Commodity Conversations
290 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 10 hours ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingCommodity conversations explores all the moves in Australian agricultural markets and the stories behind what's driving them.
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Episodes
Key drivers of livestock profitability - 14th April 2023
April 13, 2023 23:30 - 19 minutes - 26.2 MBThis week, Rob is joined by Bronte Lloyd, Animal production specialist with Nutrien Ag Solutions. Bronte discusses some strategies for maximising efficiencies in livestock production including balancing nutrition through supplementation and the importance of managing feed and vaccinations for breeding stock.
Lambs’ seat at the trade table - 6th April 2023
April 06, 2023 05:12 - 26 minutes - 36.1 MBThis week Olivia is joined by Bonnie Skinner, CEO of Sheep Producers Australia. With free trade negotiations well underway in the EU and UK, Bonnie talks us through some key insights regarding the demands of the European lamb consumer. Bonnie also discusses how EID implementation and traceability can unlock value in these markets.
Ewe have got to be in it to win it - 31st March 2023
March 31, 2023 04:45 - 16 minutes - 22.9 MBThis week, Rob is joined by Ally Jaffrey, Wool Area manager for Nutrien Ag Solutions based in Crookwell NSW. Ally plays a key role in the NSW SMBA Southern Tablelands flock ewe championship and joins us to discuss what farmers are getting out of the competition. We learn how benchmarking, networking, and the sharing of knowledge are driving excellence in Wool.
Commodity Outlook: Climate, Conflict, China, Costs & COVID - 24th March 2023
March 24, 2023 05:07 - 19 minutes - 26.3 MBThis week Rob is joined by commodity conversations regular Michael Whitehead, Head of Agribusiness Insights at ANZ. Michael talks us through some of the key insights from the ANZ Agri in focus autumn report. We cover the outlook for a number of commodities including the climate and cost trends for farmers, the impacts of Chinese demand, continued conflict, and Post COVID supply chain developments.
Managing cashflow for a tighter outlook - 10th March 2023
March 10, 2023 04:44 - 19 minutes - 26.6 MBIn this episode, Robert Herrmann chats with Tom Breen, General Manager of Customer and Business services at Nutrien Ag Solutions about the future of Ag, innovation in farm finance and how farmers can take advantage of those opportunities – even if cashflow doesn’t permit.
The fruits of 10 years labour - 3rd March 2023
March 03, 2023 05:20 - 21 minutes - 28.9 MBThis week Olivia is joined by Lucy Noble, Industry Analyst with Hort Innovation. We discuss some of the key drivers behind the significant growth in productivity and value in the horticulture industry achieved in the last decade. We learn more about the latest iteration of the Horticulture statistics handbook, a comprehensive resource covering over 75 different commodities; and when can we expect some relief to potato supply?
Why fertiliser skyrocketed in 2022, and what’s in store for 2023? - 24th February 2023
February 24, 2023 04:32 - 22 minutes - 30.5 MBThis week Rob is joined by Mark Tully - Market Research Manager at Nutrien, who is based in Calgary, Canada. Mark shares his insight into the Fertiliser market and covers the volatility of 2022, and what we can expect in Nitrogen and Phosphate markets for 2023.
Recruiting for the future of Agriculture - 17th February 2023
February 17, 2023 06:52 - 20 minutes - 28.7 MBAgriculture is about production and people, and the difficulty in finding people to fill jobs in agriculture is one of the most common pain points. Rose Ferdinands and Dr Mike Stephens from Meridian Agriculture, join us to chat about the labour challenges, what new graduates are looking for and what we can do to promote the opportunities on offer in our sector.
Saddling up with Performance horses - 10th February 2023
February 10, 2023 05:18 - 18 minutes - 25.5 MBThis week Rob is joined by Mark Barton, Livestock agent with Nutrien Ag Solutions, to discuss the growth of the Australian performance horse industry. We cover the benefits of managing livestock from horseback to the history of performance horse sales in Australia. Mark has been instrumental in the success of one of the premier camp draft competitions and sales in Australia -The Nutrien Classic, where over $17 million of sale volume in high-performance horses was achieved this year.
Key market insights from last quarter- 3rd February 2023
February 03, 2023 04:40 - 19 minutes - 26.4 MBThis week Rob & Olivia from Mecardo dive into the latest quarterly market insights report covering our core commodities. The team discusses bumper harvests, another record canola crop, geopolitical influences on the grain market, continued volatility in the cattle market, and the latest trends in lamb and wool markets.
Understanding what to expect in the livestock market - 20th January 2023
January 20, 2023 06:40 - 28 minutes - 38.5 MBIn 2022 the long-term trend of rising sheep meat value was broken. In this episode of Commodity Conversations, Rob catches up with Will Barton, CEO of Gundagai Meat Processors, to get his take on the market. We’ll also hear his insights into the demand side of the equation, particularly with lamb export into the U.S market.
Understanding the Argus Feeder Steer Indicator - 14th January 2023
January 14, 2023 02:58 - 19 minutes - 26.2 MBWelcome back! We're kicking the year with Jo Clarke Associate Editor of Argus. Today we follow on from a previous episode on managing risk with cattle swaps, discussing the Argus feeder steer indicator. We'll hear how the Argus Feeder Steer Indicator is calculated, how it's being used, how it can be used, and what other indicators Argus is exploring.
Part 2: How australian agriculture is exceeding expectations - 16th December 2022
December 16, 2022 04:59 - 15 minutes - 21.2 MBJoin Rob Herrmann and Michael Whitehead, Head of Agribusiness Insights ANZ for part 2 of their discussion on the pathways to capturing opportunities in agriculture. In this episode, we're looking at the outlook for 2030 and mapping out the main areas in which we'll need to focus to reach our full potential as an industry.
How australian agriculture is exceeding expectations - 9th December 2022
December 09, 2022 05:53 - 18 minutes - 24.9 MBJoin Rob Herrmann and Michael Whitehead, Head of Agribusiness Insights ANZ to discuss, off the back of ANZ's recently released report Greener Pastures Two, the opportunities we've seized over the decade and an outlook into 2030. We've broken this topic into two episodes. In this episode, we take a look back at how Australian agriculture has exceeded the forecast in terms of investment, product, and export as well as the lessons for success.
What’s driving the livestock market - 6th December 2022
December 06, 2022 02:34 - 23 minutes - 32.8 MBNutrien Ag Solutions Regional Livestock Lead Adam Mountjoy and Livestock Development Manager Ron Rutledge join Olivia Agar and Rob Herrmann to give an update on the current situation in the livestock market, discuss what's driving prices down, and talk through some of the opportunities in the market.
How to mitigate risk - 25th November 2022
November 25, 2022 04:25 - 14 minutes - 19.9 MBFarming regions have been challenged with relentless events outside of their control in the last years such as drought, bushfires, and floods. In this week's episode, Robert Herrmann catches up with Kris Nelson, General Manager of Insurance for Nutrien Ag Solutions to talk about what options there are for growers wanting to mitigate their risk, as well as how parametric weather insurance works.
What’s impacting cattle supply this season - 18th November 2022
November 18, 2022 04:06 - 16 minutes - 22.5 MBOn this episode, we check in with Andrew Hosken from Hosken Stock and Land, to hear how the season is impacting the supply of cattle, what he expects for this season's weaner sales in terms of supply and demand, and what insight we can take from the feeder cattle market.
Spring lamb supply picking up pace - 11th November 2022
November 11, 2022 06:38 - 14 minutes - 19.7 MBIt's that time of year when the lamb markets start to pick up the pace. Spring lamb supply is up and paired with constant wet weather, flooding, and public holidays the last few weeks have been enormous. In this episode, Robert Herrmann chats with Ron Rutledge about where we are today regarding the flow of lambs to market, what the road map is, and where opportunities can be found.
Market insights Q3 2022 – 4th November 2022
November 04, 2022 05:25 - 22 minutes - 30.3 MBOff the back of our recent quarterly report, this week in Commodity Conversations, Olivia Agar and Robert Herrmann catch up to discuss the key trends and factors impacting our core commodity markets over the recent quarter. Read the report here https://mecardo.com.au/reports
Wool weathering the storm(s)– 28th October 2022
October 28, 2022 05:27 - 13 minutes - 8.95 MBStewart is the Tasmanian state wool manager, with Nutrien Ag solutions, he’s worked nearly all over Australia, with 30 years’ experience as a wool classer, auctioneer and buyer. This week Stewart chats with Rob Herrmann about all things wool – from current price movements, export demand signals, shearing backlogs, Stewarts outlook for 2023 and more.
Managing risk with cattle swaps – a new era for Aussie beef, 21st October 2022
October 21, 2022 21:46 - 15 minutes - 9.93 MBWhile swap contracts have been a key part of grain trading in Australia for a long time there’s been no such option for cattle traders – until now. Tim Jude, livestock and commodities broker for Stonex joins us this week to discuss the mechanics behind the new swap contracts, the wide range of businesses which can potentially benefit from it and how it’s being received in the industry so far.
Unseasonal seasons – 14th October 2022
October 14, 2022 06:08 - 14 minutes - 9.72 MBIt’s a mixed bag of old and new season lambs hitting the yards this week and to help us navigate through the current sheep and lamb supply outlook we have Adam Mountjoy, Southeast regional wool & livestock lead at Nutrien Ag Solutions with us. Adam’s insights from his travels around regional saleyards in south-east help make sense of the lamb supply story, processors managing the flow and opportunities in the market.
Macro-factors rain on markets – 7th October 2022
October 07, 2022 01:28 - 15 minutes - 10.6 MBVolatility in agricultural markets continues to be the name of the game this year as commodities continue their roller coaster ride up and down. In this week’s episode Rob and Liv from Mecardo discuss the macro-economic factors weighing some markets down and what producers can do in the face of market volatility. They also discuss the current price difference between the sheep and cattle markets of late, and what we can expect going forward.
Iberian agriculture uncovered – 30th September 2022
September 30, 2022 06:37 - 17 minutes - 11.5 MBThis week we called in to check on Rob Herrmann who is currently travelling in Spain & Portugal. Although he’s on vacation, Rob’s been keeping a keen eye on the agricultural landscape in those countries and shares some of his observations with us around the similarities and differences with Australian agriculture. Grab your favourite tempranillo, some pan and enjoy this week’s chat with Rob, live from Spain.
Connections in the saleyards - 21st September 2022
September 21, 2022 03:02 - 25 minutes - 17.6 MBSaleyards are the hive of activity for many regional areas. For hundreds of years, they have been an important connection and community interaction point for people living in rural areas. Heather Ellis from BlueWren connections, has produced a report on the social value of the saleyards, an initiative of The Australian Livestock Markets Association, highlighting some crucial ways that saleyards support individual and community well being & health. Heather’s stories of the personal aspects of...
FMD & LSD, a report from Bali – Friday 16th September 2022
September 16, 2022 08:48 - 23 minutes - 17.8 MBThe FMD & LSD threat is still on our doorstep despite not dominating headlines as it was recently. This week we bring you an ‘on the grounds’ report from Dr Ross Ainsworth about the outbreaks in Indonesia, the local response to the situation and likelihood of either of the diseases spreading to Australian livestock. Dr Ainsworth has 40 years plus working as a vet with large animals, mainly in the live export business in Northern Australia. Dr Ainsworth gives a concise summary of the Indones...
The grains & oilseed flipside – 4th September 2022
September 04, 2022 00:17 - 18 minutes - 14.1 MBThe grains & oilseed markets have been on a roller-coaster ride this year with prices for many crops reaching all-time highs earlier in the year before recently settling back down to pre-Russian invasion of Ukraine levels. Nick Booth from Next Level Grains Marketing joins us on episode 200 to talk us through the reasons behind the volatility this year and what we can expect going forward. As always Nick explains the key international market drivers for the grains & oilseeds complex in a cle...
From milk to grass - the science behind weaning, 28th August 2022
August 27, 2022 22:48 - 19 minutes - 13.1 MBGood weaning practices provide the foundation for an animals genetic potential to be fully reached. Rob Bell from ProAgni, joins us this week to discuss the keys to a successful weaning program with some interesting scientific insights and good practical advice on the transition period from milk to grass for weaners and calves.
Behind ’the gavel’ with AuctionsPlus - 19th August 2022
August 19, 2022 10:09 - 19 minutes - 15.2 MBAuctionsPlus have recently released its’ second edition of “The Gavel”, and this week on the podcast we have their chief economist Tim McRae on to share the key insights, stories and challenges facing Australian livestock producers from their producer survey.
Herd primed for growth
August 12, 2022 06:31 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBRestocking and breeding up has been a driving feature of the Australian cattle market since the breaking of the drought. While the market has come off the boil slightly, there are always opportunities to be found whether it's in genetics, branding or trading. This week we're talking with Andrew Hosken from Hosken Stock and Land to see how the season is progressing, what markets are performing well and some of the opportunities for growth.
Getting off the sheep & lamb market rollercoaster - 5th August 2022
August 05, 2022 05:01 - 19 minutes - 14.6 MBThere are plenty of challenges around in sheep and cattle markets but the underlying fundamentals for red meat demand remain strong. Ron Rutledge, Livestock Development Manager at Nutrien Ag Solutions, joins us today to share his insight into why we are seeing a rollercoaster ride on the sheep & lamb markets, what the outlook is for the spring flush, demand for meat and cattle market dynamics.
The digital future of the livestock industry - 29th July 2022
July 31, 2022 23:05 - 21 minutes - 15.5 MBData-driven insights and efficiencies for livestock marketing is speaking our kind of language, and Joel Rockes, Founder and Managing Director of Agrinous, has this at the core of his vision in digitising the livestock sector. Joel joins us to share how they are making this a reality, and some of the challenges & opportunities along the way.
Old season lambs dragging the chain – July 21st 2022
July 21, 2022 05:24 - 16 minutes - 11.1 MBThere’s a lot of pieces to the sheep & lamb supply puzzle at the moment with more plenty of old season lambs still trickling through as we approach the traditional influx of new season lambs in spring. To help us understand what’s happening on the ground and what might be around the corner, we’ve got Adam Mountjoy, Regional Livestock lead for Nutrien, back on the podcast to share his insights around space for new season lambs, and what that could mean for price going forward. You can also r...
Market insights Q2 2022 – July 20th 2022
July 20, 2022 06:16 - 14 minutes - 11 MBOn this episode of commodity conversations, Olivia & Rob bring you the key stories & insights from Mecardo’s latest Quarterly Market Insights report for Q2 2022, covering the trends and movements in commodity markets as well as the outlook. Key topics: Quality issues and an extended season put pressure on ovine markets Bullish fundamentals for grain & oilseed remain Cattle market falls from its peak Weaker AUD supporting demand for wool For a copy of the full report click here: Quart...
Non-mulesed pathway driven by data & a whole farm perspective – 16th July 2022
July 16, 2022 03:25 - 20 minutes - 16 MBDemand for non-mulesed merino wool shows no sign of abating and as the dominant producer of merino wool, increased supply will have to come from Australia eventually. This week we have Sally Martin from Sheep Metrix talking to Rob Herrmann about her & her teams approach to farm management including producers on the non-mulesed path. Sally has 30+ years of experience working in the sheep industry and knows well the complexities involved in managing a farm business. Her method of assisting fa...
Will ag commodities weather the storm? – 8th July 2022
July 08, 2022 07:07 - 33 minutes - 31.2 MBWith headlines dominated by news of economic downturns nearly everywhere you look, due to a perfect storm of rising interest rates, ongoing logistic issues, covid resurgences & general political instability, not to mention Russia’s war on Ukraine - this week we bring you part 2 of David Cornish, director of Agribusiness at Marcus Oldham & Rob Herrmann from Mecardo, where the two discuss lamb, goat, grain, wool & diary’s outlook in the face of the seemingly endless bad economic news cycle, w...
More mouths, more money & Australia in prime position – 1st July 2022
July 01, 2022 05:39 - 31 minutes - 30.3 MBCovid-19, the Russian war on Ukraine, logistics issues & and growing global population are all combining to create a perfect storm, mostly driving up commodity prices. David Cornish director of Agribusiness at Marcus Oldham interviews Rob Herrmann on the big factors or trends affecting agricultural commodities in the world right now, as well as the underlying demand driving commodity markets. This episode is split over two weeks, with the first episode the two discuss more of the big pictur...
Rising weights & falling grain, market wrap with Mecardo – 24th June 2022
June 24, 2022 07:52 - 15 minutes - 11 MBPlenty happening in Ag markets again this week. Oliva Agar & Robert Herrmann discuss rising cattle weights, new crop production forecasts, wools market share and sheepmeat exports. Head to the Mecardo website for all of this weeks analysis.
Maximising sheep & lamb health - 17th June 2022
June 17, 2022 09:04 - 15 minutes - 10.3 MBDr Paula Gonzalez-Rivas is the Technical Services Manager for Nutrition at Virbac and on today’s episode she discusses some of the latest products developed by Virbac in relation to sheep health and the potential benefits they can bring to Australian sheep farmers. About Virbac: Virbac (Australia) Pty Ltd is a specialist animal health company with its core business in sheep and cattle products, veterinary pharmaceuticals and vaccines, a wide range of petcare products for dogs and cats, ...
Research cuts to agriculture when we should be investing more than ever - 11th June 2022
June 10, 2022 23:11 - 20 minutes - 14.9 MBCharlie de Fegely, Dobie, south of Ararat, along with his family, run 9,000 composite ewes, turning off lambs in November. In 2019 he was awarded the biennial AW Howard medal for excellence in pasture research. It is believed to be the first time a farmer has been awarded the prestigious pasture improvement medal. Charlie has been a long term advocate of science based research and is well positioned to comment on the impact Ag department budget cutbacks will have on the agricultural industr...
Ag research cuts when we need them more than ever - 11th June 2022
June 10, 2022 23:11 - 20 minutes - 14.9 MBCharlie de Fegely, Dobie, south of Ararat, along with his family, run 9,000 composite ewes, turning off lambs in November. In 2019 he was awarded the biennial AW Howard medal for excellence in pasture research. It is believed to be the first time a farmer has been awarded the prestigious pasture improvement medal. Charlie has been a long term advocate of science based research and is well positioned to comment on the impact Ag department budget cutbacks will have on the agricultural industr...
The sustainability story - 3rd June 2022
June 03, 2022 05:52 - 23 minutes - 17.5 MBThe sustainability of wool as a fibre and sheep as a production system in Australia is well understood by those in the industry, but we can’t expect that end customers see it the same way. Ed Storey is president of Wool Producers Australia and joins us to talk to the trust in Australian wool, the sheep sustainability framework and why we need to give customers confidence in its provenance and our production.
FMD & LSD - has the risk increased? 27th May 2022
May 27, 2022 06:01 - 28 minutes - 19.4 MBAustralia's sheep & cattle meat is highly sought after around the world, partly because of the strict biosecurity standards and clean green reputation of our livestock industry. We’re not immune to unwanted diseases entering our country however and the potential devastation they can cause. This week we turn the tables and Meridian Agriculture’s Mike Stephens is interviewing Rob Herrmann. Mike is the founder, board director and a senior business consultant for Meridian Agriculture.
Currency, commodity corrections & crossbreds - 23th May 2022
May 23, 2022 07:09 - 19 minutes - 15.2 MBLiv’s back on deck this week with Rob to catch up on all the latest moves in ag markets. This week they discuss the impact of the falling aussie dollar on commodities, India’s recent ban on wheat exports as well as some good news for crossbred wool growers.
India free trade agreement and more – 15th May 2022
May 15, 2022 01:38 - 23 minutes - 16.2 MBThis week on Mecardo, Michael Whitehead, head of agri-insights ANZ, joins us to discuss a whole range of commodities, from cattle, sheep and lamb, diary, wine and even berries. As usual Michael shares some astute insights about the current state of ag markets here in Australia and globally. Michael also touches on the recent free trade agreement between India and Australia and the opportunities it presents for Aussie producers.
Goat market kicking goals – 7th May 2022
May 07, 2022 00:59 - 21 minutes - 9.46 MBAlthough Australian only produce around 1% of total goat meat in the world – demand for Aussie goat meat locally and internationally, has been steadily growing since around 2013 - pushing the price of goat meat on par with it's 'bigger cousin', lamb. This week on commodity conversations Gus Foot, Livestock account manager for Nutrien, based in Charlesville QLD, joins us to share his insights into this increasingly popular market.
Learning from the roo’s - 29th April 2022
April 29, 2022 09:58 - 26 minutes - 22.3 MBWhat can kangaroo’s teach us about livestock farming methods? Tune in to commodity conversations this week to hear Lachlan Campbell, CEO and founder of ProAgni, explain their innovative new product, what problems they aim to address and some of the inspiration behind it’s creation.
Market wrap - 21st April 2022
April 21, 2022 09:05 - 14 minutes - 10.4 MBThis week Mecardo's Rob Herrmann and David Myers take a look at what's been happening in cattle, sheep and wool markets recently. Join us to hear the latest market developments and jump on the Mecardo website to read the full articles that are discussed briefly today.
Biosecurity alarm bells – 14th April 2022
April 14, 2022 09:41 - 18 minutes - 13.9 MBBiosecurity issues have dominated agricultural headlines recently as South Africa grapples with another foot-and-mouth outbreak, meanwhile Lumpy Skin Disease outbreaks among cattle in Indonesia have Australian officials worried. This episode Rob & Olivia discuss these issues as well as pay a special tribute to two friends and colleagues. We hope you have a good Easter break, from the Mecardo team.
China still hungry for aussie proteins - 2nd April 2022
April 01, 2022 21:42 - 14 minutes - 12.4 MBRussia’s war on Ukraine is still having ramifications across the global grains & oilseeds markets and indirectly across a whole raft of agricultural commodities. We’re seeing stronger demand for most agricultural commodities than we’ve ever seen before, as governments around the world try to secure essential food items to keep their populations content. China of course is no small fry when it comes to the global trade market, being one of the biggest if not the biggest importers of redmeat &...