The inaugural meeting of Women in Agriculture Network held in the Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin, yesterday was told that far too few women were prominent either in rural communities or the farming organisations.
Ms Mairead McGuinness, editor of the Farming Independent, said that in 19 years working in the agriculture sector, very little change had taken place in the role of women.
"They are still not in positions of influence in the farm organisations or in rural Ireland generally. It is time this was rectified," she said.
Ms McGuinness asked how many women were currently at the table in Brussels negotiating the future of farming and rural Europe. She suggested there were very few.
She praised Macra na Feirme for establishing the Network, which is part of the organisation's New Opportunities for Women
The purpose of NOW, she said, was to provide a support network for women in agriculture, to promote the role women play in agriculture and to encourage women to become more involved in the industry.