THE LAND
IMAGE: The 2019 Diversity participants with Ag Minister Bridget McKenzie. From left; Kelly Pearce, Linda Lee, Rachel Carson, Ms McKenzie, Natalie Sommerville, Alison Southwell, Allison Harker, Cathy Oates, Jacqui Cannon and Leonie O'Driscoll. Absent Robbie Davis.
A GROUP of Australian agriculture's most influential organisations have called time on the lack of women in leadership positions within the industry.
Banks; agribusiness; superannuation and insurance agencies; pastoralists; and input providers, rural R&D bodies have joined with the publisher of this masthead, Australian Community Media, to pledge to make 'meaningful change' on moving the dial on female representation.
Their commitments are the cornerstone of the National Farmers' Federation's Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program, an initiative of the NFF's first female President Fiona Simson to see more women realise their agriculture leadership ambitions.
“Meaningful change that gives women an equal voice in the positions of power that shape the future of agriculture is well overdue in a modern society and one that is needed if agriculture as a whole is to reach its $100 billion potential,” Ms Simson.
The corporate participants are NFF, AgForce, AACo, AgriFutures, Australian Community Media, Bayer, BASF, Coles, CPC, Elders, GRDC, NBN, NSW Farmers, Landmark, Nufarm, Prime Super, Rabobank, Rimfire Resources, Rural Bank, Ruralco, Syngenta, WFI and Wine Australia.
The partners outlined the intentions that include addressing board gender composition, flexible work arrangements and the recruitment of female leaders.
Ms Simson said the NFF had identified the need for more women in the senior roles as vital in the industry's plan to achieve $100b in farm gate output by 2030.