The one demographic which Allison Harker says is really exciting to see in the Yass Valley is the number of professional people coming back.
She is one of them.
A fifth-generation farmer at Vale View, Yass, a property established in 1850 that predominantly runs sheep, but also has cattle and fodder production.
“When standing around any of the sporting fields in Yass, and talk to the person next to you, it is amazing what skill-sets they have,” she said.
“There are criminal lawyers that came from Sydney, there’s bank professionals, just a wealth of professional talent, here in Yass.
“I come with an investment banking background and a lot of corporate training. But the support in corporate training is not here for you. You really have to go out and find it.”
Currently the Finance Director for Vale View Partnership, Ms Harker is also a Yass Valley councillor, Chair of the Economic Development Board and a board member of South East Local land Services. She graduated for AICD and the Rural Leadership Foundation.
After living in Hong Kong for 10 years before returning to the family farm she held regional roles as a Director of Merrill Lynch/Bank of America including membership on the banks Hong Kong operating committee.
Ms Harker said it took a while for her to transition back into a particular agricultural entity.
“So I use every single corporate skill to come back to run a farm,” she said.
“Agriculture is so complex, so challenging and I think I am really glad I had this experience to look at agriculture and the farm through business eyes and not through traditional eyes, so I can make it into a viable business.”
One of the lessons Ms Harker said she learnt when returning was the amount of amazing support systems that were “out there” for people to utilise.
“I didn’t realise there are people in support groups wanting to help like Meat and Livestock Authority (MLA), Sheep Producers, Farmers Federation, and how willing they are to help if you just pick up the phone.
“My advice to young people wanting to be in this agricultural industry is to reach out and have a look at what’s out there.
“Troy Constance is right. Yass is a great place to start a business. Imagine what we can do with more effort and energy in this place.”
