AgWatchers

The AgWatchers invited world-famous demographer Simon Kuestenmacher onto the podcast to talk about all things rural Australia. Why are people moving to the country, and what does that mean in the longer term? You need to follow Simon on twitter @simongerman600 

A real quick one.  We chat about the USDA report and its impact on wheat pricing - propelling the market to A$382! We also discuss the potential labour shortage in sheep processing and the number of cattle on feed.     

We have a chat with Chick Olsson about all things political in the wool industry.  Chick is an outspoken and straight speaking farmer, businessman and artist from NSW, and gives his views on everything from Greta Thunberg to the marketing of wool.   

We have a chat with Jackie Peacock, farmer and Cervus (John Deere) marketing supervisor who recently raised 20k for mental health charity through sponsorship for competing in the gruelling Finke desert race.  We chat about what it takes to compete in this race, and why she wanted to raise money for mental health. 

A lot has happened in a short period in the market, so we thought it was time for a quick market update. The wheat market has exploded. Livestock exports are strong & prices remain high. India is open to lentils.  Follow @agwatchers on twitter

We have a chat with political and rural journalist Gabrielle Chan about a whole range of topics from rural change and leadership to country politics.  Gabrielle is the author of ' Rusted Off ' and a coming book titled ' Why you should give a f*ck about farming '

Our interest was piqued when we read about plans for a urea plant in South Australia which would have a *production cost of A$109/mt. We reached out to the chairman (Justyn Peters) of Leigh Creek Energy to have a chat about this facility, and what it means for the Australian fertilizer industry. 

The crop is going backwards in Canada at a very fast rate. We thought it was time to find out what was happening on the ground, so we had a chat with Corey Nesteroff, a consultant based in Saskatoon - the heart of canola country.  He provides us with an outlook on the crop and it's not good for Canadian farmers.   

We have a chat with Corey Ryan of Johnson's about the hay industry. What is the market doing, pricing transparency & what's happening with that Chinese scuffle?

We have a chat with renowned ag market analyst Benjamin Bodart. We cover off on the canola market, the condition of French crops, EU barley competing against Australia, neo-nicotinoid ban impact and the role of subsidies in the future.  Remember to share the podcast, and follow Ben on twitter @benjaminbodart

We talk about the UK FTA, the incredible but expected rise in the EYCI and the volatility of the grain markets. 

Fert is going mad at the moment. We invited pal of the podcast, Chris Lawson, on to talk about two topics - are we in a commodity supercycle? and what are fertilizer prices going to do? Chris is one of the crew at CRU - an independent metal and fertilizer analysis firm.

We talk about the issues facing farmers with the policy manager at WA Farmers, and milk model Jessica Wallace. 

Matt and Andrew have a chat with veteran of rural media Kerry Lonergan about his career in agricultural reporting.     

We have a chat with Andy Jacobs, a livestock transport operator who had to quit WA and move to the East due to the instability of the live export market caused by red tape. 

We have a chat with Mae Connelly about whats happening in Western Australia.  Topics include seeding conditions, pricing, livestock moving east, 1 year of barley tariffs, CBH boss and the Melbourne footy club. Remember to share the podcast, and follow Mae on Twitter @grainsmae

Whilst us AgWatchers like stats - there is one stat that we hate, and that is rural suicide.  Rural suicide is 50 per higher in rural communities than in metro areas. We invited Mary O'Brien to have a chat about men's mental health in the bush. You can donate to 'Are you bogged mate' by clicking here      

The Agwatchers return from the festival of beef. We have a chat about our trip up to a muggy northern Queensland, and a quick update on the livestock, grain and wood markets

The AgWatchers have a chat with Nigel Hart (@nigehart25) about grain export infrastructure in Australia. Nigel consultants on a range of issues in the bulk supply chain. He was formerly responsible for ports for GrainCorp and ADM. Some topics include whether Australia is up to the task of a mammoth export program, the import (and transhipment) of grain to Australia. Remember, sharing is caring.   

The AgWatchers have a chat with James Stacey, who farms on the outskirts of Adelaide. Topics covered include marketing direct to the consumer, his Nuffield travels and exiting the dairy industry.  Remember, sharing is caring. 

The dandy duo has a chat about the stratospheric rise of canola (and wheat), and we touch upon suggestions of a 50% fall in the eastern young cattle indicator.

AgWatchers have a chat with Andrew Freshwater about the sheep industry. Some topics include ear tags, consumer perception, traceability and mental health.  Remember - sharing is caring.  

A quick update on the EYCI hitting 900¢, copper as a lead indicator for wool and the start of the silly season in wheat.  Enjoy. Remember that sharing is caring. 

The new host of the Victorian Countryhour and long time ABC radio presenter Warwick Long switches seats and becomes a guest of the AgWatchers.  He even likes the intro music. 

In December, the AgWatchers had a chat with John Francis on the topic - 'Is regen ag worth it?'. In this follow-up, we have a chat with Michael Gooden, a farmer near Wagga, and a consultant with RCS.  In this chat we discuss his experience moving his livestock enterprise to a regenerative model.