Feature Women in horticulture

Paving their path

WOMEN IN HORTICULTURE

Women have played an integral role in horticulture for centuries, from areas as diverse as production, research and business management. In part one of our series, to coincide with International Women’s Day on 8 March, we speak to women in all areas of horticulture, from trailblazers to emerging leaders.

Megan Bennett & Charlotte Dent

Mannes Entomology Horticulture consultants

How long have you been working in horticulture?

Charlotte: Two years. Megan: Only in the past year or so have I been working full-time at Mannes Entomology.

Did you always want to work in the sector?

Charlotte: It was always an interesting area, as I know a lot of family members that work in horticulture. I was intrigued by the industry, but never thought it was something for me, until a job came up with Mannes Entomology. Megan: When I was a kid, I definitely had an interest, but it was never a career path that I actively pursued throughout school or uni as I grew older.

Who or what has inspired you in your career? Charlotte: Working at Mannes Entomology has shown me what it takes to work in the horticulture industry. My inspiration comes from working alongside Lachlan Mannes. He’s a wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry – makes you ask questions and be intrigued to know more every day. Megan: I’ve lived on a rural property my entire life. My parents used to grow dried fruit, and then made the switch to almonds when I was young, so I’ve always been involved with agriculture to a varying degree. That definitely helped me in this career path, even though I’m dealing with different crops and industries.

What is your favourite thing about working in your industry? Charlotte: The flexibility and variety. Most days are similar, but visiting different farms, seeing different diseases and bugs in varieties of table grapes, citrus, and almonds keeps you fascinated and interested for the days ahead. Megan: I love that I get to be outside every day (weather permitting) and that every day is different. Being situated in Sunraysia means there’s a number of different crops I get to work with. The fact that I’m not just looking at the crop specifically, but also the entomology, means I’m always learning something new. Has your industry changed (in general / for women) since you began? If so, how?

Charlotte: Since starting at Mannes Entomology in 2019 the amount of women around the work place is slowly expanding but not in high numbers. Megan: I can’t speak to wider changes in the industry as I haven’t been involved in it for that long, but at Mannes Entomology the majority of employees are women. I think that’s definitely a step in the right direction. What is an accomplishment/career moment you’re proud of?

Charlotte: I am proud of being given the opportunity to do the the LBAM (light brown apple moth) trap and the red scale traps. I was able to venture out on my own and familiarise myself with the farms that we work with. Megan: As I haven’t been in the industry for very long, I’d have to say the first few times I got to visit farms by myself gave me a great boost in my confidence and abilities.

What advice would you give to the next generation of females about working in horticulture? Charlotte: Be yourself. Being yourself is the how people in the horticulture industry will see you, so pave a path you’re proud of.

How would you encourage women to take on roles, or get promotions, in horticulture?

Charlotte: When an opportunity comes up in the industry, women shouldn’t be afraid to step forward and have a crack. Horticulture is an industry fit for all, being confident and willing to work hard is all it takes to take on a role or go higher in this industry.

Anne Mansell

Dried Fruits Australia CEO

Involved in small family citrus enterprise Northern Mallee Local Learning and Employment Network (NMLLEN) Chair La Trobe University Mildura Regional Advisory Board member Mallee Regional Innovation Centre (MRIC) Strategic Advisory Panel member

How long have you been working in horticulture?

I’ve been directly involved for over 35 years as part of a family horticultural enterprise. However, my family background – parents, grandparents and great-grandparents on both sides – were all involved in horticulture and horticultural developments/ businesses in the Mildura region.

Did you always want to work in the sector?

Initially I trained as a nurse and then studied for a Bachelor of Arts. I then started doing the finances for our family farm and after that became involved in policy areas, including taking on leadership roles in local and national horticultural organisations such as Sunraysia Citrus Growers and the former Australian Citrus Growers.

Who or what has inspired you in your career?

People who are compassionate, considered, and who are positive about future trends and deliver a strategic focus – whether in horticulture or for the general community.

What is your favourite thing about working in your industry?

The people. What I’ve witnessed over my 35 years in horticulture is innovation, dedication, resilience and people who are determined to find solutions to immediate and longer term challenges.

Has your industry changed (in general/for women) since you began? If so, how?

Women have always been involved in horticulture, working alongside their partners or managing their own property, yet we still haven’t seen as many involved at peak industry levels. Certainly 100 years ago it was very challenging for women to be part of industry decision making. However, in this era I would encourage all those interested to have a go. For my part, I’m a generalist not a specialist and I’ve learnt a lot along the way. I’ve also brought my own experiences and perspectives to the table when making decisions for industry. Having that variety of perspectives is important. What is an accomplishment/career moment you’re proud of?

Working in partnership with other industry representatives to attract large scale hort investments and solar investments to the Mildura region. Also being involved with so many other people from hort, agriculture and the community in the Save the Food Bowl Alliance, which worked hard to stop the toxic waste facility from being located at Nowingi.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women about working in horticulture? The great people, great future and great challenges all make it worth it. Horticulture is an extremely broad and growing area in Australia with a great number of opportunities – markets, agronomy, irrigation and business management to name a few. We need people with skills and ideas to contribute to the next stage of development and growth.

Jenny Treeby

Working partner in a horticultural enterprise Dried Fruits Australia board member

Incoming ATGA industry development manager Horticulture Industry Network project officer, Agriculture Victoria Victorian and Murray Valley Vine Improvement Association board member

How long have you been working in horticulture?

My work in horticulture began with marrying into a dried fruit family (on the original soldier settlement block) about 30-plus years ago. My first job in horticulture (and in Australia) was weeding the then drying green with my mother-in-law!

Did you always want to work in the sector?

Having studied agriculture in Germany, I really wanted a job in plant breeding, plant nutrition or somewhere tropical. My first real (a.k.a. paid) job was with the then CSIRO Division Of Horticulture at Merbein, working on the domestication of the native quandong – I was very lucky.

Who or what has inspired you in your career?

I really liked the variety of research undertaken at CSIRO at the time, the inflow of researchers from overseas, input from growers and industry organisations and later Riverlink. It has always been inspiring how resourceful this region is collectively, what it produces and how it deals with setbacks. Luckily, I have also had some awesome mentors along the way (not sure they saw themselves as mentors at the time) that encouraged me to undertake leadership courses, gave me time and space to study viticulture, and guided my thinking and what I am doing now. What is your favourite thing about working in your industry? My favourite thing about the dried fruits industry is that it shares its knowledge freely, and growers are constantly improving the way they do things, and that it produces an attractive end product (without sulphur). Has your industry changed (in general/for women) since you began? If so, how? Since we started on our property, we have been mirroring the industry in many aspects – change of trellis system to swingarm, new varieties, and change from only overhead irrigation to drip (with the occasional overhead irrigation to wet the soil quickly and to cool the vineyard), trying out ways to mechanise, improve our productivity, etc. What is an accomplishment/career moment you’re proud of?

Representing the industry at the national level on biosecurity matters and having been asked to sit on a committee for the review of the biosecurity plant pest deed, which is like reviewing an insurance framework, putting it through its paces and being able to improve it.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women about working in horticulture?

For me this is not about gender but about skill sets, passion and enthusiasm! Like everywhere, a good sense of humour and being practical does go a long way – as does persistence (and not taking one’s self too seriously). v