ON WAFarmers

Recorded at 20,000 feet on a Rex flight from Esperance, Mic sits down with Matt Hill—Esperance grain grower and WAFarmers Grains Council Vice President.Matt breaks down the push from within WAFarmers for a full Senate inquiry into the GRDC research levy reserves, questioning why hundreds of millions of dollars sit in reserve while WA growers continue paying substantial levies.In this episode, Matt also shares his journey from underground mining engineering to running a large-scale broadacre farming operation, the key management lessons learned through Nuffield, and why standing up for local growers matters more than ever. They also dig into the ongoing challenges facing the ag sector more broadly, and why WA farmers must take ownership of their own advocacy.Produced for and on behalf of WAFarmers by Mic Fels 🌾 BECOME A WAFARMERS MEMBER:Join the voice of Western Australian agriculture and access exclusive representation, advocacy, and member benefits. 👉 https://members.wafarmers.org.au/auth/register💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION:Do you support the call for a Senate enquiry into the GRDC levy? Let us know in the comments here and in our social media (@WAFarmers) 👍 Like and Subscribe to the show! It helps spread the word, and then you won't miss an episode of ON WAFarmers!

In Episode 8 of ON WAFarmers, NFF Vice President and past WAFarmers President John Hassell joined Mic Fels on a sunny July morning at his Pingelly farm for an unfiltered breakdown of the critical issues facing Western Australian and national agriculture today. From debunking the widespread narratives around agricultural methane emissions, to defending property rights, and how the National Farmers Federation works to hold governments accountable, John shares what’s happening behind closed doors and where farmer advocacy must head next. Topics covered in this episode: • The science and politics behind the "methane myth" • Protecting family farm property rights from policy creep • National representation: How can the NFF continue to evolve? • What lies ahead for advocacy and grassroots policy Produced for and on behalf of WAFarmers by Mic Fels (2026 Vice President). 🌾 BECOME A WAFARMERS MEMBER:Join the voice of Western Australian agriculture and access exclusive representation, advocacy, and member benefits. 👉 https://members.wafarmers.org.au/auth/register 💬 Join the conversation: Where do you stand on the current climate policies and advocacy representing WA farmers? Drop your thoughts in the comments below! 👍 If you found this discussion valuable, make sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and share this episode with someone in the farming community. #WAFarmers #Agriculture #FarmingWA #JohnHassell #PropertyRights #AgPolicy

Do any of the following issues affect you? If so, WAFarmers Grains President Mark Fowler and his fellow advocates in WA and nationally have had a busy year on your behalf:- Paraquat is still in play.- The mouse bait that actually works got a permit. - Fertiliser companies were pushed to honour contracts worth an estimated $50 to $70 million. - Family trusts kept their primary-production carve-out. - Now restricting phosphine is on the table, with a proposed limit the trade says it can't even measure. - The diesel excise rebate is under fresh political pressure. - A flash-point change tied to renewable diesel would make almost every on-farm tank non-compliant. - The GRDC levy needs sorting out, with about $800 million sitting in reserve.That is the year Mark Fowler walks through from their farm at Williams. He is in his fifth year as president of the WAFarmers Grains Council. Mic Fels, who held the job before him, recorded this on a crutching day in July '26 (before the latest Senate inquiry into Paraquat was announced), with 190 mm in the gauge and the crops still short of rain.Mark runs about 8,000 hectares of crop across 140 kilometres, hay, canola and barley, and he is still the person who ends up in the truck when harvest is short a driver. The conversation moves from how their system works for them into why Grain Producers Australia exists, who pays for it, and what happens if the one third of growers who fund advocacy stop. He is plain on the free-rider problem. The wins are real. The losses you never hear about are the point.If your business uses paraquat, phosphine, diesel or a family trust, this is the work you don't have to do when advocates are doing it for you. Join WAFarmers. Then send this to a grower who is not a member yet.Chapters:0:00 — Fifth year as grains president, and why the farm still comes first2:00 — 190 mm, a hard finish, and a hay system that does not need wheat10:00 — Paraquat is not gone, and who actually paid for the science23:00 — Four results this year, then phosphine and diesel storage40:00 — Ten percent of growers, forty percent of the crop, and the GRDC reserve49:0 — What the sub pays for, and how important it is to keep supporting the workers keeping farming going behind the scenes.Produced for and on behalf of WAFarmers by Mic Fels (2026 Vice President).🌾 BECOME A WAFARMERS MEMBER:Join the voice of Western Australian agriculture and access exclusive representation, advocacy, and member benefits.👉 https://members.wafarmers.org.au/auth/register💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION:How are you affected by this long list of political challenges to your business? Let us know in the comments below, and in our socials @WAFarmers !👍 Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and hit the Notification Bell so you never miss an episode of ON WAFarmers.

When it comes to immigration policies impacting Australia's productive sector, the stakes couldn't be higher. With the Coalition’s soon to be released full immigration policy open on his desk., Senator Jonathon Duniam, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, reveals the urgent challenges posed by the recent freeze on the 417 Working Holiday Maker ("backpacker") visa program, and what needs to be done to fix it.As harvest fast approaches, farmers across the nation are left wondering: will the government act swiftly enough to process pending applications and secure the workforce they desperately need? Labor is playing the numbers with NOM. One Nation says "just say no". Listen to this fulsome discussion with Senator Duniam, for early insights into where the Coalition immigration settings might land.Sen Duniam wants the automatic processing of $840 applications flicked back on, while the UK stream can stay tighter because those numbers went to the cities, not the paddock.Also in this episode: - is NOM is the wrong metric for backpackers who live in farm quarters?- Labor’s second and third year ballots - will the fee come back if you are not drawn?- future support for a dedicated broadacre visa.- dealing with the productivity versus politics challenge.- and why he once threatened to cross the floor on the backpacker tax.Chapters:00:06 — A Labor family, a Liberal senator, and a note in a box02:18 — They turned the tap off. Harvest is three weeks away06:05 — Cities want fewer people. The regions want skilled workers13:10 — Cut numbers without cutting productivity19:26 — Is NOM the wrong number?25:50 — A broadacre visa, then life after CanberraJoin us ON WAFarmers as we explore these pressing issues that affect not just the farming sector, but the entire Australian economy.Produced for and on behalf of WAFarmers by Mic Fels (2026 Vice President).🌾 BECOME A WAFARMERS MEMBER:Join the voice of Western Australian agriculture and access exclusive representation, advocacy, and member benefits.👉 https://members.wafarmers.org.au/auth/register💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION:How are you affected by the current migration problem? Let us know in the comments below, and inour socials @WAFarmers !👍 Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and hit the Notification Bell so you never miss an episode of ON WAFarmers.

Filmed at the beautiful Esperance foreshore with a wheat ship loading in the background, Mic chats with Australia's favourite ag bromance - aka AgWatchers (Andrew Whitelaw and Matt Dalgleish) - for an entertaining, no-nonsense look at Australian and global ag markets. From grain marketing strategies and livestock trends to navigating input costs with current global disruption, this episode is a great mix of their unmistakeable wry humour and gripping insights into ag markets.Find out if Matt and Andrew finally answered the big question: why hasn't haggis taken off in Australia, but Crocs did?------Produced for and on behalf of WAFarmers by Mic Fels (2026 Vice President).🌾 BECOME A WAFARMERS MEMBER:Join the voice of Western Australian agriculture and access exclusive representation, advocacy, and member benefits.👉 https://members.wafarmers.org.au/auth/register💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION:What’s your take on current grain and livestock market movements? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and follow our socials @WAFarmers !👍 Like, Subscribe, and hit the Notification Bell so you never miss an episode of ON WAFarmers.