JLS star tackles crisis in farming

BRITAIN faces a farming crisis after it was revealed that just 3% of youngsters want a job in agriculture.

UK farms cover over 43million acres with about 470,000 people employed in the industry, which rakes in around £25billion-a-year.

But research out today found 40% of the 126,000 farmers are now over 65.

The average age is 55 with the number of under25s running farms falling 63% over the past 10 years, and the number of farmers over 65 running farms up 70% in the same period.

A poll of 1,000 18 to 30-year-olds by Barclays, found only 3% would consider a job in farming.

As part of the bank’s FarmTheFuture campaign, it teamed up with former JLS star JB Gill – now a turkey and pig farmer in Kent – to try to encourage Brits into the industry.

He said: “There’s a lot of misconceptions among young people about what a career in agriculture really means.

“It keeps you fit, you get to work with animals and you’re your own boss.

“I would encourage anyone interested to give it some serious consideration – it’s a life like no other!”

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