Humans of Agriculture

When Tim Felan was exploring career options fresh out of uni a decade ago, marrying his love for agriculture and finance together just made sense. But he says 'falling into' a trial internship at Rabobank is what really fast-tracked his career to becoming National Manager of Major Agribusiness Clients. He was pleased to see the Rabo Graduate Program formalised in 2023, exposing more uni graduates...

Choosing to get along seems to be the mindset critical to the success of the Coggan family mixed farming business over five generations. Juggling a massive beef, lamb and grain operation in Queensland's Western Downs, siblings Emily, Tom and Sarah are fast becoming a leading force in the early adoption of ag technology. They're the first beef farmers in Australia to use halter collars, allowing th...

They say you can't be what you can't see, and thankfully there are many incredible role models for women in agriculture these days. When entering the workforce and feeling a little untethered, Maddie Morgan saw a need to better connect those women and grow support networks for industry professionals. As if being an agribusiness lawyer and helping on her family's farm in Condamine QLD wasn't enough...

Charlie Perry reckons he might know more intricate details of the health of his Wagyu bulls than he does of his kids! He's fascinated by the genomic data behind every calf he breeds, which allows him to make incremental genetic gains for the betterment of the supply chains he services.  And he'd have to be pretty patient too, with the results of the careful breeding decisions he makes today taking...

Yesterday’s surprise move to lift biosecurity restrictions on US beef imports has sent ripples through Aussie ag - with historical concerns around potentially devastating diseases like foot and mouth or mad cow entering our shores. It comes as rumours swirl about a possible hike in tariffs on Aussie exports to the US. Is this a long-planned, science-based decision, or is there something more strat...

If one word could sum up the current agricultural land market - v olatile - is how Rabobank analyst Paul Joules would describe it.  He reckons the unprecedented 80% growth in land prices in recent years is changing the way farmers make decisions... shifting their focus to productivity over expansion.  This bite-size chat touches on the influence of commodity prices and global supply chains on land...

You won't find too many fellas as genuinely happy and passionate about their job as Glenn 'Yogi' Kendall. Yogi is a prominent figure in the trucking community - a celebrity even - with a cult following on TV show Outback Truckers and well known for his tireless work mentoring rookie drivers. Yogi is a big believer in the value of good old fashioned, honest, hard work. He's barely had a day off in...

Tom Redden of Naparoo Pastoral never thought he'd circle back to the family farm after a stint in the corporate world but the opportunities he saw in the red meat supply chain were too enticing. Tom chats with Tom & Mick about the 'sweet spot' he's found in the paddock to plate business model, based in Coonabarabran NSW.  Takeaways Tom Redden is a fourth-generation farmer who transitioned back...

As the geopolitical situation shall we say... deteriorates, what impact are overseas conflicts and trade disputes having on Aussie grain markets?   Vitor Pistoia, Senior Grains and Oilseeds Analyst for Rabobank, is watching global events closely and joins Oli to explain the resulting market dynamics, as well as the opportunities for canola growers as the Sustainable Aviation Fuels industry gains t...

When you're in the grip of drought, with livestock to feed and budgets to recalibrate, it can feel impossible to escape the business for a mental break. But the Bayer Big Fish Challenge is giving farmers the perfect excuse. It's an all-year-round nationwide fishing competition, which anyone can be part of, and every big fish caught raises money for mental health charity The Fly Project. A win-win!...

It's a good thing Aly Bunton loves talking to people, as her Public Affairs role with Bayer Crop Science Australia depends on good relationships.   And it's not just with the suits in Canberra; Aly is well-connected with scientists and farmers all over to ensure Bayer stays on the front foot of industry issues globally, and that Governments are aware of how different policies impact Aussie farmers...

In an increasingly noisy world, how can ag speak with a unified, consistent voice? The changing dynamics of agricultural advocacy in Australia has caught our attention, and we're keen to explore whether industry representation is still 'fit for purpose' in a rapidly shifting political and social landscape. With around 270 farm advocacy bodies in Australia with a combined annual spend of $400-600 m...

Cattleman Stuart Austin doesn't shy away from a challenge and his next venture is no exception.    Stuart is well-known for his work in the natural capital space in his former role as General Manager of Wilmot Cattle Company, a regenerative grass fed beef operation in NSW.   In this chat with Tom & Mick, Stuart explains the various arms of his new venture Audacious Agriculture and the land-use...

It's not often you get the chance to hit the pause button, zoom out and look at the bigger picture of your farming business. Farmers are often great at being operational - getting the crop in, or managing livestock cycles - but perhaps not as well practiced at thinking through a strategic plan: where you want your business to go and how you want to go about it. Many of us tend to simply let things...

Six years ago, South Australian accountant Tom Cosentino ditched his day job and bought a cattle property without ever having touched a cow before.    Relying on YouTube to learn the basics, Tom reckons his naivete has also helped endear him to other farmers willing to teach.   Hear how Tom feels great freedom without the ‘generational inertia’ behind him, and perhaps under less pressure than thos...

It's time to level up our produce game!  There are few things more disappointing than biting into a floury apple, or cutting open a bruised avocado... if only we knew what mango to choose based on skin spots, or how to best store pears so they ripen perfectly… That, friends, is the mission of our next guest, Thanh ‘The Fruit Nerd’ Truong. He's put a modern spin on the traditional fruiterer, using...

In this second episode of our AgRi-silience series, Jono Mudge gives a glimpse into the realities of stepping up as the next generation in a family business.  It hasn't been an easy run of seasons for mixed farmers in South Australia's mid-north, but the AgRi-silience program came at the perfect time for Jono - deflecting his attention away from the seemingly endless dust, to what he can control....

After a brief hiatus, Tom and Mick are back at it...   This time they sit down with their first international guest, José Paz Vermal of Argentina, to discuss the current state of play in the wool market. Summary This chat delves into the dynamics of the global wool market, discussing current trends and challenges. The market hasn't been flash for a while, but José thinks that can be turned around...

Succession planning is complicated territory for any business, but perhaps more so in farming with families at the core of most operations. It's not just relationships and family legacies that hinge on effective succession planning, it also plays a critical role in building strategic foresight, sustainability and continuity into a business.  Succession is delicate stuff, so we thought we'd draw on...

In the first episode of this special AgRi-silience series, we visit Mark and Rachel McInerney at Riverton, South Australia, to hear how they navigate adversity by redefining their roles on the farm and turning professional development into a catalyst for business renewal. In this chat you'll hear: How an HR masterclass became the starting point for major business change  The impact of back-to-back...

A couple weeks back, I spotted through the Global Food Forum that Nutrien Ag Solutions has decided to partner with Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia. This move marks a big investment in how the ag industry interacts with the next generation of producers. So I decided to ring up Carissa Buckland, who works in Nutrien as their Director of Corporate Affairs. Carissa shares her unconve...

Derek Peterson has had a colorful career. He's found himself at the head of ROAM, an agriculture tech company trying to solve the problem of methane emissions. But he didn't get there following the 'traditional path.'  In this chat we cover his career so far, from  working on Wall Street to becoming a visionary entrepreneur whose journey expertise bridge traditional agriculture, finance, and the ...

When I got a chance to head to evokeAg this year, I heard Jocie Bate speaking and thought to myself, we need to get her on the podcast!  I came across an extraordinary character whose ideas may just revolutionise the future of agriculture. "It's amazing how quickly the sector is evolving," says Jocie Bate on her mission to fully automate the paddock with robotics. Jocie Bate and her husband, Andre...

“If we don’t get it right, the opportunity will be given to people post the farm gate. And it’ll happen to farmers again.” Hugh Killen's CV is incredibly impressive, he's spent decades working across the globe in finance and markets, before returning home to work in aussie agriculture. In this chat, we explore Hugh's time in finance, his time leading publicly listed iconic Australian Ag companies,...

Tess Cook grew up on her families beef property in Queensland.  When she was on stage at evokeAG, she mentioned the challenge and lack of understanding of different career pathways in Ag.  Now this is so interesting because it’s being talked about a lot, but talking isn’t solving much - we want to know more to see what we can do!  Tess recently moved to Matamata, New Zealand, to begin her career a...