The free seminar will highlight the opportunities, how to succeed, how to protect your farm business and answer questions about the issues women in farming face today, along with case studies of women in farming.
The free event is supported by RAMSAK Ltd and is in partnership with Brachers, Gullands Solicitors and Partners in Produce. The panel and topics to be covered include: Claire Houchin, BTF Partnership, the business of farming; Brachers, succession planning; Gail Brooks, Gullands Solicitors, how to protect farming assets; and Sarah Calcutt, Partners in Produce, marketing your farm business.
Farming in Britain today is a go ahead industry. The size and quality of the industry make it central to our economy and to our long term economic plan to secure Britain’s future.
If you look at the whole food chain it employs one in eight people and is our biggest manufacturing industry.
Farming has an exciting future and is a great career option. To reach full potential, it needs to attract both skilled young women and men to work on farms and also to run them.
Women have always been central to farming businesses. But a couple of decades ago, hardly any farms were run by women. Now it is 14%, and 28% of the overall farming workforce is female.
Change is going to speed up and this government is ensuring the next generation aspiring to a career in farming have the right skills.
More girls are taking maths and science A levels, giving them a flying start for careers in the industry; there are now as many women as men studying agriculture in colleges and universities.
I welcome the prominence South East Farmer is giving this subject. In these pages, you will find practical advice about how to ensure that the obstacles which still exist do not prevent women who want to be farmers from achieving their ambition.
Farming is a career for the skilled and the ambitious — and it is fantastic that women are going to play their full part in its bright future.
Elizabeth Truss is secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs
