29 October 2026. Shane McCarthy, AgForce General President.
Last week, more than 200 producers, industry leaders and stakeholders came together in Cloncurry for All About Beef 2026, and what a fantastic reminder it was of the strength of Queensland's cattle industry.
Hosted by the AgForce Cattle Board and Cattle Australia, the event was an opportunity to celebrate our industry, hear from experts and, importantly, have some good conversations about the challenges and opportunities ahead.
It's these conversations and the willingness of producers to share their experiences that make our industry stronger.
But while there is plenty to celebrate, recent reports of three-day sickness across Queensland are a timely reminder that biosecurity threats can quickly change the picture for producers.
Bovine ephemeral fever, commonly known as three-day sickness, is not new. However, the severity and unusual timing of recent cases have raised serious concerns, with some producers reporting significant losses.
We're hearing about cattle becoming seriously ill, including younger animals and cases occurring at a time of year when producers would not normally expect them.
It highlights how important it is that we continue to build our understanding of animal disease risks, including remapping the genome of the virus to ensure treatments remain effective, and ensure producers have access to timely, practical information to help them respond.
