Australian farmers are coming off three bumper years. Are they prepared for the sudden dry?

Beef and sheep prices have plummeted as farmers try to reduce livestock herds built up during La Ni?a years ahead of a dry, unproductive El Ni?o seasonSign up for the Rural Network email newsletterJoin the Rural Network group on Facebook to be part of the communityLast year was a pretty good year for Melinee Leather and her husband, Robert. Their business, the Leather Cattle Company, breeds cattle for the European market on three farms stretching over 17,000 hectares near Rockhampton in Queensland.As the weather has turned dry earlier this year, they have started selling down their herd of 5,000 in anticipation of Australia entering an El Ni?o climate pattern. They watched the markets and the weather and waited. More cattle are going to the sales this week and next.Sign up to receive Guardian Australia's fortnightly Rural Network email newsletter Continue reading...