51AVÊÓƵ

Rhea Auton, 22, is studying to become a land agent in Northumberland.

I grew up on the Leicestershire/Warwickshire border having my heart set on a being a vet, but at age 14 I realised I might not get the grades I needed at school to study veterinary science, so I found myself looking for alternative career pathways.

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My father worked for a machinery dealer in the Midlands and was well connected in the farming community, so I began visiting several of his clientsÂ’ farms, getting as much hands-on practical farming experience as possible. I soon fell on my feet and found an industry I was passionate about: agriculture.

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At 16, I moved away from home and chose to study a level 3 extended diploma in agriculture at Reaseheath College in Cheshire, which enabled me to secure a place to study rural enterprise and land management at Harper Adams University.

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Soon after I graduated from Reaseheath, my parents relocated to Northumberland, so I took a year out of education and moved up north with them. I am now in my third year at Harper Adams and am currently on a 12-month work placement, working for a small firm of rural chartered surveyors and land agents in Norfolk.

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Although my main career has moved away from working directly on farms every day, I continue to relief milk and lamb each year.

Education is great passion of mine. Upon hearing that a six-year-old thought sausages grew on trees and food just ‘came from the supermarket,’ it got me thinking that over the last 80 years or so there has been a real disconnect between people, food, farming and the environment.

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Following this, I took the opportunity to become involved with the NFU Farmers for Schools programme, which I would urge anyone reading this to do. The programme involves visiting schools to deliver assemblies to children and young adults about how food is produced and the varied job opportunities available within the agricultural industry.

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Without the time, knowledge and wisdom of farmers allowing me onto their farms, I would not have the career I have today. I am grateful that I had a connection with farming growing up, but I appreciate that for those coming from a completely non-farming background, it is hard to know how to step into the industry.

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There is no other industry I could be more passionate about and it is imperative that we make the effort to ensure agriculture is accessible to those who want to be involved.