Matthew Sharp studies BSc Agriculture with Farm Business Management at Newcastle University. He is Ponteland YFC Club Chairman, Northern Area Secretary and sits on the NFYFC Agriculture and Rural Affairs committee. He won the Guild of Agricultural Journalists John Deere Award for Journalism this year.
Matthew is part of the Farming Online team responsible for Farming Online’s Twitter and Facebook social media networks. This is the second in a series of his regular articles on student life for Farming Online.

The last month at Newcastle has been as hectic as ever. I was lucky enough to travel down to London for the Guild of Agricultural Journalists annual harvest lunch thanks to an invitation from John Deere. It was a great afternoon and great to meet so many people.

Global Free Trade - debate

The following week, I was back in London, this time for the Young Advocates for Agriculture annual debate. Representing NFYFC, we debated the motion of 'Is global free trade good for British Agriculture'.

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Well done to the Newcastle University team who won the overall competition.

Also this month, Harper Adams' Block Fixture weekend proved to be a great hit with us Newcastle Agrics. Rugby, Netball, fireworks, German singers and a stein full of finest brew were just some of the highlights of the weekend. Great fun was had both at the weekend and also in convoy on the way down.

Meanwhile back at Uni

Back up north, I've been busy at both university and at home. Firstly, I've bought a calf. Hexham Mart's Annual Calf Show and Sale is what I'm aiming for with my Charolais heifer, which I've aptly named 'profit'. I'll keep her from now until March and then sell her in the Show and Sale and hopefully, she will live up to her name. Although with the eye-watering price of feed and silage, not to mention strong trade when I bought her, I've a feeling the rewards might not be as lucrative as I'm hoping for.

On the university front, our first few assignments have been handed in. Mans' uses of plants has to be my favourite one so far. I'm covering peas which is proving to be interesting, although I don't doubt I'm probably the only one to think this.

As the month draws to a close, assignments are mounting up and I'm getting through them 'steadily' shall we say. I've already sat a test in Agri-business economics which could have gone far better than it did but I'm sure there will be time to build marks up.

Jim Paice listening to young farmers

I read with interest the latest developments with the CAP reform. The idea of a 'basic payment scheme' is, in my opinion, a good one. Giving the money to the active farmer has to be the fairest policy. The reduction of payments to all farmers by 3% also pleases me; mainly as it will create a National Reserve which will be used to give entitlements to new entrants to farming under 40. This should, in theory, allow people like myself to get onto the farming ladder. It looks like Jim Paice has taken on the words of Young Farmers which is a step in the right direction for the government. What will be interesting however is to find out which crops are grouped together; this could, I suspect, leave farmers in a tricky position.

Finally, The Young Farmers scheme seems a good idea to me although I'm doubtful it is likely to be as useful as some think. It’s certainly a step in the right direction but I'm not convinced young farmers are going to reap any significant benefits.

Click here to read Matty's previous article.