Women can do it all in Agriculture

Agriculture Minister Leanne Donaldson has highlighted the contribution of women in agriculture and science in Queensland during a visit to Sugar Research Australia’s (SRA) Meringa research station.

“During the visit today, I was pleased to see so many talented, dedicated women driving innovation and research in the Australian sugarcane industry at Meringa,” the Minister said.

“I had the opportunity to sit down and listen to what inspired these women to start a career in agriculture and sugar research.

“I congratulate SRA on demonstrating its commitment to women in its workforce and leading by practical example to show that there are bright career paths in both science and agriculture in Queensland.

Plant Breeder and Senior Researcher, Dr Felicity Atkin said she came to the industry by accident but it was an industry she had a great passion for and that she found very rewarding.

“I really fell into cane research by accident, but I shouldn’t have been surprised really as I was following the footsteps of my father who worked in the sugar industry in the late 1960s as a sugar chemist for CSR”, Dr Atkin said.

“I love the opportunity to be at the forefront of innovative research to develop exciting, more productive, and disease resistant new varieties, and take great pride in the outcomes this can deliver to our hard working growers.

“It is also great to see so many other women as part of SRA and I encourage more young women to think about a career in agriculture.”

Minister Donaldson said many of SRA’s research activities at Meringa were supported with co-investment from the Queensland Government, through an annual $2.85 million contribution by Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF).

The Meringa research station conducts a wide range of research activities and is also the engine room of the sugarcane breeding program, producing seed for all of SRA’s plant breeding activities for the Australian industry.

SRA chief executive officer Neil Fisher said SRA was proud of its gender diversity and the contribution that women made to organisation, which has approximately 160 staff at 10 locations.

“The SRA permanent workforce is 43 percent female,” Mr Fisher said.

“We are also proud that many of our key staff, including researchers, are female and that we continue to develop a young workforce of new scientists and technicians, both male and female, who play such an important role in their career in delivering positive outcomes for sugarcane growers and millers.

 “SRA thanks the Minister for her visit today to see first-hand the collaboration that SRA shares with DAF, as well as for the State Government’s contribution to sugarcane industry research through SRA.”

SRA’s Meringa research station south of Cairns began operation in 1917 and since then it has been a critical research resource that contributes productivity outcomes for sugarcane growers and millers.

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