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Llysyfran YFC is a bilingual club based in Pembrokeshire with 56 members currently ranging from 11 to 28 years old.  

Renowned for their Tug-of-War skills, Llysyfran are also the current Pembrokeshire federation English speaking club of the year and 2023 county YFC rally champions.  

After being a member of the club for well over 10 years, Hannah Rees identified an increased volume of members from outside of agriculture.   

Hannah says she is fortunate to derive from agriculture and went on to study agriculture at Harper Adams University, now working as a sales specialist within the industry. Outside her job, she can be found volunteering for the DPJ Foundation focusing on mental health in the young farmers age demographic. Recently she found herself runner up in the Wales YFC Rural Champion award at the Wales Agri Awards.   

"I feel educating members of where their food comes from, potential careers in agriculture and diversification methods that are implemented on farms all play an important for members planning their future.   

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"Sometimes social media and certain issues around the industry can make area of agriculture look unappealing, especially as a new entrant. But I want these farm tours to encourage members to go on to attend agriculture college, university and pursue a career in agriculture," she adds.  

In a bid to encourage this, the club have been on various tours, starting at a tractor dealership where they spoke to various people within the dealership about their roles, which opened members eyes to potential careers.  

The second visit was to an arable farm which diversified by installing a biomass boiler. The majority of members have a livestock background, this visit gave members an insight into arable farming, diversification and the importance of livestock in an arable rotation.   

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Next up, the club plans to visit a dairy farm that has started producing gelato and installed a milk vending machine. The farm has also maximised social media which can educate members on opportunities and positively utilise social media to market themselves and their business.   

Hannah also has plans for a talk with a large animal vet in the spring.  

Hannah says: "I am extremely transparent when it comes to agriculture, I believe it is important to convey the good days but also the bad days.  

"We are seeing an increase in members from outside of agriculture which is great. I see this as an opportunity to open the eyes of the members of potential within agriculture and the various avenues they can go down and sometimes young members only believe if you want to be involved in farming you can only work on a farm.   

"I want to defy this perception and introduce members to a whole variety of careers and opportunities within agriculture."   

Hannah has received positive feedback.  Even for their farming members, these tours and talks are also proving interesting and enjoyable.  

The juniors are interested in learning and particularly loved the tractors and parents have got back involved with the club.

"For me, it is the importance of putting farming back into young farmers whilst emphasising the phrase ‘you don't have to be a farmer to be a young farmer'," she adds.