Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support younger people into agricultural careers in Lincolnshire.

Young people are essential to the long-term resilience of UK agriculture, and Defra works closely with industry bodies, including the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC), to promote careers in the sector and to understand the challenges facing new entrants.

Defra provides funding to NFYFC, enabling up to £30,000 per year for specific project-based activity. This supports capacity building within the NFYFC membership and helps to engage the next generation of farmers in the development of agricultural policy and resilient land-based businesses.

Through its agricultural reform programme, Defra is investing £2.7 billion a year to support a productive, sustainable farming sector. This includes measures to improve business resilience, productivity and skills development, which help make agriculture a more accessible and attractive career option for young people, including those in Lincolnshire.