Tag: Australian agriculture

Pride, Passion, and “Stuff” Kevin Richardson’s Dairy Story

Kevin’s story isn’t just about career success, it’s about the power of mentorship, the strength of family ties, and the joy of watching a new generation step into an industry he has loved for a lifetime.

Kevin Richardson’s pride in his career and in the people he worked with at Jamberoo Dairy Factory is palpable. Now in his 80s, Kevin reflects on his time at the factory with a deep appreciation for the skilled team he was part of people he calls “the backbone of Jamberoo Dairy.” Kevin’s influence and expertise took him far; when the Jamberoo and Nowra cooperatives merged to form Shoalhaven Dairy Cooperative, Kevin was selected to lead the laboratory and later became head of the control room. Many of Jamberoo’s staff were also chosen to join the newly merged cooperative, and Kevin speaks warmly of how it felt to see his colleagues’ talent recognised in the new venture.

Geoff Boxsell, Kevin’s long-time collaborator and friend, was appointed manager of the Shoalhaven cooperative. Kevin recalls an early conversation with a Nowra employee who hadn’t worked with Geoff before. “He’s smart, that Geoff,” the colleague said admiringly. “They’ll be wanting him up in Sydney soon.” Sure enough, not long after, Geoff was called to Sydney, where he was made joint company secretary of the newly formed Australian Cooperative Foods, which became the second-largest cooperative in Australia. Kevin smiles as he tells this story, taking pride not only in Geoff’s achievements but in the fact that so much talent emerged from their small factory in Jamberoo.

Kevin was also part of one of Jamberoo Dairy’s boldest moves—the creation of “Stuff.” In an era when margarine posed a growing challenge, Kevin and Geoff began experimenting with a new product, blending their premium butter made with cultured cream with sunflower and safflower oil to make it spreadable straight from the fridge. Their cultured butter already had a unique, rich flavour, but “Stuff” was something entirely new. Knowing they couldn’t legally call it butter, they used the affectionate nickname “Stuff” while refining the product. With characteristic mischief, they even sent a tub of “Stuff” to the Minister for Agriculture. The response from the Department of Agriculture was swift: “You pull your bloody head in.” The department head, who controlled factory licensing, warned that continuing production could cost Jamberoo its butter license. Kevin laughs at the memory, recalling the thrill of pushing boundaries in an industry they loved. Eventually, consumer demand for spreadable dairy finally outweighed the restrictions and Jamberoo Dairy was invited to produce it on a larger scale. However, the Jamberoo Factory declined, citing production costs and a commitment to maintaining the quality of their product.

Kevin’s pride in his work doesn’t end with his own generation. His grandson, Billy, is now following in his footsteps, spending weekends on a local dairy farm. Under the guidance of mentors like Michael Cole, Billy is learning the skills of dairy farming, from milking cows to caring for livestock, and Kevin’s face lights up when he talks about it. “Billy loves it,” he says, his pride unmistakable. Kevin knows that with the rising cost of land around Jamberoo, owning a farm here may be out of reach for Billy. But his son has managed to buy a few acres in the Warrumbungles, where they raise beef cattle and nurture Billy’s passion for agriculture, giving him a taste of farm life that, Kevin hopes, will carry on the family tradition.

Looking back, Kevin’s journey in dairy began almost by accident. His father, Bill Richardson, was the foreman at Jamberoo Dairy Factory, but young Kevin initially had other plans. When he decided to leave school at 15, his father arranged an apprenticeship for him at the steelworks, where Kevin was interested in technical drawing. But when he arrived, he learned he was too young to start—16 was the minimum age. “Come back in a year,” they told him. Until then, Bill suggested he speak to Wally Boxsell, Geoff’s father and manager at Jamberoo Dairy. Wally offered him a job, and Kevin soon found himself not just working at the factory but thriving in it. He was mentored, promoted, and eventually drawn into the lab, where he discovered his love for dairy technology.

From those early days in the lab to pioneering products like spreadable dairy, Kevin has always held his work, his team, and his family close to his heart. His pride in the Jamberoo factory and the legacy he leaves behind is matched only by his pride in Billy and the hope that his grandson will carry on the family’s love for dairying in his own way.

Kevin’s story isn’t just about career success—it’s about the power of mentorship, the strength of family ties, and the joy of watching a new generation step into an industry he has loved for a lifetime.

 

#KevinRichardson #DairyHistory #JamberooDairy #SpreadableInnovation #FamilyFarmLegacy #AustralianDairy #DairyPioneers #MentorshipMatters #GenerationalFarming #ProudDairyman #FarmTradition

 

Moving Beyond Gloom and Doom and Crafting a New Narrative for Australian Agriculture 🌾

The future of farming is not just a story of challenges; it’s a narrative brimming with opportunities waiting to be seized.

In the realm of Australian agriculture, there’s a curious tendency to spotlight the challenges and hardships that befall the sector. It’s almost as if a narrative of gloom and doom has become the default mode of communication, casting a shadow over the industry’s incredible resilience and innovation. 🤔 But what drives this inclination towards the negatives, and is it really the best approach to garner support and inspire solutions?

#ShiftingTheFocus 🔄 – While it’s undeniable that Australian farming faces its fair share of adversities, from climate variability to market pressures, the focus on these issues often overshadows the sector’s triumphs and the tireless efforts of those within it. The narrative seems to be stuck in a loop, where highlighting the negatives is seen as a way to attract sympathy, support, and possibly, solutions.

#ResilienceAndInnovation 💡 – However, this perspective misses out on celebrating the incredible resilience and innovation that characterises Australian agriculture. Farmers across the country are adopting cutting-edge technologies, embracing sustainable practices, and finding novel ways to thrive in an ever-changing environment. Isn’t it time our stories reflected this dynamism?

#ChangingTheNarrative ✍️ – By reframing the narrative, we can acknowledge the challenges without being defined by them. It’s about striking a balance between realism and optimism, ensuring that the stories we tell encapsulate the full spectrum of the agricultural experience. After all, inspiration often stems from seeing what’s possible, not just what’s problematic.

#InspiringAction 🌟 – Moreover, a narrative centred on innovation and success has the potential to inspire. It can attract a new generation to the farming industry, encourage public support for sustainable practices, and foster a collective effort towards solving the very real challenges that exist. It’s about showcasing agriculture as an industry of opportunity, growth, and vital importance to the nation.

#ThePowerOfPositivity 🌈 – This isn’t to suggest that we gloss over the issues. Instead, it’s a call to balance the conversation, to share stories of success as loudly as we discuss the hurdles. By doing so, we not only pay tribute to the resilience of our farmers but also invite a broader engagement with the sector’s future.

The narrative of Australian agriculture is ripe for change. Let’s weave tales of triumph, innovation, and resilience through our discussions and media portrayals. Let’s inspire, not just sympathise. After all, the future of farming is not just a story of challenges; it’s a narrative brimming with opportunities waiting to be seized.

#FutureOfFarming 🚜 #AgricultureInnovation 🌱 #SustainableFarming 🌍 #AustralianAgriculture 🇦🇺 #FarmingResilience 💪

The Patchwork Promise. How we are Weaving the Future of Australian Agriculture”

 

This post is brought to you by our guest blogger Eden Fairywren

In the heart of Australia, amidst its vast and sunbaked landscapes, lies a patchwork quilt of unparalleled beauty and bounty. This quilt, woven from the earth itself, tells the story of Australian agriculture—a tale of resilience, innovation, and a deep connection to the land that sustains and nurtures us.

Each patch on this quilt represents a farm, a family, a community, diligently working the soil, tending to crops and livestock, and weathering the whims of nature to bring food to our tables. From the lush, verdant valleys of Tasmania to the sweeping golden wheat fields of Western Australia, this quilt stretches across the continent, a testament to the diversity and richness of the land.

But as the world changes, so too must the fabric of our agricultural quilt. The threads that hold it together—water, soil, and the sweat of generations—are being tested as never before. Climate change weaves uncertainty into every stitch, bringing with it challenges of drought, bushfires, and changing weather patterns that threaten the very essence of farming life.

Yet, within this tapestry of trials, there lies a thread of hope. Australian farmers, the custodians of this quilt, are not merely passive observers of change; they are innovators and stewards, pioneering new techniques and practices to ensure that their patches of the quilt not only survive but thrive. They are turning to sustainable farming methods, water conservation techniques, and cutting-edge technology to protect their land and livelihoods for generations to come.

The Australian agricultural quilt is more than just a symbol of our nation’s farming heritage; it is a living, breathing entity that reflects our past, present, and future. It tells a story of adaptation and resilience, of communities coming together to face the challenges of tomorrow, and of a deep, abiding respect for the land that feeds us.

As we look to the future, let us remember the value of every patch, every stitch that makes up our agricultural quilt. For in its threads lies the key to not only sustaining our nation but ensuring that we continue to thrive in harmony with the land that sustains us. Let us cherish it, protect it, and work together to weave a future that is sustainable, resilient, and bountiful for all.

Some Australian Farm Facts you Might not  Know

  1. Farmers manage 51% of Australia’s land mass1. From managing the soil, natural vegetation and water ways, everyday farmers are taking care of Australia for us and generations to come, all while producing the food and fibre we rely on.
  2. Australian farmers produce enough food to feed 75 million people 2. That’s almost three times the population of Australia!
  3. Australian farmers have reduced their greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 63% since 19961. Agriculture is at the heart of Australia’s action on climate change.
  4. 99% of Australian farms are family-owned2. Each Australian farmer produces enough food each year to feed 600 people, 150 at home and 450 overseas. Australian farms produce around 93 percent of the total volume of food consumed in Australia 2.
  5. Global Food Security Contributions: Australia’s role as a major food exporter, particularly to Asia-Pacific countries, helps bolster global food security, providing essential commodities to nations where food production may be insufficient to meet local demand.
  6. Sheep and Cattle:  There are 6 sheep for every person in Australia and we have as many cattle as we do people .
  7. World’s Largest Cattle Station: Anna Creek Station in South Australia is the world’s largest working cattle station, larger than Israel.
  8. Australia’s red meat industry has a goal to be carbon neutral by 20301. If achieved, it will be world leading.
  9. Major Exporter: Australia is among the world’s leading exporters of agricultural products, including both food and fibres, contributing significantly to the global food security and textile industries.
  10. Wool Industry: Australia is the world’s largest exporter of wool, primarily produced in rural regions, with Merino wool being highly prized for its quality.
  11. Wheat and Grains: The country is a top exporter of wheat, with vast wheat belts in Western Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria servicing international markets.
  12. Beef Exports: Australia ranks as one of the world’s largest beef exporters, with cattle stations in regional areas like Queensland and the Northern Territory playing a pivotal role.
  13. Wine Exports: Rural regions such as the Barossa Valley, Margaret River, and Hunter Valley contribute to Australia’s position as a leading wine exporter, offering premium wines to the global market.
  14. Seafood: Australia exports a variety of seafood, including lobster, abalone, and tuna, predominantly sourced from its extensive coastal regions.
  15. Dairy Products: The country’s rural areas, especially in Victoria and Tasmania, are key producers of high-quality dairy products, including milk, cheese, and butter, for both domestic consumption and export.
  16. Sugar Cane: Queensland’s coastal regions are major producers of sugar cane, contributing significantly to the world’s sugar market.
  17. Cotton: The cotton industry, centred in New South Wales and Queensland, makes Australia one of the largest cotton exporters, contributing high-quality fibre to the global textile industry.
  18. Fruits and Nuts: Australia exports a variety of fruits and nuts, including citrus fruits, grapes, almonds, and macadamias, grown in its diverse climatic regions.
  19. Lamb and Mutton: The country is a leading exporter of lamb and mutton, with its sheep farming practices in rural areas being integral to this success.
  20. Specialty Products: Rural and regional Australia also exports specialty products like truffles, lavender, and olive oil, showcasing the diversity of its agricultural sector.
  21. The Australian dairy industry is worth $4 billion 1. Dairy farming is a significant contributor to the Australian economy, with over 6,000 dairy farms across the country.
  22. Australia is the world’s largest exporter of wool 1. The wool industry is worth over $3 billion to the Australian economy.
  23. The Australian wine industry is worth $6 billion 1. Australia is the world’s fifth-largest wine producer, with over 60 wine regions across the country.
  24. The Australian beef industry is worth $12 billion 1. Beef is Australia’s largest agricultural export, with over 25 million head of cattle in the country.
  25. The Australian sugar industry is worth $2 billion 1. Sugar is Australia’s second-largest export crop, with over 4,000 sugarcane farms across the country.
  26. The Australian seafood industry is worth $3 billion 1. Australia is home to over 4,000 species of fish and seafood, with over 11,000 people employed in the industry.
  27. The Australian honey industry is worth $100 million 1. Australia is home to over 1,500 species of native bees, with over 12,000 registered beekeepers across the country.
  28. The Australian macadamia industry is worth $300 million 1. Macadamias are native to Australia and are grown in subtropical regions across the country.
  29. The Australian almond industry is worth $500 million 1. Almonds are grown in the Riverland region of South Australia and the Sunraysia region of Victoria.
  30. The Australian pistachio industry is worth $50 million 1. Pistachios are grown in the Riverland region of South Australia and the Riverina region of New South Wales.
  31. The Australian olive industry is worth $200 million 1. Olives are grown in the Murray Valley region of Victoria and the Riverland region of South Australia.
  32. The Australian avocado industry is worth $500 million 1. Avocados are grown in the subtropical regions of Queensland and New South Wales.
  33. The Australian banana industry is worth $600 million 1. Bananas are grown in the tropical regions of Queensland and New South Wales.

I hope you find these facts interesting!

Source(s)

  1. Farm Facts – Australian Farmers
  2. 5 things you (perhaps) didn’t know about Australian agriculture
  3. 6 Aussie Agriculture Facts You Might Not Know
  4. Ten quick farm facts to share, as Australia celebrates National …
  5. 10 Facts about Food Production and Consumption in Australia
  6. 10 Farm Facts on Australian Farmers – Entegra Signature Structures

7. Farm Facts – National Farmers’ Federation

#AustralianAgriculture #SustainableFarming #ResilientFarming #ClimateSmartAgriculture #FarmingFuture #AgriculturalInnovation #ProtectOurPatchwork #ThrivingLand #AustralianFarmFacts

 

 

 

No more Pity Parties – One Australian farmer feeds 700 people – its time to celebrate

At least once a week for the past three months I have been receiving calls from print and TV journalists asking for recommendations of farmers to participate in drought stories.

My first question is, “What is your angle?” and if the answer is clearly a “pity story” then I say I don’t have farmers in my network who want to share pity stories.

Over the last five years I have made a deliberate decision to surround myself with farmers who share stories of hope. Because it’s hope that gets me out of bed every day.

When farmers share stories of hope they are not ignoring the fact that the drought is tough.  They are NOT saying, “It’s hard, just get on with it.” What they are doing is sowing seeds of resilience.

When you share positive stories of drought farming strategies that have worked for you, there is a chance somebody, maybe several people, will read your story and think, “Maybe that might work on my farm.”  They are not saying they have all the answers, but they may have one. Not everyone’s farming situation is the same, so we need lots of farmers from everywhere sharing their drought strategies. The more we share with each other the more we can learn from each other.

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Compassionate wise words from Jan Davis and farmer stories of hope in The Australian here  

Farming today is a big gig. Farmers can’t do it alone, we need each other and government, business and the community working side by side with us. What we don’t need is PITY. Pity doesn’t give anyone a reason to get out of bed in the morning. And pity doesn’t solve problems.

Project based learning is the 21st Century teaching technique being promoted in schools. This method of teaching mobilises students to work together to rethink their world and solve tomorrow’s problems today. The Archibull Prize is project-based learning that brings together art and agriculture. When we invite the students to partner with farmers to design a food secure future, this is the information we give them:

Some little-known facts:

  • In Australia, farmers make up less than 1% of the population, yet they provide 93% of food that is consumed here.
  • 25% of our farms produce 70% of our food
  • Our wool farmers harvest 80% of the world’s fine Merino wool, and our cotton farmers clothe 500 million people.
  • Our farmers look after 60% of the Australian landscape and the majority of Australia’s natural biodiversity. Hence our farmers are both our largest biodiversity managers and our source of food and fibre.
  • Less than 6% of Australia’s landscape is suitable for growing crops and fruit and vegetables.
  • In 1950 one Australian farmer fed 20 people. Today one Australian farmer feeds 700 people using less land. But there is no denying this hasn’t come without an impact on the environment.
  • Yes, we have a lot of land. But we are also the hottest, driest inhabited continent. 35% of this country receives so little rainfall, it is classified as desert.

Australia is one of only a handful of countries that produces more food than it consumes, producing food for around 60 million people, and most Australians have access to an abundant and safe food supply. This makes Australian farmers important to everyone. A thriving modern agricultural sector can be a lasting source of prosperity and an effective and efficient steward of Australia’s landscapes, natural resources and ecosystems.

Australia is also considered one of the most vulnerable developed countries in the world to impacts of the changing climate, already 22% more climatically variable than any other country. Rising temperatures, increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, and declining water availability in some of our most important agricultural regions pose significant risks for the nature, distribution, quality, and affordability of our food supply.

The problems are complex and there is no single model solution. Making well-informed and timely decisions will help farming businesses prepare, build resilience and manage risks, regardless of the challenges ahead.

The solutions lie in farmers, consumers, businesses, scientists and government working together to:

  1. Fill the food production gaps

For example:

    • Wise use of fertiliser and water – more crop per drop.
    • Increase yields through improvement in plant and animal science.
    • Doing more with less i.e. producing more grain/cotton per hectare of land, more milk per cow, more kg of beef per cow, more grass per hectare of land, more kg of wool per sheep.
    • Adoption of technology. Particularly using the new digital agriculture era to allow farmers to make a higher quality, more informed decision, in a tighter window.
    • There is great opportunity to increase food quality rather than food quantity. If we merely aim for volume at all costs, then the natural environment will be the ‘cost’. However, if we send the signal that it is quality from an increasingly healthy natural resource base, then both the natural resource base and farmers will be the beneficiaries.
  2. Sustain productive capacity by addressing:
    • Climate change.
    • Pests and diseases.
    • Land and water degradation.
    • Competition between land for food, houses and mining.
  3. Reduce waste and over consumption.
  4. Managing the risks to the food system.

Success requires farmers having access to a range of agricultural solutions, education to gain necessary skills, and financial incentives. Sustainable farming solutions already becoming standard practice include no-till planting practices, crop rotations, bringing vegetation back to degraded land and planting vegetation around fields to prevent erosion, and transitioning to green energy technology.

Resourceful land use also contributes to mitigating climate change. Globally 2 to 3 billion metric tons of carbon can be stored per year in soil. Farmers can produce higher yields on existing farmland, prevent further loss of fertile land, and find innovative ways to make use of marginal land, especially in developing countries.

Technology is an important part of the solution, but we must also partner to share knowledge. An unprecedented level of global collaboration must take place between farmers, consumers and entrepreneurs, governments and companies, civil society and multilateral organisations. Governments must support resource use efficiency and environmental stewardship, and the private sector must develop new technologies that enable these practices. People should be able to make informed choices about the crops they grow, the products they buy, and the agricultural systems they use. Agriculture should be viewed as a productive investment that drives economic development and builds long-term economic, political and environmental stability.

Drought stories that focus on pity ignore all this. They change the conversation around agriculture from collaboration, celebration, solutions and resilience, to blame, despair and failure.

Only one of these ways of thinking is going to get a farmer out of bed tomorrow to feed another 700 people. Let’s choose hope.

Footnote

The current drought hardship is real. If you would like to support people in rural communities who are struggling to put food on the table a donation of just $40 to Foodbank will supply a hamper. You can donate to Foodbank here  

#onedayclosertorain #strongertogether #drought18

Learning from the past to get better outcomes for this generation of farmers

I used to be a quiet achiever in the world of pharmacy.  Today I have a fairly high profile in the world of Australian agriculture. I make a lot of noise and fight what I believe is the good fight to get a fair return for our farmers. I am not always the most popular person in the room and it’s not easy. I have learnt the hard way it’s a journey ( a long journey) It’s not how much noise you make it’s how you make the noise and who you bring with you along the way that counts

For 25 years of my life I was a community pharmacist working in the main to help support the family dairying farming business. Pharmacy is a rewarding profession even when you were like me quietly putting labels on bottles, researching drug interactions, advising how best to treat burns and talking to customers. Pharmacists have the knowledge and the compassion to guide people through the quagmire and frustration that can be the world of hospitals, multiple medications and the desire to get the best health outcomes for sick people who often see you as their first port of call

It’s a very different world to agriculture; where we are totally overwhelmed with quiet achievers and the world is leaving us behind. The majority of pharmacists can be quiet achievers because there are some very smart people in the world of pharmacy who know how important it is if you are going to be heard in Macquarie St or Canberra  you need to be articulate, know that politics is the art of the possible and you need to be a cohesive, collaborative, powerful group of networkers. You need to be loud and proud. This is the reason that the Pharmacy Guild is one most powerful lobby groups in this country

There are a lot of smart people in agriculture and that is where the comparison stops and this is what I want to change. I want the people in the offices in the hallowed halls to tremble and listen and act when the farmer lobbyists go to meet the decision and policy makers

I know there are people in agriculture who could do it better than me and chose not to. So I am on a steep learning curve and constantly seeking out people I can learn from. Figuring out how to ask the right questions and when I get the right answers who are the people to take them to who will actually do something with them. Those people are very short on the ground in the world of dairy. Every day I am reminded just how naive so many of our dairy farmers are. We pay levies and we just expect that the people in charge of our levies can read our minds and this tends to lead to a one size fits all R&D mentality that apparently works in every region no matter what your farming system, topography, soil types et all and decision making that is not always in the best interests of the majority. It also means no-one is listening to us in Macquarie St or Canberra and can’t say I blame them.

So I love to talk to people from other industries, hear what they are doing and always wondering why we don’t do that in dairy. Looking at the diversity of people I met at Crookwell Show. See post here.

Take cattle farmer Ken Wheelwright for example.

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Ken and his family realised long ago that farming today is not about working longer hours it’s about being smarter. So after talking to holistic educator Bruce Ward, Ken contacted the KLR Marketing team and became part of their Mastermind Group.

The KLR Mastermind Group is the support network for KLR Marketing. The greatest benefits of being part of this network, Ken believes is that you have access to the vital tools that enable you to profit from your livestock, in any market and he certainly gave me plenty of successful examples. Imagine the value of talking to people who can share their experiences like recognising the recent rain has meant there has been a rapid growth of grass and the cattle market is very buoyant but looking at the medium term weather forecast shows there are some extreme heat events coming which are going to burn that grass off pretty fast and it might be very smart to de-stock by 90% and take advantage of the current high cattle prices. If there is a similar range of services delivered on-line and offline, which include a unique market report like the KLR 30 Second Market report, profit calculators, teleconferences as well as mentoring days in regional areas offering in the world of dairy I have never seen it

Talking to Dr Rod Hoare reminded me how important it is to learn from past knowledge.

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Rod is an equine and cattle vet with extensive experience working for the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI). Now Chief ground steward at the Crookwell Show and farmer Rod and his partner Helena Warren run a very interesting and diverse farming operation at Cadfor Equestrian and Murray Greys. Rod is also the 2012 Australian Biosecurity Farmer of the Year   

I learnt a lot about a lot things from Rod as we drove around Crookwell Show in his little golf buggy.

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There are many farmers in the dairy industry that could benefit from listening to Rod talk about the protocols and systems that were in place to ‘keep the bastards honest’ in the on farm milk quality testing process when he was at the DPI. Any farmer who has moved from one milk processor to another who uses a different lab knows how huge the variation in milk quality lab test results can be and how costly that can be. For us one year that was $30K. You can do a lot on farm with $30K.  You could employ some-one for half a year. Imagine how much infrastructure repairs and maintenance you could do let alone how many trees and fencing you could do. Build a shade shelter for your cows on hot days, the holiday you could go on, let alone all the staff that didn’t get their milk quality bonus. It wasn’t much fun for them either. There is a small dedicated group of people out there trying to fix this problem on behalf of farmers but getting nowhere because for some reason “the bastards” are happy with the system. Well Rod might just have the answer; it certainly worked in his day.

On our trip to the cattle sheds Rod introduced me to 84 year old Ernie Stevenson. Ernie was a very early and influential member of the Murray Grey Society. A man with a good eye for cattle but admits he is fairly critical which often didn’t make him the most popular judge

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Ernie’s daughter Fiona with her husband butcher Mick Battiste have kept the family beef cattle tradition alive at their Woolarainga Stud where they raise Murray Grey and Squaremeaters

In September 2009 Mick and Fiona established Woolaringa Meats as a retail butcher shop, located at 112 Kinghorne Street, Goulburn. They provide free range beef from their own farm and purchase cattle from local farmers like Rod Hoare that suit their specifications. According to Rod, Mick Battiste does all his own butchering and promotion of beef. Mick works on the basis that (like a pharmacist) by taking time to share your knowledge and skills you can give people a better eating experience

The things like we farmers kno, that you make great casseroles with cheap chuck steak not prime costly rump steak

Well done Mick and Fiona running great events like Super Square Sunday  

Mick and Fiona Battiste