Lombard: What was your main takeaway from this year’s Royal Highland Show? Did anything strike you as new and exciting in farming and agriculture generally?
Joe: I think the great thing about the Royal Highland Show is that it's still focused on agriculture. A lot of the shows now seem to be more public-focused, but the Highland Show maintains a strong agricultural presence. For instance, in the machinery section, many shows only have local dealers, but at the Highland Show, you actually get the manufacturers themselves. This is quite nice because you can ask the questions that you really want answered by the people who build the machines. For example, there's a brand we buy a lot of attachments from, but usually we’re only able to speak to local dealers. It was great to chat with the manufacturers directly.
Lombard: That direct interaction is invaluable. We noticed a lot of young people at the show this year, it was quite striking.
Joe: Absolutely. We have an ageing population in agriculture, and it's nice to see opportunities for young people. The Royal Highland Show is great for bringing young farmers and families together. It's especially important for those in more remote areas of Scotland to connect with others who share their interests and understand the unique, sometimes isolated, way of life that farming can be.
Lombard: As far as your own farm is concerned, what changes do you see coming down the line? Is there anything you're excited or worried about?
Joe: The employment issue is my biggest worry. Finding good people to come into the industry is a constant struggle. Regarding net zero, it's something we need to address since the supermarkets we supply are aiming for it. We’ve started implementing measures that are cost-effective and environmentally friendly, like using gray water for certain situations and solar panels.
Lombard: What about technology and advances in farming tech, like automation, and robotics?
Joe: We've embraced it and adopted GPS technology extensively. I even built my own GPS system about five or six years ago because buying one from the big brands was too costly for our small acreage. Now, with technology becoming more affordable, we have tractors with pre-installed GPS. This reduces our inputs and overlap. We also use advanced cattle weighing systems which help in compliance and efficiency. These technologies help reduce the days to finish cattle, thereby lowering emissions. Additionally, we use a feed mixer to integrate various byproducts, which is both cost-effective and reduces our carbon footprint.
Lombard: That sounds impressive. Just to give some context, could you share a few details about your farm?
Joe: Our farm is just outside Doncaster, between Barnsley and Doncaster. It's primarily a beef farm. We have about 70 to 80 cattle, mostly Aberdeen Angus. It's family-run with my parents, brother, and a few volunteers helping out. My dad built the current farm in 2002, so we've been here for about 22 years, but our farming roots go back several generations.
Lombard: And what about your huge presence on social media? Why did you decide to pursue that and what's your main platform?
Joe: I wanted to give the farming community a voice, from someone who knows what it’s like to work in farming. I prefer YouTube because it allows for longer-form content and better message delivery. I have 27,000 followers there. On TikTok, I have around 58,700 followers. TikTok is great for reaching a broader and younger audience who might not initially be interested in farming.
Lombard: We’re looking forward to following your updates and we’ll hopefully see you at the Royal Highland Show again next year.
Joe: Yes, see you there!
Watch Joe’s adventures with Lombard and Royal Bank at this year’s Royal Highland Show.
