Origins of the new farm women’s movement in Canada, New Zealand and Australia

Abstract

This describes the farm women’s movement in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It examines the way in which Ontario’s farm women defined themselves as a discrete group in the province and in the rural community, and summarises their achievements. In New Zealand, no organisation exists specifically for farm women, and a seventy year old rural women’s organisation is taking certain initiatives on their behalf. In 1993, women involved in the hitherto sporadic and scattered ‘women in agriculture’ activities in Victoria, Australia, inspired in part by the Canadian movement, formed a new national lobby group for farm women. In view of the conservative nature of rural society and rural media outlets, Australian women involved in the agricultural industry will need to be cautious in selecting tactics and strategies aimed at gaining recognition of their contemporary roles. In keeping with the dynamic nature of contemporary society, new farm women’s organisations are likely to avoid rigid organisational structures in order to be able to respond flexibly and quickly to rapidly evolving economic and social issues.