North West ladies in farming take on Europe

The NW Women in Farming group pictured outside European Parliament Buildings on their trip to Brussels which was sponsored by MEP Marian Harkin. From left: Hannah McNelis, Christine Butler, Carol Conaghan, Sinead O’Donnell, Eimear McGuiness, Nicola McLaughling, Ann McMenamin, Tina McMenamin-Kilpatrick and Geraldine McNelis.

THE North West Woman in Farming group travelled to Brussels last week on their first trip abroad as a group, courtesy of their MEP, Marian Harkin. Nine ladies, including group founder Hannah McNelis, travelled to the capital of Belgium on Tuesday afternoon and were kindly sponsored by Local Link Donegal who provided their travel to Dublin Airport.

They were given a tour of the European Parliament on their trip and the opportunity to sit in on a meeting with commission officials to discuss important matters effected farms in the North West. Talking to the Donegal News, Hannah said the trip was very exciting and that they were grateful to the MEP for her support throughout their formation.

“Our trip was sponsored by Marian Harkin MEP. She sponsored ten of us to travel to Brussels to visit the European Parliament and sit in meetings with other Irish MEPs and Commission Officials. Marian has been very supportive to us setting up as a group in Donegal. We launched the idea for the group back in May of this year, which was very well attended meeting of 55 female farmers and from there we have been focusing on the needs and key issues highlighted in feedback, most recently we ran two farm health and safety walks, one in Donegal Town and one in Cardonagh, facilitated by the HSA.”

Founded in May 2016, the group was officially launched earlier this year in Ballybofey. Hannah went on to talk passionatley about what the trip meant for the group and what they hope to achieve in the future.

“The trip has provided us an excellent opportunity to visit the Parliament and see where all the EU legalisation which largely determines our farms in Ireland is decided, but also gave us a chance to raise key issues affecting farming in the NW such as direct payment issues, ANC distribution, animal movements and live exports, the decline in suckler cow numbers in the North West as well as flooding and the weather.” Ms McNelis continued.

The number of female farmers have grown in recent years and Hannah and the group have encouraged other women in the industry to get involved. “There has been a large movement in the country surrounding female farmers, there has always been a strong involvement, although we may not have been as recognised. But there is a strong voice being created through the formation of our group and similar ones throughout the country.” she added.

“Our plan going forward is to build on the good work we have done in the past few months, to get the group off the ground and to use our growing numbers to discuss key issues affecting farming facilities in Donegal, provide training and upskill members through collaborating with local organisations and also very importantly continue to provide a social community and network in the North West, reduce rural isolation and bring this community of women together.”

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