Call for action to avert ‘generation of talent’ loss

Young farmers are calling for action on access to land, finance and housing amid warnings that agriculture risks losing a generation of potential new entrants.

A new paper from the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs’ (NFYFC) YFC Agri group argues long-standing barriers are preventing young people from entering and progressing within farming.

See also: Farmers Weekly Awards 2026: Young Farmer of the Year

Published to coincide with National Young Farmers’ Week (5-9 October), Proud to Farm sets an ambition to triple the proportion of under-35s working in agriculture to 15% by 2036.

The paper points to an ageing farming population, with the average farmer in England now aged over 59 and more than one-third aged over 65. Just 5% are under 35.

In Wales, the average age is 60, while about 3% are under 25.

YFC Agri chair Nathan Greenwood said: “Young farmers across England and Wales have the ambition, skills and determination needed to drive innovation, strengthen food production and care for our countryside.

“However, many face significant challenges, from accessing land and capital to securing business opportunities, housing and high-quality land-based training.

“Without action to address these obstacles, the sector risks losing a generation of talent at the very moment it is needed most.”

Calls on government

NFYFC is urging government and industry to improve access to farm tenancies, including retaining council farms and encouraging landlords to offer opportunities to new entrants as historic Agricultural Holdings Act tenancies expire.

It also wants young farmers to have fair access to environmental land management and capital grants schemes, and is calling for agricultural workers to be designated as key workers to help them secure rural housing.

Other recommendations include greater involvement of young farmers in agricultural policymaking and improved access to high-quality land-based education and training.

NFYFC chair Jessica Rose said: “The next generation are eager to succeed, but they need the right opportunities and support to fulfil their potential.”

The paper draws on the experiences of young farmers across England and Wales and calls for government and industry action to support generational renewal.

YFC skills help carve out Farmer’s Dog butcher career

Skills gained at a Young Farmers Club have helped Gloucestershire member Charlotte Kingham build a career as head butcher at Jeremy Clarkson’s Farmer’s Dog pub.

Miss Kingham, a Winchcombe YFC member, joined Young Farmers aged 13 and credits competitions, farm visits and leadership roles with helping her to develop the confidence and practical skills she now uses at work.

She is head butcher at Hops & Chops at the Farmer’s Dog, having initially taken a short-term role after returning from farm work in New Zealand and America.

Charlotte Kingham © John Liddle

A chance offer to help the pub’s butcher while the business was opening led to a permanent career change.

“Being part of Young Farmers has given me so many skills.

“When I joined aged 13, I probably wouldn’t have said boo to a goose; I couldn’t talk in front of people,” she said.

She added that stock judging, carcase judging and YFC butchery tours had also proved directly relevant to her job.

Miss Kingham, the fourth generation of her family to become a butcher and the first woman to do so, said her farming background had given her experience across the supply chain.

“Because I have done the farming side, I feel I have done the whole farm-to-fork journey. I’m now more at the fork end,” she said.

Despite wider recognition through Clarkson’s Farm, she said YFC remained a place where it was “business as usual” and it has given her “a sense of belonging everywhere”.