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Choosing the path that’s right for you
This episode sees NFU County Adviser Josh Redford and Monmouthshire-based farmer Naomi Williams speak to two young farmers who embarked on very different paths after leaving school.
John Fairlie left his family farm in Angus to work in finance before returning with new skills and a fresh perspective.
Maria Warne Elston, a fifth‑generation farmer from Cornwall, stayed closely involved in her family’s beef, sheep and arable farm, briefly working as a veterinary nurse before returning full‑time and sharing her farming life online.
Listen as our two young farmers debate the benefits and the drawbacks of staying or leaving.
What’s on the horizon for Westminster this year?
Listen to our Westminster experts NFU Head of External Affairs Olivia Phoenix and NFU External Affairs Manager Scott Pepe as they discuss negotiations with the EU for a common SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) Area and how this could impact farming, Defra's animal welfare strategy, and what to expect from the Chancellor's Spring Forecast on 3 March.
“Despite it not being a big Budget the NFU will never miss an opportunity to do some lobbying,” says NFU External Affairs Manager Scott Pepe speaking on the latter of these.
Scott also reminds listeners that Defra's consultation on fairness in the combinable crops supply chain is due to close this week on 4 February and urges NFU members with an interest in the arable sector to take part.
A frank conversation on mental health
With #MindYourHead week kicking off on 9 February, we speak to NFU member and co-founder of Herefordshire-based mental health charity We are Farming Minds, Sam Stables.
Sam runs the charity with his wife Emily where they work to raise mental health awareness in the rural community and support the wellbeing of farmers. The charity now supports farmers across the UK and has the Prince of Wales as its patron, building on the Mental Health Strategy launched by the Duchy of Cornwall in 2023.
Sam and Emily founded the charity following their own mental health struggles. Sam says: “If you’ve got a broken arm you’ll go to the hospital, you’ll get an x-ray they’ll put cast on it and it’ll get fixed – it’s no different to your head, it might be a little bit broken but with a little bit of support we can get you fixed. That’s what we need to keep drumming home and talking about.”
Now, Sam is preparing to head off on a 142 mile journey for five days to raise awareness of mental health in farming. Sam shares why this walk matters, what he hopes to highlight during Mind Your Head week, and why supporting the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs is more important than ever.
For anyone who has been affected by the issues outlined in this article and on the podcast, help is available. Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, or visit their website to find the nearest branch.
Hungry for more? Delve into some of the topics covered in the latest Shed Talks
UK-EU trade negotiations – how aligning with the EU will affect your business
PPP impact assessment shows crucial need to get details of SPS deal right
Animal welfare strategy to introduce reforms for farmed animals
Government to consult on welfare measures for laying hens and lambs
Have your say on fairness in the combinable crops supply chain
Meet the speakers:
Naomi Williams-Roberts
NFU Student & Young Farmer Alumni | NFU Cymru
Hailing from South East Wales, a self-proclaimed late comer, it wasn’t obvious she was ‘allowed’ to join the industry, however after joining YFC her feet are firmly under the table. Establishing her farm in 2018 with her husband, Josh, Naomi hopes to help others realise their farming dreams can come true!
Josh Redford
East Sussex and West Sussex County Adviser and Surrey County Adviser
He is originally from Sussex and caught the farming bug as a teenager, when he helped on a local dairy farm.
After undertaking an Agriculture BSc at Cirencester he worked on an arable farm in Cambridgeshire, and with Farmcare as a trainee agronomist before he joined Greens of Soham.
Away from work, he is a qualified water sports instructor and an infantry reservist.
Visit Josh's East Sussex county page
Visit Josh's West Sussex county page
Visit Josh's Surrey county page
Scott Pepe
NFU external affairs manager
He is also responsible for raising the NFU’s campaigning and lobbying profile in Westminster and is the NFU's speechwriter.
Scott first joined the NFU in 2017. Before that, he worked in Parliament. He worked for the Deputy Chief Whip before going on to run an MP's office. He has also been an adviser to Treasury Ministers and HMRC.
Olivia Phoenix
NFU Head of External Affairs
She joined the NFU in 2018 as an external affairs manager before taking on her current role in February 2022. Liv previously worked for the NHBC (National House Building Council) and prior to this as a researcher and political assistant for three MPs in the House of Commons.
The team’s role is to promote the interests of farmers within government, parliament and with other key stakeholders. We build and develop excellent networks for the NFU to create support for our broad political agenda.