Young Quendale farmer scoops student of the year prize
A YOUNG farmer from the South Mainland has been named agricultural student of the year by Farmers Weekly.
Emma Burgess, from Quendale, scooped the award at a ceremony in London on Thursday night.
Emma farms alongside her dad in the South Mainland, where they run both a sheep and dairy enterprise and the island’s creamery.
She told Farmers Weekly that farmers in Shetland often miss out on opportunities available elsewhere.
“The island can be very traditional, with the same methods being followed for decades,” she said.
Emma took a lambing job in England aged just 17, which encouraged her to study agriculture at Harper Adams University.
She said she was determined not just to gain a degree, but to acquire knowledge she could take back to Shetland.
“I really wanted to have the resources to learn all about different sectors in the industry to bring back home.”
Diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia during her second year, Emma received weekly one-to-one support and saw her academic performance improve significantly.
Lecturer Russell Readman said Emma had always been driven to improve the home farm rather than simply earn a degree.
“Emma inspires others and pushes out of her comfort zone. She wants the whole experience,” he said.
A placement year at an Angus stud in New Zealand further shaped Emma’s ambitions, particularly after witnessing poor treatment of young agricultural workers.
Alongside studying, Emma has taken on greater responsibility within the family business, including planning, staffing, customer relationships and creamery operations.
She has also played rugby in New Zealand, at Harper Adams and in Shetland.
Farmers Weekly said Emma now wants to improve efficiency within the family dairy, producing more milk from fewer cows, while introducing cropping practices to improve soil health.
She also hopes to make creamery packaging more sustainable and create better training opportunities for young people on Shetland.
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“I really believe it was important for me to go away and bring back new ideas and knowledge, not just for my benefit but to help, teach and create opportunities for our young staff and young farmers.”
The judges said Emma was returning to Shetland with the “skills, ambition and experience to strengthen her family’s business and help shape the future of farming across the islands.”
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