The future of British farming depends on attracting more people into the industry, according to veteran Countryfile presenter John Craven who addressed a packed audience at the first ever Farm-Fest in Stoneleigh.
Speaking during a discussion on the future of farming alongside fellow broadcaster Tom Heap, Clarkson's 51AV视频agronomist Charlie Ireland, mixed farmer Bizza Walters, Royal Agricultural University academic Dr David Mann and ecologist Marek Nowakowski, Mr Craven said the industry's biggest challenge was ensuring enough people chose farming as a career.
"The future of farming depends on having enough farmers," he said.
"The average age of farmers is 62 and I speak to families where farmers' children actually do not want to go into farming.
Mr Craven then asked the crowd: "What about getting your kids into agriculture?"听
The discussion formed part of the new farming-themed festival, which attracted thousands of visitors over the weekend, many of whom came from outside the agricultural industry.
Hosted by BBC Radio 4's Charlotte Smith, the 'Farming Our Future' session explored succession, food security, environmental management, technology and the financial pressures facing farm businesses.
Reflecting on more than three decades presenting Countryfile, Mr Craven said attitudes towards discussing farming had changed significantly.
"In the very early days of Countryfile, it was very difficult to get cameras onto farms and to get farmers to speak to us," he said.
"It took a long time to win farmers over and let them open the gates of the farm and let us in."
He said farmers were now much more willing to share their experiences, but warned significant questions remained over balancing food production with environmental goals.
"We need to up the amount of food that is produced in this country," he said.
"The balance between environmental concern and the need to produce more food, that is the big issue that faces the country today."
Speaking about farming's future, Dr Mann said technology would be an important part of the solution, but stressed success would ultimately depend on people.
"It is about how to adopt technology, but fundamentally it is about people and how to utilise our skills to have a sustainable farming future," he said.
Ms Walters, a third-generation mixed farmer from Warwickshire, said younger farmers often faced barriers when trying to establish themselves within the industry.
Responding to a question from Farmers Guardian about Government support for farming, she said access to land and finance remained major challenges and warned food security should be a greater priority for policymakers.
"We have a finite amount of land. It is not growing. It is not coming back," she said.
"At the end of the day, we all need to eat."
Throughout the discussion, speakers repeatedly highlighted the importance of strengthening links between farming and the general public, and
Tom Heap emphasised how the public are far more likely to be willing to pay more for their food, if they understand the importance and work behind it.
This was a theme reflected across Farm-Fest itself as members of the public joined farmers, industry leaders and TV stars to learn more about food production and the challenges facing British agriculture.
