Another important milestone in the 2026 Female Farmers Study was reached in May: the qualitative interviews with female farmers from across Austria were successfully completed.
Between 18 March and 12 May 2026 – with a two-week break over Easter – a total of 28 interviews took place across Austria. The interviewees included active female farmers, young female farmers, farm successors and newcomers to the sector. The focus was on young women with different lifestyles and farm set-ups, including queer female farmers and women on family-run and cooperative farms.
Recruitment took place via agricultural media, personal networks, social media and platforms such as Perspektive Landwirtschaft, Mein Hof – Mein Weg and the Farmfluencer Network.
The interviews have already highlighted some key themes: the importance of networking and mutual support, the desire for professional exchange with other (young) women, the economic independence of women farmers, as well as the visibility of care work and issues of social security.
The interviews are currently being analysed and, together with the results of the online survey, will be incorporated into the further work of the 2026 Women Farmers Study.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all interviewees for their openness and valuable contributions.
A herd of goats in the barn
Katrin Hofer, 2026
