Working for a more equitable farming industry
Abi Kay
Deputy editor, Farmers Weekly
About the campaign
Level the Field is a campaign to make agriculture fairer, more equitable and more inviting for everyone.
By engaging people and organisations across our industry, Level the Field will champion inclusivity for the benefit of farm businesses and all who work in them.
We aim to offer solutions to the challenges of attracting, retaining and developing talent, supported by key partners in the industry through workshops, training guides, events and more.
If you want to get involved with the campaign, as a sponsor, ambassador, or any kind of supporter, please get in touch with Anna Eccleston - anna.eccleston@markallengroup.com
Women in Farming
There are many women working across the board within agriculture in a variety of roles, but we recognise that our industry can always do more to attract more women to farming careers and make it a more inclusive environment.
As part of our Level the Field campaign, we seek to engage all people and organisations across our industry, men and women alike, to bring about change that will make agriculture fairer, more equitable and more inviting for women.
Throughout the course of 2024, we will be publishing a series of digital guides, offering practical support to farm businesses that want to attract, retain, develop and champion female staff.
The guides will look at the commercial benefits of having diverse teams, and cover the following topics:
- Improving recruitment practices
- Improving working practices
- Improving physical conditions on site
- Developing a code of conduct for your business
- Carrying out a cultural assessment of your business
- Succession for women
Guides
A comprehensive guide to carrying out a cultural assessment on farm
For family farms, a cultural assessment can involve examining the family’s approach to farming, their relationship with the land, decision-making processes, interpersonal relationships within the family, and how their farming identity aligns with the broader agricultural community or marketplace.
This guide breaks down why it matters and how to do it.
A comprehensive guide to improving working practices
Introducing flexible working patterns on farm and working to become a family-friendly employer can help attract new recruits and protect the mental health of existing staff.
A comprehensive guide to female-friendly recruitment
This guide looks at evidence showing how making the farming industry more equitable for women can bring advantages to your business.
A comprehensive guide to physical working conditions
This guide considers how to review and improve the physical working conditions on your farm to attract new people and make a big difference to the comfort and wellbeing of your existing team.
A comprehensive guide to creating a code of conduct
As the world around us changes, there’s increasing pressure on farming businesses to ensure everyone on the team, from farmhands to managers, is happy at work and held accountable.
This guide considers why it matters and how it can help your business.
Research: Women in farming
The full report and findings from research conducted in December 2023 on women in farming, covering:
- Methodology
- Summary
- Respondent profile
- Main findings
- Summary of findings
Sponsor messages
Frontier Agriculture
Frontier Agriculture is the UK's leading crop production and grain marketing business, recognised for close customer relationships and successful management of the arable supply chain.
A proud supporter of Level the Field, we’re committed to being a great place to work where everyone - whatever their gender - can achieve their ambitions inside and outside work.
Frontier surveys its 1,200 employees who anonymously provide feedback every 18 months via the Great Place to Work institute (GPTW). This results in jointly developed action plans that are used to improve the workplace environment. Frontier has consistently been ranked in the top 30 UK best large workplaces by GPTW. s GPTW compares over 10,000 organisations in more than 50 different countries and benchmarks feedback. Companies are measured on their culture, behaviours and the environment as these factors underpin the world's most desirable workplaces and successful businesses.
“Frontier is about working ambitiously, working collaboratively and enjoying the success that this creates.” Mark Aitchison, Managing Director
Find out more about the benefits of working at Frontier on our website: www.frontierag.co.uk/work-at-frontier
CLA
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) is the membership organisation for owners of land, property and businesses in rural England and Wales.
For over 100 years we have championed and defended landowners and rural businesses across England and Wales. We are the only organisation that exists solely for that purpose. That is why 26,000 family farms, estates, small holdings, rural businesses and country homes trust the CLA to support their interests.
Members have access to:
- A team of expert advisers who understand your business and your local area, offering specific guidance tailored to you needs.
- A programme of events allowing you to engage exclusively with local and national politicians, policy makers and industry leaders
- A monthly magazine and weekly e-newsletter giving you the inside track on the latest industry developments as well as case studies and new ideas to apply to your own business
The CLA has a long-standing reputation in Westminster and Cardiff as an influential and forward thinking membership body. By joining you are helping to guarantee a strong voice for landowners and rural businesses, preserving your property rights for future generations and ensuring that governments in England and Wales make decisions with your best interests in mind.
ADM
ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We're a premier global human and animal nutrition company, delivering solutions with an eye to the future. We're blazing new trails in health and well-being as our scientists develop groundbreaking products to support healthier living. We're a cutting-edge innovator leading the way to a new future of plant-based consumer and industrial solutions to replace petroleum-based products.
We're an unmatched agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. And we're a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize our industry and safeguard our planet. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional and sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow.
Learn more at www.adm.com.
ADM Agriculture UK
Sources rapeseed and milling wheat from UK farmers for ADM's processing facilities and supplies wheat, malting barley, feed barley, cereals, pulses and non-grain feed ingredients to UK-based customers, alongside export markets. Products include:
- All combinable crops
- Fertilisers
- Seeds
- Human consumption pulses
- Non-grain feed ingredients
ADM Milling UK
Supplies a range of products for the bakery and food manufacturing sectors via its wheat flour mills and technical centre, strategically located throughout the UK. Products include:
- Flours: white, wholemeal, etc.
- Cake and speciality flours
- Bakery mixes and concentrates
- Improvers
- Complementary products
ADM Oilseeds
At Erith, we operate a crushing and refining plant, producing refined oil for food ingredients and biofuels. The meal produced from crushing operations is used as a mid-protein feed ingredient by livestock producers across the UK, France and Ireland. At Purfleet, we operate one of the largest vegetable oil refineries in the UK, with an unparalleled portfolio of edible oils and fats, producing bulk bespoke blends for the food and feed industries. Pack hall capabilities encompassing five lines, producing a range of products, including pastry, bakery, margarines and functional fats, in addition to a range of packed and bottled oils for the food service and catering sectors.
Why are we supporting the 'Level The Field' campaign?
We have been on our own Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging journey for some time. Whilst we recognise we still have more progress to make, as one of the largest partners of the UK farming industry, we wanted to show our support for the sector by backing this important campaign to help drive positive change. We have seen real beneficial impacts in own businesses by embracing diversity and are keen to learn more whilst working with other partners.
ADM Protexin
A specialist health and wellness business, responsible for the production, marketing and sale of a range of probiotic based supplements for the global animal and human nutrition markets, including:
Human
- Digestive health
- Infant and women's health
- Central nervous system Veterinary
- Liver support
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Joint health
Animal nutrition
- Feed additives for production animals
- Equine digestive health
ADM Wild UK
Comprises a sales office and customer creation and innovation centre where ADM WILD UK work in partnership with customers to bring new food and beverage products to the market. Products are distributed directly to customers in the UK and Ireland, including:
- Nutrition ingredients
- Bases, seasonings, colours & flavour systems
- Binders, emulsifiers, oils & stabilizers
- On-trend whole foods
ADM Investor Services International
A full-service, multi-asset brokerage company, delivering clearing and brokerage services to all major investment markets, including:
- Global commodities including grains and oilseeds, sugar, coffee, cocoa, energy, freight and metals
- Global equities and fixed income
- eFX
- 24-hour market access and execution
TIAH
The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (Tiah) is the home of skills and career support for the agriculture and horticulture industry.
Agriculture and horticulture are undergoing huge changes. Many farmers and growers will need to adapt to ensure their businesses will be profitable and sustainable in the future, while contributing positively to the environment.
Tiah is here to help farmers and growers to develop and thrive in today’s challenges. Providing tailored advice and practical tools to enhance skills and lifelong learning.
For those who aspire to a career in farming and growing, Tiah serves as a gateway to the guidance, support, and training they need to pursue rewarding professional paths.
Regardless of where you are in career journey, Tiah’s online service stands as a comprehensive resource hub. Unlock your potential with Tiah membership:
- Access learning resources online: Your personalised learning hub helps you focus on the skills and knowledge you want to develop
- Search for trusted, local training providers: Our training directory can help you find providers you can trust
- Keep all your training records: Log all your CPD in one private, secure online dashboard
- Identify and plan your training needs: Our interactive tool allows you to highlight your current skills and knowledge levels
- Save time with toolkits: from advice and expert webinars to useful templates
- Fast-track your career: Invest in yourself with professional development opportunities
Membership to Tiah’s online service is launching on 10 January 2024.
Find out more at tiah.org www.tiah.org/membership
Arla
Arla Foods is a global dairy co-operative owned by 8,500 dairy farmers, around 1,900 of which are in the UK.
Dating back to 1881, Arla’s purpose is to secure the highest value for its farmers’ milk, while creating opportunities for their growth.
As a company owned by farmers, all our profits are returned to our farmer owners.
Arla Foods UK is the largest dairy cooperative in the country and is the UK’s largest supplier of organic dairy products and have UK favourite brands like Arla Cravendale, Lurpak and Anchor.
The UK business has a team of approximately 3,600 colleagues located at its dairies, creameries, distribution centres and head office.
Find out more at www.arlafoods.co.uk
AHDB
1 We are proud to have equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of our organisation. We are committed to driving real change through the work we do and by our industry leadership.
We deliver transformational projects to drive productivity and boost farming and supply chain businesses.
We want the industry to thrive in a rapidly changing world and continue to produce high-quality food, maintain our beautiful landscape and leave a legacy for generations to come.
So whether we’re introducing tools to help farmers improve profitability, advising on reducing pesticide use or developing new markets for our farmers and processors’ products, we’re passionate about inspiring farmers, growers and processors to achieve their full potential. Striving for excellence so they can compete with the best around the globe.
We work with farmers, growers, packers, processors, agronomists, vets and abattoirs. This helps us unify the industry, bridge gaps in knowledge and encourage collaboration to build a stronger future for everyone.
We put people at the heart of everything we do. Be that through encouraging collaboration through our network of Strategic and Monitor Farms, providing nutritional information to educate children about where their food comes from, or developing apprenticeships for the next generation.
We are pleased to be part of the Level the Field campaign and playing our part in helping make agriculture fairer, more equitable and more inviting for women.
AHDB
We are proud to have equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of our organisation. We are committed to driving real change through the work we do and by our industry leadership.
We deliver transformational projects to drive productivity and boost farming and supply chain businesses.
We want the industry to thrive in a rapidly changing world and continue to produce high-quality food, maintain our beautiful landscape and leave a legacy for generations to come.
So whether we’re introducing tools to help farmers improve profitability, advising on reducing pesticide use or developing new markets for our farmers and processors’ products, we’re passionate about inspiring farmers, growers and processors to achieve their full potential. Striving for excellence so they can compete with the best around the globe.
We work with farmers, growers, packers, processors, agronomists, vets and abattoirs. This helps us unify the industry, bridge gaps in knowledge and encourage collaboration to build a stronger future for everyone.
We put people at the heart of everything we do. Be that through encouraging collaboration through our network of Strategic and Monitor Farms, providing nutritional information to educate children about where their food comes from, or developing apprenticeships for the next generation.
We are pleased to be part of the Level the Field campaign and playing our part in helping make agriculture fairer, more equitable and more inviting for women.
Find out more at ahdb.org.uk
Women in farming - their words
Emma Gray
I love being a woman in agriculture. My own breakthrough came when I stopped trying to copy the masculinity of my peers in order to feel worthy. I accepted that being a woman with my own skillset was worthy enough.
Britt Whitworth
Ag is tough enough, so collectively we need to focus on supporting each other and encouraging a good environment for the next generation to work in, regardless of gender. There are bigger battles to face.
Hannah Whiteley
Taking a leap into livestock farming was the best choice I've ever made. Working for a farm that appreciates your work means a lot as a female in the industry. I would always support another female stepping into agriculture.
Sophie Mitchell-Smith
Hoof trimming has largely been a male-dominated career. The number one priority is the welfare and it doesn't matter what sex you are, you can and should deliver the very best for these farm animals.
Kirsty Blakeborough
I've been in agriculture all my working life. Never have I felt like I am equal to the men that run this industry, despite being qualified, experienced and an expert in my area of work. It doesn't matter. I'm not given the same respect, airtime or opportunities as my male counterparts.
Bethany Atkinson
I personally haven't been a victim of sexism in the farming industry, everywhere I've worked helped/worked. Everyone has been extremely supportive and helpful pushing me to do my best.
Hannah Binns
These women are the through stones of our UK farming industry, inspiring the future generation of farmers by simply being themselves and doing what they love.
Liz Fletcher
To me, female farmers embody strength and capability, proving time and again that our resilience, skill, and dedication make us an indispensable force in farming and feeding our country.
Elaine Evans
I would highly recommend to any women who are interested in going down the agriculture route to go for it.
Ellie Browning
There will always be individuals who will question your ability. It's your job to prove them wrong by showing what you bring to the table.
Georgina Sammut
I've been told many times I have to "prove myself" as they've never employed a woman. In this day and ae we shouldn't be judged for what sex we are or what we wear.
Hollie and Francesca
Being a new entrant farmer is tough enough without being asked at every meeting who your husband, father or brother is! But our advice after two years would be that being a female farmer is totally achievable and the perceived barriers are generally reinforced by prejudice rather than reality.
Want to get involved with the campaign as a sponsor, ambassador, or supporter?
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