Explore Exciting Career Opportunities in Agriculture and Red Meat Industry

Latest listings on our AgJobs Central recruitment page:

• Livestock Pre-Export Quarantine / Feedlot Manager (SAILS)
• Landscape Program Assistant Manager (Livestock, Machinery & Conservation) (Forever Wild)
• Livestock Compliance & Operations Coordinator (Rimfire Resources client)
• Project Officer – Pest and Weeds – Queensland (Southern Gulf NRM)
• Assistant Manager – Family-Run Cattle Operation, Forbes NSW
• Environment Project Officer – Queensland (Southern Gulf NRM)
• Livestock Agent – WA (Delaney Livestock Services)
• Northern Sales Representative (StockLive)
• Trainee Feedlot Manager – NSW (Coonamble Feedlot)
• Agricultural Sales Assistant (Thompson Longhorn)
• Cattle Station Overseer WA (Maroonah Station)
• Marketing Coordinator – NSW (Angus Australia)
• Station Hand – New England Tablelands, NSW (Wilmott Cattle Co)
• Livestock Manager – Beef Breeding Operation – Heywood, Vic (DroverAg client)
• Markets Manager Coarse Grains (Grains Australia, via Rimfire Resources)
• Financial & Management Accountant (Grains Australia)
• Education Program Officer – Agriculture (ACC)
• General Manager – Muster Programs (AgSafe)
• Stewardship Field Officers – WA/Wagga (AgSafe)
• Assistant Farm Manager – Broadacre Operation – Yorke Peninsula, SA (DroverAg client)
• Livestock Overseer Mixed Livestock – Tumbarumba, NSW (MH Premium Farms)
• Farm Hand Mixed Livestock – Gundagai, NSW (MH Premium Farms)
• Station Hand (Machinery Focus) Wagyu Beef – Ebor, NSW (Wright Pastoral)

Click here to access these and other exciting positions in the meat and livestock supply chain currently listed on AgJobs Central.

The Inspiring Journey of Ben Mate

In another life, Ben Mate might have starred in Hollywood films or navigated the corridors of power. However, this aspiring actor and political science graduate found his true calling in an unexpected place – a beef processing plant.

“When I left school, I had absolutely no intention of working in the red meat industry,” Ben said. “I wanted to be an actor. That was the dream.”

After graduating from Ipswich Grammar School near Brisbane ten years ago, Ben auditioned for the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art and engaged in numerous theater productions and community events.

“After my brief acting career, I pursued a degree in Political Science at the University of Queensland, inspired by my great-great-uncle, Sir Arthur Fadden, who briefly served as Australia’s Prime Minister,” Ben reflected.

His journey took a significant turn when he took a casual summer job at Teys Australia’s Rockhampton beef processing plant. “I worked part-time while studying, and that experience eventually led to a full-time management trainee role,” he recalled. “That opportunity changed everything.”

A Broader Experience in the Industry

Over the years, Ben expanded his expertise across various operations within the plant, particularly in Quality Assurance, Plant Operations, and Workplace Health & Safety.

“I’ve learned from a talented team at Teys, and I’ve had the opportunity to manage teams focusing on quality assurance and compliance,” he shared.

Although it was not his intended path, Ben’s upbringing immersed him in discussions about the red meat industry, thanks to his father’s 30-year career in the field.

Ben’s involvement in the ICMJ Northern Conference renewed his passion for the industry, leading him to volunteer with the conference committee aimed at inspiring the next generation of professionals in red meat.

“Throughout my time in the industry, I’ve learned to seize every opportunity. Some of my most significant career steps came from simply saying yes,” he added. “Putting my hand up allowed me to grow in unexpected ways.”

Ben takes pride in his evolving career in the red meat sector, asserting that it is dynamic, challenging, and full of unexpected paths.

2026 ICMJ Northern Conference

Ben will share insights at the upcoming ICMJ Northern Conference in Rockhampton, scheduled from April 8-11, 2026. Registrations are now open and expected to sell out quickly.

For more details and to register, click here.