Australian red meat industry delivers record results
Australia’s red meat and livestock sector entered 2025 on a strong footing, achieving new milestones in growth, innovation and global competitiveness despite a rapidly changing operating environment, according to the State of the Industry Report released by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).
The State of the Industry Report highlights a year of transformation and achievement, with the industry setting new benchmarks across production, exports and market engagement.
Despite the challenging seasonal conditions coming out of 2023 and continuing into 2024 for large parts of southern Australia, the sector delivered record production volumes in beef, sheepmeat and goatmeat, while expanding its global market share and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs across regional Australia.
The Greatest Beef campaign is back
Australia’s most iconic beef campaign, The Greatest, is making its triumphant return from 13 October 2025, following a record-breaking year that reminded the nation why Aussie Beef reigns supreme.
The campaign’s hero assets – The Kitchen and The Ship commercials – have been recognised as the most persuasive beef advertisements of the past decade, as validated by independent Kantar tracking. These executions have delivered exceptionally on: strong brand recognition, with consumers instantly identifying the ads as distinctly Australian Beef, clear messaging on product superiority, reinforcing beef as the preferred protein among Australians and increased purchase intent, with viewers more likely to choose beef following exposure to the campaign.
Another robust harvest ahead, but prices fail to keep pace
Australia is forecast to harvest a larger winter grain crop this year, with Rabobank estimating total volumes to reach 62.8 million tonnes in its just-released annual 2025/26 Australian Winter Crop Forecast.
The agribusiness banking specialist’s RaboResearch division forecasts total winter grain and oilseeds production to come in approximately 3.8 million tonnes above last season, an increase of 6.4 per cent. And 6.1 per cent above the five-year average.
Australia welcomes largest-ever delegation to champion Australian Lamb
Australia will be rolling out the red carpet for 21 internationally acclaimed culinary professionals as part of the largest-ever Lambassador delegation, a flagship initiative by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) designed to elevate the global profile of Australian lamb.
Representing 11 countries, these chefs and food influencers are embarking on a cross-country journey from Western Australia to Victoria and New South Wales.
Their mission is to experience the Australian lamb industry from paddock to plate, gaining firsthand insight into the sustainable farming practices, world-class animal welfare standards, and the quality that defines Australian lamb.
2025 Sheep Projections update
Australia’s sheep industry is navigating a challenging period, with the national flock contracting by 6.2 per cent to 74.2 million head as of June 2025, according to Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) Australian Sheep Industry Projections – September Update.
The decline follows two years of below-average seasonal conditions across key producing regions, particularly in South Australia, Victoria and southern New South Wales which have driven elevated lamb slaughter and mutton turn-off.
Rural Aid encourages Queensland farmers to reach out
Rural Aid is encouraging Queensland farmers and rural families to start a conversation that matters, with Mental Health Week beginning this Saturday, 4 October. This year’s Queensland theme, Connect for Mental Health, is a reminder that connection is a powerful tool in preventing and managing mental health challenges.
“Connection is absolutely essential in rural life,” said Nicole Galvin, Rural Aid’s Queensland-based counsellor. “It can be the difference between someone struggling in silence or reaching out for support. When we feel connected, we feel seen — and we’re more likely to talk about what’s really going on.”
Combing through genetics delivers tools to keep bees busy
Australian researchers are delving into the secret life of bees in a quest to breed more resilient, productive and happy honey-makers.
The nation’s first comprehensive honey bee genetic improvement program, Plan Bee, has delivered genetic tools to secure the future of beekeepers. With pollination supporting more than $12 billion in agricultural production in Australia annually, it’s also a sweet development for over 60 Australian pollination-reliant crops, such as almonds, canola and zucchini.
Funded by the Australian Government’s Rural R&D for Profit Program, Plan Bee supports the honey bee and pollination industry, one of AgriFutures Australia’s levied industries.
Australian beef exports at record-breaking levels
A combination of stronger global beef markets, favourable seasonal conditions in key Australian beef-producing regions and higher local cattle inventory is supporting record-breaking production volumes, according to a new research report by agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank.
In its Q3 2025 Global Beef Quarterly, the bank’s RaboResearch division says second quarter Australian cattle slaughter numbers were up 10 per cent year-on-year (YOY) and with heavier carcass weights, this meant production volumes were up 11 per cent YOY for the quarter, setting a new record.
June was a new record volume for Australian beef exports at 134,596 tonnes shipped weight (swt), but volumes in July jumped a further 11 per cent to 150,435 tonnes swt – the highest monthly volume ever recorded.
2026 Rabobank Australian graduate program
Applications for Rabobank’s 2026 graduate program are now open, providing university graduates interested in agriculture and agribusiness the chance to start their careers with the specialist agribusiness bank.
Rabobank is offering places for graduates from around Australia to join the bank early next year, beginning with a formal 18-month graduate program, which kicks off in February 2026.
