'Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did'

"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, except backwards and in high heels."

The dancing relationship between Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers provides an analogy for the life of a farming woman.

While Ginger Rogers was certainly not wearing Red Bands, she was crucial to the dancing duo, following Fred's lead while he manoeuvred her into place.

Likewise, the farm woman has traditionally been the supportive farmer's wife, following her husband's lead while assisting him with the running of the family farm; a socially determined, traditionally accepted position made evident to me after interviewing South Island farm women about their lives.

However, do not be naive in assuming that farm women, as a consequence of their apparent subordination, do not have a significant influence on the on-farm decision-making process.

Indeed, farm women need to be recognised and acknowledged for their adroitness in covertly influencing on-farm decision-making.

One key mechanism that women employ to influence decisions is via subtle suggestion, as illustrated by a Waitaki woman who commented: "I put the idea in his head and then leave it to percolate for a few months and, sure enough, he'll come back and say `Hey, I've got this great idea!'."

Another successful method utilised to indirectly affect decision-making is via their role as the Chief Information Officer.

As information gatekeepers, women indirectly influence the decision-making process by filtering, reading, processing and communicating the information that their partner uses to make an informed decision.

A Southland woman explained: "Like all ladies, I get the mail and filter it - I chuck what goes in the bin and I'll give him what relates to him."

Similarly, another Southland woman said: "If there's a trial report, he'll want me to read the report and give him a sum-up.

"He hates reading big screeds of material. Currently, I'm finding out how to do an effluent system."

These narratives also highlight that as information gatekeepers, women not only determine what information is employed when making decisions but the source of the information.

Women will not use information from sources they do not trust or respect.

Many farm industry organisations and representatives are still dismissive of women, some rural professionals failing to accept the notion that women can be farmers.

One woman explained: "The fertiliser rep' wouldn't deal with me! I'd ring up and say, look we want X amount of urea and they would say for me to get Paul to ring them!"They changed fertiliser suppliers!

Similarly, an Otago woman noted: "Bob would leave a note requesting I ring a contractor, but the contractor would not deal with me. He'd go, 'Get your husband to ring me!"' They have a new contractor.

Rural bankers, contractors, fertiliser companies and other farmer providers need to pay heed; their futures frequently rest on the decisions made by her, not a him! Snub women at your peril.

For farming to survive through the 21st century women need not only to be acknowledged as farmers but also as crucial to farming's continued existence.

The draconian, chauvinist paradigms which still prevail in the masculine-dominated cubicles of the agricultural sector need to be culled or at least docked for rural New Zealand to persevere into the 22nd century.

Dr Sue Peoples is a social scientist working with the University of Otago's Centre for the Study of Agriculture, Food and Environment.