THE Bookery, in partnership with Sustainable Crediton, is delighted to welcome Minette Batters, former President of the National Farmers’ Union and one of the most influential voices in British agriculture, for an evening celebrating her new book Harvest, in conversation with Devon farmer and campaigner Andy Gray, on Friday, July 17 at 7pm at Crediton Library.

Blending memoir and manifesto, Harvest charts Batters’ fight for British farming during a period of profound change. Raised on a small family farm, she returned to work the land despite being told there was no future in agriculture.

Alongside running her farm, managing a catering business and raising twin children, she became a determined advocate for the people who feed the nation. In 2018, she made history as the first female NFU president in its 109-year history, becoming a leading public voice during Brexit, Covid and a time of deep uncertainty for the sector.

Clear-eyed, passionate and grounded in lived experience, Harvest is both a celebration of rural life and a call to action. Batters offers an unflinching account of the pressures facing farmers today, while setting out what must change to secure the future of British food and farming.

The book has drawn widespread praise, with James Rebanks calling her “a powerful voice for things that matter,” and Jamie Oliver describing it as “a must-read.”

Minette Batters is an award-winning farmer and was President of the NFU from 2018 to 2024. Now a member of the House of Lords, she continues to play a key role in national conversations about food, farming and rural policy.

Andy Gray, a 13th-generation Devon farmer and Chair of the Devon County Agricultural Association, brings deep local knowledge and experience to the conversation.

This event is presented in partnership with Sustainable Crediton.

Tickets: £6. Available from The Bookery or via thebookery.org.uk.