About me

I was born and raised on a farm on Lake Alexandrina between Milang and Langhorne Creek.  I moved to the Mid North of South Australia working in a rural agricultural business where I married a farmer and raised my family.  I have always actively worked on the family farm and my son now runs this farm.  I completed my degrees and my doctorate whilst living rurally.  I now live on my brother’s farm my original home on the Lake.

me with my son at Mt Eden (NZ), early 2010

Kicking the Dust began as my doctoral study at Flinders University. This research tried to answer the question, ‘What do the lives of young farmers in the mid north of South Australia tell us about public policy?’

The study gained significant attention while it was being conducted, and has since been a point of interest for many academics, farming organisations and rural policy makers around the world.

Why? The research revealed that young farmers cope well with farming, and that they are positive about their futures in the industry. This is despite the multitude of challenges they face: globalisation influences, rural decline, and low participation in, and representation of, young farmers in public policy.

The research argues that a purely economic rationalist, neo-liberal philosophical approach to policy making in agriculture has minimised the voices of young farmers. Public policy affects their lives, yet they are not able to influence that policy themselves.

I hope you enjoy what you find here, and that the information is useful for you. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions, feedback, or would like further information.

Best,

Ann Clarke