The Angus Table

In this episode of The Angus Table, host Scott Wright sits down with Darren Thomas, Group Managing Director of Thomas Foods International.

Darren shares insights from humble 1985 livestock trading beginnings with father Chris to now three-generation family involvement including his children Jack, Ned and Chloe.

Scott and Darren explore the 1990s early Angus connection, the brand evolution of Angus Pure, his supply chain ownership strategy, and the ongoing innovation and expansion at home and abroad.

They discuss livestock as core competency, processing as core business, the Angus breed delivering what it promises, opportunities for young people in agriculture, and family business tenure creating competitive advantage with global customers.

So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for insights on building Australia's second largest red meat processor while remaining proudly family-owned

Key topics covered:

1. Thomas Foods International growth from 1985 livestock trading/service kill beginnings to Australia's second largest red meat processor and largest sheep/lamb processor exporting to 80-85 countries with five Australian plants
2. The journey to being a three-generation family business, the value of being a generational supplier with strong customer relationships, and remaining proudly family owned when the other top processors are all foreign-owned
3. The supply chain ownership strategy of owning everything between farmer and end user retailer for efficiency, which allows higher farmer payments and customer value, as well as better control and decision making
4. Thomas Foods’ early Angus connection in the 1990s and how Darren created marketing options for South East producers
5. The brand evolution of Angus Pure from Certified Black partnership to developing their own 100% Angus positioning, achieving US market success, and launching Mount Shank premium brand
6. Why the Angus breed succeeded by backing up great marketing with actual product performance through society research and seed stock suppliers/farmers collaborating for genetic improvement
7. Why attention to detail and simplicity matter as Thomas Foods' philosophy from home to operations, with people as the foundation and educating for better outcomes.
8. How Thomas Foods is expanding globally with second US and European plant building, Middle East and India operations developing, as well as a $380M Australian capital expenditure to modernise facilities
9. The challenge of over-regulation and export certification costs pushed onto processors, with regulation supporting brand quality but increasing costs and thereby reducing competitiveness
10. Why Thomas Foods takes a cautious approach to MLA multibreed evaluation by using Angus as best practice case study without reinventing the wheel
11. Why young people have wonderful opportunities in agriculture beyond primary production including AgTech/robotics/data science/AI/pharmaceuticals, with industry unity making it easier than when Darren started

Relevant links mentioned in the episode:

1. Thomas Foods International https://thomasfoods.com/

Contact details:

This podcast is proudly brought to you by Angus Australia https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/

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+Follow Angus Youth Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X +

CREDITS:

Host: Scott Wright, CEO. Get in touch via email [email protected]

Producer: Mel Strasburg [email protected]

Audio editing and post-production: Ellen Ronalds Keene at https://perkdigital.com.au

In this episode of The Angus Table, host Scott Wright sits down with Todd Wilshire, managing director of Agricon and former owner of Wilshire and Co, for a comprehensive conversation about building successful agricultural businesses.

Todd shares insights from his journey studying agronomy at Gatton, returning after travelling to grow the family's Tenterfield produce store into a six-location group sold to Pursehouse Rural, and the strategic acquisition and subsequent growth of animal nutrition company Agricon.

Todd and Scott discuss key business lessons about having a vision and staying patient, as well as the importance of diversification, team building, strong supplier relationships, finding market gaps, and why face-to-face relationships still beat online shopping.

So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for insights on rural entrepreneurship and creating value in agricultural supply chains.

Contact details:

This podcast is proudly brought to you by Angus Australia https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/

+Follow Angus Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X + LinkedIn +

+Follow Angus Youth Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X +

CREDITS:

Host: Scott Wright, CEO. Get in touch via email [email protected]

Producer: Mel Strasburg [email protected]

Audio editing and post-production: Ellen Ronalds Keene at https://perkdigital.com.au

Summary of the episode:

In this special board outcomes episode of The Angus Table, President Sinclair Munro and CEO Scott Wright discuss key decisions and strategic priorities from Angus Australia's March 2026 board of directors meeting.

They share insights on board function, CEO board report highlights, and financial audit outcomes including the new late inventory fee policy.

Also discussed is the board’s strategic focus on genetic evaluation including TACE as hybrid display from three evaluation services (BreedPlan, Angus Genetic, AGI), the shift to weekly analysis capability through Angus Genetic, navigating MLA's multibreed evaluation plans, and promoting Angus as reliable, nutritious, and environmentally sustainable.

So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for insights about the governance and strategy shaping Angus Australia's future.

Key topics covered:

1. How the Angus Australia board functions: elected by members with committee structure, focusing on strategy/risk/compliance/policy while providing CEO oversight
2. Highlights from the CEO board report, including HeiferSELECT marketing improvements and Angus Online self-service platform now live
3. Financial audit outcomes from the external auditor review of 2025 statements
4. About the late inventory fee policy change beginning in Spring 2026 where late submissions after bill date will receive 50% credit to reward on-time record keepers and remove emotion from staff decisions.
5. Strategic genetic evaluation focus, including weekly analysis capability through Angus GenetIQ addressing member needs quickly.
6. Navigating the MLA multibreed evaluation plans while protecting Angus-specific tools
7. The importance of member consultation and the opportunities to engage this year, such as webinars and the upcoming AGM in May
8. Valuing member-collected phenotype data as Angus Australia's strength, ensuring we prioritise using to benefit those who collected it
9. Promoting the Angus brand responsibly and emphasising reliable genetics from registered bulls, nutritious high eating quality, and environmental sustainability
10. Appreciation for the voluntary role of board members taking on a big workload while taking time from their own farms/businesses
11. About Sinclair’s best beef eating experience on Easter Sunday

Contact details:

This podcast is proudly brought to you by Angus Australia https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/

+Follow Angus Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X + LinkedIn +

+Follow Angus Youth Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X +

CREDITS:

Host: Scott Wright, CEO. Get in touch via email [email protected]

Producer: Mel Strasburg [email protected]

Audio editing and post-production: Ellen Ronalds Keene at https://perkdigital.com.au

In this special episode of The Angus Table, host Scott Wright sits down with the Hon. Julie Collins MP, Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, for an insightful conversation about leading Australian agriculture.

Minister Collins shares perspectives from representing Australia's most southern electorate, current priorities including food security strategy and managing Middle East conflict impacts on diesel and fertiliser supply, achievements on trade diversification achievements, biosecurity vigilance around lumpy skin disease and our strong working relationship with Indonesia.

Scott and Minister Collins discuss working collaboratively with industry peak bodies, the $100 billion agriculture target hit four years early, and why telling farmers' story about being world's most efficient producers matters.

So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for insights from federal leadership on agriculture's future.

Key topics covered:

1. How Minister Collins represents Australia's most southern electorate in Tasmania with berries, stone fruit, ham, aquaculture, and forestry
2. Maintaining the big priorities of food security strategy, trade and biosecurity, while dealing with immediate diesel/fertiliser challenges and impacts of the Middle East war
3. The success of the trade diversification approach the Federal Government has taken that has resulted in 250+ market accesses improved, restored or maintained
4. The importance of telling the story of Australian farmers being the most fuel efficient, lowest fertiliser use, and lowest water use farmers on the planet
5. Hitting the $100 billion target four years early by having a joint vision and working together with industry
6. Monitoring lumpy skin disease closely and working with the Indonesian government, cooperating on intelligence, lab testing capability, vaccines, and more
7. The Government’s R&D report and opportunities for R&D reform
8. How Labor is prioritising being in touch with regional communities, and working collaboratively with industry peak bodies
9. Minister Collins’ personal approach to maintaining balance and the advice from her grandmother to always do your best

Contact details:

This podcast is proudly brought to you by Angus Australia https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/

+Follow Angus Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X + LinkedIn +

+Follow Angus Youth Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X +

CREDITS:

Host: Scott Wright, CEO. Get in touch via email [email protected]

Producer: Mel Strasburg [email protected]

Audio editing and post-production: Ellen Ronalds Keene at https://perkdigital.com.au

In this heartfelt episode of The Angus Table, host Scott Wright sits down with John Warlters, CEO of Rural Aid, for an important conversation about supporting farming families through disasters and everyday adversity.

John shares insights from Rural Aid's 11-year journey since forming during the 2015 drought, the remarkable scale of their impact, how trust guides every decision as their north star principle, and the importance of being visible in communities rather than waiting for crisis moments.

They discuss John's journalism background preparing him for this role, the challenge of balancing strategic thinking with operational response, the importance of mental health support for all but especially for rural families, and why the difficult act of asking for help opens doors to support.

So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for insights on community resilience and the organization making a difference for rural Australia.

Key topics covered:

• How Rural Aid supports farmers first, their families, and communities as proudly farmer-focused organisation
• The scale of impact since 2015: 200,000 bales of hay, 100 million litres of household drinking water, prepaid Visa cards ($1,500 typical value) empowering individuals to meet specific needs with money flowing back to local communities
• Rural Aid’s national network of 10 counsellors seeing producers on-farm where possible in order to break down barriers around potential judgment or stigma
• Erica Halliday's story of receiving Rural Aid support during 2017-19 drought, then joining the board to give back to organisation that helped her family
• Trust as Rural Aid’s guiding principle: donors trust that funds reach the right people at right time, producers trust the organisation when making themselves vulnerable by asking for help
• Why Rural Aid waits for recovery phase rather than emergency response to avoid getting in way of front line and emergency services
• The dairy farmer who said he was "a little bit broken on the inside," put on smiley face each morning thinking that's what his family needed, but counselling helped him recognise he needed help and it completely changed his outlook
• How strategic thinking challenges John when operational response demands constant attention, and he balancing act between mental health counsellors on ground vs immediate disaster relief capacity
• How everyday challenges (rising costs, fluctuating prices, health scares, succession planning) need support beyond disaster context, not just emergency events
• Looking to 2030: growing to 20,000+ registered producers (currently 18,500) and amplifying Rural Aid’s voice to government
• John’s simple call to action: ask for help if you need it, phone 1300 327 624

Relevant links mentioned in the episode:

• Rural Aid https://www.everystep.ruralaid.org.au/
• Phone: 1300 327 624

Contact details:

This podcast is proudly brought to you by Angus Australia https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/

+Follow Angus Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X + LinkedIn +

+Follow Angus Youth Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X +

CREDITS:

Host: Scott Wright, CEO. Get in touch via email [email protected]

Producer: Mel Strasburg [email protected]

Audio editing and post-production: Ellen Ronalds Keene at https://perkdigital.com.au

In this strategic episode of The Angus Table, host Scott Wright sits down with Will Evans, CEO of Cattle Australia, for a comprehensive conversation about leading the peak body representing grass-fed beef producers.

Will shares insights from his journey through NT Livestock Exporters Association and NTCA, launching the critical cattle transaction levy review, why the focus has realigned to producer profitability over market/consumer expectations as the fundamental underpinning of sustainability, trade diversification amid Middle East conflicts and China challenges, and landscape-level methane research fighting point-in-time regulatory misunderstanding.

They discuss Cattle Australia's dual function and benefits to membership, regional consultation driving priorities, innovation and AI transforming genetic systems, and why Australian cattle breeding is now at the global forefront.

So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for insights on policy, trade, and the future direction of Australian beef.

Key topics covered:

• Will's journey from Gatton Ag College through, Cattle Council, NT Live Exporters Association and NTCA learning policy theory and practical implementation
• About Cattle Australia's dual function as both peak commodity voice with technical expertise plus prescribed industry body overseeing levy allocation to MLA/AHA/NRS
• Why CA have launched a critical levy review: the first in 20 years, the focus is on capturing millions in lost value within existing $5 rather than automatic increases
• The important realignment on producer profitability to underpin all sustainability initiatives and additional requirements
• Why a global shift occurred from "feed people" to "how are we feeding them" with conditionality expectations
• Landscape-level methane research: world-leading analysis of emissions + sequestration fighting regulatory misunderstanding of output-only emission reductions
• The European regulatory risk and the need for adequate research because current research is led from environmental not beef business perspective
• Taking a holistic view of trade diversification strategy amid global conflicts
• Engaging with successive Federal governments and Labor government relationships being about competing priorities not an anti-agriculture stance
• The opportunities and challenges of the AI and innovation frontier for beef
• Advice for young people getting into the industry and the massive Southeast Asia opportunity

Relevant links mentioned in the episode:

• Cattle Australia https://cattleaustralia.com.au/

Contact details:

This podcast is proudly brought to you by Angus Australia https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/

+Follow Angus Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X + LinkedIn +

+Follow Angus Youth Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X +

CREDITS:

Host: Scott Wright, CEO. Get in touch via email [email protected]

Producer: Mel Strasburg [email protected]

Audio editing and post-production: Ellen Ronalds Keene at https://perkdigital.com.au

In this episode of The Angus Table, host Scott Wright sits down with Paul Holm, General Manager of Networks at AuctionsPlus, for a comprehensive conversation about online livestock marketing innovation.

Paul shares insights from AuctionsPlus's 40-year evolution as an agency-owned business (50% Elders, 50% Nutrien), the remarkable scale of the platform, the groundbreaking bloodline verification initiative launching in April 2026 to connect seedstock brands with verified commercial offspring and quantify premiums, and the company's commitment to agent education and industry best practice.

They discuss remote workforce management (50% of staff outside Sydney), extraordinarily low dispute rates (0.7% of lots), and why selling positive stories about on-farm practices matters for differentiation.

So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for insights on the digital transformation of livestock marketing.

Key topics covered:

• How AuctionsPlus evolved over 40 years to 220,000 monthly users listing 600,000+ commercial cattle (400,000+ Angus-influenced)
• The assessment process: 130+ data points, assessor training requirements, and offline mobile entry for crush-side efficiency
• Remarkably low dispute rate (0.7% of lots) with agent third-party verification adding trust and integrity
• The innovative bloodline verification initiative to verify commercial vendor purchases their genetics, creative value, increasing trust and quantifying market premiums with analytics
• Sheep genetics ASBV integration with filtering capabilities and buyer notifications for specific genetic profiles
• Feeder-optimised tagging developed through extensive feedlot discovery (weight, age, pregnancy testing criteria)
• Remote workforce management: 50% of staff outside Sydney with regional coverage requiring scheduled communication and quarterly in-person trips
• Why discovery process now involves interviewing buyers/sellers/agents before building features rather than acting on single ideas
• How competitive board members (Elders vs Nutrien) make industry-leading decisions for agency sector benefit
• Why selling positive on-farm stories differentiates brands in the engaged 220,000-user monthly audience

Relevant links mentioned in the episode:

• AuctionsPlus website: www.auctionsplus.com.au

Contact details:

This podcast is proudly brought to you by Angus Australia https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/

+Follow Angus Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X + LinkedIn +

+Follow Angus Youth Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X +

CREDITS:

Host: Scott Wright, CEO. Get in touch via email [email protected]

Producer: Mel Strasburg [email protected]

Audio editing and post-production: Ellen Ronalds Keene at https://perkdigital.com.au

In this special informational episode of The Angus Table, host Scott Wright sits down with Ben Robinson from AusMeat to explain the significant changes to Angus breed content labelling standards released in 2026.

Ben provides essential context on AusMeat's role as custodian of Australian export meat standards, how the Label and Standards Committee operates with industry peak councils, and why trade descriptions must be accurate and unambiguous under legislation.

They discuss the evolution from the original 75% minimum standard to the new three-tier framework: Angus 50/F1/Composite (50% genetic content), Angus 75/F2/Angus (traditional 75% standard), and Pure Angus/Angus 100/Black Angus (100% genetic content).

Ben explains how most international markets accept 50% (matching US CAB requirements), why this creates opportunities for F1 breeders while maintaining premium positioning for higher content animals, the importance of accurate NVD declarations, and how DNA breed content testing may provide objective verification in the medium term.

So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for essential regulatory information affecting every Angus producer in Australia.

Key topics covered:

• How AusMeat operates as industry-owned (MLA and AMPC), not-for-profit third party certification body auditing 60+ programs and the role of Australian Meat Industry Language and Standards Committee with peak councils
• Why you cannot export meat from Australia unless it comes from AusMeat accredited facility
• The legislation requirement of accurate and unambiguous trade descriptions across the entire supply chain
• The origins of Angus labelling around 2006-2008 when McDonald's McAngus burger drove integrity requirements
• Why Australia set the bar high at 75% minimum genetic content when most international markets accepted 50%
• How two and a half years of industry consultation balanced production sector and processing sector needs
• The new three-tier framework: Angus 50/F1/Composite (50%), Angus 75/F2/Angus (75%), Pure Angus/Angus 100/Black Angus (100%)
• The two verification pathways for 50% genetic content—phenotypic criteria or on-farm traceability program
• The importance of accurate NVD declarations: Angus 50 or Angus F1 for 50% animals, Angus for 75%+ animals
• Why quality specifications (eating quality, marbling, MSA) are commercial decisions by processors separate from breed content
• Other breed frameworks (Wagyu, Hereford, Shorthorn, Santa Gertrudis) and the development of a Red Angus framework (though it’s not released yet)
• The difference between AusMeat's export/domestic accreditation (box level) and state food authority regulation (retail/restaurant level)
• The importance of maintaining Australian product trust and reputation with international partners through integrity
• Ben's role as UN Economic Commission for Europe Meat Standards Group chairman working to reduce trade barriers globally

Relevant links mentioned in the episode:

• AusMeat website: www.ausmeat.com.au
• Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) program https://www.integritysystems.com.au/on-farm-assurance/livestock-product-assurance/
• National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme https://www.ausmeat.com.au/services/list/livestock/nfas/
• United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE): https://unece.org/trade/wp7/Meat-Standards

Contact details:

This podcast is proudly brought to you by Angus Australia https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/

+Follow Angus Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X + LinkedIn +

+Follow Angus Youth Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X +

CREDITS:

Host: Scott Wright, CEO. Get in touch via email [email protected]

Producer: Mel Strasburg [email protected]

Audio editing and post-production: Ellen Ronalds Keene at https://perkdigital.com.au

In this episode of The Angus Table, host Scott Wright sits down with Mark McCully, CEO of the American Angus Association, for a comprehensive conversation about leading one of the world's largest breed organisations.

Mark shares insights from managing 22,000 members across five wholly-owned subsidiaries (Association, Certified Angus Beef, Angus Media, Angus Genetics Inc, Foundation), the remarkable success of CAB brand with 27% of US fed cattle qualifying and $50+ premiums per head, the historic shift from 50% select grading to more prime than select today, developing functional longevity and udder EPDs, navigating methane research controversy with transparency, and the power of servant leadership.

They discuss some of the similarities and differences between US and Australian industries, the evolution from "where's my premium" to value-based marketing dominance, beef-on-dairy integration, and why keeping independent breeders independent through strong associations matters globally.

So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for insights from one of the breed's most accomplished international leaders.

Key topics covered:

• How the American Angus Association evolved from 1883 herd registry to five wholly-owned subsidiaries with 300 staff
• The scale of CAB brand: 27% of US fed cattle qualify today, creating $50+ premium per head at packing plant
• Why CAB gave producers a target aligned with consumer value rather than producer value perspectives
• The historic shift from 50% select grading (when Mark started) to more prime than select produced today
• How value-based marketing evolution transformed premium signal flow to producers
• The development of functional longevity EBV and teat/udder suspension EBVs incorporated into maternal weaning value
• The importance of phenotypic data as genomics foundation "only as good as phenotypic data breeders turn in"
• How non-traditional data (health traits, BRD, congestive heart failure, fatty acids) requires downstream collaboration
• Why beef-on-dairy integration (60% of 9.4M dairy cows bred to Angus) accelerates data capture in integrated systems
• The challenge of staying innovative as breed associations when private companies characterise economically important traits
• How World Angus Evaluation provides a common currency for breeders globally and helps prevent gene pool narrowing
• Why strong member-owned associations hedge against integrated systems taking genetic decisions from independent breeders
• The methane research controversy: objectives around efficiency in cows on grass, navigating funding source concerns, factual information challenges in social media era
• The importance of servant leadership principles shaped by "The Servant" by James Hunter
• Why focusing on consumer eating satisfaction rather than cattle producer value perspectives drives sustainable demand

Relevant links mentioned in the episode:

• American Angus Association: www.angus.org
• Certified Angus Beef brand: https://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/en
• Book: "The Servant" by James Hunter

Contact details:

This podcast is proudly brought to you by Angus Australia https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/

+Follow Angus Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X + LinkedIn +

+Follow Angus Youth Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X +

CREDITS:

Host: Scott Wright, CEO. Get in touch via email [email protected]

Producer: Mel Strasburg [email protected]

Audio editing and post-production: Ellen Ronalds Keene at https://perkdigital.com.au

In this episode of The Angus Table, host Scott Wright sits down with Andrew McDonald and Tony Fitzgerald from NH Foods for a comprehensive conversation about building and maintaining premium beef programs at scale.

They discuss the remarkable 15 year growth of Angus Reserve brand from 300 head/week to 3,000 head/week, the measurable genetic improvement delivering 10% increase in feeding performance, navigating China market volatility with 55% tariffs forcing strategic program adjustments, the protein trend driving retail growth globally, and why Australia must compete at the premium end against low-cost producers.

Tony shares insights on cattle quality improvements, vaccination programs reducing BRD from 60% to 15-20% of death loss, and the importance of consistency. Andrew explains secondary cut value growth, the shift from 2+ to 4+ and 5+ marbling programs, and diversification across 40-45 countries.

So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for insights from one of Australia's largest Angus beef operations.

Key topics covered:

• How NH Foods established itself in Australia from late 1970s with integrated farming, feedlotting, and processing operations
• The growth of Whyalla Feedlot to 78,000 head current capacity, with recent and planned expansions
• The evolution of the Angus Reserve brand from 300-400 head/week in 2010 to 3,000 head/week today across 40-45 countries
• The measurable genetic improvement over the last 8 years that has delivered 10% increase in feeding performance
• How consistency within Angus pens compares dramatically to crossbred variation
• Why average induction weight increased from 405-410kg (2019 drought) to 455kg with better seasons
• The results of vaccination programs (BRD reduced from 60% to 15-20% death loss) and the shift from 2+ to 4+ and 5+ marbling programs
• The challenges of the China market, including 55% tariffs and a quota system forcing five months supply vs year-round, meaning uncertainty for long-fed programs
• Supporting voluntary quota system in order to prevent South American grain-fed gaining Australian shelf space
• The importance of diversification to hedge against single market dependence in volatile global politics
• How secondary cut value growth saved the processing sector (beef cheeks doubling, tails over $20/kg, short rib bone-in $50/kg)
• The protein trend driving retail growth globally, with consumers cooking premium steaks at home and beef snacks like jerky an opportunity for those who don’t cook
• The challenge of oversized cuts having weight variations affecting container capacity and box specifications
• How third-party verification through Angus Australia provides integrity and retailer governance confidence
• The success of Whyalla’s graduate program: three grads annually, DISC profiling, structured six-month rotations building team depth
• Why Australia must compete at the premium end against low-cost producers with the best 5% of global herd targeting best 2-4% of consumers

Relevant links mentioned in the episode:

• NH Foods https://www.nh-foods.com.au/

Contact details:

This podcast is proudly brought to you by Angus Australia https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/

+Follow Angus Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X + LinkedIn +

+Follow Angus Youth Australia on + Facebook + Instagram + X +

CREDITS:

Host: Scott Wright, CEO. Get in touch via email [email protected]

Producer: Mel Strasburg [email protected]

Audio editing and post-production: Ellen Ronalds Keene at https://perkdigital.com.au