Agriculture and the Armed Forces have more in common than most people realise. Both ask people to work in tough conditions, make quick decisions under pressure and lead teams when it matters most. It is one of the reasons the sector has always been a natural home for people leaving the forces, even if that connection rarely gets talked about.
At AgriRS, we signed the Armed Forces Covenant and were proud to achieve the Bronze award under the Ministry of Defence's Employer Recognition Scheme. As we work with the MOD towards Silver accreditation, it felt like the right time to explain why this commitment matters to us and the kind of employer we strive to be.
What the Employer Recognition Scheme actually involves
The Employer Recognition Scheme has three tiers: Bronze, Silver and Gold.
Bronze is a self-nominated pledge to be forces friendly. Silver is a step up. It requires an employer to actively demonstrate that service personnel and the wider Armed Forces community are not disadvantaged during recruitment. Policies that support them have to be properly communicated across the workforce, with reservists given time to complete their annual training. There’s also an expectation of support for the Cadet movement.
Above all, it’s a genuine progression. Silver applications are assessed by a regional selection board rather than simply self-certified, which is exactly why we’ve put the work in to get there.
Why this matters in agriculture
Transferable skills are the obvious starting point. Logistics, engineering, machinery operation, people management and working calmly under pressure all show up on a CV built in the forces. And all of them map directly onto roles across farming and agribusiness. In a sector that’s often short of experienced, reliable people, that pool of talent deserves proper attention.
Rebekah Shields, Managing Director of AgriRS, said: “We see this every day in the candidates we work with. People coming out of the forces bring exactly the kind of discipline and practical problem solving that agricultural employers are crying out for. Progressing to Silver is about making sure our own house reflects that commitment, not just talking about it.”
Where things stand now
Progressing to Silver is the next step in our journey with the Armed Forces community, and one we're genuinely excited about. The Covenant is more than a badge of recognition. It's a commitment to creating opportunities for talented people who have so much to offer. We'd encourage other businesses, particularly those within agriculture and the rural sector, to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and discover the value that veterans, reservists and military families can bring to their teams.
