The Milne Feeds team recently attended and sponsored the WA Lot Feeders Association’s Better Beef event, held over three days in Bunbury. With a strong lineup of presentations, it was no surprise to see great attendance from WA feedlotters and service providers. The main conference day took place at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre.
Standouts included Dr Fran Cowley from the University of New England, a researcher who has spent many years studying methane-reducing feed additives for the agricultural sector. Her work highlighted the need for continued research, particularly in evaluating how these proposed feed additives will deliver commercial returns. So far, studies using certain additives haven’t shown significant gains in production or efficiency.
On a different note, researchers have found that methane production varies between individual animals, and there is a heritable genetic link. This opens the door for producers to selectively breed lower methane-emitting animals. There’s hope this could eventually be developed into a breeding value that can be adopted industry-wide, helping to reduce methane emissions per animal year after year.
Attendees also heard from Bunbury Farmers Market CEO, Leith Johnston, who spoke about the remarkable growth of the business over the past 20 years. From humble beginnings as a backyard grocer to opening their first store in Bunbury, followed by a second in Vasse, the business has come a long way. With outside investment from the Hancock Group now backing future growth, the big question is: could a Perth store be on the map? Maybe.
Leith spoke about the importance of the relationships the Farmers Market maintains with its growers, noting that they still source apples from the same supplier they started with 20 years ago. He explained their commitment to buying the ‘whole of crop’ - something larger supermarkets often won’t do. They then value-add by sorting the apples into what can be sold in-store and what can’t. The unsellable fruit is used to make juice. It’s just one example of how they work closely with their suppliers to ensure both businesses are supported, helping to maintain long-term partnerships.
It was great to hear their commitment to having in-house butchers and offering apprenticeships through their stores. While many supermarkets are moving butchers from their meat sections, the Farmers Market is continuing to employ them, supporting both the trade and the delivery of quality meat.
Leith also spoke about their internal ‘handbook’ and the importance of having Critical Control Points across such a large business. Senior staff can walk through at any time to check key areas such as temperatures, grocery bag supply, cleanliness, and fridge stocking. These systems help ensure efficiency and consistency in the product, while also giving customers confidence in what to expect when visiting the store.
It was inspiring to hear Leith talk about the growth of the Bunbury Farmers Market and their ongoing commitment to growers, including beef producers.
Another standout speaker on the program was Grant Carey, General Manager of Feedlots at Teys Australia. With so many moving parts in a large feedlot business, Grant highlighted the need for a strong and well-structured approach. He spoke in detail about the company’s sustainability principles, from reducing their environmental footprint to prioritising animal welfare and investing in staff. It was a positive reflection on the future direction of the feedlot sector.
Also on the program were succession planning talks from Ag influencer Gillian Fennell and Intergo Private Wealth’s Bryn Evans. Succession planning is a challenge many agricultural businesses face, particularly as most are family owned and operating in a climate of increasingly high land values. It can be a difficult topic for many young family members working on farms to navigate.
Day one of the event wrapped up with dinner and a presentation from Spudshed’s Tony Galati and his son. They shared insights into their business journey, including plans for a seventh store in Bunbury. It was a great way to end the day with strong attendance, a delicious meal, and entertainment.
The final day of the event took attendees by bus to local meat processing facility V & V Walsh, where they toured the plant and attended a series of presentations. This included a talk from our own David Syme, who discussed the challenges of sourcing ration ingredients in an ever-changing environment.
The Milne Feeds team thoroughly enjoyed being part of WALFA’s Better Beef for 2025 and look forward to supporting the event again in the future.
For further information on any of our products, or to find out which feeding solution is right for your herd, get in touch with our Beef Sales Manager, Jonathan Langan on 0407 766 444.
