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Australian Agriculture Recruitment
Australian Agriculture Recruitment
Who we are
Meridian Agriculture is one of Australia’s oldest and most experienced agricultural consulting firms with team members based across Victoria.
Meridian Agriculture works nationally to provide independent advice, services, and project management to producers, agribusinesses, service providers, governments and industry Research and Development Corporations.
Meridian Agriculture provides services in three distinct areas of expertise: Production, Profitability and People.
Meridian Recruitment is an extension of Meridian Agriculture, focusing on the People side of farming and for over 40 years, we’ve been providing agricultural recruitment services.
We also offer HR services, salary benchmarking, and tailored leadership development to support the people and culture on your farm.
Find our full range of services
here.
NEWS AND Insights
By Rosalie F
•
May 12, 2025
Gen Ag - Z The Australian agriculture workforce is aging, is experiencing a skills shortage, and attracting new talent to the sector is becoming increasingly difficult. Farms are now competing with other industries, particularly those offering high-paying, entry-level labour roles, such as the mining sector. With Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) now making up 25% of the working population, it raises the question, do young people want to have a career on farm? The question is no longer “Why don’t they want to work in ag?” it’s.. “Why haven’t we shown them what ag really is?” So what is driving young people and how can you get them to work for you? Let’s state the obvious real quick – the cost of living crisis . Yes, it affects everyone, but the way it is shaping Gen Z is changing a generation. Challenging housing prices and availability are on top of list of what young people face today. So, if a job came with accommodation that would be very desirable! Luckily the Ag sector can typically offer this as part of a well-rounded salary package. What else do they want? Work life balance, flexibility, top tier culture and inclusion. Gen Z are our most socially conscientious and self-aware generation. Let's shift the narrative. Working on farm isn’t just long hours and muddy boots anymore. It’s smart, sustainable, and full of purpose. Gen Z wants to work where their values line up with the mission. Top tips for attracting Gen Z Offer accommodation — and make sure it’s clean, private, and not a falling down shearers’ quarters from 1974! Give them a voice. Gen Z has grown up with collaboration, not command and control like our previous gens. They’ll engage more if they’re heard. Flexibility (where possible). Farm life doesn’t lend itself to remote work, but time in lieu, varied rosters, or long weekends after busy periods go a long way. Invest in culture. They’ll work hard, but not in a toxic environment. Respect, fairness, and good team vibes matter more than the brand of machinery aka Red vs Green! Be real. Gen Z has a nose for inauthenticity. If you say you care about sustainability, show it. If you say there’s career progression, back it up. Agriculture has what Gen Z wants, real impact, connection to land, and the kind of hands on, tech meets nature challenge that no desk job can match.
By Rosalie F
•
May 12, 2025
Where it all began - Mike Stephens & Associates Founded by Dr Mike Stephens AM in 1983, this wasn’t a shiny corporate consulting firm with a mission statement written by a board. This was personal. Mike built a practice that offered the kind of advice Australian agriculture didn’t even know it needed yet. Mike was the OG ag recruiter, long before SEEK ads and social media campaigns. Mike was doing it before it was cool. Enter Meridian Agriculture A new name and more consultants but still rooted in the same values. The business grew to support not just farmers, but the broader agribusiness sector. More services. More people. Slightly better stationery. Today, Meridian Agriculture still focus on the three key areas of farming business, Production, People, Profitability. And now? Meridian Recruitment Not a rebrand. Not a spin-off. Just a natural progression of what Mike had been doing since the days when resumes arrived by post and references were given over the kitchen table. It’s a long way from a one-man shop with a dream and a questionable ergonomic office chair, but the DNA is still there. Mike’s belief in people, planning, and practical support still shapes the way Meridian works today. So yes—Meridian Recruitment may look shiny and new. But really, it's vintage Mike (every great business starts with a person and a telephone). A word from Mike “We saw a need, a gap in the market, and set about learning how to meet that need and then met it.”
NEWS AND Insights
By Rosalie F
•
May 12, 2025
Gen Ag - Z The Australian agriculture workforce is aging, is experiencing a skills shortage, and attracting new talent to the sector is becoming increasingly difficult. Farms are now competing with other industries, particularly those offering high-paying, entry-level labour roles, such as the mining sector. With Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) now making up 25% of the working population, it raises the question, do young people want to have a career on farm? The question is no longer “Why don’t they want to work in ag?” it’s.. “Why haven’t we shown them what ag really is?” So what is driving young people and how can you get them to work for you? Let’s state the obvious real quick – the cost of living crisis . Yes, it affects everyone, but the way it is shaping Gen Z is changing a generation. Challenging housing prices and availability are on top of list of what young people face today. So, if a job came with accommodation that would be very desirable! Luckily the Ag sector can typically offer this as part of a well-rounded salary package. What else do they want? Work life balance, flexibility, top tier culture and inclusion. Gen Z are our most socially conscientious and self-aware generation. Let's shift the narrative. Working on farm isn’t just long hours and muddy boots anymore. It’s smart, sustainable, and full of purpose. Gen Z wants to work where their values line up with the mission. Top tips for attracting Gen Z Offer accommodation — and make sure it’s clean, private, and not a falling down shearers’ quarters from 1974! Give them a voice. Gen Z has grown up with collaboration, not command and control like our previous gens. They’ll engage more if they’re heard. Flexibility (where possible). Farm life doesn’t lend itself to remote work, but time in lieu, varied rosters, or long weekends after busy periods go a long way. Invest in culture. They’ll work hard, but not in a toxic environment. Respect, fairness, and good team vibes matter more than the brand of machinery aka Red vs Green! Be real. Gen Z has a nose for inauthenticity. If you say you care about sustainability, show it. If you say there’s career progression, back it up. Agriculture has what Gen Z wants, real impact, connection to land, and the kind of hands on, tech meets nature challenge that no desk job can match.
By Rosalie F
•
May 12, 2025
Where it all began - Mike Stephens & Associates Founded by Dr Mike Stephens AM in 1983, this wasn’t a shiny corporate consulting firm with a mission statement written by a board. This was personal. Mike built a practice that offered the kind of advice Australian agriculture didn’t even know it needed yet. Mike was the OG ag recruiter, long before SEEK ads and social media campaigns. Mike was doing it before it was cool. Enter Meridian Agriculture A new name and more consultants but still rooted in the same values. The business grew to support not just farmers, but the broader agribusiness sector. More services. More people. Slightly better stationery. Today, Meridian Agriculture still focus on the three key areas of farming business, Production, People, Profitability. And now? Meridian Recruitment Not a rebrand. Not a spin-off. Just a natural progression of what Mike had been doing since the days when resumes arrived by post and references were given over the kitchen table. It’s a long way from a one-man shop with a dream and a questionable ergonomic office chair, but the DNA is still there. Mike’s belief in people, planning, and practical support still shapes the way Meridian works today. So yes—Meridian Recruitment may look shiny and new. But really, it's vintage Mike (every great business starts with a person and a telephone). A word from Mike “We saw a need, a gap in the market, and set about learning how to meet that need and then met it.”
