Humans of Agriculture

In this episode of Humans of Agriculture, Oli Le Lievre sits down with Julie Schofield, Executive Business Unit Leader of Private Business Services at Boyce, to unpack one of the biggest changes coming for employers in more than 30 years: Payday Super.

From 1 July 2026, businesses will be required to pay superannuation at the same time employees are paid, rather than monthly or quarterly. While it may sound like a simple administrative change, Julie explains why this shift will have major implications for cash flow, payroll systems, onboarding, and business operations across regional Australia.

Julie shares her own journey from growing up in Boorowa to building a career with Boyce, one of Australia’s largest rural accounting firms, and reflects on the importance of mentorship, leadership, and supporting regional businesses through change.

This conversation is practical, timely, and designed to help business owners, managers, and employers understand what Payday Super means and how to prepare before the legislation comes into effect.

Key insights from the conversation:
Payday super legislation coming in July 2026
Impact on business cash flow and compliance
Practical tips for businesses to prepare for new super payment rules

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to the Episode and Main Topic
01:07 Guest Introduction: Julie Schofield from Boyce
02:16 Julie’s Background and Career Path
04:00 Overview of Boyce and Its Regional Presence
06:12 Leadership Approach and Mentorship
08:17 Client Portfolio and Travel Routine
10:11 What is Payday Super and Why Now
11:48 Impacts of Payday Super on Employees and Employers
12:52 Practical Tips for Businesses to Prepare
13:55 Changes in Behaviour and Cash Flow Management
15:39 Data Verification and Compliance Measures
16:30 Penalties for Non-Compliance and Enforcement
17:02 Handling Super Payments for Different Pay Periods
18:03 Questions from the Audience and Surprising Insights
19:18 Tools and Software for Compliance
20:16 Closing Remarks and Future Outlook

In this episode of Humans of Agriculture, Oli Le Lievre shares a very different kind of conversation, part late-night reflection, part Instagram live announcement, as he opens up about a major shift happening at Humans of Agriculture.

Parlty recorded at 2am and continued via an Instagram Live, this episode captures a raw and honest moment behind the scenes at Humans of Agriculture. Oli takes listeners through the evolution of the business over the past seven years, the challenges of building a sustainable model through storytelling alone, and the decision to step fully into recruitment.
It’s a conversation about growth, discomfort, and backing a new direction, not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary.
This episode is about taking action, building something sustainable, and redefining how agriculture attracts its next generation of talent.
Key insights from the conversation:
Evolution of Humans of Agriculture into a recruitment platform
The importance of storytelling and community in agriculture
Strategies for attracting and showcasing talent in ag
The role of video content and social media in recruitment
Future vision for Humans of Agriculture and industry impact

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction: Oli's Wake-Up Call
00:29 The Business Evolution at Humans of Agriculture
01:26 Building a Stronger Foundation with New Team Members
02:19 Humans of Agriculture as a Recruitment Business
03:42 Sharing the Exciting New Chapter
04:12 The Sector's Opportunities and Challenges
05:08 The Next Evolution in Agriculture Storytelling
06:07 Why Recruitment Is the Future for Humans of Ag
07:35 The Power of Content and Community in Recruitment
09:01 Why Now Is the Right Time for Recruitment Focus
09:57 Using Video Content to Promote Jobs and Culture
11:25 The Impact of Authentic Content on Talent Attraction
13:21 Backing the Recruitment Strategy
14:16 Vision for the Next 10 Years in Agriculture
15:15 The Importance of Sharing Opportunities and Stories
16:13 Conclusion: Staying Committed to the Journey

In this episode of Humans of Agriculture, Oli Le Lievre sits down with Blair Davies, Assistant Commercial Manager at Zentera (formerly New Zealand Merino Company), for a conversation that spans five decades in the wool industry.

Blair’s story is one of deep industry knowledge, long-term commitment, and an enduring passion for natural fibre. From working in wool stores as a student to spending 23 years with the same company, he’s witnessed firsthand the evolution of wool, from manual classing to data-driven testing, and from local markets to global brand partnerships.
Recorded in the Christchurch wool stores, this episode explores how the industry has changed, what still matters when assessing a fleece, and why, despite disruption and competition from synthetics, wool continues to hold a powerful place in the future of textiles.
This conversation is about experience, perspective, and a lifelong belief in the value of wool.
Key insights from the conversation:
Blair Davies’ 50-year journey in the wool industry
What’s changed (and what hasn’t) in wool classing and fibre assessment
The evolution from visual appraisal to data-driven testing
Why natural fibres like wool are regaining consumer attention
The role of growers and ownership in shaping the industry
How Zentera is evolving into a global brand beyond New Zealand
Why relationships with growers remain at the heart of the business
Skills and pathways for young people entering the wool industry
Chapters:
00:00 Intro & Blair’s Journey
02:10 Early Days & Industry Evolution
05:54 Working with Growers
06:54 How to Assess a Fleece
08:29 Skills for the Next Generation
09:23 The Shift to Zentera & Future Vision

(Image: Supplied)
In this episode of Humans of Agriculture, Oli sits down with Sarah McDonald, Head of Sustainable Impact at Zentera (formerly New Zealand Merino) to unpack the reality behind sustainable wool.
Sarah sits at the intersection of growers and global brands, her role is to translate what’s happening on farm into credible, measurable data that brands can trust and consumers can believe. From regenerative frameworks and biodiversity metrics to digital traceability and global legislation, this conversation explores how wool is being repositioned in a rapidly evolving sustainability landscape.
Sarah unpacks the tensions between profitability and expectations, the challenge of comparing natural and synthetic fibres, and why clear communication across the value chain is more important than ever.

This is a deep look into the systems, science and strategy shaping the future of wool.

Key insights from the conversation
Why wool sits at the centre of a complex global system connecting growers brands and sustainability expectations across continents
What ZQ and ZQ+ actually measure on farm from biodiversity and soil health to credible market ready data
The balancing act between farmers and brands navigating productivity and rising sustainability demands
Why sustainability is really about risk driven by banks insurers and legislation more than consumers
The challenge of measuring impact in agriculture with seasonality and long timelines versus short term expectations
How technology is transforming traceability by tracking wool from farm to garment using digital systems
Natural versus synthetic fibres and why emissions accounting can disadvantage wool

Chapters:
00:00 Intro & episode overview
02:15 Sarah’s role & measuring on-farm sustainability
03:13 What Zentera (NZ Merino) does
04:18 Bridging farmers and global brands
05:07 Farm reality vs global expectations
07:21 Sustainability timelines: short vs long term
08:15 How sustainability is measured on farm
09:35 Global pressure, risk & regulation
12:16 Differences across NZ, AUS & South Africa
13:53 The challenge of data collection
15:17 Food vs fashion sustainability gap
17:42 Tech, traceability & supply chains
20:48 Natural vs synthetic fibres debate
23:25 Careers in sustainability & Sarah’s journey
29:51 Animal welfare, mulesing & industry pressure
36:43 Outro & closing remarks

The Tom & Mick show continues with a practical conversation on livestock trading, grazing systems, business resilience and long-term decision making.

Tom and Mick are joined by Nigel Kerin, CEO of Kerin Ag, to unpack how his business approaches livestock trading, forward contracts, pasture management, Wagyu, and the systems that drive profitability through both dry and strong seasons.

From the role of grass budgets and forward pricing to lessons from drought, inflation and on-farm technology, Nigel shares a grounded look at what it takes to build a resilient livestock business.

In this episode:
Nigel’s background and Kerin Ag
Central west NSW grazing business based south of Dubbo
Kerin Ag founded through succession in 2007
Built around Merinos, a newer Wagyu seedstock arm, and a growing trading enterprise
How the trading business works
Trading introduced as a pressure valve for seasonal variability and cashflow
Decisions driven by grass budgets, not headline market prices
Focus on securing the sell price first, then finding the buy
Forward contracts used to remove emotion and manage downside risk
Why relationships matter
The value of strong relationships with agents, commission buyers, financiers, processors and transporters
Creating win-win outcomes across the supply chain
Why trust and consistency matter when operating at speed in trading markets
The 2020 lamb trade
Locking in a $9/kg dressed weight JBS contract as drought broke
Contracting 15,800 lambs before owning any of them
How forward pricing protected the business when the spot market later fell sharply
A defining trade that helped get the business back in the black
Should every livestock producer trade?
Nigel’s view: absolutely not
Why trading needs systems, rules, finance and discipline
The danger of trading without forward pricing or without enough grass
Technology and grazing systems
Regular pasture analysis every 10–14 days in growing periods
Using OptiWeigh, soil moisture probes and grazing data to drive decisions
The emergence of a new grazing app Nigel describes as potentially “the auto-steer for grazing”
Why Kerin Ag moved into Wagyu
Return on grass as a major driver
Lower adult cow weight and efficiency compared with larger framed alternatives
Taking a long-game view on Wagyu economics rather than reacting to short-term cycles
Inflation and on-farm economics
Nigel’s estimate that on-farm inflation has run at 7.8% annually post-COVID
Why understanding business cost inflation is critical to decision making
The importance of introducing structural change in good times, not when under pressure
Key business lessons
Systems matter more than goals on their own
Feed efficiency and speed of turnover are central to profit
In agriculture, long-term averages matter more than short-term noise
“Don’t run out of grass” remains one of the core rules of a successful trading business

This episode is full of practical insight for livestock producers, graziers, advisors, seedstock operators and ag businesses thinking about risk, trading, pasture utilisation and long-term business performance. It’s a valuable conversation on how to build guardrails, use data well, and make better decisions through changing seasons and volatile conditions.