Each month, we catch up with an SAYFC member in the north region.
This time round, we hear from Lower Speyside YF chairman Graeme Rhind, who farms at Kinloss, near Forres.
In May 2025, Graeme will travel to Brisbane in Australia with other young breeders from the UK to compete in the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society’s youth team competition at the World Angus Forum.
What’s your background? I live on a family farm, Newton of Struthers based at Kinloss. We run a mixed business with arable, livestock and agricultural contracting. We grow spring barley for malting which is all sold locally. Alongside our arable enterprise, we have a herd of pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cows, a small number of Limousins, a commercial flock of ewes mainly Suffolk cross Mule to Blue Texel and Texel tups, as well as a flock of pedigree Blue Texels. Our contracting business covers all aspects of stubble to stubble and forage work.
What do you do for an occupation? From a young age I always knew I was going to come home & join our family farm. Having left school at 16 I was keen to build our livestock side of the business and with our Aberdeen-Angus herd already established this gave me a good starting point. I have added a small number of Limousins with our first bull being sold this year in Carlisle and my brother Grant & I started Struthers Blue Texels in 2020.
Are you an office bearer? I joined our local club Lower Speyside at the age of 14. My first role was stockjudging convenor. I was vice-chairman for two years and I am currently chairman. This is a great opportunity for me to help encourage young people to get involved from the area.
Why did you join Young Farmers? I joined Young Farmers because it allowed me to meet other people with the same interests as myself out with school. Having heard lots of stories from older members I was keen to get involved. I knew it would also open doors to opportunities linked to the interests that I have.
Most memorable moment in Young Farmers? One of the most memorable experiences so far was meeting the Prince & Princess of Wales. William & Kate were impressed by our winning bale art highlighting Mental Health awareness in agriculture. They took time to listen to all of us, asking our views and struggles both on a personal and industry level.
Favourite time in the agricultural calendar? Summer is my favourite time of year. Cattle are content at grass, crops are all growing, spring lambs are starting to get sold. Show season is also a highlight at this time of year, a chance to showcase my own stock and catch up with friends from across the country.
If you could change something in the world, what would it be? I would change the perception of farmers in the public eye to allow them to understand exactly what the industry does and how reliant they are on us.
How has Young Farmers impacted your life? Young Farmers has given me the opportunity to meet people from all over the country. I have taken part in the Young Farmers rally, cattle dressing competitions, stockjudgings and conferences to name a few. These are all great social events and it’s always good to see & hear how other people do things.
What are your life ambitions? One of my biggest ambitions would be to win the Royal Highland Show with a home-bred animal.
Why would you encourage somebody to join SAYFC? I would recommend SAYFC to anyone. It is open to a wide age group and there is something for everyone. It is a great experience taking part in activities and gatherings. It encourages you to try things you may not have thought you could do, building confidence and new skills. It offers events locally, nationally and internationally and the chance to meet friends for life.