Recruitment

Recruitment: From boom to balance – the shifting dynamics of agribusiness hiring

Beef Central 20/06/2025

Latest listings on AgJobs Central recruitment page:

  • Feed Mill Supervisor – Prime City feedlot (JBS)
  • Investment Manager – M&A (Agricultural Appointments client)
  • Snr Farm Hand/Operator – Watermark Aggregation (Faulkner Farming)
  • Nursery Manager – Regional Vic (Rimfire Resources client)
  • Non-Executive Director – InterGrain (Rimfire client)
  • Development Officer – WA (DPIRD)
  • NRM Project Officer – Qld (Southern Gulf NRM)
  • Feedlot Manager – Millmerran, Qld (AusAg Rural client)
  • Innovation Broker, Cotton Industry – Regional NSW (Rimfire client)
  • Equine Sales Lead – Regional NSW (Rimfire client)
  • Farm Manager (Mixed Operation) Naracoorte, SA (DroverAg client)
  • Asst Farm Manager (Livestock & Fodder) –Vic (DroverAg client)
  • Irrigation & Mixed Farming Mgr – Canowindra, NSW (DroverAg client)
  • Livestock Mgr Prime Lamb Production – Keith, SA (DroverAg client)
  • Station Overseer Merino Wool Production – WA (DroverAg client)
  • Asst Manager Mixed Farming (Cattle) – Vic (DroverAg client)
  • Senior Pasture Hand – Robbins Island, Tas (DroverAg client)
  • Farm Hand, Mixed Family Enterprise – NSW (DroverAg client)
  • Cropping Operations Manager – Yorke Peninsula, SA (DroverAg client)
  • Farm Hand – Sheep, Hay & Contracting Services – Vic (DroverAg client)
  • Senior Farm Hand Mixed Livestock – Southwest Vic (DroverAg client)
  • Senior Farm Hand Cropping – Coonamble, NSW (DroverAg client)
  • Livestock Production Consultant (AbacusBio)

Click here to access these and other exciting meat and livestock supply chain jobs currently listed on AgJobs Central.

 

Post-COVID, Australia’s agriculture sector went from stand-still to surge.

As borders reopened and supply chains stabilised, employers rushed to rebuild teams, creating intense demand across agribusiness. Recruitment activity spiked, particularly in production, logistics, and technical advisory roles.

However by the end of 2023, momentum had slowed. Rising interest rates, inflation, and global market uncertainty made both employers and candidates more cautious. Many paused hiring or delayed career moves, leading to a temporary standstill.

Now, in mid-2025, signs point to a more stable and sustainable employment market. Improved seasonal conditions across much of the country and an $86 billion forecast for agricultural production have helped restore confidence.

The hiring landscape is no longer marked by panic or paralysis but a more measured approach, where strategy and foresight are back in focus.

Ag jobs listings return to pre COVID levels

Encouragingly, SEEK data shows job ad volumes in agriculture have returned to pre-pandemic levels, while candidate availability is at its highest in more than a decade. This shift marks a welcome change for employers, who had been battling severe talent shortages for years.

While businesses are no longer scrambling to fill roles overnight, competition for top-tier candidates remains strong, particularly in high-impact areas like agronomy, technical sales, and management, where specialised skills are still in short supply.

This period of relative calm offers a unique window for agribusinesses to get ahead. Instead of reacting to crisis-level shortages, ag employers can now take a more considered, strategic approach.

Time to refine

It’s an ideal time to refine recruitment processes, sharpen EVP (Employee Value Proposition), and invest in long-term talent attraction strategies that reflect the evolving needs of both business and workforce.

Yet stability doesn’t mean complacency. The challenge now lies in building resilience, developing internal capabilities, sourcing candidates with adaptable skill sets, and tapping into underutilised talent pools, particularly in regional and remote areas.

As technology continues to reshape agricultural roles, hiring managers will also need to focus on identifying and developing digital literacy and leadership potential, not just technical know-how.

Agribusinesses that build strong pipelines now, foster genuine engagement, and align recruitment with long-term business goals will be better equipped to navigate future disruption.

The next wave of change, be it economic, environmental, or technological, is inevitable. But with a proactive, forward-thinking approach, employers can ensure they’re not just reacting to shifts, but ready to lead through them.

 

Source: Agricultural Appointments

Click here to download Agricultural Appointments’ 2025 Agribusiness Salary & Trend Report

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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