Over the course of this week, I've been introducing you to the seven speakers joining us for Future of Farming: Clarity & Direction on Wednesday, 4 November.

So far, we've explored agricultural research with Nicholas Ryan, farming technology with John Maher and animal health with Mark O'Connor.

Today, we're turning our attention to something I believe is every bit as important.

The people behind the farm.

Meet Mona O'Donoghue Concannon.

Mona is a suckler beef and dairy farmer from Galway, Honorary Secretary of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA), and Chair of the Women in Agriculture Stakeholders Group.

She's passionate about agriculture, but particularly about the people and families whose lives revolve around it.

Through her involvement in Life Focus, Mona also works to support farmers dealing with the challenges that come with farming life, from everyday pressures to difficulties affecting their mental health and wellbeing.

And that brings us to a question I think we need to be asking much more often.

What's the point of creating a sustainable future for farming if we don't create a sustainable future for farmers themselves

We talk about improving efficiency, adopting new technologies, increasing productivity and protecting the environment.

All important things.

But what about the farmer working seven days a week?

The family struggling to make decisions about the future?

The pressure of keeping a business going while trying to maintain some sort of life outside it?

Or the next generation looking at everything involved in taking over a farm and wondering whether that's the future they really want?

These are all part of the future of Irish agriculture, whether we like to acknowledge them or not.

And it's why I'm delighted Mona is joining our discussion.

Because farming isn't just an industry.

For many of us, it's our home, our family, our livelihood and a connection to generations who came before us.

**If farming is going to have a future, the people doing it need to have one too.**

Mona will join six other speakers on Wednesday, 4 November, for Future of Farming: Clarity & Direction.

This is an audience-led event. We want to hear your experiences, your concerns and your ideas about where Irish agriculture should go next.

Wednesday, 4 November | 5:45–7:00 pm | Online

We'd love to have you involved.

Learn more about the Women in Agriculture Stakeholders Group:
https://wasg.ie/