Harvestable by AgriDigital

AgriDigital Co-Founder Ben Reid is joined by Andrew Green, Truck Driver for David Knight Transport in the fifth episode of Harvestable season two. Based out of Monteagle, Central West NSW, Andrew joins us from his Kenworth B-Double heading north on the Hume Highway towards Newcastle. We were curious to find out what the week in the life of a truck driver looks like, and Andrew is generous with his insights. Covering upwards of 4,000 kilometres a week, he mostly carts grain from the west to the ports, across a 12 hour day. We chat pot holes, cabin set up, efficiencies of loading and unloading, and the best meals for the road. Andrew has a real passion for truck driving and enjoys the lifestyle it allows. We hope you enjoy this chat and would welcome any feedback or suggestions for grain supply chain participants you'd like to hear from. 

AgriDigital Co-Founder and CEO Emma Weston is joined by Grace Quast a writer, photographer, and farmer alongside her husband David on their property Domang Farm, in Crooble, NSW. With harvest underway, we check in to chat about their mixed cropping enterprise which has inspired her creative pursuits and incredible visual diary of life on the land. Describing their full profile of black self-mulching soil as like running your finger along the top of a warm brownie, Grace shares that farming will always come first, especially in logistically challenging harvests like this year. A passion that started organically, using the farm as the perfect backdrop to learn the art of photography, Grace encourages getting started on your iPhone and not overthinking the process. An unintended positive outcome of authentically sharing their reality on Instagram, Grace and David have been able to attract great staff who've felt connected and comfortable before even stepping foot on Domang Farm. If you haven't already, we recommend you indulge yourself and explore some of Grace's work via Domang Farm and her personal Instagram account. 

AgriDigital Co-Founder Ben Reid is joined by Jackson Morris Manager of Acquisition and Domestic Trade, Premium Grains, in the fourth episode of Harvestable season two. Based in Western Australia, Premium Grains is primarily a containerised grain exporter out of Freemantle, shipping to up to 10 different countries a week. In what Jackson describes as goldilocks years, Western Australia is expected to harvest close to 23 million tonnes of grain this year, levels similar to last. Discussing the simplicity of supply and demand logic, Jackson unmasks the layers of complexity in the supply chain thats created challenges for meeting global grain demand, despite the record supply. From domestic freight strain, to high container rates, this fireside chat provides a great overview of market and export dynamics. 

AgriDigital Head of Finance Henry Walsh is joined by Daniel Farrell State Director NSW and ACT of Markets at NAB in the third episode of Harvestable season two. Having spent the last decade working across NABs financial markets from retail businesses to the institutional space, Daniel joins us to provide perspective on the current interest rate, inflation, and credit market environment. In his current role, Daniel leads the strategic markets desk and regional and agriculture markets dealers. Chatting with Henry about the speed of change in interest and inflationary markets, he provides insight into what leading and lagging indicators will look like as fiscal and monetary policy decisions come into effect. Despite strong commitment from the RBA domestically to bring inflation back within targets, Daniel makes note that the confluence of international geopolitical challenges as being outside of our control and influential on market dynamics. 

AgriDigital Head of Finance Henry Walsh is joined by Campbell Roydhouse, Founder of Ceres Alpha for a bonus episode of Harvestable. A subject matter expert, Campbell has been working in agricultural markets for over two decades, with various roles at companies including Louis Dreyfus, Goldman Sachs and AWB. In this chat, he dives into the significant impact on the flow of commodities particularly wheat since the Ukrainian war started in March, and implications for the global market. Henry and Campbell discuss the complexities of fragmented and untrustworthy communication and what this has meant for market dynamics. Looking ahead, beyond the logistics of closed freight corridors, Campbell sees the bigger impact being the loss of acreage and labour shortages in Ukraine creating instability in the global wheat balance sheet. 

Kicking off season two of Harvestable, AgriDigital Co Founder and CEO Emma Weston is joined by Tim Whiteley from a family mixed farming operation in Warren NSW. Losing sight of what normal even means, Tim provides a retrospective account on the 2021/22 harvest, where prices were phenomenal but the logistics anything but. Between global geopolitical uncertainty and unprecedented weather conditions, the upcoming harvest is looking not too dissimilar. Resonating with us all, Tim shares the goal this year is to just get the crop off. Join us weekly for raw and unscripted fireside chats with agricultures most insightful minds in the lead up to, and over harvest. 

AgriDigital Co Founder and Head of Growth Ben Reid is joined by Richard Hewitt, Managing Director of Nimbus Broking in the 12th and final episode of Harvestable season one. With 20 years of experience in agribusiness Richard is passionate about supporting farmers achieve their goals. He discusses current finance dynamics amidst a positive agri sector and low interest rate environment. From serviceability to business management Richard shares insights on key things that banks will be looking for and how they support their clients to navigate the onerous borrowing process.

AgriDigital Co Founder and Head of Growth Ben Reid is joined by Harry Gaynor Junior Overseer at Paraway Pastoral Company in the 11th episode of our 12-part mini-series Harvestable. As a Junior Overseer based out at Buttabone, Harry's day to day spans from agronomy to operations and down the supply chain. This visibility across a high performing enterprise is one of the many benefits he enjoys about working for a corporate. Setting up a well rounded skillset for a long term career in agriculture, Harry breaks down some of the stigmas associated with working in big business and how Paraway have created a positive work culture with a people first approach. 

AgriDigital Co Founder and Head of Growth Ben Reid is joined by Tim Dean of Universal Commodity Management (UCM) in the 10th episode of our 12 part mini-series Harvestable. Founded 10 years ago, the business has grown to four sites with a combined capacity of around 400,000 mt in the Southern Riverina, Western Victoria and Wimmera regions. Tim shares how they have achieved sustainable growth, adopted cloud based systems and embraced evolution in the grains industry. 

AgriDigital Co Founder and Head of Growth Ben Reid is joined by Jake Young Office Manager Grain and Intermodal Division at Fletcher International Exports in the ninth episode of our 12 part mini-series Harvestable. Fletchers is one of Australia’s most celebrated agribusiness success stories. Jake shares the scale Fletchers has grown to today in a quest for supply chain efficiency and sustainability. With no signs of slowing down, he provides insight into how they are continuing to evolve in line with grower innovation and where their focus is for the next 5 years.