First class of dairy farmers complete Young Farmer Programme

A total of 26 young farmer suppliers from Lakeland Dairies have completed the co-operative’s inaugural Young Farmer Programme. Open to Lakeland Dairies suppliers and their adult family members under the age of 35, the Programme is designed to deepen participants’ understanding of their cooperative while giving them the practical knowledge and leadership skills needed to play an active role in its future.

Throughout the Programme, participants engaged in a wide-ranging curriculum covering financial literacy, farm succession and inheritance planning, and the operational working of a modern dairy processing co-operative.

Thanking the participants, Niall Matthews, Chairman, Lakeland Dairies, said the co-op’s strength has always come from the strong personal relationships with their farmer suppliers. “Succession, generational renewal, and encouraging young people into farming are challenges we all face. That’s why we are focused on connecting with our younger members and programmes like this help us to do just that.”