Advancing Beef Leaders - ABL Foundation

11/06/2026

🎧 Have you listened yet? 'Life as a First Year on a Cattle Station'
The first episode out of the chutes for The Top Rail Podcast Australia is a ripper. In this down-to-earth conversation between host Bebe Manns and her former boss and mentor, Steve Cramer, Steve shares his rich memories of life as a ringer.

What comes through loud and clear from Steve is the value of a strong work ethic, and the humility to turn your hand to the tasks that really need doing. Having charted his own accomplished career in ag, Steve assures those new to station life that hard work never goes unnoticed, and that quiet achievers go far.

👏 This podcast is the outcome of one of the group projects undertaken by the 2025/26 cohort of the Advancing Beef Leaders Program. Bebe, together with alum Phillip Deane, Sam Morrison, Camille McClymont and Hugh Dawson, have poured their time into The Top Rail, and created a platform for open, honest conversations that develop, support, and unite the next generation of beef‑industry leaders. Together, they champion vulnerability, authenticity, and the journeys that shape people in agriculture.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/24ZXhtvDS3groQgeyKHOC6

Podcast · The Top Rail Podcast · Welcome to The Top Rail — a platform for open, honest conversations that develop, support, and unite the next generation of beef‑industry leaders. We champion vulnerability, authenticity, and the journeys that shape people in agriculture.

09/06/2026

👉 This is your reminder to grab your tickets for the Next-Gen Ag Forum 2026 in Townsville. Be part of the conversation about the future of northern agriculture.

👏 Hosted by the mega-talented ABL Program alum, Sam Fryer, you can guarantee this event will be packed with amazing stories and opportunities to connect.

🔎 Plus don't miss the chance to play a bit of ABL 'bingo' in this video, and keep an eye out for our EO, Alison Larard, and Chair, Don Heatley 😃

🌾 From Paddock to Port
📍 Quayside Terminal, Townsville
🗓 21 August 2026
Don't miss it.
🎟 https://nextgenag2026.eventsair.site/

05/06/2026

👏 That's a wrap! Our 2025/2026 cohort of the Advancing Beef Leaders Program graduated in Darwin this week. A sunset celebration and then an evening of marking the achievements of this remarkable bunch of leaders. Their promise and passion is inspirational, and we can't wait to see what the future holds!

04/06/2026

🐂Getting into the big leadership questions and industry challenges at Berrimah Export Yards, Darwin, NT, with experts Dr Ross Ainsworth (CEO, NT Buffalo Industry Council), Patrick Underwood (MD, Australian Cattle Enterprises) and our own Chair, Don Heatley.

Incredible insights into the nuances of our live export industry - from markets to culture to biosecurity, policy settings, technology and what the future holds.

Huge thanks to Patrick, Ross and Don and all supporting this visit.

03/06/2026

🌅 What a night!

Last night in Darwin, we celebrated the graduating 2025/2026 Advancing Beef Leaders Program cohort and welcomed the incoming 2026/2027 cohort to the ABL community. 🐂

Against a spectacular Top End sunset, participants, alumni, partners, supporters and the ABL team came together to connect, reflect and celebrate leadership across the beef industry.

Such a very special evening.

More to come soon!

We couldn’t be more proud of our growing family of beef industry leaders. 👏



Rabobank Australia Meat & Livestock Australia AgForce Queensland Queensland Agriculture FBA

03/06/2026

🌴It was a warm welcome to Darwin last night at the ABL Foundation meet & greet. The graduating 2025/2026 cohort and the brand new 2026/2027 cohort of the Advancing Beef Leaders Program got to know each other and rubbed shoulders with the ABL team and partners. Next stop: The graduation ceremony for the outgoing cohort, who have put in a power of work over the past 12 months. 👏

28/05/2026

🐂 We couldn’t be more proud of the 2025/2026 cohort of the Advancing Beef Leaders Program, who are nearing the end of a transformative 12-months. 🌟

This group’s hard work, curiosity, commitment and hunger to learn, grow and contribute has blown us away. It’s been amazing watching their confidence, connections and leadership capability develop along the way.

🚪 For many, this is the program that opens that first door and sets them on their way to make a real difference in their industry, business, and community. From here, the sky really is the limit. After this first step, many further opportunities beckon.

And something that they’ll take with them for the rest of the journey? This network of people that get it. People to share the load with; nut out challenges; and continue to connect with in the name of giving back and making a mark beyond themselves.

These 22 leaders will complete their final program component next week in Darwin, where we’ll come together for a graduation celebration AND to welcome our brand new 2026/2027 ABL cohort.

We cannot thank our sponsors, partners and supporters enough. Their ongoing investment in leadership development across the beef industry is what makes opportunities like this possible.

Please join us in cheering on this dedicated bunch as they near the finish line. 👏



Meat & Livestock Australia AgForce Queensland Queensland Agriculture FBA Rabobank Australia

26/05/2026

A great snapshot of producer Kammann Tahree, a member of our Advancing Beef Leaders Program 2026/2027 cohort.

This recent piece with its focus on weaners and feed quality gets into Kammann's experience as part of the managerial team at Hillside Station, Marble Bar, Pilbara, WA - an enterprise running 20,000 Droughtmaster cattle.

Tahree said one of the key operational lessons from the project was that maintaining strict consistency in treatment management was essential.

“Correct drafting, accurate pen allocation and ensuring uninterrupted access to hay, pellets and water made the data more meaningful,” she said.

Meat & Livestock Australia

Located east of Marble Bar, ‘Hillside Station’ spans 650,000 hectares of red sandy clay, loamy sands, spinifex, buffel grass and perennial river flats.