JAMES Drummond has become one of 11 Next Generation Ambassadors for the National Sheep Association (NSA).

The 30-year-old runs the sheep enterprise on his family’s mixed farm at Alnwick, Northumberland, and has already implemented several changes within the 1,250-ewe flock, including EID for performance- recording and more vigorous selection for worm and footrot resistance.

The focus is on producing finished lambs for the market, but with an appreciation that the performance of the Suffolk cross ewes is just as important as the terminal sires used.

A Nuffield Scholar, he plans to establish a monitor farm in the near future.

The ambassadors met for the first time recently, for the first of five dedicated training sessions.

Joanne Briggs, NSA communications manager and Next Generation co-ordinator, said more than 40 applications were received. She said: “We are delighted with our final line-up of 11 ambassadors and look forward to the training sessions over the coming months, as well as cultivating long-term relationships with these people as they use their newlyacquired skills to develop their farming business further and become spokespeople for the sheep industry.”

The three-day training session, in Worcestershire, involved sheep farming topics and personal development skills.