Offaly woman speaks at European food system conference

Offaly woman Ann Marie Feighery was among entrepreneurs and academics from Ireland, Turkey and Greece who exchanged experiences on challenges and solutions to female entrepreneurship this week.

Ann Marie who owns Feighery’s Farm Beetroot Juice took part in the online event on Wednesday, February 1.

Speaking during the online forum, she cited product pricing as a difficult point for her business, noting that consumers have to pay 23% VAT on healthy drinks as well as sugary drinks. She found that her business was very well complemented and supported by the activities of her father and brothers in related businesses.

The focus of the event was on female participation in short food supply chains (SFSC). It was hosted by Teagasc and Munster Technological University (MTU) and was entitled ‘Empowering female SFSC producers in Ireland and Europe’.

During the event, Begüm Mutuş from Sabri Ülker Foundation explained how female farmers in Turkey are being supported to run profitable businesses.

“Cooperatives can enhance women’s opportunities,” she said, adding that research had found that the number of women in leadership positions in cooperatives was higher than in other organisational forms.

She noted that despite belonging to networks such as women’s cooperatives, female producers in Turkey still had challenges with access to credit. She also highlighted the role of contract farming in enabling female participation, outlining such a programme in Turkey, and emphasised that such programmes are “impact programmes” building business value, i.e. they make business sense.

Ailbhe Gerrard, owner of Brookfield Farm in Ireland, shared similar thoughts on access to finance, noting that not only was financing an issue, there was the added challenge of being taken seriously as a female business owner. Ailbhe said that she made a strategic decision many years ago to apply for awards to enhance her credibility. She has been the recipient of many awards since then, including a Nuffield Agricultural Scholarship. These opened her eyes to many experiences and opportunities also.