The Weekly Grill

S4 Ep34: Lotfeeder and grainfed branded beef exporter, Lachie Hart

The head of the vertically-integrated Stockyard grainfed beef business, Lachie Hart, sat down last week for an extended chat with Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan.

Among a host of topics touched on by the pair was Stockyard’s experiences as one of Australia’s trail blazers in the field of sustainability performance-linked finance; the rapidly growing cost to operate in the commercial lotfeeding industry; Stockyard as a multi-generational family business; trials and adoption of new technologies like live animal scanning for marbling performance; and how the Stockyard business has evolved from its earlier heavy focus on Japan to other high-value export markets like the Middle East.

 

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S4 Ep33: Evolving state of Australia's rural property market, with LAWD's Danny Thomas

 

There's a lot happening in the international and domestic environment that's shaping the Australian rural property market heading towards 2025, leading property marketing identity Danny Thomas tells Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan in this week's episode.

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

 

S4 Ep32: Turning the tide on the anti-farming agenda - Claire Taylor

Young Scotswoman Claire Taylor has risen in prominence as an ag communicator since tackling a Nuffield Scholarship last year, helping turn the tide on the global anti-farming agenda.

Farming is coming under increasing fire on multiple fronts, and the industry has a job to do, to rise above the noise and present a stronger, more united voice against many of the criticisms thrown at its door, she tells Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan in this week’s episode.

Throughout her Nuffield scholarship, Claire uncovered brilliant examples where farming has a voice at the decision-making table and strong relations with policymakers, the media, and members of the public. Her objective is to share these stories and encourage farmers to step outside the agricultural echo chamber and better communicate with members of the public, media and politicians, to ensure their voices are not only heard, but valued.

Claire grew up on a small beef farm on the west coast of Scotland, later studying Politics and International Relations at Edinburgh University. She spent ten years working with the BBC and the Scottish Farmer – first as a reporter and later as political editor - covering the ag sector she cares so passionately about.

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S4 Ep31: Agribusiness lawyer Trent Thorne on livex class action, legalities around drone use

Recent episodes of animal activists using drones to intrude on feedlot sites has reignited interest in laws and rights over intrusion on private property.

 

In this week's Weekly Grill podcast with host Kerry Lonergan, Brisbane-based agribusiness lawyer Trent Thorne from Hamilton Locke steps through the laws, regulations and rights surrounding drone use, and how they apply to commercial businesses like feedlots and cattle properties.

Among other topics, the pair also discuss developments in the long-standing live export class action following the suspension of live export cattle trade into Indonesia in 2011, and what it takes to climb Mt Everest.

 

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S4 Ep30: MLA managing director, Michael Crowley

Meat & Livestock Australia's new managing director Michael Crowley has well and truly got his feet under the desk since kicking off in his new job in late May.

 

 

Many in the industry got their first insight on Mr Crowley's take on the industry service delivery company's future direction in an address to the Queensland Rural Pres Club last month.

One of his key visions is to see Value-Based Marketing embedded within the Australian beef industry, delivering performance-based payments to producers that factor in meat yield, as well as meat quality and carcase traits.

 

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S4 Ep29: Rabobank chief analyst Stefan Vogel

Rabobank’s general manager for ag research, Stefan Vogel chats with Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan on where Australian livestock industries currently sit in a challenging global environment.

Logistical challenges around the Suez Canal, regional conflicts and challenging economic conditions are creating some headwinds for Australia’s ag exports – but there’s still plenty to be optimistic about, he says.

 

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S4 Ep28: Prof Ben Hayes on how AI is driving genetic progress in beef

University of Queensland genetics researcher Prof Ben Hayes

 

AI has exploded in importance over the past year or two across all areas of business, research and society in general, and the agriculture field is no exception.

What lies ahead for the use of AI in the beef industry? Is it a tool than can further increase the industry's rate of genetic gain, particularly on hard-to-measure traits? Where else can AI fit into the beef production system?

S4 Ep27: What does Indonesia's new president Prabowo mean for Australian ag? Live exporter Greg Pankhurst offers some thoughts

Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto was elected President with a landslide victory in February. Ahead of his inauguration on 20 October, what the the implications for Australian agricultural trade - and live cattle exports in particular - with our nearest neighbour?

 

Veteran live exporter Greg Pankhurst, who spent more than 20 years living and working in Indonesia, provides his view in this week’s Weekly Grill podcast episode with host, Kerry Lonergan.

In March this year, Prabowo said he believed that within five years Indonesia would be able to become a net food exporter and gain food independence. How realistic is this target?

 

S4 Ep26: Regular cattle market update, with Matt Dalgleish and Chris Howie

Today's Weekly Grill podcast continues our occasional markets series, with host Kerry Lonergan talking with regular markets commentators RMA's Chris Howie and Ep3's Matt Dalgleish.

The looming impact of the US drought on global beef demand over the next two years out of the US and other countries is one of the key focuses in today's update.

Slaughter and store cattle supply and demand heading into spring could produce some  surprises, the pair suggest

 

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S4 Ep 25: US low-n-slow barbecue legend, Phil Breeden

Competitive Texas BBQ smoker cooking is a huge activity in the United States, and one of the best in the business - Phil Breeden - is in Australia at present, competing in a local competition, delivering master-classes and checking out the Australian Texas BBQ scene.

 

 

Phil has been involved in competitive BBQ events in the US and Canada since 2015, and is now full-time professional competitor, having competed in 167 sanctioned US competitions, earning 16 grand championships and 19 reserves to date. Along with fellow Texan BBQ competitor Bill Purvis, Phil is visiting Australia as a guest of the Australian BBQ Alliance.

He caught up with Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan during his visit.

 

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