The male-dominated sheep and beef industry is quietly undergoing a transformation judging by the number of women now studying towards industry qualifications.
Primary ITO has noticed a surge of women enrolling for sheep and beef certificate qualifications. In the Waipa and King Country region, nearly one third of all students studying towards a Level 4 Sheep & Beef Farming Certificate are currently women.
“There used to be a barrier between men and women on farms but that doesn’t exist now,” explains Primary ITO training adviser Rose Anderson. “Girls are becoming more confident to move into the industry and farmers recognise they’re capable of doing a fantastic job so are more open to hiring them.”
Rose has overseen Primary ITO’s sheep and beef qualifications for the past 16 years and says she has never seen as many women enrolling before. At present, five of her 15 trainees in the sheep & beef industry are female.
“Being able to complete a training programme while working on a farm has been a real boost for women. A Level 4 certificate is a very valuable qualification. It shows potential employers that physically and mentally they can cope with the job.
“These women are a really diverse group and they have a lot to offer the whole industry, and their communities, which is exciting to see.”
Julie Tanneau is one such woman, having grown up in rural France before moving to New Zealand several years ago. “My grandparents had a goat farm and I’ve said I wanted to do farming since I was a little girl.”
She has tried her hand at dairying in the South Island and has now settled on a 400ha dry stock farm in Otorohanga. “I’m helping drench the sheep, do the yard work and shift the cattle as well as other jobs around the farm,” the 26 year-old explains.
She enrolled with Primary ITO in September last year to expand her skillset and says she’s enjoying combining sheep and beef theory with practical tasks on the farm.
“I think it’s amazing how women are considered in agriculture here,” she says. “In France, it’s very hard to be seen as a farmer – you’re always the farmer’s wife or partner. But in New Zealand if you’re good at what you’re doing, people treat you as a farmer in your own right. I love it and I definitely want to be a farmer here full time.”
