The 2026 NTCA Conference is a celebration of the Northern Territory beef industry, our people, our landscapes, and our cattle. Few industries carry such weight in shaping the Territory’s identity, prosperity, and connection to the world. Beef is the Territory’s backbone industry: the largest private landholder, a cornerstone employer, and a sector contributing well over A$1 billion in production value each year. Beyond the numbers, it is the lifeblood of regional communities, the anchor of family enterprises, and the quiet force that sustains the Territory’s economic pulse.

And its reach extends far beyond our borders. Territory cattle shape menus in Jakarta and feedlots in Vietnam; they appear as premium cuts on global dining tables, as trusted protein in regional supply chains, and as everyday meals for Australian families at home. They carry with them the image of wide-open spaces, ingenuity under pressure, and a resilience that has come to define us in the national imagination. The rhythms of the cattle industry are the rhythms of the Territory itself, from the dust of stock camps to the rigour of boardrooms, from the heritage of family stations to global trade halls. When we talk about who we are, and where we are headed, the beef industry is always at the center of that story.

 “Better on Beef” captures this truth. It speaks to the grit and expertise of our producers, honed through generations of experience on the land, and to the energy and fresh perspective of those stepping into the industry, bringing with them diverse skills, and the ambition to carry Northern Territory beef into the future. It reflects stewardship of vast rangelands and tropical savannas, where care for country is inseparable from care for cattle. It highlights the strength of an industry that meets challenges head-on and continues to deliver world-class outcomes built on trust, science, and hard work.

This conference is our opportunity to bring these worlds together: to share stories, showcase innovation, and celebrate the resilience that defines us. It is where producers, policymakers, researchers, business leaders and the urban community of Darwin stand side by side to champion an industry that is both heritage and horizon.

 Because the truth is simple, and it is powerful: the Territory is better on beef. Our communities are stronger on beef. Our economy is more resilient on beef. And our future, built on confidence, capability, and pride, is better on beef.