
Humans of Agriculture Optiweigh, Succession, Markets & Ag Supply Chains: 4 Voices from CommBank Cultivate:
This is a special Humans of Agriculture “radio-style” episode recorded at CommBank’s Cultivate event in the Hunter Valley — bringing together voices from across the agricultural supply chain.
Across four mini-conversations, we unpack the key forces shaping modern agriculture:
- Innovation and ag tech adoption
- Succession and family business transition
- Financial strategy and risk
- Market dynamics and global demand
This episode captures the energy of the room — where farmers, advisors, innovators, and financiers are all working toward a stronger, more resilient industry.
👥 Featured Guests
- Roddy Brown (CommBank) — Why Cultivate exists and the importance of next-generation farmers
- Bill Mitchell (Optiweigh) — Turning a farm frustration into a global ag tech business
- Glenn Calder (Viridian Financial Group) — Practical realities of succession, structure, and long-term planning
- Tash Greenwood (CommBank) — Supply chain insights and why there’s still strong optimism in agriculture
🔑 Key Themes
- Why bringing the right people together matters more than ever
- The shift from intuition to data-driven decision-making
- The reality of ag tech adoption — and why effort still matters
- Succession as the most important (and often avoided) conversation in farming
- Structuring farm businesses for long-term success and risk management
- The role of global markets and why demand for Australian agriculture remains strong
- The growing importance of communication, leadership, and people
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and context from CommBank Cultivate
02:10 Roddy Brown on why Cultivate exists and next generation focus
07:20 Innovation in agriculture and the role of technology
08:10 Bill Mitchell on building Optiweigh from a farm problem
12:30 Lessons in ag tech adoption and customer-driven insights
16:30 Why succession remains agriculture’s biggest challenge
17:40 Glenn Calder on structuring farm businesses and managing risk
20:40 Practical steps to start succession and investment conversations
23:00 Empowering teams and building scalable businesses
25:50 Tash Greenwood on supply chains and market confidence
28:00 Global demand, volatility, and optimism in agriculture
30:40 Reflections on community, collaboration, and the future of ag
32:30 Final takeaways from CommBank Cultivate
