As part of Beef Central’s coverage of this week’s Beef 2024 event in Rockhampton, the industry’s national exhibition held every three years, we present our special daily podcast series, Trendsetters.

Setting the scene in today’s first episode is Cattle Australia chairman, Garry Edwards. Speaking as the three-yearly industry event opened this morning, Mr Edwards said Cattle Australia had been working hard to ensure the interests of grassfed cattle producers were not just represented, but were being advanced.

He also appealed to producers to cast off their humble nature and speak proudly on behalf of the largest levy-paying sector in the Australian economy.

“My words are simple – get comfortable being uncomfortable and having conversations with people you don’t know,” he said.

“Embrace the challenge and get out there and talk to people who don’t look like you, who don’t understand what you do, because they are the consumers of your product and ultimately deliver our social licence. That is critical to the profitability and sustainability of our future.”

Garry Edwards will be on the speaking panel during Beef 2024’s Queensland Rural Press Club breakfast on Thursday.

This week’s Trendsetters special podcast series is brought to readers and listeners by Colliers Agribusiness.

Coming up in this series: US National Cattlemens Beef Association president Mark Eisele; Zero Net Emissions from Agriculture CRC chief executive, Richard Heath.