Here, Pembrokeshire farmer Tom Rees, talks about the skills and knowledge he’s taken away from being a participant during the 2014-15 scheme.
He writes:
The course provided a brilliant range of events. For me, highlights included the media training and trips to Brussels and Westminster.
Media training provided not just a great opportunity to develop our skills as a group but also really helped us to get to know each other. Likewise having the Brussels trip close to the end of the course meant we really knew each other and as a result got the most from the trip both professionally and socially.
I really felt the importance of paying my yearly NFU subscription when we left Brussels, the importance the NFU play in political lobbying was obvious and this was further galvanised when we visited Westminster and the Houses of Parliament.
I also particularly enjoyed the session on how the NFU works from branch through to county level, right through to national level. This was particularly relevant to someone like myself who doesn't have any close family involved in the organisation.
The course also gave me the confidence to push on with my own business aspirations. Being part of a group of young people who took everything as a challenge rather than a punishment, has helped me be clear in what I’m doing, even with farm gate prices the way they are today!
It also gave me the confidence to be involved in my local NFU and since completing the course I have become strongly involved in my local branch and hope that as time progresses I can do more.
The great diversity of members in the group brought a great range of skills and experience, but above all I think as a group we have made friends for life. We came from many different backgrounds but overall we shared a passion for shaping the future of the British Combinable Crops industry and I’m sure that you will see many of the group go on to greater things. I am very proud of my involvement in the group and would encourage any NFU members thinking about it to get on and apply.