunday is a fantastic opportunity to show people what real farming is all about and why supporting British farming matters. Are you thinking of opening your farm? Maybe you want to volunteer your expertise? Perhaps you want to visit one already running in your area? This year, Leaf’s Open Farm Sunday will be […]

The restorative power of leys in arable farming An invitation is extended from the White Rose Sustainable Agriculture Consortium of the University of  Leeds, Sheffield, and York. To a one day meeting; The restorative power of leys in arable farming. From 9.15am to 5.00pm on 24th June near Tadcaster. To overview the findings from two […]

Veganism has blossomed over the past few years, with an estimated 250,000 people participating in Veganuary 2019.  Done properly, a plant-based diet can provide nearly all the correct nutritional requirements we need to thrive and can be deliciously interesting and varied.  Done badly, with poor planning and a reliance on processed vegan foods, and it […]

In hindsight, studying philosophy at St Andrews University was an unorthodox route into farming. So far I admit, it hasn’t helped in lambing a tricky ewe. Indeed, for the seven years after graduating I worked for three different companies that had little to do with agriculture. It was only two years ago that I returned to […]

Introduction I would like to start by saying thank you to the Future Farmers of Yorkshire and NFU Northeast. For giving me the opportunity to attend the NFU Conference in Birmingham in February and to Allie Hesketh for being an excellent host over the two days. The NFU is an organisation I have known about […]

John Fenton warmly invites you to Springwell Farm, Driffield, YO25 3EL on Friday 7th June at 6 pm for second Tye Trophy Farm Walk. Supper provided. John Fenton is the Head Judge of the Tye Trophy Judging Panel and a previous winner and he describes the Tye Trophy as an award that finds highly commercial […]

Richard & Karl Suddes warmly invite you to South Farm, Cornsay, DH7 9EL  Thursday 9th May at 6.30pm Richard & Karl Suddes were Tye Trophy Tyne Tees Area Winners presented at the Great Yorkshire Show in 2018. South Farm is 800 acres, 500 arable and 300 grass and woodland. In addition, 400 acres is share […]

On March 21st, 2019 the second Annual General Practice Nursing (Yorkshire and Humber) Awards were held in Leeds. The 21 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) from across Yorkshire and Humber had nominated their winners from local practices. Anne Reed and Tricia Fryer, nurses from The Doctors Surgery in Thirsk were nominated by Hambleton, Richmond and Whitby […]

As a nutritionist I’m often entangled in debates about whether it’s right and healthy to eat animal products or should we all be switching to plant-based diets. It’s not a clear-cut argument on either side, and there are all sorts of myths circulating on social media, cluttering up the debate. So, it was a joy […]

Having grown up on a fourth-generation livestock farm just outside Harrogate, farming has been at the forefront of my life. I have always enjoyed the science behind livestock production, some of my earliest memories include creating my own feed blends for my pet sheep. Luckily my knowledge of nutrition has improved since! My passion for […]

Future Farmers Negotiation Skills Training Tuesday 25th June 2019 8.15am – 5.30pm Regional Agricultural Centre, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, HG2 8NZ We would all like to be masters of the art of negotiation but, in reality, many of us struggle with where to even start! Negotiating is a skill you’re not likely to learn at […]

SAVE THE DATE! The next Women in Farming Network meeting has been confirmed as: Date: Wednesday 22nd May 2019 At: Fodder farm shop and café, Great Yorkshire Showground HG2 8NZ From: 6.30pm An informal evening with supper, presentations and lots of conversation. Save the date to ensure you won’t miss out on our next popular […]

Investigating the unique abilities of the Herdwick Sheep Breed Herdwicks are commercially farmed in Cumbria and provide income for their local communities. The breed consists of 65,000 sheep, with more than 95% of the entire number concentrated in one geographical region – within the Lake District National Park, that has recently been awarded UNESCO World […]

At a time when Brexit has prompted the greatest change to farming in a generation. The Yorkshire Food and Farming Rural Network have joined other regional food and farming stakeholders. With an aim to promote a positive vision for the future of the industry, through Grow Yorkshire. The use of collaboration will be key. An […]

Written by Richard Pears, Future Farmers of Yorkshire member kindly sponsored by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to attend the Oxford Farming Conference 2019. Having read the news stories emanating from the Oxford Farming Conference over the years, and having heard nothing but positive reports from previous delegates it was with high expectations that I arrived […]

Written by Nick Grayson, Future Farmers of Yorkshire member kindly sponsored by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and the NFU North East Office to attend the NFU Conference 2019. Travelling into central Birmingham on the train during rush hour on a weekday morning, wearing a shirt and tie was the first culture shock for me – […]

Written by Jim Beary, Future Farmers of Yorkshire member kindly sponsored by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to attend the Oxford Farming Conference 2019. I am an upland livestock farmer from Bradfield, South Yorkshire, in the Peak District National Park. It is a 400-acre farm consisting of 800 ewes, producing prime lambs for Tesco, 130 contract […]

What does Brexit mean for tariff and tariff quotas in a soft or hard Brexit deal? In February, we were joined by Economic Law expert, Professor Fiona Smith, University of Leeds, who spoke to the Network about the impact on tariff and tariff quotas in a ‘soft’ or ‘hard’ Brexit deal. Fiona was a member […]

What to look for when conducting a post mortem for Liver fluke disease Yorkshire farmers had an insightful evening in February with Bainbridge Vets, Leyburn, learning about key signs for Liver fluke disease when conducting a post mortem on their hill sheep. The post mortems are part of a learning programme being delivered under the […]

Yorkshire farmer Sarah Pick was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship to study how to increase profits and productivity in beef herds in 2019. Sarah, aged 29, who was brought up on a family farm in Tadcaster and lives on a dairy farm in Barnsley, was awarded the Nuffield Farming Scholarship funded by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. [...]

Join us to discuss the myths & realities of livestock production What are the myths and realities surrounding the UK livestock industry with regards to welfare, environment and healthy consumption of animal products? It is time to arm ourselves with the facts, and understand how to present them, so we can talk to the public […]

Written by, Sarah Dean, Oxford Farming Conference Scholar 2019 supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society Attending the Oxford Farming Conference (OFC), titled ‘A World of Opportunity’, was a great opportunity for myself, I was very grateful to the Yorkshire Agricultural Society for kindly sponsoring me. Brexit was the main talking point throughout the conference which […]

Our friends at the University of Leeds have asked us to support them in promoting their new project. Can you help? Currently, many of the efforts to reduce nitrogen pollution focus on a single influence, such as air or water quality, or a single activity, such as slurry storage or fertilizer application. This project, delivered […]

The Great Yorkshire Show is looking for volunteer stewards for a number of areas (including sheep and cattle) for the 2019 Show. We all know how special GYS is, but, quite simply, the show could not run without the dedication of its Stewards. You’ll get a huge sense of pride and an immense buzz from […]

Connecting rural communities and businesses to rural broadband is one of our network’s key priorities which is why at the Great Yorkshire Show 2018 we gave a big push to help our rural and farming communities connected. Hosted by the CLA with sponsorship by the network, the drop-in event, held on the Wednesday of the […]

In November 2018, the Yorkshire Food Farming and Rural Network held their conference “Defining a Future for Yorkshire Farming” at the National Agri-Food Innovation Campus in York in which it welcomed 200 regional farmers and stakeholders to showcase Yorkshire’s industry strengths in Agriculture. The audience discussed the future of the new Agricultural Policy for the […]

Hundreds of farming enthusiasts from across the UK converged on the classrooms and examination halls of Oxford University, last week, for the 2019 Oxford Farming Conference. Headline speaker, Defra Secretary, Michael Gove warned about the dangers of a no-deal Brexit and spoke of the importance of productive farming and environmental enhancement. He promised a “world […]

Is it the end for agrichemical spraying? Prof Rob Edwards and Dr Roma Gwynn were among the speakers at this year’s CropTec Show 2018. The event was held at the East of England Showground in Peterborough. Rob and Roma spoke to an audience of 200 over the two-day event. They set the scene for a […]

The Women in Farming’s November meeting at Brymor Ice Cream was the absolute opposite of the stormy weather hammering down outside on the café’s roof! After receiving a very warm welcome from the staff a delicious coffee and a chance to chat to the other ladies present, we were guided through to the main café […]

Hugh Shedden, of Shedden Farms, Shipton by Beningbrough near York was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society in 2017. Hugh used his studies to look at improving practical efficiencies and cost-effectiveness to inform and improve British pig production. He commented: British pig farmers are amongst the best in the world but I [...]

Our blog about the Women in Farming evening visit to Shepherds Purse near Thirsk in May 2018 Wow! Didn’t we have a fantastic time with Judy and Caroline Bell on our visit? They were so generous with their time, knowledge and expertise and gave us a really wonderful opportunity to find out more about running […]