Future Farmers of Yorkshire
We believe farming in Yorkshire belongs at the leading edge of UK agriculture. Future Farmers of Yorkshire inspires and develops the very best to lead Yorkshire’s agricultural industries to a thriving future.

Our Background
The Future Farmers of Yorkshire was launched in 2010 to bring together like-minded farmers, vets and industry supporters.
Since then the group has been joined by over 1,000 forward-thinking members, eager to expand their knowledge and excel in their careers.
We support them by providing a platform for debate and the sharing of ideas.
The group is supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and is open to everyone within the industry. Members are from a range of sectors and enterprise sizes, with a mix of tenants, owner-occupiers, managers and employees.
Friends of Farmer Time
Keen to inspire the next generation of agriculturalists, the Future Farmers of Yorkshire is an official Friend of Farmer Time.
Farmer Time is a fantastic free initiative founded by farmer Tom Martin and co-ordinated by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) to bring farm visits to the classroom by matching farmers with schools. Any farmer can participate.
Read why our members Kate Moore and Charlotte Middlebrook advocate getting involved in Farmer Time.
Find out more and sign up here.
What we do
The group supports Yorkshire’s Future Farmers in 4 ways:
- By running headline events to inspire and inform members, for example the Great Yorkshire Show Breakfast Meeting or the Spring Debate.
- By running commercial skills workshops and training, to support members’ personal development.
- By mentoring and developing individual members through sponsoring event places with follow up training and presentations.
- By facilitating industry visits to Yorkshire’s leading agricultural businesses, across the supply chain.
Testimonials from bursary recipients
Click on the links below to read glowing references from past events.
Join Future Farmers
Members from the group meet throughout the year at a variety of events, workshops and industry visits. Join us to get involved and get ahead in Yorkshire’s agricultural industries.
Join Future Farmers
Members from the group meet throughout the year at a variety of events, workshops and industry visits. Join us to get involved and get ahead in Yorkshire’s agricultural industries.
Who are we?
The group has a management team who guide the direction of meetings and activities.
Chair – Nick Grayson, Mixed Farmer
Vice Chair – we will be recruiting for this post shortly
Manager – Elizabeth Hudson, Charitable Activities Team, Yorkshire Agricultural Society
Management Team
Freddie Watson – General Manager, The Organic Pantry Ltd
Charlotte Middlebrook – Trainee County Advisor, NFU
Davina Fillingham – Associate Partner, Dee Atkinson & Harrison
Nicolle Hamilton – Rural Campaigns and PR Manager, GSC Grays
Blair Wallace – Managing Director, The Land Management Partnership
Bradley Sykes – Contractor, Sykes Contracting
Ian Pennock – Global Business Lead, McCain Foods
Previous events and debates
2021
Brand Britain on agriculture’s global stage
2020
Top tips for Keeping an Entrepreneurial Mindset
2019
A Guide to the Myths & Realities of Livestock Farming
Brexit and Agriculture
The impact of Britain’s exit from the EU (Brexit) on UK Agriculture.
What we do
The group meets several times a year at a variety of events including a Breakfast Meeting at the Great Yorkshire Show, topical debates, farm and supply chain visits and training sessions. Events are normally free in order to ensure that they are accessible to everyone.
Join us to:
- Make new business contacts
- Knowledge transfer
- A social occasion to meet like-minded people
- To gain ideas for your own businesses
- An opportunity for farmers and vets to interact
- To meet farmers facing similar challenges
- To see what the future holds for farming
email us on futurefarmers@yas.co.uk or call 01423 541000
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