In focus: International Day of Rural Women

From entering the industry as a young woman without a farming background to celebrating her business’s third year of operation, 28-year-old Owner and Director of Imperial Bovine Breeding Services, Billi Marshall, reflects on her time in the agricultural industry in honour of this year’s International Day of Rural Women.

Established to acknowledge the important contribution rural women make to their communities and the global economy, the International Day of Rural Women focuses on the critical roles women play within the agricultural industry.

In Australia, women represent about 32% of our agricultural workforce overall and 29% of our agriculture owner-operators – both categories that Billi falls into.

Billi is also a member of the influx of women who have entered the industry over the recent years, representing almost two-thirds of the overall expansion in the agricultural workforce.

Stepping into the beef industry

By the time Billi hit her teens, she knew she was interested in dipping her toes into the agricultural industry.

“I started out by completing a couple of ag certificates through school to test the waters, but it wasn’t long before I felt ready to dive in and gain some practical experience,” she said.

Upon finishing school, Billi began spending her weekdays at an agricultural college and her weekends working on nearby properties.

“I dedicated every spare minute I could to working with cattle, moving sheep, or lamb marking –  I had really fallen in love with everything in ag,” Billi said.

“After finishing college, I ended up working in cropping for a few years, and while it was a great experience, it ultimately confirmed that working with beef cattle was where my true passion lied.”

In 2018, Billi was invited by the local cattle vet, Dr Matt Carrick from BOS Vet & Rural, to work alongside him as a technician in Dongara, WA.

“Over the course of three years, Matt trained me in all aspects of cattle reproduction before offering for me to buy out half his business and go off on my own,” Billi said.

“So, at 24-years-old, I put on my big girl pants, created Imperial Bovine Breeding Services, and I haven’t had a day off or looked back since.”

Despite a non-farming background, Billi has been interested in agriculture since she was young.

Putting aside the fear of rejection

From Western Australia’s coastal sandplains to its red desert, Billi’s typical day often includes long car rides across these landscapes.

Travelling an average distance of 10,000km per month, Billi provides her breeding services to producers located across the Pilbara region, right through the Gascoyne region, and deep into the Mid-West region.

While her schedule regularly includes all things reproduction – from embryo transfers to vaccine programs and artificial insemination – Billi also often delivers breeding and bull selection advice to producers through her business and MLA’s BeefUp forums – which is something she said hasn’t come easy.

“Entering the industry, especially as a young woman with a non-producer background, can be an incredibly daunting experience – but telling a fourth-generation producer in his 50s what to do can be even more daunting,” Billi said.

However, Billi said that despite her reservations about how she would be received, people in the red meat industry have proven both welcoming and willing to help.

“In my time in the industry, I have never had someone flat out reject any of my requests for help,” she said.

“Whether they’ve provided mentorship, guidance, work experience, education, or even simply connected me with another person better suited to my request, every person I have encountered in the industry has been willing to offer whatever help they can.

“I felt quite nervous about asking others to aid me while I was finding my footing, but I took comfort in the knowledge that the worst that could happen to me was being told ‘no’,” Billi said.

“I think that’s an important thing for everyone who is just starting out to remember – the word ‘no’ won’t take away any skills or knowledge you already have. There is no need to fear it.”

“Connections are valuable, and so are opportunities to expand your skills and knowledge, but you aren’t going to achieve either of those things if you don’t put aside your fears and ask for them.

“Ask someone working in the role you want for mentorship, ask a producer for work, and ask your boss for permission to attend a work-relevant workshop.”

Investing in education

In addition to the people who said ‘yes’, Billi said her role as a young female business owner is also largely thanks to her desire to learn.

“The education I invested in early on, whether it was to obtain a qualification or gain practical experience, provided me with confidence, industry insights and knowledge that ultimately fast-tracked my career,” she said.

Despite owning her own business and being a past presenter at one of MLA’s BeefUp forums, Billi believes there’s still an opportunity to learn more.

“Educational opportunities are so incredibly valuable, and I recommend continuously pursuing them throughout your life,” Billi said.

“It’s never too late to learn something new or make changes to your business and with ever-evolving technologies, resources and strategies creating solutions to improve the profitability and longevity of our industry, it can prove to be a worthwhile investment.”

Beyond university, work experience, and mentorship, Billi said workshops are key to keeping on top of new developments within the industry.

“There are a plethora of workshops and forums available that offer education on how to make the most of tools and resources available, provide market insights, discuss strategies on managing on-farm production systems, and provide information on current and completed research,” she said.

“These workshops are often suitable to both young people starting out and those who have been working in the industry for decades.”

“So, subscribe to mailing lists, follow businesses on social media, keep up to date with MLA’s events calendar, and when the opportunity to attend an event comes, ensure that you attend.”

You can read more about some of Billi’s thoughts on reproductive decisions to boost herd performance here.