Humans of Agriculture Tom & Mick: Grain, Livestock and Land - Where Aussie Ag sits in 2026 with Tommy Taylor
Feb 16, 2026
21:45
Season 4 of Monthly Markets opens with a strong pulse check across livestock, wool, property and grain.
Tom and Mick begin with:
- Wagga sheep market strength, with mutton pushing 7.50–8.00 and trade lambs over 10.50
- The Eastern Market Indicator hitting 1677 cents — a two-year record
- Cattle prices holding firm at Gunnedah
- Major rural property listings across NSW and QLD, including Springfield, Bogo, Glenfinnan, and Goodar Station
Then they’re joined by Tommy Taylor from Clear Grain Exchange for a deep dive into the grain landscape.
In this episode:
How Clear Grain Exchange works
- Empowering growers to set their own target prices
- Bringing 140+ buyers into a single digital marketplace
- Secure settlement and title retention for reduced counterparty risk
- Digitised documentation simplifying compliance and accounting
2025–26 Harvest Review
- Record WA crop
- Strong Northern NSW and QLD yields
- Chickpeas, lentils and canola performing well
- Barley trading near parity with wheat in some regions
Global Market Pressures
- Argentina’s 30 million tonne wheat crop flooding lower-spec markets
- Freight advantages favouring WA exporters
- Stocks-to-use ratios tightening globally despite current surpluses
On-Farm Storage Trends
- Increased investment in storage infrastructure
- Growers holding grain as both a price strategy and drought hedge
- Risks and costs of multi-year carry
China & Canola
- First canola exports to China since 2020
- Political risk remains, but diversified export markets provide resilience
Feedlots & Domestic Demand
- Potential 6 million head on feed
- Feedlots becoming a major structural demand driver
- Barley strength in northern markets driven by ration preferences
Tommy’s Advice
- Don’t miss opportunities
- Set target prices
- Volatility creates upside for prepared sellers
This episode is essential listening for growers, traders, feedlot operators, advisors and agribusiness professionals planning for the year ahead.