More than 430 women in the Canadian agriculture industry are gathering in Niagara Falls for a one-of-a-kind experience of professional networking and personal inspiration.
The two-day Advancing Women in Agriculture: Life Skills for Leadership Conference takes place on October 30 & 31, 2017 and is the 7th conference in the series in Canada. This year organizers added a one-day tour of the wine country and 75 women from across Canada will be experiencing the area and industry.
According to conference founder and organizer Iris Meck, the strong turnout shows that Canadian women see opportunities in agriculture and want to make the most of it. To inform and inspire conference participants, she’s put together a powerful lineup of speakers.
“Our speakers are women in agri-businesses, agriculture industry leaders, entrepreneurs, consultants and farm producers,” says Meck. “They share their experiences and give practical ways other women can achieve their highest potential. Women of all ages and stages get to see first-hand what’s possible, and to witness the tremendous opportunities that a career in agriculture can give them.”
The quality of conference speakers is a key attraction for Advancing Women in Agriculture Conference delegates. Another is the chance to meet and network with hundreds of other women at the conference. At the Niagara event, delegates represent over 170 local, national and global businesses and hail from nine Canadian provinces, four US States, and many sectors within agriculture.
“These conferences appeal to women at all stages of life and work. We’ve seen women new to agriculture attend, plus those from small family farms to large multinational companies. We see women of all ages from university students, mothers and daughters to those with several decades of experience. The diversity at these conferences shows the great contribution that women make to this industry,” Meck adds.
“What’s really inspiring is that relationships developed at Advancing Women Conferences pay dividends for years to come. Agriculture can be geographically isolating, and it can be hard to get out and meet others,” Meck says. “Making that opportunity available and building a community of women in agriculture is one of the reasons I started this event.”
