2023 Shine Awards: Shining a light on leaders of the land

Annie Pumpa’s parents sold the family farm when she was a teenager. She says it’s the best thing that could have happened.

Shine youth award winner Annie Pumpa. Picture: Nicole Cleary

When her parents sold the family cattle farm in 2016, Annie Pumpa thought her dreams of working in the agriculture industry were over.

But what seemed like the greatest tragedy of the then teenager’s life became the catalyst that ignited her desire to forge her own path in the sector and inspire other young people to live and work in rural Australia.

“Selling our family farm was probably one of the most devastating things, I thought at the time, that had ever happened to me,” Ms Pumpa said.

“But almost 10 years on now, on reflection, I think it was one of the best things that has ever happened to me.”

Now 24, Ms Pumpa said being forced to venture out of her ­comfort zone opened her up to new opportunities.

“I was not a very confident person and if we’d still had the farm I probably would have stayed there and not gone on and explored the world and taken opportunities outside of the farm,” she said.

“I would have stayed at home, doing my day-to-day stuff.

“I think that probably fuelled my drive to stay in the industry as well.”

While she’s worked with sheep and pigs, her true passion lies in the beef sector. Since 2020, she has worked for cattle genetics and reproductive services business ABS Global, providing breeding advice to farmers.

She also served as the president of the Herefords Australia National Youth Committee, joined the board of Herefords Australia and is the chair of the Angus Youth National Roundup committee.

Ms Pumpa said she was driven to give back to the industry and the communities and mentors who had helped build her career. She lamented the drain of talent from country towns to the cities and hoped talking positively about her job and lifestyle could inspire others to follow.

“My drive is to give back to younger people that same sort of opportunity and exposure that I got at a young age,” she said.

“Agriculture isn’t defined by the person out fixing the fences anymore.

“There’s so many different ­avenues you can go down and I think that if everyone can be an advocate and talk about the ­benefits and the positive stories behind those people that are on the farm, fixing the fences, it can help connect the disconnect ­between rural communities and urban areas.”

Ms Pumpa’s passion and enthusiasm were the characteristics that led to her being chosen as the winner of the youth category for the 2023 Shine Awards.

Now in their seventh year, the Shine Awards – a collaboration with Harvey Norman and rural newspaper The Weekly Times – seek to recognise the achievements and contributions of women across rural and regional Australia.

Harvey Norman chief executive officer Katie Page-Harvey, praised the ability of all of the ­finalists to overcome the distances posed by rural life through entrepreneurial spirit, leadership and a strong sense of community.

“Importantly, the sense of community isn’t just defined by where they live, but an understanding that the solution to their own isolation will solve for other women and families unknown to them,” Ms Page-Harvey said.

“The nominees and finalists of Shine 2023 have sought to improve access to quality education, employment, commercial markets, natural disaster support, as well as health and community services.

“A long list of real contribution and change for a relatively small group of women.”