Farming for the future – How Claire is sowing seeds of change
Like most rural women, Claire Catford wears a lot of hats. From mother, wife and farmer to the recently crowned ‘volunteer of the year’ for her tireless voluntary work at the Hummocks Watchman Eagles Netball Club, she is now adding “Nuffield Scholar” to her hat rack.
Supported by Grains Research and Development Corporation, Claire, who farms at Halbury in the state’s mid-north, will use the $40,000 Nuffield Scholar bursary to research and shed light on the key factors that contribute to sustainable rural communities, exploring what makes farmers thrive and communities vibrant.
A Scholar in the Making
Growing up on a property at Ninnes on the Yorke Peninsula, Claire has been involved in farming her entire life, with agriculture running deep in her veins. And it was on a farm exchange after studying a Bachelor of Agricultural Science that she met her future farmer husband, Dillon. Ironically, Dillon lived at Nantawarra, “just over the hill” from her family farm, but it took a trip to Canada for their paths to cross.
Settling at Halbury and growing their farm enterprise as well as their family, the Catford crew run a continuous cropping operation producing wheat, barley and lentils with a focus on sustainability – and not just for the land. Having celebrated 100 years of farming the key to this longevity is supporting the people who are at the core of their business, which will be an integral area of focus for her Nuffield research.
It was a series of events and chance meetings that led Claire to become a worthy Nuffield Scholar. Back in 2016 she was asked to join the Rabo Client Council, a group of innovative clients dedicated to making a difference in their communities. Holding the position of Chairperson for four years, Claire led the group, helping identify key local and industry issues, working with Rabobank to create impactful initiatives focused on building industry capacity, promoting rural wellbeing, sustainability, and strengthening the rural-urban connection. It was here that committee member Jane Greenslade, (the first Australian female to be awarded a state Nuffield Scholarship) slipped Claire a bright yellow sticky note with “Nuffield?” written on it, planting the seed for what was yet to come.
Empowering Farmers and strengthening communities – Claire’s vision for Rural Wellbeing
Fast forward to 2024, and with a nudge and unwavering support from her husband Dillon, the time was right for Claire to spread her wings, step out of her comfort zone and take the leap to apply for a scholarship. With a strong interest in health and wellness, and more recently becoming the local chapter coordinator of the farmer health initiative “Fat Farmers”, her topic “Thriving Farmers and Vibrant Communities” brought her two passions together, describing them as “a dynamic duo empowering agriculture.”
Through her work with Nufarm as a sales agronomist, volunteer role on the Rabo Client Council, plus being a farmer herself, Claire became deeply involved in the farming community and learned that farmers often struggle to prioritise their own wellbeing.
“Despite managing significant assets, looking after stock and employees, farmers can become too busy to take care of themselves.” ~ Claire Catford
She also became aware of a staggering statistic. According to the National Farmer Wellbeing Report close to half of Australian farmers (45%) have had thoughts of self-harm or suicide, while close to a third (30%) have attempted self-harm or suicide. “Awareness of this issue is growing” Claire says, “but there’s now an urgent need for practical tools.”
Claire explains that Australian farmers and their communities are undergoing significant change due to increased scale, technological adaptation, heightened social responsibility and compliance. “Rising demands and declining communities pose challenges to the wellbeing of farmers, while also threatening access to vital labour and services,” Claire says. She hopes to investigate the impacts of these changes on farmers and the social structure of rural communities. “How do we attract people to work in agriculture without a great community? It’s a two way street and interconnected.”
Next year, the family will get a taste of the adventure, joining Claire in Canada and dropping in on her and Dillon’s host farm families and showing their brood where mum and dad met. For their kids – Harley, 13, Bill, 11, and Annie, 9 – it’s also a chance to see that their mum’s role goes far beyond the farm. “It shows them that I have something to contribute to the industry that I love, and that stepping out of your comfort zone is where all the good stuff happens,” she says.
To find out more about Nuffield and the work they do supporting Australian Agriculture, click here.
