IT SEEMS in the last wee while the whole world has gone nuts. What with Brexit, mass migration and the ongoing threat of terror.

I don’t think that Boris, Dave and chums, in London, really wanted to come out of the EU, but rather wanted a referendum to give things a jolly good shake up.

However, here we are on the brink of leaving and launching ourselves into the great unknown, for little obvious benefit. This uncertainty is going to have a massive bearing on our industry, one which relies so heavily on EU subsidies and exports.

The export side of things should sort itself out, as it is in both sides interests to trade with each other. The subsidies on the other hand are a concern, as like it or not, we are dependent on them and if they disappeared tomorrow we would be scunnered. Although they won’t go overnight, we have to face up to the reality of ever decreasing support. I don’t envy the NFU Scotland’s task of negotiating a new deal for us all having just been through the recent CAP reform.

It is important that we all continue to support the union, as although they often come under fire, it is at times a thankless and near impossible task trying to please all sectors of the industry and politicians at the same time.

When money is tight it may be tempting to not bother with an NFUS membership, but if you consider that without them lobbying on our behalf we would have very little say in what we get in terms of financial support, an NFUS membership is surely excellent value for money. It might be a scary thought, farming without subs, but it makes it a very exciting time to be a young farmer facing up to the challenges ahead.

After all, with the comfort of SFP to fall back on, we have maybe become a bit complacent. As support falls we will all need to change and develop our businesses to be more efficient, more profitable and embrace new ideas and technology.

It is quite depressing that so often, for example, it is just accepted that suckler cows don’t make money. Surely rather than just taking this as a given we should be looking at why that is, and what we can do to change so that they are able to turn a profit without subsidies.

Or the fact the less than 50% of lambs hit the market spec’ when going for slaughter. How can we expect to get a good end price for our produce if the processors are having to deal with so much out of spec lamb?

There has to be massive gains that can be made in this area, through working with producers, abattoirs and the supermarkets to improve things for everybody.

After all, the supermarkets are here to stay so we all need to forge better working relationships with them rather than just criticise. When you look around, there are still a lot of practises on farms which make no sense.

For example, why pick your Mule ewe based on the colour of her face? It makes not one bit of difference and yet it still happens.

Surely if as an industry we are going to prosper then we have to focus not on what’s aye been, but be a bit more business like about it and first and foremost do what our job is, producing food.

Regardless of whether we are in Europe or not, or who is in power, people need to eat. That should be our main objective as farmers, to produce food for the masses.

It’s easier to say we will need to work harder, but there is a limit to what you can do. It is hard enough at times to get a work life balance. I know this only too well, especially with a three-month-old son to consider.

The answer then is surely to work smarter, not harder, to make changes to become more efficient and cut costs. If we are going to attract young people into farming they need to see it as an attractive career choice and working round the clock all year isn’t going to cut it.

On the subject of young people, it is a real struggle for young people to get a start in this industry, with capital being the main problem.

Contract farming is a great way for a young person to get a start in farming. I got involved with contract farming three years ago; it has been a great opportunity to branch out from the established family farm, albeit while still working with my dad.

However, even with somebody who doesn’t have an established business to tie in with it is a great route into farming. The arrangement we have means that we own none of the stock and just a small amount of machinery, so getting started required next to no capital.

By managing a farm for the past three years it gave me the experience required to get a tenancy of my own last autumn, which is an unbelievable opportunity. For farmers with nobody following on contract farming is something really worth considering. Bringing a younger person into the business to take over some or all of the day to day running could breathe new life into the farm with new ideas and youthful enthusiasm.

But, importantly, it allows the farmer to regain control of the assets and in most cases, the subsidies.

It would be great to see more opportunities in contract farming as there are plenty of young people out there champing at the bit to get started in farming. So why not give it a go? After all, if the rest of the world seems to be losing their heads maybe us farmers need to start using ours a bit more.