Ag Women's Groups in Canada

The only agricultural organization in Quebec dedicated exclusively to women in this sector. The association helps shape decisions that affect the agriculture sector and the status of women farmers in Quebec.

The Ontario Ag Women’s Network (AWN), established in 2013, is a volunteer-led non-profit association in Ontario (but is open to all Canadian women) focused on empowering women in agriculture through mentorship and networking. The program connects women at any career stage with mentors to foster leadership and professional growth. Most members engage digitally through social media & online chats, or in-person at events in Ontario. Connect with them through Facebook at Ag Women’s Network (AWN) or email agwomensnetwork@gmail.com

  • Alberta Women in Ag

A networking venue for women in agriculture. Found on Facebook: Alberta Women in Ag

  • BC Women in Agriculture

A group designed as a platform to connect, network and promote the many women involved in agriculture in BC. Found on Facebook: BC Women in Agriculture

A registered non-profit organization based in Manitoba that advocates for all women who work in the agriculture and food processing industries.

  • Maritime Ag Women’s Network

A networking and support venue for maritime women in agriculture. Found on Facebook: Maritime Ag Women’s Network.

The Rural Women Entrepreneurs’ Podcast (RADICAL) is hosted by the Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity (CCRC). This live and interactive broadcast to podcast is offered once a month October through May. Each podcast invites two to three rural women entrepreneurs to the table to discuss the topic at hand. 

RWICS hopes to link with individuals and organizations working to improve the situation of rural women and to help to bring the recommendations of rural women forward to decision-makers. Their goal is to support and encourage rural women to name their own issues, create their personal action plans and achieve their own visions.

SGU is a Saskatchewan-based non-profit dedicated to fostering leadership and giving girls and gender-diverse youth ages 8-18 the tools to change the future. It offers free, virtual programs that focus on topics such as leadership, mental health, healthy relationships, and self-expression.

SYA was created to cultivate the next generation of Saskatchewan agriculture leaders through education and knowledge sharing, while providing lifelong professional connections.

Saskatchewan Women in Ag is a non-profit organization started in 2013, whose mission is to support, empower, and connect all women in Agriculture, in order to strengthen the industry as a whole. Members generally include those from western Canadian provinces, although is open Canadian-wide.

Access to the Women in Ag Mentorship Program is a perk with your membership, where you can get advice and build skills in the following areas (and more): financial literacy, technical skills, work-life balance, conflict resolution, entrepreneurship, communications, ag advocacy, and board governance. The program is available to interested mentees and mentors. Also found on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

  • Saskatchewan Women in Rural Leadership (SWIRL)

SWIRL aims to identify challenges faced by women in rural leadership, develop strategies to support them, and promote their participation in rural municipal government.

Read about SWIRL- page 10 & 11

The Rural Woman Podcast™ is a storytelling podcast (every Friday) that shares interviews from women with a passion for agriculture and rural life. These women may not farm, ranch, or homestead the same but their passion and pride for the Ag industry builds a special bond. City-slicker turned Farmer & Entrepreneur, host Katelyn Duban created The Rural Woman Podcast to celebrate and amplify the voices of Women in Agriculture. Katelyn brings a unique perspective to the table and strongly believes in the power of our stories. You can expect to hear honest conversations from Rural Women who grow food, tend livestock, raise families, run companies and so much more.

Ag Women's Development Programs

4-H fosters leadership skills and emphasizes hands-on learning, empowering Canadian youth ages 6-21 to develop skills and confidence, and encouraging them to pursue careers in agriculture and related fields. 

Youth can join community-based clubs to complete projects and be involved in a range of experiential learning activities. 4-H also welcomes volunteers (18 years or older), who are willing to share their time to help teach members their project skills, organize events, and assist with running club meetings.

AWC is created for every woman who is passionate about agriculture and food. Whether you are a university or college student studying agriculture, producer, rancher, entrepreneur, representative of a grower association or corporate agribusiness, AWC is anyone who wants to enhance their family life, community, career, and industry through:

 -communications through coaching, mentoring, and networking
 -financial management and independence
 -health and balance of life strategies
 -career planning, and
 -setting goals in all areas 

 The Agricultural Excellence Conference (AgEx) is Canada’s premier event dedicated to advancing farm business management. Each year, AgEx brings together farmers, advisors, industry leaders, and policymakers for thought-provoking discussions, expert-led sessions, and networking opportunities. Delegates will explore cutting-edge management strategies and sustainable growth practices to ensure long-term success in Canadian agriculture.

The Agri-Mentor Agricultural Mentorship program launched in 2024, designed specifically for women in agriculture in Canada. It offers individual, one-on-one mentorship coaching throughout Canada, in English or French.  It is led in Ontario by the Union des cultivateurs franco-ontariens (UCFO) with the support of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). The program will match mentors and mentees who each must commit to at least one monthly meeting, whether virtual or in-person, for a period of six months. It is open to Canadian women who are both looking for a mentor and those who wish to serve as one.

CAHRC’s AgriTalent program supports the development of connections between post-secondary students, employers in agriculture and post-secondary institutions and contributes towards preparing a job-ready workforce for the Canadian agriculture industry. As part of this program, subsidized Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunities connect employers with post-secondary students to ensure higher participation by post-secondary students within the industry with special focus on including under-represented and equity-seeking groups.

The APAS Young Leaders (AYL) program brings together interested young farmers between the ages of 18 and 40 to cultivate the next generation of agricultural and community leaders.

 -Enhance leadership skills.
 -Deepen understanding of agriculture policy development and advocacy.
 -Understand how policy decisions are influenced.
 -Expand professional networks. 
 -Achieve governance training credentials.
 -Grow understanding of the socioeconomic impacts of agriculture within the Canadian context.

Influential Women in Canadian Agriculture (IWCA) was established in 2020 to spotlight influential and innovative women, sharing their stories, achievements, challenges and wisdom through our agricultural brands and the IWCA Summit, an event focused on valuable and candid discussions around leadership, challenges, growth and creating support for women looking to rise up in Agriculture. The IWCA awards are presented annually to six women who show passion, grit, leadership, strength and success in their chosen career path and have influenced those around them to do the same.

Learn to Lead, hosted by SaskOilseeds, and sponsored by supporting commissions in Saskatchewan, is a personal and professional development program to build leadership capacity among farmers and create future leaders for the agriculture industry. It is open to all interested Saskatchewan registered producers (levy payers) from all crop commodities who are actively contributing to their farm livelihood directly or indirectly in supporting roles. There is an application process for the two-day workshop, and selected recipients receive complimentary registration.

This project aims to support the advancement of women in Canadian agriculture through research, collaboration, knowledge mobilization, and the establishment of a national network that encourages engagement and progression at all levels (regional, provincial, and national). Can get involved by joining the network, participating in webinars, supporting the research, and attending events by contacting Rebecca Balsdon: rbalsdon@cahrc-ccrha.ca

The Next Gen Agriculture Mentorship Program is the most comprehensive industry-wide program available for young people in Saskatchewan, open to ages 18-39.

It accepts eight (8) successful applicants into an 18-month mentorship experience that includes: Industry knowledge, Advocacy, Business education, Networking, Board & governance training, & Social connections.

The Next Gen Agriculture Mentorship program aims to create a community of graduates with a deeper understanding of agriculture, business, community, leadership and advocacy for the industry. Graduates will benefit from the most immersive industry-wide mentorship experience available.

It is a Prince Edward Island initiative aimed at attracting and supporting individuals interested in agriculture in the province. 

Lists of grants, resources and services for women entrepreneurs in Canada.

The Dimension E program provides personalized services to women entrepreneurs in the agriculture and forestry sectors throughout Canada. Services: provides preferential access to resources for starting a new business or growing an existing one, assist you to improve administrative skills and knowledge of business administration, and to participate in networking activities with other women who own agricultural businesses. To use Dimension E services, join the Agricultrices du Quebec (women’s agricultural organization  in Quebec). Those living outside Quebec may join.

Through funding, mentorship, advocacy, and partnerships, they help their members thrive while strengthening Saskatchewan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Membership helps connect you with the tools, expertise, and network to thrive. Member opportunities include unlimited one-on-one business advising; access to exclusive loans and after-loan care; invitations to networking events; free or discounted rates on training, workshops and events; priority access to peer groups, mentorship calls, and other mentorship activities, and inclusion in the online member directory.

  • Women in Agriculture & Food (Farm Credit Canada FCC)
    • FCC Women Entrepreneur Program
      • Lending, enhancing events and creating resources specifically for women in agriculture, agribusiness and food to start or grow their business.
    • Grow Your Skills
      • Business and leadership resources, List of Women in Agriculture Groups, List of Women in Agriculture Conferences

The Women in Agriculture Essential Leadership Skills Development Program is designed to empower women working in primary agriculture and industry associations by developing core leadership skills.  

This 10-week interactive program offers a blended learning experience, combining online modules, live webinars, group discussions, and practical exercises to equip participants with the tools needed to lead teams effectively.  Developed specifically for women in agriculture, the program uses real-life examples and work scenarios from Canadian primary agriculture and industry associations. Key topics include communication, leading by example, building trust, emotional intelligence, resolving conflicts, and addressing the unique challenges faced by women leaders. Additionally, the program covers critical leadership skills such as coaching, delegation, planning, and inclusive leadership.

Program aim is to provide new farmers, next generation farmers, or farmers adding a new enterprise to an existing farm business with an opportunity to build their business knowledge and use it to grow their farm operations to achieve long-term viability. Mentees will receive approximately 30 hours of mentorship. It is available in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Openings for mentors and mentees.

Ag Health & Safety Organizations in Canada