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The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution has launched a ‘return to school’ grant to help farming families cover the cost of school uniforms, P.E. kit and other equipment.

McDonald’s is launching a campaign to increase diversity within the industry to mark 10 years of its Progressive Young Farmer programme, which provides hundreds of opportunities for young people to get a foot on the farming ladder.

Matthew Donald, 30, from Northallerton in North Yorkshire, runs a farrow to finish pig unit, alongside two broiler breeder farms producing fertile hatching eggs for the broiler industry.

Rural young people will be recognised for the first time in-person at the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Club (NFYFC) YFC Achiever Awards.

Dan Hawes, 26, is based in Mereworth, Kent. He is an arable turned fruit farmer, growing strawberries and blackberries as part of a larger farming business.

Rachael Wood, 22, grew up on a beef and arable farm in Kinross-shire. She currently works in the rural payments and inspections division for the Scottish Government and is the SAYFC Fife and Kinross District Secretary.

Catriona Dickson, 21, is from County Durham but currently lives in Aberdeen as a Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) student studying rural business management.

Scottish Government funding has breathed new life into the rural training sector, helping upskill instructors and bring in new recruits.

Liz King, 28, splits her time between Whitland, Carmarthenshire and the family farm in Glastonbury, Somerset and works full time as a project officer at The Prince’s Countryside Fund.

A new incentive by Defra will help new entrants get their foot on the farming ladder.