Welcome back team to another episode of Selling in the Paddock.

Today I’m joined by Michael Young, an agro-economist with Farm Optimization Group, beaming in all the way from Western Australia. Michael grew up on a mixed farm in the south-west, took a detour towards engineering, and eventually found his way back to agriculture through a simple but powerful question:

“Why are farmers doing what they’re doing – and could they do it better?”

In this conversation, we dig into the world of farm systems modelling, profit, risk and decision-making in real farm businesses.

We unpack:

• 🌾 Michael’s journey from farm kid to agro-economist and why he turned away from engineering

• 🧠 Why farmers make such different decisions with the same conditions (e.g. one goes all-in on wheat, the neighbour won’t touch it)

• 🖥️ What the Australian Farm Optimiser (AFO) model actually does – and how it helps test ideas on a computer before risking five years and big dollars in the paddock

• 🌦️ Farming under uncertainty – using modelling to adjust stocking rates, rotations and tactics when the season starts good… or turns bad

• 💰 Profit, risk and greenhouse gases – what happens when we start overlaying emissions on top of farm profitability

• 🧮 The real complexity behind “simple” questions like “What stocking rate should I run?”

• 🤝 Working with grower groups, government and researchers to crunch numbers and turn trial results into practical, on-farm decisions

• 🛠️ How Michael and his partner used the model on their own 100ha block to decide how much to crop, how much to keep in pasture, and how many sheep to run

• 🤖 Where AI fits now (coding support, machine learning on trial data) and where Michael thinks it might go in future for farm decisions

We also get to know Michael a bit more in the rapid fire:
☕ Hot chocolate over coffee
🎧 Red Hot Chili Peppers on repeat after reading Scar Tissue
🚜 Evenings spent farming rather than binging Netflix

If you’ve ever wondered how to put better numbers behind your gut feel, or how economists actually turn trial results into real-world decisions on mixed farms, this episode will give you a clear, practical window into that world.

Welcome back team to another episode of Selling in the Paddock.
Today I’m joined by the brilliant and refreshingly down-to-earth Dr Aurelie Quade, founder of Soil Resilience — a scientist who has built her career on helping farmers understand soil health without the complicated jargon.

Originally from France and now 19 years deep into Australian agriculture, Orélie blends plant pathology, soil science and human behaviour to help farmers make practical, profitable changes on-farm. And yes… we even talk about changing nappies — and how that unexpectedly became the perfect analogy for explaining the difference between sounding clever and actually getting the job done.

In this episode, we unpack:
🌱 Why soil health is more than a product list — and why most farms still don’t have a real plan
🌱 The shift from “fighting nature” to “working with it” in modern agriculture
🌱 The chaos of this new era in ag… and why it’s a good sign
🌱 Translating complex science into everyday farm language (without dumbing anything down)
🌱 Why resilience matters more than perfection — for soil and for people
🌱 Authenticity, strengths, and building a career that fits your natural wiring
🌱 Orélie’s journey from plant pathology to whole-farm diagnostics
🌱 Her rapid-fire favourites: coffee, music, knitting, and raising three kids

This conversation covers science, psychology, language, leadership, parenting, and the future of farming — all through the lens of someone who truly understands how to connect knowledge with real-world change.

A powerful, practical, heart-warming chat.
You’re going to love this one.

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with Bonnie Jupp from Regen WA — a passionate advocate for regenerative agriculture and natural capital. Based in Perth but deeply connected to her farming roots in Northampton, WA, Bonnie shares her story of how a love of nature, a family legacy of mixed farming, and a drive to make a difference led her to a career at the intersection of environment and agriculture.

Together, Georgia and Bonnie unpack:
🌱 The evolving meaning of regenerative agriculture — and how it’s about improving, not polarising.
🤝 Why listening and having “two ears and one mouth” might be the most underrated leadership skill in ag.
🫖 The power of a simple cup of tea in building trust, collaboration, and community in the paddock.
💰 The real-world funding and perception challenges in regen ag — and how WA farmers are leading change.
📊 How measuring natural capital is helping verify the impact of sustainable practices.
💬 Advice for emerging leaders on finding their voice, asking the “dumb” questions, and building genuine relationships.

From storytelling and soil health to collaboration and curiosity, this conversation highlights what happens when passion meets purpose in Australian agriculture.

🎧 Tune in to hear how Bonnie and the team at Regen WA are helping the industry move beyond buzzwords — one conversation (and one cuppa) at a time.

#SellingInThePaddock #RegenerativeAg #LeadershipInAg #WomenInAg #RegenWA #AgricultureAustralia