The European Farmers Organisation Copa is urging women farmers from Europe to submit their applications for the 2018 European Innovation Award.

In 2016, Cavan poultry farmer Margaret Farrelly won the innovation award for building up her free-range egg business, which has an annual turnover of roughly €6.2m.

According to Copa, women farmers represent 42% of the EU’s agricultural workforce, with 30% of them working as farm managers.

However, Ireland has one of the lowest proportions of women working in agriculture in Europe, with only 11.6% of the agriculture workforce made up by female workers.

The theme of this year’s Copa innovation award for women farmers is 'innovative solutions for farming sustainability'.

Copa and Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen urged applicants to submit their projects by 17 April 2018.

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Margaret Farrelly wins European Innovation Award for Women Farmers

Ireland's ageing farm workers and a scarcity of women