“It is a Lot, These Days”: Women’s (Hidden) Contribution to the Sustainability of South Australian Farming Businesses

Abstract Women’s contributions to Australian agriculture have long been overlooked, despite their integral role in farm business sustainability. While official recognition of women as farmers has improved, the prevailing image of “the farmer” remains male, leaving women’s labour invisible. This paper explores how women navigate their role within their own farming businesses against traditional values and what it means to be a farmer. Drawing on qualitative data captured through focus groups with women in South Australia, this research highlights the growing complexity of farm administration, encompassing financial management, compliance, and human resources. Women describe an increasing administrative burden driven by market and regulatory demands, yet their work remains undervalued and largely unrecognized. The continued framing of women’s contributions through the lens of the “farmer’s wife” trope reinforces their secondary status in agricultural narratives. By examining these dynamics using Nancy Fraser’s three-dimensional theory of justice, this paper highlights how entrenched gendered assumptions are and calls for a broader reconceptualization of farming labour - one that fully acknowledges and values women’s essential contributions to the sustainability and success of farm businesses.