Women in agriculture set the agenda for change in national webinar

Tashi Farmilo

A national Zoom session hosted by the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council brought together farmers, employers, and leaders from across the country to share new research on women in agriculture and discuss practical steps for supporting their advancement in the sector.

The session was part of CAHRC’s new series called From Field to Boardroom, which aims to help women in agriculture build skills, networks, and confidence. The council’s latest data reflects a decade of progress, alongside persistent barriers that many women still face: especially when juggling farm work with caregiving, family responsibilities, or off-farm employment.

Rebecca Balsdon, who chaired the session, manages stakeholder engagement at CAHRC and also co-manages a dairy farm in Clarendon, Quebec. Speaking during the webinar, she shared that the work is personally meaningful, adding that she too understands the day-to-day demands women face in agriculture.

The 2025 findings were drawn from a national survey that reached 463 people in the agriculture sector, with 92 per cent identifying as women. The goal was to compare the results with CAHRC’s 2015 survey, using the same questions to better understand how experiences have changed over time. Researchers also conducted follow-up interviews, focus groups, and a review of other recent studies to confirm what the data showed.

In the workplaces represented by the survey participants, women now hold 42 per cent of decision-making roles, up from 34.8 per cent ten years ago. But board leadership remains harder to access, with women accounting for just over a quarter of board chairs. That figure is an improvement from 2015 but still leaves many women without a seat at the table where long-term decisions are made.

The research also found that younger women reported facing more barriers than older respondents. Those challenges included feeling shut out of informal networks, being underestimated, and struggling to balance work and caregiving. The survey pointed to a need for flexible meeting schedules, travel support, and more family-inclusive planning across the sector.

What many saw as the most promising part of the webinar was the focus on solutions that already work. CAHRC highlighted its Event Fund, which supported 22 locally led activities in 10 provinces and reached more than 890 women. These events covered practical topics like tractor safety, farm finance, mental health, and leadership. Selection committee members said proposals were chosen based on how well they helped women connect, share, and build skills.

The conversation also included partners from Farm Credit Canada and Syngenta, who spoke about using shared research to guide investment and expand training. There was agreement that long-term change depends on cooperation between government, industry, and local organisations, not just individual effort.

The From Field to Boardroom webinar series continues on the third Thursday of each month at noon. Upcoming sessions are scheduled for September 18 and October 16. Full details, registration information, and event updates are available at cahrc-ccrha.ca or through CAHRC’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CdnAgHRCouncil.