As first-generation farmers, this family says they started small and safe – but there’s nothing small about the big issues they’re addressing. Ethics, sustainability and regeneration underpin everything they do. To achieve that, they have a passion for First Nation’s knowledge combined with giving their animals the most natural life possible on a farm. To learn more about Echo Valley Farm, Randal Breen joins me now to discuss:

• Randal shares his favourite place on the farm.
• As a first-generation farmer, he explains why he chose this life — to care for the land while working it.
• Insight into the complexity of running a mixed farm — multi-species and cropping.
• A deep commitment to ethics, sustainability, and regenerative practices — including eliminating chemicals.
• Guided by the “4 Good Principles”: Good for the animal, Good for the land, Good for the farmer and, Good for you
• Incorporating First Nations knowledge and ancient land management techniques — and the results.
• What Randal loves most about life on the land.
• The value of intergenerational farming knowledge — and common misconceptions.
• Unplanned disruptions — the most unexpected part of the journey.
• Randal’s ultimate dream for the future.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

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Angie Asimus

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Echo Valley Farms

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Eggs - they’re an easy and usually affordable source of protein and nutrition. But walking through most Australian supermarkets lately, it’s clear cracks have appeared in the industry. So why is there an egg shortage and why when you do happen to find some are they so expensive? Egg farmer and sector advocate, Danyel Cucinotta from LT’s Egg Farm joins me now for the lowdown on avian influenza.

• We catch up with Danyel, who still finds the work on the farm deeply emotional but continues to love both the work and the land.
• As an egg farmer, she has experienced firsthand the significant challenges caused by bird flu.
• She explains how bird flu spreads and why geographical locations like Victoria are more at risk due to their position on a bird migration path.
• Free-range egg farms are more affected because they are exposed to wild bird droppings.
• While direct egg purchases from farmers may seem unaffected, supermarket supply chains are feeling the impact.
• She explains the EADRA Agreement (Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement) as a cost-sharing arrangement where government and livestock industries, like the egg sector, jointly fund responses to animal disease outbreaks, with industries paying back their share over time. At an industry level, farms are still paying off the cleanup from the 2019 outbreak.
• The situation is more complex than simple supply and demand due to the caged vs. free-range debate and government involvement.
• The root cause stems from the spread of bird flu and environmental exposure in high-risk zones, and she shares that it’s unclear when the situation will improve, as control and recovery take time.
• Danyel remains passionate about advocacy and is proud of her work on a caged egg farm.
• The most unexpected aspect has been that even the most biosecure farms have been affected.
• A common misconception is that it’s unsafe to eat bird products, though the chicken meat industry remains unaffected.
• She offers a parting piece of advice for people to best navigate this issue.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

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Angie Asimus

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LT’s Egg Farm

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Macadamia farming is their day job – saving Koalas is their passion. In a pocket of Northern NSW just west of Byron Bay, there is a healthy crop of trees producing delicious macadamia nuts on a commercial sale. But there’s another forest on the same farm – and there eucalyptus is king. And Koalas are loving it. The Viola family is part of a growing trend that’s seeing farmers dedicate some land to saving our adored marsupial. To learn more about the koala corridor Dale Viola joins me now to discuss:

• Dale’s favourite place on the macadamia farm and eucalyptus oasis.
• How and why this macadamia farm became a wildlife corridor.
• The farm is being run by her husband and brother-in-law, Ash, who is now 75 years old, and how this family farm came about.
• Using an unproductive area of the farm to create something truly worthwhile.
• Although the forest is in its infancy, koalas are flocking to this new habitat.
• Some of the health issues koalas have faced, and how this native regeneration — which has been commended by conservation groups like the WWF — is helping.
• There is a goal to double the number of koalas in eastern Australia by 2050. Since 2021, the WWF and Bangalow Koalas have planted more than 42,000 trees.
• Dale and her family have been very active in encouraging others to take up the initiative.
• The feedback — not just from conservationists, but also from other farmers.
• Dale is able to track koalas on her property, and by using tracking tags, is able to watch them move and thrive.
• The most rewarding part of this project for Dale is seeing individual koalas live beyond their current expected lifespan of five years, which is significantly shorter than their natural lifespan of up to 18 years.
• Common misconceptions about the koala and its habitat.
• Dale’s ultimate dream for the future.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram

Bangalow Koalas

WWF – Australian Koalas

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Siblings Erin and Josh Cranwell know a thing or two about Brussels Sprouts. Five generations of their family have produced them. But returning to the farm after high-school to take up a career in the business has surprised everyone, not least themselves. The brother and sister from Hay Valley and Lake Plains in South Australia, now live and breathe this superfood. Well aware of the bad reputation the humble sprout has attracted, they are passionate about educating consumers about their wonder crop. To learn more, Erin Cranwell from AE Cranwell and Sons join me now to discuss:

• Erin’s favourite place on the farm is standing in the Brussels Sprout field soaking up the view.
• After high school, Erin pursued her passion for her family farm.
• Both Erin and her brother Josh have continued to work on the family farm together, and she says, “It brings more satisfaction.”
• Erin and Josh are based at different farms, and Erin explains their different roles.
• Brussels sprouts often get a bad reputation, but Erin shares that they are becoming more popular.
• Brussels sprouts are not easy to grow and tend to be prone to pests and fungi.
• The industry is actually quite small, with only a handful of major growers.
• Over five generations, a lot has changed—Erin discusses what changes are coming in terms of sustainability.
• Innovation and reducing labour where possible have been key aspects for the farm.
• What Erin loves most about life on the land.
• The most unexpected thing to happen while working with Brussels sprouts.
• Erin shares a common misconception.
• The ultimate dream for the future.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

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Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram

Hay Valley Veg

Follow @hayvalleyveg on Social Media

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It’s one thing to love feeding people – it’s another entirely to care so much about what they eat, that you grow the produce yourself. Such was her passion for food, that’s exactly what the owner of beloved Thai restaurant Chat Thai has done. It’s changed the ethos of the business, which first opened in Sydney in 1989. Today, there are 5 eateries, and if you dine at one of those venues, you might be lucky enough to taste the gorgeous organic produce farmed in the Byron Bay hinterland. To learn more about her desire to feed her own family and her customers with food grown with care, Palisa Anderson of Boon Luck Farm joins me to discuss:

• Palisa shares her favourite spot on the 46 hectares she’s transformed into a fully productive farm.
• Her passion for growing food began back in her Sydney days—proof that anyone can find creative ways to connect with what they eat, no matter where they live.
• What started as a mission to feed her family, has turned into something much bigger.
• Palisa talks about what inspired her to join the family business, Chat Thai, which her mum founded in the late '80s.
• With five restaurants and a commitment to chemical-free produce, Palisa explains how sourcing specialist Asian ingredients led her to start her own market garden.
• She discusses growing traditional Asian vegetables alongside Australian natives—and why biodiversity is central to her philosophy.
• For Palisa, sourcing produce herself is about much more than convenience—she’s found deep meaning in the process.
• Palisa introduces us to the IGLOO—an incredible piece of growing technology on the farm.
• She shares what she loves most about growing her own food.
• Palisa reveals the most unexpected thing that’s happened since she joined the family business.
• She clears up one of the most common misconceptions about her work.
• And finally, Palisa shares her ultimate dream for the future.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus
Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

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Chat Thai

Connect with Chat Thai on Instagram


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There are few things more disappointing for a farmer than growing produce that can’t be sold because of aesthetic imperfections. Food waste is an issue that affects many primary producers, but with better technology and some entrepreneurial minds, that may all soon become very avoidable. Second Squeeze, as the name suggests is a business offering a second life to perfectly good food, that would otherwise be destined for landfill. To learn more co-founder, Brent Beauchamp joins me to discuss:

• Brent’s favourite Second Squeeze product that they have created so far.
• They turn perfectly good food, destined for landfill, into totally new products, including syrups and fruit flours.
• The promising partnerships with farmers to help find a home for so-called ugly fruits.
• Brent shares some exciting trials about to start with CSIRO.
• Solving fruit skin waste by creating products like Banana Syrup.
• Brent received a $50,000 grant and shares how they are using this money to support farmers by providing extra revenue that would otherwise have gone to waste.
• The feedback from some of the farmers and what Brent loves most about working directly with them.
• The relationship with OzHarvest and how they have worked together to solve waste issues.
• The demand and consumer feedback on these delicious and sustainable products.
• The challenges of creating a new type of sustainable product from food waste.
• The most unexpected thing to happen along the way.
• A common misconception about what they do.
• The ultimate dream for the future.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

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Second Squeeze

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Pickles and McDonalds are a long-standing partnership. But many of us may not have thought about how those perfect circles are grown, fermented, sliced and finally, served up on your burger. Incredibly, there is just one family responsible for all those Maccas pickles Australia-wide. The Parle Family has been producing pickles for the fast-food chain, on their farm in Griffith, NSW for more than 3 decades. Operations Manager, Ben Parle joins me now to tell the story of the famous Parle Pickle.

• Ben’s favourite place on the farm.
• Although the farm has been around for a long time now,
• Ben shares that his father and grandfather were originally wheat and rice farmers before branching out into growing gherkins.
• In the late 1980s, Ben’s father started growing gherkins, and Parle’s Pickles was born.
• Ben explains that a gherkin is an immature cucumber which, once fermented, becomes the famous pickle.
• Ben is the next generation of the business. He’s been involved since finishing high school and once doubted that he wanted to continue with the family legacy.
• A McDonald's contract has been a life-changing deal for the farm, where they eventually secured 100% of the production rights.
• Ben shares some stories about how they have maintained the McDonald’s contract.
• What it takes to create the perfect pickle slice and what happens to the pickles that fail the cut.
• Ben shares his perspective on people who remove pickles from their burgers and how this trend has shifted over time.
• What Ben loves most about working on the land.
• The most unexpected thing to happen running the pickle business.
• The misconception about being the sole supplier of pickles for McDonalds.
• The ultimate dream for the future of the Parle’s Pickle.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus
Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram
Partnered with Australian Farmers
Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram


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As a fifth-generation grain grower from north-east Victoria, James Russell has a lot of hands-on experience. Despite that, furthering his formal education has helped him take his farm and career to the next level. He’s recently finished a dual degree in agribusiness and farm management and also ventured into the corporate banking sector. As the worlds of farming and banking collide, James has plenty of insights. He uses his skills to advocate for other growers and to expand his own operation to include fascinating elements of seed production like seed cleaning . To learn more about his unconventional career path, James Russell from Lilliput Ag, joins us to discuss:

• James’ favourite place on the farm is the only hilltop on the property.
• His family has been in the business for a long time and he shares a little about his childhood growing up on the land.
• James’ dedication to the sector was recently recognised when he graduated from the Australian Grain Leaders Program.
• He completed dual degrees in Agribusiness and Farm Production, with the support of his family.
• How his education has helped him today, and the backing he needed to question the way things are done on the farm.
• James’ advocacy work for GrainGrowers, as well as being a member of the National Farmers Federation.
• The concept of seed cleaning, and how things have changed in the business over generations.
• How seed cleaning became an expansion of the original operation.
• Succession planning and the role James’ grandfather played in this area.
• James’ family farm is truly a mixed farming business.
• Their family shearing shed is close to town, meaning they have dealt with activists, and James’ response to these challenges.
• What James loves most about the land and this way of life.
• The biggest misconception about where our food and fibre come from.
• James’ ultimate dream for the future.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram

Connect with James on LinkedIn

Connect with James on Instagram

GrainGrowers

National Farmers Federation

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