The agriculture industry is facing the biggest change in a generation, needs restructuring and renewal, and needs young people, maintained Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) president Barclay Bell, the guest speaker at last week’s Greenmount awards ceremony.

During his address, the UFU leader encouraged young people entering industry to be proud of their job, be professional and to sell the industry to the wider public.

“We are not a bunch of grumpy men or women, running about with pitchforks chewing straw. This is an exciting workplace, this is an industry, given the right signals from Government, that can create jobs and create a buoyant rural economy in towns and villages across our land,” said Bell.

He also referred to the land mobility project currently being developed alongside the Young Farmers Clubs’ of Ulster, which he maintained could offer opportunities for some young people. “A database is currently being developed and may I encourage you to register if you think it might be of interest to you,” he said.

Students

At the ceremony, the recent surge in interest in CAFRE courses was evident in the numbers coming through, with 40 students graduating with a BSc in agricultural technology, up from 30 last year.

However, numbers in other full-time courses, while remaining strong, were down slightly from 2016. A total of 38 students graduated with a foundation degree in agriculture and rural studies, 31 with a level III extended diploma in agriculture, and 35 with the level II diploma.