Hay Matters

In the final Hay Matters episode of the season, host Steve Page sits down with Tim Ford, Managing Director of Feed Central and LocalAg, to reflect on an eventful year for the fodder industry. They unpack the challenges and opportunities across regions, discuss how the Feed Central and LocalAg partnership has evolved, and share insights on what 2026 might hold for hay growers, traders, and buyers across Australia.1. A Year of Change and GrowthFeed Central and LocalAg have formally separated their Quality Assurance and Marketplace functions, creating independence and clarity for clients.The focus moving forward is helping farmers understand how both arms work together to improve transparency and trust.2. A Tough but Rewarding SeasonSouthern regions faced weather damage and tough conditions, while Central and Northern NSW and Southern Queensland enjoyed exceptional hay quality and yields.Modern cropping techniques are producing strong results despite low rainfall — proof of innovation in the industry.3. Diversity Builds ResilienceSuccessful growers are those who diversify — balancing hay, grain, pulses, storage, and even transport.Flexibility in switching between hay and grain helps spread risk and manage volatile markets.4. Quality and Trust Drive ProfitFeed Central’s Quality Assurance System ensures consistency in testing and grading — giving buyers confidence and helping sellers achieve premium prices.A recent standout sale of vetch hay highlighted how quality, testing, and transparency lead to win–win deals.5. Technology Meets RelationshipsThe new LocalAg platform allows direct communication between buyers and sellers, backed by Feed Central’s support team and Check Vault secure payments.Relationships remain central — technology enhances, not replaces, the trust built in the paddock.6. Market Volatility and the Road Ahead2025 has been one of the most volatile years in 25 years of hay trading.Tim predicts record hay prices again in 2026, driven by inevitable dry spells and unprepared buyers.The aim for the coming year: education, stability, and better-informed trading across the industry.

In this follow-up episode, Steve Page continues his conversation with award-winning lucerne hay producer Wade Alexander from Mundubbera, QLD.Wade opens up about the tough lessons learned from the 2013 floods, his approach to risk management, and how he’s future-proofing his family farm through smart planning, water efficiency, and sound financial strategies.🌾 Key Topics Covered:Floods, storms and lessons learned: How the Alexanders rebuilt stronger after disaster struck.Insurance and risk management: The value of insuring for the worst and learning from the past.Efficient irrigation and rising power costs: Why Wade is transitioning from high-pressure pivots to low-pressure laterals.The economics of lucerne: Balancing high machinery costs, input efficiency, and quality production.Lucerne establishment and management: Soil prep, fertiliser programs, and why Wade replants every three years.Marketing through Feed Central and LocalAg: Building trust, ensuring secure payments, and staying connected to repeat buyers.Family, work-life balance, and resilience: Why Wade chooses life on the farm over high-income work away from home.🎙️ Why ListenThis episode delivers a grounded look at what it takes to survive and thrive in Australia’s hay industry. Wade shares the reality behind producing premium lucerne - from irrigation and power costs to marketing and resilience - offering practical insights for farmers of any scale.

PODCAST HIGHLIGHTSIn this episode of Hay Matters, brought to you by Local Ag and Feed Central, Steve Page continues celebrating this year's National Hay Quality Award winners with another outstanding partnership. In the Riverina, Michael Pfitzner has secured back-to-back vetch hay Visual Awards – the National winner last year and NSW State winner this year, working closely with contractor Wayne Williams to achieve consistently exceptional results. Their collaboration showcases the precision timing and equipment choices that separate award-winning hay from the rest of the field.● Michael and Drew Pfitzner operate 3,400 hectares (8,500 acres) of cropping in the Riverina with vetch comprising 10-12% of their rotation alongside other legumes including lupins, lentils and peas.● Their award-winning vetch hay achieved 3-4 tonne per hectare yields across multiple paddocks, with the state award-winning lot stored under hay caps in the paddock and successfully avoiding rain damage.● Wayne Williams uses a Claas 930 with triple 10-meter mowers cutting 50 acres per hour, followed by a 10-meter merger for windrow management and a New Holland 1290 HD baler with loop knot system producing 650kg bales.● Strategic use of silage inoculant proved crucial when September weather turned challenging, with only 20 out of 1,000 bales showing heat issues after rain events that required re-working the windrows.● Michael has used the Local Ag Marketplace platform and likes that it provided secure payment systems and is creating trusted buyer-seller relationships through built-in messaging and transparent transaction processes.● Machinery ownership challenges drive contractor relationships, with Wayne’s specialised equipment including merger technology capable of combining 2-5 windrows and shifting material up to 30 feet in single passes for optimal bale density.● Wayne had a devastating shed fire last year that destroyed 1,000 tonnes of lucerne-sorghum mix hay after seven weeks in storage, highlighting critical insurance lessons with shed values nearly doubling during the four-year period since construction.

Podcast Highlights In the latest episode of Hay Matters, brought to you by LocalAg and Feed Central, Steve Page catches up with Harry Divall; hay contractor, grower and AFIA board member. Harry shares his path from livestock work in Goulburn to running a growing hay operation across West Wyalong, Stockinbingal, and Crookwell. He shares the ups and downs of learning how to make quality hay, how he manages seasonal risk, and what he hopes to contribute to the fodder industry.Harry left school early and started fencing and working cattle near Goulburn before setting up a mixer on the family farm to boost weight gains in steers and heifersCold conditions limited hay production at home, so his family expanded west and bought their first baler, a Massey 2270XD, in 2016He now operates two Krone balers and produces between 15,000 and 25,000 bales a year, depending on the seasonWith farms spread across Goulburn, Stockinbingal and West Wyalong, he uses geography to manage weather risk and extend the cutting window from September to JanuaryCrop rotations include oats, barley and vetch out west, with canola, oats, barley and lucerne on the Stockinbingal farmHarry adjusts his plan each year, converting crops to silage or grain when conditions aren’t right for hayShed storage now holds over 2,000 bales, but he’s also experimenting with tarping, aiming to protect quality from the bottom upAs a new AFIA board member, Harry wants to make learning resources more visual and hands-on, helping others see what good practice looks like in the paddock

Podcast Highlights In this episode of Hay Matters, brought to you by LocalAg and Feed Central, Grower Services Manager Steve Page hits the road to uncover a unique regional story of buried haylage, long-term storage, and unexpected opportunity.When grain grower Pat Hull purchased a property near Warren in 2022, he wasn’t expecting to find over 1,000 tonnes of buried forage sorghum haylage stored in pits by the previous owner, following the drought-breaking rains of 2020. With no livestock of his own and limited on-farm use, Pat turned to LocalAg to connect with buyers further south, and the response was immediate.The haylage was originally cut, baled and buried in 2020 by contractor Ben Wright from Central West Contracting, after strong summer growthBales were stacked four high in excavated pits, wrapped in plastic and sealed with soil for long-term storage and pest protectionFeed tests returned excellent results for aged haylage: 12.4% CP, 9.25 MJ/kg ME, 51.4% NDF, 35.7% ADF, and 41.7% DMPat listed the product on LocalAg using original baling photos, generating national interest before opening any pitsWith feed shortages in Victoria, the first truckload has already moved to southern dairies, with more to followHay contractor Ben Wright shares practical insights on why buried haylage works, key moisture thresholds, and how proper handling influences long-term results

Podcast Highlights In this episode of Hay Matters, brought to you by LocalAg and Feed Central, host Jon Paul Driver concludes his three-part series with South Australian farmer Matt Eckert. This final instalment shifts focus to the financial, mechanical, and personal pressures that often sit behind the paddock - and how Matt and his team are navigating them.From soaring machinery costs and safety scares to family life, team trust, and planning for the future, this conversation reveals the daily challenges that aren't always get discussed, but shape everything on the farm.Why machinery costs are blowing out and how that’s reshaping timelines for soil improvement and capital investmentWhat efficiency really looks like across an operation, and how mismatched upgrades can create new bottlenecksLessons from scaling up hay production, from baler selection to matching loaders, trucks and shed spaceHow past safety incidents have prompted changes in processes and a stronger focus on risk managementWhy trust and teamwork are central to how the farm operates today and how stepping back has helped others step upThe juggling act of parenting, marriage and leadership and how Matt is learning to keep farm pressures from following him homeWhat tough seasons have taught Matt and why backing your people makes all the difference

Podcast Highlights In this episode of Hay Matters, brought to you by LocalAg and Feed Central, host Jon Paul Driver speaks with South Australian grower Matt Eckert in the first of a three-part series. Matt shares a candid look at the decisions, trade-offs, and resilience required to keep a mixed farming operation running during a prolonged dry spell.With the region facing one of its hardest seasons in recent years, Matt opens up about the real impact of drought — from feed shortages and pasture losses to the mental load of managing stock and cropping programs when nothing goes to plan.Drought pressure is forcing a rethink of pasture renovation and cropping programs across mixed farmsResowing lucerne has its limits - and knowing when to push on or start again is shaping long-term plansSoil amelioration, including deep ploughing and clay spreading, continues to improve outcomes but isn’t a fix-all in extreme seasonsSeeding strategies are being adjusted in real time, with lessons from previous dry years influencing crop timing, inputs, and variety choiceEarly fodder purchasing and stored inventory have been critical in keeping livestock fed and breeding programs afloatDecisions around feeding, destocking, and confinement lambing are being made fast, with economics and animal welfare front of mindWhile the short-term outlook is tight, a clear long-term view is helping guide every decision on the farm

In this episode of Hay Matters from Feed Central and LocalAg, host Jon Paul Driver chats with Marty Conroy, the Agronomy Services lead for Northern Australia at Barenbrug Seeds. From his base in Northern NSW, Marty offers a practical look at tropical pasture systems across Queensland, the NT, and northern NSW. He unpacks the science behind C3 and C4 grasses, explains how feed quality directly impacts profitability, and highlights the untapped potential of pasture management and modern breeding programs.Pasture breeding is shifting focus toward fibre quality, seasonal fit, and regional adaptability in tropical systems.C4 grasses like Rhodes and panicum are critical in the north, with planting tied to rainfall and temperature windows.Feed quality drives intake, weight gain, and returns, making it as much about profit as nutrition.Breeding is being accelerated through genomic tools, improving local performance and reducing development time.C4 pasture management - especially grazing and cutting intervals - remains underutilised despite the potential for a strong return on investment.Strategic input use, like nitrogen, can deliver returns that rival financial investments.Benchmarking paddock performance year-on-year is key to making smarter decisions in unpredictable seasons.