The northern Australian beef industry’s great opportunity lies in embedding proven knowledge form research across northern production systems, the opening session of the two-day North Australian Beef Research Update Conference in Brisbane this morning.

A record 320 people are in attendance, including producers from all corners of the Australian continent, researchers, extension personnel and program managers to discuss and debate the future of research under the conference theme: From Research to Results: driving Paddock Performance.

Many faced challenges in even getting to the event, with roads cut and rivers flooded across different parts of northern Australia.

In the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, and a year when the first major review of the cattle transaction levy which funds beef industry research in 19 years is underway, focusing on prioritising the big research challenges and getting the biggest bang for the industry’s investment buck is a key focus of the next two days.

Much of the discussion this morning has also focused on the key question of how valuable research knowledge that has already been proven in paddocks can be more widely adopted and harnessed across the sector.

Keep an eye out in coming days for more detailed reports from Beef Central’s team both in online content and our upcoming Weekly Grill and Week in Beef Podcasts.

At a Medals Dinner tonight the North Australia Beef Research Council (NABRC) will also recognise six outstanding contributors to the northern Australian beef industry through the 2026 NABRC Medals.

Keynote speaker David Foote discusses strategies for adoption.

Keynote speaker Derek Bailey, Director of Research and Outreach, Deep Well Ranch, Arizona, USA discussing the role of data, technology and aritifical intelligence in rangeland cattle management.

Amy-Lee Provost and Gabrielle Emmerton, NABRC Burnett Mary Regional Group and Nahuel Pachas, DPI Qld.

Alison Van Eenennaam, UC Davis, California and Ben Woods and Victor Mercadante, UQ School of Agriculture, Gatton.

NABRC chair Paul Burke

Kelsey Pool, UWA and DPIRD; Krystie Bremer, NABRC Gascoyne Pilbara Regional Group; Katrina Lee-Warner, NABRC Pilbara Regional Group and Montana Baddeley, UWA.

Ben Hayes, UQ; Nat McGree, Nindooinbah and David Young, CPC.

Prudence Barwick, Prudent Agri and Glenn Anderson, Qld DPI.

Tim Emery, QDPI Roma, left, with Central Queensland extension team leader Mick Sullivan and Roger Sneath, FutureBeef Southern Queensland extension.