One of the most impactful elements of the events that are run by the Irish Farmers Journal is the interaction with our readers, and sometimes the most memorable moments happen off stage.

This has certainly been the case at our Women & Agriculture conference, as often it is the chats during the event that plant the seeds for next year’s conference.

One recurring comment last year is that our attendees would like their voice to be heard on subjects that matter to them. With that in mind, we are introducing a new element to the 2024 Women & Agriculture conference, which is kindly sponsored by FBD Insurance. We want you, our reader, to be more involved.

First off, on the day before the conference – Wednesday, 23 October – we are hosting a discussion group at the Lyrath Estate from 2pm to 4pm.

Our panel on succession and conflict resolution got quite a reaction last year, so we will be following that conversation again, but in a slightly different format.

There will be a panel discussion for about 45 minutes, but after that we are opening the floor to our attendees – so they can lead the conversation, have their say and ask questions.

We will be limiting numbers and keeping the group small to allow for good interaction, and we’re interested to see where the conversation will take us.

So if you are starting out on the succession journey and have questions; are currently navigating it and would like support; or you’ve walked the path and would like to share your learnings, we look forward to welcoming you.

If you would like to attend this add-on event, please email events@farmersjournal.ie to express your interest, or mention it on the phone when you are booking your ticket. This event is priced at €30.

So if you’re planning to attend, we’re asking you to have a think about what impacts your life? What changes do you want a new Government to make?

The theme of the conference is Changing Seasons and soon there will be change within our Government, with an election on the horizon.

One of the key additions that we have made to Irish Country Living this year is our page which focuses on rural and social issues. Therefore, we are hosting a session, inviting our readers to have their say.

Sponsored by Ifac, this is about reflecting the real situation on farms and in rural Ireland. So if you’re planning to attend, we’re asking you to have a think about what impacts your life? What changes do you want a new Government to make? What should we be writing about more in Irish Country Living?

I understand it can be intimidating to put your hand up in front of 599 other women. In fact, Margaret Leahy writes about this in her column.

It’s funny because I didn’t ask Margaret to write that piece, but she is right on the money. She says: “How many times have we sat, really wanting to make a point, feeling our voice isn’t being heard, yet afraid to raise our hand?”

And when the microphone is coming towards you, you may feel the nerves, but the thing is – if you are concerned about a topic, it is more than likely impacting other women in the room.

Margaret says: “I frequently meet people after an event who have said ‘thank you’ for asking a question they had wanted to ask.” Of course, there is also no pressure to speak, many women in the room won’t want to contribute and that is fine too.

So we look forward to welcoming you to our Women & Agriculture conference. I’m excited, curious, and yes, admittedly a bit nervous, about how this new direction will go, but our attendees deserve the time and space to have their opinions heard. I think it’s going to be a very impactful addition to the event.