Agribusiness buzz in brief

The world's biggest dairy business, the French-owned Lactialis had turnover of about $38 billion (US$26.7b), ahead of Swiss-based Nestle at $30b, France's Danone at $29b; Dairy Farmers of America, $27b; China's Yili, $26b and New Zealand's Fontera, $21b.

Although Lactalis and Yili did not change their rankings in the top 20 list, they accounted for the largest increases in turnover.

Recovery in foodservice channels as the COVID-19 pandemic subsided and stronger retail demand, combined with lower than expected milk production growth in the main export regions, including Australia, meant dairy product prices rallied to lift turnover values.

Canadian giant, Saputo, which has grown significantly with acquisitions in the past decade, including Australia's Murray Goulburn business and more recently Scottish alternative cheese maker Brute Island Foods and Wensleydale Dairy in England, remained in 10th spot. with $17b turnover, well ahead of next placed Unilever at $8b.

Poultry giant Ingham's is to develop a cold storage logistics site spanning almost 10,000 square metres near Perth airport, after signing up with the logistics investment group Logos.

Logos is close to completing the $250 million Hazelmere Logistics Estate, a 20 hectare development which will include another 19,000 square metre facility being built alongside Ingham's.

The Ingham's facility includes sustainability initiatives such as a 500 kilowatt solar system and a 455-kilolitres of rainwater storage.

Construction of both sites will wrap up development of about 96,000 square metres of industrial logistics space at Hazelmere gradually developed over eight years to take advantage of access to major transport routes.

Several international speakers, leaders in business sustainability and more than 550 dairy industry delegates gather in Hobart from February 15 to 17 for a record-breaking roll up at the Australian Dairy Conference.

ADC president and Victorian dairy farmer Tom Acocks, Rochester, said that whilst projections were always high for the return of the signature event, his board has been overwhelmed by the response from far and wide.

ADC 2023 will address some of the biggest topics in the industry from climate change, disruption, succession, advocacy, animal welfare and exploring the possible.

Speakers include University of California's Professor Frank Mitloehner, a specialist in the intersection of animal agriculture and the environment who debunks myths about cattle and methane; Professor Nina von Keyserlingk, from Canada's University of British Columbia; president of US dairy chain consultancy, the McCully Group, looking at how to overcome capital, labour and price challenges to farm growth, and one of the world's pre-eminent experts on agriculture and climate change, Professor Richard Eckard, from University of Melbourne.

Conference registration spots are still available, as is accommodation in central Hobart.

Morgan's milk departure

Shaughn Morgan, the former NSW Dairy Connect chief executive officer, turned co-CEO of the amalgamated Dairy Connect farmers group and Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation EastAusMilk, has announced his pending departure.

Mr Morgan (pictured), who has shared leadership of the combined NSW-Queensland farmer representative body since it formed 14 months ago, will sign off in early April.

Also a former NSW Farmers executive officer, he plans to continue working in agriculture.

"It has been an honour and pleasure being involved with the dairy industry for eight years," he said.

Dairy Connect had made a substantive contribution to the wellbeing of the Australian dairy industry, including being at the forefront of productive discussions with Woolworths, which ultimately led to the demise of the damaging $1 a litre supermarket housebrand milk,and advocating for a Dairy Code of Conduct.

"We also consistently campaigned for truth in labelling to ensure the value of the dairy brand is maintained."

Farm management software provider, AgriWebb, and leading agricultural measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) software provider, Regrow Ag, will join forces to scale the adoption of climate-smart beef production practices in the US and Australia.

With mounting global pressure to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions to meet climate targets, the US beef industry needs to scale the adoption of climate-smart practices to ensure long term food production and economic security for ranchers.

By strategically linking with Regrow, Australian-based AgriWebb's US ranch management software will be connected to Sydney-based Regrow's proprietary MRV platform, offering immediate benefits to beef producers in both countries.

AgriWebb's US customers will be the first ranchers within that market to be able to track forage estimates remotely and transform grass performance using Regrow's remote sensing technology to provide vegetation composition and abundance, historical patterns and near real-time forage availability.

The Regrow-AgriWebb partnership will also progress the calibration and validation of models in the beef industry to provide a pathway to quantification of carbon impact associated with grazing and ranching practices.

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Wine's future leaders

Applications have opened for the Australian grape and wine sector's flagship leader development program, Future Leaders, which aims to inspire new generation leaders wanting impactful change at a personal, business and wine sector level.

The program connects participants with engaging facilitators and distinguished speakers that create long-lasting behaviour change and supports participants to sharpen decision-making abilities and build networks and enthusiasm.

Participants come from across the wine sector's value chain - from vineyards and wineries, to logistics, marketing and research, providing a diversity of experience and a valuable network that alumni draw on.

Applications for Future Leaders 2023 will close on 17 March. For more details see winefutureleaders.com