Nestlé and First Milk launch scheme to support next generation of dairy farmers
Britain’s next generation of dairy farmers is being targeted with a new leadership initiative designed to help young producers cope with mounting financial, environmental and personal pressures.
Nestlé and First Milk have launched Young Dairy Leaders, a new programme aimed at building the confidence, skills and resilience needed to navigate a rapidly changing dairy sector.
Developed alongside 8point9 Training and Education, the initiative focuses on practical learning tailored to the realities of running a modern dairy business.
The companies say the programme has been created in response to a lack of opportunities for young farmers to learn in ways that suit how they think, work and make decisions.
Lee Truelove, Head of Regenerative Farming at First Milk, said: “We are not building a training course. We are building the community, the confidence and the competence the next generation of regenerative farmers needs to thrive.”
The programme was launched at Dovenby Hall in Cumbria, home to international motorsport company M-Sport UK.
Organisers said the venue was chosen to expose attendees to a successful business outside agriculture and encourage discussion around how different industries deal with pressure, uncertainty and leadership challenges.
Farmers attending the launch toured the facility and took part in sessions covering stress management, leadership and personal resilience.
They also heard from Cumbrian dairy farmer Robert Craig, who spoke about building a progressive dairy enterprise, while adventurer, author and charity founder Alex Staniforth shared his experiences of overcoming extreme physical and mental challenges.
The initiative comes at a time when many dairy businesses are facing rising costs, ongoing labour shortages and increasing pressure to adopt more regenerative farming practices.
Mike Warmington, Regeneration Lead at Nestlé UK & Ireland, said supporting the long-term future of dairy farming was a key priority for the business.
“We want to make sure we are helping to build long-term resilience and sustainability in our supply chain,” he said.
“That means farming regeneratively, but also supporting the long-term resilience of farmers and their businesses.”
He added: “Young Dairy Leaders is a major step towards helping the next generation of dairy farmers thrive.”
Young Dairy Leaders will run a series of events throughout 2026 and is open to First Milk members looking to improve both business performance and personal development.
Nestlé and First Milk said they hope the programme will help create a strong network of skilled and confident farmers capable of leading profitable and environmentally resilient dairy businesses through a period of major change for the sector.
