In this week's episode of The Weekly Grill podcast series, host Kerry Lonergan turns the clock back to the 1970s, to take a look at the Great Aussie Cattle Slump.
The years 1974-78 were without question the toughest that the Australian beef cattle industry has ever seen.
In the lead-up to the slump, the national beef herd had built up to unprecedented levels above 31 million head. Meat market prices collapsed virtually overnight in 1974 as the two largest export customers, the US and Japan, withdrew their support for Australian beef. During the depths of the cycle, meatworks cattle were often worth less than the cost of freight to get them to market.
Domestic beef consumption soared to above 70kg/person, as meat was sold to the public at 'give-away' prices.
In addition to the financial impact, the beef slump took an enormous psychological toll on industry stakeholders.
What caused it? How bad did it get? Could it happen again? What did the industry learn?
Guests this week include veteran Northwest Queensland beef producer, Don McDonald, who was newly married when the cattle slump hit; former Australian Meat Industry Council processor group chief executive Steve Martyn; and veteran Victorian stock agent, Bruce Redpath, who was a fresh-faced new Elders recruit in 1974.
S4 Ep14: Addressing mental health in the bush, with Dolly's Dream's Sally McSweeney and mental health expert Dr Simone Shaw
S4 Ep13: Regular cattle market update, with Matt Dalgleish and Chris Howie
S4 Ep12: Northern property market, with valuer Frank Peacocke
S4 Ep11: AA Co 200 years - Recollections from former staff member Geoff Wagstaff
S4 Ep10: Celebrating the success of the ICMJ program, with Peter McGilchrist
S4 Ep9: Industry advocate, Brent Finlay
S4 Ep8: Beef 2024 chairman Bryce Camm
S4 Ep7: Northern Cooperative Meat Co chairman, John Seccombe
S4 Ep6: MLA Science & Innovation head, Michael Lee
S4 Ep5: Cattle Australia chief executive, Chris Parker
S4 Ep4: Northern live exporter Patrick Underwood
S4 Ep3: Northern pastoral and agribusiness identity, Chris Evans
S4 Ep2: What lies ahead in 2024 for beef, with analyst Simon Quilty
S4 Ep1: Cattle market update, with Matt Dalgleish and Chris Howie
S3 Ep41: Beef extension legend, Bernie English
S3 Ep40: On National Ag Day, the Weekly Grill chats with new NFF president David Jochinke
S3 Ep39: Cattle market update, with Chris Howie & Matt Dalgleish
S3 Ep38: Stock agent, cattle buyer, breed administrator - Chris Todd calls time on a colourful career
S3 Ep37: Methane-reducing feed additive pioneer Adam Main
S3 Ep36: Meat Standards Australia pioneer, Rod Polkinghorne
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