OLD Macdonald had a farm, I wonder who he passed it onto?

We are no longer in the 1930s and family businesses need to move with the times. A farm is a business and should be more than just a son's inheritance. All we hear is doom and gloom but there are endless opportunities out there, especially for young people, and the only thing holding them back is their own complacency.

Last year I was selected by SAYFC and RHASS to attend the Royal Agricultural Society for the Commonwealth’s (RASC) conference in Singapore, visiting an incredible range of enterprises from frog farms (their legs tasted better than their ovaries!) to aquaponics and hydraulic vertical farms. My trip to the two-week conference was also partially funded by the Roy Watherston Memorial Trust and The Cameron Travel Trust. There are numerous bursaries and sponsorships offered or even just a backer willing to take a chance on someone. However, the only people who reap the awards of these are the people who apply.

The theme of the RASC 2016 conference was ‘Bridging the rural-urban divide’. To me, the answer is obvious… Food! Growing up as a farmer’s daughter has always been something that I’ve been proud of. I loved telling all my ‘townie’ friends about pet lambs and calves and what was going on at the farm. Still now, friends will ask about what’s currently happening and I hope I’ve encouraged them to think more about agriculture and especially about where their food comes from, After all, this is how agriculture impacts every person.

The Royal Highland Education Trust is a vital tool for all farmers and indeed any person involved in the agricultural sector. It has the opportunity to influence and educate our future buyers when doing their supermarket shop.

Just last week I helped RHET Fife, who hosted almost 500 primary six pupils over two days where they learnt about food, farming and the countryside. RHET was supported by a number of agencies such as Quality Meat Scotland, Tesco, Kettle Produce and SRUC Elmwood Campus, but are entirely reliant upon volunteers. Any person who is involved or interested in food and farming should get in touch with their local co-ordinator! When your mum is the Fife co-ordinator, volunteering is compulsory!

When considering RHASS and other agricultural shows, they are crucial leaders in bridging the urban-rural divide and they need to maintain support in order to secure their future. The lasting mission of agricultural shows should be in education, not only with children but with adults too, as there is a need to engage producers with consumers.

For our industry to continue to thrive we need to gain the support of the general public and enlighten them to the difficulties that farmers face. If you eat food you are involved in agriculture. The loss of both political and public support, and the lack of understanding of agricultural practices, is currently hindering not only these shows but the industry itself. Therefore we need to promote and highlight the value that farming holds, through the use of new technology and the media, and appeal to a broader audience. This is an area within which young people are invaluable, and show committees and directors need to step up and engage with them now, not in 20 years time.

At present SAYFC is the organisation that best involves and offers numerous opportunities to young people. Through both local clubs and also through competitions such as speechmaking, cabaret and sports, Young Farmers creates confident, engaging and well-rounded individuals, who benefit from the formation of lifelong friendships.

I am a participant of this year's SAYFC Cultivating Leaders course and I think the noticeable thing about both myself and my 13 other participants is the optimism when we discuss any issue. We are not accepting our fate but looking at what we can offer our industry. What we can do to renew or secure our family farms or looking to new possibilities and ventures. We should be excited when thinking about the current state of agriculture as the possibilities are there for those who seek them.

SAYFC’s Agri and Rural Affairs group is a voice for many young people and gives them the acknowledgement that they deserve for their role in farming. Whilst on the recent study tour to Devon and Somerset I met some great people from across Scotland and learnt as much from them as the incredible people we visited. If you feel passionate about something then speak up. Don’t be complacent with traditions if it means your business isn’t where you want it to be. The only way to change something is to be active. There is nothing worse than a person who has a pessimistic outlook on everything but offers no solution or assistance.

This weekend’s upcoming Agri and Rural Affairs conference with the theme of 'Cultivating change', is a prime example of how people can get involved in the issues that matter to them.

So I say to everyone out there, no matter what you want to achieve, DO IT. If someone says you can’t do it, do it even better. It’s better to try and fail than to never try at all.