Humans of Agriculture The 2024 wrap with James Wagstaff from The Weekly Times
James Wagstaff reflects on his 20-year career with The Weekly Times, one of the most consumed print news publications among ag folks. It can feel like print is in flux thanks to the shift to digital platforms and indie social media content creators. However, with a focus on quality over quantity, James shares the big stories that have shaped the agricultural space, his life as a journalist, and the readers who keep coming back for more.
In this episode, Oli sits down with James Wagstaff, the editor of The Weekly Times. They have a chat about James's experience covering big Aussie agriculture stories and discuss highlights from 2024's news scene. There has been some big news this year; Land ownership shake-ups, sustainability pushes, economic uncertainty, supermarket supply chain turmoil, and heartfelt stories of legacy and challenge. Finally, what does a year ahead look like with so many moving parts hitting the newswire?
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
- James Wagstaff looks back on his 20-year career with The Weekly Times.
- Hindsight on big Australian news stories such as 'Who owns Australia.'
- How print media is adapting to the digital age.
- Impacts of sustainability initiatives on agricultural families and operations.
- How infrastructure, Donald Trump's election, and trade with China may affect the Australian Agricultural landscape.
- Advice for the next generation interested in agriculture and journalism.
EvokeAG 2026:
I'm excited to be one of the MC's for evokeAG in 2026. This event is unlike any other in Aussie agriculture and brings together the brightest minds from across the AgriFood ecosystem focused on solutions to some of our planets biggest challenges. Get your tickets at evokeAG.com