Around 160 students, educators and industry professionals from 10 universities gathered in Wagga Wagga from 30 June-4 July for the 2026 Intercollegiate Meat Judging (ICMJ) National Conference.
Throughout the week, participants from across Australia, Japan, and the United States took part in a program of meat judging competitions, industry presentations, networking opportunities and the Careers Expo, where 46 companies from across the supply chain connected with students to discuss career pathways and opportunities within the industry.
Our team attended the Careers Expo to connect with students, discuss career opportunities across our business and share insights into the vast range of roles available within the red meat industry, from livestock production and processing through to human resources, marketing, sales and finance.
Included in the conference welcome packs was a unique giveaway that highlighted an important and sometimes lesser acknowledged part of our business. Using beef tallow sourced from our Oakey processing facility, we produced tins of boot polish made with tallow, neatsfoot oil, beeswax and eucalyptus oil. The boot polish proved to be a popular conversation starter, showcasing the value of byproducts and demonstrating how every part of the animal is utilised.
We also sponsored the conference’s Wednesday evening dinner, where attendees enjoyed Daube de Macreuse (Provençal-style Braised Chuck) served with soft polenta and gremolata, featuring our Oakey Black Grainfed Beef. The recipe was created by our brand partner Chef Jason Roberts and prepared by Chef Amal and the team at the Wagga RSL.
Since its inception, ICMJ has become an important pathway for students pursuing careers across the red meat supply chain, combining technical knowledge with important industry engagement and professional networking. With Australia’s red meat processing industry contributing almost 190,000 jobs, competitors of programs such as ICMJ enter an industry offering vast career opportunities across production, processing, livestock, quality assurance, research, animal welfare, sustainability, human resources, marketing, finance and many other fields.
As a long time supporter of the program, we continue to value the opportunity ICMJ gives us to engage with emerging talent. We’re continually impressed by the calibre of students involved in the ICMJ program and look forward to following their careers as they become the next generation of leaders across the Australian red meat industry.
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