Month: May 2025

With the Labor government securing another term, agribusinesses across Australia are once again considering how federal policy decisions will shape operations, investment and growth. But amid the economic outlooks and supply chain forecasts, there’s one area of business that’s often overlooked yet crucial to future success – marketing.

From shifting climate policy to workforce reform, the actions of Labor will have a tangible impact on how agribusinesses position themselves, engage customers and future-proof their brands.

Here are the key areas where we expect change, and what that means for marketing strategy across the agricultural sector.

1. Climate policy and sustainability credentials will no longer be optional
   Labor’s continued commitment to net zero by 2050 and the Safeguard Mechanism reforms mean emission targets are front and centre, particularly for large-scale producers and processors. For agribusinesses, this creates both a pressure point and an opportunity.

Marketing implications

• Strong sustainability messaging will become a must-have, not a nice-to-have.
• Third-party certification, traceability systems,  and ESG reporting will become essential content pillars across brand, digital and investor communications.
• Businesses seen to be proactive, transparent and practical in their sustainability journey will gain brand trust – especially with retailers and export partners.

2. Skilled migration and workforce reform will reshape brand perception
   Labour shortages remain a pain point for Australian agriculture. Labor’s renewed push for regional workforce programs, skilled migration and tighter worker protections (via Fair Work reforms) puts the spotlight on how agribusinesses attract and retain people.

Marketing implications

• Employer branding will rise in importance – businesses must articulate why people should work for them.
• Transparency around pay, safety, training and working conditions will influence both candidate attraction and consumer trust.
• Authentic storytelling – particularly in social media content and video – will help demystify roles and regions, especially for international or urban audiences.

3. Regional infrastructure funding means more opportunity – but also more competition
   With billions allocated to regional transport, digital connectivity and energy projects, agribusinesses have new tools to scale, access markets faster and adopt new technologies. But with these advantages comes increased competition – especially in high-value export sectors like beef, grain and horticulture.

Marketing implications

• Brands will need to be razor-sharp in articulating their value proposition, particularly in competitive global markets.
• First movers in tech adoption (e.g. smart irrigation, autonomous equipment and carbon measurement tools) will benefit from being seen as leaders – so long as they communicate it clearly.
• Place-based branding (e.g. provenance, terroir and unique microclimates) will become more powerful as regional brands grow.

4. Biosecurity and food security are now public issues, not just farmgate ones
   Increased government focus on national biosecurity and food system resilience means consumers and policymakers are paying more attention to where food comes from and how it’s protected.

Marketing implications:

• Crisis communication plans and reputational risk strategies should be revisited and solidified.
• Education-led content – eg explaining what biosecurity protocols are and why they matter – will help businesses take control of their narrative.
• Opportunities exist for B2B partnerships that highlight supply-chain resilience as a selling point.

Final thought
A re-elected Labor government brings continuity in policy direction, but also an accelerated pace of change. For agribusinesses, the winners will be those who treat marketing not as a surface-level tactic, but as a strategic lever for trust, growth and talent.

At Sketch Corp, we help agribusinesses align brand, content and digital with the forces shaping agriculture’s future. Want to talk about how these shifts affect your brand? Let’s talk.

A cloudy day at Brisbane’s Portside was the setting for this year’s Meat Business Women – the national conference that brings together women from Australia’s thriving meat industry. 

Sketch Corp’s Ayla and Helen attended the one-day event, connecting with business leaders and hearing insights on topics spanning diverse subjects including the financial situation of the protein supply chain, recruitment challenges facing meat producers and the importance of diversity and inclusion throughout agribusiness.  With a busy agenda packed full of engaging speakers, here’s a selection of highlights from the day. 

Opening remarks – Hon Anthony Perrett MP, Minister for Primary Industries

Touching on the multiple significant weather events to recently impact the agriculture sector, Anthony Perrett spoke of the meat industry’s resilience and importance to Queensland – contributing billions of dollars each year to the state’s economy. “The meat industry is big business here in Queensland,” he said. “Our products are wholly sought after in global markets… Across the entire industry, the meat industry is the lifeblood of many areas.”

Meat Business Women update – Stacey McKenna, Australian Chair, Meat Business Women

Stacey McKenna gave an update on Meat Business Women’s growth, which reflects that of the wider meat industry. Meat Business Women itself has gone from having two corporate partners in 2024 to 18 today, and the Australian membership has grown from 30 Australian members to now more than 600 – part of a global network of 1900. The organisation has this year played an active role in the creation of the Food Business Charter – a global declaration that aims to achieve 40% female representation across the food sector by 2035. Profitability pressures, shifting consumer expectations and a struggle to attract talent are all significantly impacting the meat industry, and research shows businesses that include women are more enticing for potential employees – strengthening businesses for success. “Beyond the business case,” says McKenna, “inclusion is essential for our industry to remain relevant and sustainable into the future.”

Retail insights for 2025: A year of opportunity and challenges – Garth Francis, Analyst, MST Marquee

With retail spending currently up in 2025 but supermarket sales not yet ‘healthy’ when it comes to per-capita growth, Garth Francis shared the retail outlook for the year to come. In terms of the meat industry, he stated that the overall meat price inflation is slightly lower than general inflation. Australian beef meat exports are up by 16%, and the export market remains more lucrative than domestic for both sheep meat and beef. In terms of the overall outlook, Francis stated that protein producers will continue to experience higher operating costs, and competition in food markets will continue to broaden. 

Mentorship & #ThePowerOfUs: Driving gender inclusion – Georgie Chapman, HR Legal; Professor Paula Brough, Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing; Sarah Curran, Thomas Foods international 

This panel discussion was facilitated by conference MC Shelly Horton, and saw the three women share their experiences and research around diversity in the workplace. Highlighting the need for mentors at every stage of a woman’s career, they covered the impact of unconscious bias and stereotyping in terms of business roles, promotions and career advancement, and emphasised the critical importance of allyship. 

Managing workforce diversity & inclusion in the meat industry – Professor Paula Brough, Director of the Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing, Griffith University

Remaining on the subject of diversity and inclusion, Professor Brough presented her research on what that looks like in the present-day meat industry. Examining how meat processor employers can develop and implement inclusive workplace practices, Brough’s team interviewed workers and managers at meat processing sites throughout Australia, and performed a systemic review of inclusion best-practices from the global meat industry. Of the 37,000 employees in the Australian meat processing industry, only 28% are women, and just 2% identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. With a 62% staff turnover rate, recruitment and retention continues to be a serious issue for meat processors – something we’re witnessing across the board in agribusiness, and a pressing problem for the industry to solve. 

Overall, Meat Business Women was a fantastic chance to connect with the women shaping the meat industry, and an opportunity to examine where there’s still work to do – particularly in terms of diversity and inclusion. With recruitment challenges still a hot topic for every agribusiness, we’re more committed than ever to helping ag companies build their brands, boost their market share and attract the talent they need to thrive. If that sounds like something we could do for your agribusiness, let’s talk.