From 22-24 September, the grain fed beef sector’s biggest event returns to the Gold Coast, and Optiweigh will be there as an exhibitor. Hosted by the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association (ALFA) and held every two years, it’s the flagship gathering for Australia’s grain fed beef industry. It brings together lot feeders, producers, processors and service providers for three days of ideas, connection and industry direction.
What’s on the program
- Economist Saul Eslake examines the latest Deloitte analysis on the rise of grain fed beef and what it means for feedlot investors and operators.
- Former Federal Minister the Hon Christopher Pyne draws on 26 years in Australian politics to talk trust, scrutiny and communicating when the pressure is on.
- Futurist Anders Sörman-Nilsson looks ahead to the “2040 feedlot,” bringing together scientists, lot feeders and industry experts to map what’s next.
- Dr Kee Jim, founding partner of Blackshirt Feeders, takes attendees inside one of North America’s boldest feedlot builds — a 200,000-head Nebraska project reimagining feedlot design.
- Queensland lot feeder Darren Hamblin shares the thinking behind Struggle Downs Feedlot’s move into automation and data-driven decision-making.
- Champion jockey Glen Boss, three-time Melbourne Cup winner, closes the conference reflecting on backing your own judgement when everything’s on the line.
Optiweigh on the trade floor
We’ll be exhibiting throughout BeefEx 2026, on hand to talk daily weight data (from backgrounding through to the feedlot) and what we’ve learnt from working from millions of real-time weight records.
BeefEx 2026, hosted by the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association (ALFA) 
Date: 22–24 September 2026 
Location: Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre 
Trade show hours: From 3.00pm Tuesday 22 September; 8.00am Wednesday 23 & Thursday 24 September