Earlier this month I had the opportunity to attend what is, without a doubt, the premier beef cattle event in Australia.
It was a week full of the best of what the cattle industry has to offer, and attracted people from across Australia.
I have never seen an event of such a scale that was so well organised - and devoted solely to the beef industry of Australia, from paddock to plate.
And while it might take some time to crunch the numbers for Beef Australia 2021, many of the exhibitors and attendees said that it was the best year ever.
Good livestock prices and recent rains across the country have boosted the confidence of the industry, and producers are quietly hopeful that the improved season and cattle values might hang around for a little bit longer.
While I could go on about the diversity of exhibitors, the incredible showcase of "ag tech" and scientific innovations, the amazing events and the sheer size of Beef Australia 2021, what I really found amazing was the fact that without the humble beef producer, none of this could exist.
In reality, Beef Australia is a tiny representation of the impact and value of the national beef industry.
This is an industry that, according to Meat & Livestock Australia in its 2020 State of the Industry Report, contributes almost a quarter of total farm value across Australia, directly employs over 189,000 people, is worth $20.2 billion and - together with our sheep counterparts - manages half of Australia's land mass.
In fact, Beef Australia 2021 was the ideal place to see the impact that beef production has on the broader economy.
In among the traditional exhibits of cattle feed, handling equipment and the iconic stud animals, there were also the associated trades and industries that you might not immediately associate with beef production - and these represent big money.
Banks, insurance companies, agricultural investment companies, genetic testing services, satellite mapping technology and agricultural machinery - I'm talking "big stuff" in terms of balers, silage wrappers and spray booms.
All-in-all, the beef industry is responsible for the employment of an additional 245,000 people that provide associated goods and services - 90 per cent of whom live in regional and remote areas.
This "beef week" was a snapshot of our industry, and a public demonstration of the economic powerhouse that we - as producers - are responsible for.
It is us - our farms, our families and our cattle - that have made all of this possible.
And we should take our responsibility seriously.
Because without us, without a cohesive, united, powerful, progressive and passionate industry, we put all of this at risk.
Not just our own individual businesses, but the industry as a whole - this industry that we love so much and does so much good, not just here, but all around the world.
As producers, we need to take advantage of this interlude of good times and focus on what makes us great, and what we can do together to keep the industry heading in the right direction.
- Gillian Fennell, beef producer from a remote property in outback SA.
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