Women in farming: levelling the ploughing field
In 2019, Farming in New Zealand often remains a family affair, but the roles have changed, and it’s very often farming women who call the shots - they have levelled the ploughing field.
Women are more involved with on-farm decision-making than ever before, and they should be – it’s their signature on the mortgage documents too!
It’s often women who spend evenings working the books and crunching the numbers, as well as their day-to-day involvement in the running of the farm. It’s women who are dissecting analytics and identifying opportunities to farm smarter and have a better work/life balance. Alone, or with a partner, today’s farming women are breaking new ground.
East Coast Farming Expo manager Sue Wilson encourages these talented women to attend next month’s event in Wairoa.
“The Expo provides a platform for farming women and men to have the important conversations together,” Wilson says.
- Is your operation best practice for you?
- Are there ways to farm smarter?
- Are your farming activities time and cost effective.
“So, farming women of New Zealand – plan a day off the farm and come to the Expo to spend time working on your business,” Wilson says. “We are bringing industry innovators to the East Coast Farming Expo at the Wairoa A&P Showgrounds over two days: 6-7 March 2019, so you have a chance to discover new ideas in a specialised environment”.
“Spend the day exploring the exhibits, listening to industry leaders and talking to specialists,” Wilson says.
“And don’t forget your other team members. Managers and shepherds will hear ways to make life easier – and in return get a better outcome financially.
“And it’s not just the financial side,” Wilson says.
“No one can deny the stresses of working the land, so farming smarter will have many positive, far-reaching benefits which will help the whole family.
Wilson says she is thrilled to welcome Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) to this year's Expo.
"RWNZ, which has been an integral part of the rural landscape since 1925, is a charitable membership-based organisation that supports people in rural communities through learning opportunities, events and connections," she says. "They offer scholarships and bursaries to assist rural students to access education opportunities."
