Lizzie McClymont has devoted her life to a productive career in agriculture.
At just 28-years-old, she has worked in international meat sales for six years, managing big domestic and export accounts in the Middle East, North America and the United Kingdom.
But, in her most recent role, Lizzie is home-based as the remote marketing business partner for Elders Queensland and the NT.
“It is the most incredible role and I just love it,” she said.
“There are four aspects to it, events, sponsorship, digital and training.
“My manager is based in Adelaide and he says, ‘Do it Lizzie! You have my full support’. And I love that. It just gives you so much confidence doesn’t it?
“It empowers you.”
Growing up on a family farm near Goondiwindi, Lizzie attended Kindon State School, which her grandparents started in 1963, and which then had seven students.
She boarded at Toowoomba Prep from grade six then on to Fairholme College, before studying a four-year Bachelor of Animal Science course with honours in meat science at the University of New England in Armidale.
Fulfilling a life-long dream, Lizzie exchanged to study in the United States at the University of Wyoming for six months in her third year.
“Traveling to study was certainly a defining moment in my life,” she said.
“The people were amazing and I just loved America.
“Their tertiary educational system is next level.
“It’s so engaging, classes are compulsory and Americans are so competitive – as Americans are – and it drives all those students to just always want to do better.”
With one external subject left to complete, Lizzie began a job in sales and production in 2016 with OBE Organic Australia.
Based in Brisbane, OBE Organic began in the 1990s as the first and only premium meat exporter that was 100 per cent dedicated to the production of organic beef in Australia.
Lizzie was managing sales of the world’s best organic beef to celebrity-filled restaurants and retailers in North America.
“It was an incredible experience,” she said. “I was a 23-year-old traveling to America every three months to build relationships with customers and sell them organic beef. It was amazing.
“Grass-fed Australian beef still holds a very strong reputation in that health-conscious US market.”
Seeking a permanent move overseas in 2018, Lizzie secured a role with Irish company Kepak, managing Tesco’s accounts in the United Kingdom.
“That was next level. Huge. I was managing an account worth 150 million euro,” she said.
“Like it was just one of those experiences. I look back on those days. It was just incredible.”
Lizzie returned after 18 months and in 2020 began working for Mort & Co as a sales manager, marketing premium Wagyu and Angus into international markets.
But with Lizzie based in Toowoomba and her partner Andrew working as a cropping manager near Goondiwindi, she sought more flexible working arrangements from an employer.
“Travelling to be together became unsustainable and I started looking for remote jobs because I wanted to continue my career,” she said.
“But, it was a tough time to have those discussions with my partner about what our future held.
“He loves his job and there’s lots of room for him to grow. So, it was down to me then and what I could do.
“And I’ve been asked this a few times, ‘why is it that the woman always has to move?’ But, I’m really lucky with this role that I’m in with Elders.”
Lizzie said she remained philosophical about leaving an industry she had devoted so much time to but, ultimately, the male/ female gender imbalance and workplace inflexibility left little choice.
“The meat industry is what I was born into and raised in so I love the connection my work had to my family,” she said.
“I think that was what hit me hardest.
“My parents are involved in it and it was always a topic of conversation among my family. It was more than just a day-to-day job for me, absolutely.”
Lizzie said while she had a strong female leader at OBE Organic Australia, she believes it remains tricky for women to progress in the meat industry.
“There are some amazing women in there and I just take my hat off to them,” she said. “Because yes, their perseverance is incredible.
“The saying, ‘confidence is hard to build and easy to lose’ is true. I had to sort of duck out to rebuild that confidence, I think.
“But, you know, I’m still working in agriculture.
“I remember during a scholarship interview last year saying, ‘Everything I’ve done in my life has been intentional to get me to where I am today’.
“And, it couldn’t be more true. Everything I’ve done has been for agriculture and the industry that I have always loved.”
