Federal Farmers' Day

Women are the innovators in agriculture

The image of women in agriculture has changed - women farmers shape the farm and life on it(Bild: Markus Tschepp)

The traditional costume was the fashion statement in Villach - even away from the church festival. At the Federal Women Farmers' Day in the Congress Center, 1000 women farmers from all over Austria came together to network. This clearly demonstrated the new role and self-determined role of women in agriculture.

Raising children, looking after the home garden, caring for the older generation and helping with daily stable and farm work - these basic activities of women farmers have expanded considerably in recent years. For example, 35 percent of farms in Austria are already run by women - and that is 50,000 farms. There are also 30,000 direct marketing farms, around 7,400 farm vacations and around 850 women farmers with farm schools and seminars. "Our female farmers not only make plants grow, they also cultivate the future of agriculture. They are the ones who drive innovative branches of business such as direct marketing or farm vacations, focus on training and further education, promote climate protection and think across generations," said Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig at the Federal Farmers' Day

Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig, provincial farmer Astrid Brunner, federal farmer Irene Neumann-Hartberger and LK Austria President Josef Moosbrugger(Bild: Katrin Fister)

The event, which was attended by around 1000 women farmers from all over Austria on Tuesday and Wednesday in Villach, was entitled "Being a farmer - more versatile than ever!". "Away from the many different roles, we want to contribute to raising awareness. Above all, it's about the legal and social security of women farmers," said federal farmer Irene Neumann-Hartberger, addressing an important topic. It is about securing old-age provision as well as protection after a stroke of fate. 

Heart of the rural area
Josef Moosbrugger, President of the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture, was also full of praise for the work of women farmers, describing them and their work as the "heart of rural areas". At the same time, Moosbrugger also called for a change in the legal framework so that Austrian agriculture can continue to produce good, high-quality products in the future.

Animal rights activists protest at the Federal Farmers' Day(Bild: Katrin Fister)

There was also a demonstration by the Association Against Animal Factories as part of the Federal Farmers' Day. With placards, they demanded, among other things, an end to fully slatted floors in animal husbandry.