September 11, 2025 • 5 mins
Our Australian correspondent talks 9/11, record beef prices, caged eggs still on the menu, tough times for arable farmers and the Wallabies v Pumas.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Is there, Elsie correspondent. His name is Chris Russelly's been
doing the slot for more than thirty years and no doubt, Chris,
what is it now? Twenty four years ago we would
have talked in depth about nine to eleven of course
American time today. Where were you? What were you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Well? I remember very well Jill and I had just
been to a big conference in Canberra brother Crawford Society,
and we came home from their big glar dinner about
eleven o'clock at night too back to the hotel in
Queenbyan walked in the door turn the TV on while
we were sort of just getting changed and so on,
and I saw this happening on the TV screen and
(00:39):
I thought it looked just like a movie set, and
I thought, well, I haven't seen that movie. What's this movie?
Realizing that it wasn't. And the next thing, the managers
at my door saying that the neighboring rooms had asked
me to turn the TV down because it was they
it was the middle of the night and they were
wanting to get to sleep, And I said, you better
tell them to get up and watch this, because I
think the world's just.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Change and it has changed definitely for the worst. Chris A.
Something that is changing for the better if you're a
beef farmer is the price of beef At the moment.
You've got on Australia a wag you heifer selling for
three hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, this is the third biggest. That's a massive amount
of money for heifer. Of course it's all going to
be used for embryos, but that's a massive amount of money.
It's the third most expensive beast or bovine sold in Australia.
There was a wag you heifer the sold a few
years ago for four hundred thousand, and Angus bull sold
in twenty twenty three for three hundred and sixty thousand.
(01:37):
But these are big moneys, and of course it's it's
the embryo and the AI market which is driving it.
But if you actually look at totally what's happening with angus,
particularly angus feed stear is now fetching five dollars fifty
akilo live weight in Victoria and they're saying that's likely
to be up to seven dollars fifty akilo live weight.
(01:58):
We're talking in Victoria next year. It wasn't you know,
that was a good price for the carcass weight not
too many years ago, Jamie. And we're shifting, of course,
massive amounts of beef overseas. That's making the difference. We're
sending four hundred and fifty one thousand tons over to
the US and China's taking two hundred thousand tons. You know,
(02:20):
it's all it's all massive demand that's driving all this.
So you can see why so many people are selling
up and why the beef herd is. On one hand,
they're trying to grow out. On the other hand, they
can't resist the money they're getting at the moment.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Well, you can't beat steak, eggs and chips. Talking about eggs,
caged eggs are still on the.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Menu, yes, Well, Cole's had originally said that they were
going to abandon their caged eggs by next year, but
they've decided that because of the supplied disruptions after we've
had all those bird flu quarantine wipeouts of big farms
down in Victoria, and also the costs of living, the
fact that these non caged eggs are much more expensive
(03:00):
to bay still by caged eggs in the supermarket here
for around four dollars fifty four dollars sixty a dozen,
whereas you're going to be paying for anything that's free, free,
free range eggs or barn laid eggs, you're going to
be probably over the six dollar mark. So in all
those interests, they decide to continue using and selling cage
(03:22):
eggs through to twenty thirty. Of course, these cages are
changing all the time. They're bigger now and so they
are different cages. But nonetheless, I'm sure a lot of
the animal welfare groups will be unhappy with that, but
I think the realistic situation is that coals need to
do that just to keep the cost of living down
a bit.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Chris, very similar to our arable farmers in this country.
Your guys, your cropping farmers are facing tough times.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah, well, they're facing good times in terms of the season.
They're talking about a fifty five million ton total crop
this year, which you know, which is pretty that's a
that's I think about the third highest crop for some time.
But the week prices are falling like a stone. They're
down to three hundred and fourteen dollars a ton this
(04:07):
week and an now down to the pre COVID laws
almost of twenty twenty. So this is a big problem
because they're saying that three hundred and fourteen dollars a
ton is below their cost of production and they just
can't carry on. Obviously, the cost of production are getting
up all the time with fertilizer cost fuel costs. I'm
sure you got exactly the same. Barley Canola prices are
(04:30):
also falling, and even crop chickpea prices even though the
Indians have now opened up their market again to putting
chickpeas in and there's been a huge acreage planting the
chick keys, particularly in northern New South Wales, but those
prices are also falling down at the moment. So it's
it's you know, either're damned if you do and damned
(04:50):
if you don't. But I suppose there's more money in
having crop to sell, but you've got to make money
out of it as well.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
I know in a pass life you were a member
of the a Sydney Olympic Stadium used to go along
to all the tests. In fact, you and I went
along to one. I think you buggers might have won
to Chris and the Bledderslow. Are you going along on Saturday.
Is it Saturday? Are you're playing Argentina?
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Now I'm sadly I am not going along, but we
certainly glued to the TV watching It should be a
good game, I tell you what. All the interests coming
on the Bledisloe Cup this year though, Jamie, I mean,
we got the job ahead of it. We've got to
win twice, but nonetheless we've certainly got a side, and
I think everyone is looking forward to that. So this
(05:33):
will be another prelude. A good game last week and
I think another good game I think coming up this weekend.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Great finish last weekend. Indeed, it's very exciting the Rugby Championship.
Really looking forward to it. Okay, Chris, we'll catch you
next week. And I've run out of time. I want
to talk to what talk about what Elon Musk is
doing to make phone coverage universal and the Aussie outback.
That's something for next week.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
See you then, No worries
Is there, Elsie correspondent. His name is Chris Russelly's been
doing the slot for more than thirty years and no doubt, Chris,
what is it now? Twenty four years ago we would
have talked in depth about nine to eleven of course
American time today. Where were you? What were you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Well? I remember very well Jill and I had just
been to a big conference in Canberra brother Crawford Society,
and we came home from their big glar dinner about
eleven o'clock at night too back to the hotel in
Queenbyan walked in the door turn the TV on while
we were sort of just getting changed and so on,
and I saw this happening on the TV screen and
(00:39):
I thought it looked just like a movie set, and
I thought, well, I haven't seen that movie. What's this movie?
Realizing that it wasn't. And the next thing, the managers
at my door saying that the neighboring rooms had asked
me to turn the TV down because it was they
it was the middle of the night and they were
wanting to get to sleep, And I said, you better
tell them to get up and watch this, because I
think the world's just.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Change and it has changed definitely for the worst. Chris A.
Something that is changing for the better if you're a
beef farmer is the price of beef At the moment.
You've got on Australia a wag you heifer selling for
three hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, this is the third biggest. That's a massive amount
of money for heifer. Of course it's all going to
be used for embryos, but that's a massive amount of money.
It's the third most expensive beast or bovine sold in Australia.
There was a wag you heifer the sold a few
years ago for four hundred thousand, and Angus bull sold
in twenty twenty three for three hundred and sixty thousand.
(01:37):
But these are big moneys, and of course it's it's
the embryo and the AI market which is driving it.
But if you actually look at totally what's happening with angus,
particularly angus feed stear is now fetching five dollars fifty
akilo live weight in Victoria and they're saying that's likely
to be up to seven dollars fifty akilo live weight.
(01:58):
We're talking in Victoria next year. It wasn't you know,
that was a good price for the carcass weight not
too many years ago, Jamie. And we're shifting, of course,
massive amounts of beef overseas. That's making the difference. We're
sending four hundred and fifty one thousand tons over to
the US and China's taking two hundred thousand tons. You know,
(02:20):
it's all it's all massive demand that's driving all this.
So you can see why so many people are selling
up and why the beef herd is. On one hand,
they're trying to grow out. On the other hand, they
can't resist the money they're getting at the moment.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Well, you can't beat steak, eggs and chips. Talking about eggs,
caged eggs are still on the.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Menu, yes, Well, Cole's had originally said that they were
going to abandon their caged eggs by next year, but
they've decided that because of the supplied disruptions after we've
had all those bird flu quarantine wipeouts of big farms
down in Victoria, and also the costs of living, the
fact that these non caged eggs are much more expensive
(03:00):
to bay still by caged eggs in the supermarket here
for around four dollars fifty four dollars sixty a dozen,
whereas you're going to be paying for anything that's free, free,
free range eggs or barn laid eggs, you're going to
be probably over the six dollar mark. So in all
those interests, they decide to continue using and selling cage
(03:22):
eggs through to twenty thirty. Of course, these cages are
changing all the time. They're bigger now and so they
are different cages. But nonetheless, I'm sure a lot of
the animal welfare groups will be unhappy with that, but
I think the realistic situation is that coals need to
do that just to keep the cost of living down
a bit.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Chris, very similar to our arable farmers in this country.
Your guys, your cropping farmers are facing tough times.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah, well, they're facing good times in terms of the season.
They're talking about a fifty five million ton total crop
this year, which you know, which is pretty that's a
that's I think about the third highest crop for some time.
But the week prices are falling like a stone. They're
down to three hundred and fourteen dollars a ton this
(04:07):
week and an now down to the pre COVID laws
almost of twenty twenty. So this is a big problem
because they're saying that three hundred and fourteen dollars a
ton is below their cost of production and they just
can't carry on. Obviously, the cost of production are getting
up all the time with fertilizer cost fuel costs. I'm
sure you got exactly the same. Barley Canola prices are
(04:30):
also falling, and even crop chickpea prices even though the
Indians have now opened up their market again to putting
chickpeas in and there's been a huge acreage planting the
chick keys, particularly in northern New South Wales, but those
prices are also falling down at the moment. So it's
it's you know, either're damned if you do and damned
(04:50):
if you don't. But I suppose there's more money in
having crop to sell, but you've got to make money
out of it as well.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
I know in a pass life you were a member
of the a Sydney Olympic Stadium used to go along
to all the tests. In fact, you and I went
along to one. I think you buggers might have won
to Chris and the Bledderslow. Are you going along on Saturday.
Is it Saturday? Are you're playing Argentina?
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Now I'm sadly I am not going along, but we
certainly glued to the TV watching It should be a
good game, I tell you what. All the interests coming
on the Bledisloe Cup this year though, Jamie, I mean,
we got the job ahead of it. We've got to
win twice, but nonetheless we've certainly got a side, and
I think everyone is looking forward to that. So this
(05:33):
will be another prelude. A good game last week and
I think another good game I think coming up this weekend.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Great finish last weekend. Indeed, it's very exciting the Rugby Championship.
Really looking forward to it. Okay, Chris, we'll catch you
next week. And I've run out of time. I want
to talk to what talk about what Elon Musk is
doing to make phone coverage universal and the Aussie outback.
That's something for next week.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
See you then, No worries
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