It was an explosion of positivity and a chance to hear from a whole host of farmers across the country - and beyond in some cases. Families with hundreds of years of history behind them; new entrants carving out new paths; individuals from all walks of life, and of all ages, making a life for themselves in farming. 24 Hours in Farming gave us that chance to reflect on the plethora of diverse people who make up agriculture. Only when others see themselves in the industry are we able to attract new people and fresh talent. We still have a long way to go but, last week millions of people saw what a vibrant network of characters the rural community is becoming. This year's 24 campaign ambassadors proved this too. JB Gill, a former world-famous pop star, Michael Nixon known on Instagram as ‘wheelchair Mike' who had a farm accident, Tom Davies who farms in the heart of central London, Eleanor Durdy, a barrister alongside being a farmer, and Dylan Vetara, a young farmer who was born into farming on a family-owned 15,000-acre beef farm in Namibia, South Africa, before moving to the UK. No matter how your farming life looks, our industry embraces people pursuing their own journeys; everyone is a vital piece of the agricultural jigsaw that makes British farming what it is.
It can feel like we are preaching to the converted, but our hashtag #FARM24 trended on social media, and was mentioned on the mainstream stations of BBC Radio One and BBC Radio Two to millions of listeners.
#FARM24 helps us to reach new audiences, and it is proof that as a force we can make that vital connection to consumers, and a reminder how strength can lie in numbers.
