Payton Jennings making waves in meat industry as Nolan Meats buyer

A local 23-year-old has become an inspiration for other women after working her way to becoming a buyer for Nolan Meats in the male-dominated industry of cattle sales.

Goomeri's Payton Jennings making waves in meat industry as Nolan Meats buyer. Picture: Terry Nolan.

A young 23-year-old Goomeri woman and Nolan Meats livestock buyer is making waves in the male-dominated cattle saleyard industry and paving the way for other women who have similar interests.

Payton Jennings, who grew up in Pomona, recently appeared in an article by Meat Business Women, where she discussed her journey to becoming a saleyard buyer.

With a keen interest in livestock and agriculture, Ms Jennings became employed as a worker in the Nolan Meats Stock team after graduating from Noosa District High School.

“I worked in a few different places, but in January 2018 I went back to Nolan Meats, partly in the Stock Team, but mostly in the Admin Team as a Livestock Clerk,” Ms Jennings said.

“After about two and a half years Terry Nolan asked me if I would like to do some saleyard buying.

“I had spoken to plenty of livestock vendors over the phone and so I jumped at the chance to attend actual saleyards.”

Nolan Meats, East Deep Creek, is Gympies largest private employer. Attribution: Nolan Meats

Local livestock agent for Gympie Saleyards Dan Sullivan said in the Meat Business Women’s article that female involvement in the industry was “terrific” and is happy to see new buyers attending.

“It is great that Nolan Meats have seen the potential in young Payton and the willingness to give her a go,” Mr Sullivan said.

“She holds her own among the men jostling for the best value buys on any given day.

“She is certainly not the first lady we have seen buying for the larger companies but even in this day and age you would have to say she is still in a very small minority.”

When asked by Meat Business Women if there are career opportunities for women in the meat industry, Ms Jennings said “absolutely”.

“At Nolan Meats we have girls as electricians, fitters, skilled knife hands, Meat Inspectors, MSA Graders, Environmental Officers, HR Specialists as well as admin positions,” she said.

“We are only limited by our desire to have a go.”

Settling in to her new role, Ms Jennings is still “learning a lot” and has just bought a property at Goomeri with her partner.

Ms Jennings is now a mentor for other young women in the industry like Widgee’s Maddy Carter, who is learning the ropes as a Livestock Clerk at Nolan Meats.

Originally published as Payton Jennings making waves in meat industry as Nolan Meats buyer