BeefEx 2026 program revealed: Australia’s grain fed beef industry gathers on the Gold Coast
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
The feedlot industry's biggest ideas, boldest thinkers and most celebrated moments, all on the Gold Coast this September.
BeefEx 2026 Program Highlights
Su McCluskey putting the case for why agriculture must remain strong, trusted and future-ready in an era of geopolitical disruption and growing scrutiny of the food system.
Dr Kee Jim, Blackshirt Feeders, Nebraska, US shares insights from one of North America's most advanced 150,000-head feedlots.
Three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Glen Boss shares lessons on resilience, decision-making and backing yourself under pressure.
Futurist Anders Sörman-Nilsson leads a visionary look at the feedlot of 2040, bringing together industry experts and emerging technologies.
Australia's largest grain fed beef conference will bring more than 800 delegates, industry leaders and innovators to the Gold Coast this September as BeefEx 2026 unveils its biggest program and trade exhibition to date.
Proudly hosted by the Australian Lot Feeders' Association (ALFA), BeefEx 2026 arrives with a record trade exhibition, a heavyweight speaker lineup and a program that puts everything from global market forces to the feedlot of 2040 squarely in frame.
ALFA President Grant Garey says BeefEx 2026 arrives at a pivotal moment for the sector.
"BeefEx 2026 arrives at a genuinely exciting time for Australian grain fed beef. The sector continues to grow, with cattle turnoff rising 19% in the past year and in March 2026 representing 45.5% of Australia’s total turnoff. The world is watching and the questions that are arising around trust, technology, people and the future have never mattered more. This year's program reflects that.
We've brought together some of the sharpest minds from inside and outside the industry to challenge our thinking and back us to go further. I look forward to welcoming everyone to the Gold Coast this September."
The program opens on Wednesday with a striking session on people and purpose. Retired Australian Army Brigadier and defence academic Professor Ian Langford draws a powerful parallel between the culture of soldiers and the quiet commitment running through the feedlot workforce and what the wider world often fails to see behind the fence.
Food policy authority and former Special Representative for Australian Agriculture Su McCluskey follows, putting the case for why agriculture must remain strong, trusted and future-ready in an era of geopolitical disruption and growing scrutiny of the food system.
Session two zooms out to the big picture. Former ANZ Chief Economist Saul Eslake will unpack the latest Deloitte analysis of Australia's grain fed beef sector, examining capital flows, trade dynamics and political uncertainty shaping the industry's future. He will then hand over to MLA General Manager of International Markets Andrew Cox, ALFA CEO Christian Mulders and JBS Australia COO Brendan Tatt for a panel discussion on what these global forces mean for Australian feedlots and the question that matters most to everyone in the room: what does all of this actually mean for Australian feedlots?
One of the standout sessions of BeefEx 2026 takes delegates inside one of the boldest feedlot builds in North America. Dr Kee Jim, founding partner of Blackshirt Feeders, will reveal the design decisions, commercial logic and practical innovation behind a 150,000-head Nebraska facility using roller-compacted concrete and tighter systems to reduce footprint while lifting capacity.
Closer to home, Wagyu breeder and lot feeder Darren Hamblin will demonstrate how disruptive technology, including Wasserbauer Eco Shuttle Robots at his Struggle Downs feedlot on the Darling Downs, is driving growth and transformation when the data captured is put to optimal use.
Thursday's program opens with the Hon Christopher Pyne, Former Federal Minister exploring what cancel culture, public trust and political survival can teach any industry that knows what it's like to be watched, questioned and misunderstood. Managing Director of Australian Eggs Rowan McMonnies follows with a practical guide to navigating community pressure on intensification drawn from the egg industry's own experience.
The centrepiece of day two is a visionary session on the feedlot of 2040. Narrated by futurist Anders Sörman-Nilsson, the segment brings together scientists, lot feeders and industry experts to stitch together a picture of what the Australian beef feedlot could look like in 2040, from induction to exit and the consumer beyond.
The program closes with champion jockey Glen Boss - three-time Melbourne Cup winner aboard the legendary Makybe Diva - reflecting on the moments that define you, and what it really takes to back yourself when everything is on the line.
BeefEx 2026 will open its doors early on Tuesday afternoon with the biggest trade exhibition in the event's history, giving delegates maximum time to navigate the full lot feeding smorgasbord before the Performance Feeds Welcome Function at 5pm.
Tuesday also marks the launch of the Future Feeders Networking Function, hosted by the ALFA Future Feeders Network (FFN) and sponsored by Freemantle Feeds. Kicking off at 3.00pm in the Exhibition Hall, the session offers an interactive 90 minutes of VIP speakers and industry mentors, taking newcomers from bunks to boardwalks and providing a genuine opportunity to expand networks and rub shoulders with some of the industry's finest. Membership of FFN is not required to attend, and all are welcome.
The BeefEx Gala Dinner hosted by Coopers Animal Health on Wednesday evening will bring the industry together for an evening of celebration, including announcement of ALFA Award winners - Australian Feedlot of the Year, Young Lot Feeder of the Year and more - and the auction of the BeefEx Charity Bell in support of LifeFlight.
Early risers can join the ProTernative Morning Bunk Call along Broadbeach Boulevard at 6am on both Wednesday and Thursday mornings. The event wraps Thursday afternoon with Sundowner farewell drinks, courtesy of Roto-Mix.
Registrations are open now at beefex.com.au. ALFA members receive discounted conference registration rates, saving up to $440. Individual ALFA membership is available from $625 + GST.
This year for the first time there is an option for a BeefEx Pre-Conference Feedlot Tour which will depart from the Gold Coast on the evening of Thursday 17 September, returning in time for the conference opening on 22 September.
BeefEx 2026 is expected to bring together producers, lot feeders, processors, researchers, service providers and supply chain partners from across Australia and overseas to discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of grain fed beef.
Early bird registrations close August 15 2026. Further details available at 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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