Minette shared her experiences of leadership in the agricultural sector, alongside Group Finance Director at Frontier Agriculture Ltd Diana Overton, and Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College London David Hughes.
鈥淚 was the underdog,鈥� Minette said, remembering the period prior to her appointment as an NFU officeholder. 鈥淚 was a tenant farmer on 300 acres and I still am, and very proud of it too.鈥�
Minette recalled receiving a text on the day she was elected: 鈥淚t said 鈥榡ust remember, being a woman you鈥檒l have to work twice as hard and you鈥檒l be judged twice as hard鈥�. That message has stayed with me throughout these past ten years.鈥�
鈥淔rom that day on I was determined on behalf of women, not to let them down 鈥� that has been the driver for whatever woman comes in to be the next NFU President.鈥�
鈥楴o playbook鈥� for the past ten years
In a discussion on people who could 鈥榦pen doors鈥� Minette said she had been described as 鈥渃rashing through them鈥�, adding that the first lesson she learned was that 鈥渃rashing through was the easy part 鈥� it鈥檚 what you do when you get through to the other side that matters鈥�.
鈥淭his is what our professional staff have helped me to understand and I have nothing but admiration for the people who work at the NFU 鈥� we are a union led by farmers, for farmers but we are backed by technical expertise and that is our great strength.鈥�
鈥�We have to listen to young people 鈥� their views are going to be very different to ours, we have to allow them to shape the NFU鈥檚 future.鈥�
NFU President Minette Batters
Since coming into office during 2014 first as Deputy President and then President in 2018, Minette said there had been 鈥渘o playbook鈥� for the events of the past ten years, citing Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine as just some of the challenges the industry has faced.
She said there are now huge challenges with social media and 鈥榞roup-think鈥� and that, going forwards, 鈥渨e have to listen to young people 鈥� they are going to be very different to ours, we have to allow them to shape the NFU鈥檚 future鈥�.
Harnessing diversity of thought
Group Finance Director at Frontier Agriculture Ltd Diana Overton talked through Frontier鈥檚 women鈥檚 development programme, aimed at identifying 鈥渟ome of the societal, organisational and personal barriers which research has shown can prevent women from reaching their potential in their careers鈥� and supporting women on a number of key areas such as building confidence and increasing self-awareness.
鈥淎griculture is facing its biggest transformation 鈥� the environment in which we all operate is changing, we have to improve our long-term resilience and security of our food supply chain,鈥� Diana said.
鈥淲hether the threat is from a pandemic, climate change, or conflict, we all risk losing our livelihoods whether we are farmers or work for agricultural organisations. Our source of income is under threat if we don鈥檛 recognise the need for change. We need to surround ourselves with new ideas and innovative people.
鈥淟eadership is about identifying the best solution to the challenge being faced and as leaders we have a responsibility to be open to diverse ideas.鈥�
Diana said that 鈥渢he leadership of our industry today is not representative of the diversity of its members鈥� despite the fact that agriculture as an industry is already gender diverse. She said 鈥渇arm businesses are often dependant on women who will typically be juggling multiple back office roles...all crucial to the success of a modern farming business鈥�.
鈥�Today鈥檚 leadership is not representative of the diversity of its members...farm businesses are often dependant on women who will typically be juggling multiple back office roles...all crucial to the success of a modern farming business.鈥�
Group Finance Director at Frontier Agriculture Ltd Diana Overton
These roles, she added, are 鈥渆mbracing innovation on a daily basis, harnessing the data and technology which will be critical to identifying new solutions for our industry鈥�.
鈥淭he visible face of agriculture does not reflect this diversity 鈥� here is my challenge to you, if you have ideas and are not visible, be brave, step out of the back office and the shadows.鈥�
鈥楾he power is on your plate鈥�
Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College London David Hughes spoke on farmers leading on issues relating to food production and climate change.
Through his research, he said he found it to be 鈥渏ust common sense鈥� for the farm sector to 鈥渓ead on issues relating to the environmental impact of food production, albeit in collaboration with the other key sectors鈥�.
UK consumers have a 鈥渉igh level of trust in UK farmers鈥� and are 鈥渋nterested but not well-educated on how our food is produced鈥�.
鈥淐onsumer trust in British farmers and our agriculture provides the farming sector with leverage when collaborating with our powerful food industry players (including government) on environmental issues,鈥� Professor Hughes concluded.
