Ag Newsletter - 16 June 2026
Beat the July Hiring Rush with Drover Ag's EOFY Service Upgrade - Ag businesses often wait until new budgets open in July to start hiring, creating fierce competition for the best talent. To help you jump the queue and maximise your tax deductions before June 30, Drover Ag is running an exclusive EOFY offer - see below for full details.
Beef:
Declining global production shifts export dynamics in Australia’s favour - Agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank has released its Global Beef Quarterly Q2 2026 report, confirming that global beef production is forecast to contract by 2.2% this year. Notable production declines are anticipated across major competing nations, including Brazil (down 4%), the United States (down 3%), and China (down 2%). The report highlights that this leaves Australia exceptionally well-positioned to leverage its steady production volumes to fulfill diversifying international import demands throughout the remainder of 2026. Source: Beef Central
Cropping:
June WASDE Trims Australian Wheat Estimates on Lower Crop Area -The June World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report has delivered a modest bullish surprise for global wheat markets while reflecting localised shifts in production. Australia’s wheat production estimate was cut by 2.0 million tonnes to 28.0 million tonnes, driven by a downward adjustment in harvested area figures aligned with recent ABARES data. Domestically, cereal values held steady, with wheat tracking at $328/t and barley at $312/t track Geelong. Source: Grain Central
Livestock Markets:
Holiday Closures Tighten Yardings as Sheep Indicators Break Records - The latest market data from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) for the week ending June 12, 2026, reveals a significant tightening in national livestock supply, exacerbated by Monday public holidays closing major southern selling centres.
National cattle yardings fell 9% to 60,818 head, skewing the market footprint heavily toward Queensland, which accounted for 51% of the national offering. Despite the disrupted supply, the National Young Cattle Indicator (NYCI) held steady at 517¢/kg liveweight, while the Dairy Cow Indicator saw the strongest category gain, lifting 3%.
In the sheep pens, tightening winter supply and improving seasonal conditions have fueled fierce competition, sending multiple indicators to record highs. National sheep yardings plummeted 32% to 33,693 head. Against this limited supply, the Trade Lamb Indicator reached a new record of 1,228¢/kg carcase weight (cwt), and the Mutton Indicator set a fresh benchmark at 865¢/kg cwt. Bolstered by improving paddock feed, restocker buyers drove the Restocker Lamb Indicator up a sharp 45¢ week-on-week to sit at 1,227¢/kg cwt. Source: MLA
Weather:
Widespread Winter System Delivers 25-100mm Across Key Agricultural Zones - The latest Australian Rainfall Update from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) confirms a slow-moving low-pressure system and embedded cold fronts have delivered widespread, substantial moisture across the continent. Weekly rainfall totals of 25 to 100mm were recorded across coastal South Australia, the south-eastern ranges, areas of southern Queensland through to north-eastern New South Wales, and the west of Western Australia. Feeding from a north-west cloudband and an inland trough, this system has provided an excellent winter subsoil boost for newly established crops and grazing regions. Source:Bureau of Meteorology - Australian Rainfall Update
Farm Management:
Offset Rising Wages with Better Design - With agricultural wage costs steadily increasing, maximising your team's efficiency is critical to maintaining farm margins. One of the biggest hidden drains on staff productivity is an outdated property layout. Many Australian livestock farms still operate on infrastructure designed decades ago. Awkward yard entry points, inefficient drafting systems, and poor stock flow mean staff spend unnecessary hours fighting livestock—directly inflating your labour bill.
Modern, easy-to-use handling facilities drastically reduce physical strain, enhance workplace safety, and allow your team to process more numbers in less time. Before replacing a fence or upgrading yards, evaluate how the new design will optimise labour hours. Investing in smarter flow and multi-purpose pens is a highly effective way to offset rising wage pressures and get the absolute best value out of your staff's time. Source:Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA)
Beat the July Hiring Rush with Drover Ag's EOFY Service Upgrade - Ag businesses often wait until new budgets open in July to start hiring, creating fierce competition for the best talent. To help you jump the queue and maximise your tax deductions before June 30, Drover Ag is running an exclusive EOFY offer.
If you lock in a recruitment service with us before the end of the financial year, we will automatically apply a Free Service Tier Upgrade. Book a Standard Recruitment package, and you’ll receive all the sourcing, screening, and benefits of the next tier up at no extra cost. Need to build out a whole crew? We are also building custom multi-role packages with special pricing locked in so you can secure your team in one go.
Call the team on 1300 DROVER or reply to this email to claim your upgrade before June 30.
