In this week's episode, podcast host Kerry Lonergan catches up with processor Roger Fletcher, the man behind Australia's most successful integrated sheep meat processing business, Fletcher International. In a wide ranging conversation, the pair discuss Roger's humble beginnings droving sheep around Glen Innes; the opportunities he seized along the way to help build his $1.4b empire; and current high lamb prices, and how sustainable they are.

Other topics of conversation include:

The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

With frenched cutlets now selling in some metro butcheries for $95/kg. and even the humble shank retailing in supermarkets for the equivalent of $7.50 each, domestic lamb prices are today testing the boundaries of what the market ever thought possible.

But even at those ticket prices, independent retailers say there is no margin in lamb at current wholesale levels, two leading independent butchers tell Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan in today’s episode.

Successful Brisbane butcher Tim Walsh, and Sydney retailer Stephen Kelly, who owns and runs five large shopping centre butcheries across Sydney and Newcastle, give their views of the red meat retail landscape in the current cycle of record high prices. The pair are joined by regular podcast contributor, analyst Matt Dalgleish from Episode 3.

The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

Some salient lessons in succession planning were aired during last Friday’s annual Rural Press Cub breakfast held as part of the Brisbane Ekka, where three generations of the Hart family from Stockyard Beef shared the stage in front of an audience of 700.

Founder Robin Hart, his son Lachie and granddaughter Ali later sat down with Weekly Grill host Kerry Lonergan to talk about multi-generational farm sector businesses and how they have made it work.

Key to the narrative was the deliberate steps taken at Stockyard to manage the inter-generational transition, evolving from a “family business” into a “business family” approach.

Each generation of Harts brought their own skill-set to the business, with the third generation of family members (Ali and her sister Bec) bringing purpose, innovation and fresh perspectives, the audience heard.

The Weekly Grill is brought to listeners by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One - the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

The Weekly Grill is brought to you by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One, the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

The Weekly Grill is brought to you by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One, the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

The Weekly Grill is brought to you by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One, the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

The Weekly Grill is brought to you by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One, the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

One of the Fullblood industry’s true pioneers, Paul and family have quietly built up one of Australia’s largest Fullblood Wagyu herds on showcase pulled scrub buffel grass and leucaena grazing country in Central Queensland.

The Weekly Grill is brought to you by Rhinogard and Bovi-Shield MH-One, the One Shot, One Spray, One Time BRD Vaccines by Zoetis.

Prof Jim Pratley is one of Australia's best known ag educators, with a distinguished  40 year career.

In this wide ranging discussion with Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan, he discusses what governments and industry could be doing to attract more students  to careers in ag, and how ag education could be tailored for indigenous students.

Prof Pratley began his teaching career in 1972 at Wagga Wagga Agricultural College, now Charles Sturt University. As Foundation Dean of the Faculty of Science and Agriculture and a long-serving Research Professor, he has influenced generations of educators and students through innovative teaching, research and mentoring.

Beyond the university setting, Prof Pratley has shaped national conversations on agricultural education. He led the NSW Ministerial Review into Agricultural Education and Training, helping elevate the importance of food and fibre in schools. He was a founding member of the Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture and has served on boards and advisory panels across industry and research. His work spans areas such as weed management, viticulture, and rice production.

In 2019, Prof Pratley was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to agricultural science and education. The Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia recently honoured Prof Pratley as a national leader in agricultural education and a lifelong advocate for food and fibre learning.

With sweeping tariff changes in the US, dramatic currency movements, floods and widespread late summer rain in pastoral areas of QLD and NSW, there was a lot to talk about in the latest Weekly Grill markets update podcast with regular commentators Chris Howie and Matt Dalgleish.

In today's episode Kerry Lonergan catches up with the pair on US President Trump's evolving tariff negotiations and the implications for China, the knock-on affects for Australia and other international markets, and how this affects the local cattle and sheep markets.

In other news the trio discuss: