Name: Stuart Jamieson.
Age: 29.
Club: Belhelvie.
Where do you stay? Home Farm, Pitlurg, Slains, Aberdeenshire.
Do you hold or have you held any office-bearer roles at Young Farmers? Throughout my time in Young Farmers I have held most office-bearer positions leading up to my current position as national chairman, although I’ve never quite managed to be elected as club tea convener.
Tell us about your background in agriculture: I grew up on the family farm at Slains, and after leaving school I attended Aberdeen University where I studied for an honours degree in agriculture. Following graduation, I spent a few years working and travelling in England, New Zealand and Australia before returning home to Scotland where I worked for two years as an agricultural consultant for SAC and I then later moved to FCS, a small co-operative offering farm advisory work. After another couple years of advisory work, I decided to come home to work full time on the family farm at Mains of Leask. I also have a small farming business of my own growing and retailing fresh vegetables, sold at farmers’ markets, and a farm shop at Mains of Leask.
What sparked your interest in agriculture? Growing up on the family farm, it was impossible not to be interested, with the mix of lambs brought in to warm at the Aga, and getting a “hurl” in the combine, the spark was there from an early age.
What is the most rewarding thing about working in the farming industry? Farming can be a stressful job, but to see your hard work rewarded by either a successful lambing or calving with the newborns up suckling, or to see your crops waving in the wind, is a feeling to be savoured.
As rural youth, do you think there is something we should be doing additionally or differently within the agricultural sector? In SAYFC we were recently awarded a grant from the Scottish Government which is allowing us to bring forward our plans to offer new training opportunities to our members, from technical information, to assistance forming a business plan. I would encourage as many members as possible to take up these chances. Other than that, I’d urge any youngster to travel as much as they can. Broaden your horizons and see what farming, and life is like beyond your road-end. The SAYFC exchange programme will be open to applications from January and there are plenty of choices to choose from.
Where do you see the farming sector in 10 years’ time? I like to think I’m an optimist . . . so I’ll say we will be in a position where everyone’s farming efforts are suitably financially rewarded.
If you could pass on one piece of advice to someone looking to get into the sector what would it be? Perseverance, determination and hard work.
We can’t end the interview without talking about Young Farmers so tell us about your experience – why did you join? My parents were members and my older brother was before me, it was only natural I was going to follow in their footsteps and join my local club.
What do you most enjoy about Young Farmers? As national chairman and no longer of competing age, I really enjoy being at the helm of the SAYFC, and, with the help of the national council, steering the association through its challenges and making decisions that benefit our members.
How do you feel Young Farmers has impacted your life? Young Farmers has given me opportunities I’d never have had the chance to do elsewhere, from improving my confidence, meeting a huge number of people and public speaking through to international travel across the world.
Do you have advice for someone looking to join? Go for it! Head to www.sayfc.org/join and you can type in your postcode to find your nearest club, and its contact details.
