Building resilience, one decision at a time : Emma Crutchley

Building resilience, one decision at a time

When Emma Crutchley looks out across the Maniototo Plains, she doesn’t just see land.
She sees possibility, and responsibility.

Raised on the family farm in the 1980s, Emma grew up during a time when New Zealand agriculture was re-shaping itself after the removal of subsidies. “We had everything we needed, but nothing was wasted,” she recalls. “That shaped my mindset early. You learn to make things work, to innovate, and rely on grit more than comfort.”

After earning an Agricultural Science degree at Lincoln University and working as an agronomist based out of Wellington, Emma followed her heart to the farm. But returning in her mid-twenties to a remote part of Central Otago wasn’t easy. “It was pretty lonely at first. I loved the farm but missed my friends and wider networks.” she admits.

Emma found she didn’t quite fit into the bar chats at the local pub or the rugby club rooms. So, for the first few years she and husband Kyle put their heads down and worked hard. When the children were small, Emma felt she needed something more and applied for the Kellogg rural leadership program. It was this program that built the foundation for her leadership journey, reminding her how important it can be to stay connected, even when location makes that difficult.

Resilience in practice

Today, Emma and her family farm nearly 3,000 hectares of sheep, beef breeding and finishing as well as arable production; a complex, multi-layered business shaped by climate, and courage. Living in an inland, semi-arid region with an average of just 350 millimetres of rain a year has taught her that resilience isn’t a buzzword, it’s business.

“When I first came home, it was a horrible spring and strong Norwest winds pushed us into a summer drought. We sold our aged ewes with lambs at foot in late November and I remember thinking; I am not doing this again.”

This led to a continuation of change, which included investment in Centre Pivot irrigation and infrastructure, diversifying into crops, and more recently renewable energy. Systems have been designed to diversify income and improve cashflow with a focus on withstanding whatever nature delivers. This focus enables Emma and her family to use the resources (land, water and climate) to create efficiencies in ways that align with human capability, strengths and values.

Recently, Emma and her family installed roof top solar with small batteries to supply all farm buildings including the woolshed, and a larger 120 kW ground solar array to supply around half of their irrigated area.

“Sure, there were immediate monetary gains from decreasing the electricity bill,” she says, “but also resilience to power outages and the potential to generate income from selling energy back to the grid. When the power goes out, we now keep going. Maybe not at 100% capacity – but we are still in business – woolshed runs, the pumps run, and livestock stays behind electric fences. That peace of mind is priceless.”

Every decision on farm counts. Especially when the stakes are high and the margins for error are slim. For Emma and her family, those decisions aren’t just about production or immediate profit; a single solution can solve multiple challenges, and one challenge can have multiple solutions. Return on investment is not often black and white, it’s about searching for multiple benefits, some of which may not result in immediate monetary gain.

Every choice on the farm filters through a shared framework:

1. Will it strengthen profitability?
2. Is it values aligned?
3. Will this build resilience long term?

At the heart of their business is a simple truth: family comes first. This means non-negotiable care for each other – even though they might get along 100% of the time!

Around the kitchen table, strategy blends with family values and personal ambitions. It’s where ideas are tested, hard conversations are had, and laughter softens the edges.

“Fairness isn’t always a fixed formula. Making it work requires compromise and putting relationships before business – that’s what holds it all together.” When mistakes are made, we fail fast, learn, then get on with the solution. There is no dwelling.”

She has noticed that over the last 16-years the world now moves quicker, and there is a growing need to be prepared, to hold onto that shared framework, and move fast while aiming to avoid knee jerk reactions. To wait for 100% certainty means standing still – that’s not an option – it’s a constant juggle, and self-reflection is a necessary life skill.

Emma’s family’s success isn’t measured by numbers alone. It’s measured in trust, unity, and the strength of knowing that whatever happens next, they’ll face it together.

Redefining what it means to farm

Emma’s approach challenges traditional notions of what it means to be “just a farmer.”
“I hate that phrase,” she says. “No one is just anything. Running a farm is running a multi-million-dollar, multi-disciplinary business. Every person involved, whether they’re in the yards, the kitchen, or the office, adds value.” And there is so much opportunity for diverse skill sets to add value if we allow room for them.”

That belief has fuelled her curiosity to keep learning and contributing beyond the farm gate. She’s a Future Director with Scales Corporation, sits on advisory groups for AgriZero, and the Ag-Emissions Centre, as well as the National Lamb Day Committee, and brings a practical farmer’s perspective to conversations about greenhouse gases, sustainability, and the future of food and fibre.

“I love being in the room. There is nothing more rewarding than leaning into complex conversations with a diverse group of people all focused on finding solutions.”

Escalator: The turning point

Completing AWDT’s Escalator programme in 2020 – nicknamed the “deluxe” 18-month version that spanned Covid, gave Emma a new kind of clarity.

“It helped me understand my values, not just know them, but live by them and hold myself to account. When you feel off-track, you can always come back to those values as your compass. Living within them gives me a deep sense of wellbeing.”

Escalator also deepened her community and network. “I still lean on that cohort constantly. The connections from Escalator have opened doors to governance and other exciting roles across the sector.”

Lessons from the land, and life

Like many women in food and fibre, Emma’s leadership isn’t confined to business. It’s shaped by motherhood, community, and navigating difference. Raising two children in a remote farming environment has changed the way she thinks about belonging and resilience. “It taught me not to twist myself to fit other people’s expectations,” she says. “When you stop trying to be what others expect, you find real power in being who you are. If I can leave one lesson for my children in their lives – that would be it!”

Emma’s advice to other women

“Never underestimate your ability,” Emma says. “Confidence can dip without you even realising it so invest in yourself. Learn, connect, be curious and keep going. The growth that comes from that will change everything.”

Emma’s story is proof that leadership on the land – and beyond it – doesn’t come from perfection or certainty. It comes from the courage to dive into the seemingly scary stuff and keep learning, the wisdom to fail fast, and the belief that resilience is both a business strategy and a way of life.