"Don't be a farmer".
This was the rhetoric of my childhood, growing up on an historical beef, dairy and cropping property. I grew up watching the financial, physical and mental toll deregulation of the dairy industry, and then the millennium drought had on my parents.
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"Pick a career that's financially viable".
Coupled with my - and my father's - battle with the Black Dog, I was put off going back to the land. The trials and tribulations we had endured as a family were too great, so I willingly - and seemingly happily - took heed of my parents' warning, and an embarked on a career as a lawyer.
"What makes you happy?"
I thrived (and like to think I still do) in my role as a lawyer - the experiences I have had, and knowledge I have gained is unparalleled. Notwithstanding my passion for the law, and knowledge of the difficulties associated with a life on the land; it was through treatment for my Black Dog that I came to realise that the material driver behind my thoughts, feelings and actions, was due to my love of the land.
"But, you're a lawyer."
Navigating the harmony between a career in law and life as a grazier has its moments, and many people outside my circle of influence have been surprised by the juxtaposition that is the two professions. On face value, one would agree, however, as I evolve in each career, I realise just how many skills are interchangeable. My ability to read clients or opponents in the courtroom, has come from my aptitude in reading livestock. The patience I have for teaching and encouraging next generation lawyers and agribusiness professionals, has come from working with livestock in the 'patch work quilt' that has been our timber cattle yards at home. And the ability to find quick, tangible solutions to complex legal issues, has evolved from the requirement to make economic, 'temporary-permanent' fixes to broken yards or equipment on the farm.
"Elegant to watch. Silent and calm".
During a recent sabbatical from the law, my parents commented on just how calm I am in the cattle yards. I savour every sound, every movement, and every sight - because it's a world away from phone calls, emails and court deadlines. Significantly, I am not alone. Many young agribusiness professionals across Australia, are donning the corporate hat at the same time as the Akubra, and utilising their professional and agricultural skills interchangeably.
That is the elegance of our generation - we embrace the juxtaposition between corporate agribusiness and primary production - because it's how we operate, and how we are creating a more resilient and dynamic agricultural industry.
Also read:
- Caitlin McConnel is an agribusiness lawyer, a sixth-generation grazier, and chair of the Future Farmers Network, the only independent national organisation supporting all young people in Australian agriculture.
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