National Careers Week: Future Forum Achievements and Ambitions
As part of National Careers Week, AIC are proud to celebrate the journey of the AIC's Future Forum, a group championing the future of agriculture and helping the next generation understand just how dynamic and essential our industry truly is.
Elle White of GLW Feeds, Chair of the Future Forum, reflects on their journey, she highlights just how much the Forum has achieved in a short time, and how much potential lies ahead as they continue shaping the future of the feed sector.
January 2020: The Beginning
The Future Forum was established by AIC, bringing together eight young feed industry professionals (all under 35) with one clear goal: to represent, connect, and strengthen the future of the feed sector.
2020-2021: Building Knowledge and Identifying the Gap
As Future Forum members connected across the industry, a clear issue emerged: agriculture was still widely perceived as “mud and tractors”. The sector’s science, innovation, logistics, nutrition, sustainability, and business expertise were often overlooked.
The Forum made it a priority to:
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Bridge that awareness gap
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Identify opportunities to support industry promotion at schools and within the sector – specifically the 14 – 17 age bracket
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Create a support network for younger members of the industry to help them on their accelerated career path.
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Showcase the full feed supply chain
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Provide a fresh set of eye on AIC issues
2022-2023: Raising the Industry’s Voice and Publishing Careers in the Animal Feed Supply Chain
Through supplier engagement, the Forum amplified the voices of young professionals, shifting conversations towards education, career pathways, and promoting agriculture as a highly skilled, innovative career choice.
The Forum’s Careers in the Animal Feed Supply Chain booklet highlighted the diversity of roles in the feed supply chain, from science and nutrition to sustainability, technical innovation, business, and commercial pathways.
The message is clear: agriculture is a professional, progressive and essential industry.
2024: Taking Agriculture into Schools
In 2024, the Future Forum moved from publication to action, attending careers events and engaging directly with students. Agriculture isn’t just what happens in the field, it includes global trade, nutritional science, advanced manufacturing, policy, and innovation, to name just a few areas.
As part of its growing influence, the Future Forum also visits Parliament to explore policy engagement firsthand, gaining insight into how legislation is shaped, how it affects the feed and food supply chain, and how young professionals can contribute to constructive policy dialogue.
2025–2026: Putting the Feed Supply Chain on the Map
The Future Forum is committed to elevating the visibility of the feed supply chain, showcasing its role in food security, complexity, and innovation, and embedding agriculture and food supply into the education curriculum.
To complement the Careers in the Animal Feed Supply Chain booklet, the Future Forum has launched a dedicated careers webpage showcasing opportunities available through Member businesses.
Future Forum has also recently developed a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation, AIC Careers in the Animal Feed Supply Chain, to support feed Member businesses in their educational outreach activities.
During this year, Future Forum member Martha Headley represented AIC at the Oxford Farming Conference, speaking on the importance of developing the next generation of industry leaders and raising the Forum’s profile on a national stage.
The Future - The Bigger Picture
The Future Forum shows that young professionals within AIC aren’t just the future, they are shaping the industry today by:
- Promoting agriculture within education
- Strengthening the industry’s voice
- Ensuring the feed sector is recognised for its professionalism and innovation
This Careers Week, we celebrate not just where the Future Forum has been, but where it’s going. Agriculture isn’t just about fields and tractors - it’s about science, sustainability, innovation, and feeding the nation.
To learn more about careers in the feed and wider agri‑supply sectors, including opportunities, resources and the Future Forum’s work, please visit the AIC Future Forum webpage on the AIC website.
