Red meat on menu at conference

It may have been a while in the making, but the date for the Gippsland Red Meat Conference is now just around the corner.

The conference program is full of uplifting and inspiring presenters and topics with a general theme of recovery and resilience, set for Tuesday, February 15.

GRMC event organiser Craig Bush of the Gippsland Agricultural Group said with a “ripping growing season” currently being experienced in Gippsland, it was timely that producers could meet and hear from leaders in their industry about unlocking the potential gains available to producers in the region.

“While it is uncertain times, and here in Gippsland we are not immune from that, there is a lot to celebrate, and this event will be the best place to do that,” Mr Bush said.

“After two postponements due to changing COVID regulations, it is now time to deliver the much-anticipated event.

“And don’t we all need a shot in the arm to help us through these challenging COVID times?

Some red meat facts to give us that shot, courtesy of one of the presenters, Rob Herrmann, of Mecardo Market Analysis, are:

The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (an indicator of market prices for young cattle) is at $11.69/kg, which is in the top 100 percentile, that is, it has never been higher.

The Light Lamb Indicator is at $8.93/kg, which is in the 99 percentile range (it has been higher for only one percent of the time since 2004).

The Mutton Indicator is at $6.33/kg, and is in the top 95 percentile (it has been higher for five per cent of the time since 2004).

Mr Bush said he had surveyed several Gippsland farmers on their impressions of the current seasonal conditions, and the results ranged between “unprecedented!” to “there is money in mud”, “the best we have ever seen” and “as good as 2007, or better”.

A gourmet paddock-to-plate dinner will be held after the conference.

The conference will be held on Tuesday, February 15, at the Riviera Convention Centre in Bairnsdale.

Tickets are available at: https://gippslandredmeat2021.eventbrite.com.au