Humans of Agriculture

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 happenings in the Aussie Rural Real Estate market.We last caught up with Col in October 2023, he was busier than eer and the market was slowing. So let’s find out what’s the latest in all things Rural Property. In this episode we cover:Influence of livestock prices on land values and transactionsThings to watch: Is the Dairy Industry the current opportunity?LAWD are starting to see the first transactions of land packages with carbon credits, is it having an influence?Plenty of talk about renewables currently, what’s the opportunity?It’s four years into the LAWD journey! Time flies.Feature Listings to watch, In this episode we discuss two feature listings, 1. Richmond Grove. Lower Hunter NSW. 1056 hectares. Equine facility. 340 Meg water entitlements. EOI. 2.Commins Portfolio Darlington Point NSW, 2800 hectares. Flood irrigation cotton and grain producing farm. 14,000 Meg Murrumbidgee water and groundwater entitlements. (Estimating $90 million plus).

Nigel Corish was born with Cerebral Palsy, living with a disability has shaped much of his life outlook and amongst the challenges, it has fostered a need to be adaptive and think outside the box, you could say, it’s even a superpower. Nigel has an impressive feat of accomplishments to his name, from Cotton Grower of the Year, Young Australian Farmer of the Year, and Nuffield Scholar. In this week's episode Nigel talks about the moments of frustration, the desire to be ‘normal’ and when he learnt to embrace and acknowledge his disability. In our chat he openly shares with us the challenges he has encountered living with this medical condition and how through hard work in many moments of frustration, self acceptance and nurturing in an inclusive environment in his community and family, made it possible for him to live a normal, active life and achieve his dreams.Nigel is a true inspiration. His grit and determination to achieve all he has in his lifetime serve as an inspiration to those living and not living with a disability in Australia. A must listen. This is Nigel Corish’s story. Nigel’s story is part of our partnership with the Nuffield Australia - Nuffield Scholar program - Where we are shining a light on some of the incredible stories of some of their scholars.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 at ANZ.com.In this episode we talk about: Family Farming, Inclusion in Agriculture and Agricultural communities, Cerebral Palsy, Determination, Self acceptance, Mental health, The Nuffield Scholar Program, Cotton, Australian Cotton, Farming, Cotton Grower of the year, Young Australian Farmer of the Year, Regenerative agriculture, Irrigation efficiency.

Did you know Australia has some of the oldest vines in the world?Nigel Blieschke is a 2023 Syngenta Growth Award winner in the Sustainability, Advisor category.  In this episode, Nigel shares  his journey from childhood in the Flinders Ranges to becoming a leader in viticulture, addressing challenges in the industry, and providing insights into the future of sustainable agriculture. Nigel's experiences, from early vineyard work to managing world-class wineries, offer a valuable perspective on maintaining quality while adapting to industry trends and challenges, making this episode a must-listen for anyone interested in agriculture and viticulture.Other topics discussed:Nigel's fascination for native animals and vegetation, and ultimately led him to study Natural Resource Management at The University of Adelaide. Studying in close proximity to the Barossa Valley, Nigel gravitated towards the wine industry and ended up doing a vintage for some work upon graduating. 30 years later, Nigel is now the Chief Viticulturist at Torbreck Vintners.Vines and wine are a long-term game, and Nigel chats us through their approach to sustainably farming perennial plants, sticking true to business strengths in changing global demands and building a team that truly cares for the vines.   In this episode we talk about, Viticulture, Wine, Vines, Grapes, Australian Wine, Sustainability, Barossa Valley, Global Trends, Business Management, Team Management. Podcast partnership appreciation: Oli recently caught up with Nigel Blieschke after he was a Sustainability Advisor Award recipient at the 2023 Syngenta Growth Awards in Sydney. This is the second podcast episode in a partnership with Syngenta Australia featuring recipients of the Syngenta 2023 Growth Awards.

I am so excited to share this episode with you. Julia Spicer is one of those people you meet and you instantly feel like you’ve known them for years. She’s a true champion and advocate for rural Australia, the people within these communities and is eager to see innovation unlocked and enabled.Believing that rural communities needed vibrant and viable businesses to keep rural communities going she founded Engage and Create Consulting. She is also Queensland’s Chief Entrepreneur. Oli caught up with Julia in his recent trip to Goondiwindi where they chatted about her life, her journey into a career in Ag, her passion into seeing regional communities thrive now and into the future and how she manages to be an influential voice for regional communities. Julia is action focused, believing that actionable influence in business in the bush is just as powerful as being in politics, and that this influence enables regional leaders to have a seat at the table as key decision makers. In this episode we talk about:Bush Businesses, Rural communities, Championing Australian Agriculture, Business development in Regional Australia, Innovation in rural Australia. MORE READING: Do you love hearing stories of #HumansInAgriculture? Be part of our community and sign up to receive our E-newsletter Sign up HERE. Curious to learn more? email: hello@humansofagriculture.com

When it comes to things synonymous with visiting a farm, a tour is right up there. Sam Coulton takes great pride in it, so much so, that within his business he has established a dedicated crew to lead farm tours to support the education and understanding on their cotton farm near Goondiwindi. The Coulton family have incredible ties in farming. From humble beginnings, including mixed grain and livestock farming, to today as accomplished cotton producers where the farm even has a clothing and fashion business Goondiwindi Cotton attached to it. In our chat, Sam shares his story, opening up about the financial pressures that drove their farming business to the decision to grow their first cotton crop in 1977, a move that proved to be both risky and transformative.Most recently, Sam has been involved in a project with Cotton CRDC where he is diverting cotton clothing that would otherwise be landfill and spreading it on grower paddocks to break down in the soil, providing environmental benefit. We hope you enjoy our time with a true Legend of Australian Agriculture. This is Sam Coultons story.In this episode we talk about:Farming Australian Cotton, Fashion, Global Perspectives, Innovation, Family Farming, Irrigated cropping, Sustainability and Environment. 

Over 60 years ago, an American farmer would be reading the American Farm Bureau magazine. Unbeknown to him at the time, it was a moment that would prove pivotal in the development of Australia’s cotton industry, and Australian agriculture would never look the same again…Growing up in Wee Waa, the Kahl family were at the centre of the development of Australia's Cotton Industry. James’ journey has also taken him from revolutionising an underwater scallop grading process in Tasmania and Japan, to becoming Chair of the Cotton Seed Distributors and in more recent years reaching carbon neutrality in his business… James’ wealth of life experiences is as vast as the landscape in which he farms.As familiar in a paddock as he is in a boardroom advocating for Australian Cotton and Agriculture, now aged in his 70’s and with his three sons at the helm of the farming business, James enjoys an active but different role in the business. This is James Kahl’s story.In this episode we talk about:Migration to Australia, Australian Cotton, Innovation in Aquaculture, Being Chair of Cotton Seed Distributors, Developing the Cotton Seed Industry, Water rights advocacy, Carbon Neutral Certification, Syngenta Growth Awards, CSIRO, Succession, Family Farming and more!Podcast partnership appreciation: Oli recently caught up with James Kahl after he was a Sustainability Award recipient at the 2023 Syngenta Growth Awards in Sydney. This is the first podcast episode in a partnership with Syngenta Australia featuring recipients of the Syngenta 2023 Growth Awards.Do you love hearing stories of #HumansInAgriculture? Be part of our community and sign up to receive our E-newsletter HERECurious to learn more? email:hello@humansofagriculture.com

Welcome back to the first episode of the #InTheKnow podcast for 2024! This week, host Oli Le Lievre and Century Orchards Farm Technical Manager Gemma Nunn delve hive-first into the world of bees. Century Orchards farm is based at Loxton in South Australia, on the mighty Murray River. In this episode, Gemma explains the in’s and outs of bee pollination at the 700 hectare almond and 100 hectare pistachio orchard. Century Orchards joined the Bee Friendly Farming Certification Program to help them make sure their bees are as healthy and happy as can be. Gemma explains that bees are like livestock and we learn just how important they are for Aussie Ag and horticultural production. In this episode, Oli and Gemma cover: The role of bees in almond and pistachio farming How professional beekeeper groups manage and maintain hives used on farmsHow hive health checks and audits workBee Friendly Farming Certification and how it worksDifferences between honeybees and native pollinatorsHow bee pollination assists in better practices, sustainability & production of high quality productBee Friendly Farming is a certification program that works with land managers to help protect, preserve and promote pollinator health. Bee Friendly Farming provides guidelines for farmers and gardeners to promote pollinator health on their lands. If you would like to learn more about Bee Friendly farming certification head to www.wheenbeefoundation.org.au. Sponsor appreciation: This episode has been sponsored by the Wheen Bee Foundation to raise awareness about Bee Friendly Farmer certification.

This episode with Fritz Bolten is our very first “Mother - Son” duo for the Humans Of Agriculture podcast! We sat down with Fritz's Mother, Frauke Bolten-Boshammer, about two years ago. They both have incredible stories, as a family and as individuals. We talk about farming in Kununurra. The wet season. Succession and handing over the reigns, even when it doesn't quite involve your own children. Grief and loss following his fathers death by suicide when he was a teenager. Being a Nuffield Scholar. And what's next.Fritz’s story is part of our partnership with the Nuffield Australia - Nuffield Scholar program - Where we are shining a light on some of the incredible stories of some of their scholars.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 at ANZ.com.

In August last year, Oli had the chance to sit down with David Egerton-Warburton for their podcast Boots off Log on! We thought we'd share the chat as, we thought it'd give a little bit more context behind Humans of Agriculture and why it started.We're back to regular episodes from next week and we can't wait to bring you more extraordinary stories in 2024!!

Despite Oli getting it very wrong... we are definitely back on Wednesday the 17th of Jan (not the 18th)...Between now and then we are running around Northern NSW, next week we have a little special episode which will give you a bit of insight into the behind Humans of Ag and what summarises what we would love to see HOA become this year... See you in a couple of weeks!