As part of our regular series of profiles on the region's Young Farmers' Club (YFC) members, EMMA HUNT talks about the seasonal demands of marketing fresh produce.

Six months ago I moved from Worcestershire to work for a farm selling and marketing fresh produce. My previous role in the potato industry was with a company which did a lot of research and marketing and I realised that I wanted to actually work in agriculture rather than just alongside it.

An opportunity arose for me to work as the fresh produce sales and marketing manager at Abrey Farms in Thetford, so I took the jump and moved to Norfolk – and I haven't looked back.

I have found the agricultural community in Norfolk is very tight knit. Everyone knows everyone else which is very different to back home, and everyone is so friendly. It's made my move a lot easier.

My day starts at 7.30am. I usually start the day on the phone to market traders and large supermarkets, taking and arranging orders. Supermarkets will email or call us in the morning to order 'X' amount of onion pallets, and it is then my job to organise this with the pack-house to send out the onions the same day, ensuring all our produce is fresh from the fields.

This happens seven days of the week. I do a lot of sales planning for the following year and use Twitter as a key marketing tool to keep up with the industry around me. Most days I get to visit our customers, keeping them up to date, telling them how things are going and letting them know the plans for the next year. This way I'm not just a voice at the end of the phone, I'm someone who can be hands-on if needed.

My role is very diverse and has a lot of opportunity for me to grow and take on new projects. I've learnt more about onions in the past few months than I knew was possible. No two days are the same as I am constantly being faced with new challenges, keeping me on my toes.

I love working in farming as there is so much room for diversification. With ever-changing consumer buying trends, it's fun and exciting to be a part of it. Harvest will be an intense time but I am excited about the challenge.

In the face of Britain leaving the European Union, I hope that this can be taken as an opportunity, and that British people will support our farming industry by buying more British produce. I also think that exporting could be key for us in the next few years.

PROFILE:

Name: Emma Hunt

Age: 26

Occupation: Fresh Produce Sales and Marketing Manager

YFC Club: Wymondham

How long you have been a YFC member: 3 years

Wymondham YFC meets at Lime Tree Avenue Community Centre in Wymondham on Monday evenings. For more details contact the county office on 01603 731307.