Managing people has become more important than managing cows for Yorkshire dairy farmer Tom Rawson.

He is co-founder of Evolution Farming, a company that specialises in managing dairy farms across a range of business models, from tenancy agreements to share-milking arrangements.

Speaking at a Nuffield Farming Scholarship event at Balmoral Show on Thursday, Tom said the business currently employs 30 people across six farms running a total of 2,000 dairy cows.

“We don’t talk too much about the 3,000 head of cattle, we talk about the 30 people we employ. We are now in the people business,” he said.

Tom started his career on his home farm near Dewsbury, where he was milking 120 organic cows. He diversified into bottled milk and completed a Nuffield Farming Scholarship on once-a-day milking.

He said his scholarship involved travelling across the world, with destinations including the US, Australia and New Zealand, and was beneficial for his personal and professional development.

Applications are currently open for 2020 Nuffield Scholarships, with a closing date of 31 July 2019.

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