Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (75th Anniversary)
The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-05536, in the name of Angus MacDonald, on 75 years of young farmers clubs in Scotland. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Declaring an interest as a young farmer myself, once upon a time, I invite Angus MacDonald to open the debate.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament congratulates the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC) on its 75th anniversary; understands that this rural-based youth organisation provides a social network for people aged 14 to 30 throughout the country, with over 80 clubs affiliated to it, from Orkney to Dumfries and Galloway; believes that it provides members with education, social integration and community participation; notes that it has gone on to welcome members from non-farming backgrounds since its original motto, Better farmers, better countrymen, better citizens, was first used; understands that SAYFC has established the 75th Legacy Fund, which aims to raise £100,000 for its clubs to use toward development in their areas, and looks forward to SAYFC continuing to make what it sees as a positive impact in rural Scotland for many decades to come.
12:34
I should declare a similar interest to yours, Presiding Officer.
I am pleased to have secured this debate, which marks 75 years of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs. I thank all those members who signed my motion, which received cross-party support, allowing it to be debated in the chamber, and those who have stayed behind for the debate.
This is a year of several milestones in the agricultural sector. The National Farmers Union Scotland is celebrating 100 years, and The Scottish Farmer newspaper is celebrating 120 years. In addition to the commemoration of 75 years of the SAYFC, 2013 also sees the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the first young farmers club in Scotland: Lannergill young farmers club, which was launched in 1928.
Since its inception on 2 February 1938, the SAYFC has evolved to offer its members a greater and more robust platform for personal development, social adhesion and community participation. The SAYFC’s original motto was “Better farmers, better countrymen, better citizens,” which is still relevant today. The clubs have had a great impact on building social communities, engaging and empowering Scotland’s youth, and establishing networks for our young people, particularly for our youth in rural communities. With their diverse programmes and wealth of opportunities, the clubs are also of benefit to members from non-farming backgrounds. At present, there are 3,000 affiliated members between the ages of 14 and 30 in the 90 young farmers clubs across Scotland, and new clubs are being formed in more remote areas of Scotland, such as the Western Isles, as the organisation goes from strength to strength.
In addition to providing extensive agricultural education, of which rearing livestock, beekeeping and growing gardens are part, members can participate in a wide range of other pursuits such as sports, performing arts, speechmaking and stock judging, to name just a few. Competitions span from those for netball and football, to those for curling, cabaret and tractor driving. Participation in those activities, performances and competitions has a measurable positive impact at the individual and the group level: it nurtures the development of various personal and highly transferable life skills; it enables lifelong friendships to be made; and, most important, it builds in each member self-confidence in their capabilities.
As I mentioned earlier, the clubs in Scotland date back to the 1920s, when several started up through the influence of the 4-H—hands, head, heart and health—clubs, which were established in America and were gaining popularity in other countries at that time. By 1938, there was a substantial enough number in Scotland for the three agricultural colleges to work together to start up the SAYFC. However, with the onset of war, it was the 1940s before it began to develop fully.
The SAYFC, in its commitment to maintain international links established in the 1960s, continues to administer its international travel programme, which gives young farmers the opportunity to enrich their knowledge and personal development through travelling and learning about different cultures. Not only does the programme enable members to travel to distant lands such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand, it further assists members in acquiring international volunteering and work experience. In addition to enabling Scottish youths to travel abroad, the programme assists in international exchanges in which youths from around the world have the opportunity to visit Scotland. Visitors are hosted by members of the association and travel around various parts of the country while gaining a sense of life in rural Scotland. To complement further the international connectivity of the organisation, SAYFC is affiliated with Rural Youth Europe, which provides international training opportunities and events for the exchange of ideas and best practice among rural youth organisations across Europe.
Access to a wide range of activities and highly sought-after international travelling opportunities are not the only advantages provided by the organisation. What sets young farmers clubs apart from other youth groups is that they are peer-led organisations: every member contributes to the running and management of each club and to the association as a whole. Members play a crucial part in decision making at the various levels in the SAYFC, with 400 volunteers currently taking up office-bearer positions throughout Scotland. It is a network in which members work for members, ensuring that the young farmers club in existence is the young farmers club that its members desire.
Community involvement is a significant part of the young farmers ethos and members continue to participate in various ways to give back to their communities. The clubs do that constantly. For example, over and above the 3,000 affiliated members, 5,000 young people are positively affected by the young farmers network and thousands more are via the work of the young farmers clubs in Scotland. In addition, young farmers clubs donate £20,000 annually to various charities, further confirming that the beneficiaries of the young farmers clubs extend far beyond their members.
In celebration of the SAYFC’s 75th anniversary, an exhibition and concert will be held in the new Scottish Hydro arena in Glasgow in November, with a target audience of 7,000. In addition, various events are being formulated for the Royal Highland Show this year, which is a great opportunity for people to engage with and learn more about the young farmers, and see for themselves the talents of our young people.
The anniversary is a great opportunity for all of us to get involved and hear young farmers clubs’ concerns. To mark its 75th year, the SAYFC has launched a legacy fund, and it aims to raise £100,000 for clubs and districts to use for developments in their areas.
A recent survey showed that members of young farmers clubs are increasingly concerned about three main issues—increasing fuel prices, a scarcity of available farmland and the reluctance of banks to lend. The research also identified that young people do not feel that they have the skills or opportunities to influence the future. As a result, the association—with support from other, fellow organisations—hopes to create a platform for dialogue to enable young farmers to voice their concerns about and desires for rural Scotland and make suggestions on how their visions can be achieved. The concerns highlight the fact that Scottish youth are still very much involved in and concerned about Scotland’s agriculture and rural development. It is imperative that we engage in greater dialogue with the SAYFC, where there is a fresh outlook on agricultural policies and motivated individuals who are willing to contribute to achieve a greater Scotland.
The association’s work continues to evolve to meet the needs of its members, the communities that they live in and Scotland as a whole. Rural youth should not be disheartened by the current economic climate, and we should support such organisations, which do so much for our rural communities. I encourage members to support our youth and rural communities to help them to continue the great work that they have already achieved and the work that they plan in the future. Once again, I congratulate the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs on achieving 75 years of excellence, and I wish it continued success in the future.
12:41
I congratulate Angus MacDonald on securing this debate and on his interesting speech. He has given us all an opportunity to recognise the 75th anniversary of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs.
Farming and farming communities have come a long way from the clubs’ original motto, “Better farmers, better countrymen, better citizens,” although the ethos remains. The rural-based youth organisation provides a modern, vibrant, social network of clubs for young people aged 14 to 30 and offers a wide range of activities.
The motion highlights the importance of
“education, social integration and community participation”.
Rural communities often have poor transport links as well as poor access to facilities and entertainment opportunities for young people. Young people in such communities often travel to high school or college, but they can be quite isolated when they return home. We all know that farming is intensive and all-consuming. By enabling contact with others who are actively engaged in farming, young farmers clubs give young people an opportunity to socialise with others who face similar pressures. I note that, although they are called young farmers clubs, people do not need to be farmers to join.
As well as opportunities for socialising, the clubs offer skills and training and, because they are peer led, members can shape the programme of activities to meet their needs. Looking at the website, I see that they are engaged in things as wide ranging as tug-of-war competitions, go-karting, speechmaking and, recently, a European vineyard tour. They run a competitive exchange programme, with young people travelling to Canada and America in the coming year. The clubs also provide a focus for involvement in farming through showing livestock as well as learning relevant skills.
We know that the average age of a farmer in the United Kingdom is 58. There are complex reasons for that, but essentially there is a reduced rate of new entrants and a reduced rate of retirement or exit of older farmers. At the recent dinner that was held to celebrate NFU Scotland’s centenary, I sat next to a dairy farmer who is based in Fife. He is a few years past conventional retirement age, but he is up every morning when most of us are still in bed. He talked in glowing terms about a young woman who does not come from a farming family but who helps out on his farm, including when they were showing the livestock. He said that she shows a real talent for farming. Her ambition is to be a vet, but I could tell that the dairy farmer thought that she should go into farming.
Going into farming is a difficult road for young people. Although the Scottish Government has announced schemes to support new entrants and a pot of money was recently announced, there are still many barriers for new entrants to farming, including financial barriers, rising land prices and the lack of tenancies and starter units. I was pleased to see yesterday that the proposed deal following the Council of Ministers meeting on the common agricultural policy should include a way of providing additional support for new entrants as well as of topping up support for some recent entrants, although the detail of that is yet to be agreed.
It is also good to see the level of involvement of young women in young farmers clubs. The majority of the recent winners of the international travel exchange programme were women. Farming is traditionally seen as a male occupation, even though many farms have always relied on a partnership and on family effort to make the business successful.
In recent years, there has been an increasing number of examples of women taking a lead in farming. For today’s debate I looked through the archives and, in 2010, The Scottish Farmer reported—rather tongue in cheek I suspect, or hope—that
“History was made in the SAYFC Stockman of the Year contest at the Highland, when it was won—for the first time ever—by a female!”
It went on to describe the then 23-year-old Ann Laird from West Linton, who won with a convincing lead of 15 points. Ann qualified with a first in animal science at the Scottish Agricultural College in Edinburgh, worked in New Zealand for a year and returned home to join the family business, milking 500 Holsteins. Maybe there should have been less mock surprise when she won.
I wish the organisation well with raising contributions for its newly launched 75th anniversary legacy fund and look forward to its continuing contribution to rural communities and the lives of young people throughout Scotland.
I call Maureen Watt. You have four minutes or thereabouts.
12:45
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I am sure that you would rather be down here, contributing to the debate, than up there.
I add my congratulations to Angus MacDonald on lodging the motion to congratulate the SAYFC on reaching its 75th anniversary. It is very important to recognise this historic year and the contribution of young farmers clubs to public life in general.
I really enjoyed reading the brochure, “Developing the Youth of Rural Scotland”. Although I come from farming stock, I was never a member of a young farmers club. I attended a good few young farmers events, including memorable events such as dinner dances—and yes, I can remember them. I recall my friends travelling many miles to young farmers dances at Echt, which ran some of the best dances in the north-east. I notice from the brochure that Echt young farmers are having a great time to this day.
We note from the brochure that there are 77 clubs throughout Scotland, 18 of which are in Aberdeenshire and Moray, where agriculture is hugely important. It is no accident that there are so many clubs in those two counties. One of those set up in the early days was Keith young farmers club, in whose formation my father and his brother were involved. I know how pivotal those clubs were in giving my father and his brother the confidence to enter public life in other spheres. As many members know, my father went on to become a member of the Westminster Parliament and his brother is a past president of the NFUS.
Many people use the skills, confidence, networks and international contacts gained in young farmers clubs to go on to make a significant contribution to their communities and further afield. Many young farmers go on to become councillors, Burns club stalwarts and effective members of many organisations, including the NFUS. They become effective lobbyists on behalf of the agricultural industry and the rural life of Scotland. I am not sure that the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment always appreciates their doing that, but I am sure that on balance he agrees that those people have a pivotal role in ensuring that agriculture contributes to the economic wellbeing of Scotland.
As other members have said, they also play a pivotal role in agricultural shows throughout rural Scotland—and we know how important those are to the local economy and the tourism industry—not just by producing excellent tug-of-war teams, as my local club Durris tends to do, but in the whole organisation of the event.
One should not underestimate the importance of the international arm of young farmers clubs. I know how many young farmers have spent time in dairy farms in New Zealand, in the vast agriculture and cereal plains of the United States or in developing countries in Africa and elsewhere, and have come back with much more drive and determination than they left with.
As agriculture becomes more mechanised and less labour intensive, the social networking side of young farmers clubs becomes ever more important, not just, as Angus MacDonald mentioned, for those directly involved in the industry but for rural communities in general. Isolation and loneliness in rural areas are a real threat and clubs can combat that. It is heartening to see more clubs coming into being. I am sure that the clubs will have another very successful 75 years.
12:50
I congratulate Angus MacDonald on securing the debate. I declare an interest: I, too, was a young farmer once. My other agricultural interests are in the register of members’ interests.
I warmly congratulate the SAYFC on its 75th anniversary. I also praise the organisations that support the SAYFC, including the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, The Scottish Farmer, the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution, CKD Galbraith LLP, British Wool and the Cameron Travel Scholarship Trust.
As young Angus MacDonald has set out effectively, young farmers clubs across Scotland are an extremely important part of rural life and offer an excellent opportunity for young farmers and those who are not young farmers but are interested in the sector to meet others, learn new skills and share experiences.
The SAYFC represents more than 3,000 members, including next-generation farmers, food producers and young rural citizens. Young farmers clubs engage in a wide range of activities, including stock judging, lamb and cattle dressing, sheep shearing, curling, football, shinty, tug-of-war, charity fundraising and performing arts. Those activities help our young people to develop important interpersonal and team-building skills, as well as expertise that can be used in agricultural work.
I commend the work by young farmers clubs to coach debating. I know that my north-eastern colleague, Alex Johnstone, honed some of his fine debating skills in his young farmers club as a young man. I am also told that he held the club record for consuming the most pints in one sitting.
In my native Argyll and Bute, we have good young farmers clubs in Bute and Campbeltown, and I am delighted that a new Tiree group has started. I was also pleased to learn of the friends of young farmers initiative that aims to keep past members in touch with club activities and to raise funds for club development. I, too, wish the SAYFC every success in raising £100,000 for its anniversary legacy fund.
Angus MacDonald mentioned the fears of young farmers, including about the price of fuel. I hope that they will be happy that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has again cancelled the 3p increase in fuel duty that was due in September.
Yesterday, when I attended the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee deliberations on the agricultural rent review, I asked a witness how more young farmers could be brought into the tenanted sector and what hurdles they faced. Andrew Hamilton, of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Scotland, specifically mentioned measures in the CAP review that could address the major problem of lack of capital for new farming entrants. Those measures should be followed up.
As a farmer, I know that if my sheep have no lambs, I will have soon have no sheep. We need more young farmers to ensure a vibrant, new farming industry. All members in the chamber support Government action to encourage and support new entrants to farming. Young farmers clubs have an important role to play in nurturing the ambitions of those who want to join our farming sector. We encourage ministers to do all that they can to work with the SAYFC to encourage young entrants, including among those who are not from traditional farming backgrounds.
We wish the SAYFC and its members every success, and we look forward to celebrating many future anniversaries. The association continues to be an important and positive element of Scottish rural life.
12:54
I, too, congratulate Angus MacDonald on securing the debate. It comes as no surprise that the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs is well regarded across Parliament and widely recognised for the key role that it plays in supporting young people in our rural areas. The Deputy Presiding Officer indicated that this is a matter close to his own heart because, like the rest of us, he was young once, too.
The future looks bright for Scotland’s young farmers clubs in the SAYFC’s 75th anniversary year. With more than 3,000 members and with new clubs continuing to form, the association celebrates its 75th anniversary from a position of strength, and members across the chamber have acknowledged the many valuable roles that it plays. Of course, one of its roles, which we should not forget, is that of marriage bureau; indeed, I was reminded of that on my visit this morning to Whitmuir farm, where I spoke to Jamie Hope, who works there, and his wife Sue, who met more than 25 years ago at a young farmers club meeting.
The association has morphed out of all recognition from its origins as a club where farmers’ sons and daughters could meet. It is now a highly modern, efficient and influential organisation, representative of all the youth of rural Scotland. However, I suspect that its agricultural roots are never far from the surface—and nor should they be. Although I am sure that John Robson, founder of the very first Scottish young farmers club, could never have foreseen how things would develop over time, I am also sure that he would approve of what has happened. From those humble beginnings, the association now produces individuals who are capable of representing young farmers on the world stage and provides opportunities and experiences that can last a whole lifetime.
Of course, 75 years is a special anniversary. Why? The fact is that every organisation that reaches such a milestone will have endured setbacks and difficulties along the way, and I am sure that the situation has been no different for the association. However, the best organisations overcome such challenges and are stronger for them. Again, I am sure that the same can be said of the association.
As the chamber is aware and as many members have pointed out, young people’s access to farming is a very important issue and has certainly been a pursuit of mine since I arrived in office. Every industry needs a steady stream of new blood. When I go around Scotland, visiting our rural communities and meeting the agricultural sector, I am always encouraged by the amount of fantastic new talent that is coming through the ranks in Scottish agriculture. It is a fantastic sign for the future.
However, although there is already a lot to be proud of in Scottish farming, every vibrant industry needs to regenerate to meet future challenges. Members should make no mistake: although Scottish farming is vibrant, we still need more young people with the vision and entrepreneurial skills to build a successful and efficient business that makes best use of our natural resources.
The Government is doing all that it can to assist in achieving that ambition. For a start, one of my top priorities in the current negotiations has been to get new entrants into the new CAP regime from day 1. We all know how new entrants have been disadvantaged under the historic payment model; that is not acceptable and I will not relent in arguing their case. As members have indicated, the position that has been reached in the current negotiations—all things being equal in their final stages—is that help will now be available for new entrants from day 1 of the new policy, with top-ups for some recent new entrants in certain situations. However, we are still trying to secure the ability to ensure that “new” new entrants under the new policy are also able to take advantage of the top-slicing to create a national reserve, and we are urging the UK Government to help us to make that a priority in the negotiations.
On new entrants, is the cabinet secretary working on a solution to the lack of a reserve to deal with new farms’ lack of entitlement to single farm payments?
There is the current situation but, under the new policy and with the ability to top-slice funding for an on-going national reserve, we will have to change things and think about whether that reserve will need to be increased through the course of the new CAP. Although those who have been frozen out under the existing policy will be on a level playing field from the beginning of the new policy, we believe that anyone who joins in 2016 or 2017 should have the same opportunities, and we are urging the UK Government to help us to secure that in the final stages of the negotiations.
I have implemented a succession of initiatives, from providing capital funding under the Scotland rural development programme to increasing advisory services, and from making starter units available on Forestry Commission land to changing farm tenancy legislation. All of those are making a contribution and are providing opportunities that previously did not exist. Coincidentally, today there will be a further meeting of the new entrants panel, which I established towards the end of last year. As we look ahead to the new CAP, the panel’s work will be crucial in identifying optimum support arrangements for farmers who are entering the industry. Recently, at the NFUS centenary annual general meeting, I also announced £2 million to support a package for new entrants who are frozen out of the existing CAP to help to bridge the gap to at least a small extent, because that is all that we are able to do between now and the introduction of the new policy.
Along with the new entrants panel, we will work out the best way to deploy that funding. The panel members bring an array of talent from various farming backgrounds, but a representative from the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs could usefully add an extra dimension, as it is plain that we will find among its membership much of the talent, skill and commitment that are essential for Scotland’s farming future. I have asked for that to be considered at the panel’s meeting later today.
In my role as cabinet secretary, I am privileged to travel around Scotland and regularly to meet young farmers and others.
I vividly recall visiting the association’s tent at the Royal Highland Show last year and taking the opportunity to join the association for a drink: it was a pint of milk as opposed to something else that members might expect of young farmers. I had to down the pint of milk as quickly as I could and, of course, my performance was absolutely pathetic and I did not win the competition, although it must be said that it was my second pint of milk that day. I will try to do better this summer.
I cannot mention the Royal Highland Show or the young farmers clubs without saying a few words about one Willie Davidson, who tragically died on his farm near Moffat only recently. Willie was well known throughout the country, and his cattle had regular success at the show. He was also a national vice-president of the association, and a 75th anniversary fund has been launched in his name with the aim of raising £100,000 to support new and existing clubs. That is a worthy legacy if ever there was one.
Prince Charles has just become patron of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs, and I add my personal congratulations and thanks—and those of the Scottish Government—for all that the clubs achieve from Orkney to the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. I am pleased to inform the Parliament that, to recognise those achievements, I am working closely with Angus MacDonald to arrange an event in the Scottish Parliament for the clubs to celebrate this landmark year.
May the association’s 75th anniversary be not only a cause for celebration but a catalyst and inspiration for further achievement in the next 75 years and beyond.
13:01
Meeting suspended.
14:00
On resuming—