Leading the SAYFC's North region this year will be Murray Stephen of Turriff and District Young Farmers, who was announced as its new chair at the region's recent AGM, where Gemma Duguid of Bower Young Farmers stepped down.

Murray lives and works on the family farm in Aberdeenshire, where they run 300 breeding ewes and over-winter 200 cattle along with producing 500acres of spring barley, 20acres potatoes and also vegetables for the family farm shop at Thorneybank.

On being elected regional chair, he said: “I am incredibly honoured and humbled to have been elected as the regions’ chairman for the coming year. While there is still a great deal of uncertainty as to what this year will bring, the easing of lockdown restrictions brings with it a glimmer of hope for some semblance of normality. Clubs are being encouraged to organise a summer syllabus and events as they normally would in preparation for what we hope is a summer better than last. I am looking forward to working with the North this year.”

Excited to learn the ropes as vice chair was Sarah Mowat of Ross Sutherland Young Farmers: “I am really looking forward to the year ahead and the re-opening of events for Young Farmers. I personally have gained so much from YFs, I hope I can encourage and share this with lots of other new and existing members. I am delighted to support Murray in the year ahead, and being part of the whole SAYFC team in 2021/22.”

The North region committee now comprises:

Chair – Murray Stephen, Turriff and District;

Vice chair – Sarah Mowat, Ross Sutherland;

East Aberdeenshire – Sally Mair, Lewis Gallier, Aimee Margrove;

West Aberdeenshire – Eric Smith, Laura Sutherland, Peter Duthie, Sarah Phillips;

Aberdeen and Kincardine – Alex Stephen, Steven Mann, Katie Kelly, Selina Gordon;

Deveron Speyside – Gordon Kelly, Nicole Hendry, Grant Stephen;

RNI – Eilidh Sutherland (more committee to follow);

Caithness – Michael Gunn, Ben Gunn, Beth Douglas, Gemma Duguid;

Orkney – Charles Copland, Jessica Rendall, Briony Harcus, Charys Harvey;

Shetland – Chloe Jamieson, Erin Gibson, Sam Nicolson and Sophie Manson.