The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has named its 2023 Student and Young Farmer Ambassadors.
The 11 chosen farmers were narrowed down from the over 70 people that applied.
The new ambassadors will play a vital role representing the voice of the next generation at a “crucial time in agriculture”, the union said, citing spiralling input costs and food security as two particular challenges at present.
The NFU’s Student and Young Farmer Ambassadors for 2023 are:
- Amanda Watson, North East– grew up on an upland farm and now works as a Livestock Technical Specialist;
- Charlie Cooper-Harding, NFU Cymru – works as an area sales specialist for one of the UK’s leading providers of agricultural supplies and services;
- Darcy Johnson, South West – a Harper Adams University student who comes from a family beef and arable farm;
- Emily Marshall, North East – an agricultural supply chain manager who was on the Tesco Future Farmer Foundation programme;
- Evie Rogers, West Midlands – studying agriculture and farm business at Harper Adams University and is on a net-zero farm placement;
- Hamish Evans, South West – a regenerative farmer with a vegetable box delivery scheme that has over 200 subscribers;
- Hannah Cuthbert, East Midlands – 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;
- Liz Tree, South East – grew up in Croydon, South London, and is studying for a Masters of Research in agricultural education at Harper Adams University;
- Louise Penn, East Midlands – from a mixed arable farm with sheep and cattle, and is currently working as a farm consultant and agronomist;
- Rhea Auton, North East – is training to be a land agent at Harper Adams University and plays an active role in her Young Farmers Club;
- Thomas McVeigh, East Anglia – an arable farmer taking part in the SFI pilot scheme who’s implementing an agroforestry project.
Welcoming the new ambassadors for 2023, NFU President Minette Batters 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.
“We have a fantastic range of agricultural roles represented by this cohort which will bring together inspiring voices from across the industry.
“I can’t wait to work alongside this group of talented and passionate people to see what we will achieve.”
