Publisher
As one of Australia’s most experienced and respected agricultural journalists, Jon Condon has been part of the fabric of the nation’s beef industry for his entire life.
For 42 years he has specialised in reporting on the red meat and livestock industries, earning the trust and confidence of key stakeholders across the industry and developing a reputation for accurate, credible, informed and informative reporting.
He spent his early life in the Northern Territory, where his family built and operated a successful export beef processing plant at Katherine, and developed a cattle property on the Drysdale River in the West Kimberley.
He holds a Business degree in marketing and communications and spent the majority of his early career as national beef writer with Fairfax/Rural Press Ltd. In May 2011 he established a new business with fellow former Fairfax ag division journalist, James Nason, launching the Beef Central website. The online business has since extended into other related industries and sectors, via Sheep Central (lamb and wool), Grain Central, Property Central, Carbon Central and Ag Technology.
In July 2019, he and fellow Beef Central publisher James Nason jointly received the Australian Beef Industry Foundation’s 2019 Howard Yelland award for services to the Australian beef industry.
In May 2021 he was inducted into the Rural Press Club Journalism Hall of Fame.
In August 2023, he received the 2023 North Australia Beef Research Council medal for Communication and Extension Services to the research & development and extension effort in Northern Australia.
He has received numerous other industry and government awards and acknowledgements for his professional writing over four decades, including:
He is widely regarded as an authoritative commentator on industry affairs and regularly chairs significant national and regional industry events for the lotfeeding, live export and beef production sectors.
As a communications specialist, Jon has contributed to the development of major industry programs such as the Red Meat Industry Strategic Plans 2010-15, 2016-2020 and 2021-2025. He also served on the National Beef Genetics Extension Committee.
He has co-authored two books on industry affairs – both histories – based on the Australian lotfeeding industry and Stanbroke Pastoral Company.
Jon is one of Australia’s most experienced branded beef competition judges, having first judged under the pioneering Paddock to Palates competitions alongside wine industry legend Max Lake in 1995. He has since judged all 11 Australian Wagyu Association branded beef competitions, RNA branded beef competitions, Texas barbecue competitions and AMIC Sausage Kings competitions, including national finals.
Jon is a Foundation Director and Life Member of the Glengallan Homestead Trust.