Women farmers making their mark in agriculture

Women farmers in the South East have highlighted the changes within the industry in the past 20 years.

Liz Tallis, who runs the 220-acre Twyford Farm in West Sussex with her husband Bob, oversees 200 ewes.

The 69-year-old said when she turned 18, she travelled to New Zealand to work at a farm.

"Farming is in my blood. I'm the third generation of women farming in my family. Both my grandmother and mother were widowed young," she said.

"When I first started farm work, at the time, it was a male-dominated field. Women were in farming, but they were restricted to less physically-demanding jobs like looking after baby animals and milking."

Ms Tallis said the industry began to change at the turn of the millennium when farming became more "mechanised".

She said technology such as tractors, as well as temperature and moisture sensors, had helped bridge the gender gap in the industry.

She added: "As technology started to play a stronger role in farming, this meant you didn't require a lot of physical strength to carry out tasks."

Ms Tallis said women farmers had developed methods that require less physicality and strength to complete their jobs.

Meanwhile, Kayleigh Robb has been running the 200-acre Pierrepont Farm in Farnham, Surrey, since April last year.

She said she was excited to be a part of a generation of women farmers who were promoting regenerative farming, a method which allows soil, nutrients and water to regenerate themselves.

She said while it was "challenging", she had big plans to transform the farm.

"I'm excited about the future," she said.

"I can already envision how the farm will evolve and play a greater role in the surrounding ecosystem and habitat."

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, and on X. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.