Passionfruit farmer Mitchell East is flipping the script on food waste, giving unsellable fruit a second chance. 

Mitchell returned to his family farm in Manjimup WA on a mission to find a tasty use for surplus, speedily perishable fruit like passionfruit and cherries.

The horticulture industry is always looking for new ways of squeezing value from seconds produce, with many tonnes of fruit and vegetables that can't be sold or stored going to waste every day.

And there's no shortage of produce in the Southern Forests food hub around Manjimup, which punches well above its weight to grow a massive volume and variety of fresh produce for domestic and international markets.

Liv sat down with this fruit-farmer-turned-manufacturer to hear how Mitchell is utilising otherwise wasted fruit to not only boost profit margins but to re-connect consumers with the growers of their food.

Chapters
00:00 Mitchell's Farming Journey and Background
02:48 The Unique Food Hub of Manjimup
05:37 Value Adding Passion Fruit: Challenges and Opportunities
08:57 Creating Products from Waste: A Sustainable Approach
11:45 Collaboration With Other Growers
14:33 Innovative Products and Market Adaptation
17:46 The Story Behind Yuzu and Other Unique Produce

Learn more about Willarra Gold and how Mitchell and Jen are collaborating with other local fruit growers to get more from the delicious produce they grow.

You can hear more episodes of Humans of Agriculture here.
 
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This month Tom and Mick catch up with New England livestock agent Mat Larkings about what he’s seeing on the ground—from post-drought price shifts to clients swapping breeding for trading. 

They dive into the growing interest in coastal markets, the cautious optimism among producers, and why quality stock still rules.

It’s a great listen for anyone keen to understand the real dynamics behind the numbers.

Takeaways

• The cattle market is experiencing fluctuations post-drought.
• Clients are transitioning from breeding to trading operations.
• Quality cattle are essential in the current market.
• The coastal market presents new opportunities for livestock.
• Caution prevails among clients regarding market investments.
• Rural property market is lagging behind livestock market trends.

Chapters

00:00 Introducing Matt Larkins: A Livestock Agent's Journey
05:23 Market Insights: Cattle and Sheep Dynamics
08:21 Navigating the Livestock Business: Challenges and Opportunities
11:33 The Coastal Market: Expanding Horizons
14:34 Future Trends: Cattle Market Predictions
17:18 Cautious Optimism: Client Perspectives on Market Fluctuations
20:19 Rural Property Market: A Parallel Journey
23:04 Final Thoughts and Advice for Young Dads

You can hear more episodes of Humans of Agriculture here.
 
If you enjoyed this episode, share with a friend and let us know your thoughts at [email protected].  Don't forget to rate, subscribe, and leave a review!

A decade ago, if Ben 'Wundy' Wundersitz spotted a mate's ute parked on the main drag in town he'd assume they were at the pub sinking a pint.

These days, there's more chance of Wundy finding his mates working out at the gym across the road from the pub in his local town of Maitland in South Australia, which has fully embraced the Fat Farmers movement.

Fat Farmers began 13 years ago when Wundy and a couple of his middle-aged farming mates looked in the mirror to see years of self-neglect - too much time sitting in tractors and eating fast food on the run. They decided to do something about it. 

From their very first gym session together they've created a grassroots movement that’s inspiring rural communities across Australia to get moving, improve well being and save lives.

They've just launched the Fat Farmers Health Hub, a mobile medical screening truck which Wundy hopes will do the field day circuit across the country providing simple health checks for blokes.

Wundy chats with Oli about breaking down barriers to fitness participation and health care in the bush.

Chapters

00:00 Harvest Challenges and Adapting to Dry Seasons in Agriculture
05:47 Work-Life Balance and Personal Growth
08:09 The Birth of Fat Farmers
10:58 Building a Supportive Community
13:57 Health Initiatives and the Launch of Fat Farmers Health Hub
16:23 Encouraging Health Checks in Rural Communities
19:12 Future Aspirations and Community Involvement

Find out more about Fat Farmers and ways you can support this impactful initiative.

You can hear more episodes of Humans of Agriculture here.
 
If you enjoyed this episode, share with a friend and let us know your thoughts at [email protected].  Don't forget to rate, subscribe, and leave a review!

Adventure pulses through the veins of Pilbara cattle woman Blythe Calnan.

From navigating live cattle export supply chains in Jordan in the Middle East, to raising pasture-raised poultry in southern WA - Blythe's habit of saying 'yes' to opportunities in agriculture has taken her to all sorts of climates and farming systems.

She's now back in her home state of Western Australia, teaching the basics of low stress stock handling and soil health to show the role working dogs can play in healing landscapes.

Liv caught up with Blythe at the Grounded Festival in Bridgetown where she madly jotted down Blythe's dog training mantras, which she discovered can be applied to all sorts of life and business scenarios!

00:00 Introduction to Blythe Calnan and Her Journey
02:27 The Role of Working Dogs in Agriculture
05:09 Blythe's Career Path and Experiences
08:18 The Impact of Reality TV on Agriculture
11:22 Understanding Dog Training and Relationships
14:04 The Importance of Communication in Dog Handling
16:59 Pressure and Education in Animal Training
19:49 Linking Dogs, Livestock, and Landscape Health
23:04 Valuing Working Dogs in Agriculture
25:49 Returning to Basics in Agriculture

You can hear more episodes of Humans of Agriculture here.
 
If you enjoyed this episode, share with a friend and let us know your thoughts at [email protected].  Don't forget to rate, subscribe, and leave a review!

A knowledge tour around Brazil cotton farms has blown the minds of a group of Aussie growers.

Imagine having a cotton gin on every single farm?... or a family-led business with a breezy 220,000 hectares in crop?

Rabobank Area Manager Felicity Taylor says the sheer sophistication and scale of Brazilian cotton production has to be seen to be believed.

Freshly home from a Rabo Agri Knowledge Tour of Brazil, Felicity shares the contrasts between Brazilian and Australian cotton production, particularly in terms of supply chain logistics, technology, and sustainability practices.

She also shares her reflections on the networking opportunities as a finalist for the Zanda McDonald award and the personal growth that comes from stepping outside one's comfort zone.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
02:45 Insights from Brazil's Cotton Industry
05:20 Comparative Analysis: Brazil vs Australia
08:16 The Xander McDonald Award Experience
11:00 Encouragement for Future Applicants

This episode of Humans of Agriculture is brought to you by our friends at Rabobank Australia.

Rabo Agri Knowledge Tours is an initiative out of Rabobank's specialist commodity groups, which provide that behind-the-scenes access to other production systems to share insights, build relationships, and open up that ideas sharing network through the domestic and international Rabobank family.

You can hear more episodes of Humans of Agriculture here.
 
If you enjoyed this episode, share with a friend and let us know your thoughts at [email protected].  Don't forget to rate, subscribe, and leave a review!

WA sheep farmers do things "bloody well" if you ask Fraser Stewart, which is why he wrestled the 2025 Rabo WA Sheep & Wool tour to the west side of the country.
 
Fraser was proud to see curiosity and ideas bounce between the 21 big industry players visiting from the Eastern States and New Zealand to WA's Great Southern region last month.
 
WA is a key restocking market nationally, but Fraser wanted to show the impressive adaptations farmers are making to the phase out of the live export trade, and some of the on-farm strategies to maximise production systems in a drying climate.
 
Chapters
 
00:00 Introduction to the Sheep Tour
02:43 The Great Southern Region's Importance
05:53 Engagement and Curiosity from Participants
08:42 Adapting to Market Changes
11:27 Market Dynamics and Future Outlook
14:23 Raising Awareness for WA Agriculture
 
This episode of Humans of Agriculture is brought to you by our friends at Rabobank Australia.

Rabo Agri Knowledge Tours is an initiative out of Rabobank's specialist commodity groups, which provide that behind-the-scenes access to other production systems to share insights, build relationships, and open up that ideas sharing network through the domestic and international Rabobank family.

You can hear more episodes of Humans of Agriculture here.
 
If you enjoyed this episode, share with a friend and let us know your thoughts at [email protected].  Don't forget to rate, subscribe, and leave a review!

We're keen to know what's going on with sheep - there seems to be records hit week after week at sale yards across the country. Are farmers getting FOMO? 

Tom & Mick chat with stock and station royalty Todd Clements and Nick Fogarty about the underlying drivers of current sheep and lamb prices and what's likely to come.

Todd and Nick are from Bowyer & Livermore in the Central West of NSW -  a real estate, stock and station agency.  

Takeaways

• Slaughter prices have been higher than restocking values, affecting market dynamics.
• There is a slow rebuild expected in the sheep population over the next 12 to 24 months.
• Seasonality plays a crucial role in the availability and quality of lambs.
• The industry is seeing a shift towards higher breeding models and later joining practices.
• Opportunities exist in the WA sheep market, but competition is fierce.
• There is a growing interest in lamb feedlotting, but scalability remains a challenge.
• Market fluctuations create uncertainty, impacting producers' decisions.

Chapters

00:43 Business Background and Clientele
03:29 Current Trends in Sheep and Lamb Market
06:03 Technical Difficulties and Adjustments
09:40 Insights into Stock & Station Agency
13:31 Shifting Trends: From Sheep to Cattle
17:43 Market Dynamics: Record Prices and Supply Challenges
20:31 The Future of Sheep Breeding and Market Stability
24:57 Feedlotting: Opportunities and Challenges in Lamb Production
28:18 Western Australia: Market Opportunities and Competition
30:35 Future Predictions: Mutton and Lamb Prices in 2025

You can hear more episodes of Humans of Agriculture here.
 
If you enjoyed this episode, share with a friend and let us know your thoughts at [email protected].  Don't forget to rate, subscribe, and leave a review!

There’s more to meat than what Aussies might think.

After graduating from uni, Sophie Marriott couldn't wait to leave the bright lights of Brisbane to explore the seemingly endless opportunities in red meat processing.

She never expected she'd end up in Tasmania, working for family-owned beef processing company Greenham, on the north-western coast.

She's become totally smitten by the local community of Smithton and has grown a deep appreciation for the diversity of jobs and experiences inside the red meat world for young people.

In this final interview for our More To Meat series, you'll hear how Sophie's travels to America for a meat judging competition sparked a deep love and curiosity for the industry, and her horseback adventure for this year's Robbin Island saltwater cattle muster, an experience she will not easily forget.

Takeaways

• Working on a cattle station was pivotal for her career.
• ICMJ provided her with valuable industry connections.
• Product knowledge is crucial in the meat industry.
• Greenham is a family-owned beef processing company committed to backing any emerging talent inside the business and support them to work up through the ranks.
• Sophie values the connections between producers and consumers.
• There are diverse roles in agriculture that need to be filled.

Chapters

00:00 Sophie’s Journey to Agriculture
05:09 Involvement in Intercollegiate Meat Judging
07:49 Career Path and Opportunities at Greenham
10:40 Experiences in the U.S. and Industry Insights
13:11 Understanding Greenham's Operations
15:47 Robbins Island Wagyu Experience
21:05 Graduate Program Structure and Future Goals
23:50 Connecting with Friends and Advocating for Agriculture
26:05 Advice for Future Agricultural Students

Australian meat processors are leading the way in research and innovation. There are so many diverse career opportunities, and processors like Greenham are committed to investing in the next generation of business and community leaders like Sophie. 

Learn more about the More to Meat campaign, which is showing us the side of the red meat industry we don't often see, by highlighting the good work it does for local people, their rural communities and the country as a whole. 

Explore more stories of Humans of Agriculture - don't forget to rate, subscribe, and leave a review!

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend and let us know your thoughts at [email protected]. 

When buying eggs, what matters to you?

In this chat with Martin Rohde, of Rohde Egg Co, Oli learns what free range actually means, as well as some other intricacies of running a rapidly expanding higher-welfare egg business in South Australia's Clare Valley region.

Even when navigating challenges around COVID-19 and avian influenza, the Rohde family has always kept animal welfare at the core of their business decisions, rather than chasing 'numbers on the board'.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Agribusiness and Video Series
03:14 Meet Martin Roady: A Third Generation Egg Farmer
10:56 Navigating Challenges: COVID-19 and Avian Influenza
21:40 The Importance of Biosecurity in Egg Production
29:50 Future-Proofing the Business: Growth and Sustainability

Check out this video we made in partnership with RSPCA Approved, featuring Martin and his team at Rohde's Free Range Eggs.

Learn more about how the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme is improving the lives of farmed animals and making higher-welfare eggs available to consumers.

If you enjoyed this conversation, there are plenty more like it. Share with a friend and let us know your thoughts at [email protected].  

Don't forget to rate, subscribe, and leave a review!

A new voice joins Humans of Agriculture!

Liv Thorn pokes her face from behind the curtain to share a bit about her background in media and what she brings to her (relatively) new role as Content Specialist in our ever-evolving team.

Liv is a passionate storyteller and determined to propel more authentic, human-led stories from the bush into the mainstream.

A seasoned journalist with over 15 years working in rural media, including presenting ABC's WA Country Hour, Liv brings sharp editorial instincts and a deep understanding of regional life to everything she creates.

Running a sheep and grain farming business with her husband and young family in Kojonup Western Australia, she has lived experience on the land and a strong affinity with Aussie agriculture.

She hopes to weave more WA stories across the Human of Agriculture network and is always keen to hear your ideas!

Get in touch with Liv via [email protected] or follow her on Instagram or LinkedIn. 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Humans of Ag
02:50 The Journey of Liv Thorn
06:05 Transitioning from ABC to Humans of Ag
08:50 The Importance of Authentic Storytelling
11:35 Challenges in Ag Media
14:40 Innovative Content Creation in Agriculture
17:33 The Role of Education in Agriculture
20:26 Future Directions for Humans of Ag