02 October 2026, AU: Twelve women from the Mukinbudin district have travelled to Western Australia’s Ord Valley as part of a unique agricultural study tour.
The tour was designed to explore innovative farming systems, build industry connections and celebrate the important role women play in agriculture.
The tour was organised by Elders Mukinbudin Branch Manager Maree Le Moignan in recognition of the United Nations’ International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, a global initiative established to recognise women’s vital contributions to agriculture and food security while highlighting opportunities to address gender inequalities across agrifood systems.
“When I discovered 2026 had been named the International Year of the Woman Farmer, I saw it as a wonderful opportunity to bring together a group of local women and learn from others working in agriculture in different parts of Australia,” Maree said.
“Women play an incredibly important role in farming businesses, regional communities and food production, and this was a chance to recognise that contribution while creating opportunities to learn from one another.”
“We wanted to gain a better understanding of the challenges, opportunities and technologies being used in the Ord Valley and compare those experiences with what we’re seeing on our own farms in the Wheatbelt.”
During the tour, participants explored the Ord Valley irrigation scheme and visited local farming properties to gain firsthand insights into irrigated agriculture and diverse cropping systems. The group also toured the Kununurra Cotton Gin and Ord Co-operative, learning more about cotton processing, agricultural retail and farming in a remote region.
One of the participants, Ellen Maddock, said one of the most valuable aspects of the tour was seeing how growers in the Ord Valley work together to support one another and the wider agricultural industry.
“What interested me most was seeing how they all work together through the co-op. They sort of work a bit more collectively because of where they are, and the isolation they have means they’ve built the co-op and work closely together as a community,” Ellen said.
“It was a whole new experience and quite mind-blowing to see how everything works together.”
Another participant, Tanya Sprigg, said the tour exceeded expectations and provided valuable insights into agricultural systems very different from those in the Wheatbelt.
“Doing the cotton gin tour was unbelievable. Seeing the cotton come straight from the field and go through the entire gin process gave me a completely different appreciation of the industry,” Tanya said.
“The farmers treated us like they were someone we’d known before, and all the sponsors who gave us this opportunity, we’re so grateful for that.”
Elders Mukinbudin Branch extends its appreciation to Summit Fertiliser, Adama, Bayer, FMC, Nufarm, Titan AG, Vicchem and Mukinbudin Transport for their support and helping make the study tour possible.
Global Agriculture is an independent international media platform covering agri-business, policy, technology, and sustainability. For editorial collaborations, thought leadership, and strategic communications, write to pr@global-agriculture.com
