Overview
Brought to you by the Beef Australia Next Gen Committee and emceed by none other than the Founder and CEO of Humans of Agriculture, Oli Le Lievre, the Next Gen Forum will bring together key industry representatives as they unpack how to ‘Future proof your beef’.
In the Forum’s first session, we’ll be talking wins, lessons, and the challenge of implementing tech in ag across Australia’s vast environment. Drawing on his experiences with developing SkyKelpie as well as his recent Nuffield scholarship, Luke Chaplain will take you on a deep dive into how cutting-edge technology is advancing the beef industry.
Zanda McDonald award winner, Charlie Perry will then share his transition story into management of his family business, providing you with an insight into his journey to farm management, the family operation, and their preparation for the transition of management post succession.
We’ll then hear from Tess Camm around her learnings from the management of logistics, her first-hand experience across the supply chain and how to best upscale your expertise of the broader beef industry.
Prue & David Bondfield are well known in the industry for their strong brand and passion for genetics, but how did they navigate through a non-traditional transition of a family business into corporate ownership? Find out in this next session and the numerous opportunities that came with it.
To wrap up the Forum, we’re talking big picture thinking with Sam Trethewey. Sam will dive into Tas Ag Co’s business focus including environmental ag and venture capital and how they are leveraging this in today’s landscape. He’ll also provide insight into taking the leap into agriculture while diversifying your exposure and opportunities and give us his take on what’s ahead for the industry and how you can best prepare for it.
Date: Thursday 9th May
Time: 9.00am – 1.45pm
Venue: James Lawrence Pavilion
Price: $65 (Ticket also available in discounted Next Gen Event Bundle)
Tickets include morning tea, tea, and coffee.
Speaker Profiles
Charlie Perry
After a 7 year stint in management consulting in Sydney, Charlie took over management of his family farm in 2016. Since then, Trent Bridge Wagyu has become one of the largest providers of wagyu seedstock genetics in the country.
Charlie previously spent six years on the Board of the Australian Wagyu Association, including three years as President.
He is also the 2022 recipient of the Zanda McDonald Award.
David & Pru Bondfield
The Bondfields owned the Palgrove Charolais and Ultrablack seedstock business for over 32 years, before forming a partnership in 2017 with the New Zealand Superannuation Fund and eventual sale in 2020.
David & Prue have been recognized with the Australian Farmer of the Year (Coles Weekly Times), Australian Livestock Producer of the Year (ABC Kondinin), Australian Seedstock Producer of the Year and the RW Vincent Award for outstanding services to the Australian Cattle Breeding industry.
David Bondfield
David was CEO of the Palgrove Group and has been involved in both sheep (from the age of 9) and cattle seedstock all his life. He is well known as a judge of stud sheep and stud and commercial cattle, having officiated at every major Royal Show in Australia, as well as internationally in NZ, North America and the UK. He is a past president of the Charolais Society of Australia & Qld Sheep Breeders Assn. and has been a member of numerous beef industry committees and taskforces. He now runs a livestock and property consulting business.
Prue Bondfield
Prue was General Manager of Palgrove and has a background in law and marketing. She served as inaugural Chairman of the Australian Beef Industry Sustainability Committee and is currently a Director of the Regional Investment Corporation, Livecorp, Bush Heritage Australia and Harvest Road Group. Prue is also a Mentor in the Graeme Action Beef Connections program as part of Beef 2024 and a judge of the Zanda McDonald Award.
Luke Chaplin
Luke Chaplain is the founder of SkyKelpie. SkyKelpie aims to be the first company in the world to enable widespread adoption of livestock mustering with drones, by developing a range of products and services that will support graziers. Luke is also an award winning filmmaker and sees those skills having a positive impact on his business and the agricultural sector at large.
Tess Bitmead
Tess is a Fifth Generation Grazier hailing from Central Queensland. She currently operates a Hay & Grazing business alongside her husband Pat. Together, Pat & Tess have progressed from trading cattle on agistment, to purchasing their first property, including diversifying into Hay production.
Tess’s experience ranges from involvement in her family’s Central Queensland grazing business, to a 9 year career with the vertically integrated branded beef company Signature Beef, involving the startup of greenfield processing facility Signature Onfarm. She has now undertaken the role of Head of Cattle Analytics & Business Improvement with Camm Ag Group. Tess is a 2020 Nuffield Scholar, and holds a position on the Cattle Australia Regional Consultative Committee.
