Number of women in global meat industry workforce drops
A new independent global report commissioned by Meat Business Women shows a rise in women’s representation in senior leadership roles in the meat industry over the past three years.
Meat Business Women (MBW) New Zealand has appointed two co-chairs to lead the organisation during 2022, making the announcement on International Women’s Day.
Julia Gardner, marketing manager for Beef + Lamb New Zealand and Abigail Delaney, communications advisor for Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ltd say they are excited to co-chair the organisation which is part of the global Meat Business Women network.
“As a traditionally male-dominated sector, the industry can be tricky to navigate as a woman. Meat Business Women seeks to challenge stereotypes and highlight pathways forward. The Meat Business Women community champions connection and collaboration. It allows women to share knowledge, experiences and find long-term career support,” says Gardner.
“Knowing there is a network of women nationally, not to mention globally, makes Meat Business Women so valuable. Whether you’re looking to be a mentor or be mentored, finding yourself amongst like-minded, inspiring women is extremely empowering. It is exciting to be a part of a global network of women who support each other, and we’re ready to lead it forward for the New Zealand meat sector,” adds Delaney.
![]() |
---|
Meat Business Women co-chair Abigail Delaney. |
Laura Ryan, global chair of Meat Business Women, says the organisation is there to offer mentorship, masterclasses and networking opportunities, while also tackling issues of diversity in the industry.
“The ultimate goal is to assure sustainability of our sector by attracting and retaining the best possible talent. We have three objectives: to improve the image of the industry to women; nurture new entrants through education and mentoring; and improve networking. To achieve a significant, long-term perception shift we need to develop gender and diversity inclusion toolkits and resources.”
The industry – businesses and individuals – are encouraged to download the digital resources from the Meat Business Women website, share the campaign videos and post their own #shelookslikeme content.
For more information and to join the Meat Business Women community for access to all initiatives, mentoring platforms, masterclasses and priority access to events, visit www.meatbusinesswomen.org.
Recent rain has offered respite for some from the ongoing drought.
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.
For Wonky Box co-founder Angus Simms, the decision to open the service to those in rural areas is a personal one.
The golden age of orcharding in West Auckland was recently celebrated at the launch of a book which tells the story of its rise, then retreat in the face of industry change and urban expansion.
OPINION: The appendage swinging contest between the US and China continues, with China hitting back with a new rate of…
OPINION: The irony of President Trump’s tariff obsession is that the worst damage may be done to his own people.