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 third in a series of his regular articles on student life for Farming Online.

The end of term is finally upon us at Newcastle and I am finished for Christmas. I’d like to say it will give me a chance to chill, enjoy lots of good Christmas food and wine and allow me to spend many a day shooting but unfortunately that’s not the case. On the farm, we are in one of our busiest periods of the year. Being an open farm, Santa Claus has arrived and seems to have brought with him a lot of children. I’ll be pleased when Christmas eve is over.

Cattle in - ewes tupped

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Boxing day shoot then OFC

Christmas day is, hopefully, going to be peaceful and Boxing Day should give me time for a good days shooting and will hopefully allow me to test out the local pub – just to make sure the pipes don’t freeze. Checking and feeding stock should occupy my time between then and the start of January when I jet off down to Oxford for the prestigious Oxford Farming Conference. There looks to be some good speakers, good debate and plenty of knowledgeable people to chat to. Two of my friends are also speaking so it will be a great opportunity to catch up before I’m back at university.

A subject I am trying to avoid is university itself. Although I’ll be pleased to be back, catch up with friends and probably sport some snazzy new Christmas wear, January marks the start of Exams.  Exams, Oxford,  bTB testing and probably some disastrous UK weather will no doubt make January a busy time.

Thoughts on CAP Reform

At the end of last month, I received an email inviting me to put my thoughts forward on the current CAP proposals so far. DEFRA wanted the views of the NFYFC ARAC committee and certainly got mine. Only time will tell to see if they listen to the needs and wants of Young Farmers. Although it pains me to say it, Wales’ seems far ahead of England with its YESS scheme. Hopefully some alterations to current proposals will make the CAP more suited to first generation farmers.

NFU Farming Ambassador

Finally this month, I’ve also come to the end of my NFU Farming Ambassadors training. Twelve of us, six in the north and six in Yorkshire all in the farming industry, were chosen out of 30 applicants to undergo some training on things such as PR, presentations, practical chairmanship and such like. I can certainly say the training has been very useful. Thanks to the NFU North East for this great opportunity, it was great to meet other likeminded people. I think all that’s left to say now is have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year.

Click here to read Matty's previous article.

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