The 2025 ICMJ Northern Conference has attracted a record number of early career beef industry professionals and university students to Rockhampton for four days of intensive learning and development.
The annual event, hosted by CQUniversity and Teys Australia inspires and develops future leaders and professionals in the northern beef industry through its exciting program of workshops, speakers and activities.
The event culminates in the Teys Australia beef judging competition at their Lakes Creek processing facility where competitors will identify retail cuts and saleable items and evaluate beef cuts and carcases based on eating quality and yield attributes.
ICMJ Northern Conference Co-Chairs Laura Bignell and James Carter said the conference has become a key part of the northern beef industry calendar since it was first held in 2019.
“The ICMJ Northern Conference is much more than a meat judging competition,” Ms Bignell said.
“We’ve worked hard to build the event into one of the premier training and development programs for young people interested in diversifying their knowledge of beef production, meat science, consumer trends and/or a career in the beef industry.
“The program includes insights from industry leaders about innovation, sustainability, industry policy, consumer demands and future market directions.”
This year’s program includes beef producer Karen Penfold from Four Daughters Beef, based in south-west Queensland.
Karen, her husband Dan and their four daughters operate a beef business that trades, feeds and breeds up to 12,000 head of cattle across more than 40,000 hectares including two feedlots.
The family-owned enterprise produces almost three million kilograms of domestic MSA beef a year while successfully navigating industry challenges around processing, sustainability and succession planning.
Karen will share her family’s experience developing a branded beef product for export into China and how those relationships were maintained through the challenges of a global pandemic and political uncertainties.
From these challenges they diversified into a direct-to-consumer home delivery model with a signature pink beef box.
“We learnt that the consumer has a real desire to connect with where their food comes from, so social media and communication and has become key to our business,” Karen said.
“Another focus is sustainability in its many forms. We need to know our baseline and our numbers. Whether it’s our emissions intensity, financial position or our family relationships – sustainability is the ultimate goal for intergenerational business transition,” Karen said.
Other speakers on the first full day of the program include Midfield Group industry affairs manager Stacey McKenna who is also the chair of Meat Business Women and a board member of AMIC and AMPC.
She’ll be joined by Patrick Hutchinson, chair of the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework and Professor Louw Hoffman, meat scientist at QAAFI’s Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences.
AACo’s Regional Manager of Feedlot Operations, Simon Kensit and Bindaree Food Group operations manager Rebecca Kelson will also join the discussion, providing valuable insights into the operations of fully integrated beef businesses.
Hosted by CQUniversity and Teys Australia, the ICMJ Northern Conference is held from 9-12 April and includes professional development, workshops, presentations, the ever-popular carcase breakdown and of course, the meat judging competition.
Another key part of the program is the Advance Rockhampton Industry and Careers Expo, highlighting the career opportunities available at some of Australia’s major meat processing companies, several large vertically integrated beef supply chains, and a variety of industry service providers.
Mayor Tony Williams said Rockhampton Regional Council through Advance Rockhampton was proud to continue its long-running partnership with ICMJ.
“What better location to bring northern Australia’s cattle industry together, than right here in the Beef Capital of Australia,” Cr Williams said.
“This conference is also a chance for our team to demonstrate the capabilities and strengths of the Region as a food bowl and processing hub, to share ideas and continue to strengthen Rockhampton’s most iconic industry.
“Rockhampton is entering an exciting new agricultural era driven by new investments and increased water security. We welcome the chance to meet with any red meat professionals looking to establish themselves here in the Beef Capital.”
The conference concludes with the Teys Australia Gala Awards Dinner at the Great Western Hotel with a menu featuring Teys Australia’s grain-fed Riverine premium beef cheeks.
The 2025 ICMJ Northern Conference is possible thanks to the generous support of foundation partners Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC), and industry partners including Teys Australia, CQUniversity, JBS Australia, NH Foods, Beef Australia, Mort & Co, Rockhampton Regional Council, Australian Agricultural Company, AAM Investment Group, Signature Onfarm, Regional Livestock Exchanges, Australian Brahman Breeders Association, Greenleaf, Allflex and Australian Association of Animal Sciences.