Investor Information:
The Yulgilbar Foundation is a family run Private Ancillary Fund and was established in 2001 by Baillieu and Sarah Myer.
The Yulgilbar Foundation’s area of focus is rural, regional and remote Australia and more specifically, on education, environment, capacity building and Alzheimer’s research.
The family have had a long standing involvement in the rural industry, particularly in Northern NSW and are passionate to see rural and regional Australia prosper.
Website: www.yulgilbar.com.au
Nikki Gilder
2025 Nuffield Scholar
Empowering women to be on-farm decision markers: strengthening the productivity and climate resilience of farms
As the Livestock Manager on her family’s 2,500-hectare property in Merriwa NSW, Nikki Gilder oversees the 550-head Angus cow herd and complimentary trade finishing operation. The farm has been managed with regenerative agricultural practices since the 1990s, utilising rotational grazing of improved native grasslands and direct-to-abattoir finishing on pasture and crops or the on-farm feedlot depending on seasonal conditions. The family’s business also includes a winter crop rotation of canola, barley, and wheat, as well as an agricultural transport enterprise.
Before rejoining the family business, Nikki held roles at southern meat processor Greenham, as the Livestock Supply Chain Manager of natural beef programs, and at the Hunter Local Land Services as a Sustainable Agriculture Extension Officer. These positions saw her working closely with farmers making critical decisions about their business, people, and production.
Her work in the Hunter region, particularly through a Future Drought Fund supported program, emphasised the importance of mindset and mental health in decision-making.
In response to women seeking a network to confidentially discuss business, Nikki has co-founded nOURish, a group for women in the business of agriculture. The members, who work in farm businesses across the Upper Hunter, share support, resources, and accountability with each other.
Leaving corporate agriculture and its formalised support networks highlighted to Nikki the importance of building a strong network of farmers and advisors to support her decisions on farm. Her personal experiences with drought and bushfires have deepened her understanding of the need for proactive strategies in both preparing for and managing the impacts of climate volatility.
Nikki says, “The knowledge and experience women bring to farms is one of agriculture's most underutilised assets.”
“Empowering women to be on farm decision makers will strengthen the productivity and climate resilience of Australian farms. Women make up a third of the Australian agricultural workforce and yet societal norms often confine them to supportive roles rather than key decision-making positions.”
Nikki identifies three key barriers that need to be addressed: participation, confidence, and support networks. Nikki emphasises that the knowledge and perspective women bring to the table must be recognised and considered for all roles from entry level to managerial positions.
Through her Nuffield study, Nikki aims to collaborate with and learn from farmers and organisations focused on decision making.
By traveling within Australia and New Zealand, as well as places like Italy, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, California, and Alberta - regions where agriculture is similarly affected by drought and bushfires - she seeks to explore innovative approaches to planning, particularly through farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing.
P: 0427 838 535