Farmer/Agricultural worker

Key skills/talents

• Resilience! This is not a job for the faint of heart and weak of spirit.

• Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations: Agriculture can present challenges, and maintaining composure is crucial for problem-solving.

• Flexibility and openness to change: Agriculture is in constant flux, so the ability to adapt to evolving circumstances is crucial.

• The ability to work well with others: Collaboration with fellow farmers, agricultural professionals, and stakeholders is essential for shared success.

• Thoroughness and attention to detail: Precision in tasks such as planting, harvesting, and livestock management is vital for optimal agricultural outcomes.

• The ability to work on your own: Independence in managing daily farm operations and making decisions is a key aspect of the farming profession.

• Physical skills like movement, coordination, and dexterity: Farming mostly involves VERY hands-on tasks, requiring physical agility and coordination.

• Excellent verbal communication skills: Effective communication is essential for interactions with team members, suppliers, and customers.

• Business management skills: Successful farmers need to manage finances, plan budgets, and make strategic decisions to ensure the sustainability of their operations.

• The ability to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device: Basic technological proficiency is increasingly important for tasks such as record-keeping, market analysis, and communication in modern agriculture.

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​Qualifications required

You can enter this position through various pathways, including pursuing a university program, enrolling in a college course (such as a Level 2 certificate, a Level 3 Diploma, or a T-level in Agriculture, Land Management, and Production - exclusive to England from September 2023), opting for an apprenticeship, or gradually progressing into the role by initially working as a farm hand, then supervisor, unit manager, or assistant manager before transitioning into more direct farm management.

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And of course, hands-on experience is EVERYTHING in farming; so if you think this might be a career for you, get volunteering and get onto a working farm ASAP. Farmers are busy people and they don’t suffer fools gladly, so they need people who are willing and with experience of getting their hands dirty.

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Rules and regs

The Government holds A LOT of information relating to legislation for farmers. Firstly they have published guidance for all farmers and land managers: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rules-for-farmers-and-land-managers

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The Rural Payments Agency is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, supported by 1 public body: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/rural-payments-agency#:~:text=What%20we%20do,supported%20by%201%20public%20body

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DEFRA have a blog regarding understanding & improving farming regulation: https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2022/03/02/understanding-and-improving-farming-regulation

The Health & Safety Executive carries guidance for agriculture: https://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/index.htm

There is also the Agriculture Act 2020: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8702

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Rural Support (www.ruralsupport.org.uk) provides impartial guidance for farmers and farm family members in support of their farm business and personal wellbeing. They also have information regarding regulations: https://www.ruralsupport.org.uk/what-we-do/support-hub/farm-business-finance/government-regulations

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If using pesticides you must register with the HSE: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pesticides/register.htm

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If your food is organic: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/organic-food-uk-approved-control-bodies

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Farm insurance is ESSENTIAL, whether you are a general farm-hand or setting up and running your own land. Because if you can’t work for whatever reason, there is no sick-pay scenario.

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Insurance is available from a variety of providers. A few examples are below…

• Most obvious, if of course, the NFU: https://www.nfumutual.co.uk

• Abbey Autoline has a breakdown on their website of what this covers: https://www.abbeyautoline.co.uk/knowledge-hub/farming/everything-you-need-to-know-about-farm-insurance/#:~:text=Product%20liability%20would%20be%20needed,by%20work%20on%20your%20farm

• https://www.marshcommercial.co.uk/for-business/farming

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Remuneration framework

Gosh, where to even begin with this, because as you’ve already heard in the chat(!), ‘currently’ farmers get some decent subsidies; however, that is changing as of 2027, meaning farmers that may be earning a decent wage now (and can pay their workers a decent wage now), could well be in a very different position in 3-years time.

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The average Farm Business Income (FBI) across all UK farm types was £46,500, however, this  GOVT site gives more intel on pay and salaries: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/agriculture-in-the-united-kingdom-2021/chapter-3-farming-income

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How to get started

As previously mentioned there are several courses that can be studied to get you qualified for a career in farming.

Landex are an association who support land based colleges and universities throughout the UK. The following link shoes a map of the UK with their affiliated colleges/universities: https://landex.org.uk/membership

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Similarly Lantra are the UK’s leading provider of training, qualifications and guidance regarding all land based industries: https://www.lantra.co.uk

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T Levels in Agriculture, are a City & Guilds course and are the equivalent to 3 A levels: https://www.cityandguilds.com/qualifications-and-apprenticeships/land-based-services/agriculture/8717-t-level-technical-qualification-in-agriculture-land-management-and-production#tab=information

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As previously advised there are several Agriculture colleges and universities in the UK. A well known one is Askham Bryan in North Yorkshire. Their courses can be found here: https://www.askham-bryan.ac.uk/departments/agriculture/?utm_source=gsn&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=fandt_2024_january_he_and_fe_open_event_dec_23_jan_24&utm_content=subject_specific_agriculture&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwP6sBhDAARIsAPfK_wbkuuI4tCF88pBIPnkiV0H1vF-y8bwIiXTfnkQY74F5_k9rdYims4YaAk8mEALw_wcB

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The Royal Agriculture University, based in Cirencester, has been educating students in land based education for over 175 years: https://www.rau.ac.uk

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And as we’ve already said, experience is EVERYTHING with agriculture, so get volunteering or sign-up as a general farm-hand as quickly as you can, so you can gain experience as you undertake any academic route.

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Associations or official bodies to register with

To become a farmer, you must register your land with the Rural Land Registry: https://www.gov.uk/register-land-rural-land-register#:~:text=You%20must%20use%20the%20Rural,Environmental%20Stewardship%20schemes

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The most well known of the farming unions is the National Farming Union - https://www.nfuonline.com

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There is also the Royal Agricultural Society of England which is an independent charity dedicated to the agricultural industry - https://www.rase.org.uk

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There are many associations associated with the different aspects of farming, down to the type of livestock you may have. A list can be found here: https://www.netregs.org.uk/environmental-topics/trade-associations-bsos/agriculture-trade-associations

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Job site links

More than likely you're going to speak to you're local farm/small holding regarding any job opportunities and apply/show interest direct, however, the usual job sites list vacancies, too:

https://uk.indeed.com/Farming-jobs

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And media like Farmer's weekly have loads of great careers pages and indeed somewhere to upload your CV: https://jobs.fwi.co.uk

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Progression pathway​

With the appropriate qualifications and a heap of experience, you have the potential to oversee or lead operations on a sizable farm, but it might be necessary to seek promotion by transitioning between different farms to achieve this. Which in itself could be tricky, because as the girls touch on in the chat, so much of farming is about emotional connection (to the land and/or the animals), so you may find yourself unable to leave, even if you’d like to progress.

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Alternatively, you could explore opportunities as a contractor, particularly with machinery and providing services to multiple farms as needed.

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Or, like the girls have done, you could diversify into other areas and undertake other work during quiet times, whether that with a farming body, like Liz is doing, or via an agricultural contractor, like Susan is doing; OR, with something completely different, like Kate, who pursues her art and creative skills when the family farm is quiet.

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And of course, as you’ve heard from the girls, they are looking for all sorts of ways to diversify the farm and its earning potential… From the progression of their direct meat business, to the transformation of the farm into a somewhat educational establishment for the wider public.

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Other ideas that different farms have deployed have been the setting up of farm shops, outdoor experience centres, shepherds hut ‘air-bnbs’ etc.

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The good thing is having land to use… and if you’re open to change and keen to make your farm as profitable as it can be, then there should always be a number of opportunities available to you.