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Farming insider: Emanuele Bortoli, Italy

About Emanuele

Since Emanuele Bortoli's great-grandparents first set up the farm in the province of Padua, it has developed into a magnificent family business. Together with his parents, sister, brother and cousins, who also live on the farm, Emanuele is part of a hard-working team. When he is not working, he likes to spend his free time riding his motorbike or taking trips to the beach or the mountains.

Farm facts

Family-owned for four generations

Farm size: 100 hectares

Cultivated crops: Corn, sugar beet, soy, alfalfa and wheat

Reliability and respect form the foundation for how we deal with one another. These are values I've always held in high esteem.

Emanuele Bortoli, Padua

Question time

Why did you decide to become a farmer – and can you picture yourself doing anything else? ?

I tried to do something else and to get away from agriculture, but in the end my roots run so deep and are so firmly anchored in this world that I have never found anything that gives me the same sense of satisfaction. As a farmer, I place great emphasis on maintaining respect for the environment and for what we produce. After all, it is crucial that we produce healthy and natural goods, whilst taking the environment into account.

How much do you enjoy your independence?

In the past, independence has meant bucking the trend in the way we do things. Being independent means thinking with your own mind and saying ”No, I believe in something, I believe in moving forward, and I believe in the path we have chosen.“ Independence means deciding what I think is right, taking on challenges, and also being able to say ”no“ every now and again. I decided to become a farmer because we spend a lot of time in the open air, in contact with nature, and so we learn to appreciate the rainy days along with the sunshine. That gives me the feeling of freedom, a feeling of independence – and not being bound by schedules.

How important are respect and teamwork to you?

Respect and appreciation are the foundation of my social relationships. Trusting people and showing respect is the root of everything else. Cooperation and team spirit are values I've always held in high esteem, which is why I am also a partner in cooperatives like the sugar factories or the assembly centers. i.e. in areas where a team makes all the difference, in which coexistence with other farmers is the fundamental strategy when it comes to achieving goals.

How do you approach innovations and new technologies?

To me, technology and innovation are like a drug. Technology has always given me something to help me get ahead, which is one of the reasons we've been following the progress of technology within our company for many years now. Even today, I try to keep up to date through the courses provided by professional associations and to remain in contact with the University of Padua, where information is exchanged about both mechanization and the status of research. This also gives me the opportunity to find out about other opinions and points of view, both here in Padua province and in neighboring provinces. This way, I can compare my business with other important businesses – I really value the cultural exchange about cultivation techniques.

What innovations have you introduced over the last few years?

Being innovative is something we have passed on from generation to generation. For example, we try to remain innovative in the area of precision agriculture, which involves not only data collection, but also prescription maps. We have also introduced machines with satellite systems, parallel controls, geolocalization and yield mapping. We have been developing continually for ten years.

Do you have a dream you hope to fulfil for your business in the future?

It would be nice to see a self-driving tractor out in the fields one day and to be able to steer it from a computer in the office. That might sound impossible, but I believe in the possibility of remotely operated machinery, of being able to manage everything remotely and maintaining control over the situation at the same time.

On the road worldwide. Always closeby.

All farmers have their own character - which is reflected in their way of life, philosophy and the form of farming and livestock breeding. We visited our farmers around the world and wanted to know what makes them successful, what they stand for and what challenges they have to face. A journey across five continents.

A farmer sits on a chair in a barn, wearing a cap and a blue shirt, with farming equipment visible in the background.

Todd, Jared and Cole Vis, USA

“My wish for the future of the family farm is that it will still be run well in the fifth, sixth, and seventh generation.”

A man and a baby are sitting in a blue tractor, surrounded by logs and trees. The scene depicts a rural setting.

Arco Van Triest, Netherlands

“This farm has been running since 1900, and now my children are here.“

A man smiles while holding a young boy on his lap. They are seated outdoors with greenery in the background.

Adem Biçici, Turkey

“When I go out into the fields with my grandson, I see myself reflected in his curiosity.“

Two men examining a leafy plant in a large green field. The landscape features rows of crops under a clear sky.

Brian Ryberg, USA

“I think the feeling of being part of something greater has always been important to me.“

Portrait of a man with a short beard, wearing a black polo shirt with yellow accents, sitting at a wooden table indoors.

Šandor Sabo junior, Croatia

“Whatever problems we are facing, we solve them together. For me, family is all about cohesion.“

A man with glasses sits on a wooden bench in front of a brick wall. A small decorative item is placed on the table beside him.

Atila Sabo, Croatia

“Every morning, my brother and I agree what we want to do during the day, what our duties are. So we share the work and have passed on this structure to our children in the same way.“

A family walks together along a path in a field, surrounded by crops and trees. They wear matching shirts and hats.

Carla, Fábio and José Rossato, Brazil

“I never had any doubts; I never wanted to be anything but a farmer.”

Dimitar sits in an office chair, smiling while wearing a white shirt and green overalls. Papers and a calculator are on the desk.

Dimitar Vukudinov, Bulgaria

”Working with your own father means that you always have a wiser man with you to support you and look up to.”

Portrait of a middle-aged man with short hair, wearing a black shirt, smiling softly against a softly lit background.

Rodolfo Cura, Argentina

“The farm is everything to me. Working in agriculture is the greatest way to do what I love. For me, the farm means freedom.”

Heidi, a farmer from Belgium, sits in a bright room with a bouquet of roses on the table behind her.

Heidi Verschelde, Belgium

"I think the next generation is showing a keen sense for the importance of nature."

A farmer interacts with a wooden gate in a garden, while another person stands behind him near a car.

Ievhenii Bondarchuk, Ukraine

"If you want to be a farmer, you can’t learn that in an institute. It’s something you have to be born with."

A man and a woman smile at each other while holding tomatoes in a greenhouse filled with plants. They appear to be enjoying their time together.

Luigi Torri, Italy

“I hope my sons will pass on the love and respect for the earth and all the values I taught them.”

A hand reaches out to touch ripe wheat stalks in a field. The golden grains are ready for harvest.

Paweł Strzemiecki, Poland

“This love of farming, of the farming tradition, goes back generations in our family.”

A woman with long hair smiles while standing in front of a blue vehicle in a garage setting.

Emma F., UK

“It would be great if one day the sixth or seventh generation of our family runs the farm.“

Aerial view of Rowles Farm, featuring buildings, vehicles, and surrounding green fields. The landscape includes trees and pathways.

Peter Carlisle, UK

“Teamwork is the most important thing on our farm. Everyone does a little bit of everything. If we weren't a team, our business wouldn't be as successful as it is today.“

Young man in a brown hoodie stands in a field with dust clouds from farming equipment in the background.

Henning & Arne Beecken, Germany

“The feeling of wanting to continue the work on the farm has grown day by day since childhood.“

A cornfield with neatly arranged rows stretches towards a distant tree line and houses under a clear blue sky.

Emanuele Bortoli, Italy

“Reliability and respect form the foundation for how we deal with one another. These are values I`ve always held in high esteem.“

Farmer Francis stands beside a blue agricultural machine in a grassy field. The tractor is equipped for planting or cultivating crops.

Francis Bapst, Switzerland

“For me, the most important values are respect for nature, understanding our consumers and food production.”

Hands examining a plant with roots and leaves in a field. The focus is on the interaction between two individuals.

Toni & Daniel Peterhans, Switzerland

”Spirit and passion are what leads to success, whether it's in farming or on the football pitch.”

A child holds hands with an adult in a barn, carrying a small tool. Cows are visible in the background.

Riccardo Casarotto, Italy

”Independence is a dream that we should all cultivate and pursue. Dreams are there to come true and to help you progress.”

A blue tractor is parked near a large brick farm building with multiple roofs and a landscaped area. The setting is rural and well-maintained.

Stephan Jansen, Belgium

”I look forward to waking up every day and being able to work with nature.”

A woman stands in a cornfield, surrounded by tall green plants and a mountainous landscape in the background.

Gizem Anar, Turkey

”People should love what they do, and I love farming. I enjoy looking after animals, plants and nature and try to feel connected to them!.”

A close-up of a calf with an ear tag, surrounded by other cows in a pasture. The calf has a calm expression.

Adrian Knuchel, Switzerland

”For me, team spirit means being able to live and work together. It means ongoing exchange, taking each other, mutual ideas and suggestions seriously.”

A man holds a ginger cat while standing next to a tractor in a farm setting. The scene conveys a connection between the farmer and his pet.

Gürkan Ilhan, Turkey

”People who work in agriculture, cultivating crops, rearing livestock and working on the land, accumulate positive memories day after day.”

Aerial view of a farmhouse surrounded by neatly trimmed hedges and a garden, with a driveway leading to the property.

René Vermue, Netherlands

”Team spirit and reliability are hugely important in both my personal life and my working life – be it with colleagues, employees, or in dealings with other farmers.”