Future of Farming Review welcomed by expert at Shropshire's Harper Adams University

THE Future of Farming Review paints a positive picture for agriculture and emphasises the importance of attracting new talent into the industry, according to an expert at Shropshire’s Harper Adams University.

Charles Cowap, Principal Lecturer in Land Management at the university near Newport, has welcomed the industry-led review, which assess the workforce that will be needed by a sustainable, productive and resilient agriculture sector now and in the future.

“David Fursdon’s Future of Farming Review at last gives us an authoritative report which goes further than imploring landowners to make cut price tenancies available to unproven new entrants to the farming industry,” he said.

“It paints a very positive future for agriculture and stresses again the importance of ensuring the industry is able to attract and retain the right talent.”

He added the review, along with the Agri-Tech Strategy launched last week, was about as far from the traditional bucolic image of farming as could be imagined.

The Future of Farming Review, published earlier this month, sets out the cultural changes needed to enable forward-thinking entrepreneurs to thrive in an industry which is modernising, innovative and embracing new technology.

It recommends better promotion of the breadth of employment opportunities in farming, more advice for farmers on succession and retirement planning, better provision of affordable housing in rural areas for farmers, promoting farming as a highly skilled professional career, and the industry taking greater responsibility for training including business skills for new entrants.

The Agri-Tech Strategy recognises that agriculture is one of the world’s fastest growing sectors and includes £160 million government investment in developing cutting edge technologies, and taking innovative products such as cancer-fighting broccoli from the field to the shopping aisle.

“The recognition of these imperatives is nothing new here at Harper Adams University, and the importance and diversity of farming is something our brightest students have recognised for years,” added Mr Cowap.

“Major investments in a National Centre for Precision Farming, modern dairy, commercial anaerobic digestion facilities, and the Centre for Fresh Produce Research all demonstrate Harper Adams’ already very active involvement and commitment.

“Our students and graduates are already gaining directly. Recent figures for our agriculture graduates show that they come with an average of 330-plus UCAS points – that’s an A and two Bs at A-Level.

“While nearly 85 per cent of them say they come from a farm, many fewer go back home to farm – just over a third. But, as many again are taking up posts on other farmers, many as managers.

“Others are forging highly successful careers in the food supply chain, in research, and as consultants and advisers. Add to the agriculturalists the graduates from other degrees, land management for example where most graduates will work alongside the agricultural industry as they qualify as chartered surveyors and agricultural valuers.

“This all underlines the relevance of Fursdon’s conclusions. There are great careers in farming and agriculture.

“It’s relatively easy to be self-employed in the rural economy, by either setting up on your own or working your way up to a partnership in a professional consultancy. The real difficulty is to become self-employed as a farmer, because that takes a lot of capital.

“But with all the other opportunities available, why should farming be any different from any other capital intensive industry in this regard?

“Fursdon and his team have done the industry a great favour by recognising the commercial and economic reality of this.”

ENDS

Sarah Swinnerton
Harper Adams Press Office
Newport, Shropshire
01952 815291

Harper Adams University is the UK's leading specialist provider of higher education for the rural and land-based industries. Our mission is to deliver higher education and research for the delivery of a sustainable food chain and rural economy. To see how Harper Adams can help you, visit www.harper-adams.ac.uk 

Tags: