Agriculture: Young People

(asked on 21st May 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to encourage young people to work in agriculture.


Answered by
George Eustice Portrait
George Eustice
This question was answered on 30th May 2018

Having a skilled workforce in place and attracting young talent to agricultural careers is vital for the future of UK food and farming. There is a wide breadth of exciting technical and highly skilled careers in agriculture from primary production to research, engineering, agronomy, animal welfare and plant health.

The Government is reforming post-16 technical education to provide clear routes to skilled employment in agriculture and other sectors. The changes we have made to the apprenticeship system are transforming lives. We are helping employers to create high quality apprenticeships at all levels that give people of all ages and backgrounds the skills they need. Employers are designing new high quality standards to ensure apprenticeships are more responsive to their needs. Apprenticeship standards are available in a broad range of sectors including agriculture, with Land Based Service Engineer and Arborist approved for delivery, with more in development.

In addition, we currently provide extra support for young farmers starting out in farming through the EU Basic Payment Scheme. Eligible farmers aged between 18 and 40 can claim a 25% uplift on up to 90 hectares of their Basic Payment Scheme payments for the first five years of their new business.

Defra also provides grant funding support to the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs to provide mentoring, training and development opportunities for young people across England who are interested in food and farming.

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