Ag Newsletter - 25 Sept 2026
Ag Employment Market Update
By John Boote - Managing Director of Drover Ag
Our team has spent much of this week at the 2026 Henty Machinery Field Days, and it has been fantastic to catch up with so many of our clients from the Riverina and those who travelled from surrounding districts. With clear skies, the first day felt busier than usual, drawing a strong crowd bolstered by Senator Pauline Hanson, who was on-site to officially open the event.
Speaking with producers on the ground, we found the overall mood about the market remains quite unsettled. While commodity prices remain high and the season is reasonable, this hasn't translated into widespread confidence due to significant and ongoing increases in input costs. Most farmers have already accepted that fuel prices will continue to climb, with many telling us they are bracing for those costs to potentially double within the next 12 months.
The defining takeaway from our conversations is resilience. Many have realised that, despite the macro uncertainties, they must simply carry on farming. They know they can no longer sit on their hands waiting for certainty to return.
This shift in mindset has led to an incredibly busy four- to six-week period for us here at Drover Ag. We have been inundated with enquiries from both new and existing clients who recognise that operational efficiency is now the absolute key to survival. To improve efficiency and protect their margins, farm businesses are taking proactive action—and they know they need the right people in their teams to execute it.
That is exactly why they are coming to us. Clients are looking for a fast turnaround to secure staff who aren't just capable, but who will be a genuine asset and the right cultural fit for their operations. When margins are squeezed and conditions are volatile, having a reliable, highly efficient team is the best investment you can make.
If you are looking to streamline your workforce or need the right people to drive your operation forward, please reach out to the team today to find out more about our dedicated ag recruitment services.
Contact John Boote today
Mobile | 0428 245 261 email | jobs@droverag.com.au
Results of the Drover Ag-sponsored Improver event at the Murray Valley Yard Dog Championships held at Henty Machinery Field Days on Wednesday. Congratulations to Matt Adams, who took out the win after a run-off with Brad Gavenlock, who won the Kambah Poll Merinos stockmanship award. The highest scoring and highest placed female handler was Sarah Lee, of The Lee’s Working Dogs.
Cropping & Market Outlook:
Revised Winter Crop Estimate up to 61 Million Tonnes - An analysis by University of Western Australia researchers based on updated Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) data highlights that Australian broad acre growers are on track to harvest 61 million tonnes of winter grain—the fourth-largest winter crop on record and 16% above the 10-year average.
However, high nitrogen fertiliser costs and shifting seasonal signals have created stark regional divergences. While lentil production is set to hit a record 2.3 million tonnes behind strong conditions in Victoria and South Australia, chickpea production in dry northern NSW and Queensland is forecast to drop 52%, prompting growers in dry belts to pivot to lower-input cereals like barley. Source: University of Western Australia / ABARES
Inputs:
Rabobank Warns High Fertiliser Costs Will Pressure Margins - In its latest semi-annual global fertiliser market analysis, Rabobank reports that while acute supply chain bottlenecks have eased for Australian broadacre growers, fertiliser affordability remains a key constraint on farm profitability.
Senior analyst Vitor Pistoia noted that while local urea prices have retreated from historic highs, elevated global sulphur and phosphate manufacturing costs keep compound fertiliser prices firm. As a result, broadacre growers are increasingly adjusting application strategies, altering pulse/cereal crop ratios, or adopting variable-rate precision technology to manage input risk ahead of the 2027 cropping season. Source: Rabobank Australia
Megan Boote
Logistics & Meat Quality:
New MSA Pathway Opens Premium Market Access for Grassfed Cattle - Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and commercial processors released details on the new long-duration transport pathway for Meat Standards Australia (MSA) grading. Backed by extensive research tracking cattle over multi-day road and rail journeys, the regulatory framework confirms cattle can remain eligible for MSA grading up to 120 hours (5 days) from property dispatch to slaughter.
Teys Australia Group Livestock Operations Manager Ethan Mooney emphasised that the update removes distance as a disqualifier for remote pastoral enterprises across Central Australia, northern Queensland, and Western Australia. Provided stock receive required access to water, quality dry feed/hay, and resting periods during transport and lairage, the consumer eating quality is fully preserved. Source: Beef Central / MLA
Livestock market wrap:
Australia's cattle and sheep markets experienced a general softening in prices for the week ending September 25, 2026. The downward trends were largely driven by fluctuating producer confidence tied to seasonal conditions, an absence of regular buyers, and rising diesel costs.
Cattle Market - While yardings were up slightly, cattle prices declined sharply, with the restocker market leading the declines. The Restocker Yearling Heifer and Steer indicators fell by 12% and 10% respectively, while the National Young Cattle Indicator (NYCI) dropped 7% to 476¢/kg liveweight. Heavy steers were the only category to buck the trend, rising 1%. National slaughter numbers dipped slightly (0.4%), with volatility largely reflecting seasonal uncertainty in southern Queensland and northern NSW.
Sheep and Lamb Market - The sheep and lamb markets mirrored the cattle sector, with all indicators easing across the week. The Mutton Indicator dropped 4%, while the Restocker Lamb Indicator fell 3%. Although sheep yardings increased by 5%, lamb yardings dropped 5% amid softer buyer competition. National lamb slaughter fell 6%—heavily impacted by a major New South Wales processor entering scheduled maintenance—while mutton slaughter saw an 11% lift. Source: MLA
Ag Employment & Workforce Policy:
NFF and Government Strike Fast-Track Deal for Urgent Harvest Visas - Following widespread industry concern over extended Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa processing times, an emergency agreement has been reached to expedite urgent applications. As reported by ABC News, the National Farmers' Federation (NFF) has cut a short-term deal with the Federal Government to fast-track visas for backpackers who are already contracted for critical agricultural work.
Under this new "good faith" arrangement, state farming organisations and commodity groups will collate applications for workers who are urgently needed on-farm within the next three months. The NFF will then submit these directly to the Department of Home Affairs, with the goal of clearing them in a matter of days rather than the recently announced 90-day target. While this triage system provides immediate relief to prevent crops from being left unharvested this spring, farm leaders caution that it is strictly a stop-gap measure and does not resolve the broader, long-term migration and workforce challenges facing regional communities. Source: ABC News / NFF
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