The "dreaded" daughter-in-law in Australian farm business succession.

Egalitarian gender norms and legislative rights to property may be a threat to the successful intergenerational transfer of the family farm. This article examines how the land holding generation perceives the role of daughters-in-law in reproducing the family farm. We examine the site of farm succession and intergenerational transfer. We draw on interviews with 22 farm succession professionals. Our analysis demonstrates the land holding generation see the financial reproduction of the Australian family farm as reliant on women's off-farm work and the biological, social and cultural reproduction of the family farm is reliant on women's role adherence to traditional gender norms. This creates tensions within family farms that the landholding generation aim to resolve through legal protections of the farm asset against a claim by the daughter-in-law and by discursively punishing role digression. Given the reliance of Australian family farms on women's labour contributions, these actions may threaten rather than ensure the continuity of family farming. • The reproduction of the family farm is reliant on the flexibility of family labour. • The daughter-in-law is valued for her reproductive role and capacity to provide off-farm income. • In light of changes to Family Law, the daughter-in-law is also perceived as a risk to the continuity of the family farm. • Role construction of the daughter-in-law limits her role identity formation within the business and her potential contribution to farm viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]