The Weekly Grill

S4 Ep16: The Great Australian Charity Cattle Drive saddles up - with Bim Struss

ONE in six people in Australia experience food insecurity and hunger on a weekly basis.

Now a unique outback initiative has been launched enabling members of the Australian cattle industry to help their city counterparts and raise much needed funds to support those in need.

The inaugural 2025 Great Australian Charity Cattle Drive was officially unveiled by Beef Bank director Bim Struss during the sold-out Rural Press Club of Queensland breakfast during Beef Week in Rockhampton. The drive will see 2000 head of cattle walked by professional drovers and paying supporters on horseback along designated stock routes from Longreach to Roma in May next year.

In this week’s Weekly Grill, Bim chats with host Kerry Lonergan about the exciting project, designed to bring city and country together.

S4 Ep15: Three-Day Sickness surge in 2023-24 summer - what was behind it? with Dr Lee Taylor

The long, hot, wet 2023-24 summer saw a marked rise in Three Day Sickness across Australia, including outbreaks in areas as far south as Victoria where it has never before been seen. In those regions, naive herds never previously exposed to BEF were hard-hit, with stock losses reported. Is climate change and warner temperatures behind it, or is it simply natural variation from season to season?

 

Zoetis's senior veterinary technical manager Dr Lee Taylor provides some answers, and suggestions for preventative management in different parts of Australia.

 

 

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

Beef 2024 Trendsetters series - Former boardmember David Crombie reflects on 200 years of AA Co

AS part of Beef Central's coverage of this week's Beef 2024 event in Rockhampton, the industry's national exhibition held every three years, we present our special daily podcast series, Trendsetters.

Today's fifth episode features former Australian Agricultural Co boardmember, and former MLA chairman David Crombie, reflecting on 200 years of continuous operations for AA Co.

The company celebrated its bicentenary with a lively long lunch on Tuesday during Beef 2024, attended by 450 stakeholders, past and present.

 

This week’s Trendsetters special podcast series is brought to readers and listeners by Colliers Agribusiness.

 

Beef 2024 Trendsetters series - Mark Eisele

Beef 2024 Trendsetters series - Richard Heath

AS part of Beef Central's coverage of this week's Beef 2024 event in Rockhampton, the industry's national exhibition held every three years, we present our special daily podcast series, Trendsetters.

Today's third episode features Zero Net Emissions from Agriculture CRC chief executive, Richard Heath.

The ZNE-Ag CRC was brokered by The University of Queensland and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, with a consortium of 73 partners across industry, government and education.

The Australian Government’s CRC contribution of $87 million is the largest in the program’s history.

Mr Heath says ZNE-Ag will support the industry to achieve emissions targets in Australian agriculture by 2030 and 2050.

Coming up in this series: US National Cattlemens Beef Association president Mark Eisele and former MLA chair, NFF president and AACo director David Crombie reflecting on 200 years of AAco.

This week’s Trendsetters special podcast series is brought to readers and listeners by Colliers Agribusiness.

 

Beef 2024 Trendsetters series - Nancy Crawshaw

AS part of Beef Central's coverage of this week's Beef 2024 event in Rockhampton, the industry's national exhibition held every three years, we present our special daily podcast series, Trendsetters.

Today's second episode features dynamic young New Zealand livestock producer Nancy Crawshaw, who recently received the 2024 Zanda MacDonald award. As part of her employment with Angus Australia, Nancy crossed the ditch to experience her first Rockhampton Beef Expo.

She previously worked with Teys Australia in a supplier relationship role, working her way through the ranks.

Coming up in this series: US National Cattlemens Beef Association president Mark Eisele; Zero Net Emissions from Agriculture CRC chief executive, Richard Heath.

 

Beef 2024 Trendsetters series - Garry Edwards

As part of Beef Central's coverage of this week's Beef 2024 event in Rockhampton, the industry's national exhibition held every three years, we present our special daily podcast series, Trendsetters.

Setting the scene in today's first episode is Cattle Australia chairman, Garry Edwards. Speaking as the three-yearly industry event opened this morning, Mr Edwards said Cattle Australia had been working hard to ensure the interests of grassfed cattle producers were not just represented, but were being advanced.

He also appealed to producers to cast off their humble nature and speak proudly on behalf of the largest levy-paying sector in the Australian economy.

“My words are simple - get comfortable being uncomfortable and having conversations with people you don’t know,” he said.

“Embrace the challenge and get out there and talk to people who don’t look like you, who don’t understand what you do, because they are the consumers of your product and ultimately deliver our social licence. That is critical to the profitability and sustainability of our future."

Garry Edwards will be on the speaking panel during Beef 2024's Queensland Rural Press Club breakfast on Thursday.

 

This week's Trendsetters special podcast series is brought to readers and listeners by Colliers Agribusiness.

S4 Ep14: Addressing mental health in the bush, with Dolly's Dream's Sally McSweeney and mental health expert Dr Simone Shaw

Today’s Weekly Grill podcast turns to the important topic of mental health in the bush, with contributions from Dolly’s Dream general manager Sally McSweeny and neuro science specialist Dr Simone Shaw.

Dolly’s Dream was created by NT couple Kate and Tick Everett following the loss of their 14-year-old daughter, Dolly, to suicide, after ongoing bullying. They have been tirelessly working since then to change the culture of bullying. Today Dolly’s Dream addresses the impact of bullying, anxiety, depression, and youth suicide through direct support to young people and their families, especially to those living in rural, regional and remote Australia.

At Beef 2024 in Rockhampton next month, Do It For Dolly Day will be celebrated in Friday 10 May, dedicated to bringing the community together, spreading kindness, and uniting to end bullying in honour of Dolly Everett.

Here’s how visitors can participate:

Go blue: Wear something blue on Friday 10 May or come down to the McKenzie Pavillion and buy some Dolly’s Dream merchandise.

Be kind: Embrace kindness in all your actions and go that extra mile on the day (or week!) to be kind to someone. One kind word can change someone’s entire day.

Fundraise: Help raise funds to deliver our anti-bullying initiatives. Your efforts will ensure that we can continue to support young people and families experiencing bullying. You can register your activity here.

Donations: You can download a Do It For Dolly Day poster to display at your Beef 2024 site to encourage donations.

There is also a fundraising lunch “Dining for a Dream” planned for  Tuesday 7 May. Click here for further details.

 

 

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

S4 Ep13: Regular cattle market update, with Matt Dalgleish and Chris Howie

Driven by favourable weather across eastern Australia, and growing international beef demand, the 2024 cattle market has some strong underpinnings for the 12 months ahead.

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 supply and beef demand over the next two years out of the US and other countries is a key focus in today's update.

 

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

S4 Ep12: Northern property market, with valuer Frank Peacocke

Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan this week turns up the heat on Darwin-based rural property valuer Frank Peacocke, discussing the outlook for land values in the Northern Territory and Kimberley region, alternate landuse with the region's emerging farming sector, carbon opportunities and other issues.