When Jazmin Madden’s high school agriculture team closed down when she was in Year 11, it was just the sign she needed to take things into her own hands.
“Rather than let it get me down, I decided to branch off and create my own cattle stud when I was 17,” she says.
“I was given my first cow as a start, and since then, she’s had two calves, and we’ve just added four heifers this year.”
Amongst attending cattle shows, running the stud, and working part time, Jazmin is also studying a Bachelor of Agriculture/Bachelor of Business at UNE.
One year down, and she says her degree has already equipped her with valuable skills needed for her agribusiness journey.
The business side of my degree also allows me to have that depth of knowledge when talking to people about my stud and where I’m going with it.
“I’m finding it really interesting because aspects of my course are helping me with my own farming, for example, they might mention soil improvement techniques, and I can go home and trial that myself,” she says.
“The business side of my degree also allows me to have that depth of knowledge when talking to people about my stud and where I’m going with it. Already, I can have a detailed conversation about it, whereas someone who hasn’t studied a business degree might not have that business planning capability that you need to succeed in this industry.”
Based in Middle Brother on the mid-north coast of NSW, Jazmin studies online through the Taree Universities Campus, which she says has helped her productivity and access to opportunities.
With the help of those at the study centre, Jazmin has flourished during her first year of university. She recently received the Hunter Local Land Services Scholarship, which saw her receive $5000 to go towards her studies.
Jazmin says she’s grateful for scholarships like these that encourage young women like herself to embark on a career in agriculture.
There are a lot of women in agriculture, don’t get me wrong, and they’re very strong, powerful women, but I think there would be more if there was more of an effort to encourage women to get into the sector.
“I think there’s a bit of a stigma for women in agriculture, and while it’s slowly being broken down, there is still some way to go,” she says.
“There are a lot of women in agriculture, don’t get me wrong, and they’re very strong, powerful women, but I think there would be more if there was more of an effort to encourage women to get into the sector.”
This is something Jazmin hopes to do when she finishes her degree and gets some experience working in different parts of the industry.
“Once I get experience in the workplace or in a lab, then later on I’d like to go and become a teacher,” she says.
“I feel like I’d be able to bring a lot of knowledge to that from my experiences.”
As for those who might be considering a career in Agriculture but don’t know how to make the leap, Jazmin has one tip.
“My only advice is to just give everything a crack,” she says.
"By delving into different opportunities you’ll find there’s a myriad of things available that you might not have considered if you didn’t put your foot in that door."
