The agriculture & agri-food sector accounts for 1 in 8 jobs in Canada, and it is growing. Women have long played an important role but they continue to be absent at leadership levels. The Ag Women's Network is striving to change that and empower more women to aspire towards leadership roles in agriculture.

1. WOMEN IN AG:
GROWING FARMS. GROWING FOOD. GROWING POTENTIAL.
JEN CHRISTIE @savvyfarmgirl

2. A little about
me…
Daughter of dairy farmers.
Proud 4-H Alumni & Volunteer.

3. SOURCE: AGCAREERS.COM GENDER ROLES & EQUALITY IN AGRIBUSINESS
DO YOU FEEL THERE IS GENDER INEQUALITY?
AGRIBUSINESS
BUSINESS OVERALL
70%
47%
83%
78%
Women Men

4. SOURCE: AGCAREERS.COM
GENDER ROLES & EQUALITY IN AGRIBUSINESS SURVEY
ENTRY-LEVEL MIDDLE MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE
Men Women

5. 12%
OF AG ASSOCIATIONS
HAVE FEMALE
LEADERSHIP
Canadian Agricultural HR Council
25-30%
OF PRIMARY FARM
OPERATORS ARE
WOMEN
Stats Canada

6. 54,000 JOB
OPENINGS
Canadian Agricultural HR Council
+ ROS
+ ROIC
+ ROE
Catalyst, McKinsey, Credit Suisse

7. Photo Credit: Mel Curtis
WOMEN OUTNUMBER MEN
IN 4-H & POST-SECONDARY LIFE SCIENCE PROGRAMS

8. SOURCE: CAHRC “SUPPORTING THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN IN AG”
TOP 5 BARRIERS FOR WOMEN ADVANCING IN AGRICULTURE
1. Balancing career and family responsibilities
2. Breaking into the “old boys club” (self-confidence?)
3. Few women role models at senior levels
4. Lack of mentoring opportunities
5. Double standards
AFTER ENTERING THE INDUSTRY, WHY ARE WE LOSING WOMEN?

9. UNCONSCIOUS
BIAS

10. UNCONSCIOUSLY, WE TEND TO LIKE
PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE US, THINK
LIKE US AND COME FROM
BACKGROUNDS SIMILAR TO OURS.
Trang Chu,
How Unconscious Bias Holds Us Back
UNCONSCIOUS BIAS

11. AG WOMEN’S NETWORK TRUE STORIES
WE ASKED WOMEN IF THEY HAD EXPERIENCED BIAS OR DISCRIMINATION IN AGRICULTURE.
MANY STATED THEY ARE TREATED AS EQUALS & OTHERS SAID THEY HAVE NOTICED WOMEN
TREATED WITH MORE RESPECT TODAY THAN IN THE PAST. SADLY, MANY ALSO HAD EXAMPLES TO
SHARE. WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE THIS IS A GREAT INDUSTRY FOR WOMEN TO WORK IN &
SHARE THESE NOT TO COMPLAIN BUT TO RAISE AWARENESS THAT WOMEN DO STILL ENCOUNTER
SEXISM ON THE JOB. IN SOME CASES, WOMEN NOTED QUITTING A JOB AS A RESULT.
▸ “As a woman, how do you think you’ll handle this job?”
▸ “What in the world would you know about agriculture?! You’re just a
woman!!”
▸ “Companies only hire women agronomists so farmers will go easier on
the company.”
▸ “If I buy this tractor, will you come wash it for me in your bikini?”
▸ “I knew this place would go to shit with a woman running it.”
▸ “Were your parents sad they didn’t have any sons to take over the farm?”

12. A VIBRANT AND RESPECTED AGRICULTURE
INDUSTRY WHERE DIVERSITY IS CELEBRATED
VISION:

13. CONNECTING & CULTIVATING
LEADERS FOR A STRONG AG
INDUSTRY
MISSION:
Photo Credit: Mel Curtis

14. WHO IS THE AG WOMEN’S NETWORK?
Source: AWN Survey - October 2016

15. EMPOWER WOMEN
THROUGH:
‣ EVENTS
‣ DISCUSSIONS
‣ PROFILES

16. Leveraging Digital
Tools to Connect
Facebook - Closed Group
- Public Page
Twitter @agwomensnetwork
#AWNChat
Email - MailChimp
Blog & - Wordpress & Wix
Website
http://www.agwomensnetwork.com/
Team collaboration - Slack & Trello

17. “SHE NEEDED A
HERO, SO THAT’S
WHAT SHE
BECAME.”
unknown
Addressing the need for role models by
profiling women in agriculture. Published
weekly on our blog & monthly in Ontario
Farmer.
Read Krista Hulshof profile online

18. ● College educated
● Dairy farmer
● Wife
● Mother
● Caregiver
● Full-time off-farm
employment
● Volunteer
DEB KNAPTON
“I don’t have all the answers but I’ve got a supportive husband
and I love what I do so that’s half the battle.”
Read Deb’s profile online

19. ● University educated
● Sheep farmer
● Primary producer
● Wife
● Mother
ROMY SCHILL
“Maybe it’s because I’m stubborn and I
don’t let the fact that I’m a woman hold
me back. I know the job that needs to
be done and if I don’t, I figure it out.”
Read Romy’s profile online

20. ● University educated
● Dairy farmer
● Wife
● Mother of five, one
child with autism
● Autism advocate
BRIANNE BROWN
“I’ll never forget that day. After I left
the appointment, I put my son in
his car seat and I sat in my vehicle
and bawled.”
Read Brianne’s profile online

21. I have seen so many women become superwomen,
amazing moms and never miss a beat in their career.
But does being superwomen come at a cost? Is it
fair for employers to expect the ‘superwoman’ as the
new norm? Or are we setting unrealistic
expectations when it comes work and family life?
Christina Fitzgibbons
AG WOMEN’S NETWORK PROFILE

22. THANK YOU!
www.agwomensnetwork.com
@agwomensnetwork
IF YOU WANT TO GO FAST, GO ALONE.
IF YOU WANT TO GO FAR, GO
TOGETHER.
African Proverb