Reaseheath grads grill Adam Henson
Adam Henson was quizzed by ag students during Reaseheath College’s recent graduation day, giving them a glimpse into his own start on the farming career ladder.
The farmer and Countryfile presenter attended the college’s graduation ceremony, which celebrated the success of 152 degree-level students and 31 Access to Higher Education students.
After the ceremony and a tour of the college farm, Adam took questions from the group of agriculture students, who quizzed him on a range of subjects, from how he got into farming, to his vision of farming in the future.
“The students had some very interesting questions and obviously understood the far-reaching issues affecting their industry,” he told Farmers Weekly.
Read highlights from the Q&A session below.
How did you get into farming?
My dad farmed and I always wanted to follow him into the business. When I was 19 I went to an agricultural college in Devon to do a Higher National Diploma in agriculture. I got a good grounding in practical skills there and had a lot of fun, but farming as a subject was nowhere near as big as it is now. Dad never put any pressure on me, but I knew I wanted to help run the family business and make it grow. Since then, I’ve never woken up in the morning and not wanted to go to work.
If you were a student now, would you do anything differently?
I’d love to be a student again. You guys have an amazing opportunity. Farming is on the crest of a wave and it’s up to you to make it happen. You have the chance to work with top technology, like self-steering machines, but you have to balance that with your social and environmental responsibility. It’s a big job, but so exciting. Looking back, I should have paid more attention to the business and commercial side of farming. Although it’s a way of life, farming has to be about making money too.
What’s changed in farming since you started?
Agriculture has become a professional service that needs to be branded. The key is in the marketing. You need to know your subject and how to present it well so you leave a lasting image. You need to use everything you’re learning here to tell the story and don’t be scared to be entrepreneurial and business-minded.
What are your views on health and safety legislation – is there too much?
Following strict health and safety regulations may seem a bind when you want to get a job done quickly, but you HAVE to take them seriously. One farmer dies every week in a work-related incident. Farming has the worst industry record in the country for fatalities. That’s not counting accidents causing serious injury like blindness or loss of a limb. You have to accept that health and safety is here to stay and you must work it into everything you do.
Looking to the future, which area of farming is going to be most in demand?
Food production, particularly in the Asian market. The demand from India and China is growing and it’s going to be huge.
What do you think about the relationships between farmers and the supermarkets?
Supermarkets are very powerful. You have to work with them to ensure that your business remains stable and can continue to be successful.