A large portion of the industry’s workforce is being ‘inherited’ rather than chosen. While this can help with continuity, expertise and succession (as knowledge and connections are passed down), it also means agricultural careers are far less accessible to people from outside farming families, potentially narrowing the pool of talent and overlooking fresh perspectives.
When I was growing up, I wanted to be a farmer and spent a lot of time on my family friend’s farm. However, without coming from a family of farmers I found it difficult to try and break into the industry for a career.
Agriculture remains one of the UK’s most vital industries responsible not only for feeding the nation but also for powering rural economies and safeguarding the countryside. Yet when we look at who enters this profession, an important pattern emerges. According to data from the Labour Force Survey analysed by the CIPD, nearly 28% of those working in agriculture and related trades are doing the same kind of job as their parent’s main occupation when they were aged 14. In other words, more than a quarter of people in the sector come from families already rooted in agriculture.