Humans of Agriculture

For 180 years Corrina Wright’s family have been growing grapes on their property at McLaren Vale, but when she took over she began to make some seismic changes. It was 1839, just years after the South Australian Colonisation Act had been passed and George Fife Angus had bought 13,000 acres of crown land for a mere 12 shillings an acre, when William and Elizabeth Oliver bought their farm from him a...

Emma Germano is a household name in Australian agriculture. Her involvement in key industry groups and bodies has been instrumental in the corporate and policy arenas where she regularly goes in to bat for farmers. A little lesser known side of Emma is the journey and learnings along the way that have been instrumental in helping her navigate the field of agripolitics and key industry roles. From...

Randall Wilksch is passionate about changing the narrative around the Australian grain industry, and a good way to do this, he thinks, is to get more women involved. Coming from a family of grain growers on South Australia’s lower peninsula, Randall Wilksh is the first to admit he fits neatly into the category of archetypal farmer. But he in no way sits idly in his stable position within the grain...

Sam Johnston and his mate, Jim, created Thank a Farmer for your Next Meal in their free time while at university in the city, but that was seven years ago, now Sam leads a very different life. It was when he began to bring city friends home in the school holidays that he recognised just how interesting everyday country life can be for those who don’t get to experience it regularly. “I remember mov...

Simone Kain is the first to admit that she’s reluctant to enter the political sphere, but, in the same breath, recognises the power and influence of the children’s books that she has created. Co-creator of the popular George the Farmer books that help educate children about the systems that work to get their food on the table and their clothes on their back, Simone Kain didn’t always see herself a...

Life for Shanna Whan was punctuated by her relationship with alcohol - she’s been the girl that was date raped, the winner of college drinking comps, the forty year old drunk and, now, the woman who started Sober in the Country. Shanna Whan’s story begins - like so many others belonging to country children - with a desperate desire to be free of boarding school. With her newfound liberation, she j...

When Amanda Moohen landed her first job in the beef industry, she was one of only five women working alongside 100 men, now, she’s pulling more women into the male-dominated sector by simply sitting down and having a drink with them. From an Albies college girl walking to morning classes in her pyjamas, to being scouted by the Australian Agricultural Company (AACo) for a new managerial role, Amand...

Country women are well known to be expert jugglers of all things farming and family, but Georgie Somerset might be one the best of all. Georgie is a rural leader who has developed an enviable CV through her broad experiences, for more than 30 years she has juggled being actively involved in the family beef business while working for some remarkable organisations.  Amongst her CV she is the Preside...

With a degree in marine biology and a love of surfing the South Coast, Ewan McAsh is transforming the Australian oyster industry from product to plate. Ewan McAsh was 24 and fresh out of university when his Dad, previously a commercial fisherman and looking to leave his office job, proposed buying an oyster farm together. To Ewan, who recently graduated with a degree in marine biology, farming nat...

Welcome to Episode 61 of the Humans of Agriculture podcast. It's the beginning of our collaboration with Antola Trading, celebrating the diverse impact and discovering the stories of some remarkable Aussies who are the newest ambassadors for the Antola workwear range.  Jane Thomson is the founder and Managing Director of The Fabulous Ladies’ Wine Society, a wine community for women that connects p...

Welcome to Episode 60 of the HoA podcast, I’m excited to be sitting down with someone who I've had the chance to get to know as well as work alongside on some project work up in the Northern Cattle industry. Hannah Murray is currently the Business Development Officer with the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association, I feel like Hannah is one of those gems of our industry that’s very much in tou...

Heidi Morris is a true advocate for the agriculture industry, at first, her name might not spring to mind but if we say Lens. Of. Rosie then maybe that will ring a few bells. Heidi has worked in the grains, cotton and beef industries in Australia as well as a stint in Canada. Her photos and the drive behind them to share more of the agriculture sector have captivated audiences. As Heidi talks abou...

If you're a fan of Rugby union these next two names should be fairly familiar for you. Lewis Holland and Charlotte Caslick are both primed for their second Olympic games, Charlotte is an Olympic gold medalist after winning gold with the Womens 7s team at Rio in 2016. What makes these two extra special is their affiliation to farming and the path that they have been on since they turned their dream...

Today I'm excited to be welcoming Jill Kelly to the podcast. For more than a decade, Jill has been a district Vet with the Local Land Services in Western NSW supporting farmers with ruminant nutrition, welfare and sustainability on farm. When she's not up to her elbow dissecting a sheep carcase, Jill's creative side flares to life as a painter where she goes by the alias of Miss Vet. I love the sa...

This week I'm excited to welcome Paddy Ward to the Humans of Agriculture Podcast. Paddy is a country boy through and through, from a childhood living out at Mount Hope he took up a lease opportunity and begun mustering goats to make a quid and support his dream of flying. He may be the unofficial Mayor of Condoblin, a community man at his core and his list of involvements in the town are extensive...

Welcome to Part 2 of these podcast with Jane Weir. Part One kicked off with Jane sharing a bit about her early life, her travels overseas and her return home to not just the family property but back into Agriculture. In Part two, Jane shares more about her recovery, she gives you an insight into her tenacity and her motivations as she went after discovering what she was truly capable of.  Enjoy! -...

Todays guest is a captivating story teller, her journey has been anything but straight forward. I first met Jane at Beef Australia, she was part of the advancing beef leaders program and shared a piece she had written in front of the audience, speaking about the importance of representation she used 'The Hat' as a symbol that represents our industry, good bad or indifferent the people wearing that...

Welcome to the Humans of Agriculture podcast with Munro Hardy. Today we chat about Munro's extensive experience and journey into agriculture to where he is today as part of the team at Agriwebb.  He's a man of mystery who over the last decade has found his home in the air working in some of the most remote places in Australia. Determined to get his 'ticket' to fly, he dreamt of being a helicopter...

G’day and welcome to episode 53 of the Humans of Agriculture podcast.  This week I’m very excited to welcome a friend and someone who I’ve got to know pretty well over the last few years as we worked together on a project and our own personal development through the NFF 2030 leaders program.  Nicole McDonald is a trained researcher in the field of vocational psychology who has put her skillset to...

Dr Holly Ludemann is a vet as well as the Founder and Managing Director of the Livestock Collective. Like all our podcasts, I wanted to understand where her story starts and where the passion comes from, the experience of putting her head up and being a face of live export at a time when the industry was facing significant external negativity, this led her to taking a team of media on board and tr...

Dr Robyn Alders was born and raised on a grazing property on the Southern Tablelands of NSW and for more than the last 30 years, has worked closely with smallholder farmers in Africa and Asia as a veterinarian, researcher and colleague. She’s Honorary Professor with the Development Policy Centre within the Australian National University, a Senior Scientific Advisor with the Chatham House Centre on...

Shannon Speight Shannon is the co-founder & CEO of Black Box Co. Shannon's career is anything but linear; born in Mount Isa she followed her parents across Australia for their work before beginning her studies with a focus on becoming a large animal vet. It was during her uni days that she stopped and reflected, and ultimately deciding to defer her studies saw Shannon heading to Northern Austr...

She's the author and photographer of five books that has seen her traverse Australia from the back of horses to the cabins of trucks. She's seen more of this country that most Australians and more of this country's agricultural industry than the average cockie. It wasn't all smooth sailing but following a life changing accident in her mid teenage years, Al Mabin has had a self-belief and a can-do...

This episode looks to do things slightly differently. After reaching the one year milestone of Humans of Agriculture and sharing more than 50 stories of people via the podcast, the opportunity presented for Oli to sit down with Jacqui Payne (JP) about some of the takeaways from these conversations, what led to the concept of Humans of Agriculture, and find out a bit more about Oli. This episode co...

Tracey Hayes is a remarkable women, her accomplishments are extensive from on the ground and in the paddock of the northern pastoral industry through to the boardrooms. Despite many setbacks and challenges throughout her career, Tracey approaches her career and life with optimism and humility and her success is a result of this. Tracey's childhood was spent on the family station at Ooonandatta, So...