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It is also a place where producers are exposed to big picture thinking, to ideas that might at face value seem far removed from everyday on-farm production but arguably impact it a way far greater than most people consider.
Ralph Schoellhammer, an economist and political theorist at Webster University Vienna and the Hungarian Think-Tank MCC Budapest, delivered that in spades when he spoke at the Cattle Australia Symposium.
Mr Schoellhammer's main research interest is how the West has become hostile towards energy, mining and modern agriculture, something that he describes as a form of cultural self-hate.
He framed an argument that Australia is a superpower in all three of these "pillars of modern life" and as such needs to be at the forefront of pushing back on this hostility.
"Australia is one of the world's largest beef exporters and one of the world's most important exporters of calories," he said.
"There are only five major food exporters in the world - Brazil, the United States, Russia, Ukraine and Australia.
"Without you knowing it, the Australia ag industry saves lives on a daily basis. Without you there would be starvation and endless suffering."
Australia was also an important player in mining.
"Every cell phone, every piece of electronics, depends in large part on the participation of Australia in mining," he said.
And on energy, Mr Schoellhammer said nothing in the world happened without it.
"The amount of work being conducted by the brain of fossil fuels would be the equivalent to the number of five hundred billion people," he said.
"Every one of us at any given time has about 40 gimmicks plugged in somewhere. This is the equivalent of having 40 people working for you non-stop."
Mr Schoellhammer said there were very strong movements aimed at ridding the world of these three key ingredients of modern civilisation.
And that would result in increased human suffering including the re-emergence of slavery, widespread human disease and sickness and famine.
And yet these three industries do not have an efficient lobby, he said.
"In politics and economic outcomes, yes absolutely, they're good at lobbying but in popular culture and in the public imagination, not so," he said.
"If people don't know where their fundamental sources of wealth and prosperity come from, how are they supposed to support them?"
Shan Goodwin
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
