Fuel, Fertiliser & Feeds: How Charlie Blomfield Is Rewriting Ag’s Public Narrative
Humans of AgricultureShow Notes
Charlie Blomfield isn’t just building a farm business, he’s building a voice that agriculture can’t afford to ignore.
In this episode of Humans of Agriculture, Oli sits down with Charlie Blomfield at Boridgeree, just outside Canowindra in Central West NSW. Farmer, business owner, marketer and one of the most talked-about voices in Australian agriculture right now, Charlie shares what’s driving him, how he’s built GreatHAY, and why he’s chosen to step so publicly into conversations around ag, media and advocacy.
From growing up in a tough era for agriculture, to working across Northern Australia and the Middle East, to building a modern mixed farming and hay business from the ground up, Charlie’s story is shaped by curiosity, conviction and a willingness to back himself.
But this conversation goes beyond the farm gate.
It explores the role agriculture must play in telling its story better, why traditional industry communication is falling behind, and how humour, clarity and honesty are helping Charlie connect with audiences far beyond agriculture.
This episode is about leadership, relevance, building teams, making hard decisions under pressure, and why the future of agriculture depends on more people being willing to speak in ways the rest of the country can actually understand.
Key insights from the conversation How Charlie went from asset management and private equity to building Boridgeree Why water security and flexibility shaped their move to Canowindra The evolution of Boridgeree from mixed farming into a branded hay business Why GreatHAY was built around simplicity, clarity and cut-through How social media became more than marketing and turned into a platform for advocacy What agriculture gets wrong when it tries to communicate with the broader public Why humour, character and storytelling are powerful tools for building trust How Charlie thinks about leadership, team culture and accountability on farm The value of coaching, perspective and creating time for what matters most Why agriculture needs more voices that are credible, human and willing to say what they really think
Chapters: 00:02 Introduction and why this conversation matters 02:03 Who Charlie is and what drives him 05:13 Growing up in ag and forging his own path 06:21 Global experiences and gaining perspective 10:30 Starting in business and backing himself early 12:00 Moving into farming and building Boridgeree 14:16 Water strategy and evolving the farm business 17:35 Building GreatHAY and the power of simplicity 20:27 Social media, storytelling and cutting through 22:57 Building teams, culture and leadership 27:47 Coaching, performance and managing priorities 34:31 Stepping into media and why ag comms is broken 40:10 Using influence to drive change in agriculture 46:28 Momentum, opportunity and staying relevant 53:18 Decision-making, perspective and what matters most 01:00:05 Advice for the next generation and future of ag
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