Ag Newsletter 26 May 2026

Autumn Rain Reshapes Markets:

Cattle and Sheep Prices Surge as Feedgrain Softens - Widespread rainfall of 50mm to 100mm across New South Wales and Queensland is dramatically reshaping both livestock and grain markets this week.

The sudden autumn break has restricted cattle yardings and ignited fierce restocker demand. At the Wagga saleyard, numbers dropped by 15%, triggering a price surge where aggressive restockers paid premiums of up to 100c/kg for lighter cattle (Beef Central). This tightening of short-term supply has also pushed feeder cattle grids up by 10c to 20c/kg across the board, with northern flatback steers hitting 465c to 485c/kg and southern heavy Angus reaching up to 545c/kg (Beef Central). Similarly, this renewed buyer confidence has pushed the sheep market higher, with the AuctionsPlus Restocker Lamb Indicator lifting 50c to 1366c/kg dressed weight amid tightening commercial offerings (Sheep Central).

Conversely, the welcome moisture has eased pressure on domestic feedgrain softening cereal prices in Queensland by $25 to $30 per tonne (Sheep Central).

The West:

WA Growers Pivot as Dry Winter Looms - Despite excellent summer moisture, a forecast of a dry winter has WA grain growers prioritising risk management over high yields. Many are holding off on big changes and scaling back expensive inputs like nitrogen to weather an uncertain 2026 season. Source: ABC Rural

Time to think like a CEO:

This week, John Boote poses the question, "What does stepping up as the CEO of your farm actually look like?". How can your farming operation benefit from a more structured approach to everything from team management to delegation and staff reviews? Read the full article here and look out for John chatting about the topic on Drover Ag's social media this week.

Beef Trade:

Prohibitive 55% Tariff Looming as Australia Fills 80% of China Beef Quota - Trade talks in Shanghai last week were dominated by concerns surrounding incoming tariffs. Australia has now filled 80% of its 2026 China beef quota of 205,000 tonnes, meaning the prohibitive 55% safeguard tariff is highly likely to be triggered before the end of June. Exporters warn that once the 55% tariff lands, Australian food service business into China will drop dramatically, potentially diverting significant volumes of grain-fed cuts back into the US and domestic supply chains. Source: Beef Central

Ag Tech Events on the Horizon:

Free Agtech Training - The Farms of the Future team has been in touch to spread the word about the Farms of the Future mobile learning centre on show at an Agtech Workshop near you | Bourke - 2nd June, Cobar - 3rd June, Wilcannia - 4th June, Broken Hill - 5th June (more locations online)

Registration is FREE