‘WOMEN IN agriculture’ will be meeting next Wednesday (October 4) in Lochgilphead Community Centre.

The one-day conference will see women involved in agriculture from across Argyll and the Islands gather to discuss the challenges they face in the industry and work towards ways to make Scottish agriculture more inclusive of everyone involved in the sector.

The event will host guest speaker Joyce Campbell, joint chair of the Scottish Government women in agriculture task force and former winner of the AgriScot Scottish Sheep farm of the year award in 2015.

Ms Campbell said: “I’m really looking forward to hearing from grass-root members what their thoughts and ideas are for the Women in Agriculture Task Force. I want to know what challenges they all face, and what they feel needs to happen to make our Scottish agricultural industry more representative of everyone who’s involved in it.”

Chairing the event will be Sarah Allison, vice-chair of the NFUS New Generation Group and the previous chairwoman of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs Agri and Rural Affairs Committee, who remarked that women are often left out of the decision-making process in important rural discussions, despite them being at the heart of many rural businesses.

She said: “It is important that, to develop the rural economy, we empower and encourage our fellow ladies to share their talents with the wider industry. Events like this are important in breaking down the barriers to participation, evaluating how we can do things differently and involve the full scope of skills we have available.”