The Weekly Grill

In this week's episode of The Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan talks all things AI with Jerome Leray, founder and Managing Director of leading ag tech company, Infarm.   InFarm is an Agricultural AI company focused on delivering ground breaking technology to farmers, using state of the art AI and advance technology to develop tools that will help farmers become more efficient, save money or become more profitable.   In a wide ranging conversation, the pair discuss: Capturing data to unlock the potential of AI Practical example of how and where Ai is now being used in agriculture How Ai could be applied in genetics Opportunities for Australian ag tech to dominate world wide What farmers can do now to get integrate AI into their farming enterprises ... and more Jerome was awarded the Agricultural Ministers Emerging Leader Award in 2020 and has represented Australia at the Entrepreneurship World Cup. For his contributions to technology and agriculture Jerome received a QLD Community Achievement Award and led InFarm to be awarded the Australian Food and Agribusiness of the Year in 2019.     The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by: Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis. Ceres Tags Gen 6  

Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan this week sits down to chew the fat with independent analyst Simon Quilty, exploring the livestock and meat market prospects for the year ahead.   Together the pair discuss likely impacts on trade this year, from China tariffs and quotas and their impact on Australian exports on imported beef, supply and demand patterns, the US herd size and what it means; Brazil - the growing numbers of cattle on feed and the potential threat to Australia’s exports to Japan and Korea; the rise in value of the A$; is lamb still in a boom cycle, and more.   The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by: Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis. Ceres Tags Gen 6                    

Beef Central's ever-popular Weekly Grill podcast returns for its sixth season today, with host Kerry Lonergan exploring the livestock and meat market prospects for the year ahead with regular contributors Matt Dalgleish from Episode 3 and Chris Howie GM of RMA.   Together the trio discuss likely impacts on trade this year, from seasonal conditions to China tariffs and quotas on imported beef, supply and demand patterns, Cattle Australia's review of the cattle levy and other topics.   Matt and Chris proffer their thoughts on where the smart money might be in 2026!   The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by: Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis. Ceres Tags

In this week's episode of The Weekly Grill - our final episode for 2025 - host Kerry Lonergan sits down with  newly elected president of the National Farmers Federation, Hamish Macintyre.   In this wide ranging discussion Kerry quizzes new president about: The immediate priorities for the NFF Potential NFF constitutional changes Climate and emissions and the NFF’s environmental arrangements with the Greens The global supply chain The availability and affordability of Australian diesel supplies The European Union Energy costs Skilled labour challenges and housing affordability in rural and regional Australia … and more The Weekly Grill will return in 2026. Until then, have a safe Christmas break and all the best for the new year.   The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

Respected US meat and livestock economist Derrell Peel chews the fat this week with Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan. Prof Peel, extension specialist for livestock marketing at Oklahoma State University, works in all areas of US livestock production economics and marketing for all beef cattle production sectors. Additionally he works on US meat demand and meat supply chain issues, beef product marketing and international cattle and beef trade. Among other topics, the pair discuss: US cattle prices and domestic production heading into 2026 Domestic beef demand Beef packer numbers being cut The impact on supply from Trump's tariffs on beef imports Brazilian beef imports US beef exports to China Where Australia fits in the US picture. Are there more opportunities for prime chilled beef in the US, as well as hamburger beef? The US experiment in the Wagyu market The US farm bill Derrell focusses on declining US cattle numbers and levels of beef production, but higher carcase weights. With a surplus of grain and the price of grain continuing to fall, some US cattle are now being fed for 190-200 days. But it appears US cattle are getting fatter rather than producing more lean beef. In fact, further to the typical ongoing issues of BRD in the feedlot, a new trend is seeing a growing number of cattle dying of cardiovascular disease shortly before their scheduled exit from the feedlot, posing the question: Are US cattle now obese?   The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.    

In this week’s episode of the Weekly Grill, host Kerry Lonergan catches up with Mia Ryan, founder of the dating App, Howdy – think Tinder for the bush.   From her family farm in the NSW Hunter Valley, Mia recognised an opening to help bush people make a romantic connection, with more than 20,000 downloads among bush folk using the App in their search for love.   And there’s been plenty of success stories along the way, with engagements, marriages and little ones already on the ground.   Howdy isn’t just about dating, Mia says – it’s about building a network where anyone in rural Australia can find their match, share stories, and create a stronger community.       The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

In this week's episode of the Weekly Grill, host Kerry Lonergan catches up with Matt Dalgliesh and Chris Howie to dissect what’s been a ‘goldilocks year’ for the red meat industry.   Reviewing some of the year's major headlines, the trio discuss: The lamb market’s spring flush Lamb fetching upwards of $330 a kilo Australia's highest volumes of processed beef for 47 years Did Trump’s yo-yo approach to tariffs have any impact? Indonesia’s declining herd numbers. What does this mean for the rest of the world? Cattle Councils review of the cattle levy Expanding capacities in feedlots The number of feedlots coming onto the market Skilled labour supplies in regional Australia - is it still an issue? Property values The mood in the sale yard … plus more And Matt and Chris proffer their thoughts on where the smart money might be in 2026!   The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

The use of drones on farms and grazing properties has grown dramatically over the past few years. Drones are now routinely being used for monitoring, mapping, spraying... and in some situations mustering stock. This week podcast host Kerry Lonergan caught up with one of the industry's early adopters, Jack Sykes, co-principal of AgriDrone, to discuss the rise of the use and application of drones for agricultural purposes, and how they're changing the way people farm. The crowd of 480 cattle producers attending the recent CA Cattle Connect annual event in Dalby saw a demonstration of a specialised eight-rotor drone employing a hopper with 30kg capacity, used for woody weed control in larger areas.   The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

On the eve of next week’s Cattle Australia seminar and AGM in Dalby, MLA’s executive chef and Product Business Development Manager Sam Burke chews the fat with The Weekly Grill, host Kerry Lonergan. The pair discuss consumer trends during the current cycle of rising beef prices, how food service operators are adjusting their businesses to remain competitive, the role value-adding is playing in delivering beef products with greater convenience and time saving, and other issues. Industry stakeholders attending Cattle Australia’s Dalby event will see Sam in action, and get to taste some of his creative ideas for beef, lamb and goatmeat.   The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One – the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

In this week's episode of The Weekly Grill, host Kerry Lonergan chews the fat with independent red meat and livestock analyst Simon Quilty, covering the opportunities ahead for Australian beef and lamb in a global market facing shortages, tariff challenges, and trade access issues for the next year or two.     Barring weather setbacks or some form of exotic disease incursion, it's hard not to be bullish about red meat export prospects for 2026 and 2027, Mr Quilty suggests.       The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

In this week's episode of The Weekly Grill, host Kerry Lonergan chews the fat with red meat wholesaling identity David McNally, head of Australian Wholesale Meats.    Since 2001 AWM has grown to become one of the largest domestic beef wholesalers in the country, with offices in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne supplying food service customers across the restaurant, pubs and clubs sector, retail butchers, supermarkets and hospitality venues across the nation. The pair discuss the level of demand for beef and lamb this year, how the food service sector is performing, consumer reaction to higher red meat prices, the role of Meat Standards Australia and other topics.   The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

In this week's episode of The Weekly Grill, host Kerry Longergan catches up with two veterans who took part in Australia's incredible feat in the 1970s-80s era in eradicating Brucellosis and Tuberculosis from the national beef herd. Ron Granville was Queensland's chief veterinary officer during the BTEC era, and Brian Radunz was a senior cattle vet in the Northern Territory. The pair talk about the herculean task of eliminating the diseases, the challenges faced, and the ultimate success of the $1.2 billion project.   The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.    

In this week's episode of The Weekly Grill, host Kerry Longergan catches up with newly crowned Young Organic Champion of the Year, Stephanie Frankham.  Stephanie has been instrumental in developing the organic red meat sector, transitioning more than 50,000 cattle to organic production, and pioneering sustainability initiatives, including emissions reduction strategies for producers.     The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

This week, podcast host Kerry Lonergan dials in Patrick Hutchinson, Chair of the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework. The pair discuss the hot topics of environmental stewardship, animal welfare and economic resilience. Sector by sector, how is the industry performing in the sustainability space, and how best to achieve our future sustainability targets? A lot has already been achieved and a lot of money invested (industry funds, government contributions and third party investors) so what are the future targets?     The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

This week, podcast host Kerry Lonergan catches up with Livecorp CEO, Wayne Collier. The pair's wide-ranging discussion covers: Indonesian, Vietnamese and Middle Eastern markets, and how they are performing The current mood in Western Australia Crewing live export ships - staffing shortages/who foots the bill? The success of shipboard management and improvements of mortality numbers Biosecurity issues The key issues addressed at "Live Exchange” - the upcoming Trade Conference in Perth ... and more     The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

Artificial intelligence is now starting to creep into the Australian red meat supply chain, whether it is accurately counting sheep or cattle off a truck into a meatworks holding yard, or picking the shape of tri-tips from a range of primals passing down a processing conveyor belt and packing them in a carton. In today’s Weekly Grill podcast, host Kerry Lonergan chews the fat with Dr Tom Lee from the University of Technology, Sydney. Tom classifies himself as a ‘middle man’ between AI technology developers/designers and potential end-users like farmers and meat processors. Haw far has AI progressed in ag? While certain early-adopters and innovator farmers are on the front foot, uptake is still pretty niche in ag, Tom says, but things are changing rapidly. But right now, for the bulk of farmers, AI is still something they are hearing about, rather than applying. He says it’s important to make a distinction between AI and a second second technology term, Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). “People think AI will eventually mimic a human being, if we keep investing in it – but that’s AGI, not AI,” he said. “AI is great at playing a game of chess – solving ‘small world things’ where all the inputs are known, and it can work through all the permutations, using massive amounts of data in really powerful ways – but it can’t do the things that a human mind can do.”   The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One – the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

With sweeping tariff changes and drastically declining beef production in the US, global instability in the Middle East and Ukraine, lingering effects of drought in southern Australia, there was a lot to talk about in the latest Weekly Grill markets update podcast with regular commentators Chris Howie and Matt Dalgleish. In today’s episode Kerry Lonergan catches up with the pair on cattle price trends and what’s driving them, this year’s extraordinary number of sale yard cattle transactions, weather conditions and the spring rains in the south. Are they drought breaking?, Live export markets, feedlot numbers – will we get to 2 million cattle on feed?  Lotfeeding lamb. Is it viable? … and more     The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

In the 1980s, farmers were concerned that union intransigence and rigidity, as exemplified by the Mudginberri dispute, threatened the future of Australian agriculture and industry productivity in general. Mudgenberri presented the opportunity for the NFF, with AFFF support, to challenge and defeat the old, inward-looking standards that had long passed their used-by date. Farmers ‘put their hands in their pockets’ for the cause, raising millions of dollars. Half the money raised was donated by non-farming businesses that supported the NFF’s challenge to injustices. Those funds are still working for Australian farmers today, fighting issues that would set disturbing precedents for farmers, regional communities and Australia as a whole. In today’s podcast, host Kerry Lonergan talks with Fighting Fund chairman Hugh Nivison. How much does the fund currently contain? How are decisions made about where and when the funds are spent? Can it be used for government lobby purposes? These are just some of the topics discussed.   Hugh Nivison     The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One – the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

In this week's episode, podcast host Kerry Lonergan catches up with processor Roger Fletcher, the man behind Australia's most successful integrated sheep meat processing business, Fletcher International. In a wide ranging conversation, the pair discuss Roger's humble beginnings droving sheep around Glen Innes; the opportunities he seized along the way to help build his $1.4b empire; and current high lamb prices, and how sustainable they are. Other topics of conversation include: Why he never got into cattle Expanding interests in Western Australia Exclusion fencing Today's challenges Lot feeding sheep Saying 'no' to Kerry Packer ... and more   The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.  

With frenched cutlets now selling in some metro butcheries for $95/kg. and even the humble shank retailing in supermarkets for the equivalent of $7.50 each, domestic lamb prices are today testing the boundaries of what the market ever thought possible. But even at those ticket prices, independent retailers say there is no margin in lamb at current wholesale levels, two leading independent butchers tell Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan in today’s episode.     Successful Brisbane butcher Tim Walsh, and Sydney retailer Stephen Kelly, who owns and runs five large shopping centre butcheries across Sydney and Newcastle, give their views of the red meat retail landscape in the current cycle of record high prices. The pair are joined by regular podcast contributor, analyst Matt Dalgleish from Episode 3.   The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.