OPINION: Natalie King, Program Manager

This story was originally printed in Queensland Farmer Today, October Edition.

From paddock to plate, women are stepping up in agriculture.

They’re challenging farming stereotypes, innovating and leading the way in a sector traditionally dominated by men.

This month is a great time to take a step back and recognise women in agriculture, with October 15 recognised as the International Day of Rural Women.

It’s a day dedicated not only to the millions of women living in remote, rural places but also showcases the achievements and contributions of women towards agriculture.

And there’s plenty to celebrate.

For hundreds of years, women have been at the very core of Australian agriculture. This is because family life is at the heart of farming life.

Today, we’re seeing scores of women come through the sector who are being recognised as just as capable and business savvy as their male counterparts. They’re running farms in a modern way, sustainably and in line with Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) principles. They’re leading agricultural organisations lobbying governments. And they’re finding innovative solutions to industry problems, using technology to create cutting-edge products and services.

Currently, women make up about a third of Australia’s agricultural workforce, a figure only set to rise given women comprise about 55 per cent of students studying agricultural science.

The beauty of working as the Program Manager at the Agtech and Logistics Hub is I get to see so many incredible women in action, including those on the land and the innovators we support in developing their tech. I get to work with females in government, research, corporate agribusiness, venture capital, startups and scaleups as the Hub works to solve challenges in the agricultural industry.

Drawing on this incredible exposure, I wanted to use this International Day of Rural Women to give a shoutout to some of the women doing amazing things in agriculture.

Jo Sheppard, Chief Executive Officer of Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF): Jo grew up on the land and is now the head of the state’s peak body for farmers, passionately representing more than 13,000 primary producers across the state. The Hub is proud to be a corporate partner of QFF which, led by Jo, does an incredible job of advocating on behalf of its members.

Sarah Donovan, founder of Cirquitive: Sarah is a great example of a female farmer innovating in the agricultural sector. She has created a QR-based platform that allows the traceability of agricultural and agvet chemicals, fertilisers and other farm inputs throughout the supply chain.

Jocie Bate, co-founder of SwarmFarm Robotics: Jocie is another female farmer who has moved into the tech space, founding SwarmFarm Robotics, a leader in robotics in agriculture, with her husband Andrew. Their company is one of only a few worldwide with autonomous robots already working in farmers’ paddocks.

Reeanjou Ram, Chief Executive Officer of iTrazo: Ree is a pioneer in traceability technology, with her platform providing real-time traceability and insights for products, services and assets in supply chain. Our team enjoys collaborating with Ree, and we’re currently working with her on a project to map the red meat supply chain.

Molly Sage, Sustainability Officer at Stockyard: Molly has worked her way through the feedlot ranks and is a terrific case study of a woman leading the way in sustainable agricultural practices. It’s great to see her passion in pushing for environmental and animal health changes within the industry.

Al Mabin, AgriShots: Al is the founder of AgriShots, an online platform offering tens of thousands of photos and videos of Australian agriculture for purchase which is incredibly useful for agribusinesses across the country. A passionate rural lifestyle photographer who grew up on the land, Al is a fantastic example of a woman who has created a role of their own in agriculture to inspire.

There are many more incredible women in agriculture I could mention, but I’ve run out of space. So, on October 15, I encourage you to give a shoutout to the amazing women you know in the sector. Get on your socials and use the hashtags #InternationalDayOfRuralWomen and #AmazingWomenInAg