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Farming insider: Emma Foot, UK

About Emma

Emma belongs to the new generation of women-owned farms in the UK. The mother of a young daughter runs the family farm, founded in 1954, in partnership with her dad, Chris. Before that she studied food photography: "The combination of photography and farming is my passion."

Farm facts

Family owned since: 1954

Location: Bere Regis, Dorset, UK

Size of the Farm: about 500 acres arable farm

Crops: Among others, maize, wheat, barley, oilseedrape and oats.

Special features: Father and daughter run the traditional family business together.

It would be great if one day the sixth or seventh generation of our family runs the farm.
Emma Foot, Dorset / Great Britain

Question time

Why did you choose the job here at Haywards Farm?

Even as a child I was involved in the daily work and often sat along on the passenger seat of the tractor. Later, I combined what I enjoy: photography and farming. During my A-levels, I photographed the farmers here. That opened my eyes and I thought, 'This is the life I love. I would take a day harvesting in the sunshine over a day at the beach every time!

What is it like to work in a family business?

I am proud to carry on our family business. My grandparents and my dad did a really good job. I am very lucky to have my dad. If I don't take my little daughter to work myself, he looks after her. Even on a bad day, it's nice to have your family.

What makes Haywards Farm special for you?

For me, Haywards Farm is so special because it is a generational farm. I like the fact that all of us in our family have worked the land here. We all have a story to tell about it that has been passed down through the generations.

What is it like to run a farm as a woman?

Most people treat you like everyone else. But there are still some who make old-fashioned comments. I just ignore them and go on to prove them wrong. I think it's nice that even in the male-dominated field of agriculture, the fact that women in leadership positions are becoming normal. I often have young girls and women message me via social media thanking me for the encouragement and inspiration I give them to continue because they are confronted with similar traditional ideas.

What agricultural challenges do you see for future generations?

We need to put more effort into sustainability worldwide. The increase in fertiliser and energy prices is already a big problem. To reduce our carbon footprint, we need to do something about it. This will be a challenge, that much is certain. In addition, we farmers will have fewer adequate harvests. But because we need the food, we will probably have to import more.

What do you wish for Haywards Farm?

I hope that the farm will always stay in the family. It would be great if one day the sixth or seventh generation of our family runs the farm. When you hear about other families who have passed their farms down from generation to generation, it's just an amazing feeling.

Paving the way. For a fruitful tomorrow.

Farm life is often characterized by family cohesion and traditions that have grown over decades. Around the world, many generations live and work on farms under one roof, and at some point the question of farm succession comes up. Our new Farmer Portraits focus on this generational change that many farmers are facing. Young and old alike - we visited farmers on their farms to have them tell us about their stories, their challenges and their hopes.

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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.”

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Arco Van Triest, Netherlands

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

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Adem Biçici, Turkey

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

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Brian Ryberg, USA

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

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Šandor Sabo junior, Croatia

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

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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.“

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Carla, Fábio and José Rossato, Brazil

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

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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.”

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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.”

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Heidi Verschelde, Belgium

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

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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."

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Luigi Torri, Italy

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

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Paweł Strzemiecki, Poland

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

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Emma F., UK

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

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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.“

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Henning & Arne Beecken, Germany

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

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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.“

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Francis Bapst, Switzerland

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

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Toni & Daniel Peterhans, Switzerland

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

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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.”

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Stephan Jansen, Belgium

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

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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!.”

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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.”

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Gürkan Ilhan, Turkey

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

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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.”

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Henrick Dieckmann, Germany

”For me, it´s important to be sustainable and healthy in what we produce.”

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