It’s fantastic to hear that the number of people seeking a career in the farming and the food sector is on the rise. However, it should come as no surprise, as there are so many fulfilling careers in farming and food production.

While many people working in urban offices feel like cogs in a machine that only serve to line the pockets of billionaire investors, most jobs in our sector have a very clear purpose: keeping the public fed and watered, while ensuring the countryside is maintained in good condition. By helping to achieve these worthy goals, people in farming gain a deep sense of satisfaction from their hard graft.

Farming is too often castigated as being a late adopter of technology and resistant to change. But this is clearly nonsense.

Anyone who has sat in a tractor recently will know that technology is moving so fast than most of us have to still to learn what button does what.

Meanwhile, electronic tags in sheep, field mapping, and genomic recording all demonstrate that the industry is never afraid to embrace the new, as long as it delivers a benefit. All of this excites the next generation who see opportunities to make a difference and carve out successful careers. Remember, you don’t need to be a farmer to work in agriculture.

One thing that has changed of late is the ability of farmers to engage directly with the public. We can now speak to people through social media and new TV programmes. This is not about sneakily selling our produce to consumers or building ‘brands’, but rather showcasing one of farming’s greatest strengths – the honesty of the people and their inspiring hard work.

Whether it’s the hoof GP sorting a cow’s foot on YouTube, Sean the Sheepman gathering ewes from the hill on TikTok, or The Sheep Game explaining the world of shearing on his podcast, these are the people who are speaking for the industry. And by the looks of it, they’re doing a pretty good job. For those less acquainted with their work, I would recommend checking them out – they represent the industry to millions of people.

In the more traditional medium of TV, programmes like This Farming Life and Clarkson’s Farm bring the industry into millions of living rooms (and mobile phones) around the world. They provide entertainment for people wanting to escape from the humdrum of their lives.

This is crucial – while farming programmes have historically been factual, campaigning, and often very worthy, they may have lacked the humour that is vital to attract a large audience. A lot can be said about Jeremy Clarkson, but no one can deny his ability to produce entertaining television shows.

At last year’s ‘Be a Farmer’ event run by Lantra in South West Scotland, young attendees were surveyed on which farming influencers had impacted their lives. Clarkson’s Farm was the most popular, followed by Cammy Wilson’s The Sheep Game, Tom Pemberton’s Farm Life, Olly Harrison’s Olly Blogs, and Amanda Owen’s Yorkshire Shepherdess. This again shows that the industry is better served with champions than it has been for many years.

All of this contributes to raising the profile of the industry, which in turn attracts new people with fresh ideas to farming, who will add dynamism and drive to our future.

A focus on these bright new people will be in our graduation special next week.