Episode 45 | Global AgriTrends Market Update September 2026, with Simon Quilty

Episode Summary: In this episode of The Angus Table, Scott Wright sits down with Glenn Rosbrook, Chief Client Officer of Achmea Farm Insurance, for a conversation about agricultural insurance, the company’s origins, direct client relationships, and leadership in uncertain times. Scott and Glenn discuss how Achmea Farm Insurance stems from 1811 when 39 farmers in the Netherlands pooled money into a glass jar to manage haystack fire risks, establishing the cooperative insurance principle that underpins the company. What makes Achmea Farm Insurance’s business model distinctive is its focus as a specialist agricultural insurer. The direct model means Farm Insurance Specialists walk farms, sit at kitchen tables and translate technical documents into plain language, supporting clients across the process. This approach reflects Achmea Farm Insurance’s core purpose: “keeping farmers farming.” Why authentic leadership shapes culture reflects Glenn’s 25+ years in insurance learning that authentic relationships drive business, people are always watching your tone, engagement, and commitment. Scott and Glenn discuss the GenAngus investment partnership since 2019, which demonstrates belief that leadership development matters as much as profit. Achmea Farm Insurance’s future reflects optimism about Australian agriculture despite global headwinds, with continued focus on their direct specialist strategy, physical expansion into rural hubs, and ongoing team investment. So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for this conversation about agricultural insurance, direct relationships, leadership in uncertain times, and the cooperative principle that started with a glass jar 215 years ago. Key topics covered: The 215-year heritage of Achmea Farm Insurance, stemming from 1811 when 39 farmers in the Netherlands pooled money into a glass jar to manage haystack fire risks. Why Achmea Farm Insurance chose to be a specialist agricultural insurer. What makes the direct model distinctive: With over 45 Farm Insurance Specialists across rural and regional Australia sitting at kitchen tables and walking farms, supporting clients. The challenge of agricultural risk: complex operations, weather dependency, machinery, animals, and year-round change. How innovation at Achmea Farm Insurance focuses on distribution technology, including its online stud stock insurance portal. The importance of GenAngus investment partnership since 2019, recognising that leadership development matters as much as profit. What authentic leadership means to Glenn after 25+ years: relationships drive business, people are always watching your tone and engagement. How delivering on commitments in agriculture is critical because credibility compounds over years. The opportunity of insurance careers: diversity and strategic importance as our economy’s shock absorber. Recommended reads: Covey’s ‘Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’ and Abrashoff’s ‘It’s Your Ship’. The investments Achmea Farm Insurance is making in physical expansion into rural hubs and ongoing team expansion. Why Glenn is optimistic about Australian agriculture despite global headwinds.

Episode Summary: In this episode of The Angus Table, Scott Wright sits down with Ben Dwyer, COO of Harvest Road Group, for a conversation about building Australia's longest integrated cattle and beef supply chain across Western Australia. Ben shares how Harvest Road Group operates 2.4 million hectares across Western Australia, navigating the challenge of seasonal diversity requiring 12-month supply chain integration. The operation stretches from East Kimberley's through the Pilbara to feedlotting and processing near Perth, deliberately designed to meet consistent customer demand domestically and internationally rather than producing yo-yo volumes during seasonal flushes. Ben and Scott discuss what genetic programs Harvest Road runs across its properties to target the eating quality index customers demand, as well as how the new Koojan Downs Feeding Facility operates, with three main programs serving different market segments and customer requirements Ben explains the Harvey Beef brand positioning, reflecting geographic advantage in SE Asia, and his supply-chain philosophy that emphasises the importance of every participant understanding where they fit and how to maximise their phase. Scott and Ben finish their conversation discussing the long term vision driving Harvest Road for sustainable quality protein supply and ensuring generational sustainability, supported by leadership that invests in human capital and agile decision making. So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for this conversation about integrated supply chains, Western Australian beef production, and building relationships across the supply chain. Key topics covered: How Harvest Road Group operates 2.4 million hectares across an integrated supply chain stretching from East Kimberley's through the Pilbara to feedlotting and processing near Perth. The challenge of seasonal diversity across Western Australia, which requires year-round supply chain integration to deliver a consistent quality product to customers What genetic programs Harvest Road runs: Springvale Ultrablack herd (23.5% Bos indicus), Jubilee transitioning to Minderoo composite, and the Minderoo composite itself comprising Red Angus, Droughtmaster, Bonsmara, and Senepol. How the new Koojan Downs Feeding Facility operates, with three main programs serving different market segments and customer requirements. The importance of Harvest Road deliberately enabling WA beef producers through feedlot entry and backgrounding partnerships despite supplying only 12-14% of the 200,000+ annual processing capacity. How the Harvey Beef brand positioning in Southeast and North Asia—leveraging proximity, time-zone advantage, and WA's mining-trade relationships—drives a market strategy of consistency over volume. Ben’s integrated supply-chain philosophy: every participant adds equal value regardless of size or position; producers must understand how they fit as "cogs in the wheel" and hand the baton over when they've maximised their phase. The Angus growth opportunity in WA through organic producer specialisation (breeding, backgrounding, or feeding) combined with a genetic focus on higher-end marbling animals for longer feeding and premium markets. Ben's values and leadership approach: investment in human capital and soft-skills development, agility in decision-making, and a long-term vision for sustainable quality protein supply ensuring generational sustainability.

Episode Summary: In this episode of The Angus Table, Scott Wright sits down with Ben and Olivia Wright, managers of Munda Reds Droughtmaster Stud, for a conversation about their established Droughtmaster breeding operation and ambitious new Ultrablack program. Ben and Olivia share how Munda Reds operates from Gingin (1 hour north of Perth) and Munda Station near Port Hedland (17 hours north) with 7,000 Droughtmaster breeders. Their five-year-old stud sells 100+ bulls annually, built on genetic testing at Munda Station identifying which bloodlines work in harsh conditions. Two years ago, conversations about Angus eating quality reputation sparked the decision to trial Ultrablack genetics. This season, 180 black embryo calves are hitting the ground, and they’re recording detailed data across Droughtmaster, Brangus, and Ultrablack programs. Scott, Ben and Olivia discuss what harsh Munda conditions demand: 48-degree temperatures, 2.5-5km water walks, extended poor-nutrition periods requiring absolutely sound, compact, tough cattle. Oliva explains how female performance decides success, and Ben explains why Ultrablack genetics work where purebred Angus won’t. They’re prioritising proof over profit, comparing genetics through backgrounding, feedlotting, and carcass data rather than rushing bulls to market. Scott and Ben finish their conversation discussing the economic opportunity of reduced herd numbers with higher productivity if Ultra Blacks do produce more kilos per animal, and their five-year vision for 300 Ultrablack females and 300 Droughtmaster females producing 150 of each sex annually. So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for this conversation about breeding black cattle in the tropics, genetic innovation, and the importance of proof before profit. Key topics covered: How Munda Reds operates from Gingin WA (8,000 acres, 500-700mm rainfall, 1 hour north of Perth) and Munda Station (under 1 million acres, 7,000 Droughtmaster breeders, 17 hours north near Port Hedland) The Droughtmaster stud operation selling 100+ bulls annually through an established sale, built on five years of testing genetics at Munda Station to identify working bloodlines and eliminate unsuitable genetics quickly The challenge of tropical adaptation with eating quality drove the decision to trial Ultrablack genetics, seeking to breed black cattle suited to northern stations while maintaining Angus eating quality, fertility, and survivability How Ben and Olivia sourced Palgrove Ultrablack donor dams and semen shares two years ago, with 180 black embryo calves hitting the ground this season across rigorous data-recording programs. The importance of crawl, walk, run approach: proving the concept through data rather than rushing to market, following calves through backgrounding, feedlotting, and carcass evaluation before selling bulls. What harsh Munda Station conditions demand (48-degree temperatures, 2.5-5km walks for water, extended poor-nutrition periods) and the need for absolutely sound, compact, tough cattle structurally adapted for survival. How female performance will decide success, proving the Ultrablack female's survival, growth, fertility, and eating quality comes before bull sales would naturally follow. Ben and Olivia’s aggressive temperament culling standard, with zero tolerance for attitude in weaning yards. Why Ultrablack genetics work where purebred Angus won't: tropical adaptation of bulls for station conditions plus fertility and durability of females, while keeping Brahman content under 25% to maintain Angus identity. The economic opportunity of reduced herd numbers with higher productivity if Ultrablacks produce more kilos per animal, potentially justifying premium pricing through superior feedlot performance and eating quality. How AI (50% conception) and embryo transfer (52-54% take rate) accelerate genetic gain by stacking top genetics across generations, potentially advancing 30 years of progress in 5 years. Ben and Olivia's five

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In this episode of The Angus Table, Scott Wright sits down with Ced Wise, pioneering veterinary reproductive specialist, for a conversation about building reproductive technology infrastructure, mentoring the next generation, and cutting-edge research. Ced shares his journey from mixed practice in Warwick to postgraduate study at Colorado State University under leading reproductive physiologists, returning to Australia to pioneer embryo transfer when few had heard of the technology. Ced and Scott discuss the expansion of Ced Wise AB Services from a one-man operation to having his adult children involved, and now managing 50+ staff. They talk about the state-of-the-art processing facility at Ced’s Glen Aplin operation, and why he also built an education centre and accommodation options for up to 8 students or visiting researchers. Ced explains some of the innovations and progress in IVF technology, when to use MOET rather than IVF, and why epigenetics is emerging as a century-defining study area. He shares his dedication to mentoring the next generation and university research collaborations, and why client relationships are central not only to his business success but also job satisfaction. Scott and Ced explore his advice to breeders about balancing data with the cattleman’s eye, and a message for young people getting into the industry. So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for this conversation about reproductive innovation, mentorship, and bridging science with farm reality. Key topics covered: Ced’s 50-year veterinary career, from mixed practice (cattle, cats, dogs, poultry) to bovine reproduction specialist through the mentorship of Ced Miller The importance of building relationships with industry leaders (Don Henderson Inverary Polled Herefords, Geoff McCamley Lancefield Brahmans) in his career growth Expansion from a one-man operation to family involvement with his 3 adult children involved, and now managing 50+ staff Building the state-of-the-art processing facility at Glen Aplin and education centre, plus accommodation options for up to 8 students or visiting researchers Ced’s dedication to mentoring the next generation and addressing the university hands-on experience gap Sexed semen as a game-changer for commercial Angus (steers at 75/25 ratio, premium pricing potential). Innovations and scientific progress in IVF technology, when to use MOET vs IVF, and why epigenetics is emerging as a century-defining study area Research collaborations with university researchers studying DNA fragmentation, metabolites, and epigenetics effects Why client relationships are paramount not only to the success of Ced’s business but also to his satisfaction in the job Ced’s advice to breeders about combining data accuracy with phenotype assessment in order to not lose the cattleman’s eye The importance of mentorship from successful operators for young breeders and why patience and genuine passion are essential Ced’s approach to continuous learning and development including research collaborations and international conferences