Name Steve Dalton 
Twitter @SteveAgVantage
Age 41
Location Narrabri
What part(s) of the industry do you work in? Agricultural Commodity Marketing/Trading
Job title CEO of AgVantage
What does your company/ business do? AgVantage offers contracted and tailored procurement solutions to purchases of agricultural commodities.
In addition to procurement solutions, AgVantage offers consulting services to companies looking to improve their procurement strategies and relationship management with producers. Are your sales/procurement team delivering the results you want? Do they know how to? Does your company have a Relationship Management System?
Professional determination in providing a valued service to buyers and sellers of agricultural commodities through Knowledge, Integrity, Trust and attention to detail.
AgVantage Commodities is an agricultural cropping commodity procurement agent for a number of selected traders & consumers. We work closely with both Buyers & Producers of cotton, wheat, durum, barley, canola, chickpeas, faba beans, lupins, sorghum, corn & mungbeans.
We are not a ”grower broker” and are remunerated from the Buyer. We don’t send invoices to producers for commodity marketing services.
Unlike grower brokers, we work with a select group of traders and consumers to service their procurement needs. We build better long term relationships & differentiate ourselves from grower brokers with this business model. We take a hands on approach to contract execution and management adding value to our clients as opposed to a “all care & no responsibility” approach. We manage contract negotiation, management through to execution, transfers, signed paperwork and conflict resolution such as rejections, defaults and compliance. We reduce overheads for our clients and charge only for business booked and executed.
We add value to Buyer clients with little to no producer relationships or representation in regional areas. We add value to producers by offering a “one stop shop” for all their marketing needs whilst providing a professional service through local people.
AgVantage Commodities= One phone call, multiple Buyers and Sellers. It’s to your AgVantage.
Describe your job on the average day Following and researching commodity and financial markets. Speaking with buyers and growers whilst providing our opinions on prices and trends in the markets we deal. Negotiating purchase and sales contracts between buyers and growers. Managing these contracts through to execution.
How did you get involved with agriculture? My mum’s family are off the land at Come-By-Chance in North West NSW.
Education Bachelor of Agricultural Economics
If you studied/ trained in agriculture, why did you choose that degree/ certificate? I chose Agricultural Economics because I was interested in learning about risk management in agricultural commodities, along with the sales and marketing of these commodities.
What are/were you plans after school/TAFE/university? I wanted to be a builder. I first completed an apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery in Sydney.
Job history
- August 2008 – Present, CEO – AgVantage Commodities Pty Ltd
- 2006 – July 2008, Pulse Marketing Manager- ECOM Commodities Pty Ltd. Traded chickpeas, faba beans & lupins.
- 2004 – 2006, Priag Marketing – AWB, Macquarie Bank cotton agent. Procured all grains & cotton lint from producers
- September 2002 – September 2003, Grower Services- AWB Limited. Worked in, then managed a team of committed professionals assisting producers dealing with AWB products and services.
What are your interests? My Family, fishing, business, self development, and my business team
What is your favourite thing about the industry? The people
Best experience in agriculture? Starting my own agribusiness and growing the business with a great team of committed people.
Worst experience in agriculture? Droughts, and what this does to the people involved.
What do you think will be the biggest challenges of the agricultural industry in the future? Keeping property rights, including water entitlements. Breaking the barrier between the city and country to secure the investment required and the attention of governments.
Why do you think less people are becoming involved in agriculture? A lack of understanding of the opportunities. A global trend of people moving into cities. A disconnect between city and country resulting in a lack of services to attract people to regional areas.
What advice do you have for people thinking about getting into agriculture? Do your research. Speak to people already in the industry. Have a go because you don’t know what you are sacrificing by living in the city.
How important do you think an agricultural background is to become involved in the industry? Not important. Whilst it certainly does make the transition easier, it is not a critical factor. I was born and raised in Sydney. I did not move to the country until I was 25yrs.
What do you think is the most common misconception about agriculture? You have to be a farmer to be involved in the industry. This could not be further from the truth.
