Host: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s Northern Beef Development project, funded by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program
Region: Kimberley and Pilbara regions, Western Australia
The Northern Beef Development project aims to support the northern beef industry to become more prosperous, resilient and sustainable to meet this growing demand for products.
It is part of the department’s integrated approach to building a stronger agriculture and food sector in WA’s north to support local job growth and regional economic prosperity.
Formerly known as Northern Beef Futures, the project was reviewed in 2017/2018 to place a stronger focus on initiatives that deliver the greatest return on investment, including innovative new crop trials, improving regional infrastructure, supporting practice change within industry, and policy development that will lead to improvements in productivity.
The review also resulted in a more targeted approach to capturing new international markets, integration with other department land, water and agriculture development projects and creating more strategic links to supply chains in WA southern regions.
The Northern Beef Development project has three key pillars:
The collective outcomes of these pillars will provide the building blocks for a stronger, more diverse and resilient beef industry in the north.
Project highlights
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Extension of the Business Improvement Grants (BIG) program allows 20 additional pastoralists access to business advice, mentoring support and business improvements to strengthen enterprise profitability. Read more about BIG Round Two.
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Field trials currently underway to breed a sterile leucaena variety as a high value food source to boost beef production and eliminate weed risk. Read more about the progress of these trials.
- A total of 48 pastoralists undertook projects funded through round one of the Business Improvement Grants program. Click here to see how these projects had a positive impact on farm operations and bottom line.
Manager, Trevor Price
Hi, I’m Trevor and I am the Manager of the Northern Beef Development project, based in Broome. I have a good understanding of cattle enterprises from all perspectives having initially attended a rural college, worked on cattle stations in the Northern Territory and, more recently, established my own cattle stud in New South Wales. I’ve met quite a few pastoralists in the area already from my previous travels as a seed stock producer and prior to that I spent 26 years in the military as a soldier and officer working in management and engineering which complements my animal science background.
Development Officer, Mariah Maughan
Hello I’m Mariah Maughan. I’m originally from the small town of Harvey in the south west of WA. After finishing school I moved to the Kimberley to work as a ringer on Liveringa Station where my passion for the northern beef industry began. Afterwards I went on to complete my Animal Science and Animal Health Degree at Murdoch University in Perth. I work as a Development Officer based out of Broome, and am excited about contributing to the growing industry in northern Australia.
Northern Beef Development Officer team: Development Officers Stephanie Coombes, Mariah Maughan and Clare Atkins, with project manager Trevor Price.
Farming in the rangelands
Host: Northern Beef Development project Written by Geoff Moore, Senior Research Officer, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Hi, my name is Geoff Moore and I am a part of the Mosaic Agriculture team within the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) Northern Beef Development (NBD) project. The team includes pasture agronomists […]
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What does a government officer do?
Host: Northern Beef Development project Written by Mariah Maughan, Development Officer, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development What does a government officer do? I get asked this question too many times to count, so I thought this is an opportunity to give an insight into the extension and development work I do that contributes […]
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Fundamentals or innovations – which way would you go?
Host: Northern Beef Development project Written by Mariah Maughan and Steph Coombes, Development Officers, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development If you had the chance to make a low-risk investment of $15,000 to improve your business, what would you spend it on? At first glance, many of us would consider that a simple question. […]
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Breeder cow mortality – why is it something to talk about?
Host: Northern Beef Development project Written by Mariah Maughan and Steph Coombes, Development Officers, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Most of the stories on Central Station are fairly light hearted, so perhaps the title of this blog may have raised a few eyebrows. “Mortality? Are they writing a blog about death?”, we hear […]
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The things a stockie sees
Host: Northern Beef Development project Written by Clare Atkins, Development Officer, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development In my time as a stock inspector, I have seen some incredible things and travelled a few miles! My name is Clare Atkins and up until a few weeks ago, I was one half of the Department […]
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A Market Analyst’s take on WA beef into Asia
Host: Northern Beef Futures Written by Sam Nevill – Market Analyst, Northern Beef Futures Project. Sam Nevill. My name is Sam Nevill and I’m a Market Analyst for the Department of Agriculture and Food’s Northern Beef Futures (NBF) project. My role is similar to Roger’s (see his blog from earlier this week) except Roger is focused […]
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Backgrounding beef – an analyst’s perspective
Host: Northern Beef Futures Written by Roger Verbrugge – Market Analyst, Northern Beef Futures Project. Department of Agriculture and Food market analyst Roger Verbrugge. My name is Roger Verbrugge and I work for the Department of Agriculture and Food as a Market Analyst for the Northern Beef Futures project. I previously worked as a corporate accountant […]
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Vet in the Spinifex
Host: Northern Beef Futures Written by Kevin Bell – Veterinarian, Northern Beef Futures Project. Kevin Bell at home in the cattle yards. My name is Kevin Bell. I’m a qualified veterinarian and I work for the Department of Agriculture and Food’s Northern Beef Futures (NBF) […]
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Intensive agriculture in an extensive production system
Host: Northern Beef Futures Written by Geoff Moore – Pasture Agronomist, Northern Beef Futures Project. DAFWA’s Geoff Moore and Carol Harris from NSW DPI with a new panic grass variety (Megamax 059) at Kilto Station. Hi, I am Geoff Moore, part of the Mosaic Agriculture team with the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia’s Northern […]
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Benefitting the northern beef industry
Host: Northern Beef Futures Written by Trevor Price – Productivity and Profitability Manager, Department of Agriculture and Food’s Northern Beef Futures Project Trevor Price. Hi, I’m Trevor Price and I am the Productivity and Profitability Manager for the Department of Agriculture and Food’s Northern Beef Futures project which supports the State’s northern beef industry to grow and develop. […]
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Finding new markets for WA beef and live cattle
Host: Northern Beef Futures Written by Northern Beef Futures Team – Department of Agriculture and Food, WA State Government. Today’s blog is all about our work to assist the northern beef industry to access multiple markets and create new supply chain options for WA beef and live cattle. The Department of Agriculture and Food’s (DAFWA) […]
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Building relationships for the north
Host: Northern Beef Futures Written by Northern Beef Futures Team – Department of Agriculture and Food, WA State Government. As part the Department of Agriculture and Food, WA’s (DAFWA) Northern Beef Futures (NBF) project we are working to support industry to facilitate trade and build relationships with importers of WA beef and cattle. One of the […]
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When North meets South
Host: Northern Beef Futures Written by Rebecca Butcher – Research Officer, DAFWA. Hello everyone in the Central Station community. I am very excited that the WA Department of Agriculture and Food is hosting Central Station this week. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the industry to get to know what the Northern Beef Futures project is […]
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Mosaic agriculture in the north
Host: Northern Beef Future Written by Tim Wiley – Mosaic Agriculture Development Officer, DAFWA. A shower of rain brings welcome relief from the January heat while seeding trials at Kilto. Hi, I am Tim Wiley, the Mosaic Agriculture Development Officer for the Department of Agriculture and Food’s (DAFWA) Northern Beef Futures (NBF) project based in […]
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Northern Beef Futures – what’s it all about?
Host: Northern Beef Futures Written by Northern Beef Futures Team – Department of Agriculture and Food, WA State Government. DAFWA’s Northern Beef Futures team. The Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) leads the Northern Beef Futures (NBF) project, funded by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program. NBF is an export supply chain focussed, market-driven […]
