Megan Hodge, Area Manager

Working with local farmers to reach their goals

Reflective of the nature of agriculture, Rabobank Shepparton Branch Manager Megan Hodge will have little time to celebrate National Ag Day this year – her day will include a full on-farm schedule, both personally and professionally – but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“This year’s National Ag Day theme is ‘sustainability and education’, so while I may not have much of a chance to stop and reflect, I feel very fortunate that I will be at the coalface, helping farmers make meaningful progress towards sustainable and educated outcomes.”

Megan, who has been with Rabobank for four years – although has enjoyed a 14 year career working in agribusiness across NSW and Victoria, will spend this National Ag Day with a progressive local dairy farming family, currently in expansion mode, realising their dreams of a fully-housed dairy. 

And, with harvest on the irrigated and dryland cropping property she shares with her partner gearing up, it will be a quick turn-around after work, no doubt, she laughs ‘spending time on the logistics of moving utes, tractors, trucks and chaser bins around!’

Megan grew up beef cattle farming, originally in a breeding operation and later backgrounding and growing out steers to market, and remains involved in the family farm, as well as her own operation.

As such, she has a deep appreciation for the challenges her clients face, as well as the wonderful opportunities farming affords.

“Growing up I loved the animal work, with cattle and some sheep, and riding horses all day, with cattle work done on horseback at the time,” she said.

“Looking back, that sort of freedom and stimulation is unique, there is always something to do for work or play.  We learned to drive utes and trucks and bikes, break in horses, drive tractors and gear for mowing or feeding out – it provided a wonderful grounding for life and work in general.”

Seeking a regional lifestyle, and a job not entirely bound to the office, Megan kept her options open when choosing her career path.

“Agriculture offers such a massive range of careers, and the lines are continually blurring,” she said.

“I completed an Ag Science degree as well as a Diploma of Education – so teaching was always a back-up plan – but as it turned out agribanking ticked all the boxes for me.”

The opportunity to work with some of Australia’s most exciting and forward thinking farmers, within the Rabobank team – which Megan says, is united in working towards the best outcome for every client – remains a thrill.

“Our farmers are well-educated and technologically sophisticated, and it’s very exciting being able to work so closely with them to achieve their goals and best practice and help lead agriculture towards a sustainable future.”

“I also feel very lucky that I can still enjoy all the unique aspects of farming, and put my learnings into practice, in the meantime.”

And while her on-farm commitments will take priority this National Ag Day, Megan is well-versed in the priority of the paddock.

“I’m very used to working through milestones and events,” she laughs. “Even Christmas Day was never complete without at least three loads of hay being carted into the shed before lunch with the extended family.”