AgWatchers

By Andrew Whitelaw & Matt Dalgleish

What's AgWatchers about?

Dive into the what, why and how of agricultural markets. Join Andrew Whitelaw, Matt Dalgleish and guests, as they breakdown the market. Expect a lighthearted, sardonic and irreverent discussion.

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AgWatchers episodes:

06.28.2024
Senate decisions, livestock prices doubling and grain prices crashing
A quick market update from the two of us. We have a chat about the live export bill going through the senate, the livestock market, grain market and urea imports being record high.
06.25.2024
Robots, peak body funding, chemicals and a lot more.
We have a chat with Colin Bettles, CEO of Grain Producers Australia. We chat about the funding of peak bodies (follow on from Emma Germano podcast), autonomous vehicles in ag, chemical regulation and a whole lot more.
06.19.2024
The onus is on you to count carbon on farm.
We have a chat with Will Onus, co-founder of Ruminati. We have a chat about baselines for emissions reporting, and what is going to be happening in this space in the coming years. You might be opposed to carbon accounting etc,...
06.04.2024
Court cases, peak body funding and the VFF
We had a long discussion with Emma Germano, the outgoing president of the Victorian Farmers Federation. In this podcast, we discuss the events of the VFF over the past year, including three court cases. In breaking news, Emma tells us that...
05.29.2024
Check yo self, before you represent yo self.
We have a chat with Tony Maher, CEO of the National Farmers Federation. In this discussion, we ask the important questions, like did they manage to eat their breakfast before walking out of the Crop Life budget breakfast. You will...
05.24.2024
Drag acts, advocacy, kebabs and communicating with the city.
We have Milly Nolan on the podcast, who was formerly with Humans of Agriculture and the livestock collective. We talk about communication between ag and non-ag, advocacy in general, our shared experience after dark, the live sheep export phase, her...
05.20.2024
Baby Reindeer, livestock and grain pricing.
A quick chat where we cover off on baby reindeer, livestock and grain pricing.
05.16.2024
The state of the government.
We have a chat with David Littleproud about the live export phase-out, the biosecurity levy, the cattle live ex payout and a whole lot more.
05.09.2024
The rise of the machines
We have a chat with an old colleague of AgWatchers, Michael De Kleuver. Michael has just set up the world's nearly completely autonomous wool-handling warehouse. A range of topics are covered - Matt losing, getting labour, Trump winning, the wool market...
05.03.2024
Trump, wheat rally and virus in the meat
Just the two of this week, as we haven't had the time to get a guest on. A quick market update covering the rally in the wheat market, bird flu in the US cattle, our predictions for Trump and a...
04.26.2024
Happy hour with the Dry Farmer
We have another chat with Trevor Whittington, CEO of WA Farmers and author of the Dry Farmer (click here). As always on our chat with Trevor, we discuss a range of topics. Dry weather in WA, the future of the sheep...
04.12.2024
Praise to the meat.
We record a podcast with animal scientist Robert Hewitt; Robert goes by the Twitter handle @meat_evangalist and has a very data and objective approach to his online debates. In this podcast, we talk about how the pig industry has advanced production,...
04.10.2024
What's happening in the ag markets?
We do a quick market summary of what is happening across grains and livestock.
04.05.2024
Exposing the future of ag
We have Natalie Green, event organiser of the future ag expo, a new expo and conference held at the Melbourne showgrounds in April, which will display new ag technology and speakers (including us)
03.26.2024
Causing a Hassell
We are joined by John Hassell, President of WA Farmers and Vice President of the National Farmers Federation. John is from Pingelly, Western Australia. In this chat, we discuss everything from climate change, live export, increasing efficiency in farm representation, protests...
03.22.2024
Pip off the old block
This week, we welcome Pip Courtney, the host of ABC Landline, onto the podcast. In this podcast, we talk about a range of topics from her favourite story, is Landline is representative of farming, the impact of technology on media...
03.14.2024
Will AI take over our farms?
We have a chat with Ben Pankhurst of Agtech by Design. Ben founded a business that uses AI/machine learning to detect and spray weeds in paddocks. During this discussion we explain what AI actually is, whether it will lead to our...
03.12.2024
What in the world?
It's just the two of us, as Matt and Andrew chat about what's happening in grain and livestock markets. We also give an educational lesson on the Hawthorne effect.
03.07.2024
Getting new foods on supermarket shelves.
We chat with Angeline Achariya, CEO of Innovation Gamechangers. Angeline worked in some of the world's biggest food companies, developing new products that end up on supermarket shelves. In this interesting discussion, we discuss everything from cinnamon twisties to fried food. Angeline...
03.05.2024
It's a bug's life.
We have a chat with Olympia Yarger, CEO of Goterra. A company turning food waste into fertilizer and food/feed. Olympia is was the Australian of the year for ACT in 2023, and has a species of fly named after her. She...
02.27.2024
AgWatchers go to the movies with Just a Farmer.
We were excited to have the producer, writer and main after of the new movie 'Just a Farmer'. Leila and Sean McDougall are farmers from Western Victoria who have moved into the movie business. This film, set in Tatyoon, Western Victoria,...
02.21.2024
Market Morsel - A conversation about commodities.
Just the two of us. Matt and Andrew have a conversation about livestock, grain and fertilizer pricing. Along with a few other tangents.
02.16.2024
Keeping it rural
We have a chat with Dimity Smith, of Gro Events and Gro Rural. As always we cover a huge range of topics; should events be rural or in cities, finding rural talent for contracts, running an EP3 commodities course in New...
02.09.2024
Agriculture for all
We have a chat with Madeleine Stuchbery, a journalist with the Weekly Times. We chat about our recent article about the inclusion of women on agricultural boards. In this chat we delve into diversity, inclusion, access to services in regions, paying...
02.05.2024
The Queen of Sheepa
On this podcast, we have Jo Hall, CEO of Wool Producers Australia (WPA). Jo represents the interests of wool growers across the country. She discusses why WPA have removed support for the governments plan to mandate EID tags in sheep, their...
02.02.2024
Ute ban, MV Bahijah and the NFF relationship with government.
We have David Jochinke, the current president of the NFF and the immediate previous VFF president onto the podcast for a chat after 3 months in the NFF president role. In this podcast, we discuss various topics, including government policy,...
01.31.2024
This is a conversation starter
Mental wellness is a huge issue in regional areas, and one that we need to more open about and remove the stigma. We have a chat with Jason Banks, the CO-Ceo of TIACS aka This is a conversation starter. This organisation,...
01.28.2024
Skyes the limit in agtech.
We have a chat with Skye Raward, co-founder of Farmers2Founders, a program to assist Australian food producers in collaborating with tech developers. In this discussion, we cover topics from getting investment to women in tech. As a bonus, a list of...
01.24.2024
The ag minister from the shadows.
We had a chat with shadow agricultural minister David Littleproud about a wide variety of topics and how he thinks the current government is performing.
01.21.2024
Biosecurity - a new levy or a tax?
We have a chat with Colin Bettles, CEO of Grain Producers Australia. Last week, a huge section of agricultural representatives sent a letter to the government advocating for the removal of the new biosecurity levy. In this chat, we discuss this,...
01.19.2024
You're so Wyn*, you probably think this auctions about you
We have a chat with Wyn Snyman, the new CEO of Auctionsplus. We chat about the COVID impact on online livestock auctions, new competitors in the space, the Auctionsplus foray into media and a whole lot more. *Wyn is pronounced vein
01.17.2024
Meat Vending Machine
We have a chat with Jacob Wolki (@jakewolki), who has set up a direct-to-customer meat retailing business. We chat about how this works with no retail staff. In our conversation we also learn about how he makes money from vegan...
12.30.2023
#205 The end of 2023
We had a quick chat about what we found interesting about 2023.
12.19.2023
#204 Thinking outside, or on the box.
We had a chat with livestock market analyst Tim McRae, head of markets at On the Box. On the box is a new addition to the online auction space. We find out about the new start-up, but also have a lot...
12.14.2023
#203 It’s all smoke and clear mirrors.
"I used to have a job cleaning mirrors. It's something I could really see myself doing." We have a chat with Trent Smoker, General Manager at Clear Grain. Trent talks about his biggest career achievement - bringing Andrew into Australian agriculture. We...
12.07.2023
#202 Love me tender, love me inputs.
Inputs have been an issue in recent years; they have increased dramatically in price, and there have been supposed shortages. We hard about a new start-up called iinputs.com, which wants to be the website for farm tenders, allowing farmers to...
11.30.2023
#201 The king of black pudding.
In this episode, we have a hero of the agwatchers hosts - Jim Arrowsmith of Pacdon Park. Pacdon Park are a supplier of British smallgoods from pork pies to black pudding. We chat about setting up a small goods business, the...
11.22.2023
#200 Grabrielle sounds the trumpet.
It is judgement day at AgWatchers. After a couple of years, we hit episode 200. Gabrielle Chan, author of 'Why you should give a F$#k about farming' and 'Rusted off', and well-known rural journalist, takes over the podcast to chat...
11.13.2023
#199 Raising the steaks.
We have a chat with Adam Coffey, the interim CEO of the newly(ish) formed Cattle Australia organisation. As usual, we cover a range of topics, from advocacy to emissions in the livestock industry.
11.07.2023
#198 It’s just not cricket with Brad Hogg.
We have a chat with elite cricket player Brad Hogg. We delve a little into his cricketing, but have a much bigger focus on his post-retirement work in mental health awareness. This discussion covers a wide range of tough areas, and...
11.01.2023
#197 Urea, you gotta see her with Chris Lawson
Chris is the head of fertilizers for CRU Group, and has been a regular on the podcast over the past two years. He joins us from his New York City penthouse apartment to talk about the fertilizer market. Topics covered include;...
10.25.2023
#196 Finding the people of agriculture
How do we find staff? We have a chat with Ryan Hoiberg aka Chris Hoiberg of Rimfire Resources. As is always the case with Ryan, we cover a range of topics related to recruitment, retention and the job supply situation.
10.20.2023
#195 The big events in ag in twenty minutes
You give us twenty minutes, we'll give you the world (of ag). In this episode, the two of us briefly chat about the following major topics in agricultural markets. The middle eastern conflict and its potential to impact markets. The Russian-Chinese grain...
10.11.2023
#194 Plowing Politics: The Journey to NFF Presidency - Tony York
The nominations are in for the position of NFF president as Fiona Simson steps down after more than six years at the helm. Later in the month, member organisations of the NFF will vote on who will become the next...
10.09.2023
#193 Plowing Politics: The Journey to NFF Presidency - Georgie Somerset
The nominations are in for the position of NFF president as Fiona Simson steps down after more than six years at the helm. Later in the month, member organisations of the NFF will vote on who will become the next...
10.09.2023
#192 Plowing Politics: The Journey to NFF Presidency - David Jochinke
The nominations are in for the position of NFF president as Fiona Simson steps down after more than six years at the helm. Later in the month, member organisations of the NFF will vote on who will become the next...
10.04.2023
#191 Pigs might fly.
We had a chat with Dawson Bradford, a pig, sheep and grain producer from Western Australia. He is also a local councillor and director of Australian Pork. This discussion covers off on topics from animal rights activists to building a mill...
09.28.2023
#190 We are going to need a smaller flock.
We had a chat with Tom Bull, GM of Lambpro. In this episode we talk about the state of the industry, where it is going, and whether the future is bright or not?
09.20.2023
#189 Sheep sliding, grains gaining and hilux for sale.
It is just the two of us this time. We are having a chat about what is happening in the sheep industry in relation to price. Why is the price so low, and when will it turn? We also chat about...
09.15.2023
#188 Who the f#$k is Alice?
We have a chat with Alice Mabin, we talk about the accident that put her into a coma and changed her life, and about moving into the position of creating images for agriculture. A great natural chat with some big tangents...

What's AgWatchers about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

AgWatchers episodes:

Senate decisions, livestock prices doubling and grain prices crashing

Robots, peak body funding, chemicals and a lot more.

The onus is on you to count carbon on farm.

Court cases, peak body funding and the VFF

Check yo self, before you represent yo self.

Drag acts, advocacy, kebabs and communicating with the city.

Baby Reindeer, livestock and grain pricing.

The state of the government.

The rise of the machines

Trump, wheat rally and virus in the meat

Happy hour with the Dry Farmer

Praise to the meat.

What's happening in the ag markets?

Exposing the future of ag

Causing a Hassell

Pip off the old block

Will AI take over our farms?

What in the world?

Getting new foods on supermarket shelves.

It's a bug's life.

AgWatchers go to the movies with Just a Farmer.

Market Morsel - A conversation about commodities.

Keeping it rural

Agriculture for all

The Queen of Sheepa

Ute ban, MV Bahijah and the NFF relationship with government.

This is a conversation starter

Skyes the limit in agtech.

The ag minister from the shadows.

Biosecurity - a new levy or a tax?

You're so Wyn*, you probably think this auctions about you

Meat Vending Machine

#205 The end of 2023

#204 Thinking outside, or on the box.

#203 It’s all smoke and clear mirrors.

#202 Love me tender, love me inputs.

#201 The king of black pudding.

#200 Grabrielle sounds the trumpet.

#199 Raising the steaks.

#198 It’s just not cricket with Brad Hogg.

#197 Urea, you gotta see her with Chris Lawson

#196 Finding the people of agriculture

#195 The big events in ag in twenty minutes

#194 Plowing Politics: The Journey to NFF Presidency - Tony York

#193 Plowing Politics: The Journey to NFF Presidency - Georgie Somerset

#192 Plowing Politics: The Journey to NFF Presidency - David Jochinke

#191 Pigs might fly.

#190 We are going to need a smaller flock.

#189 Sheep sliding, grains gaining and hilux for sale.

#188 Who the f#$k is Alice?