Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen’s Association 2024 conference highlights developments in industry

Overseas demand will need to pick up for cattle prices to rise pastoralists attending the Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen’s Association (KPCA) 2024 conference were told.

Held over three days at the Red Earth Arts Precinct, a line-up of esteemed speakers delivered presentations ranging from the global beef market, research and developments in the beef industry, riding horses through Mongolia and a panel of blokes talking about ‘bloke stuff’.

Also key to the conference was a carbon forum with University of Melbourne professor and director of Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre Richard Eckard, and University of Western Australia School of Agriculture and Environment Professor Phil Vercoe.

“For the presentations, we first of all looked at the topics that were most important to the pastoralists, and topics that seem most concerning such as the carbon issue and the global implications of the beef market,” KPCA CEO Bron Christensen said.

“The mental health panel was another important one for us, we covered it last year and felt as though it was important to cover again, also segueing into men’s prostate health.

“We had about 70 per cent of pastoralists in attendance and about 30 per cent of industry, so it’s great certain messages can be relayed to pastoralists firsthand with so many in attendance.”

During his presentation about the global beef market, Rabobank animal protein senior analyst Angus Gidley-Baird spoke about how the United States, China and Asia markets were influencing Australia’s beef market.

“We’re at the top of the cycle in terms of the cattle inventory,” Mr Gidley-Baird said.

“There are plenty of cattle out there, and there’s no producer urgency to restock. So producers aren’t actively buying and bidding up prices.

“So really, for any rise in our price to accommodate this volume, we need that global demand to pick up.”

Mr Gidley-Baird also touched on Western Australia’s cattle exports.

“Fifty per cent of the cattle produced in Western Australia — whether they go to an abattoir here or whether they go on a boat — end up in the China and South-East Asia region,” he said.

“Understanding what’s going on in those markets in terms of their demand appetite gives us a feel for what might flow through here in terms of any sort of price movements.”

The conference concluded with a gala dinner, including live music from the Family Shoveller Band and an auction to support 2024 KPCA charity partners Royal Flying Doctors Service WA, Pancare Foundation and KPCA Future Leaders Industry Initiative.