AgWatchers

This week on AgWatchersX, Matt and Andrew cover a fairly hectic mix of global politics, red meat trade and football hope.
The pair unpack the end of the Iran conflict and what calmer conditions in the Middle East could mean for markets, before turning to China where Australia’s beef quota appears to have been unofficially filled, raising fresh questions about trade flows, pricing and where product goes next.
They also look at the Bureau of Meteorology’s declaration of El Niño and what that could mean for Australian agriculture as the season unfolds. Then, in a very serious piece of football analysis, they assess the World Cup chances of Scotland and Australia, with only a small amount of national bias involved.

In this episode of AgWatchers, we speak with Mark Been from Marnco, our first fertiliser industry guest in more than 300 episodes.
The conversation starts with the immediate question facing growers: what is really happening in the fertiliser market? While urea supply concerns have eased after Australia moved early to secure product, Mark argues that the market is far from settled. Prices have fallen from their peak, India’s tenders have shown product is still available, and recent rain has helped validate earlier buying decisions. But beneath the surface, the fertiliser trade remains exposed to volatility, limited transparency and high-risk physical trading.
A major part of the discussion focuses on the federal government’s fuel and fertiliser security facility, and whether underwriting selected importers has created an uneven playing field. Mark explains why importers outside the scheme are concerned about price-risk support, market distortion and the long-term impact on competition. The team also discusses whether the facility acts like a subsidy, how it affects existing inventory, and whether a more open, case-by-case approach would have been fairer.
The episode then turns to the next pressure point: phosphate. Mark warns that while the urea story has attracted most of the headlines, phosphate supply is becoming increasingly tight due to restrictions from key suppliers, Gulf shipping issues and broader supply chain constraints. For growers, the message is not to panic, but to recognise that fertiliser markets are complex, opaque and difficult to time. As Mark puts it, trying to pick the bottom of the fertiliser market is usually a dangerous game.

Andrew and Matt are joined by Sian Fenner, Senior Economist at Westpac, for a wide-ranging discussion on the Australian economic outlook.
Topics covered:
CPI & Inflation: April's CPI came in at 4.2%, below expectations, but underlying pressures are building across building costs, freight, and hospitality
Strait of Hormuz: How ongoing shipping disruptions are flowing through to energy and fertilizer prices, and why full normalization isn't expected until mid-next year
Fuel & Trade: Australia's fuel import positioning, government contingency funding, and the fragmented global trade environment
US-China-Australia Trade Tensions: Agricultural deals, tariff exposure, and what the Trump administration's agreements mean for Australian commodity exporters
RBA Rate Outlook: Westpac's forecast for two further hikes in August and September, taking the cash rate to 4.85%, with GDP growth expected to slow to 1.1% by year-end
Commodity Markets: Outlook for wheat, canola, and beef, including El Niño risks
Federal Budget: A detailed breakdown of the Labor government's tax reforms, including the permanent $20K instant asset write-off, carry-back loss provisions, and changes to capital gains tax and discretionary trusts

Shannon Beattie, founder of Bush and Beyond Media, joins Ag Watchers to talk all things agricultural communication, storytelling and media.
The conversation covers the difference between communications and marketing, why authenticity matters more than ever, and how agricultural industries can turn complex research, policy and technical information into messages people actually want to hear.
Shannon also shares her views on presentation skills, the changing media landscape, the role of podcasts and social media, and why chasing viral content is often less useful than reaching the right audience with the right message.
It is a practical and wide-ranging discussion for anyone involved in agriculture, advocacy, extension, media or industry communication.

We cover off on the big news in grains, fert and livestock. 

We are back for another AgWatchersX. This week we will be covering off on the tentitive peace in the middle east. We give our views on future grain prices, fert for next year, Chinese beef tariffs, the weather in Australia and a whole lot more. 

On this episode of the AgWatchers Podcast, we’re joined by Julie Collins to unpack the forces shaping Australian agriculture. From Canberra to the Middle East, we explore how geopolitical tensions are influencing fuel, fertiliser and food production and why events unfolding thousands of kilometres away are being felt at the farm gate.
As instability in the Middle East rattles global energy markets, Australian producers are once again grappling with rising diesel prices, volatile fertiliser costs and mounting uncertainty across supply chains. When shipping lanes tighten and oil prices surge, the ripple effects are immediate, pushing up the cost of planting, harvesting and transporting food and fibre. For farmers, it’s a stark reminder that geopolitics can have as much influence on profitability as rainfall and commodity prices.
Julie Collins shares her insights on regional Australia, agricultural policy and the role government plays in supporting producers through an increasingly complex and unpredictable global landscape. Together, we examine the challenges facing rural communities, the policy decisions shaping the sector’s future and the resilience required to navigate an era defined by uncertainty.
 

We have a chat with Melinda Hashimoto, CEO of Egg Farmers of Australia. In this podcast, we talk about a wide range of issues from biosecurity to Japanese raw eggs. 

We have a chat with Lola Rauch, who works for the German Ag Society, who is now working in Australia to bring an offshoot of the famous Agritechnica conference to Australia - the future ag expo in Melbourne in July.

Will we run out of fuel? will we need horses for harvest? What about our urea supply? Are people stockpiling?We have Rebecca Reardon, Vice President of the NSW Farmers organisation, and Samuel Miller, lead economist for NSW Farmers, on the podcast to have a chat about the response from NSW Farmers to the current crisis impacting our farming inputs. 

Food is one of our favourite topics. The two of us love to go out and eat a good meal, and meat is usually the centre point. We invited Professor Peter McGilchrist onto the podcast to talk about what makes meat so great to eat. We talk about the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that drive the taste of meat. 
Warning: Do not listen to this podcast when you are hungry. 

This podcast was recorded live on stage at EvokeAg. In this podcast, we have Sarah Adams, GM of Global Strategy and New Ventures for Gallagher, and Dr Guy Coleman, a researcher and innovator currently working at the University of Copenhagen. 
In this podcast, we discuss where innovations will come from, whether from small start-ups or big corporations. 
 
*Please note the sound quality is not the best due to being recorded on stage and Matt having a microphone malfunction. 

In this podcast we talk about the new tariffs announced over the weekend and due to go into action as of tomorrow. 

This podcast was recorded live on stage at EvokeAg*, so if you didn't make it to the event, you don't miss out. This podcast was a discussion of geopolitics and how the industry should respond. We had Rachel Triggs, the chair of Women in Wine and Will Barton, CEO of Gundagai Lamb up on the stage for a chat. *Due to being onstage, the sound quality is not the best. 

We have a chat with Leighton Wilksch of Agbyte. We discuss the possibilities and the value that farmers get from localised weather information through having IoT-enabled weather stations on the farm. We also learn about the signal that allows weather stations to continue working on 4G, whilst all our other services seem to fail. 
 
We then talk about his Cows for Cambodia trip, which he is running in September, a charity event where you get to learn about farming in Cambodia, and also give something back to those who are more in need. If you want more info follow this link 

We chat with Alastair Rayner, an independent beef extension officer. In this podcast we discuss the using genetics to improve efficiency in a herd, but also a secondary benefit, reducing emissions. 
A really interesting discussion, with strong linkages back into farm profitability. 

On this podcast, we have Emma Kealy MP, the deputy leader of the Victorian National Party, and shadow minister for agriculture and mental health. 
We discuss the recent heatwave, fires, the CFA levy, renewables and a whole lot more. 

Our fortnightly market update. We talk about grains, cattle, sheep and the new change in who pays for export certifications from the government. 

On todays podcast, we have a chat with Jared Greenville of ABARES. In this discussion we discuss the 100bn target, the value of ag, the risks to ag and the new updates on the Australian crop. 
We also discuss the March ABARES conference, which we recommend attending - either online or in person. Find out about the conference by clicking below:https://www.agriculture.gov.au/event/abares-outlook

The AgWatchers podcast is an open platform for different views, and we have had politicians from most of the major parties. This week, we have Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, the Greens senator for Tasmania. Peter holds the Greens portfolio for agriculture. 
In this podcast, we discuss competition in agriculture, ACCC changes, net zero, his favourite politicians, and a range of other topics. 
Peter comes from a farming background and has qualifications in Economics and a career in banking and finance.