Hay Matters

In this episode of the Hay Matters Podcast, Steve Page catches up with Anthony Exton in the Coolamon region to talk hay production, mixed farming, crop rotations and how diversification helps spread risk across the season. From vetch and oats through to straw, trucks and marketing hay through LocalAg, Anthony shares practical insights from the paddock and the decisions shaping the season ahead. In...

In this episode of Hay Matters , Hugh Ford takes us on the road with the Griffin Lanyon Legacy Tour , bringing together young farmers from across Australia to explore the future of the industry. From farm visits and large-scale operations to real conversations on the bus, this episode captures what’s actually shaping the thinking of young producers right now. In this episode: Why the Griffin Lanyo...

Freight is up. Fuel is tight. And supply is shifting further south. In this episode of Hay Matters, Steve Page sits down with David Clothier to unpack what’s really happening on the ground as we head into April. From recent travel across South Australia and Victoria to conversations with growers and buyers, this episode covers the key forces shaping decision-making right now. In this episode: How...

Show Notes In this episode of the Hay Matters Podcast, part of our Next Generation series, we sit down with Ella Lanyon, a broadacre grower from Victoria’s Wimmera region, to talk about farming, industry connections and the inspiration behind the Griffin Lanyon Legacy Tour. Ella shares the story behind the tour, created in memory of her younger brother Griffin, and how it brought together young pe...

Next Generation is a special mini-series within Hay Matters — spotlighting the voices building agriculture’s future. In this episode Steve Page catches up with graduate agronomist Georgia Boddington from ExceedAg to discuss hay production and cropping systems across the Wimmera Mallee. Georgia shares her journey from growing up on a sheep and hay contracting operation near Narracoorte to becoming...

Guest: Michele Jolliffe, Agriculture Victoria Host: Steve Page Duration: 41:20 Episode Overview After dry seasons and increased on-farm hay storage, the risk of haystack fires is higher than ever. In this episode of Hay Matters , Steve Page sits down with Michele Jolliffe, Dairy Extension Officer at Agriculture Victoria, to explore the science behind hay fires and spontaneous combustion. Michele s...

In Season 3, Episode 1 of Hay Matters , Steve Page chats with Ken Cunliffe from AgEtal about why seed is one of the most critical inputs on farm. Ken explains: Germination vs vigour – how seed performs under stress Farm-saved vs purchased seed – what to check before planting Seed storage & handling – why heat, moisture, and treatment matter Prussic acid & nitrate testing – managing hidden...

As the Hay Matters Summer Series wraps up, host Steve Page is joined by Harry Divall , a progressive hay and mixed farming operator based around West Wyalong and Stockinbingal , and a recent National Hay Award winner . Harry shares his journey into agriculture, from leaving school early and working with livestock in cold southern NSW, to discovering his passion for hay production and building a gr...

In this Summer Series episode of the Hay Matters Podcast , brought to you by LocalAg and Feed Central , host Jon Paul Driver chats with Megan Ford about her path into agriculture, the growth of Feed Central, and the changing role of women in the industry. Megan reflects on the early days of building a business alongside her husband Tim while raising a young family, sharing the realities of jugglin...

In this episode of Hay Matters, host Jon Paul Driver chats with Marty Conroy, Agronomy Services Lead for Northern Australia at Barenbrug Seeds. From Northern NSW, Marty provides 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 drives profitability, and highlights the untapped potenti...

In this Summer Series episode of Hay Matters , Tim Ford and Grower Services Manager, Steve Page, revisit one of the most unique fodder stories we’ve come across — the unearthing and marketing of four- to five-year-old haylage buried in underground pits near Warren, NSW. This episode follows the full journey: from the moment new property owner Pat Hull realised he had up to 1,000 tonnes of haylage...

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...

In this episode of Hay Matters , recorded on Thursday 16 October 2025, Cara Stewart steps in as guest host to chat with Feed Central’s Grower Services Manager and Podcast Host, Steve Page and National Sales Manager, David Clothier. Between Steve’s time on the road inspecting new season hay and Dave’s work connecting buyers and sellers across Australia, they bring an on-the-ground look at what’s ha...

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, storm...

In this first of a two part series of Hay Matters , Steve Page speaks with Wade Alexander from Mundubbera, Queensland - the winner of the Queensland Visual Lucerne Hay Award and the National Dual Visual Award . Wade shares his journey from growing up on a poultry farm to becoming a lucerne hay producer. After floods devastated his family’s property in 2013, Wade rebuilt with a new focus on irrigat...

PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS In 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 W...

In this episode of Hay Matters , brought to you by LocalAg and Feed Central, Steve Page catches up with two of our 2025 National Hay Quality Award winners - Grant Alday and Ben Wright. At Sea Lake in Northwest Victoria, grain grower Grant turned a challenging frost-damaged season into profitability by pivoting to hay production, earning both National Cereal Hay Feed Test and Visual awards. Meanwhi...

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...

In the latest episode of Hay Matters, brought to you by LocalAg and Feed Central, we welcome back a familiar voice. Graham (Thommo) Thomson joins Steve Page live from the 2025 AFIA Conference to reflect on one of the toughest seasons he’s seen in more than five decades. With his hard-earned perspective, Thommo shares how he kept going through record-low rainfall, what he saw on the road north, and...

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...

Podcast Highlights In this episode of Hay Matters , brought to you by LocalAg and Feed Central, Jon Paul Driver is joined by National Sales Manager Dave Clothier to unpack current fodder market conditions. With drought in the south driving record demand and pushing prices up fast, Dave explains what’s moving across the country and what’s not — and what buyers and sellers need to know as an early n...

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 safet...

In this episode of Hay Matters , brought to you by LocalAg and Feed Central, host Jon Paul Driver continues the conversation with South Australian farmer Matt Eckert. In Part 2 of this three-part series, Matt opens up about the people, mindset, and decisions that help keep the wheels turning during hard seasons. From financial pressure and breakdowns to succession planning and emotional burnout, t...

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 seas...

In the latest episode of Hay Matters from Feed Central and LocalAg, our host Jon Paul Driver catches up with Director Tim Ford to discuss the current market and LocalAg's first quarter. As southern sheds sit nearly empty, Queensland hay has begun heading south in a reversal of traditional seasonal movement. With biosecurity concerns under control in most areas and demand climbing, the coming weeks...