STARTING your career in agriculture, as the number three meat judge in the world is not just impressive, it’s inspiring.
For Crookwell’s Simon Kensit, it has kick-started his ambitions to be an important figure in Australia’s agriculture, namely marketing and trading then hopefully one day coming home to his family farm at “Moorabinda”, Narrawa.
Mr Kensit was part of the five-member elite Australian intercollegiate meat judging team chosen from a field of 120 agricultural and veterinary students that competed in the Australian competition last year.
Earlier this year they travelled to the U.S. winning the lamb judging and performed admirably in beef at the two competitions they entered.
The team won the lamb judging at both the Southwest Invitational and National Western competitions, as well, they placed in the top three in beef and pork categories and eventually came third overall at both competitions.
Mr Kensit, who finished his four-year Ag science degree at the end of 2015 through the University of Sydney, placed third in pork judging, third in total placings, third in total questions, second in beef judging and third individually overall.
During the four-week itinerary, Mr Kensit said as well as learning first hand about the American meat industry, he went through some pretty intense training.
Australian coach, Demi Lollback said the team was one of the most dedicated to success she has seen.
“They trained so hard, some days they would be training in chillers for up to eight hours, but the results paid off,” she said.
But Mr Kensit said it wasn’t just about the competitions, it was a huge learning curb on all aspects.
“We did a lot of training in abattoirs, but the main thing for me was to go there and get an understanding of the meat and livestock industry in America,” he said.
“That part of it is so important to us here in Australia.”
During the time the group visited other universities as well as ranches and America’s equivalent to CSIRO and MLA.
According to Mr Kensit the meat industry in America is vastly different to Australia with the typical meat producer running considerably smaller operations. The average herd size over there only 40 head per farmer.
“Ninety-eight per cent of their meat is grain finished so they send them all to feedlots,” he said.
“It’s then 120 days on feed and then they are killed.
“It’s a very different system to ours.”
He said grain and corn is in abundance for them, therefore it is a more economical way to fatten their livestock.
In Australia it is more efficient for us to grow them out on grass.
“That is why we have so much grass fed beef,” Mr Kensit said.
“But I think there is a big spot in Australia for feed-lotting for our high-end quality meat.
“I am very interested in the export sector and how Australia can sell premium beef.”
He said Australia is ahead when it comes to flexibility, safety, and hygiene.
“Generally we are so far ahead of other countries,” he said.
“Our food safety is incredible; we don’t have foot and mouth or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).
“In general we are more efficient overall, both in corporate and the smaller farmer.
“We have to be because labour is more expensive and we get less rain.
“All these things make us more efficient because we will fail if we are not.
“It’s out of necessity, not choice.”
In February Mr Kensit started his career with Australian Agriculture Company (AACo) undertaking a two-year contract graduate position.
Each four months he will move into different sections of the company.
At present he is in finance at the Brisbane office, but soon he will move to Canobie Station in central Queensland followed by a feedlot northwest of Brisbane.
“Being able to learn the hands-on skills as well as the business side of things as in running a station or managing a feedlot is a terrific opportunity,” Mr Kensit said.
“There are a lot of things in the big wide world I want to see and experience before hopefully one day, in the long term, settling down back at the family farm – I enjoy the life there.”
