Humans of Agriculture

At 28, Sarah Wheeler has already experienced enormous loss, rediscovered her place in agriculture and ridden 5,500 kilometres on horseback across regional Australia, raising more than $650,000 for charity along the way. But this conversation is about much more than the ride. Sarah shares how losing her dad at 12 and her mum in her mid-20s changed her perspective on life, how working across rural Australia helped her find her feet again, and why the people she met during nine months on horseback became one of the journey's most powerful parts. We also talk about the part that doesn't make the highlight reel: coming home after achieving something enormous and wondering, "What now?" Sarah is now building G'day Grief, with a vision to bring people experiencing loss together through nature, animals and shared experiences. And she's already dreaming about another adventure involving horses, dirt bikes, the Murray River, the Nullarbor and potentially a few things she doesn't yet know how to do. Chapters 00:00 Finding her way back to agriculture 03:04 Sarah's sisters and the family farm 04:12 Losing Mum and keeping the farm moving 06:19 What rural community really means 07:57 The idea to ride 5,500 kilometres 11:11 Announcing the ride before knowing how she'd do it 13:27 The people who made the journey 15:00 Raising more than $650,000 16:49 What happens after achieving something enormous 18:22 Turning pain into purpose 19:12 Building G'day Grief 21:44 Creating something for people experiencing loss 25:16 Sarah's next big adventure 27:46 Why giving it a go matters more than finishing 28:34 Learning to live with grief Proudly brought to you by Rabobank The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders. That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections. Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations. Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

Little Big Dairy Co is growing! We're working with them to find 2 x roles: a Farm Operations Manager and, separately, an Executive Assistant to the CEO. They run three businesses in one: a 1,000-hectare fodder operation, a herd of registered Holsteins, and an on-farm factory. Two new roles have opened as a result. We are sitting down with Campbell Chesworth (director and Nuffield Scholar) to explain what the business is building, who they need, and why these roles have no uncapped potential. Seen the ad? This is your sign to apply. 👉 Apply now HERE! Chapters 01:31 Campbell’s three-month sabbatical that became a career in the family business 04:11 Nuffield takeaways: circularity, confidence, and people as the biggest investment 07:00 Developments: Eight new robotic milkers, a new freestall barn and an effluent upgrade 09:57 Is ag tech replacing jobs or creating better ones in Dairy? 11:30 The Farm Ops Manager role: about the farm 13:36 What a great hire looks like in this role 14:15 The EA role: working alongside CEO Emma Elliott across accounts, HR and operations 17:18 Boots on the ground: a family that works beside its team 18:20 Why now: succession, building systems, and the move into butter and cottage cheese 20:00 Final word: throw your hat in Who they’re after Farm Ops Manager: eager to learn, takes initiative, and owns problems from fault to fix. You’ll work alongside Campbell, Steve and the farming team. Executive Assistant: can-do attitude, keen to take on responsibility, and ready to learn the business from one of the sharpest operators in Australian dairy. Ready? Apply here Proudly brought to you by Rabobank The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders. That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections. Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations. Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

In this episode of Humans of Agriculture, Oli Le Lievre sits down with Elle Moyle, a Zanda McDonald Award finalist, veterinarian and farmer with Pathfinder Angus in Western Victoria. Elle reflects on her path from working as a district vet, including international biosecurity work, to returning to the family farming business and building her own agricultural interests. A big part of the conversation is Elle’s experience with the Zanda McDonald Award. While she made the final three but didn’t win, the experience helped build her confidence, expand her network and create relationships that continue to shape her career. Elle also shares what she has learnt about building genuine professional relationships, the value of putting yourself forward for opportunities, and what is happening at Pathfinder Angus as the family business continues to grow. In this episode: Elle’s move from veterinary work to full-time farming Her experience as a Zanda McDonald Award finalist Why you don’t have to win to get enormous value from the award Building confidence, networks and long-term professional relationships The growth of Pathfinder Angus and Elle’s role in the family business Why Elle encourages others to put themselves forward Applications for the Zanda McDonald Award are open from 1 October to 31 October 2026. Chapters 00:00 Elle Moyle’s journey and the Zanda McDonald Award 02:11 From veterinary work to full-time farming 04:00 Veterinary and biosecurity work 05:21 Why Elle applied for the Zanda McDonald Award 06:15 Lessons from being a finalist 07:34 Building a lasting network 10:04 Learning from industry leaders 11:12 The growth of Pathfinder Angus 12:23 Why more young agricultural professionals should apply 13:45 What’s ahead for Pathfinder Angus Proudly brought to you by Rabobank The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders. That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections. Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations. Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

Welcome to the Tom & Mick Show! This week, Tom & Mick sit down with Anna Speer, whose career has taken her from teaching and AgTech to leadership roles with AuctionsPlus, Australian Agricultural Company, Woolworths and now Stone Axe. Anna shares what she’s learnt about building strong teams, making commercial decisions and creating long-term value, while unpacking how Stone Axe is building a vertically integrated Wagyu business from conception through to consumption. In this episode: Anna’s unconventional career through agriculture and AgTech What private equity brings to an agricultural business How vertical integration can reduce exposure to market volatility Using 10-year herd modelling to make better decisions today Managing rising feed, fuel and labour costs Why building your own brand isn’t always the best strategy Wagyu genetics, premium markets and future growth Building teams and adapting your leadership to different people Chapters 00:00 Introduction and catching up with Anna Speer 03:01 Anna’s career through agriculture and AgTech 07:49 From Woolworths to Stone Axe 12:39 Private equity and commercial decision-making 19:29 Wagyu genetics and growing Stone Axe 26:14 Managing market cycles and supply chains 31:20 Herd modelling and planning 10 years ahead 36:00 Consumer trends and Wagyu’s premium market 40:04 Managing rising input costs 44:40 Branding, Angus and supply chain partnerships 50:17 Leadership and building better teams Proudly brought to you by Rabobank The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders. That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections. Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations. Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.

What happens when you step outside your own patch and spend time learning from some of the best operators in agriculture? 2026 Australian Zanda McDonald Award winner Bryce Neyland joins Oli after completing his mentoring trips across New Zealand and Australia. Bryce shares what he learned about risk, resilience, investment and leadership, and why seeing how other businesses operate has challenged the way he thinks about his own career and family farming business. Importantly, Bryce didn’t win the first time he applied. He reflects on what changed between applications, the value of getting clear on where you want to go, and why sometimes the best thing you can do is put your hand up and have another crack. In this episode: What Bryce learned travelling through Australian and New Zealand agriculture Why New Zealand challenged his thinking about productivity and getting more from what you have What resilient Australian farming businesses do differently How leading businesses think about investment, risk and long-term decision-making Why Bryce is now thinking differently about planning for tough seasons on the family farm Learning to expect pressure rather than being surprised by it Why getting outside your own "sandbox" matters for personal and professional growth What changed between Bryce's first unsuccessful Zanda application and ultimately winning the Award Why the alumni network may be one of the Award's greatest opportunities Bryce's advice for anyone considering putting their hand up Applications for the Zanda McDonald Award are open from 1 October to 31 October 2026. If you’re involved in agriculture, want to keep learning and are curious about where you could take your career, Bryce’s advice is pretty simple: get your application in and have a crack. Chapters 00:00 Catching up with Bryce 02:15 Life as the 2026 Zanda McDonald Award winner 03:11 The Australian and New Zealand mentoring trips 05:20 What New Zealand agriculture taught Bryce 06:32 Productivity versus resilience 08:04 How great businesses think about investment and risk 10:34 Bringing the lessons back to the family farm 11:30 Leadership, negotiation and personal development 13:27 Learning to expect pressure 14:39 What successful dryland farming businesses taught Bryce 17:00 Why apply for the Zanda McDonald Award? 19:01 Bryce didn't get through the first time 20:18 "I only know what I know" 22:04 What changed between Bryce's two applications 23:31 Bryce's advice to future applicants Proudly brought to you by Rabobank The future of Australian agriculture depends on the next generation of farmers, producers and agribusiness leaders. That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections. Rabobank is committed to supporting farming businesses as they plan for the future and transition across generations. Visit rabobank.com.au to learn more.