This International Women’s Day, the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) is celebrating farm women and their experiences and contributions surrounding wellness, safety, and leadership.
A recent research project from Farm Management Canada, which CASA contributed to, has highlighted the unique experiences of farm women and their valuable work on family farms. The study, Expanding Opportunities for Canadian Agriculture by Understanding the Experience of Farm Women, finds that a collective effort to support the needs of women in agriculture will help expand opportunities for Canadian agriculture.
Among the notable farm safety findings of the research study is that 46% of farm women say they are responsible for creating and implementing a farm safety plan, and 25% say a focus on safety would not exist on their farm without them.
“Women are pivotal to the success of family farms, particularly when it comes to safety. However, while their roles are indispensable, they are also often unacknowledged and underappreciated,” says Andrea Lear, CASA’s Chief Executive Officer. “International Women’s Day is the perfect opportunity to showcase and celebrate the contributions of women in agriculture. And at CASA, we will be sure to continue that celebration and acknowledgment year-round.”
An online forum, “Celebrating Women in Agriculture: Wellness, Safety and Leadership,” will take place on March 8 at 12 pm Central Time. The event will feature a panel of speakers who will bring insightful perspectives on the experiences of farm women. More information about the forum and to register, is available here.
The forum is generously sponsored by Syngenta Canada, who also supported the research study.
“We applaud the researchers who carried out this ground-breaking work. It’s helping to shine a light on the challenges faced by farm women. It’s our hope that raising awareness and giving profile to the report’s recommendations will lead to more opportunities and recognition for women in agriculture,” says Christina Stroud, Head of Corporate Affairs for Syngenta Canada, who will also moderate the panel.
To read the executive summary and access the research study’s full report, please visit www.casa-acsa.ca/en/resources/reports.
