1MG FlippingBooks
Meat judging moves online
Elizabeth Gracie
Australia’s Intercollegiate Meat Judging Association (ICMJ) has made the move into the digital realm in response to social distancing measures implemented by the federal government that have resulted in the cancellation of a variety of face to face events planned for the remainder of 2020.
Two conferences have been cancelled, along with its school programs, with more than 1000 set to miss out on the live events. The Rockhampton event was previously expected to attract 100 delegates, and the Wagga Wagga conference 220. Its school programs were expected to reach 600-800 between three schools across the country.
ICMJ president Dr Peter McGilchrist has stated that investigations into how the ICMJ can use the online space for meat science training and career networking in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic has begun. “With face to face events no longer possible, ICMJ is now preparing a program of activities to be delivered from digital platforms to ensure students and young industry professionals can continue to access training and networking opportunities”.
The ICMJ is also looking at how they can develop online learning materials that are aligned to their curricula. McGilhrist noted “whilst some of these ideas may not be feasible, it is important for the future of the meat industry that we leave no stone unturned in investigating options for building the knowledge and skills base of its future leaders”.
One option includes an online education program which would focus on the educators, and not individuals. This would cover teachers at schools, who could join in alongside tertiary-level students, and then pass that knowledge to their students.
Some of the biggest challenges that the ICMJ believes they will face correlate to the crowding of online learning spaces. But McGilchrist hopes that the ICMJ can offer a dynamic and new way to offer value to their audiences to spend time interacting with their group with a main objective that hopes to offer “knowledge, training and connection with industry as well as driving a connection with the Intercollegiate Meat Judging Association”.
Alongside an educational disruption, the research capacities of the ICMJ have also been badly affected by the COVID 19 pandemic in line with government regulated isolation policies. McGilchrist notes that “research has been put on the backburner to protect the safe production of our food and one of Australia’s most important industries”.
It is also crucial that the red meat industry is well prepared when the Australian economy speeds up and starts to enter recovery mode. “It was crucial for us to make the online move for tertiary students especially as many are only able to come to our conferences and events in their fourth year at university. To cancel these events could result in a whole cohort lost and the industry would suffer immensely from it” said McGhilchrist.
NEWS
Queensland-based Earthlife has spent nearly three decades helping farmers and gardeners unlock healthier soils. Their natural microbial–mineral blends support sustainable practices, improve yields, and build resilience against droughts, pests, and climate extremes.
With a family legacy of more than 100 years of growing sugarcane to draw on, fourth-generation producer Ben Nielson of JNL Farming Company Pty Ltd, in Far North Queensland’s Burdekin knows what it takes to get the best out of his crop.
2025 marks 50 years since TR70 model launched in 1975. Since this time, New Holland has led industry innovation in combine technology with: The first self-leveling cleaning system on a rotary combine in 2002 Breaking the 8-hour wheat harvest world record in 2014 The latest CR10 and CR11 twin rotor combines entering production in 2025
High-precision GNSS was too costly and complex but RTK GNSS innovations have made centimetre accuracy sustainable in Ag-Tech.
Created by a Queensland couple, Farmshare Agistment is a new Aussie-made website making it easier than ever for horse and cattle owners nationwide to find agistment.
Merlo Australia empowers modern agriculture with versatile telehandlers that boost efficiency, cut costs, and deliver long-term value, helping farmers streamline workflows and adapt to industry demands.
