AS a recent decision to change Federal environmental law creates uncertainty and concern among cattle producers, debate has emerged about how the industry can better advocate for itself.

The news of Labor’s deal with the Greens broke in the middle of the Livexchange conference in Perth – where a recent decision to phase out live sheep exports had many concerned for the future.

In this episode of the Week in Beef:

• Queensland primary industries minster Tony Perrett calls for immediate reversal of changes to the environmental laws.
• Food nutritionist Dr Anneline Padayachee talks about why the live export industry is so important.
• Jon Condon talks to Wagyu branded beef competition steward Dr Alex Ball, one of the most elaborate competitions around
• The number of the week talks monthly beef exports and feeding cattle broccoli leaves

Available every Thursday afternoon on the Beef Central website, or via YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, I Heart Radio, Podbean and other podcast platforms. Search for: The week in beef and click subscribe.

Auctioneers across the eastern seaboard have been busy this week as saleyards fill up on the back of cattle prices hitting their highest point this year.

GDL principal Peter Daniel joins the Week in Beef podcast to discuss what is driving it and whether the market can hold up under the weight of numbers. Plus:

• Beef Central publisher Jon Condon dissects the changes in the tariff regime from US Donald Trump and talks about what they might mean for Australian beef.
• Eric Barker talks about the future of the live export industry with Holly Ludeman from the Livestock Collective.
• The number of the week looks at the Indonesian population and the new Federal environmental laws.

Gunnedah farmer and Australian army veteran Tim Lee showed boundless depths of courage when he stepped up to the microphone and shared a deeply personal story in front of 250 people at the Young Beef Producers Forum in Roma last week.

He then caught up with Beef Central's James Nason to share his story for the Week in Beef podcast.

Another large-scale Australian feedlot has hit the market this week, making it the fifth of its kind to go up for sale recent months.

Smithfield Cattle Company today announced it was testing the market with its feedlot at Proston in the South-Burnett region of Queensland.

Smithfield’s announcement follows a similar move from Mort & Co, which has put the Pinegrove and Yarranbrook feedlots on the market, Elders with its Killara feedlot on the Liverpool Plains and Rangers Valley, which recently sold to Stanbroke. Plus:

• Australian Agricultural Company managing director David Harris talks half yearly profits, feedlot expansion and the future of the Livingstone abattoir in Darwin.
• Tim Lee talks about how his adoption of regenerative agriculture has helped him recover from the battlefields of Afghanastan and Iraq.
• The number of the week talks National Ag Day, record beef production and national environmental laws.

Available every Thursday afternoon on the Beef Central website, or via YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, I Heart Radio, Podbean and other podcast platforms. Search for: The week in beef and click subscribe.

The Beef Central team has hit the road this week for some of the beef industry’s premiere get togethers.

Cattle Australia’s Cattle Connect is embedding itself as the national beef industry get together and Roma Young Beef Producers’ Forum continues its popularity in its 21st year. Plus:

• Sports dietician Peta Carige tells us how science is backing a push to have beef in a healthy diet
• Young Beef Producers chair Tom Copley gives his thoughts on the forum
• The number of the week talks mustering contracting, giving blood and why beef and beer go together

Available every Thursday afternoon on the Beef Central website, or via YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, I Heart Radio, Podbean and other podcast platforms. Search for: The week in beef and click subscribe.

Feedlot capacity is continuing to surge in Australia, with pen space to support hundreds-of-thousands of cattle either recently come online or currently under construction.

Beef Central has been on the phones trying to find who is behind the current expansions and this episode the Week in Beef will explore some of the learnings from the exercise.

Also on the show:

• Beef Central publisher Jon Condon unpacks the sale of Kimberly Meat Company and prospects of more processing in the north.
• Riverina producer Michael Gooden explains how he plans to build carbon in his soil.
• The number of the week looks at the Melbourne Cup, cattle prices and a surge in value of foetal blood.

Available every Thursday afternoon on the Beef Central website, or via YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, I Heart Radio, Podbean and other podcast platforms. Search for: The week in beef and click subscribe.

More feedlot news has emerged this week, with one of Australia’s largest lotfeeders announcing plans to sell two of its feedlots.

Mort & Co has officially listed Yarranbrook and Pinegrove feedlots, along with the license for its proposed Gogango feedlot in Central Queensland. Beef Central publisher Jon Condon gives an insight into how that listing emerged.

Also, on the Week in Beef:

• Meat & Livestock Australia Wagga Wagga market reporter Leann Dax gives an insight into the season in the south states, with cattle heading back to the area after a drought-induced sell-off earlier this year.
• A new survey of 158,000 tertiary education students has found that students studying agriculture degrees were the most satisfied with their degrees.
• The number of the week looks at bull selling season, Australian Beef Sustainability Framework, controversy on the dietary guidelines and European Deforestation.

Available every Thursday afternoon on the Beef Central website, or via YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, I Heart Radio, Podbean and other podcast platforms. Search for: The week in beef and click subscribe.

The Week in Beef team this week look into Australia’s largest ever feedlot transaction, the legacy of the sellers and how it fits in with the buyers.

Japanese-owned Rangers Valley was purchased by Stanbroke last week for what is believed to be $400m. The property has a feedlot, beef brands and extensive farming and grazing country. Plus:

• Meat & Livestock Australia managing director Michael Crowley explains how consumer survey respondents are saying they want to eat more beef.
• Josh Rich from Central Queensland-based Wagyu supply King River talks about his family’s journey towards branded beef success
• The number of the week talks rain in Victoria, country speed limits and fuel security.

Available every Thursday afternoon on the Beef Central website, or via YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, I Heart Radio, Podbean and other podcast platforms. Search for: The week in beef and click subscribe.