The Weekly Grill

S5 Ep28: What's driving the record high prices for lamb?

With frenched cutlets now selling in some metro butcheries for $95/kg. and even the humble shank retailing in supermarkets for the equivalent of $7.50 each, domestic lamb prices are today testing the boundaries of what the market ever thought possible.

But even at those ticket prices, independent retailers say there is no margin in lamb at current wholesale levels, two leading independent butchers tell Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan in today’s episode.

 

 

Successful Brisbane butcher Tim Walsh, and Sydney retailer Stephen Kelly, who owns and runs five large shopping centre butcheries across Sydney and Newcastle, give their views of the red meat retail landscape in the current cycle of record high prices. The pair are joined by regular podcast contributor, analyst Matt Dalgleish from Episode 3.

 

The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

 

 

S5 Ep27: Three generations of Harts share the Stockyard journey

Some salient lessons in succession planning were aired during last Friday’s annual Rural Press Cub breakfast held as part of the Brisbane Ekka, where three generations of the Hart family from Stockyard Beef shared the stage in front of an audience of 700.

Founder Robin Hart, his son Lachie and granddaughter Ali later sat down with Weekly Grill host Kerry Lonergan to talk about multi-generational farm sector businesses and how they have made it work.

Key to the narrative was the deliberate steps taken at Stockyard to manage the inter-generational transition, evolving from a “family business” into a “business family” approach.

Each generation of Harts brought their own skill-set to the business, with the third generation of family members (Ali and her sister Bec) bringing purpose, innovation and fresh perspectives, the audience heard.

 

The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

 

S5 Ep26: Labour challenges in regional and rural Australia, with Tom Reardon

In this weeks' podcast episode, host Kerry Lonergan chats with recruitment and labour specialist Tom Reardon, on the ongoing labour challenges in regional and rural Australia.

 

Two years ago in a previous conversation, Mr Reardon, the head of labour resourcing firm PeopleIn, described the labour situation in rural Australia was as bad as he had ever seen it. What's happened since?

 

PeopleIn currently has around 2000 job vacancies on its books across rural and regional areas of the country.

 

The Weekly Grill is brought to you by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One, the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

 

 

S5 Ep25: Mid year property market trends, with LAWD's Danny Thomas

In this weeks' podcast episode, host Kerry Lonergan chats with LAWD's gregarious property marketing identity, Danny Thomas.

 

Among other topics, the pair discuss:

 

• The federal super tax and its' impacts on rural properties 
• SMSF rules and listings of rural properties 
• Interest in Australia’s ag properties from US
• Canadian super funds
• China - are they turning their attention to South America?
• Vietnamese / Malaysian / Japanese investment in Australia
• Carbon Farming… is it influencing buying?
• Trumps tariffs and how Australian ag is benefiting
• More big Australian assets about to hit the market
• Australia’s hot spots for rural properties
• Is there a bump on the way?

 

 

The Weekly Grill is brought to you by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One, the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

 

 

S5 Ep24: International red meat markets with MLA's Andrew Cox

In this weeks’ podcast episode, host Kerry Lonergan chats with MLA’s General Manager – International Markets, Andrew Cox.

 

While their discussion was recorded prior to the recent announcement about re-approval of US beef imports to Australia, the pair discuss a range of topics including the impact of US tariff measures on global beef trade, and where Australia sits in relation to other nations’ tariffs.

 

Among other topics, the pair discuss:

• Brazil – should Australia be concerned about Brazil’s grinding meat heading for the US?
• Where our best beef cuts are going
• Lamb in the US
• China market developments
• Indonesia
• Cambodia/ Thailand and Vietnam
• The UK and EU…. and more

 

The Weekly Grill is brought to you by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One, the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

 

S5 Ep23: Sydney celebrity chef Neil Perry, on why red meat matters in the fine dining sector

In an era when leading restaurant chefs are viewed more like rock-stars than food purveyors, Sydney restaurateur Neil Perry is the Bruce Springsteen of the Australian fine-dining industry.

 

His Sydney restaurants Margaret and (part-owned) Rockpool recently featured among the World’s Top 100 steak restaurants, ranking No 2 and No 12 respectively. What does he think about the future of Australian red meat?

 

 

 

 

The Weekly Grill is brought to you by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One, the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

 

 

S5 Ep22: Veteran Full Blood Wagyu producer, Paul Harris

Paul Harris has built a successful Rockhampton-based rural accountancy practice over the past 40 years – but outside spread

One of the Fullblood industry’s true pioneers, Paul and family have quietly built up one of Australia’s largest Fullblood Wagyu herds on showcase pulled scrub buffel grass and leucaena grazing country in Central Queensland.

In this podcast, host Kerry Lonergan chats with the veteran cattle producer about his professional journey – both as a beef producer and prominent agri-accountant.

 

 

 

 

 

The Weekly Grill is brought to you by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One, the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

 

S5 Ep21: The future of ag education, with Prof Jim Pratley

Prof Jim Pratley is one of Australia's best known ag educators, with a distinguished  40 year career.

In this wide ranging discussion with Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan, he discusses what governments and industry could be doing to attract more students  to careers in ag, and how ag education could be tailored for indigenous students.

Prof Pratley began his teaching career in 1972 at Wagga Wagga Agricultural College, now Charles Sturt University. As Foundation Dean of the Faculty of Science and Agriculture and a long-serving Research Professor, he has influenced generations of educators and students through innovative teaching, research and mentoring.

Beyond the university setting, Prof Pratley has shaped national conversations on agricultural education. He led the NSW Ministerial Review into Agricultural Education and Training, helping elevate the importance of food and fibre in schools. He was a founding member of the Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture and has served on boards and advisory panels across industry and research. His work spans areas such as weed management, viticulture, and rice production.

In 2019, Prof Pratley was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to agricultural science and education. The Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia recently honoured Prof Pratley as a national leader in agricultural education and a lifelong advocate for food and fibre learning.

 

S5 Ep20: June market update with Matthew Dalgleish & Chris Howie

With sweeping tariff changes in the US, dramatic currency movements, floods and widespread late summer rain in pastoral areas of QLD and NSW, there was a lot to talk about in the latest Weekly Grill markets update podcast with regular commentators Chris Howie and Matt Dalgleish.

In today's episode Kerry Lonergan catches up with the pair on US President Trump's evolving tariff negotiations and the implications for China, the knock-on affects for Australia and other international markets, and how this affects the local cattle and sheep markets.

 

In other news the trio discuss:

• The industry’s overreaction to Trump’s tariffs
• The impact of the drought in the south
• Livestock numbers moving north
• Winter cropping
• More feedlots custom-feeding
• MLA’s Confidence Survey
• Goats
• China
• Urea prices
• The outlook post winter

 

The Weekly Grill is brought to you by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One, the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

 

S5 Ep19: Meat Business Women organisation fills an important role

IN today's podcast episode, host Kerry Lonergan sits down with three women turning the tables in an historically male-dominated meat industry.

The Meat Business Women networking and personal development organisation held its annual conference in Brisbane recently, attracting a rowdy crowd of 250.

The organisation aims to empower women to make their mark in the meat industry. Founded in the UK in 2015, the Meat Business Women movement, has been a colossal success story in Australia, growing from a group of 30 to 600 members this year.

Today's guests include:

• Alexandra Harvey - Australian Community Engagement Manager, Meat Business Women (MBW)

• Rachel Gartshore - Winner of the MBW “One to Watch” Award 2025

• Rebecca Kelson - GM Retail Operations Bindaree Food Group

 

 

 

The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One, the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.