On Wednesday, January 22nd, I had the incredible opportunity to attend Tesco’s annual Winter Reception at the House of Commons as part of the Future Farmer Programme, which I am currently completing.
This nine-month programme, run by the School of Sustainable Food and Farming at Harper Adams University and sponsored by Tesco, is designed to equip aspiring agricultural professionals with the skills needed for sustainable farming.
Since starting in October, I’ve attended two insightful conferences at Harper Adams University, featuring farm tours and talks from industry leaders. Additionally, I’ve taken part in two online seminars focusing on personal development and sustainable farming.
The Winter Reception at the House of Commons was a fantastic opportunity to engage with key decision-makers in the industry and gain a broader perspective on the supply chain. It was also great to connect with a cohort of like-minded individuals.
Later this month, I’ll be attending a two-day regenerative farming event, which includes a visit to FarmED—a centre dedicated to the vital connection between food and farming. We’ll also hear from Ed Brown, Head of Farms at Wildfarmed. Following this, the programme will host another online webinar, a "Walk the Supply Chain" event, and a final conference to conclude the course.
So far, this experience has been invaluable. With around 70 participants from various sectors of food and agriculture, it has provided me with key insights into the broader supply chain.
We’ve had useful presentations and meetings with a number of companies we work with; understanding their business and sustainability goals for the future has been really interesting.
I would really recommend the programme to anyone in the industry. You can read more about the programme here.
It is paramount that as recruiters for the agriculture and rural sector, we stay up to date with emerging industry trends, challenges and innovations. Programmes such as the School of Sustainable Food and Farming allow me to deepen my knowledge of the sector further and therefore provide me with the knowledge to make informed decisions when pairing candidates with the right profession.
Please reach out if you have any questions, whether you are navigating the agricultural climate, or you are considering a career change, I am always happy to help!
Hannah Cuthbert | Recruitment Consultant | Agriculture & Rural
Hannah.cuthbert@morepeople.co.uk | 01780 480 530
You can read more of our blogs on agriculture here!
