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Women in Agriculture 2021 – Speaker profiles

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) will be holding a series of three ‘women in agriculture’ webinars over the month of April. A variety of top speakers will be addressing delegates on specific dates. They are as follows:

Resilience & resourcefulness – Wednesday 14 April, 7.30pm

Veronica Morris, Rural Support

After spending 25 years working in various non-profit and charitable organisations across Northern Ireland (NI), Veronica became Rural Support chief executive in January 2020. Originally from Killeeshil in Co. Tyrone, Veronica’s extended family have been farmers for several generations.

Veronica has substantial expertise in supporting organisations and their teams through organisational change. She spent the last decade as a mentor and coach for individuals experiencing physical and mental health challenges. She’s passionate about helping farmers and rural families to build mental resilience through practical support and coaching.

Norma Rohan, Embrace FARM

A stay-at-home mother and co-founder and chairperson of Embrace FARM, Norma Rohan lives in Laois with her husband, dairy farmer Brian Rohan.

Six days after the birth of their first child, Brian’s father was involved in an accident on their farmyard. He was on life support before it was turned off on 22 June 2012, and there began their journey into grief, trauma and loss.  Being a newly married couple with their first baby was meant to be a joyful time, but their lives were suddenly turned upside down.

Approximately a year and half later, they decided to hold a remembrance service for those killed and injured on farms in Ireland. Brian wanted more for his father, he didn’t want him remembered as a statistic – he was husband, a father and grandfather, and well-respected within his community. He was more than just a number to his family and friends.

Embrace FARM begun with the very first national remembrance service on the 26 June 2014.  Embrace FARM is now officially registered as a charity to support those affected by farm accidents. Norma is head of administration and finance in running the charity on a day-to-day basis.

Michele Shirlow, FoodNI

Michele is a founder and chief executive of FoodNI, whose mission is to enhance the reputation of food and drink from NI. Following delivery of the first ever Year of Food and Drink in 2016, which increased visitor attitudes towards NI food and drink by 23 percent, Michele is working to establish NI as a leading food region in the UK by 2021.

FoodNI is a membership organisation which represents over 450 member companies (including 200 Taste of Ulster Restaurants). Michele is also a board member of TourismNI and a member of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission.

Women Working in the Industry – Wednesday 21 April, 7.30pm

Chloe Dunn, PHD researcher/Breedr Marketing Manager

Chloe is a livestock tech-marketing manager by day, and a women in ag advocate and PhD researcher by night.

In 2019 she embarked upon a four-year research project to dig deeper into the role, recognition, and support available for women in UK agriculture; strategies to increase visibility and participation; and how this can benefit UK farming as a whole.

To fund her PhD project and dreams of one day becoming a tenant farmer, she also works as community marketing manager at Breedr, a precision livestock start-up using technology to help farmers produce and market more profitable cattle with higher welfare and less waste.

Dr Esther L. Skelly-Smith, Shanaghan Veterinary Services

Esther is an equine veterinary surgeon, sheep farmer, horse breeder and small business owner.

Esther graduated from Nottingham Vet School in 2012. She worked at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket before returning to NI. Soon after she identified a gap in the veterinary services provided in NI and in 2017, launched Shanaghan Veterinary Services. It’s Ireland’s first equine veterinary referral service dedicated to providing an integrated approach to the veterinary treatment and care of horses. In 2019 Esther was awarded the Women In Business Northern Ireland Award for Outstanding Innovation. 

Esther established a sheep breeding enterprise on her family farm. It now consists of a commercial flock and three smaller pedigree flocks which she manages alongside her mother Louise Skelly and husband Timothy.  Shanaghan Farm is now one of the largest breeders of pedigree Clun Forest Sheep in Ireland. 

Business Skills in Agriculture – Wednesday 28 April, 7.30pm

Nicola Weir, BBC Farming Matters

Nicola Weir, BBC Farming Matters, started her career in the Coleraine Times, before moving to the News Letter in Belfast. Nicola returned to the North Coast in 2003 to work as the deputy editor of the Coleraine Chronicle but was lured back to Belfast in 2004 when she was offered a role as a broadcast journalist with the BBC and as a high court reporter.

In 2015 Nicola became the senior reporter for The Stephen Nolan Show and enjoyed five years on ‘the biggest show in the country’ but is now presenting ‘the biggest show in the countryside’ – Farming Matters on BBC Radio Ulster and is the producer of Gardeners’ Corner on Saturday mornings.

Claire McCallion, PKF-FPM

As a senior manager within PKF-FPM centre of excellence for farming, the focus of Claire’s work is to provide support to farm enterprises of all sizes. This is particularly exciting with the growing emphasis on the young farmer as the basis of support moving forward.

Living and working in a rural area, combined with her knowledge of the agri-sector, has allowed Claire to advise the farm family on meeting their compliance obligations, reducing costs, taking advantage of technology and managing their taxation expectations. 

The knowledge she has gained from being in practice since 2007 and working closely with a large portfolio of farming clients, allows her to provide the help and advice they need. Her aim is always to come alongside the farm family and help them to future proof their enterprise.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Book your place

Booking is via the UFU website www.ufuni.org/events. If you have difficulty booking, please contact Heather Stewart on 028 9037 0222.