Farming Opportunities for New Entrants Group (FONE): information pack

Case studies and FONE group achievements

FONE Achievements

At the time of publishing this document, the Farming Opportunities for New Entrants group has helped identify 134 land opportunities for New Entrants. Since 2017, the group has collectively facilitated entry to over 8,000 hectares of publicly owned land to over 80 New Entrants.

Beyond this, group members have contributed to creating and supporting opportunities for New Entrants. This includes 35 finalised agreements, over 250 joint-ventures being actively facilitated through the Scottish Land Matching Service, and a range of consultancy advice to New Entrants delivered through the Farm Advisory Service.

The group has also helped govern the Land-based Pre-apprenticeship Programme (with 208 completers to-date), and the Next Generation Practical Training Fund (with 335 successful applicants to-date).

Farm Advisory Service (FAS) Case Studies

A collection of case studies can be found by following this link to inspirational stories on the Farm Advisory Service website.

This collection includes case studies on Modern Apprenticeships and Joint Ventures.

A FAS TV episode on New Entrants on public land, and featuring the FONE group chair Henry Graham, can be found by following this link to the FAS TV episode of the visit to New Entrants Andrew and Suzanne Jardine.

Some other key case studies have been highlighted in the following pages.

Case Study: Next Generation Practical Training Fund

Instructor Nigel Widdowson and four young trainees share experiences of a two-day tractor driving course for 13-15 year olds, funded by the Next Generation PTF.

Link to a Youtube video on tractor training through the Practical Training Fund

Case Study: Succession as a New Entrant

Graeme McMillan shares his experience of succession taking what was a dairy and beef farm into an arable and store cattle finishing unit as well as introducing sheep after studying agriculture in Edinburgh.

Link to Graeme McMillan's Youtube video on Succession as a New Entrant

Case Studies: Land-based Pre-apprenticeship programme

Case studies for pre-apprentices, and advice on how to get in touch for more information, can be found by following this link:

Link to the pre-apprenticeship programme case study

Apprenticeships can be a valuable route for the next generation to enter the agriculture industry by gaining a recognised qualification through a combination of specialist "on-the-job" training and college-based learning while being paid at the same time. This video showcases Geordie Wemyss who enrolled in the Land-based Pre-apprenticeship Programme, on completion he moved onto, and completed, the SCQF Level 5 Modern Apprenticeship in Agriculture while working at Balavil Estate in Inverness-shire

Link to Geordie Wemyss' Youtube video on Modern Apprenticeships

Case Study: Scottish Land Matching Service

Seeker:

“I had been looking at another job (where) I would have been going in as like a shepherd… bits of it didn’t sit easy with me ... I had contacted [SLMS] after seeing the place advertised on the website, and then I had a decent chat with the staff… they asked some questions to see if we would be a good fit or not. After that I thought it was done quite well…”

Provider:

“SLMS were very helpful from the outset. We were unsure initially how a contract farming set up would look in practice or a partnership and we were given excellent advice by the SLMS on what the framework could look like”

Link to the Sutherland report on the Scottish Land Matching Service

Case Study: Successes of Public Bodies with land providing opportunities to New Entrants

Andrew and Suzanne Jardine signed a ten-year lease with Crown Estate Scotland, who manage the estate. The family were described as New Entrants to the sector, but they had a wealth of experience in the local farming community. Mr Jardine has a number of ‘years’ practical experience in agriculture including as assistant farm manager at Barony College and contracting work for local farmers.

Link to Andrew Jardine's Podcast on the Farm Advisory Service website