Humans of Agriculture

National Resilience Expert: What Australia's Fuel Challenge Actually Means and where to next?

Humans of Agriculture

Show Notes

As fuel pressure builds across parts of regional Australia, we wanted to step into the conversation in a way that is clear, factual and useful. Not to add to panic, but to help our audience understand what is actually happening, what it means for agriculture, and what bigger questions this moment is exposing around resilience, preparedness and national priorities. And when it comes to conversations like this, Andrew Henderson is one of our go-to voices. Andrew is the founder and principal of AgSecure and has built his career working across biosecurity, national resilience and the vulnerabilities that sit inside the systems agriculture depends on. He brings a rare combination of strategic insight, practical understanding and calm analysis, which is exactly what a topic like this needs. In this episode, Andrew helps unpack the current fuel challenge facing Australian agriculture and Australia more broadly. He explains how the fuel system works, why regional areas are feeling the pressure first, what the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act means, and why this is about much more than a temporary supply scare. This is a conversation about fuel, but it is also a conversation about resilience, leadership and the reality of operating in a world that is becoming less stable, less predictable and more exposed to disruption. In this episode, we cover: Why the fuel challenge matters to Australian agriculture right now Why Andrew Henderson was the right person to help unpack it How Australia’s fuel system actually works Why regional Australia feels these pressures first What the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act means in practice Why this moment is exposing bigger resilience gaps in the system What farmers and agricultural businesses should be thinking about next

More from Humans of Agriculture

Oct 19, 2026

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.

Oct 14, 2026

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

Oct 5, 2026

What happens when you step outside your own patch and spend time learning from some of the best operators in agriculture?

Sep 28, 2026

Fourth-generation beef producer Stafford Ives-Heres is building Shanford Park on Tasmania's north-west coast with one eye firmly on the generations still to come. From starting with 10 cattle and working cray boats to fund his growth, to succession, leasing land and questioning whether owning more country always makes commercial sense, Stafford shares how he's thinking about building a family business that's valuable enough to be taken on, not simply sold.

Sep 21, 2026

Jack and Lisa Beattie didn’t set out to build a strawberry propagation business. After leaving Jack’s family dairy operation and trying several different ventures, an unexpected opportunity at Ouse in Tasmania changed their direction.

See all episodes →