Six young Co-op Farming Pioneers from across the country attended a round table event at the Great Yorkshire show last week, joined by senior Co-op leaders including Jo Whitfield, chief executive, and Minette Batters, the NFU’s deputy president, to discuss their hopes and aspirations for the future of the farming industry.

Hosted at the Co-op’s stand, the discussion provided a platform for the young farmers to engage with senior industry figures and stakeholders to discuss a variety of key issues including supply chain relationships, succession planning, farming as a career and how children can be better educated about where their food comes from.

The six farmers, Caroline Morris, Ross Towers, Joe Geraghty, Richard Gardner, Paul Billington and Andy Venables are all part of the Co-op’s national programme that aims to nurture agricultural talent.

First launched in April 2016, Co-op Farming Pioneers was created with the aim of developing 60 of the agricultural industry’s future leaders over a period of two years, equipping participants with the knowledge, business skills and personal awareness to develop growing, resilient businesses, which will thrive in a fast-changing world.

Ciara Gorst, the Co-op’s head of agriculture, said: “Today’s round table has prompted very interesting and in depth discussions on a wide range of issues.

"It’s been fantastic to give our farming pioneers this platform to talk openly about the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead within the retail and agricultural industries, they are an essential part of our supply chain and it’s imperative we all work together.”

Andy Venables, of Springbank Farm in Macclesfield, Cheshire, said: “This has been a unique opportunity to discuss real issues and opportunities that face the agricultural industry. The fact that the Co-op brought together its most senior stakeholders, along with the NFU, shows that as a retailer its taking it commitments to farmers seriously and helps us all, as a supply chain, to work together more closely and effectively for the good of the industry and consumers.”