The inaugural Women in Horticulture virtual tour gave participants an opportunity to delve deeper into topics of interest.
The virtual tour was a collaboration between Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers (BFVG) and Growcom, the peak industry body for horticulture in Queensland.
BFVG managing director Bree Grima said the day at HSG at the Gardens was well received.
Bree said the event normally involved a bus stopping at local farms, where participants were able to speak with growers and see firsthand some of the local initiatives.
She said the virtual tour focused on reef water quality and monitoring, and it gave like-minded business women a chance to look at practice changes on farms.
Agribusiness women attend virtual tour
Bree said there were 35 women from local agribusinesses who attended the virtual tour.
This included people who worked on farms driving tractors, through to women who were involved in the finance or communications side of an agriculture business.
“It’s all about owning their positions and having the confidence to put their hand up for a position they may not have considered,” she said.
“We are always keen to have more people to take part in committees and boards, and a lot of the videos we have shown today have been around best management practice.
“The reason we are focusing on women is because a lot of the women are involved in the finance aspect of the business and there is a number of cost savings; we are implementing these practices and they will actually see the cost savings come through to the finance side of things, so it’s important women play more of a role.”
Huxley Hilltop Farms Kate Crook attended the Women in Horticulture virtual bus tour and said tried to attend all of the horticulture tours and found each one beneficial.
“I try and come along to these, just to meet other women and farmers as I didn’t grow up in the region, and that’s really important to me,” Kate said.
“It helps build our confidence, and I am getting a lot out of it.”
Kate said with the Women in Horticulture event focused on females it did give her a “little more confidence” but she also found that men were some of her biggest supporters.
“A lot of times women mention that they have to prove themselves in an extra way, as they are females in a male-dominated industry, and personally in my experience the men are incredible supportive, my neighbours, agronomist and others in the industry, especially within Bundaberg and the north Isis and Childers region,” she said.
“There is a lot of networking and I sat at a table where I didn’t know anyone to see what they could teach me, and picking their brains is really good.
“I’ve done the actual bus tour before and this virtual tour is really good, the farmers are here so you can still ask them questions, so it is really good!”
- Earlier report: Women in Horticulture invited on virtual bus tour
