As we celebrate International Women’s Day, it’s worth recognising the vital role women play in agriculture, including the cotton industry. Emily O’Shannessy is one of many young women shaping the future of cotton production in Australia.

Emily O’Shannessy is an agronomist in the heart of one of Australia’s emerging cotton regions, having made the move to Kununurra from Moree after a brief four-day visit during a trip around Australia with her husband.

Those four days were enough to draw Emily and her husband back to the East Kimberley where they’re making a life for themselves in the cotton industry.

“Kunners, as the locals call it, is such a vibrant, welcoming community with plenty to do and see,” Emily said.

“With the cotton industry only just beginning up here, I wanted the chance to share my knowledge and skills with the Ord Valley growers.”

Emily made the transition to Cotton Grower Services (CGS) Kununurra at the start of 2025, following four years working for B&W Rural in Moree and Narrabri where she first cut her teeth in the industry after completing university.

The move north has certainly been an exciting learning curve, with some key differences in the way cotton is grown in the Ord Valley, particularly the fast growth of cotton and weeds.

“The plants really jump out of the ground here and you need to be on the ball from the start to control growth and manage weed pressure,” Emily said.

While working in the East Kimberley is hot and humid, Emily said she absolutely loves that every day is filled with beautiful views and endless learning, including plenty of “weird and wonderful” questions from Ord Valley growers.

“I love that you can go to any field and be surrounded by the most stunning scenery,” she said.

“It doesn’t feel like work when you get to do it with picturesque views at every turn.”

She also loves the variety of her role and says there’s no such thing as a typical day for an agronomist. Most days involve being out in the paddock scouting for pests, talking to growers about how crops are progressing, coordinating chemical deliveries, and balancing report writing and managing stock back in the office.

Having always wanted to be involved in agriculture, Emily was originally drawn to cotton through her honours project in her final year of university, with Dr Oliver Knox as her lecturer. She was fascinated by the intensity of cotton production and went on take part in the Elders Graduate Program which resulted in securing a role with B&W Rural where she worked under Peter Birch to advise growers with irrigated and dryland cotton.

Since moving to Kununurra, Emily has been keen to further develop her leadership skills to more effectively communicate with growers to help them achieve the best results from their crops.

Earlier this year, she was named a 2026 Future Cotton Leader which she hopes will be an opportunity to build networks that will shape her career for years to come. She’s excited to challenge herself and develop skills that will benefit both her and the wider industry in the long-term.

“I want to grow as a young professional to encourage positive change within my branch, my valley and the wider industry,” Emily said.

“I’m grateful to have this opportunity to participate in the Future Cotton Leaders Program and thank all my supportive family, friends and colleagues who have helped me get to this point.”

Emily is proud to contribute to an industry she cares deeply about, and International Women’s Day is a timely reminder of the evolving contributions women make to agriculture. The cotton industry continues to benefit from women like Emily who, in her own words, “bring a different perspective, an empathy for growers and a drive for change”.