Ebury Press wins four-way auction for Minette Batters' farming memoir

Ebury Press has won a four-way auction to Harvest, an exploration of British farming’s past, present and future from Minette Batters.

Robyn Drury, publishing director for Ebury Press, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Euan Thorneycroft at AM Heath, following a bidding war between four publishers.

Batters is a farmer, cross-bench peer, columnist and former president of the National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales. In Harvest, Batters blends memoir and polemic as she takes the reader on a journey through 50 years of farming, from growing up as a young girl on her father’s farm, then taking it over after realising she loved life on the land, to becoming one of the industry’s most significant voices as union president.

Drury said: “This wonderful book is both powerful polemic and a heartfelt love letter to the farming community that Minette has been part of for her whole life. She is passionate about teaching people more about how vital agriculture is to our economy, communities and health; as we’ve seen with the recent farming protests, the industry continues to be an important part of our news agenda, and there is no one better suited to telling this story of Britain’s land.” 

Batters said: “I’m a fifth generation tenant farmer. ‘You’ll never command the same respect as a man’ – so, I was told shortly after I became the first woman to lead the National Farmers’ Union in 118 years.  

“Failure was not an option; this story is about turning my life around, following a dream and confronting fear. It’s about farming life and loss; learning lessons the hard way. From my farm in Wiltshire to the politics in Westminster – this book is written for, and because of, the farmers I represented. They touched my life. I hope in a small way I will have touched theirs too.” 

Ebury Press will publish Harvest in hardback, audio and e-book in May 2026.