Rising through the ranks of agriculture in rural Australia
Nutrien General Manager of Eastern Victoria and Riverina Emma Hurlston is one of the reasons why we’re shifting the focus from women working in agriculture to being leaders in the industry.
21 years after returning home from university to begin working for the business as a Customer Liaison Officer in Finley, Hurlston has recently been appointed into a new role where she heads 32 branches and 210 employees across southern NSW and Eastern Victoria.
Hurlston said her time in the industry hasn’t been about changing stereotypes or setting agendas but trusting in hard work and a love for what you do.
“I loathe when people give me the career women tagline. I am a woman, I am a worker, a mother, a daughter, a wife. I work really hard in my job and I want to be successful as a provider and a support,” she said.
“I’ve never been a career woman striving to get to the top, I’m not trying to change the world, I’m just here to say that if you work hard, male or female, pink or blue, opportunities will come your way and you’ve got to take them when they’re presented to you.
“It’s been a big change, it’s a big job. I have a different approach than my predecessors, so I’ve probably opened a floodgate of conversation.
“But it’s challenging, it’s rewarding and it’s certainly not a role that I can walk into. I’ve got a lot to learn and I’ll be leaning on my resources for that.”
Based in Tocumwal, 20kms from Finley, with her husband and two kids, Hurlston said raising a family in the regions has always been her plan and has also served as an advantage for her professional aspirations.
“Through my journey, living and breathing regional has set me up to be able to progress my career because I am living within our client base and I can learn from industry firsthand,” Hurlston said.
“I’ve grown up in the farming community which has allowed me to gain firsthand knowledge of farming practices and the challenges our growers face being involved in decision making for farmers.
“If there is an opportunity to pursue a career in ag, I think living rurally is hugely advantageous.
Having played over 250 games for the Finley Football and Netball Club and sat on the executive teams for over 20 years, Hurlston said the regional community has long held an important place in her heart.
“Farming, sporting clubs and community just all go hand in hand in a tiny town like this where we are all supportive of each other and immersed in the community spirit,” she said.
“I have always been on the Football and Netball Club executive teams in various capacities and since taking this job, I thought I would step away from that commitment but last night was the AGM and I got a text saying you’re the public officer again (she laughed).
“So I’m very heavily involved in the community, I always have been involved in school communities, town initiatives and farming groups and that’s been instilled in me from my upbringing.”
Photo: Terri-Lea Anderson/Finley Football Netball Club.
Passionate about always expanding her network and taking up any career opportunities that come her way, Hurlston said Nutrien has been committed to providing the resources she needed to progress in her career.
“I spent the first 10 years or longer of my career talking about how it feels to be a woman working in a male dominated industry, but women are right there at the table now, making decisions and at the forefront of progressive practices like sustainability,” she said.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to be in numerous leadership programs which have really set me up for career progression and made me visible to the wider network.
“Nutrien are so committed to providing us these opportunities, not just for women, and we just need the confidence and the self-belief to take them.
“For a long time, I was one of the only females around. I was the only female Branch Manager in our division.
“But that’s shifting, we’ve got two General Managers I’ve now got two female Branch Managers with a third starting later in the year.
“So I’m no longer sitting in a room with 20 other men. I’m going to have four or five women with me now so in 21 years I’ve seen us really turn the dial on that.”