Humans of Agriculture

As fuel pressure builds across parts of regional Australia, we wanted to step into the conversation in a way that is clear, factual and useful. Not to add to panic, but to help our audience understand what is actually happening, what it means for agriculture, and what bigger questions this moment is exposing around resilience, preparedness and national priorities.
And when it comes to conversations like this, Andrew Henderson is one of our go-to voices.
Andrew is the founder and principal of AgSecure and has built his career working across biosecurity, national resilience and the vulnerabilities that sit inside the systems agriculture depends on. He brings a rare combination of strategic insight, practical understanding and calm analysis, which is exactly what a topic like this needs.
In this episode, Andrew helps unpack the current fuel challenge facing Australian agriculture and Australia more broadly. He explains how the fuel system works, why regional areas are feeling the pressure first, what the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act means, and why this is about much more than a temporary supply scare.
This is a conversation about fuel, but it is also a conversation about resilience, leadership and the reality of operating in a world that is becoming less stable, less predictable and more exposed to disruption.
In this episode, we cover:
Why the fuel challenge matters to Australian agriculture right now
Why Andrew Henderson was the right person to help unpack it
How Australia’s fuel system actually works
Why regional Australia feels these pressures first
What the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act means in practice
Why this moment is exposing bigger resilience gaps in the system
What farmers and agricultural businesses should be thinking about next

Rabobank Community Fund!
Applications for the 2026 Rabobank Community Fund close on 15 March.
If you’re part of a local group, community initiative, or organisation looking to make an impact, this could be the opportunity to bring your idea to life.
Learn more and apply via rabobank.com.au.

A short sharp and quick chat with the 2026 Zanda McDonald Award Winners.
2026 Winners:
Karn Dhaliwal (NZ): Founder and owner of Ohinewai Harvest Ltd and Dhaliwal Ag Ltd in Waikato, recognised for his entrepreneurial approach to horticulture.
Bryce Neyland (AU): A civil engineer for Select Harvests in New South Wales, focused on large-scale, transformative rural developments and almond orchard infrastructure.
Bryce Neyland, 35, from Gol Gol in New South Wales, is a civil engineer for Select Harvests, leading projects across their almond orchards and processing facility. Combining a farming background with strong engineering and project management expertise, he manages large scale, transformative rural developments.

Karn Dhaliwal, 32, from Te Hoe in Waikato, is the founder and owner of Ohinewai Harvest Ltd and Dhaliwal Ag Ltd. He has built a diverse horticultural and cropping business and is recognised for his entrepreneurial approach to growing, leadership within the vegetable industry and commitment to creating opportunities for the next generation in horticulture.
Zanda McDonald Award Chairman Shane McManaway said both winners demonstrated outstanding leadership and a strong vision for the future of the primary industries.

Rabobank Community Fund!
Applications for the 2026 Rabobank Community Fund close on 15 March.
If you’re part of a local group, community initiative, or organisation looking to make an impact, this could be the opportunity to bring your idea to life.
Learn more and apply via rabobank.com.au.

Johno Mackay grew up remote in the Northern Territory, shaped by hard work, risk-taking parents, and a deep love for the bush. In this conversation, Johno shares the path from School of the Air and station life to building a contract mustering and fencing business in Northern Australia, before an accident in his team pushed him into an entirely new chapter: ag tech.
What followed was the creation of JobSafe Pro, a practical safety and compliance platform designed to help agricultural businesses simplify paperwork, think more clearly about risk, and build stronger safety systems without adding more complexity.
This episode is about far more than an app. It is about backing yourself young, learning to lead, finding opportunity in tough moments, and recognising that agriculture today can open more doors than ever before. Johno also shares his belief in the value of the North, the importance of mentors, and why the people who get ahead are often the ones willing to work hard, show initiative, and keep having a crack.
It is a grounded and forward-looking conversation about agriculture, ambition, safety, and building something meaningful from the bush.
In this episode we cover
Growing up remote in the Northern Territory and the influence of family
Life after School of the Air and heading to Emerald Ag College
Starting a contract mustering business at 21
Building a life and business in Northern Australia
The opportunity that still exists for young people in the North
Lessons in work ethic, leadership and earning trust
A serious workplace accident and the reality of risk in agriculture
Why farm safety needs more attention across the sector
Turning a hard experience into the idea for JobSafe Pro
What Johno learned through Farmers2Founders
Building partnerships with AgForce and Elders
Bringing Patrick into the business after a life-changing accident
Why the future of agriculture will belong to people willing to learn, move and adapt

Rabobank Community Fund!
Applications for the 2026 Rabobank Community Fund close on 15 March.
If you’re part of a local group, community initiative, or organisation looking to make an impact, this could be the opportunity to bring your idea to life.
Learn more and apply via rabobank.com.au.

Australian agriculture runs on more than crops, livestock, and markets. It runs on people and communities.
In this episode, Skye Ward shares the story behind the Rabobank Community Fund, a program designed to invest directly into grassroots initiatives across rural and regional Australia.
Since launching in 2021, the fund has invested over $4 million into projects that strengthen leadership, improve wellbeing, and support the resilience of rural communities.
Skye also shares her personal story of growing up in the Monaro region, the experience of moving towns and building community as an adult, and why belonging remains one of the most powerful drivers of strong rural places.
From succession workshops and financial literacy programs to melanoma skin-check trucks and simple community events that bring people together, the fund supports practical initiatives that make a real difference on the ground

This conversation highlights why investing in people and community capability is just as important as investing in farms and businesses.
In this episode we explore
Why strong communities underpin successful agricultural regions
The thinking behind the Rabobank Community Fund
How grassroots funding creates real impact on the ground
Examples of initiatives supported across rural Australia
The role of leadership development and wellbeing programs
Why collaboration and community capability matter for agriculture’s future
Find out more & apply now!!
Applications for the 2026 Rabobank Community Fund close on 15 March.
If you’re part of a local group, community initiative, or organisation looking to make an impact, this could be the opportunity to bring your idea to life.
Learn more and apply via rabobank.com.au.

Rabobank Community Fund!
Applications for the 2026 Rabobank Community Fund close on 15 March.
If you’re part of a local group, community initiative, or organisation looking to make an impact, this could be the opportunity to bring your idea to life.
Learn more and apply via rabobank.com.au.

In this episode of Humans of Agriculture, we dive deep into the innovative world of AMPS Agribusiness. Join us as we sit down with Tony Lockrey, a seasoned agronomist and leader who has dedicated decades to the fields of Northern New South Wales. Tony takes us "under the hood" of AMPS's unique, grower-led model that fast-tracks agricultural research from institutions directly into the paddock.
We explore how AMPS has built a seamless ecosystem connecting research, agronomy, and commercial supply. Tony shares the fascinating story of Lancer wheat, a variety that became a regional powerhouse thanks to intensive, localised trials. Beyond the science, we discuss the evolving role of an agronomist, the importance of nurturing the next generation through a "job-first" education model, and the unparalleled value of a business owned and driven by the growers themselves.
Chapter Markings

[0:00] Introduction: AMPS Agribusiness and the Grower-Led Model.
[1:15] Tony Lockrey's Evolution: From Technical Specialist to People Leader.
[3:45] The Power of Relationships: When Customers Become Family and Shareholders.
[5:10] Research in the Ute: Bringing the Lab to the Paddock.
[7:20] Managing the Next Generation: Moving Out of the Way for Growth.
[9:05] The Lancer Story: How Localised Research Accelerates Variety Adoption.
[12:30] The "How-To" Grow Guide: Turning Data into Decisions in One Season.
[14:15] The Origins of AMPS: A Response to Declining Institutional Research.
[17:00] Commercial Synergy: Linking Supply, Procurement, and Paddock Outcomes.
[19:40] Scientific Rigour: 30,000 Plots a Year and Statistical Significance.
[22:15] Paddock Geography: Understanding Elevation, Frost, and Time of Sow.
[25:30] Developing the "Agronomy Eye": Training the Future of Ag.
[28:10] The Changing Face of Education: Work-First, Degree-Second.
[31:00] Building a Safe and Cohesive Team Culture.
[34:15] The Resilience of Australian Growers: Innovation Born of Necessity.
[37:00] Pride in Cohesion: Six Branches, One Mission.
[39:30] Upcoming Events: Winter Crop Reviews and Research Membership.

Rabobank Community Fund!
Applications for the 2026 Rabobank Community Fund close on 15 March.
If you’re part of a local group, community initiative, or organisation looking to make an impact, this could be the opportunity to bring your idea to life.
Learn more and apply via rabobank.com.au.