ONE in six people in Australia experience food insecurity and hunger on a weekly basis.

Now a unique outback initiative has been launched enabling members of the Australian cattle industry to help their city counterparts and raise much needed funds to support those in need.

The inaugural 2025 Great Australian Charity Cattle Drive was officially unveiled by Beef Bank director Bim Struss during the sold-out Rural Press Club of Queensland breakfast during Beef Week in Rockhampton. The drive will see 2000 head of cattle walked by professional drovers and paying supporters on horseback along designated stock routes from Longreach to Roma in May next year.

In this week’s Weekly Grill, Bim chats with host Kerry Lonergan about the exciting project, designed to bring city and country together.

The Weekly Grill is brought to readers and listeners by Elders and Rhinogard by Zoetis.

Previous episodes:

• What are the big trends evident in Beef Central’s Top 25 Lotfeeders report?
• Highland Beef supply chain principal, Murray Richardson
• Australian Beef Sustainability Chair, Mark Davie
• Live export industry pioneer Rick Trivett
• Cattle Australia president David Foote
• Markets reporting legend, Murray Arnel
• MLA managing director Jason Strong
• Carbon neutral beef brand program pioneer, James Madden
• MLA’s Corporate chef Sam Burke
• Downs lotfeeder David Brown, and BeefEX attendees
• The changing face of the ag finance sector, with NAB’s Khan Horne
• McDonald’s global head of beef procurement, Andrew Brazier at BeefEX
• S2 Ep33: Aussie agtech innovations – Farmbot and Optiweigh
• President of the Australian Cattle Veterinarians Association, Dr Tracy Sullivan
• Independent meat and livestock analyst Simon Quilty

• Genetics innovator Tom Bull
• MLA’s research, development and adoption manager, Mick Crowley
• Andy Hearnden, executive chef with beef processor Kilcoy Global Foods in Queensland.
• Low Stress Stock Handling founder Jim Lindsay
• NT Cattlemens Association president David Connolly
• Kimberley Meat Co chief, David Larkin
• Beef Central’s man-on-the-ground in Indonesia, Ross Ainsworth
• Meat processing legend, Trevor Lee
• Working dog legend Frank Finger
• New Federal Agriculture Minister, Murray Watt
• Wagyu Association president and 2022 Zanda McDonald award winner, Charlie Perry
• Latest cattle market wrap with TEM’s Matt Dalgleish and Stockco’s Chris Howie
• Cattle Baron Peter Hughes
• ALFA president Barb Madden
• Author and rural identity Sally Warriner
• Australia’s chief vet Mark Schipp, on Lumpy Skin Disease and other key biosecurity issues
• Herron Todd White’s Tim Lane
• RCS’s Terry McCosker on carbon
• Beef processing plant manager Wasa Mudannayake
• Head of asset performance for Macquarie Group’s MIRA Agriculture division, including Paraway Pastoral Co, Jock Whittle
• Veteran beef industry leader David Crombie
• Beef Central’s regular live export market commentator and columnist Dr Ross Ainsworth
• Cattle market wrap with TEM’s Matt Dalgleish and Stockco’s Chris Howie
• Australian meat Industry Council’s Patrick Hutchinson
• Agriculture Minister  David Littleproud
• Council of Australia president Markus Rathsmann
• Patrick Warmoll, the boss of Jack’s Creek Wagyu
• Veteran pastoral company executive Roger Halliwell
• Retired non-packer beef exporter, Richard Rains
• Carbon trading expert Toby Grogan from Impact Agriculture
• Red Meat Advisory Council chair John McKillop
• Stud cattle showing identities Gary Noller and Rob Sinnamon
• Veteran Victorian cattle buyer David Ronalds
• Beef processing legend ACC’s David Foote
• Live export class action facilitator Tracey Hayes
• Signature Beef’s Blair Angus
• Consolidated Pastoral Co chief and Livecorp chairman Troy Setter
• Nutrition scientist and MLA board member Manny Noakes
• CCA independent northern and southern directors Alice Greenup and Olivia Lawson
• Australian Agricultural Co head Hugh Killen
• Sydney independent red meat retailer Stephen Kelly
• lotfeeder Charlie Mort
• Processor and supply chain manager, Terry Nolan
• Livestock transport operator Ross Fraser
• Organic supply chain manager Alister Ferguson