October 2026
From artificial intelligence and virtual fencing to feeding economics and the future of Australia's beef industry, two major livestock events in Wagga Wagga last week put the opportunities and challenges facing producers firmly in the spotlight.
We joined producers, researchers and industry leaders at SALRC Livestock 2026 and Cattle Connect 2026, where a common thread emerged: innovation holds enormous potential, but its value ultimately comes down to how it supports better decisions on farm.
At SALRC, producers shared practical examples of using AI to improve feed budgeting, calculate margins and assess management options. Yet enthusiasm was balanced with healthy scepticism about real-world costs, data ownership and whether new technologies genuinely make farming easier or more profitable.
Cattle Connect broadened the discussion to the future of the beef industry, exploring productivity, emerging technologies, industry representation and the decisions needed to support long-term growth and resilience. Hosted by Charles Sturt University, the event also connected national industry conversations with agricultural research and innovation happening in the region.
These discussions closely reflect the Hub's own work. Through initiatives such as the Decision Points Drought Resilience Program, producers are accessing practical support for feed budgeting, containment feeding and managing seasonal risk.
As a Feed & Grazing Decision Session Partner and Future Voices in Livestock Scholarship partner at SALRC, the Hub also supported opportunities for knowledge sharing and the next generation of livestock industry leaders.
The takeaway from both events was clear: good technology can inform decisions, but practical knowledge, sound economics and producer experience remain essential to getting them right.
Nick Morgan, Rachel Johnson, Cindy Cassidy, Kylie Dunstan and Polly McDougall from Southern NSW Innovation Hub at Cattle Connect on 23 October 2026
