Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has launched a gender-inclusive communication guide for the agriculture sector.

The guide comes under the Women in Agriculture Action Plan umbrella and seeks to promote the use of more inclusive language and imagery in agricultural communications.

Minister Heydon recognised the significant, but often unrecognised, contribution women make to Ireland’s agri-food sector.

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The CSO’s Farm Structure Survey 2023 showed women account for around 13.2% of farm holders in Ireland and around 34% of farm workers.

The minister expressed his commitment to supporting women’s participation and leadership, saying that advancing the role of women in agriculture is a key priority and a commitment in the Programme for Government.

Central

“Women are central to the continued success of Irish agriculture, and their contribution deserves to be recognised and placed on an equal footing with that of male farmers," he said.

"Gender-balanced communications ensure that modern Irish farming is represented accurately, inclusively and fairly."

The minister encouraged all stakeholders to embrace more gender-balanced and inclusive communications and imagery, to reflect those working in Irish agriculture and to create a more inclusive sector for all.

Speaking at the Tullamore Show, the Minister congratulated International Year of the Woman Farmer Ambassador Carina Roseingrave, who took part in a panel discussion on women in agriculture.

Leading roles

“I want to commend Carina for her contribution to today’s panel at the Tullamore show," he said. "Her knowledge, experience and passion for farming were evident throughout the discussion. As our ambassador for the International Year of the Woman Farmer, Carina has been doing an excellent job keeping the spotlight on this important issue, representing women farmers and educating others on the importance of women to our Irish food systems.

“Women are at the heart of Irish agriculture. Events such as today’s provide an invaluable platform for sharing knowledge and recognising the expertise that exists across our farming communities," he added. "It is particularly encouraging to see women taking leading roles in these conversations and helping to shape the future direction of Irish agriculture.”