Brothers Jake and Sam Thompson, who grow lucerne at Wyuna in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley. Jake will be taking part in Feed Central’s webinar on August 12. Photo: Feed Central

LATEST developments in the hay industry include a webinar coinciding with Feed Central’s annual awards, Balco entering into a logistics agreement, and AFIA’s building of a national network to build seasonal resilience.

Feed Central webinar

Insights into three leading hay-producing operations are being patched into the 2026 Feed Central National Hay Quality Awards on August 12.

Through the live Top of the Stack webinar, producers who will talk about their season, the decisions they made and how successful they were and their take-away messages are:

• Jake Thompson, who farms with his brother Sam at Wyuna in northern Vic, and has won state and national awards for lucerne hay and is again in the running this year;
• Robyn Faulkner from Renklauf Trading at Mintaro, SA, a finalist in the cereal hay visual category, who will discuss the seasonal conditions and practical decisions shaping this year’s hay production; and,
• Mark Burkinshaw, winner of a previous vetch hay award from from Lockhart, New South Wales, who will join the webinar live from his vetch paddock.

The program will also give growers an update on where the hay market is heading.

JT Johnson & Sons international marketing manager Corey Ryan will discuss developments in the global export hay market and what they may mean for Australian growers.

Key trends growers should watch during the coming season and an update on domestic supply, demand, pricing and buyer activity, will come from Feed Central Trading national sales manager David Clothier.

Registrations are now open for the webinar, which runs from 1130am to 1300 AEST on August 12.

The Feed Central National Hay Quality Awards have been running for 15 years.

Balco, DP World re-sign

Leading hay exporter Balco has signed a multi-year agreement with global stevedoring company DP World.

Under the agreement, DP World will support the movement of more than 10,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU ) annually through dedicated road transport, equipment management and integrated logistics services.

The partnership will include investment in specialised transport assets and dedicated account management to support Balco’s growing export requirements and long-term international development.

Based in North Adelaide, Balco operates a production and supply network across South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.

Balco’s facility at Bowmans in South Australia. Photo: Balco

Balco employs more than 200 staff and works with more than 500 long-term growers and farm partners to operate four core processing sites with a capacity of 500,000 tonnes, and has 600,000t of storage capacity.

“A stable, efficient and resilient supply chain is fundamental to Balco’s ability to serve global customers and continue expanding across international markets,” Balco Australia general manager logistic and fulfillment Linda Xu said.

“DP World is an important partner in delivering Balco’s global supply chain strategy.

“Its integrated national logistics network, specialised transport capability and long-term investment approach are strongly aligned with Balco’s direction of continuing to strengthen its global supply chain capability.”

AFIA update

Balco farming and domestic sales manager and Rochester, Vic, hay grower Shayne Eeles has joined the Australian Fodder Industry Association board of directors, replacing former chair Louis Kelly.

His election took place late last month at the AFIA annual general meeting, where SA hay producer Gavin Schuster was returned as chair.

“It is encouraging to have a passionate board, and one that works well together, with each director
bringing different skills and experience,” Mr Schuster said.

“The support of our members for another term means we can keep moving key priorities forward.

“We also welcome Shayne and are keen to strengthen the export fodder voice at the table.”

AFIA directors Mark Harrison, Qld, Harry Divall and Mark Green, NSW, chair Gavin Schuster, directors Rob Anspach, WA, Darryl Boyd, NSW, and Shayne Eeles. Photo: AFIA

AFIA’s 2026 annual gathering saw life membership awarded to founding member Phil Snowden of Tocumwal, NSW, who as well as being a grower, with wife Lynda invented the Hay Cap system, which protects large hay bale stacks from rain and moisture.

In the latest round of the Federal Government’s Future Drought Fund, AFIA was successful in securing $1.69 million for its Transforming Australia’s Fodder System: A Collaborative Network for Tough Times project.

Announced in June, the funding will go towards shaping a new national approach to managing feed shortages, with the AFIA-led project to improve how fodder is coordinated before, during and after drought.

The initiative will establish a national Fodder Community Network and digital platform to better connect producers, users and service providers across key agricultural regions.

“This project moves fodder from a reactive crisis issue to a more coordinated national system,” Mr Schuster said.

“By improving transparency, trust and collaboration across the supply chain, we can better support farmers to manage dry conditions and protect livestock.”

The project will be delivered in partnership with farming groups, industry organisations and government stakeholders, with initial pilot activities in Vic and southern NSW.

Practical outcomes will focus on:

• Better coordination between producers, end users and service providers;
• Clearer visibility of fodder supply and demand across regions;
• More consistent and reliable information to support decision-making; and,
• Faster access to fodder during periods of shortage.

Over time, the model is expected to scale nationally, supporting a more co-ordinated and efficient fodder-supply system to strengthen the industry’s ability to respond to increasingly variable seasonal conditions.

AFIA will share updates as the project progresses, including opportunities for industry to be involved.

Source: Feed Central, Balco, DP World, AFIA