Supporting women in agriculture

More women are farming and the roles of women on the farm are continuing to evolve. A new federal loan program will aid women in becoming more involved in agriculture.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said Farm Credit Canada’s (FCC) new Women Entrepreneur Program will provide capital to women to grow the business and development skills they need to succeed. The program includes $500 million over three years to access capital through the Women Entrepreneur Loan. As part of the loan, borrowers can have a portion of their fees waived and can reinvest the savings into both personal and professional development that suits individual and business needs.

“Our government recognizes and supports the important contributions made by women in the continued growth of the agriculture and food sector. By providing women entrepreneurs with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed as leaders in Canadian agriculture, we are supporting a competitive industry that helps grow the economy, supports our rural communities and creates good middle class jobs,” Bibeau said in a news release.

Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion Mary Ng said women face unique barriers along the business cycle.

Agriculture Roundup

Agriculture Roundup for Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Oct 30, 2024

organic crop

Wild rice production plummets compared to 2023

Oct 23, 2024

Connecting Farmers to Available Land

Young Agrarians to host Land Linking Workshop in Kelowna

Oct 16, 2024

“As a result, only 16 per cent of small and medium sized businesses in Canada are led by women. We know that advancing women’s economic empowerment across all sectors of the economy, including agriculture, is the right thing to do,” Ng said.

FCC’s Women Entrepreneur Program is part of a commitment made under the government’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, a $2 billion investment that hopes to double the number of women-owned and women-led businesses by 2025.

Bibeau made the comments at the Advancing Women in Agriculture West conference in Calgary. This is Bibeau’s first tour since being appointed to the agriculture portfolio on March 1.

–

alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.cca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF