Selected from more than 70 applicants, 11 farmers have been named as the NFU’s new Student and Young Farmer Ambassador.
The new ambassadors will play a crucial role in representing colleagues across the sector at a time when increasing costs, changes in financial support and difficulties with supply chains present challenges for all.
NFU president, Minette Batters, welcomed the new ambassadors for 2023 and was positive about the range of skills represented by the cohort.
She said: “Arguably, there has never been a more important time for British food and farming. The past three years have shown what a fantastic opportunity we have with our ambassadors to tell our positive story, from producing high quality food to our care for the environment and our crucial work towards British agriculture being net zero by 2040.”
The Student & Young Farmer Ambassadors for 2023 are:
- East Anglia – Thomas McVeigh: an arable farmer taking part in the SFI pilot scheme who’s implementing an agroforestry project.
- East Midlands – Hannah Cuthbert: has finished a placement year in farm business management and is studying politics at university, where her dissertation will focus on opportunities for farmers under ELMs.
- East Midlands – Louise Penn: from a mixed arable farm with sheep and cattle, and is currently working as a farm consultant and agronomist.
- North East – Amanda Watson: grew up on an upland farm and now works as a Livestock Technical Specialist.
- North East – Emily Marshall: an agricultural supply chain manager who was on the Tesco Future Farmer Foundation programme.
- North East – Rhea Auton: is training to be a land agent at Harper Adams University and plays an active role in her Young Farmers Club.
- NFU Cymru – Charlie Cooper-Harding: works as an area sales specialist for one of the UK’s leading providers of agricultural supplies and services.
- South East – Liz Tree: grew up in Croydon, South London, and is studying for a Masters of Research in agricultural education at Harper Adams University.
- South West – Darcy Johnson: a Harper Adams University student who comes from a family beef and arable farm.
- South West – Hamish Evans: a regenerative farmer with a vegetable box delivery scheme that has over 200 subscribers.
- West Midlands – Evie Rogers: studying Agriculture and Farm Business at Harper Adams University and is on a net-zero farm placement.
