Demelza Dalglish is South Island sales manager for Ravensdown.

What first drew you to a career in the rural sector, and what keeps you passionate about working with farmers and the land?

I was fortunate to grow up on a sheep and beef farm in Le Bons Bay on Banks Peninsula, and those early years gave me a deep connection to the land and the people who care for it. Farm life teaches you lessons early - resilience when things don't go to plan, humility in the face of weather you can't control, and respect for people who get up every day and do it all again. That connection to the land and it's people has stayed with me, and it naturally pulled me back into agriculture as a career.

What inspires me most about the rural sector is the calibre of its people. Farmers are some of the hardest-working and most grounded individuals you'll ever meet, and I hold immense respect for that work ethic. Having benefited from a strong education, I see it as both a responsibility and a privilege to apply that knowledge in a way that supports farmers. I am motivated to contribute meaningfully to their businesses - helping them make decisions that not only lift sustainable productivity today but also safeguard their land and businesses for tomorrow.

It’s humbling to be part of an industry that quite literally feeds the world. To know that the work I do, even in a small way, helps farmers succeed and ensures food on people’s tables - that’s what keeps me passionate. Agriculture is more than a job; it’s a purpose, and I feel incredibly fortunate to play a role in it.

How have you found building a career in agribusiness, an area still often seen as male-dominated?

Building a career in agribusiness has been both rewarding and at times intimidating stepping into a space that is male dominated. I've focused on building credibility through science, productivity, and backing myself, and learning from the people around me - both male and female.

Ravensdown has an incredible depth of knowledge and I've taken every opportunity to learn from colleagues across the business.

The agricultural sector has come a long way over the last 5-10 years in terms of female representation, and is only getting better. It's exciting to be part of that change to show that women can thrive and lead in agribusiness.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a woman working in the rural sector, and how have you navigated them?

As women, I think we naturally carry the weight of caring deeply about the people and the world around us. For me, that has often shown up as overthinking - lying awake at night wondering, Did I say the right thing? Did I offend anyone? Was that good enough? It comes from a place of wanting to do well and not let anyone down, but I’ve realised how much energy can be lost in that cycle.

I’ll never forget listening to Emma Poole’s acceptance speech when she became the first female winner of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year in 2023. She said that often a woman’s biggest obstacle is herself, and she's right. I can think of countless times when I’ve almost talked myself out of an opportunity, not because I wasn’t capable, but because I was worried about how it might be perceived.

The beauty of this challenge is that it can also be your biggest asset. That tendency to reflect deeply, hold ourselves to account and want to improve, are the same qualities that drive excellence. The key is learning to channel that reflection in a constructive way. Instead of asking, Was I good enough? I’ve learned to ask, How could I do that better next time? What can I learn from this? How do I take it one step further? When we reframe self-doubt into self-improvement, it shifts from being a barrier to being a powerful asset. And that’s when we stop holding ourselves back and start leaning into the opportunities that allow us to thrive.

Who or what has inspired you most in your career, and how do you encourage or support other women entering rural professions?

I'm inspired by my parents and family to make them proud, and my fiancé Jack who has been my strongest supporter. I wouldn't be where I am today without him.

Academically I owe a lot to Professor Derrick Moot at Lincoln University, who told me in my third year of my Bachelor of Agricultural Science when I asked him to be my Honours Professor that unless I came back to him with proof of some A grades, I wasn't worth his time. He said it in much nicer words I'm sure, but this was the first of many lessons he would teach me in the years that followed. The determination I built under his guidance to do the very best I could academically carried on through my career with Ravensdown. Unfortunately for him, his job was never done even after I graduated, as I still drop in from time to time when I need pragmatic advice.

I'm trying to support women into agriculture by showing them how it can be done - representation at the top. When I first started at Ravensdown five and a half years ago there were no women in sales leadership roles above the Senior Agri Manager position. I hope to be the reason someone thinks hard about a career in agriculture, and even better still, in leadership.

What changes would you like to see for women in rural professional roles in the years ahead?

I hope to see women build confidence to back themselves and pursue opportunities without hesitation.

I'd like to see the agricultural sector normalise women in all roles, with emphasis on leadership and decision-making roles, not just support or administrative positions.  Achieving this will require greater flexibility in the workplace, so women can progress their career while balancing family and other responsibilities.

1. Rural Women:
       If you had to describe rural women in three words, what would they be?

Underestimated, resilient, pivotal.