The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) is Ireland’s largest farm organisation, with an estimated membership of 80,000. However, in its long history, no woman has ever been elected to the position of president, deputy president, treasurer or returning officer.

In the past 30 years, only one woman – Rosemary Smith from Co Meath – has risen to the position of vice president. In addition, no woman has ever been elected chair of the powerful commodity committees that include dairy, livestock, sheep, farm business, rural development and environment.

Currently there are no women chairs in the 29 county executives and the only woman on the 53-person governing body of the association is Maura Canning, who represents the Farm Family and Social Affairs committee, which has an all-female membership.

It wasn’t always so bad. For a period in the early 1990s, the IFA operated a “New Opportunities for Women” initiative, led by Mary Carroll and several women were elected to council while a number of others held the position of county chair, but the big breakthrough never happened.

Swedish perspective

This is in marked contrast to the situation in Sweden, where 20 years ago almost all the regional chairs, members of the general assembly and members of the national board were men. Today about 35% of the 250 members of the general assembly are women and half the members of the national board are women. So how did that change happen?

Helena Jonsson and her husband are family farmers in the south of Sweden. They have farmed together since they married when she was 23 and he was 24. They have pastureland, forestry and a breeding herd of Hereford cattle. They reared three children on the farm and, at different times, Helena was the farmer with her husband working off-farm and other times it was Helena who worked off-farm.

From the time she started farming, Helena was a member of the Federation of Swedish Farmers (LRF). She served in many positions and spent 13 years at national level, which culminated in her being elected the second female president of the federation.

“I suppose the first change happened about 20 years ago, when we had an opportunities programme for women. We had a women’s committee and we decided we shouldn’t have that anymore. Every person was equal, so we dropped it. It was a good start, as the woman-only committee was acting as an alibi for not having women involved right across the federation,” says Helena.

She says that women can become almost invisible: they are there but not really seen. “In Sweden we have panels, which are made up of representatives from different sectors, and they put forward names for election. They are inclined to search more deeply and put forward good names. These selection committees have a broader base, so they don’t see everything the same way and it’s easier for good women to be seen, heard and selected.”

Helena believes it is essential for women to make the breakthrough at regional level. “Meetings are more regular, you know more, you bring information back to the local level and you have a place at the table.

“Being at this level allows women to create a platform for themselves and helps cement allegiances with those of similar beliefs. If you are beneath this level, it is so much harder to make progress.”

Essential to have family support

When going for any elected position, especially if there are very few women involved, Helena says it is vital to have strong family support. “It can be very lonely at the top – especially if you are the first to break the mould. You need your family with you. You also need support from other women and from men. I was the first female country chair of my county, and I couldn’t have done it without all that support.”

She has noticed a tendency in some farm organisations to favour strong individuals who can speak well. This is not her ideal leadership model. “From what I’ve seen, you have far more success working as a team – and not just as a group of strong individuals.”

Having served her time as president of the LRF, Helena is back farming. She has written a book on the polarisation of the countryside and cities of Sweden.

“Urbanisation is very strong in Sweden, and people in cities understand less about farming. They don’t know the whys or wherefores – and we need to address that knowledge deficit.”

The situation in Norway

Kari Redse Haskjold was born on a farm and, from the age of seven, was actively involved in the family business. “I was the youngest of four, and both my parents gave me lots of responsibility. I loved the work and the animals.”

She married Fredrick, who developed a farm accountancy business, and both also farmed together. Having been in dairying, they now rear and sell dairy heifers and bulls.

“I had serious back trouble, which meant I couldn’t milk cows. So we decided to put in a robot, but we couldn’t get planning permission for the shed. It put us out of dairying”

From the start of her farming career, Kari was a member of the Norwegian Farmers Union (NBL) becoming a leader in her local area.

“I was about 25, and all 70 or so members were men. It was an active branch, and the men were very kind to me and taught me a lot. They were good at listening to me and my ideas and that allowed me to progress.”

In 1998, Kari was elected to the board of the NBL and her arrival on the board coincided with the first woman being elected president of the NBL. “At that time about a third of the board were women, today it’s 50:50”

Kari progressed to the position of vice president. She was also elected to the powerful team that, every year, negotiates on behalf of farmers with the state. As Norway is not a member of the EU, these negotiations are extremely important for Norwegian farmers.

Prepared to say no

Kari had the experience and was in a position to lead the NBL, but she said no. “There were many reasons for saying no. Maybe I didn’t have enough courage. I had full support from home. But it’s not always easy. You will meet some men who are complicated and who have to be convinced as to the value of women.”

More recently, Kari has also been involved at board level with a poultry and egg cooperative. However, she took a year out to fight cancer and was elected vice president of the cooperative on her return. The opportunity to lead the co-op came up, but this time she was clear as to her reasons for turning down the opportunity.

“My body said no. I had spent 33 years in farm organisations and I recognised it was time to stop.”

To reach leadership levels in farm organisations, Kari believes women should not isolate themselves. “Women need to show up, show they are willing to be elected.” In countries such as Norway – where election committees nominate candidates for senior positions – Kari says women need to be visible.

“We have equal numbers of men and women in senior positions, but the problem we now face is the rationalisation of farms and the lack of women entering the sector. CL

Our Women & Agriculture

Conference, in association with FBD Insurance and Sherry FitzGerald, will take place on 25 and 26 of October in Mount Wolseley Hotel in Co Carlow. Get your tickets now. See page 7.