First women-only regenerative farming event announced

A regenerative farming showcase exclusively for women is set to take place on 31 August in a bid to address the gender imbalance of farmers attending farm walks and events.

Organised by Innovation for Agriculture (IfA) as part of the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) Farm of the Future programme, the women’s day will feature a farm walk and demonstrations of regenerative agriculture in practice, including a talk from NFU Cymru deputy president and South Wales dairy farmer Abi Reader.

The emphasis will be on striking a balance between food production and environmental considerations while maintaining a profitable business.

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The women-only event was organised to counter data from the IfA showing an overwhelming imbalance in attendees of similar events, with audiences made up predominantly of men.

Deborah Crossan, head of soils and natural resources at IfA, said: “There’s a discrepancy between the gender split of those working on farms and that of farmers attending events.

“In 2016, Defra reported that women make up 55% of the agricultural workforce in England and Wales, if unpaid and family labour is included.

“IfA has been regularly delivering farm walks and demonstration events since our launch nearly 10 years ago. Our events are well-attended, but there is undeniably a bias, with typically at least 80% of attendees being men.”

She added: “This event is a first step in addressing the discrepancy in the regenerative farming space, by providing an opportunity for farming women to come together to see and discuss solutions for their farms.”

To attend the Farm of the Future Women’s Day, email deborahc@i4agri.org to request a sign-up link. Attendees are welcome to bring their children to attend a free programme of farm school activities which will run alongside the event.