In this latest blog post, Katy Brown explains why you should consider applying for the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s Goodall Agri-Development Pathway.
The Goodall Agri-Development Pathway is a fully-funded training programme to support the development of farming’s next generation.
The Pathway has eight modules delivered in a mixture of face to face and online environments, and they feature farm visits, conferences and expert speakers.
Anyone aged between 23 and 40 who work in farming and allied industries in the North of England can apply.
The deadline for applications for our 2025 intake is 2nd December 2024.
Katy’s story
Katy Brown is one of our first group of Goodall Agri Development Pathfinders.
Over the last 12 months, she has completed modules in everything from ‘knowing yourself and working in a team’, to basic HR and sustainable business development.
The 2024 programme also featured a trip to Germany recently (main picture) which included industry visits and EuroTier, the international trade fair for professional animal farming.
Speaking to the Farming Outlook radio show about her experiences as a Goodall Agri-Development Pathfinder, Katy said:
It’s been absolutely fantastic. I’ve been involved with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society before and I just think that the things they run are just so beneficial to the agricultural industry.
Katy runs a flock of ewes and herd of suckler cows on rented farmland with her husband.
Having initially balanced this with separate careers, the couple secured a farm tenancy near Malton and are farming full-time.
Katy’s ambitions are to grow the farm business year by year and prove the profitability of the enterprise.
She joined the Goodall Agri-Development Pathway to help grow her confidence to embrace the challenges that lie ahead.
Reflecting further on her time on the Pathway so far, Katy said:
It was absolutely perfect for myself coming full time into a farming business.
“The course is designed over the year to basically set you up, give you skills, improve your knowledge on everything involved in farming.
It’s not just a case of going out and doing the livestock. Today is my book work day, I’ll be in doing the finances all day. There are a lot of animal health and welfare regulations that we have to adhere to.
Katy said the Goodall Agri-Development Pathway has been a huge help and that it has been great to be part of a group of younger people who are all going through similar journeys at the same time.
It’s really good to have a good refresher course and get to know what’s up to date and relevant and they are such a great group of people.
There’s a really good mix, there’s 12 of us, all from different backgrounds but all who have come into farming at a similar age and it’s just brilliant.
Apply now for our 2025 Goodall Agri-Development Pathway
There are another 12 places available on the Goodall Agri-Development Pathway in 2025.
Applicants are interviewed by a selection panel before being informed if their application is successful. These interviews will take place in December 2024.
Whilst places are fully-funded, a £250 deposit refundable upon completion of the Pathway is required to secure a place if your application is approved. The first module of the 2025 round will be in March 2025.
