New South Wales beef producer George King’s views expressed in an opinion piece on carbon published on Beef Central back in March attracted an extraordinary level of reader comment.
George King
Mr King, who also joined the board of the new Cattle Australia board representing the grassfed cattle industry in December, sat down with Weekly Grill podcast host Kerry Lonergan last week to chew the fat.
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Previous episodes:
- What are the big trends evident in Beef Central’s Top 25 Lotfeeders report?
- Highland Beef supply chain principal, Murray Richardson
- Australian Beef Sustainability Chair, Mark Davie
- Live export industry pioneer Rick Trivett
- Cattle Australia president David Foote
- Markets reporting legend, Murray Arnel
- MLA managing director Jason Strong
- Carbon neutral beef brand program pioneer, James Madden
- MLA’s Corporate chef Sam Burke
- Downs lotfeeder David Brown, and BeefEX attendees
- The changing face of the ag finance sector, with NAB’s Khan Horne
- McDonald’s global head of beef procurement, Andrew Brazier at BeefEX
- S2 Ep33: Aussie agtech innovations – Farmbot and Optiweigh
- President of the Australian Cattle Veterinarians Association, Dr Tracy Sullivan
- Independent meat and livestock analyst Simon Quilty
- Genetics innovator Tom Bull
- MLA’s research, development and adoption manager, Mick Crowley
- Andy Hearnden, executive chef with beef processor Kilcoy Global Foods in Queensland.
- Low Stress Stock Handling founder Jim Lindsay
- NT Cattlemens Association president David Connolly
- Kimberley Meat Co chief, David Larkin
- Beef Central’s man-on-the-ground in Indonesia, Ross Ainsworth
- Meat processing legend, Trevor Lee
- Working dog legend Frank Finger
- New Federal Agriculture Minister, Murray Watt
- Wagyu Association president and 2022 Zanda McDonald award winner, Charlie Perry
- Latest cattle market wrap with TEM’s Matt Dalgleish and Stockco’s Chris Howie
- Cattle Baron Peter Hughes
- ALFA president Barb Madden
- Author and rural identity Sally Warriner
- Australia’s chief vet Mark Schipp, on Lumpy Skin Disease and other key biosecurity issues
- Herron Todd White’s Tim Lane
- RCS’s Terry McCosker on carbon
- Beef processing plant manager Wasa Mudannayake
- Head of asset performance for Macquarie Group’s MIRA Agriculture division, including Paraway Pastoral Co, Jock Whittle
- Veteran beef industry leader David Crombie
- Beef Central’s regular live export market commentator and columnist Dr Ross Ainsworth
- Cattle market wrap with TEM’s Matt Dalgleish and Stockco’s Chris Howie
- Australian meat Industry Council’s Patrick Hutchinson
- Agriculture Minister David Littleproud
- Council of Australia president Markus Rathsmann
- Patrick Warmoll, the boss of Jack’s Creek Wagyu
- Veteran pastoral company executive Roger Halliwell
- Retired non-packer beef exporter, Richard Rains
- Carbon trading expert Toby Grogan from Impact Agriculture
- Red Meat Advisory Council chair John McKillop
- Stud cattle showing identities Gary Noller and Rob Sinnamon
- Veteran Victorian cattle buyer David Ronalds
- Beef processing legend ACC’s David Foote
- Live export class action facilitator Tracey Hayes
- Signature Beef’s Blair Angus
- Consolidated Pastoral Co chief and Livecorp chairman Troy Setter
- Nutrition scientist and MLA board member Manny Noakes
- CCA independent northern and southern directors Alice Greenup and Olivia Lawson
- Australian Agricultural Co head Hugh Killen
- Sydney independent red meat retailer Stephen Kelly
- lotfeeder Charlie Mort
- Processor and supply chain manager, Terry Nolan
- Livestock transport operator Ross Fraser
- Organic supply chain manager Alister Ferguson
S3 Ep16: NSW beef producer and Cattle Australia director, George King
Thank you, Mr. King, for elaborating on certain political aspects when viewed through the lenses of people who on a daily basis manage the productivity of the land.
Whilst I register 100% agreement with the notion, that the onus rests on land-managers, to more effectively communicate to the community at large about practical realities that we learn about, I do not agree with your opening comments about you not being a scientist!
Progress in science builds on on new and/or contrarian theories that are supported by observation, logical hypothesis and theory, and replicable findings. (Not only on specialised credentials. – It may be worth noting that in nature specialisation often precedes extinction!)
Yes, we do need reductionist science and critical questioning to keep us honest, but let us also take more seriously the contributions of the many “free-range scientists” like yourself and so many other regenerative land-managers.
In matters as complex as ecology, it remains a fool’s errand to exclude skilled (and other) human inputs from any scientific analysis of the whole.
Carbon discussions will probably not dissipate that soon. Therefore, as free-range scientists, we might as well continue to tease out the science from the politics, compare notes and share ideas.
On the carbon-front, therefore please find here a link to a Northern Australian perspective:
https://www.kachana-station.com/we-have-a-broken-global-air-conditioner/
George King is a breath of fresh air.
It is imperative that our industry utilities George’s ‘knowledge and hands on’ approach to debate so many of our current challenges.
As governments and green groups ratchet up their ideology on climate, carbon, methane, land and livestock management, George is well credentialed to speak on our behalf.
How sad it is when common sense & reality is considered “contrarian” among the upper echelons of the beef industry, but I’m confident George King more accurately represents majority of producers.
THANKYOU, & ignore the bullies George, we are all behind you!
Brilliantly said and discussed George! I couldn’t agree more with what you say. What else is possible with all this?
Good interview both of you, George and Kerry. Intelligent debate is always refreshing. Best of luck on Cattle Australia, George. I hope you can do the job you nominated for, there, for the rest of us.
Dixie Nott
George ! Outstanding !!
And spot-on too.
I wish there’d been more of a focus on Carbon-in-Soil sequestration at depth, and the fact that Carbon is essential for all Fauna and Flora life on Earth; and we may need more of it !!
Regardless 👏👏👏👏
George King is doing us all a service with this podcast. He is spot on.