10 Jul Future meat industry professionals converge for ICMJ National Conference
One of the red meat industry’s most exciting annual events – the ICMJ National Conference and Competition – is taking place at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga this week, bringing together more than 150 aspiring meat industry professionals from universities around Australia,
Japan and the United States.
Over the five-day program, participants will soak up valuable knowledge, insights and connections to help kick-start their careers in the meat industry.
They’ll hear from industry leaders and ICMJ alumni including Australian Meat Processor Corporation interim CEO Edwina Toohey, Australian Meat Industry Council CEO Tim Ryan, and Meat and Livestock Australia managing director Michael Crowley.
They’ll also hear from early-career professionals like Thomas Foods International (TFI) Southern Livestock Manager Jack Thomas, who will share his insights into the challenges and opportunities of operating a goat abattoir near Bourke in outback New South Wales.
“There’s been a lot of work and investment into the Bourke community that we’re starting to see the benefits of and we’re now finding our feet,” Mr Thomas said.
TFI’s Bourke facility currently processes about 20,000 goats per week for export predominantly to the US and Mr Thomas said the company will continue to invest in the abattoir so it can operate to a standard that will allow access to other valuable markets such as China.
“Right now it’s mostly boxed bone-in goat cut six ways so there’s minimal value-adding on-site, but there is strong demand for it at a certain price level, ” Mr Thomas said.
“In the first 12 months of production we probably over supplied the US market a bit which caused meat sales prices to contract, but we’re now a major player in that market as well as slowly gaining access to other critical export markets in larger goat-eating countries.”
ICMJ President and University of New England meat science Professor Peter McGilchrist said it was exciting to feature goat more prominently in the ICMJ program as opportunities for improving goat meat quality in Australia continue to grow.
“ICMJ has recently added goat meat judging guidelines to its training resources and we will be holding a goat judging workshop for coaches this year as we work towards incorporating goat judging in our competitions in the coming years,” Professor McGilchrist said.
“ICMJ has an excellent reputation for exposing the next generation of meat industry professionals to cutting-edge innovations and industry insights and this year’s program will be no different.
“The ICMJ mission is to develop and inspire future meat industry professionals. It’s always exciting to see the level of enthusiasm among our participants about their future careers and the opportunities that await them,” he said.
“The advancements across the industry since the inception of ICMJ in 1990 have been impressive. However, there are still many areas where we can do better—these are the exciting opportunities where delegates can focus their energy and enthusiasm as they build their careers.”
The ICMJ National Conference program, hosted at Charles Sturt University’s Wagga Wagga campus will also feature presentations on genetics, sustainability, carcase utilisation and driving processing efficiencies through technology and innovation.
Charles Sturt AgriPark Executive Director Nick Pagett said the ICMJ National Conference was an important bridge between academic learning and industry realities.
“When companies step onto campus, they don’t just meet students – they ignite careers, foster
innovation, and strengthen the future of our agri-food ecosystem,” Mr Pagett said.
“Students at the ICMJ National Conference don’t just hear about innovation, they experience it firsthand. From our Feedlot of the Future to the state-of-the-art Food Technology Laboratory, these facilities are where cutting-edge research and hands-on learning converge to shape the next
generation of industry leaders.”
The ICMJ National Careers Expo will be held on Thursday evening, connecting participants with about 40 meat and livestock industry organisations and potential career opportunities.
One of the highlights of the conference is of course the Teys Australia ICMJ National Meat Judging Competition which begins today with the small-stock classes and concludes on Saturday with beef judging classes at the Teys Australia Wagga Wagga facility.
The TFI ICMJ National Gala Awards Dinner will be held at Wagga Wagga RSL Club on Saturday night, recognising this year’s top university meat judging talent and celebrating the Australian meat industry’s bright future.
The ICMJ National Conference is supported by foundational partners Meat and Livestock Australia and Australian Meat Processor Corporation.
It is also supported by a range of industry partners including Teys Australia, Australian Pork Limited, Thomas Foods International, JBS Australia, NH Foods, Australian Poll Dorset Association, Australian Meat Group, Fletcher International, Rimfire Resources, Angus Australia, Aus-Meat, Gundagai Meat Processors, SunPork Group, Harvey Beef, Australian Agricultural Company, Allflex, Bindaree Food Group and AgriTalent/AgriLabour Australia.