As more Canadian women than ever before are primary or equal decision-makers in farming businesses, a new report delves into their roles and experiences and how those could be leveraged for additional industry growth and strength.

“Until now, there has been a significant knowledge gap in the Canadian agricultural landscape when it comes to data and understanding of female farmers, and their roles have mostly been undocumented,” says study lead Bob Wilbur of Strategic Perspectives. “This means the agriculture industry largely operates with outdated anecdotes and stereotypes that are, for the most part, wrong and these long-held perceptions influence everything from policy and program decisions to skills development, innovation and growth opportunities, and even business decisions.” 

The majority of respondents see their personal situation in a positive light with 89 per cent believing their contribution to the farm business is valued by those who matter, and 87 per cent feeling they have the training and skills they need to fulfill their roles on the farm. 

However, they are much less confident in how others perceive them. Attempts to bypass women under the assumption that a man makes the decisions, condescending language and stereotyped expectations were all mentioned as challenges in relationships with others.

“Accountants and customers fared relatively well in the survey results, but equipment dealers, other farmers; crop, livestock and poultry suppliers; other service providers, and commodity associations are called out specifically as less supportive of female farmers,” notes Wilbur. 

The report includes the following recommendations: 

• - Create and enhance programming, development opportunities and resources that specifically address the needs of female farmers, including creating learning and networking opportunities dedicated to expanding their desired skills, and enhancing day care and other rural community supports for women. 
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• - Dedicate efforts to focus exclusively on supporting women farmers, including creating a national coalition to address the unique challenges and needs of female farmers and more.
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• - Support gender equity and equality initiatives, including encouraging greater participation of women farmers in agricultural policy and program development.
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• - Promote communication and interpersonal skills along with business management practices as essential parts of farming.
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• - Expand existing and conduct new research into the experiences and contributions of female farmers and the factors that influence farm success.

More information is available at https://fmc-gac.com/programs-services/research-analysis/#farmwomen. 

Source: Farm Management Canada December 3, 2024 news release