Looking back is always a reflective process, and for Amie Burke, reminiscing about her journey into agriculture truly highlights just how far she has come.
Growing up in Birmingham, farming was certainly not on the radar, but since attending agricultural college she has become quite the force for change.
Most of her family, she says, did not finish school, and sadly her mother passed away when she was just 15 years old. It was at this point that she began to re-evaluate what she wanted from life.
"I went to college, and it then made me wonder if I could go to university – nobody in the family has done before," she says.
"I saw a picture of agricultural college Harper Adams and I saw another life – and I could get in with my grades.
"It was a shock – there were chickens running around, people dressed differently, and they listened to different music.
"But everybody made me feel so welcome and I thought: 'This is home'."
Embarking on a business degree, she did a sandwich year looking at mortgages for farmers.
She developed a passion – and a talent – for communicating with the industry on how to really better their businesses. In this industry, she believes communication is key.
Farming career
It led her to her first key role at ADHB, working with various cereals businesses around the UK.
"I met some incredible farmers, and I enjoyed making small tweaks to businesses that made a big difference," she says.
Amie moved on to work for AB Agri, where she got to travel the world helping farm businesses with their approach to sustainability.
This experience opened her eyes and gave her insight into various sectors – but it was also about personal growth.
She says: "I felt I knew nothing about sustainability, but you learn as you go along, literally in the mud.
"There are so many different ways of life and connecting with people."
After four years, circumstances eventually led her back to the AHDB team who are, she says, like a family to her.
Having revelled in meeting farmers across the globe and understanding the effect good leadership can have on a business, she took on the role of skills manager, and has certainly made an impact on creating welcoming and diverse teams since.
This is something she has become known for – connecting with people no matter who they are is certainly one of her talents, putting people at ease within a matter of minutes.
The gift of communication, no doubt, has seen her achieve some pretty impressive accolades, including being one of the Grocer's top 10 influential activists in LGBTQIA+ and also an Oxford Farming Conference Emerging Leader in 2021.
Inclusion
Amie is someone who has shown that the agricultural industry can be for anyone.
Her view is that, as an industry, we should start ‘self-reflecting' and looking at how we can embrace differences.
With this mindset, agriculture can start to attract fresh talent.
She says: "Farming still has this ‘closed door' image: a ‘get off my land' sentiment, and that could not be further from the truth.
"We need to reach people at an influential age.
"People do not realise you could be driving around on a £300,000 tractor or design the food of the future.
"There is a labour shortage, and we need to do something now.
"Think about the army – they have an aggressive recruitment drive. They are always out recruiting.
"You cannot sit on your farm and expect people to come and work – we have to highlight the different skillsets that we need and attract those qualities."
People, she firmly believes, are at the heart of creating successful farm businesses. An example she uses in her own discussions is how farmers look after their animals or crops, constantly looking at how to improve welfare or soil health, but what about the welfare and health of the team?
Good leadership is also about recognising differences, and then asking how they can benefit your business or understanding that someone's personal life choices should not be a measure of whether they are a good worker.
Having made a real difference in the industry through her skills and inclusion work with AHDB, and never one to turn down an opportunity, Amie moved on to become the diversity and inclusion manager at IGD, an influential organisation within the food and drink sector.
Team
She says: "I work with chief executives of major food businesses and ask them to question themselves: 'Why does diversity matter to me?'
"You then start to think about someone's home life or education and understand why they work how they do.
"In farming, you might be the kind of person to do something really quickly, whereas your colleague might need to process information slower and take their time."
What Amie wants to do is encourage people to take a small amount of time to cultivate these conversations, and to do that you have to be open.
One of her main education points when speaking to groups is that ‘we are all diverse – someone is married, someone is vegan, someone has children'.
"Everything that makes us different should be celebrated," she says.
Given her experience so far, she is a well-respected member of the rural community, working with other farmers to champion leadership and inclusion, and with organisations like AgRespect. Just recently, she was invited to meet Princess Anne in conjunction with the farming charity Farms For City Children, and Amie can often be seen speaking at various agricultural events.
So, bearing this in mind, what is the one piece of advice she likes to give those she works with, and to those working towards building resilient workforces and wanting to make their business – and people – fit for the future?
She says: "I had mentors around me who pushed me and said 'go for that challenge'.
"But the biggest thing is to get uncomfortable; without struggle, there can be no change.
"Challenge yourself and ask for help."
