Episode Details

This is a special Humans of Agriculture “radio-style” episode recorded at CommBank’s Cultivate event in the Hunter Valley — bringing together voices from across the agricultural supply chain.

Across four mini-conversations, we unpack the key forces shaping modern agriculture:

•  Innovation and ag tech adoption 
•  Succession and family business transition 
•  Financial strategy and risk 
•  Market dynamics and global demand 

This episode captures the energy of the room — where farmers, advisors, innovators, and financiers are all working toward a stronger, more resilient industry.

👥 Featured Guests

• Roddy Brown (CommBank) — Why Cultivate exists and the importance of next-generation farmers 
• Bill Mitchell (Optiweigh) — Turning a farm frustration into a global ag tech business 
• Glenn Calder (Viridian Financial Group) — Practical realities of succession, structure, and long-term planning 
• Tash Greenwood (CommBank) — Supply chain insights and why there’s still strong optimism in agriculture 

🔑 Key Themes

•  Why bringing the right people together matters more than ever 
•  The shift from intuition to data-driven decision-making 
•  The reality of ag tech adoption — and why effort still matters 
•  Succession as the most important (and often avoided) conversation in farming 
•  Structuring farm businesses for long-term success and risk management 
•  The role of global markets and why demand for Australian agriculture remains strong 
•  The growing importance of communication, leadership, and people

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and context from CommBank Cultivate
02:10 Roddy Brown on why Cultivate exists and next generation focus
07:20 Innovation in agriculture and the role of technology
08:10 Bill Mitchell on building Optiweigh from a farm problem
12:30 Lessons in ag tech adoption and customer-driven insights
16:30 Why succession remains agriculture’s biggest challenge
17:40 Glenn Calder on structuring farm businesses and managing risk
20:40 Practical steps to start succession and investment conversations
23:00 Empowering teams and building scalable businesses
25:50 Tash Greenwood on supply chains and market confidence
28:00 Global demand, volatility, and optimism in agriculture
30:40 Reflections on community, collaboration, and the future of ag
32:30 Final takeaways from CommBank Cultivate