The Weekly Grill

S5 Ep9: Australian Livestock & Rural Transporters Assn president Gerard Johnson

As part of Beef Central's Top 25 Livestock Transporters feature running this month (click here to access) Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan this week chats to Gerard Johnson, president of the Australian Livestock & Rural Transporters Association.

The pair discuss some of the big issues being faced by the livestock transport industry, including regulatory matters, driver access, cost-to-operate, and road condition and access.

The Top 25 Transporters feature coincides with today's ALRTA annual conference being staged in Canberra, being attended by Beef Central's James Nason, along with about 200 delegates from across the nation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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S5 Ep8: Aussie butchers heading to Paris for World Butchers' Challenge

Five gun Australian retail butchers are competing in the World Butchers' Challenge taking place in Paris France this weekend. Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan talks with team captain, South Australian butcher, Luke Leyson about this unique competition, and Australia's chances among the 24 nations competing. 

Kerry and Luke discuss the Australian team's chances at the prestigious international event.

The podcast covers:

• Australia's previous performances at the event
• How the team prepares
• Our greatest rivals
• The competitions' format 
• What the judges are looking for and how the winner is adjudicated

They also talk about the shape of Australia's retail butchering business, value-adding, the rise of pre-prepared meals, staffing issues... and more.

 

 

The Weekly Grill is brought to readers and listeners by Rhinogard by Zoetis.

 

S5 Ep7: US Tariff scenarios with Simon Quilty, plus MLA's red meat projections with Stephen Bignell

In this week's episode, Kerry Lonergan discusses possible US Tariff scenarios with global meat trader and analyst, Simon Quilty from market intelligence firm, Global AgriTrends. Then attention turns to MLA's three year projections as Kerry chats with MLA's Market Information Manager, Stephen Bignell. 

 

Simon Quilty, Global Agribusiness

• Possible US Tariff implications

• The economic factors the US should be taking into account

• Best case scenario for Australia’s beef industry

• Should there be a different tariff for grinding meat Vs quality beef cuts?

• America lamb markets

• Alternative export markets for grinding meat

• The US traceability system

• Biosecurity issues

 

 

Stephen Bignell, MLA Manager - Market Information

 

• MLA Market Projections for the next 3 years

• Boxed beef markets: Indonesia and Vietnam 

• China - what are they buying?

• The Middle Eastern high-end market

• Carcase weights - producing more with less

• The Live trade outlook

• Local cold storage limitations

 

S5 Ep6: Steve Kay - US cattle markets, tariff impacts and more

This week’s Weekly Grill podcast features Beef Central’s regular US-based columnist Steve Kay, publisher of US Cattle Buyers Weekly, on recent tariff developments between the US and major trading partners.

 

 

While the fast-moving nature of the topic means there’s been developments on a couple of points since this item was recorded, much of the general sentiment remains.

 

Topics discussed include:

• President Trump’s delayed announcement of Tariffs

•  What the tariffs could mean for Mexico and Canada… and repercussions for Australia

• How are US meat packers dealing with reduced supply?

• The prospect of Aussie feeder cattle going to the US?

• Any sign of the herd rebuilding?

• Carcase weights. Are they too big?

• More dry conditions forecast.

• Have US export numbers dropped?

• Predictions for 2025

S5 Ep5: ALFA president Grant Garey

Teys Australia feedlot general manager Grant Garey assumed the reins as president of the grainfed sector's peak body, ALFA, in November.

He arrives in the role at an important inflection point for the grainfed industry. During this podcast conversation with Weekly Grill host Kerry Lonergan, the pair discuss recent industry growth, appetite for further expansion, how water access is challenging some projects and the rising costs of feedlot development.

Other topics on the block include:

• The issue of accessing grain/protecting against drought
• Labour challenges, and ALFA’s Feedlot X initiative
• Ongoing work with using methane-inhibiting feed additives in the intensive feeding industry
• Emerging technologies of use to lotfeeders
• The impact of providing shade in feedlots, and where the industry is up to in achieving its shade objective
• How lotfeeding is influencing average carcase weights across the industry.

S5 Ep4: Scott Wright, CEO Angus Australia

It's been 28 years since Australia last hosted a World Angus Congress, and interest across the Angus world is already reaching fever pitch ahead of the 2025 event being held in Brisbane and Tamworth in May.

 

In today's episode, podcast host Kerry Lonergan chats with Angus Australia's Scott Wright about preparations for the once-in-a-generation event. Up to 1000 Angus stakeholders from across Australia, New Zealand, North and South America and Europe are expected to gather for the Congress, Forum, and support events.

Already some red-hot tropics are emerging, including:

• Where to from here for Angus genetic progress? Can current rates of gain on eating quality, fertility and carcase traits be maintained?
• With US fed cattle carcase weights now pushing 900 pounds, is carcase size a concern in the Angus industry?
• The concepts and challenges of the Australian Beef Industry's quest for Carbon Neutral 2030

Scott provides a valuable run-down on what  stakeholders attending the event can expect.

S5 Ep3: Strategic Researcher, Howard Parry-Husbands

In today's episode, Kerry chats with veteran strategic researcher, Howard Parry-Husbands. 

 

• Working with MLA 

• Looking at the data to understand red meat eaters

• Red meat consumption in Australia

• Guilt fatigue (consumers now questioning the facts)

• What the numbers and research data tells us about the negativity towards eating red meat / animal welfare and ethics in red meat production

• Do plant-based foods pose a threat to the red meat industry? Do they have a future in our supermarkets?

• Productivity and sustainability

• Will artificial intelligence transform the way we farm?

S5 Ep2 RMAC Chair, John McKillop

In today's episode of The Weekly Grill, Kerry Lonergan chats with the Red Meat Advisory Council Independent Chair, John McKillop.

 

S5 Ep1: Regular cattle market update, with Matt Dalgleish and Chris Howie

Welcome back to Beef Central popular Weekly Grill podcast series for 2025.

Today's first episode for the year sees the return of regular market watchers, RMA's Chris Howie and Ep3's Matt Dalgleish.

Weather conditions over the next couple of months will have a strong bearing on slaughter and store cattle prices heading deeper into 2025, the pair suggest in today's discussion with host. Other topics range from the impact of Trump's tariff actions, prospects for beef sales into the US, where cattle and beef prices are at record highs after the drought driven herd collapse, currency movements and other factors.

 

The Weekly Grill is brought to readers and listeners by Rhinogard by Zoetis.

 

S4 Ep42: Foodbank's Brianna Casey and Michael Davidson

As the festive season draws closer, pressure on the nation’s critically important charity groups like Foodbank reaches its height.

Foodbank is the largest hunger relief charity in Australia, providing the ‘food pantry’ to the charity sector across the country.  This year alone, Foodbank sourced enough food for more than 92 million meals, and the number grows as cost of living pressures continue to mount.

In this final Weekly Grill podcast episode for the year, host Kerry Lonergan talks with Foodbank Australia chief executive Brianna Casey, and chief transformation officer Michael Davidson about the massive task at hand, and how people can help. Michael shares progress on the beef sector’s engagement with Foodbank, and the associated BeefBank concept.

The Weekly Grill will return with a new series in 2025.

 

The Weekly Grill is brought to readers and listeners by Rhinogard by Zoetis.