At 28, Sarah Wheeler has already experienced enormous loss, rediscovered her place in agriculture and ridden 5,500 kilometres on horseback across regional Australia, raising more than $650,000 for charity along the way.

But this conversation is about much more than the ride.

Sarah shares how losing her dad at 12 and her mum in her mid-20s changed her perspective on life, how working across rural Australia helped her find her feet again, and why the people she met during nine months on horseback became one of the journey's most powerful parts.

We also talk about the part that doesn't make the highlight reel: coming home after achieving something enormous and wondering, 

"What now?"

Sarah is now building G'day Grief, with a vision to bring people experiencing loss together through nature, animals and shared experiences. And she's already dreaming about another adventure involving horses, dirt bikes, the Murray River, the Nullarbor and potentially a few things she doesn't yet know how to do.

Chapters

00:00 Finding her way back to agriculture
03:04 Sarah's sisters and the family farm
04:12 Losing Mum and keeping the farm moving
06:19 What rural community really means
07:57 The idea to ride 5,500 kilometres
11:11 Announcing the ride before knowing how she'd do it
13:27 The people who made the journey
15:00 Raising more than $650,000
16:49 What happens after achieving something enormous
18:22 Turning pain into purpose
19:12 Building G'day Grief
21:44 Creating something for people experiencing loss
25:16 Sarah's next big adventure
27:46 Why giving it a go matters more than finishing
28:34 Learning to live with grief

Proudly brought to you by Rabobank

The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders.

That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections.

Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations.

Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

Little Big Dairy Co is growing!

We're working with them to find 2 x roles: a Farm Operations Manager and, separately, an Executive Assistant to the CEO.

They run three businesses in one: a 1,000-hectare fodder operation, a herd of registered Holsteins, and an on-farm factory. Two new roles have opened as a result.

We are sitting down with Campbell Chesworth (director and Nuffield Scholar) to explain what the business is building, who they need, and why these roles have no uncapped potential.

Seen the ad? This is your sign to apply.

👉 Apply now HERE!

Chapters

• 01:31 Campbell’s three-month sabbatical that became a career in the family business
• 04:11 Nuffield takeaways: circularity, confidence, and people as the biggest investment
• 07:00 Developments: Eight new robotic milkers, a new freestall barn and an effluent upgrade
• 09:57 Is ag tech replacing jobs or creating better ones in Dairy?
• 11:30 The Farm Ops Manager role: about the farm
• 13:36 What a great hire looks like in this role
• 14:15 The EA role: working alongside CEO Emma Elliott across accounts, HR and operations
• 17:18 Boots on the ground: a family that works beside its team
• 18:20 Why now: succession, building systems, and the move into butter and cottage cheese
• 20:00 Final word: throw your hat in

Who they’re after

• Farm Ops Manager: eager to learn, takes initiative, and owns problems from fault to fix. You’ll work alongside Campbell, Steve and the farming team.
• Executive Assistant: can-do attitude, keen to take on responsibility, and ready to learn the business from one of the sharpest operators in Australian dairy.

Ready? Apply here

Proudly brought to you by Rabobank

The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders.

That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections.

Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations.

Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

In this episode of Humans of Agriculture, Oli Le Lievre sits down with Elle Moyle, a Zanda McDonald Award finalist, veterinarian and farmer with Pathfinder Angus in Western Victoria.

Elle reflects on her path from working as a district vet, including international biosecurity work, to returning to the family farming business and building her own agricultural interests.

A big part of the conversation is Elle’s experience with the Zanda McDonald Award. While she made the final three but didn’t win, the experience helped build her confidence, expand her network and create relationships that continue to shape her career.

Elle also shares what she has learnt about building genuine professional relationships, the value of putting yourself forward for opportunities, and what is happening at Pathfinder Angus as the family business continues to grow.

In this episode:

• Elle’s move from veterinary work to full-time farming
• Her experience as a Zanda McDonald Award finalist
• Why you don’t have to win to get enormous value from the award
• Building confidence, networks and long-term professional relationships
• The growth of Pathfinder Angus and Elle’s role in the family business
• Why Elle encourages others to put themselves forward

Applications for the Zanda McDonald Award are open from 1 October to 31 October 2026.

Chapters

00:00 Elle Moyle’s journey and the Zanda McDonald Award
02:11 From veterinary work to full-time farming
04:00 Veterinary and biosecurity work
05:21 Why Elle applied for the Zanda McDonald Award
06:15 Lessons from being a finalist
07:34 Building a lasting network
10:04 Learning from industry leaders
11:12 The growth of Pathfinder Angus
12:23 Why more young agricultural professionals should apply
13:45 What’s ahead for Pathfinder Angus

Proudly brought to you by Rabobank

The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders.

That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections.

Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations.

Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

Welcome to the Tom & Mick Show! This week, Tom & Mick sit down with Anna Speer, whose career has taken her from teaching and AgTech to leadership roles with AuctionsPlus, Australian Agricultural Company, Woolworths and now Stone Axe.

Anna shares what she’s learnt about building strong teams, making commercial decisions and creating long-term value, while unpacking how Stone Axe is building a vertically integrated Wagyu business from conception through to consumption.

In this episode:

• Anna’s unconventional career through agriculture and AgTech
• What private equity brings to an agricultural business
• How vertical integration can reduce exposure to market volatility
• Using 10-year herd modelling to make better decisions today
• Managing rising feed, fuel and labour costs
• Why building your own brand isn’t always the best strategy
• Wagyu genetics, premium markets and future growth
• Building teams and adapting your leadership to different people

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and catching up with Anna Speer
03:01 Anna’s career through agriculture and AgTech
07:49 From Woolworths to Stone Axe
12:39 Private equity and commercial decision-making
19:29 Wagyu genetics and growing Stone Axe
26:14 Managing market cycles and supply chains
31:20 Herd modelling and planning 10 years ahead
36:00 Consumer trends and Wagyu’s premium market
40:04 Managing rising input costs
44:40 Branding, Angus and supply chain partnerships
50:17 Leadership and building better teams

Proudly brought to you by Rabobank

The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders.

That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections.

Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations.

Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

What happens when you step outside your own patch and spend time learning from some of the best operators in agriculture?

2026 Australian Zanda McDonald Award winner Bryce Neyland joins Oli after completing his mentoring trips across New Zealand and Australia. Bryce shares what he learned about risk, resilience, investment and leadership, and why seeing how other businesses operate has challenged the way he thinks about his own career and family farming business.

Importantly, Bryce didn’t win the first time he applied. He reflects on what changed between applications, the value of getting clear on where you want to go, and why sometimes the best thing you can do is put your hand up and have another crack.

In this episode:

• What Bryce learned travelling through Australian and New Zealand agriculture
• Why New Zealand challenged his thinking about productivity and getting more from what you have
• What resilient Australian farming businesses do differently
• How leading businesses think about investment, risk and long-term decision-making
• Why Bryce is now thinking differently about planning for tough seasons on the family farm
• Learning to expect pressure rather than being surprised by it
• Why getting outside your own "sandbox" matters for personal and professional growth
• What changed between Bryce's first unsuccessful Zanda application and ultimately winning the Award
• Why the alumni network may be one of the Award's greatest opportunities
• Bryce's advice for anyone considering putting their hand up

Applications for the Zanda McDonald Award are open from 1 October to 31 October 2026.

If you’re involved in agriculture, want to keep learning and are curious about where you could take your career, Bryce’s advice is pretty simple: get your application in and have a crack.

Chapters
00:00 Catching up with Bryce
02:15 Life as the 2026 Zanda McDonald Award winner
03:11 The Australian and New Zealand mentoring trips
05:20 What New Zealand agriculture taught Bryce
06:32 Productivity versus resilience
08:04 How great businesses think about investment and risk
10:34 Bringing the lessons back to the family farm
11:30 Leadership, negotiation and personal development
13:27 Learning to expect pressure
14:39 What successful dryland farming businesses taught Bryce
17:00 Why apply for the Zanda McDonald Award?
19:01 Bryce didn't get through the first time
20:18 "I only know what I know"
22:04 What changed between Bryce's two applications
23:31 Bryce's advice to future applicants

Proudly brought to you by Rabobank

The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders.

That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections.

Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations.

Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

Fourth-generation beef producer Stafford Ives-Heres is building Shanford Park on Tasmania's north-west coast with one eye firmly on the generations still to come.

From starting with 10 cattle and working cray boats to fund his growth, to succession, leasing land and questioning whether owning more country always makes commercial sense, Stafford shares how he's thinking about building a family business that's valuable enough to be taken on, not simply sold.

We chat about:

• Growing up at Shanford Park and being the last of four kids to become interested in farming
• Starting with 10 cattle as a teenager
• Working cray boats along Tasmania's remote west coast
• Using off-farm income to build livestock ownership
• Why the family moved from dairy into beef
• The beginnings of Tasmanian Seaweed Fertilisers
• Separating family businesses to make succession work
• Growing livestock numbers through ownership, leasing and share farming
• Why Stafford questions the need to own every hectare
• Building equity and optionality for the next generation
• Creating pathways into agriculture without owning land
• Why professional development and strong networks matter

Chapters

00:00 The realities of regional connectivity
05:09 Meet Stafford Ives-Heres
06:17 Farming on Tasmania's north-west coast
10:21 Starting with 10 cattle
12:15 Leaving farming for the cray industry
16:24 Lessons from working at sea
18:01 From dairy farming to seaweed fertiliser
23:40 Separating businesses and navigating succession
25:36 Growing the beef business
28:29 Having children and thinking generations ahead
31:04 Playing the long game with land and scale
32:22 Professional development, equity and what's next
36:18 Leasing land and creating pathways into agriculture
39:05 Rabobank's Executive Development Program

Proudly brought to you by Rabobank

The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders.

That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections.

Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations.

Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

Jack and Lisa Beattie didn’t set out to build a strawberry propagation business. After leaving Jack’s family dairy operation and trying several different ventures, an unexpected opportunity at Ouse in Tasmania changed their direction.

Today, JCLM Farming produces around 10% of Australia’s strawberry nursery plants. Jack and Lisa share the decisions, setbacks and lessons behind that growth, and their ambition to become the provider of choice for Australian strawberry growers.

In this episode:

• Leaving the family farm and starting again
• Why their early businesses were important stepping stones
• The unexpected move from dairy into strawberry propagation
• The moment they decided to back one business rather than keep diversifying
• Why Ouse is uniquely suited to growing strawberry nursery plants
• Growing JCLM to around 10% of the Australian market
• Finding and bringing new strawberry genetics into Australia
• How six plants can become millions through propagation
• Digitising the customer journey from ordering through to delivery
• Building a team around Jack and Lisa’s different strengths
• Their goal to double JCLM’s share of the Australian market

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and JCLM Farming today
02:20 Jack’s farming roots and moving from the UK to Tasmania
05:09 Leaving the family dairy business
07:25 The difficult first decade on their own
09:06 Their first businesses and lessons from things that didn’t work
12:12 Lisa’s perspective on money, growth and building the business
16:11 How strawberries unexpectedly entered the picture
18:55 The two phone calls that changed their direction
22:43 Building JCLM into 10% of Australia’s strawberry plant market
24:44 Creating value for customers and aligning the team
26:29 Jack and Lisa’s different strengths as leaders
28:45 Global genetics and the story of six Eclipse plants
32:34 Building a digital-first strawberry nursery
37:47 The ambition to double JCLM’s Australian market share
39:14 What are the chances your strawberries started at JCLM?
40:41 The strawberry needle scare, COVID and labour challenges

Proudly brought to you by Rabobank

The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders.

That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections.

Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations.

Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

Michael Spencer has spent more than 30 years across livestock agency, corporate agriculture, cattle processing and pastoral operations, including roles with Elders, AACo and Bindaree Beef before helping build Adcock Partners.

In this episode of The Tom & Mick Show, Michael joins Tom and Mick to unpack what good livestock agency actually looks like, why Adcock Partners deliberately operates under the radar, and what he is seeing across cattle markets from northern Australia through to the eastern states.

They discuss:

•  Michael’s unconventional path through Elders, AACo, Bindaree Beef and into Adcock Partners 
•  Why relationships and people remain the foundation of a strong agency business 
•  Building a business around agility rather than corporate complexity 
•  Why Adcock Partners has deliberately stayed relatively quiet and selective 
•  How livestock agency has changed over the past 30 years 
•  What good service looks like when clients span enormous distances 
•  Seasonal conditions across Queensland and the Northern Territory 
•  Why producer confidence can move cattle prices quickly 
•  The relationship between live export and domestic cattle markets 
•  Why live export remains critical to northern Australia and Indonesia 
•  What Michael expects from cattle markets heading through spring and into 2027

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Michael Spencer and Adcock Partners
05:24 Michael’s path from Melbourne to livestock agency
12:41 From Elders and AACo to Bindaree
18:05 Building Adcock Partners and the business philosophy
23:34 What good livestock agency service looks like
29:48 Seasonal conditions across northern Australia
35:12 The cattle market and influence of the farmer
40:36 Live export, Indonesia and changing cattle markets
46:18 What happens next for the cattle market
50:20 The Charbray question and wrapping up

Proudly brought to you by Rabobank

The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders.

That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections.

Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations.

Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

Gerard Hines and Chris Duff have spent nearly four decades working alongside each other, building one of Australia's most respected independent agribusinesses from a single rural store into a national business. 

What does it take to build an agribusiness from a handful of people into a national business, without losing the culture, relationships and local connection that made it successful in the first place?

Gerard Hines and Chris Duff are the co-founders of Delta Agribusiness. Their working relationship stretches back almost 40 years, from a small rural business near Young, NSW, through the creation of Delta Agribusiness in 2006 and more than 20 acquisitions, before Delta ultimately became part of Elders.

This is a conversation about much more than growth. Gerard and Chris unpack the decisions, people and principles underneath it, from backing themselves during drought, putting their own money on the line and using employee ownership to create alignment, to learning why balance sheet strength, local relationships and great people matter when building a business for the long term.

Key insights from the conversation:

• How Gerard and Chris built a partnership spanning nearly 40 years through trust, respect and shared values
• Why bringing independent agronomy into agricultural retail fundamentally changed their business model
• The role mentors and early equity opportunities played in shaping Delta's inclusive ownership philosophy
• What IAMA, Wesfarmers and AWB taught them about leadership, governance, systems and financial discipline
• Why Delta was founded during the middle of a severe drought and how backing themselves changed everything
• The importance of maintaining a strong balance sheet so opportunities can be seized during difficult seasons
• How focusing on people, culture and local relationships drove more than 20 successful acquisitions across Australia
• Why equity ownership became one of Delta's greatest tools for attracting, retaining and aligning great people
• How staying connected to customers and the frontline has remained critical, even as the business has grown nationally
• The lessons learned from succession planning, bringing in private equity, and ultimately partnering with Elders to secure Delta's next chapter

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Gerard Hines and Chris Duff's Journey

01:52 Early Days of Agriculture and Agronomy

04:00 Founding of Delta Agribusiness and Initial Challenges

08:05 The Impact of Industry Changes and Mergers

11:57 Lessons Learned from Industry Challenges

15:57 Growth Strategies and Private Equity Involvement

20:08 Building Company Culture and Leadership

25:02 Managing Growth, Succession, and Industry Dynamics

31:47 The Decision to Start Delta and Early Risks

36:04 Timing and Market Conditions During Launch

40:03 Resilience During Droughts and Market Cycles

45:07 The Role of Relationships and Trust in Business

49:48 Strategic Acquisitions and Private Equity Partnerships

54:58 Adapting to Industry and Market Changes

59:55 Leadership, Culture, and the Future of Delta

Podcast Keywords

Delta Agribusiness, Gerard Hines, Chris Duff, Australian agribusiness, agronomy Australia, agricultural leadership, agribusiness entrepreneurship, rural business, agriculture careers, agricultural retail, private agronomy, Australian farming, business growth, mergers and acquisitions, employee ownership, business culture, drought resilience, leadership development, succession planning, Elders, regional business, entrepreneurship in agriculture

Proudly brought to you by Rabobank

The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders.

That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections.

Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations.

Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

Action Steel Sales Coordinator Role - Find here.

We sit down with Lennie Grace to learn more about Action Steel and the current opportunities available in his sales team. 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Action Steel and family business
01:27 How Action Steel started
02:01 Growing up in the family business
03:33 Why Action Steel chose agriculture
04:53 The importance of focus
06:21 Building a network for growth
08:18 Team, culture and specialist skills
10:03 The Sales Coordinator opportunity
12:43 Understanding the role and customer experience
18:26 Transparency, incentives and the future of Action Steel

Proudly brought to you by Rabobank

The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders.

That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections.

Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations.

Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

Building a premium beef brand isn't just about producing exceptional cattle. It's about understanding markets, embracing data, building the right team, and having the patience to make decisions years before the product reaches a customer's plate.

In this episode, Harry Kemp shares the story behind King River, the family-owned Wagyu business that has grown from a bold partnership between two Queensland families into a premium beef brand supplying customers across more than 35 countries.

Harry reflects on growing up in a family grazing business, leaving school early to return to the land, and how his approach to learning has evolved alongside the rapid transformation of Australian agriculture. What began as a traditional cattle operation has become a data-driven business where genetics, consumer demand, and long-term thinking shape every decision.

Together, Oli and Harry explore the realities of building a premium export brand, why consistency matters more than chasing perfection, and how strong relationships have underpinned King River's remarkable growth over the past five years.

From genetics and data to leadership, teamwork, and customer relationships, this conversation offers a fascinating insight into what it takes to build a modern beef business that delivers quality from paddock to plate.

Key insights from the conversation:

• Harry's journey from the family cattle property to co-founding King River
• Why two family businesses joined forces to build a premium Wagyu brand
• The challenges of building a business with a four-year production cycle
• How genetics, data, and consumer demand are transforming beef production
• Why consistency matters more than producing the highest marbling scores
• Building a business that now supplies premium Wagyu to more than 35 countries
• Lessons on rapid business growth, leadership, and putting people in the right roles
• The importance of relationships, accountability, and shared values in successful partnerships
• Why producing great food is ultimately about bringing people together, regardless of language or culture

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Harry Kemp and King River Beef
02:20 The significance of the Ekka week and industry events
04:00 Harry's background and early life in farming
07:32 Changes in beef farming over 21 years
10:07 The formation of King River Beef in 2019
11:30 Utilising Wagyu to optimise feedlot infrastructure
14:05 Transition from selling cattle to branding and marketing
16:22 Meeting the Rich family and forming the partnership
19:45 Managing rapid growth and team restructuring
24:55 Impact of genetics and breeding on marbling
29:38 The importance of data and technology in decision-making
34:22 Building a global customer base and maintaining quality
44:01 The future vision for King River Beef
45:20 Harry's perspective on being a food producer
46:47 The universal language of good food and beef
47:22 Closing remarks and next steps for the business

Proudly brought to you by Rabobank

The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders.

That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections.

Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations.

Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.