UFU rural affairs policy officer Kayleigh Ashton-Meek, speaker Emily McGowan from Millbank Farm and UFU rural affairs chair Heather Patterson.
The Ulster Farmers’ Union has announced its 2025 Women in Agriculture Conference ‘Cultivating a Healthier Future’, taking place on Thursday 23 October in Loughry CAFRE, Cookstown. Headlining the event is Emily McGowan from Millbank Farm, Nicola Wordie also known as Livestock FarmHER, and writer Lorna Sixsmith.
UFU rural affairs chair Heather Patterson said, “We’re really looking forward to hosting our Women in Agriculture conference in less than six weeks. Our rural affairs committee were involved in planning the event and together with the UFU events team, we managed to secure three incredible headline speakers, Emily McGowan, Nicola Wordie and Lorna Sixsmith. Each of these women have forged their own unique paths within the farming industry and have had hugely successful careers to date.
“We also have a packed afternoon covering a number of important topics and there will be plenty of networking opportunities throughout the day too. One of the best things about this conference is bringing likeminded women together, to share experiences and to allow them to reset and recharge. Often when working, whether on the family farm, off farm or in the home, or perhaps a combination of all three, we can become overwhelmed with pressures that the farming lifestyle can bring. Events like this remind us that we are not alone in trying to balance various demands whilst also encouraging women to thrive in the agriculture industry.”
During the morning session, attendees will have the opportunity to listen to each headline speaker and their personal story. They will be sharing valuable knowledge about their journey into agriculture, steps they have taken to make their farm more sustainable, and why they continue being an advocate for women in agriculture.
Delivered by specialists, the afternoon session will take place in a workshop format and will cover key farming issues:
- Veterinary – Ester Skelly-Smyth
- Human health – Dr. Rebecca Orr
- Finance – Samantha Gallagher
Encouraging young women into the sector remains a key focus for the UFU, including those who are not from a farming background. A key example is through its schools’ competition. The UFU encourages pupils to learn about agriculture and why it’s such an important industry.
Tickets are now on sale, £25 for UFU members, £30 non-members.
