In our penultimate article by SRUC Rural Business Management students on women in agriculture, here's Emma Elder looking at Challenging Tradition and Inequality.
Even in 2026, barriers still exist for women in agriculture. Despite the fact that increased access to education has created new opportunities for women – as we previously discussed - this does not eliminate all the structural obstacles that continue to shape the industry. Today we examine the persistent traditions and inequalities that affect women in agriculture, focusing on issues such as gendered farm succession, access to land, and the impact of family responsibilities on women’s agricultural careers.
Agricultural succession is the process of transferring ownership, management and operation of a farm from one generation to the next. Studies into agricultural inheritance and succession have shown that farms are more likely to be passed down to sons (Sutherland et al, 2023). This limits the access to land for women and presents a barrier to new entrants.
The most common way to start a farm business is by inheriting a farm. Farming in the UK can be seen as a closed profession because of the high costs needed to operate a financially viable farm in current markets. This often means only people that have inherited a farm can afford to enter the industry. However, farm inheritance is often very gendered. Although it is becoming more popular for farms to have multiple inheritors, it is common throughout Europe for farms to be passed down to a single male relative, usually a son (Sutherland et al, 2023). This means other potential inheritors like daughters do not gain the land and equipment, limiting their access into agricultural careers. This creates a significant barrier for women trying to build a career in agriculture. Positively, some studies suggest that traditional succession paths are becoming less common which would bring opportunities for women in agriculture.
With farm inheritors predominantly being male, the most common route into farming for women is through marriage. This can create some challenges for women as are less likely to have access to business networks and formal training. This is because they are not directly targeted for training like men are because they are the landowner. Women are also often restricted by other commitments including family and work responsibilities, limiting their time available (Sutherland et al, 2023).
On diversified farms however, it is more common that the female partner of the farmer is responsible for creating and managing new enterprises (Kempster et al, 2023). This demonstrates the entrepreneurial skills that women in agriculture have. Women’s ability to be innovative and use transferred skills allows them to see potential in new ventures. Becoming entrepreneurs in this way gives women more independence and allows them the ability to work from home, which is helpful for those with children.
Another factor affecting women in farming is starting a family. Men can carry on working while women have no choice to take a break from their career when caring for children. During a recent survey one farmer commented that: ‘Women are expected to take a break from their careers to have children, and because of this, I believe women are overlooked in the industry’ (Kempster et al, 2023). Deciding to have children can mean women must pause their career in agriculture, an obstacle that men in agriculture are less likely to face. These enduring barriers mean women must work even harder to succeed in the agricultural industry.
The gendered division of labour within agriculture also contrasts with patterns seen in wider society. In non-farming contexts, fewer people are marrying, dual-income households are increasingly the norm, and there is greater expectation of shared domestic labour. In agriculture however, these traditional divisions remain deeply embedded. Women are often expected to combine farm work with unpaid domestic and caring roles, while men retain primary control over land, assets, and decision-making. This persistence of traditional gender roles within agriculture highlights how ingrained inequality remains within the sector, despite broader societal shifts towards more equal and flexible working arrangements.
While structural barriers and ingrained inequalities continue to shape women’s experiences in agriculture, individual stories highlight how women are challenging these norms and creating space for change. Our final article in this series will build on this by exploring personal narratives and lived experiences of women in agriculture, examining how storytelling, social media, and community engagement are helping to reshape perceptions and support the next generation of women in the sector.
Emma Elder
Thank you for reading our article. We would greatly appreciate if you could fill out the quick survey linked below so we can collect some feedback as part of our Communications in Agriculture module at SRUC.
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Kempster, Z. (2023) ‘The role of women in United Kingdom farm businesses’ [online] Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/14657503231159766 [Accessed 10/12/2025]
Sutherland, L et al. (2023) ‘Breaking Patriarchal Succession Cycles: How Land Relations Influence Women’s Roles in Farming’ [online] Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ruso.12484 [Accessed 08/12/2025]