The ‘invisible women in farming’ should be encouraged to step forward and take advantage of the opportunities and careers in agriculture, was the message from the Women in Agriculture seminar at the Royal Highland Show last week, hosted by Scotland’s Rural College.
Promoting the message was Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity, Fergus Ewing, who announced the launch of a new research programme funded by the Scottish Government into women working in farming industries and the obstacles they have to overcome.
He said: “We have commissioned this research to identify the challenges and come up with policy initiatives to improve women’s participation in farming. In particular, the contribution women make to agriculture in Scotland and the wider rural economy which is not always visible.” 
He added: “The Scottish Government is not paying lip service, we need to deliver equality. There is an alarming statistic that the average age of farmers is 58 and predominantly male. 
“That delivers two problems. The gender and age. We need to attract new entrants to the industry, reach out to young females to remove the barriers they face.”
Professor Sally Shortall, of Queen’s college, Belfast, has been commissioned to carry out the research, and will work alongside the James Hutton Institute. 
 “While we will focus on identifying the issues and producing actual policy recommendations to help improve the situation; the study is not anti-men or about positive discrimination,” Sally explained. 
“It is about improving the efficiency and economic viability of the farm and farming.”
Also speaking at the seminar were many ladies who are leading lights in the farming sector. They also spoke of the need for equality, not special treatment, just recognition of the experience that they can offer and that it is put to good use in supporting the industry.
Gemma Thomson, legal and technical policy manager at NFU Scotland, said: “Promoting women in agriculture is not a new thing, but it is now building into a positive force. What we don’t want is positive discrimination however. That would be negative. But agriculture needs to be much better at promoting itself as a real career choice for females.” 
SRUC board member and vet, Kate Richards noted that: “Women often feel they have to be better and give more to be taken seriously. That is an image that needs to change with women accepted as equals.” 
Fergus Ewing also spoke of need to change perceptions. He said: “What we need to achieve is to change that image of the average Scottish farmer – being older and male.” 
With more than one hundred women (and a few men) in the room, and seven inspirational female speakers, it is clear that that image is not necessarily a true representation of the industry. 
However, many of those at the event felt more needs to be done to encourage women into the sector, both those from a farming background, and those who might consider themselves ‘outsiders’. 
SAOS’s Emma Patterson Taylor, said: “There are many advantages you can bring as an ‘outsider’ – you look at things from a different perspective and are not bound by the way it has always been done.” 
SRUC’s acting CEO and principal, Janet Swadling, was also new to the sector when she joined SRUC 20 years ago. She concluded the event by saying: “I did not come from a farming background, but I am absolutely passionate about what I do, and am proud to have led the national college for the land-based sector for two and a half years. 
“I think as an industry we all need to do more to promote the great work being done by women and men in the agricultural sector, and try and get more young women in particular studying and working in this field.”