Why did you decide to pursue a career in agriculture? What is it about the industry that attracted you?
I struggled to pick a course when I finished year 12 but ultimately I think the decision came from a mixture of nature and nurture. My immediate and extended family are in the farming game and while living in small communities can be tough sometimes, I enjoy the benefits of connectedness and having the chance to contribute to the community. I’m also a sucker for a Mallee sunrise or sunset.
I enjoy the possibilities of working in agriculture – there are plenty of opportunities and meeting good people along the way.
I got a Business degree at Marcus Oldham College, then went to work as a project officer in the Victorian western district at Southern Farming Systems. After that, I moved closer to home working for the private consultancy group JSA Independent at Donald, then 3 years in Assets and Infrastructure at the Buloke Shire and now at BCG (since January 2015).
During your career I know you would have meet some very motivating and interesting people. If you could pick one or two of these people, who have you learnt the most from, or has had the biggest impact on your career?
I have been fortunate to work with some exceptional people who have been good mentors and friends. The nice thing about working at BCG means I can stay in contact with many of them, and in some cases, still work with them.
I think I’ve learned the most from individual conversations with farmers. As for lessons learned in agronomy though, I’m grateful to have worked with Nick Poole when I was a research officer at Southern farming Systems and John Stuchbery when I was a trainee agronomist at JSA Independent.
Nick’s canopy management and fungicide protocols were nearly the death of me (because they were detailed….. and I was fresh out of Uni) but once I got over the initial shock of normal working hours, I received an exceptional, practical grounding in the basics. Nick can tell a story too; seeing firsthand how he can view a trial, pull out the key messages from the data then weave a relevant and practical story to farmers was pretty special.
I feel very fortunate to have worked with John Stuchbery too. I think his thorough and considered approach has had a real impact on his work, staff, clients, colleagues and the industry in general. I learned about the importance of independent advice and how to gather information from a number of sources and then think about how to apply that effectively to an individual farming situation.
I can also say that the people who have been the hardest to work with have taught me the most.
With plenty of career still in front of you what are you looking forward to learning/experiencing as agriculture changes in the next ten years? How about twenty years?
While we’ve made huge advances in agronomy, I think we need to still think about the people running the farms. Being involved with the GAPP groups is a constant reminder of the passion and appreciation the next generation has for farming and associated ag industries, but tricky ‘human’ issues like succession planning can undermine a lot of good farming opportunities.
I admire people who haven’t come from a farming background but have thrived and contributed so much to the industry. I think their contributions will be even more important into the future. There are parallels with running a business no matter where it is and we can learn from each other and other industries.
Highlighting, and even shortening, the supply chain might be a trend too. Being a bit of a foodie, I am excited by the prospects of farmers being able to promote and share pride in a product with a wider audience.
If you could go back and give teenage Louisa some advice, what would it be?
Rethink wearing that golden scrunchie in your Year 10 school photo.
Enjoy Carlton’s winning streak now because John Elliott won’t be in charge forever.
And
Don’t be so hard on yourself. Be realistic about what you can achieve. There is time.
