Chris Lane

Harper Adams University

CHRIS Lane has taken every opportunity which came his way as a student, from hosting debates with senior industry figures at university to travelling to China as part of the International Buddy Scheme at Harper Adams.

As the son of a working farmer, Chris has worked at home over the summers as well as helping out on his grandfather’s farm and with a neighbour which had inspired to study at Harper Adams and is proud to be graduating with a 2:1.

In his second year, he chaired the Harper Forum Society, inviting prominent names from the industry to come and speak to students and encouraging his peers to come along and listen.

For his placement year, he received the Velcourt Arable Scholarship. And going forward, he intends to keep taking opportunities as they arise and will be starting on the Velcourt Management Trainee Scheme in spring 2020, as well as travelling.

Communication

Chris believes social media will be playing a bigger and bigger role in the industry and hoped to get involved with the Facetime a Farmer scheme in the future, reaching out to the general public and helping them understand agriculture better.

“You cannot always be talking to crowds,” he says. “Sometimes you reach a lot more people on your phone.”

He is looking forward to visiting Australia later this year to see the efficient farming systems over there and is keen to learn best practise and return with ideas for the company and the home farm.

He is also looking to bring his university experience back to the family farm, after writing his dissertation on the reasons behind farm diversification.

“From all these opportunities, I have learned that challenging the norm and thinking diversely is the key to success, something I hope to carry out on our own farm in the future.”