Debate contribution: Women in Agriculture
Debate contribution by Ms Diana Armstrong on .
- MLA
- Ms Diana Armstrong
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 11 March 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Women in Agriculture
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4855657
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I welcome the motion and thank Áine and her colleagues for bringing it forward. The barriers facing women in agriculture in Northern Ireland are well documented, and we have heard some very eloquent representations today. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) survey, which was referenced in the 'Breaking the Grass Ceiling' report of 2022, states that women comprise only 22% of the agriculture workforce in Northern Ireland, which is less than the UK average. Women also report a lack of access to funding and training and are often left with more caring responsibilities, which continues to discourage their progression in the sector. However, the biggest challenge is one that simply cannot be changed by just adding more money to the pot. A change in attitude is required to move away from the traditional male dominance of the farming industry. As a representative for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, which is a huge rural constituency, I will give you the voice of one of the farmer's wives in Fermanagh and let her speak and contribute to the debate.
The women whom I speak about today are not simply farmers' wives; they are vital assets and, without them, their farms would struggle to function.
Vicki Byers, from Ballinamallard, is one such farmer. She married into the industry but has rolled up her sleeves and learned all the tools of the trade, despite not coming from a farming family. She has even built up a social media presence on Instagram in the process. Vicki has experienced all the challenges of being a woman in farming from a lack of support groups to the male-dominated culture. She has even experienced men on social media telling her that she is doing her job wrongly. For Vicki, that culture is a huge burden on women in farming. All she wants is for her role to be recognised in parity with male farmers, as she does just as much work. Thankfully, there is scope to be positive. Vicki says that plenty of young girls who are interested in a career in agriculture are coming through the ranks. Gone are the days when young farmers' clubs were boys-only, as many girls are now getting stuck into tractor driving, milking and lambing and, in many cases, doing it better than the boys. For Vicki, public bodies need to take action to support agriculture across the board. Farming families have been getting it tough for too long. The onus is on the Assembly to take forward the recommendations from the 'Breaking the Grass Ceiling' report in order to help to even the playing field for women and recognise the contribution that they make to the industry, all while tackling the issues that face agriculture as a whole. From the challenges of TB to rising costs and the disastrous inheritance tax plans, farmers are crying out for public representatives who care about their views and their livelihoods. That is why I am happy to support the motion, which calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs:
"to develop measures and initiatives to increase female participation and leadership within the sector."
There is a need to find a solution that makes agriculture not only a safe space for women but a sustainable industry that encourages even more young women to get involved. While I was doing my research, Minister, I looked at some statistics and was surprised to see that they classified farmers and their spouses. In that particular instance, however, when I searched for "women", they were not included in the search mechanism. That is something to take on board: that women can stand as their own entity. I commend the motion, and I am happy to support the amendment.
620 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.05 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.86).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.97).
- Subject area: Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.30 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.03 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.04 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.03 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.09 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.86 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.05 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.97 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.02 |
| Adopts it | 0.01 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.91 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.09 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:15 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
Disagree with this assessment?
Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.