GROWING up on a mixed sheep and cropping farm between Lake Grace and Kulin, 20 year-old Jordy Medlen wasn’t too keen on agriculture.
Despite having always grown up on a farm she never considered it as a career option.
Her mum Alison came to Australia from England in her early teens and grew up in Perth, whereas her dad Ken has always been in the country and worked on the farm.
After finishing primary school at Lake Grace Jordy continued on to Narrogin Senior High School where she boarded and completed her WACE studies.
During her high school years she had no interest in agriculture and her only exposure was working on the farm during school holidays and working as a harvest casual at CBH.
“I would always help dad with sheep work and fencing but I was always more interested in pursuing a career in health,” Jordy said.
“It wasn’t until my gap year where I actually moved to Perth and tried something different I realised the city and a life without the farm really wasn’t for me.”
Jordy started thinking about careers outside of the city she could pursue and that’s when she discovered there were so many opportunities in agriculture.
“In my first year of university I completed work experience with our local agronomist and I absolutely loved it,” she said.
“From then on I have been making the most of the opportunities that arise at university to further my knowledge.”
Her agribusiness degree at Curtin University has presented many opportunities to her and other students, including the Australian Women in Agriculture conference held last year in Shepparton, Victoria.
Jordy received a scholarship to attend the three-day event and met many inspiring women and learnt about some of the upcoming developments in the agricultural industry.
She also competed in the Australian Universities Crop Competition that was held in Temora, New South Wales, last year.
Five agribusiness students competed as a team where they sat exams based on different aspects of cropping – including things that are different to local cropping programs.
Jordy, the eldest of four siblings, decided studying agriculture would give her career options.
“It meant that I would be able to pursue a career that is so important to society in regards to food supply for our growing population,” she said.
“Dad was very supportive of my decision to study agribusiness at Curtin University but never pushed me to do anything that I didn’t want to do.”
Jordy enjoys the research component using emerging technology in the industry.
She said it was exciting to think about how technology might be used in agriculture over the next decade and to have the opportunity to be involved first-hand.
“I really enjoy learning about pest management, cropping practices and the advancements in these areas to reduce resistance and improve yields,” Jordy said.
“I also enjoy the genetics side of things, as genetic breeding opens so many doors to more productive and less resistant crop species.”
Jordy sees her herself living in the country well into the future.
“I hope to pursue a career in research agronomy, as a farm management consultant or maybe even go back to the family farm,” she said.
“I love that WA agriculture is full of world-class producers of high quality food products.
“In WA the growers all have such pride in their produce and it’s something we should all be proud to be a part of.
“I also love the community behind it all and that everyone supports one another when in need.
“The people really do make the industry.”
