Livestock in Australia: how farmers are meeting export demand down under

From the tropics of Far North Queensland, to the vast wheatbelt of Western Australia, the livestock industry has long been a cornerstone of Australia’s agricultural identity.

A resilient and strategic investment for Nutrien Ag Solutions Australia, despite recent supply chain disruptions, volatile markets and unpredictable weather, the proud sector has continued to meet global demand and be a lifeline for Australian farmers.

With livestock and livestock products responsible for 41% of Australian agriculture production in 2024-25 according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, the livestock sector is not only crucial to Australian farmers but critical to global food supply.

Australia’s livestock market: a global perspective

One of the world’s largest exporters of beef and sheep meat, supplying more than 100 countries, several global factors have stacked up for Australian producers over the years.

“Dry conditions and flock and herd decline in the US has presented opportunities for Australia to not only sell more red meat to the US but also competition in the global market has also declined,” said Nutrien Ag Solutions Insights Lead Ethan Woolley.

“Other factors like a growing global population and growing middle class incomes has also contributed to an increase in demand for higher quality protein.”

A business built on scale and people

Offering a range of services including marketing, stud stock, animal health and nutrition, the 560 employees that make up the Nutrien livestock team across Australia, have long been a proud and crucial part of the business.

For an industry that has historically ridden the highs and lows of agriculture, the livestock team has shown resilience and adaptability to keep saleyards moving and support producers through this time of high demand.

Nutrien Ag Solutions East Region Livestock Lead Adam Mountjoy said the team are working hard to meet market demand and try and achieve the best outcome for producers across the country.

“We are the largest agency network here in Australia, representing our growers and customers selling predominantly sheep and cattle every week of the year,” Adam Mountjoy said.

“From the eastern seaboard perspective, our team will sell around seven million sheep and three million cattle each year and in the west, we saw over five million sheep and 800,000 cattle sold through Nutrien in 2025.

“This scale not only gives us access to extensive networks and resources, but I think what truly sets us apart is our people who continually work hard to achieve the best result possible for their clients.”

To learn more about our livestock business in Australia, visit: https://www.nutrienagsolutions.com.au/livestock