We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

Join us on AHDB’s March episode of Talking Leaders as Amy Hughes shares the real story behind launching Empower Ag and the powerful lessons she’s learned in the first six months of her journey. From embracing change to building a growth mindset and tackling the tough conversations that drive real progress, Amy’s insights will inspire you to wrestle with challenge, lean into growth, and make better choices for your farm, your team and your future.

Raised on a beef and sheep farm in North Yorkshire, Amy has spent 18 years working in agricultural extension and education, driven by a passion to help British farmers thrive. Following her own experience of postnatal depression, she developed a deep interest in mindset, behaviour change and human psychology , challenging tradition and championing the power of honest, courageous conversations in farming businesses. An international speaker, writer, and co-host of the Think Outside The Fence podcast, Amy combines lived experience with academic expertise. She holds postgraduate qualifications in agricultural science and sustainable livestock production, is a Mental Health First Aider, and has been shortlisted for several national industry awards.

In the February episode of Talking Leaders, we were delighted to be joined by Hannah Batty, farm animal vet and Clinical Director, and consultant whose Nuffield Scholarship has taken her around the world in search of what makes great dairy teams truly thrive.

Hannah wasn’t born into a farming family, but after being welcomed into the industry with open arms, she has become one of its strongest champions. Working primarily with dairy businesses across the North West, she is passionate about developing people, strengthening team culture and refining on-farm processes to improve both cattle health and business performance.

Through her Nuffield travels to farms across Canada, Australia, South America and Europe, Hannah has explored how leading businesses manage their teams, communicate clearly, and embed practical systems that consistently deliver high standards of welfare and profitability. Her work focuses on the simple but powerful link between people, processes and performance – and how small, practical changes can unlock big results on farm.

With stories ranging from the calving yard to the boardroom, this session is packed with grounded, people-focused insights for anyone interested in building stronger teams and more resilient dairy businesses.

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In the January episode of Talking Leaders, we were delighted to be joined by Sharon May, a mental health advocate and counsellor – joining us on what is described as Blue Monday.

Following a career in physical healthcare, her love of people and their stories led Sharon to shift her focus to emotional healthcare and retrain as a counsellor whilst bringing up our three children. She set up her own practice on the farm 8 years ago, which has now grown into a multi-therapist counselling hub providing face to face mental health support to the rural community in which we live.

She loves her job, and particularly enjoy working with small business owners, life stage issues and women’s health. She is passionate about tackling stigma and normalising the conversations around mental health and wellbeing.

Her awareness of the mental health challenges within agriculture led to me choosing that as an area of focus whilst completing her Masters in Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice, culminating in a research study on the mental health of farm wives.