Her efforts in that regard were honoured by her employers last week, on International Day of Rural Women.
Emma is general manager of Eastern Victoria and Riverina for Nutrien Ag Solutions, and she is considered to be one of the reasons why we’re shifting the focus from women working in agriculture to being leaders in the industry.
Twenty-one years after returning home from university to begin working for the business as a customer liaison officer in Finley, Emma was recently promoted to her current role and heads up 32 branches and 210 employees across southern NSW and Eastern Victoria.
She said her time in the industry hasn’t been about changing stereotypes or setting agendas, but trusting in hard work and loving what you do.
“I loathe when people give me the career women tagline. I am a woman, I am a worker, a mother, a daughter, a wife.
“I work really hard in my job and I want to be successful as a provider and a supporter.
“I’ve never been a career woman striving to get to the top. I’m not trying to change the world, I’m just here to say that if you work hard, male or female, opportunities will come your way, and you’ve got to take them when they’re presented to you.
“It’s been a big change, it’s a big job. I have a different approach than my predecessors, so I’ve probably opened a floodgate of conversation.
“But it’s challenging, it’s rewarding, and it’s certainly not a role that I can walk into. I’ve got a lot to learn, and I’ll be leaning on my resources for that.”
Based in Tocumwal, 20km from Finley, where she lives with her husband and two kids, Hurlston said raising a family in the regions has always been her plan.
It has also served as an advantage for her professional aspirations.
“Through my journey, living and breathing regional has set me up to be able to progress my career because I am living within our client base and I can learn from growers firsthand,” she said.
“I’ve grown up in the farming community, which has allowed me to gain firsthand knowledge of farming practices and the challenges our growers face being involved in decision-making for farmers.
“If there is an opportunity to have a career in ag, I think living rurally is hugely advantageous.”
Despite her busy work and family life, Emma also still has time to get involved in the community.
She’s a valued member of the Finley Football Netball Club, notching up 250 netball games in 2019 and taking on executive roles over a period of 20 years.
“Farming, sporting clubs and community just all go hand in hand in a tiny town like this. We are all supportive of each other and immersed in the community spirit,” she said.
Passionate about always expanding her network and taking up any career opportunities that come her way, Emma said Nutrien has been committed to providing the resources she needed to progress in her career.
“I spent the first 10 years or longer of my career talking about how it feels to be a woman working in a male dominated industry, but women are right there at the table now, making decisions and at the forefront of progressive practices like sustainability,” she said.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to be in numerous leadership programs, which have really set me up for career progression and made me visible to the wider network.
“Nutrien are so committed to providing us these opportunities, not just for women, and we just need the confidence and the self-belief to take them.
“For a long time, I was one of the only females around. I was the only female branch manager in our division, but that’s shifting. We’ve got two general managers, I’ve now got two female branch managers with a third starting later in the year.
“So I’m no longer sitting in a room with 20 other men. I’m going to have four or five women with me now. So in 21 years, I’ve seen us really turn the dial on that.”
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