YOUNG people with ambitions in farming are being urged to take part in a series of useful workshops organised by the Farmer Network.

The launch of this year's Farming Ambition programme in Burnsall saw the Stockdale family from the village's Oatcroft Farm talk to more than 20 people about how they record flock data and how they have improved productivity and efficiency over the past three years.

Dan Stockdale described how when he returned to the farm business after college, the family invested in new IT equipment to use electronic ID and a digital weigh crate to monitor lamb growth rates, alongside dam and sire records; which had allowed them to identify the best and least productive animals.

Dan’s accountant sister Beth, who introduced the use of a FarmPlan system a few years ago, explained how it had allowed the family to monitor business cash-flow and profitability of different enterprises.

Dan and Beth both stressed the value of production and financial information and described how it is important for new businesses or enterprises in farming when farm support, interest rates and input costs are changing so much.

Their father, Richard Stockdale, Chair of the Yorkshire Dales Farmer Network said: "I would really encourage any young people aged 18-40 years old in the Yorkshire Dales National Park area who have a farming related businesses in their heads, to take the all-important first step, to get involved”.

Olivia Stones, from Arkengarthdale, who took part in the programme in 2021and who is organising workshops in the Yorkshire Dales, said:“Farming Ambition was a stepping stone to give me the skills and confidence to set up my own farm administration business which I combine with other jobs. I’m looking forward to helping others on the same journey”.

Some of the sessions will be delivered on-line, but workshops taking place in November will be held in Threshfield.

A free business planning meeting will be held on Sunday, November 12 at the The Gamekeeper Inn, Threshfield between 10am and 3pm with business adviser Neil Pickard.

A two day bookkeeping course will run on Sunday, November 19 and November 26 again at The Gamekeeper Inn, from 10am to 3.30pm and will be delivered by Christine Thompson of Agricultural Business Training. The two-day course is partly subsidised by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Sustainable Development Fund, and will cost £100.

For more details contact Olivia Stones okstones@aol.co.uk or call/ text on 07890 142202 or visit: https://www.thefarmernetwork.co.uk/projects/farming-ambition-programme/