BeefEx 2026 kicks off on the Gold Coast with record attendance and trade show
BeefEx 2026 is officially underway at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, with attendance of 1,200 registered delegates, a 50 per cent increase on the previous record of 800 delegates set at BeefEx 2024, cementing this year's event as the biggest in the conference's 30-year history.
The biennial event, hosted by the Australian Lot Feeders' Association (ALFA), biggest BeefEx Trade Show in the event's history, with a record number of exhibitors filling the largest trade area the conference has ever accommodated, showcasing the latest in feedlot technology, genetics, animal health and equipment.
More than 24 hours of networking, industry celebration and big-picture thinking are already behind delegates as the conference program gets into full swing today.
This year's program also introduced the inaugural BeefEx Pre-Tour, giving delegates the opportunity to get out into the paddock and see grain fed beef operations firsthand ahead of the conference proper, a new addition designed to connect the conversations happening on the conference floor back to life on the ground in feedlots across the country. The new initiative was designed to connect the conversations happening on the conference floor with the people, practices and operations at the heart of the industry.
The event opened its doors on Tuesday afternoon with the inaugural Future Feeders Networking Function, a brand-new fixture on the BeefEx calendar. Hosted by the ALFA Future Feeders Network (FFN) and sponsored by Freemantle Feeds, the 90-minute session gave newcomers and ALFA alumni exclusive access to VIP speakers and industry mentors, kickstarting the conference experience for the next generation of lot feeders.
Delegates then had early access to the Trade Show, with doors opening ahead of schedule on Tuesday afternoon to accommodate the crowds keen to explore the record exhibitor line-up.
The evening capped off with the BeefEx Welcome Function, sponsored by GrainCorp Animal Nutrition, where delegates reconnected with old colleagues and met new faces, ahead of the introduction of this year's finalists for the ALFA Young Lot Feeder of the Year award.
This morning's proceedings began before the sun rose over Broadbeach, with early risers joining the Morning Bunk Call, brought to delegates by ProTernative and the team at Lallemand Animal Nutrition.
The BeefEx Trade Hall reopened at 8am, before the conference's official opening spectacular set the scene for what promises to be a landmark event. Horses were led into the venue as part of a striking entrance, paying tribute to the pen riders who work at the heart of Australia's feedlots, before renowned Australian poet Rupert McCall delivered a stirring original ode to pen riders, capturing the grit, care and quiet skill that underpins the day-to-day work of the industry.
ALFA President Grant Garey welcomed delegates to the main event, before the first session of the conference, "How people are everything," got underway.
Mr Garey said the opening 24 hours had set the tone for what is shaping up as the biggest and most ambitious BeefEx yet. "There's nowhere else in the country where you'll find this much energy, expertise and genuine passion for grain fed beef under one roof," Mr Garey said.
"Seeing the trade hall packed before we had even officially opened, and then watching our pen riders honoured this morning through Rupert's poem, reminded everyone in that room exactly why we do this. This industry is built on people, and BeefEx 2026 is proving that in every session so far."
Retired Australian Army Brigadier turned defence and security academic Professor Ian Langford opened proceedings with "Quiet strength: What feedlot people and soldiers have in common," drawing on decades of leading soldiers in demanding environments to explore the culture that holds strong under pressure – and the parallels he has found with the feedlot sector.
He was followed by Su McCluskey, Chair of the Crawford Fund for Food Security and a beef producer in her own right, who addressed "The food front line: agriculture, trust and Australia's resilience," examining what the sector must do to remain strong, trusted and future-ready.
That momentum carries through the rest of the program. BeefEx 2026 continues today with sessions examining the economics of grain fed beef, Australia's food supply chain resilience, and a panel on trade and geopolitics featuring leaders from MLA, ALFA and JBS leadership, before the presentation of the Zoetis Excellence in Feedlot Education Medal ahead of lunch. The afternoon turns to growth and innovation in feedlot design and technology, before the day closes with the Coopers Animal Health BeefEx Gala Dinner, where the Australian Feedlot of the Year and Young Lot Feeder of the Year awards will be presented.
BeefEx is Australia's flagship grain fed beef industry event, run by the Australian Lot Feeders' Association. Held every two years, the conference brings together the entire grain fed supply chain – from lot feeders and service providers to processors, exporters, researchers and government – for three days of learning, innovation and networking.
BeefEx 2026 runs from 22–24 September at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, with Meat & Livestock Australia as major conference partner. For more information, visit www.beefex.com.au.
ENDS.
Media Enquiries:
Grant Garey
ALFA President
(02) 9290 3700
Niamh Bartley
ALFA Marketing & Communications
0417 610 150
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