We're sitting down with Jo Palmer, co-founder of The Connection Table. After returning to her rural roots in The Rock, New South Wales, following a stint in Singapore, Jo reflects on her journey and her latest endeavour with co-founder Julia Spicer. The Connection Table is a professional network aiming to elevate rural Australians into decision-making roles across government, industry, and community.

Jo shares her insights on the barriers rural Australians face in securing leadership positions and the innovative solutions The Connection Table is offering. From professional development opportunities to fostering networks and advocating for greater rural representation, this initiative is set to transform how rural voices are heard at leadership tables.

Episode Highlights:

• The Connection Table's Purpose: A digital platform designed to centralise and connect rural talent with leadership and decision-making opportunities.
• The Rural Leadership Gap: Despite significant investment in rural leadership development, the transition to actual leadership roles remains limited. The Connection Table aims to bridge this gap.
• Jo’s Reflection on Starting Again: Lessons learned from her first startup, Pointer Remote, and how launching The Connection Table has been a more deliberate and collaborative process.
• Breaking Down Silos: The need for a broader representation of rural Australia beyond agriculture, including mining, environment, and migrant communities.
• Support for Emerging Leaders: Offering training, governance skills, and network-building resources to empower individuals at all stages of their leadership journey.
• Unique Features of The Connection Table: Monthly Lunch with Friends networking sessions, board and panel opportunity feeds, and a focus on underrepresented voices in regional Australia.

Mid this year we were at the Aussie Cotton Conference and it sparked a curiousity into who the big players are, where are they going and what impact is that having for Australian cotton growers.

I grabbed Paul Joules from Rabobank to discuss the current state of the cotton market and farm inputs. Paul shares insights from his experience in global agricultural commodities, particularly focusing on cotton production, demand dynamics, and the impact of global events on prices. The conversation also delves into the volatility of farm inputs, especially fertilisers, and the importance of staying informed as a farmer in a rapidly changing landscape.

Darren Thomas is the CEO of Thomas Foods International and in this episode we chat about his journey, the family business, and how they've not just made the most of opportunities they've overcome huge adversity. 

From growing into new international markets, supporting local communities, the business is proud of its heritage and excited for the future.

Takeaways

• Being present and connected with employees and customers is crucial for success in the agricultural industry.
• South Australia offers unique advantages for businesses, such as access to owners and CEOs and affordability.
• Strategic acquisitions and expansion into processing have been key factors in the growth of Thomas Foods International.
• Teamwork, continuous learning, and a clear vision are essential for achieving success in the industry. The major fire at the TFI meat processing plant in Murray Bridge was a significant challenge, but there were no injuries or loss of life.
• The rebuilding process was a huge undertaking, but TFI was able to mitigate losses and quickly get back to production.
• TFI has diversified its business into seafood, cooked meats, and pet food, allowing for the extraction of maximum value from the carcass.
• Sustainability and innovation are important focus areas for TFI, including investments in environmental awareness, cyber security, and financial reporting.
• A sustainable price for farmers is crucial for the long-term viability of the agricultural industry.

LivestockSA Partnership:
Today's episode is part of our partnership with Livestock SA's AgRi-Silience program, designed to improve strategic planning and long-term resilience for forward-looking South Australian livestock and broadacre enterprises.

Participants of the program get one-on-one coaching, tailored advice from a consultant and get the chance to meet a network of other farmers enabling long term strategic planning to sustain your business into the future. 

Funded by the Australian Government and the Government of South Australia as part of the Future Drought Fund’s Farm Business Resilience Program, AgRi-Silience has already helped over 1000 South Australian farmers build financial literacy, confidence in decision-making, and essential resilience skills.

You can secure your place and take the next step towards a more resilient future by visiting the AgRi-Silience page on the Livestock SA website.

Join host Oli Le Lievre as he chats with Samantha (Sam) Wan, an Australian wool broker based in Melbourne. There's something about wool that gets people so energised and Sam is no exception. This episode was recorded from the Hamilton Sheepvention, so we hope you're forgiving of some faint background noise! While recording, Oli was huddled around a heater while Sam was nice and warm in her Elders water-proof woollen jacket!!

Episode Highlights:

• Sam's journey from a non-agricultural background and what sparked her passion for wool
• An insight into international wool markets and the global appreciation for Aussie wool
• Elder's new wool handling facility and the integration of automation in the wool supply chain
• Mentoring the next generation and the opportunities in agriculture 

Massive thanks to Elders for sponsoring this episode!

This week your host, Oli Le Lievre travelled out to the Hamilton Sheepvention to discuss 'The Importance of Evolving within Agriculture' with Mark Gubbins, 'Coolana' Managing Director and Brendan Rinaldi, Elders Vic/Riverina GM. 

The Elders marquee was full to the brim, so a huge shout out to the 100 or so people in the crowd! We finish this episode with questions from those that attended. 

When we talk about 'evolving within agriculture', certain words like succession come to mind. Mark farms nearby and he chats about how his family and the property has changed over the years. Change includes navigating different eras like the dispersal of their Corriedale stud, seasonal conditions and market fluctuations. Mark is currently handing over the reigns to his children so we talk about what's keeping him occupied these days and it sounds like a lot of fishing might be on the cards!
 
Brendan took a different path, opting not to be on the farm but instead pursuing a career in finance and agribusiness. We are putting that down to his first memories on the farm cutting burrs from wool... Just kidding! He describes himself as a bit of an academic and an 'accidental farmer'. Brendan now co-owns the farm with his brother, looking after the books and economic side while overseeing Elders Victoria & Riverina regions.   

A huge thanks to Elders for sponsoring this episode and inviting Humans of Agriculture to be at the 2023 Sheepvention. The audio is a bit crackly in spots, not our usual quality but hoping you can bear with us considering we recorded live!

Oral lice treatment?! No matter what wool length?! We’re listening… Traditionally, sheep are treated for lice through a backline at the time of shearing. With a new oral treatment product on the market, your host Oli Le Lievre got curious and asked some questions of Dr Jane Morrison:

• What does it take to get a new product to market?
• How do farmers benefit from using the new oral lice treatment?
• How does the oral product work and how long is it effective for?
• How long are the withholding periods for meat and wool? 

And of course, we were curious about our guest Jane as well! She’s from the land and her earliest memories are on the farm with her dad. Now a Veterinarian, she has spent the last 18 years with MSD Animal Health Australia.

Disclaimer: The information shared is general in nature. We're asking questions of Dr. Jane Morrison. And she's providing her insights from her expertise. Humans of Agriculture doesn't endorse any of her views or the product. This episode is really designed to just be a conversation starter. And if you want to get more information, please reach out to specialists and experts in the space.

In this episode of the Humans of Agriculture podcast, host Oli Le Lievre is joined by co-host Milly Nolan for the first time! Milly is mates with our guest and knew he would make a ripper episode, so we teed it up while we were all in Armidale together. Introducing Jack Laurie, 5th generation cattle farmer and founder of Breeder Genetics. 

With a profound love and passion for cattle, breeding, data and genetics, Jack's whole life has been dedicated to the sector. At the ripe age of 20, Jack established Breeder Genetics after spending time in America and Canada where he saw an opportunity he wanted to address... The outcome was a breeder-to-breeder genetic platform. 

He talks about the business as 'our', but in reality it is just him day-to-day with some assistance from his sister, Georgie. He speaks fondly of his family, mentors and other people in his network who help him along the way. Success to Jack is the amount they can give back to their clients and the industry, which is pretty special. 

He is exhilarated by what the future might hold for the industry and his involvement in it. Jack is humble, his knowledge of the industry is crazy and his energy is infectious. 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Call to Action

13:14 Experiences in Canada and the US

30:24 The Importance of a Team for Business Growth

38:37 Measuring Success Beyond Revenue

Tom (T-Truck) and Mick (Corkscrew) are back on with their fourth? fifth? episode of the Monthly Markets. They’re joined by special guest Ciaran O'Gorman from StockCo.

While having a laugh and some fun, they explore current market conditions, the impact of seasonal and climatic factors on livestock prices, and the opportunities available to producers and traders. The discussion also delves into finance rates, the outlook on interest rates, and the potential for future growth in other markets. 

Before you listen to this ep, go back and listen to "The Agri Lawyer taking on Mount Everest with Trent Thorne" if you haven't already!

Trent Thorne has returned from his attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Host, Oli Le Lievre sits down with him to reflect on his incredible journey and the raw decision to turn-back, only ~8hr from the top.

Below is an exert from Trent after he decided to listen to his body:

"But it still immediately stung for the obvious reasons…  Because I knew that my one shot was gone.  We talked about it being one and done. And that's still my intention. I have no plans to ever go back.”

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Recap

06:22 The Challenges of the Final Days

13:05 The Descent and Health Issues

27:15 Delicious Surprises: The Quality of Food on the Expedition

42:26 Overwhelming Support: The Impact of the Everest Expedition

Welcome back to the In The Know On the Go Podcast.
This week, host Oli Le Lievre sits down with Col Medway, Senior Director at LAWD, to get across the latest trends and happening in the Aussie Rural Real Estate market.

We cover:

• Current trends is rural real estate
• Changing dynamics of Aussie ag and what that means for farmers and investors alike
• The role of livestock farming and mixed farming in carbon sequestration efforts 
• Market outlook for the remaining 6 months of 2023

Julia "Chief Hope Officer" Jones is an absolute straight-shooter. Your host, Oli Le Lievre, was fortunate enough to meet Julia earlier in 2023. They have become friends and he fondly calls her JJ.

From across the ditch, JJ has been, "married to agriculture for 20years". She is a wealth of experience in finance, markets, sustainability and agriculture. In this episode JJ gives a raw account of how her self-assured, authentic self wasn't always so... And at times it worked against her. 

We dive into JJ's journey of self-discovery, the challenges she faced, and the emerging opportunities and trends she sees for agriculture in the coming years.

She's optimistic about the future of agriculture, "There is something for everyone. It doesn't matter what you want to do. And you will not work in a more rewarding, cool, fun, insane, frustrating, mental, progressive, fast-paced environment than agriculture. So there's no way you can't find something you'd want to do in ag."

This ‘Under the Hood’ series is planned to take you behind the scenes to understand more about what it’s like to build a brand and support livelihoods on Purpose. Throughout it I hope you can get more of an understanding as we talk through some of the different aspects of what we do, why we’re making the decisions we do…

and in a really honest way, open the doors to feedback from you about what are the good ideas, the sh*t ones as well as showing the opportunities for you either individually or as a business to work with us. 

In Episode 1, I sit down with Charlotte Durack from Studio Agriculture.

• Charlotte and I got talking in late 2021, up to that point our look and feel was guided by me and I knew i wanted it to be different however didn’t quite have the skills or know where to start.
• We chat about the approach to giving us a look that was fresh, unique and allowed us to focus on celebrating agriculture and honouring tradition while also being a modern brand. 
• I also learnt a thing or two about perception and understanding… here I was thinking the handwritten parts of our brand were the ‘human touch’ which they are, AND they are also our way of filling in the gaps with each individual story.

In the fourth and final episode of Carbon Shortcuts: An introduction to all things Carbon in Aussie Agriculture, hosts Oli Le Lievre and Sam Noon pick Professor Richard Eckard’s brain one last time about all things carbon in agriculture.

It has been a learning journey for all the challenges and opportunities in addressing carbon emissions within agriculture. The carbon series may be concluding, however, it serves as a starting point for ongoing conversations and deeper exploration of carbon-related issues (and opportunities) in agriculture. This final episode wraps up with a focus on the following: 
The ‘transition zone’ 

• Exploring tools and opportunities for farmers
• Hurdles in adoption and implementation 
• Due diligence in toxicology
• The biggest lessons so far from Australia's carbon journey

Series sponsor
This series is sponsored by Ruminati, an online emissions calculator created by farmers for farmers. You can learn more about their solution here, show notes or by listening to all episodes in the 4 part series, plus a bonus episode with Ruminati founder, Bobby Miller.

Disclaimer: The information shared as part of this carbon series is general in nature. We're asking questions of Professor Richard Eckard. And he's providing his insights from his expertise. Humans of Agriculture doesn't endorse any of his views as part of this. They're really designed to just be conversation starters. And if you want to get more information, please reach out to specialists and experts in the carbon space.

Sarah Crosthwaite is a a rural mental health clinician from Northeast Victoria, and she has worked as a rural outreach counsellor to farmers across our region. The rest of the time she works with her husband and their team on our 550-cow dairy farm in the Kiewa Valley.

Sarah Crosthwaite discusses her journey in addressing mental health issues within farming communities. She shares insights from her experiences as a rural outreach counselor, the challenges faced by farmers, and the importance of mental health support. The discussion covers her educational background, the impact of natural disasters on mental health, and the establishment of her counselling service, Open Road Counselling. Sarah emphasises the need for better access to mental health services and the importance of normalising conversations around mental health in agriculture.

She's recently off the stage after presenting her Nuffield Scholarship in Tasmania, where she led with the question, ‘What can be learnt from international farming communities to improve and strengthen positive mental health outcomes for Australian primary producers?

She has since set up her own business, Open Road Counselling, is a counselling service for farmers, their families, farm workers and anyone working with in the agricultural industry right across Australia. To find out more check out their website!

Nuffield episode sponsor:
A message from this episode sponsor, ANZ Agribusiness:

Farming in Australia is never without opportunity, nor challenge. From season to season, and from day to day, producers manage a myriad of risks and rewards as they produce the vast range of commodities global markets now demand. At ANZ Agribusiness, we’ve been supporting farmers to take opportunities and manage through challenges for over 150 years. We’re a proud and long term partner of Nuffield Australia, supporting its goal of capacity building for producers, their businesses, industry and rural community. Our network of regionally based Agribusiness bankers are ready to support both our existing customers, and any farming business seeking a review of their banking arrangements at any time. Find your local ANZ Branch manager today.

What would you do if you want a bus? 
Well, in 25 words or less, that is something our next guest had to answer. 

And to be honest, as he starts to talk about and open up in this chat, it really did change his life. I first came across Tim Gentle when I was studying down at Marcus Oldham. 

He turned up with these virtual reality headsets, what he was trying to do was really take people on farm from wherever they were, it was pretty new technology, and it was bloody mind blowing what he'd done. 

Over the years I got to know Tim, I knew what he was doing in the education space, however, I knew nothing about his story.

Behind the scenes and grew up in Melbourne, had a dad as a dairy farmer, had spent a bit of time on a cattle station in Oodnadatta, and had a love of technology building his first websites which is where he had his first busneess.

In this chat Tim talks about:

• The ride of the first business
• His bankruptcy due to a business deal that had gone wrong
• With zero dollars in his account, his family home needed to be sold and it was the end of his first marriage.
• As Tim says, the bus literally changed his life. Today alongside his wife and CEO, Kat, they really are shaping a narrative and helping educate people right across Australia as to what actually happens inside the farm gate and right through the supply chain.

As this episode shows, there is a broadness and pathways that different people can take within Agriculture

Welcome to episode 3 of “Carbon Shortcuts: An introduction to all things Carbon in Aussie Agriculture”, where hosts Oli Le Lievre and Sam Noon uncover more key learnings shared by Professor Richard Eckard, the expert in carbon. 

The discussion revolves around the opportunities for farmers on their land and sheds light on unexplored areas of the agricultural supply chain. They also answer audience questions and discuss the industry's progress in reducing its carbon footprint.

• Agricultural supply chain carbon targets and reduction actions 
• The differing roles between the private and government sectors
• The different classes and variations of emissions 
• Greenhouse gas accounting frameworks 
• How farmers can begin to get involved in carbon projects/markets 

This series is sponsored by Ruminati, an online emissions calculator created by farmers for farmers. You can learn more about their solution in the show notes or by listening to episodes 1 and 2 in the 4 part series. 

Disclaimer: The information shared as part of this carbon series is general in nature. We're asking questions of Professor Richard Eckard. And he's providing his insights from his expertise. Humans of Agriculture doesn't endorse any of his views as part of this. They're really designed to just be conversation starters. And if you want to get more information, please reach out to specialists and experts in the carbon space.

It's not everyday that we have someone new to the team and it's definitely not everyday where you get to sit down with them for a podcast episode and find out more about who they are, what drives them and what impact they want to make on agriculture.

Fortunately for us, in her second week in the job after travelling to Sydney to an Ag Careers Expo Milly Nolan and host Oli Le Lievre got to sit down to chat about the first couple of weeks. 
We cover:

• Milly's early memories of agriculture
• the decision points in her career to date
• What it was like to make the decision to come and join the team at Humans of Agriculture.
• Sharing agriculture's real story and what she's learnt to love and appreciate 
• What impact is she looking to have through Humans of Agriculture
• How to build trust through storytelling
• A few jokes that may or may not have taken longer to get than expected...

In this episode of, Carbon Shortcuts: An introduction to all things Carbon in Aussie Agriculture, hosts Oli Le Lievre and Sam Noon are joined by Professor Richard Eckard from the University of Melbourne. The discussion revolves around the different types of carbon markets, the distinction between offsetting and insetting, and the emergence of biodiversity credits. 

• The difference between the Voluntary and Compliance Markets
• The different Participants and Trades in each market
• The revenue potential and investment required to be involved in carbon projects
• and Shifting focus from Carbon to the emergence of Biodiversity and understanding the emerging opportunity

This series is sponsored by Ruminati, an online emissions calculator created by farmers for farmers. You can learn more about their solution here show notes or by listening to our bonus episodes after episodes 3 and 4.

Disclaimer: The information shared as part of this carbon series is general in nature. We're asking questions of Professor Richard Eckard. And he's providing his insights from his expertise. Humans of Agriculture doesn't endorse any of his views as part of this. They're really designed to just be conversation starters. And if you want to get more information, please reach out to specialists and experts in the carbon space.

In this episode, Oli Le Lievre and Samantha Noon embark on a journey to explore the carbon space in Australian agriculture.
They are joined by Professor Richard Eckard, a renowned expert in climate and agriculture, to shed light on key concepts like carbon neutrality and net zero.
 
The conversation covers Australia's emission reduction goals, the choice of baseline years, and the differences between net zero and carbon neutral. Across this series we aim to demystify the carbon space and shed light on the challenges and opportunities it presents.

Key areas covered:

• Understanding Australia's emission reduction targets & how they have been set
• Baseline years and carbon neutrality
• Carbon Neutral vs Net Zero vs Climate Neutral
• Various other environmental claims
• The challenge  & opportunity for carbon neutrality in Agriculture

This series is sponsored by Ruminati, an online emissions calculator created by farmers for farmers. You can learn more about their solution here show notes or by listening to our bonus episodes after episodes 3 and 4.

Disclaimer: The information shared as part of this carbon series is general in nature. We're asking questions of Professor Richard Eckard. And he's providing his insights from his expertise. Humans of Agriculture doesn't endorse any of his views as part of this. They're really designed to just be conversation starters. And if you want to get more information, please reach out to specialists and experts in the carbon space.

In this episode of the Humans of Agriculture podcast, host Oli Le Lievre sits down with guest Leila McDougall. 

Leila shares her unique journey from a small town called Walcha in New England to her involvement in various creative pursuits, including being Miss Australia, acting, producing, and writing. 

Leila reflects on her unconventional resume, attributing it to her love for creativity and the interconnectedness of different skills. As the discussion delves into agriculture, Leila explains how her fascination with fashion stemmed from the Australian wool Fashion Awards and her family's involvement in the wool industry. 

Growing up on a farm, Leila cherishes her early memories and highlights her parents' hard work and determination to fulfill their dream of owning land. 

She acknowledges her mother's active role in farming, breaking stereotypes and proving that women can excel in the field. Leila opens up about being severely dyslexic, which posed challenges throughout her academic and professional journey. She shares her experience of learning differently, developing a photographic memory, and finding creative ways to overcome her dyslexia. 

Leila discusses her passion for fashion design and her struggle to enter the industry due to the competitive nature of the field. However, she found an opportunity through the Australian wool Fashion Awards, winning a scholarship that paved the way for her career in fashion. The conversation also touches upon the issue of dyslexia in agriculture, with Leila recounting a story that highlights the challenges faced by dyslexic individuals in communication and the lengths they go to overcome them. Leila's story is inspiring, showcasing resilience, creativity, and the power to turn obstacles into opportunities.

Welcome back to part 2 of the Clancy Mackay story.
If you missed Part one, you better go back and listen to our previous episode!

In Part 1 of this chat, Oli Le Lievre and Clancy Mackay covered Clancy's childhood in the NT, moving to Goondiwindi and becoming a bit of a "wildcat",  rodeoing in the USA, flying mustering helicopters and the impact of his father's death.

Just some of the things Oli and Clancy's chat about in Part 2:

• Using challenges as stepping stones to overcome obstacles in his life and the importance of not letting hardships ruin your life.
• How so much alone time during flights allowed him to do a LOT of thinking and therefore develop different perspectives. Clancy believes that being comfortable with solitude and handling personal problems independently is crucial for personal growth.
• His plans to create a different approach to working with cattle and focuses on effective communication and teamwork after finishing at Marcus.

If you haven't already listened to Part 1 of Clancy’s incredible story we HIGHLY recommend you go back and do so.

It's one of the most powerful conversations we've had to date. Clancy Mackay... a bush kid who grew up in the scrub of the Northern Territory. A teenager that 'played up a bit', however it's been his love of the land, of animals and of his family that have persevered. 

In Part one of this chat, Host Oli Le Lievre sits down with Clancy Mackay a current student at Marcus Oldham. At the ripe old age of 27, Clancy Mackay has decades of wisdom on top of his shoulders and real life lessons that have led him down the path he is on.

He's adventures have included rodeoing in the USA, being an outback mustering helicopter pilot and collecting croc eggs among many other things!

At 27, Clancy has fit a lot into his life and therefore has a lot of stories to tell, so to make sure we don't miss anything. Welcome to Part OneL

• How Clancy’s parents bought a bare block in the territory and Clancy recalls his early years living in a caravan with no power, running water or telephone. He was a true bush kid, he did his schooling via School of the Air through the UHF radio, and once his school day was done (usually by mid morning) he'd spend the rest of the day running around outside and hunting and fishing in the river (He is unsure how they weren’t taken by a croc).
• Eventually, his parents moved him and his brothers down to Goondiwindi so they could see other people (as you can guess, they’d been pretty isolated as kids). Later on due to his parent’s separation, Clancy retaliated by playing up and being asked to leave the boarding school he was at.
• Clancy worked with cattle and started doing rodeos and riding broncs, eventually heading to the US where he rode 40 horses in 35 days. He did well and started learning Boiler-making while riding for a US college team, hoping to go pro. Unfortunately, 6 months into it, his dad was diagnosed with cancer and he made the decision to head home. 
• Upon arriving home and with the motivation to make money to support his dad, Clancy flew through his chopper license exams in a record 4 months, which he then used to muster cattle right across Australia, eventually getting into catching feral buffalo and collecting crocodile eggs.
• Despite what seems to be an exciting adventure, Clancy also talks on the podcast about his dad’s struggle with illness and later death, which understandably has affected him greatly. 

As we mentioned, there's a lot to Clancy's story and we couldn't cut parts out so we will have Part Two of Clancy’s incredible story available for you next Wednesday.

"If you had said to me in year 12, or at uni, or even when I was living and working in Sydney in the ag world, that I would have my own business as an online yoga instructor, I'd probably laugh at you."

The definition of fun and bubbly, Em Armstrong grew up on a sheep farm on the Hay Plains in NSW, where she loved the freedom of the wide-open spaces (cue Dixie Chicks), riding bikes and having a family “beach holiday" at the irrigation channel playing mermaids.

“I think you look back on it now and you almost take it for granted, but as a mum now seeing other kids, I'm just like, ‘oh my god’, we literally had the best life growing up.”

After school, all Em knew was that she wanted to work in the world of agriculture but couldn’t put her finger on what. So, she took a gap year… or two"

You might hear host Oli Le Lievre referring to her as Porty, well that's because that was her nickname when they were back at uni together at Marcus Oldham! 

While at the Northern Australian Food Futures Conference, host Oli Le Lievre sat down with Tom White, an agronomist for Elders in Katherine.  Originally from Toowoomba, Tom has a real love of plants and has wanted to be an agronomist since doing work experience at B&W Rural...during a drought. 

They discuss:

• How he made the move to Elders Katherine after turning down the job for thinking he was “too green”, but now says that you’ve got to “learn to be uncomfortable”.
• Tom sheds light on the role of an agronomist, describing it as being a "doctor for plants." 
• Address the myth about intense production systems in the NT.
• His advice to students: “Give it a crack, you only have to be as good as the fellow that’s applying next to you. So don't ever cut yourself short or think that you're not ready or that you’re not good enough.”

Daniel Kahl, a cotton farmer from Narrabri, Australia, discusses his involvement in the cotton industry and his recent appointment to the board of Cotton Australia. He talks about the resurgence of young people in the town and the collaborative nature of the industry.

Daniel also addresses misconceptions and myths surrounding cotton farming, highlighting the industry's progress in reducing pesticide use and water consumption.

What we chat about:

• The cotton industry in Narrabri has seen a resurgence of young people returning to the town due to the ag opportunities and the close proximity to agricultural universities.
• The cotton industry is known for its collaborative nature, with growers working together to drive the industry forward and overcome challenges.
• The industry has made significant progress in reducing pesticide use and water consumption, with cotton now requiring 97% less pesticides and 40-50% less water to grow a bale.
• The family business is structured with different divisions, each managed by one of the three brothers. They have implemented school-based apprenticeships and gap years to provide development opportunities for their staff.
• His Nuffield scholarship topic focused on the people side of agriculture, reflecting his passion for the industry and the importance of building strong relationships and supporting the next generation. Having diverse perspectives in agriculture, such as a non-agricultural background, can lead to a more robust understanding of the industry.
• Building personal skills and finding ways to connect with people who have different perspectives is crucial for personal development.
• Creating pathways for the next generation in agriculture requires a balance between tertiary and vocational education.
• Implementing learnings from other countries can help improve the structure and development of farm managers in Australia.
• Programs like Ag Career Start play a vital role in providing opportunities and support for young people entering the agriculture industry.

Nuffield episode sponsor:
A message from this episode sponsor, ANZ Agribusiness:

Farming in Australia is never without opportunity, nor challenge. From season to season, and from day to day, producers manage a myriad of risks and rewards as they produce the vast range of commodities global markets now demand. At ANZ Agribusiness, we’ve been supporting farmers to take opportunities and manage through challenges for over 150 years. We’re a proud and long term partner of Nuffield Australia, supporting its goal of capacity building for producers, their businesses, industry and rural community. Our network of regionally based Agribusiness bankers are ready to support both our existing customers, and any farming business seeking a review of their banking arrangements at any time. Find your local ANZ Agribusiness manager now.

What we cover:
Australian cotton industry, Narrabri, young people, collaboration, misconceptions, myths, pesticide reduction, water consumption, family business, team, Nuffield scholarship, agriculture, pathways, next generation, education, vocational, tertiary, farm managers, business structure, personal development

In this episode, Host Oli Le Lievre chats with Bela Farbas the Founder and CEO of 4Zero Technologies (Bela will do a better job of explaining what this is in the podcast).

Bela shares his journey from his early days in Yugoslavia to his current (and unique) role in the agricultural industry and how it gives him “that warm and fuzzy”. 

What Bela and Oli chat about:

• Bela’s upbringing in a farming town in Yugoslavia before moving to Deniliquin NSW and how it laid the foundation for his later work in agriculture.
• The various sectors in which his company, 4 Zero, operates and the significant opportunities they are pursuing.
• His transition from software development to data science and the evolving field of artificial intelligence (AI), highlighting the ethical implications and impact on jobs.
• Bela explains his deep interest in the agricultural industry (it’s the core of what he does), driven by a desire to make a difference and increase his understanding of the food supply chain. He emphasizes the importance of bridging the gap between consumers and the realities of agricultural production.
• Who he has on his team and how they(IT, electrical engineers, nutritionists etc. work together in the ag industry.
• “It took me like five years to figure out is you need to listen to advice, specifically around taking a break… just remember, every year, just make sure you take a couple of weeks off.” 
•  “Don't get too focused on the thing you're doing right now...always just listen to what's going on around you in the space you're in which things come up that might just be worth pursuing”

He's a hard man to get hold of, often travelling Australia and to various locations around the world. At the age of just 24, Callan Daley is playing a key role as the Business Development Lead for MEQ Probe. 

Callan joins host Oli Le Lievre to chat about the journey from Queensland farm kid to the juggle of uni and ultimately finding his feet in a growing start up business, right back home in agriculture. 

A few of the other things Callan chats about:

• All the places he’s been with work of late (around Australia and overseas)
• Reigniting his interest in Agriculture (“I’ve always had it in the background, but drought and harsh living conditions growing up as a kid aren't exactly the most appealing ways to foster an interest into an industry.”)
• Having a gap year out near Goondiwindi on a cattle and cropping farm and how much that impacted him.
• Finding that Uni just wasn’t for him.
• Being an EvokeAg Future Leader in 2019.
• And of course, his advice to year 10 students.

Callan is a trailblazer for the next generation in the agriculture industry, and he is certainly one to keep an eye on.

Well it's one full year since host Oli Le Lievre took the plunge from the day job and pursued the dream of Humans of Agriculture fulltime. 

We're not a full blown team so as all normal podcasts do, Oli sat down with his sister and housemate Sass to chat about the journey over the past 12 or so months. To change it up,. Sass took over the hosting role and asked Oli a few questions. 

In this conversation you'll hear about:

• The past year and all that’s come with leaving a full-time job and running your own business (and the highs and lows along the way).
• Oli’s advice to those considering going it alone/starting their own business/following their dreams (hint: it helps to be a little bit obsessed).
• What following his dreams has also taught him about managing a team, responsibility (being his own boss) and staying on track.
• What we can expect to see from Humans of Agriculture in the next 12 months including: employees, co-hosts, upping the game with video content, Careers in Agriculture podcast and platforms and continuing to empower people within the agriculture industry.

And a huge thank you to all of you for tuning in, the journey's really only just getting started!

In this podcast episode, host Oli Le Lievre chats with Ben Dwyer, who has been influential in shaping businesses and people within the Australian Agricultural industry for more than 30 years.

Ben is an extremely down-to-earth person, with a passion for raising cattle and building a good team culture who also holds the position of Chief Operating Officer of Agribusiness for Harvest Road.

In 2023, we released a video as part of our This Is Aussie Ag Series, and got to spend time with Ben and the broader team as we explored their Beef, Horticulture and Aquaculture operations.

In this conversation, Oli and Ben cover a range of topics including questions and advice on business, agriculture, people, leadership and just general life.

Just some of the things Ben covers in the chat:

• On being an introvert and how he works with it (he found it easier to hang out animals than people as a kid)
• His progression through the agriculture industry from station hand to where he is now
• “If you do everything right all the time, you don't really learn anything”
• The importance of personal development and understanding yourself before you can understand others
• Being competitive and continuously challenging yourself to be better
• That being the "strong silent type" isn’t always helpful in team environments

Tim Jarvis is an adventurer, explorer, environmental scientist, documentary filmmaker and global speaker.

In February of 2023, Host Oli Le Lievre had the chance to sit down with Tim at EvokeAg, a global Agrifood Tech event that was held in Adelaide. 

What was fascinating about Tim was his approach to use storytelling from his first hand experiences in some of the most remote and isolated parts of the world to convey important messages about the environment and climate change to people and organisations all around the world.

As part of all the other things he does, he also does a lot of work around climate change and sustainability… which coincidently has BUCKET LOADS to do with Ag🌾🧑‍🔬🐂.

In our latest pod🎧, we have a chat with Tim about how:

-Getting lost at an adventure camp in Malaysia as a 12-year-old led to realising that having confidence to do something = achieving great things.

-“Self-delusion is a useful attribute”, sometimes you gotta break down the big challenge into small do-able bits (hence we've put this in dot points).

-He’s seen the shift from denial about climate change, to denial of our contribution to climate change to a level of panic about climate change

-He doesn’t really like being called an environmentalist because it puts up barriers in peoples minds.

-He wants to work with people so they benefit from their businesses, while also looking out for the longevity of the planet🌍 for future generations 👨‍👩‍👦.

So far this year we've been fortunate to speak with incredible athlete, Nedd Brockmann who we've already released and coming up in the next few episodes, Adventurer Tim Jarvis.
However, most of the rockstars we speak to are after the event, this time, we sit down with Agribusiness Lawyer Trent Thorne in the lead up to his expedition to summit Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world.

Now, Trent is incredibly Humble about this and we find that extraordinary, so we wanted to find out what the preparation has been like and what is his mindset like as he heads into the unknown where only a touch over 6,000 people (on this planet of 8 billion) have been before him and of that only 11,346 

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While we were at the Australian Dairy conference, our host: Oli Le Lievre, had the chance to sit down with Stephen Fisher to hear his story. At the age of 16 Stephen turned down an opportunity to return to the family farm, some 20 years later Stephen decided it was time to make a return to farming and took numerous opportunities in share farming before realising the opportunity he could have in taking back farm ownership and growing the wealth and opportunity for those in his local community through agriculture investment. 

Welcome back to the Humans of Agriculture podcast, this week host Oli Le Lievre sits down with the one half of the Four Daughters. Bonnie and Molly Penfold are back in the family beef business and their brand, Four Daughters.

In this episode, we chat about both of their early influences in and around agriculture, the support and encouragement from their parents for each of them to pursue a career outside of agriculture, what they learnt from their time as guest podcast hosts and the challenges and opportunities in running a direct to consumer meat business.

Read the fullstory on HumansofAgriculture.com

Candid and open, Sallie Jones isn't afraid of telling her story.

She's another of our powerhouse Women in Ag for the month of March, and if you're familiar at all with her story - maybe you buy Gippsland Jersey milk, or you've had one of their famous milkshakes, or maybe you're part of Women in Gippsland - then you know what we're talking about.

But if Sallie Jones is a new name for you, she's a farmer's daughter, a farmer, an innovator, a mum, a mental health advocate, and a leader.

In 2016, her dad took his own life. Through the grief, Sallie wanted to honour the legacy her dad had built, even though at the time, the industry was entering a dairy crisis. Gippsland Jersey was born a few months later in partnership with another generational dairy farmer, Steve Ronalds.
 
Gippsland Jersey is an ode to supporting local producers and creating premium products, and it is a result of the community that rally behind them, because they can see just how passionate Sallie is.

She's been on one hell of a ride so far, and we can wait for you to hear all about it.

In this conversation, Sallie discusses:

• Her journey since her father's death
• What was it like growing up in Lakes Entrance?
• Studying PR at University and her time working at a PR Agency in Melbourne
• How Gippsland Jersey was started
• The ups and downs of owning a business
• The role of women in the agriculture industry

This episode contains themes of suicide and mental health, please reach out to Lifeline, This Is A Conversation Starter or someone you trust if you need help.

Lifeline: 13 11 14
TIACS: 0488 846 988

Women in Agriculture Live Podcast in partnership with Nutrien Ag Solutions
Get your tickets here 

In this episode, Stefan Vogel, the General Manager of Rabo Research for Australia and New Zealand, shares insights into his extensive career in agriculture and the role of RaboResearch in the agricultural sector. He discusses the importance of understanding the food supply chain, the characteristics of effective team members, and the global insights that impact local agriculture. 

Stefan also highlights exciting research opportunities, particularly in sustainable aviation fuels, and the interconnectedness of various agricultural sectors.

We are back, and in this episode of This is Aussie Ag we are heading from conception to consumption in Western Australia.

We’re here to meet the team to understand the role of people within their vertically integrated gate to plate beef business, an established and growing aquaculture brand and emerging horticulture operations.

Watch here: This is Aussie Ag - Harvest Road Group

00:00 Introduction
00:42 Mark Wiedermann
01:11 Who is Harvest Road
02:30 Minderoo Station
05:30 Ben Dwyer
06:52 Building team culture at Harvest Road
07:50 The Minderoo livestock team
08:48 Brickhouse Station Horticulture
11:10 Koojan Downs Feeding Facility
13:07 Livestock Supply chain movements
14:45 Harvey Beef
18:25 Blair Stubna
19:58 Aquaculture operation in Albany
21:16 Justin Welsh 
22:16 Carnarvon Oyster Nursery
23:53 Jobs in Aquaculture 
24:36 Carbon Neutral Sustainable Aquaculture
26:04 Paul Slaughter, CEO Harvest Road
27:29 Summary of the episode

On Day 2 of the Australian Dairy Conference in Tasmania this year, Oli sat down with Nedd Brockmann. This podcast is a live recording of that chat.

In 2022, Nedd cemented his legend status by running from Perth to Bondi in 47 days, and not only that, but he raised $2.5 million for homeless charity We Are Mobilise.

This conversation at the Australian Dairy Conference was all about getting excited by what's possible, and who better to be inspired by than Nedd Brockmann himself. 

In this conversation, Nedd talks us through:

• Why he’s only taking cold showers in 2023
• What it was like growing up on a cattle farm
• How many kilometres of fencing he put up on his gap year on the family farm
• What is his why?
• 50 marathons in 50 days
• The reality of trying to beat the record for days taken to run across the width of Australia
• The team he had around him on his run and how valuable their support was, even on the hardest days
• Physical or mental pain, what’s worse?
• The resilience of the agriculture industry 
• What does he say to himself in the mirror every day?

Pip Courtney.

What else should we say? 

She started at ABC's Landline in 1993, became the host of the program in 2012, and continues to thrive in the role today - - but there’s so much more to the story

Pip didn't grow up on a farm, but she grew up around ag - cultivating an express interest for the inner workings of farmers, farms and farming. 

Pip's work in the Australian media scape has brought so many amazing stories to our screen and we're so excited to share a bit of her story with you after she has spent the best part of thirty years sharing the stories of others. 

In this week's chat Pip covers:

• Her first introduction to agriculture
• Growing up in Launceston and her dream to get to the mainland
• When and how did she start her career in journalism?
• How does she navigate telling the difficult stories?
• The ways agriculture has changed since she began covering the industry
• How does she find her stories and get people to talk?
• Why is Landline succesful?
• What is was like to having a working partnership with her husband

We also got to find out her "coffee" order, what Akubra she wears, what job she'd do if she could do anything and her influence on the next generation of people in ag - from storytellers to scientists. 

If we could tell you one thing about Joy McClymont, it's that her name embodies her. But she's not only joyful, she's determined, persistent, and a real mover. 

Joy has a knack for getting bodies moving - whether it's getting her kids and dogs up for a run in the morning, training clients through her fitness hub Off the Track Training, or teaching PE to distance ed students - and she has many motivators for doing so.

In this episode, Joy talks all things:

• What an average day looks like for her as a property owner, mum, teacher and trainer
• School of the Air - as a teacher, and what it's like for her kids as students
• Growing up on a share farm in Goondiwindi with a very physically active dad
• The influence of sports on Joy's life
• Travelling overseas and in rural Australia, experiencing other farms and teaching in small communities
• Running a fitness and personal training business for the outback
• What is Off the Track Training and why did Joy start it?
• Why should people on farms prioritise their wellbeing?
• Variety as the spice of life

Check out Off the Track Training here: https://offthetracktraining.com/

We sat down with Dylan Grimes at his vineyard, Mount Macedon Winery, for this weeks episode of Humans of Agriculture. 

Dylan is Co-Captain of AFL team, Richmond Football Club. He has 3 AFL premierships under his belt, he was named 2019 All Australian and received the AFL Players Most Courageous Player Award, as well as the Jack Dyer Medalist Richmond’s Best and Fairest player in 2021 - but over the past few years, Dylan has taken some of his hard work and determination and turned it toward the property he and his wife own.

Whether you're a Tigers fan or not (or you don't follow AFL at all), there's something in this conversation for everyone. 

Dylan breaks down his journey from footballer to farmer - the highs, the lows and the learnings - and how his work on the farm has benefitted his work on the footy field. 

Some of the things covered in this chat are:

• Dylan's interest in agriculture from a young age, growing up on a hobby farm and around family farms
• The hardship of missing out on the first draft and what Dylan's Plan B was going to be if he didn't get picked up to play AFL
• Finding his confidence and identifying his strengths
• Creating a strong team bond at Richmond Football Club with Ben Crowe and Damien Hardwick
• How he and his wife, Elisha, worked towards the property of their dreams
• The early days of the farm, learning to operate a forklift and fixing water mishaps on the way to the MCG
• When the Tigers helped with harvest
• Learning to ask for help
• How has the farm benefitted his AFL career?

Check out Mount Macedon Winery: https://www.mountmacedonwinery.com.au/ 

Maybe you've heard of the A Fiver for a Farmer founder, Jack Berne, but if you haven't, let us introduce you to this legend. 

When Jack was 10, he saw a news story about just how bad the droughts were for farmers in Australia, and from his home in the Northern Beaches, he decided to do something. 

Four years later, Jack's in high school and he's still championing Aussie Farmers through his foundation, Jack's Mates. Whether he's raising money at schools through dress up days, spreading the word on TV or on the radio, visiting fire, drought, or flood affected farms, or just being a 14 year old, Jack is certainly motivated to make a difference. 

On this weeks episode we talk all things:

• Jack's background 
• The origin of Fiver for a Farmer
• What motivated him, as a boy from the coast, to get involved with Aussie ag
• Jack's first time on a working farm in Molong
• What Jack's journey has been like for his own family
• How meeting farmers and going on farms changed Jack's perceptions
• His dream job
• Rugby
• What advice does he have for adults?

We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.

https://afiverforafarmer.com.au/ 

After growing up on a farm in Tassie, being a jillaroo in the Northern Territory then a banker in Mangoplah, NSW, Ginny Stevens realised there was a lack of services for creating community within farming towns.

She loved farm life, but she started to notice the immense challenges that come with living and working on a farm, and she believed she could do something positive for the people in those communities.

So in 2014, Active Farmers was born.

Nine years later, Active Farmers is part of 61 communities, has over 40 trainers, and participants ranging from young farmers to older farmers to community members from outside of agriculture to Ginny’s own parents-in-law. 

Ginny's journey through her career, motherhood and philanthropy is an inspiring one to say the least, here are a few things covered throughout the chat:

• Ginny's life on the farm and with her kids
• Growing up in Tasmania and the importance of family
• Becoming a jillaroo in the Northern Territory
• ‘The Team Sport Effect’ and how it sparked her idea for Active Farmers
• Quitting her day job and starting a family while starting her business
• Striving for the elusive 'work-life balance'
• What's next for Active Farmers?

https://activefarmers.com.au/

Meet Warren Davies.

His family chose farming in Kyabram after a life of owning milk bars, butchers and post offices in Melbourne - and Warren couldn't have been happier to live life in the country as a 15 year old. But even though he escaped the problems he was facing in the city, he quickly realised that the vision he had for farm life was slipping away from him.

This week we hear the stories of the Unbreakable Farmer - what were the moments that brought him to his tipping point? How did he push through to become the motivational speaker he is today? It's been a journey to find his voice, but by working through his challenges and expressing them to others he hopes to create an environment where mental health is discussed openly.

In this episode you'll hear about:

• Growing up in Melbourne
• Moving to Kyabram at 15 years old
• Owning his own farm at the age of 22
• His different career paths in the agriculture space
• Deciding to walk away from his farm and the mental repercussions
• Sharing his story as a professional speaker and promoting conversations around mental health

Themes covered in this podcast may be triggering, please reach out to Lifeline, This Is A Conversation Starter or someone you trust.

Lifeline: 13 11 14
TIACS: 0488 846 988

Please welcome to the pod... Tom Rookyard and Mick Corcoran!

We're getting these two larrikins behind the mic not only because of their careers in ag, but because of our blossoming partnership - Tom and Mick are coming on board to deliver a monthly market update on our In The Know On The Go podcast. And we couldn't be more excited for you to get to know them.

In this ep you'll hear all about:
- Their respective injuries
- The different childhoods Tom and Mick had around ag
- Their early careers and how AuctionsPlus brought them together
- The role of Conor McGregor in Mick's career
- What breed of bull or ram would they be?
- Two Truths and a Lie
- Market Update

Hopefully you enjoy this chat and these blokes, you'll be hearing more from them very soon!

2023! Hello! We hope you've had a great start so far. 

We're starting off this year with a cracking story from award winning country singer, songwriter, Mum, and just all round legend Fanny Lumsden.

Maybe you've been to one of her Country Hall concerts, maybe you've heard her CMAA Golden Guitar Album of the Year, Fallow, maybe you love her candid social media presence - no matter how you know her, hopefully this chat can give a bit of an insight to what makes Fanny, Fanny.

In this conversation we cover:
- Her conversations with First Nations Elders
- Early memories in and around agriculture
- Her journey from studying Rural Science to working at AuctionsPlus to the transition to the music industry
- The 2020 Bushfires
- Musical inspiration and new music

When you're done with this ep, go get around all Fanny's fabulous music:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4WxHef1Si5yaAaCWUc6Ug2?si=_3jCUEMcS1WuQP5XH_WDZQ 

In the heart of Dubbo, NSW, a remarkable story unfolds at The Little Big Dairy Co, where Emma Elliott and her father, Steve Chesworth, are not just dairy farmers, but they regard themselves as environmentalists. 

Their journey showcasing the importance of embracing new and sustainable practices in the dairy industry to benefit both the environment and the bottom line. 

We discuss:

• The importance of preserving the dairy industry and encouraging the next generation to be involved.
• The balance between profitability and sustainability in the dairy industry.
• The need for education and transparency to build trust with consumers.
• The implementation of sustainable practices, such as solar panels and water recycling, on the farm.
• Future plans for the business, including the production of butter and housing cows in climate-controlled barns.

Paid Partnership Transparency:
Humans of Agriculture have been fortunate enough to engage in a paid agreement powered by the NSW Government, Dairy NSW, and Dairy Australia to gain first-hand insight into the Australian Dairy Industry and share it with our audiences and more broadly. 
This six-part series includes video, podcasts, photography and written content and is made possible by the Australian and NSW Government’s Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program.

After 52 episodes of Humans of Agriculture and 6 episodes of In the Know On The Go, it’s time for Oli to do some reflecting on the year that was 2022. 

There were some big changes, which you will hear all about, and some big realisations. 

Oli’s first full time hires, Naomi and Maya, sat down with Oli to ask all about, well, just about everything. 

So here’s what we discussed:

• Oli’s never ending pursuit of the story which has taken him all across the country this year
• How every interview Oli does is also a reverse job interview
• 2022: A Very Different Year to what Oli Expected
• How Oli decided to take the leap and back himself, and Humans of Agriculture
• Building professional partnerships
• Overcoming the challenges and setbacks
• What it’s been like discussing the big topics - mental health, alcoholism 
• The Love of Ben Crowe
• Oli, Naomi and Maya’s Keep, Grow and Let Go for 2023

Thanks for listening throughout 2022, every listen counts and we genuinely appreciate you following along, listening along and coming along on this journey. We’ve got big things planned so we’re going to head on a bit of a break until January 9th, so enjoy your holidays and we will chat with you soon.

“Tough, fun and joyous.” - those are the three words Angus Street chose to describe his 2022. 

Many people know Angus Street as the CEO of AuctionsPlus, what many don't know is the back story and journey he has been on. 

Oli and his former boss sat down on a gorgeous, sunny day in North Sydney to have a frank, but fun, conversation about all things ag, business, family and feedback. 

They chat all things:

• Growing up on the family farm
• Finding the uni course that suits you
• Angus' early career in journalism
• Coming back to the agriculture industry
• How making the move to Melbourne shifted his perspective
• The impact of self introspection
• The journey to becoming CEO of AuctionsPlus

This is the final Humans of Agriculture interview episode for the year! And what a year it's been. 

Thank you for listening along and supporting the podcast, we have one more episode for the year and it's a nice little wrap up on the year that has been - so tune in to that while you're enjoying a bit of well-earned summer downtime.

G’day! This week we recorded with Danyel Cucinotta on her family farm in Werribee South, the traditional lands of the Bunurong and Wadawurrung People. 

It was great to meet Danyel in person, she’s got a real enthusiasm that’s almost infectious and I think that comes across strongly in our conversation - but she wasn't always this enthusiastic about eggs.

Danyel loves her family, her community and her chooks, and as well as being the youngest ever Vice President of the VFF, she is Chair of the VFF Child Safety on Farms Steering Committee.

In this chat we cover:

• Her early interests in Hospitality and events
• How a chance advocacy opportunity alongside her Dad led her back to the farm
• Life on the farm as a kid alongside her sister
• Her experience being the youngest VFF Vice President 
• How she has found a voice for child safety advocacy
• The ways intensive agriculture benefit the community

In this chat we do cover some themes such as farm safety, and specifically accidents relating to children on farms and they may be triggering to some.