Young Farmer Focus: Hannah Scott-Cook - ‘I spend my spare time fixing rally cars’

Poultry: I really wanted to make sure I enjoyed my degree and felt like I could add something to an industry.

Although nobody in my family has ever farmed before, I believe I have found my biggest area of interest.

After keeping chickens at home and struggling through a summer of poultry red mite infestation, I became invested in finding a solution for chicken owners and farmers alike.

I am in the process of designing a solution that would not be affected by a ban of chemicals currently used to control red mites commercially.

I am in my first year at Harper Adams University and have been working on the poultry unit here, helping with PhD research projects where I have learned a lot about chicken husbandry and anatomy.

I hope to conduct my own research trials involving red mites, for example developing lab feeding methods. I love having time at university to indulge in further academic reading and research, especially around poultry.

Education: Coming from a very diverse city and living in Germany has given me a very accepting and open mindset, which I hope allows me to see solutions to problems from a different angle and encourage others to be more accepting of people’s differences.

I think flexibility, kindness and confidence are key to the future of developing British agriculture and engaging the public in farming.