This week’s Weekly Grill podcast focusses on the labour ‘drought’ sweeping Australian agriculture.

Host Kerry Lonergan has conversations with two ag recruitment specialists – one working at the executive/middle management level, and the other in general labour resourcing.

Tom Reardon

Tom Reardon is the co-founder and director of People Infrastructure and AWX – Partners in People, two leading labour hire and workforce management businesses providing a supply of contract staff, permanent recruitment and total workforce management. AWX has multiple businesses servicing meat processing, industrial and commercial sectors and other fields.

Mr Reardon says his businesses currently have 5000 job vacancies on their books – an all-time high. Retention is also an issue, with turnover up to 100pc annually in some jobs. Additionally, his company rents out up to 1500 houses every week across regional and rural Australia to accommodate personnel. They often have to be furnished and even provide transport.

Ray Johnson

At the higher end of the rural jobs market, Dr Ray Johnson has 33 years experience in the industry as managing director of executive and senior management recruiters, Agricultural Appointments.

His business is constantly on the lookout for talent and says there should be more farming skills taught in schools at the basic level to build a platform to work from.

Tax breaks for people working in regional and rural Australia was seen as one possible solution to the current labour vacuum in the bush.

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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