New Sponsor for “Women in Farming” groups
The groups providing agricultural extension for sheep and beef farming women have just received a big financial boost. FMG, financial services provider to the rural community, has become a major sponsor of the programme. The Women in Farming groups were set up in August 2002, with assistance from the MAF Sustainable Farming Fund.
FMG sees this as an opportunity to forge closer ties with farming women and to provide them with an opportunity to participate in agricultural extension in order to improve the performance of their farming partnerships. This co-operation between FMG and farming women is logical because many farming women are responsible for the financial management of their farm partnership. If the discussion groups prove popular FMG will consider continuing its sponsorship past the initial 3 year period.
In addition to the added sponsorship from FMG, Women in Farming groups are now officially under the umbrella of Rural Women NZ. The Rural Women NZ website – www.ruralwomen.org – has been re-vamped to include pages for the Women in Farming groups, and information, from meeting schedules to how to join, can be found there.
Other industry groups have also offered their support. Meat and Wool Innovation is providing free speakers from their research and development projects, and a free facilitator. Sheep Improvement Ltd is providing free speakers on sheep genetics.
Seven Groups So Far
Groups are operating in the King Country, Northern Rangitikei, Tararua, Wairarapa, Marlborough, South Canterbury and Southland. The groups have been meeting monthly for the last four months, with 350 attendances by women at the discussion group days. The background of women attending days varies from women new to agriculture through to sole-charge women farmers.
Contact for Enquiries
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: 0800 00 83 33
Fax: +64 4 894 0720
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