Society needs to be reminded that agriculture has been heavily dependent on women for centuries. Women have only been able to be legally recognised as “farmers” since 1994 and the embedded policy, workplace, flexibility and attitudinal issues in Australian agriculture need to be addressed by leaders in the field to create practical changes in the work environment.
The Women of the Riverina Forum aimed to have women from the land come together with open hearts and minds to embrace the spirit of collaboration, upliftment, and community.
Thanks to funding received from Women NSW and the NSW Government, and Forum sponsors and partners, Hay Plains Landcare hosted the Women of the Riverina Forum, being two days of engaging speakers, presentations and breakout sessions, and a ‘Riverina Runway’ fashion show during the sit-down dinner.
The ‘Women Leading the Way’ segment celebrated the extraordinary contributions and leadership of six inspirational speakers. Presentations were made by representatives from Riverina Local Land Services, Hay Plains
Landcare, Hay Shire Council, Murrumbidgee Landcare and the Biodiversity Conservation Trust. Four breakout sessions fostered creativity and learning.