Humans of Agriculture

This weeks guest is Sandra Ireson, a seventh generation farmer from the Snowy Mountains! But she now finds herself on the Hay Plains with her husband and family. We first came across Sandra's work through her involvement in the Hay Inc Rural Education Program. About 10 years ago, Sandra and a few others started the program designed to bring city kids to rural communities and show them what's involved in farming and agriculture. Today, it's still going all guns blazing with more than 130 alumni and counting!  In this episode, Sandra mentions that the local school is actually closing down at the end of the year... With no local school, it means that kids will either turn to School of the Air, or they need to travel further afield for their education. This is just one of the challenges their rural community faces, on top of natural disasters and population decline. Sandra has some great messages around drought preparedness and not buying into the media hype. Sandra is one of those people who is super involved in the community and seems to juggle a lot - she volunteers in various groups, she's got the family farming business, and she also wants to contribute to the industry. She's also been involved with a few different programs through Meat and Livestock Australia (episode sponsor) Red Meat Ambassadors Program.How on earth she fits it all in, we're about to find out! 

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:Australian agribusiness trends and factors impacting the industryEl Nino's impact on the land market and sentimentRural property market trends and factors affecting itAustralian agricultural market trends and investment opportunitiesPassion for agriculture among team membersThis episode was recorded on October 4th. 

It's just about a wrap for our Better Business Series! This Part 2 episode with Ed Bradley & Bea Litchfield from Hazeldean will round out the series. If you haven't already, go back and listen to all of our previous incredible guests: Mitchell Highett, Grace Brennan and Phil Cloros. In this episode, we continue our conversation with Bea and Ed, discussing their innovative approach to running a family business. Ed shares his experience transitioning into a family business, and they both emphasise the importance of onboarding and building a strong team.They talk about hiring practices, the value of culture and attitude in the workplace, and the benefits of engaging with tech-savvy young talent through internships. Bea and Ed's commitment to embracing innovation while honouring their family legacy shines through in their approach to business management.Thanks for tuning in to the Better Business Series!This episode of The Better Business podcast is supported by the Farm Business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

In agriculture we often have husband and wife duos on the farm, but not so often in Agribusiness! So we're stoked to have had the opportunity to chat to co-CEO's - David and Natalie Egerton-Warbuton from Agrimaster. Together, they established the software development company in 2001 and have since began raising their family in Western Australia. The pair talk about communication and how they balance their business partnership with their marriage. It's obvious from how they interact that they're the definition of a power couple. They admit to understanding each others strengths and weaknesses and how 'beautiful' it is to be brave and trust in each other... And to also call 'bullish*t' on each other at times too! Nat is much more executional, so you can find her in the engine room. Dave on the other hand is generally more conceptual and strategic, looking toward the future for the next opportunities. The duo began working out of the cottage on the farm which had four bedrooms... And three of those rooms were offices! Their business has come a long way since then and they are almost ready to celebrate their 26th wedding anniversary!

Our Better Business Series is coming to a close with final guests Ed Bradley & Bea Litchfield from Hazeldean. In Part One, we delve into the history of Hazeldean, a long-standing agricultural enterprise founded in 1865. Bea and Ed provide insights into their unique backgrounds and how they have each established themselves within the business. Family succession is a central theme, and the duo discusses their experiences and strategies in managing this transition.Board meetings play a crucial role in shaping Hazeldean's direction and effective communication is key to their success. They share their methods for keeping the team informed, from shared calendars to group messaging. Daily team meetings, monthly manager gatherings, and private planning sessions ensure alignment and efficiency.This episode of The Better Business podcast is supported by the Farm Business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

Sam Burke has invited Oli and all listeners to his place for a BBQ and we're holding him to it! Sam's career spans over 30 years in the culinary world. From his early days as a milkboy to becoming a corporate chef, Sam has gained valuable lessons from every part of his career progression. He is now the Corporate Chef and Foodservice Business Development Manager for Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).Sam's enthusiasm for his work and red meat is evident, and he talks about the pride he feels representing Australian producers on the global stage. And he doesn't have to wait until his 100th birthday for a letter from the Queen… Queen Elizabeth II has already sent him one for his cooking!!"A producer loves to hear what happens to their product when it leaves farm gate... And then on the other side, the chef loves to hear what happens when that animal is produced… So we’re [MLA}] like the link between which conveys the positives messages… And I love that role.” - Sam Episode sponsor - Meat and Livestock Australia. 

Welcome to episode six of the Better Business series and our second with Phil Cloros from Mongrel Boots. In the first part of our chat, we explored Phil's background and his perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the family business, especially in the context of generational differences and workforce challenges. In this second part, we delve deeper into how Phil manages communication within the family business, the role of the next generation, and the importance of modernising their approach to stay relevant in the market.This episode of The Better Business podcast is supported by the Farm Business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

In this episode, Oli chats with Olivia (Liv) Thompson, a Director at LAWD. Liv's early years were spent on Northern Territory cattle stations, and she recently came full circle by selling one of those stations as a real estate agent.Although Liv's career began in real estate, she took a detour to Texas, USA, working as a cutting horse trainer. Throughout this episode, Liv openly discusses her rookie mistakes, her love for the Northern Territory community, the cultural insights she gained from her time overseas and the evolution of her career.Liv reflects, "It just amazes me that you would never know if somebody was a truck driver or if they had a string of properties and were an absolute millionaire. So you just can't judge a book by its cover," when talking about the people in the Northern Territory.

We're half way through the Better Business Series! Here is episode five with Phil Cloris from Mongrel Boots as our guest. In this episode, we dive into Phil's journey with Mongrel Boots, a fifth-generation Australian shoe business founded in 1930. We explore how Phil, alongside his family members, has worked to maintain the family values and ethos while also bringing in non-family employees on their journey. Phil shares insights into navigating generational shifts and the importance of balancing craftsmanship with modernity.The craft of boot-making is becoming less and less common. Phil discusses the challenges in finding skilled labour, how they've adapted to ensure the quality of their boots remains top-notch and how their branding has evolved.  This conversation provides insights into family businesses, the evolving landscape of manufacturing in Australia, and the dedication to producing Australian-made goods. Stay tuned for our next episode with Phil being released next week! This episode of The Better Business podcast is supported by the Farm Business Resilience Program through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

This week Oli had two guests join him on the Humans of Agriculture Podcast! Lachie Knight and Ned Olsson from Clipex met up with Oli during the 2023 AgQuip Field Days. Clipex is a family business which started in manufacturing a solution for fencing and then expanded into other livestock handling equipment. They now have businesses across the globe in the likes of Ireland and Uruguay. Ned's family established Clipex and Lachie has since joined the team. The trio touch on the following: Lachie's upbringing with his Dad running cattle throughout Eastern Australia while his Mum was building a career focusing on the people element of succession planning How the Olsson's developed the fencing product and left the family farm to establish the businessNeds' family unit and how each member is gifted and able to contribute to the business in their own wayWorking with international manufacturers and engineersNed's passion for business, even as a kidLachie's connection with customers and what he defines as 'solution driven outcomes'What advice Lachie and Ned have for young people looking at a career in agriculture "So we're Swedish background and we always say it's the Viking that comes out in us... We're up for a  fight and a bit of a challenge. I suppose always grew up as a kid in our family that if there's a problem, it's just because there's a solution waiting to be found." - Ned