Has there ever been a better time to be a red meat producer?
Wool prices are at near record levels.
Lamb and mutton prices also.
Even better, those who attended last year’s Gippsland Red Meat Conference were given ample warning that this would be the case.
Simon Quilty from Global Agritrends forecast in February 2025 that lamb carcase prices would reach $11.95 per kg in June of this year. MLA reports that trade lambs averaged $11.40 to $12 in that time period.
Bang on target.
At the same conference he predicted feeder steers would reach $5.36 per kg carcase weight. MLA reports that feeder steers hit $5.40 on June 24th, and peaked on July 5th at $5.54 per kg.
Again, bang on target.
If Bill Collins deserved the mantle “The Accurate One” in horse-racing circles, then surely Simon Quilty deserves that accolade in the redmeat marketplace.
Simon’s ability to take complex scenarios and relay them in simple terms is his trademark, as is his ability to block out the “white noise” – the factors which have little bearing on the end result.
Considering the turbulence in global markets: not just meat, but other commodities
such as oil and grain, it is remarkable that a prediction could prove so accurate within an eighteen month period.
Maybe because he made those predictions in tandem with his former long-time competitor, and, more recently, co-presenter, in Robert Herrmann, and the notion of “two brains are better than one” are the explanations.
Either way, if you attended last year’s Gippsland Red Meat Conference and were in a position to act on the information Simon and Robert presented, you could have turned that advice into money.
Simon Quilty and Robert Herrmann will again present the opening “Global Markets” session of this year’s Gippsland Red Meat Conference.
This year, Simon Quilty will deliver two presentations at the conference. The opening session on markets with compatriot Robert Herrmann, and a specific sheep industry session later, entitled “Boom to Bust. Understanding the Sheep Cycle and What Drives it”.
The national sheep flock is estimated to be at about 62 million head, which is a historically low figure. Strong global demand has pushed prices higher, and increased capacity to process sheep meat has allowed the Australian industry to take advantage of those prices.
About a third of all lambs processed have been finished in feedlots, which creates a destination for grassfed trade lambs. All these factors augur well for sheep meat, but for how long? Simon will share his views on that topic.
Robert Herrmann is also presenting a second session at the Gippsland Red Meat Conference, where the Conference theme is “Every Decision Counts”.
His second session is titled “Looking Back: The Decisions That Mattered Most”
Every career is shaped by a handful of decisions that prove far more significant than they seemed at the time.
Some are carefully planned, while others arise unexpectedly through opportunity, challenge or necessity.
In this reflective session, Robert Herrmann draws on more than four decades of experience across the Australian wool and livestock industries to explore the pivotal decisions that influenced his career – from life on a family farm and working as a shearer, through leadership roles with Elders, Mecardo Market Analysis, Meridian Agriculture and the National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia.
Rather than focusing solely on successes, this presentation examines the choices that created lasting impact, the lessons learned from setbacks, and the importance of recognising opportunities, building strong relationships and adapting to an industry in constant change.
This session will offer practical insights for professionals at every stage of their careers and encourage participants to reflect on the decisions that may shape their own future.
The Gippsland Red Meat Conference is on Tuesday, August 25, at the Sale Baptist Church.
Bookings are through Trybooking or via the Gippsland Agricultural Group website
Gippsland Agricultural Group acknowledges the support of our event partners – MLA, Agriculture Victoria, East Gippsland Shire, Wellington Shire and Food & Fibre Gippsland.
