Women in the horticulture industry are set to tackle the gender imbalance in Australian agriculture and gain the tools and knowledge needed to develop resilience, maintain wellness and rise up the ranks in their careers at an industry event this month.

Two inspiring women will present to more than 250 attendees at the annual Women in Horticulture event, which is proudly sponsored by Boomaroo Nurseries and will be held during the Hort Connections 2019 conference in Melbourne on Wednesday 26 June.

Australian zoologist and author Tammie Matson will take to the stage to share her experiences working in southern Africa and her passion for African wildlife, particularly elephants, as well as her work as the head of WWF Australia’s species program.

Josie Thomson, CEO of Wise Advocate Enterprises and a two-time cancer survivor, will present practical ways to break through barriers of limited thinking or perceived blocks to living a truly happy, meaningful, resilient and fulfilling life.

This year’s event will also support the charity Share the Dignity, which facilitates the donation of sanitary products to allow women who are in a crisis, or homeless, with a sense of dignity at a time when they need it most. The event will conclude with the acknowledgement of the nominees for the 2019 Boomaroo Nurseries Women in Horticulture award, which will be announced at the National Awards for Excellence later that evening.

“It’s an exciting time to be a woman working in the horticulture industry and this annual event helps us celebrate the achievements and contributions of women in rural and regional Australia,” said AUSVEG Deputy Chair Belinda Adams.

“According to the National Farmers Federation, women represent about 40 per cent of the agriculture workforce but only 18 per cent of management roles and 2.3 per cent of chief executive positions. We want the horticulture industry to lead the way in bucking this trend, but if we want to boost these figures, we need to keep supporting women in the industry so they have the confidence and ability to put their hands up for these leadership positions.

“Developing resilience and maintaining wellness are becoming increasingly essential to all employees, particularly for women who juggle work with many other responsibilities. We’re looking forward to learning from the experiences and advice of both Tammie and Josie, and also supporting women who are already doing it tough by partnering with Share the Dignity.”

The Women in Horticulture event will follow the PMA A-NZ Fresh Perspectives Diversity and Inclusion Workshop and will culminate with a joint networking event for all attendees. Hort Connections 2019 is the premiere event for the horticulture industry and will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 24-26 June. For more information or to register, visit hortconnections.com.au.

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Shaun Lindhe, AUSVEG National Manager – Communications
Phone: 03 9882 0277, Mobile: 0405 977 789, Email: shaun.lindhe@ausveg.com.au