youngsRPS Women In Agriculture - Flipbook - Page 4
ERICA
MOKS
Farm Vet, Barnard Castle
What is your current role within the agricultural
industry?
I’m a farm vet and have been for the last 12 years.
The bulk of that time has been in Barnard Castle
working for Castle Farm Vets.
As a woman in agriculture, have you come across
any challenges or obstacles?
Not necessarily as a woman, but certainly as a vet! It
can be a physically and mentally tiring job with a lot
of driving on very little sleep. I guess there’s a couple
of jobs such as dealing with a cow with a prolapsed
womb where out and out power can certainly help
get the job done more easily. As a more petite
female, I’ll instead have to rely on good technique,
determination, patience and an extra trick or two up
my sleeve. Also I think it’s important to not be afraid
of knowing your limits and asking for help. Pregnancy
no 2 has certainly tested me recently and finding it
frustrating that you can’t do your job in the same
capacity! Fortunately I have a supportive boss,
colleagues and clients so this stress is significantly
reduced.
What changes, if any, would you like to see within
the industry to ensure the success of women in
agriculture?
I think from a farm veterinary perspective, it is
important that pregnancy and maternity leave are
well supported to enable female farm vets to have a
baby and return to work successfully with minimum
interruption to colleagues, clients and the vet herself.
This will be essential to maintain an experienced
dedicated workforce that is becoming increasingly
female dominated.
Knowing what you do now, and the experience you
have, what advice would you go back and give your
younger self before embarking on a career in
agriculture?
Don’t get pregnant, (joking!), I don’t know the
answers for rearing children! Don’t marry a vet or a
farmer (again joking!) In all seriousness, I would say
take care of yourself, don’t get injured or crash your
car and take time to enjoy life!
What do you believe is the measure of a successful
woman in agriculture?
I think this has to be performance related: striving to
do your job well to improve the productivity and
efficiency of the farms you look after with an
understanding for the many challenges that they are
facing.
And finally, what is your favourite thing about
working within the agricultural industry?
Without a doubt, the people: the farmers! I love their
resilience, ability to adapt, their hardworking nature.
And although they like to complain about the
weather, prices, policies; they are more open minded
than they or we give them credit for!