Fourteen YFC members from Wales YFC travelled to Scotland as part of the Wales YFC Rural Affairs Study Tour in June, which was supported by CCF (Clynderwen and Cardiganshire Farmers) and Farming Connect. Members spent four days in Scotland visiting a number of farms as well as the Royal Highland Show.

The first visit made by the members was to Penrith, whilst travelling to Scotland. Here, members visited Messrs A.W Jenkinson for a tour of an immaculate arable estate where 150 pedigree limousine bulls and 1,100 ewes are farmed. The estate also houses a partridge shoot. Members also visited a dairy farm with a rotary parlour where the cows are housed all year round in Berwickshire.

The group were accompanied for part of the tour by Mr John Vipond from the Scottish Agricultural College and in his company they visited Mr Malcolm Steward, who farms 150 suckle cows, 450 pedigree Suffolk ewes, 800 Lleyn commercial ewes and 100 Suffolk x ewes. The farm sells around 100 rams for breeding every year.

During a visit to Mr Charley Walker's farm, members learnt about his easy care system on the organic farm where he farms 80 Welsh Black cows and 800 ewes. Members learnt how being awarded both the Nuffield Farming Scholarship in 2007 and ASDA Beef Link Scholarship in 2008 has been instrumental in developing his farm business.

The Study Tour came to an end with a visit to the Highland Show, where the group received fantastic hospitality from Scotland YFC. They also had an opportunity to meet with the Scottish Border Black Face group, a Dunbia supplier group, who supply 1,800 lambs per week between November and February, and were able to compare the group to the Wales YFC Lamb Initiative.

Marc Jones, Wales YFC Rural Affairs committee chairman, stated: "We must show our gratitude to CCF and Farming Connect for their support which allows us the opportunity to broaden our horizons and educate ourselves in the agricultural practices. We would also like to thank all those that allowed us to visit their farms and for teaching us a number of things. I hope that all 14 members that attended the trip found it to be beneficial."