Soil moisture retention and urea availability have combined with a “will-it-won’t-it” guessing game about the expected arrival of El Niño, to make sowing for this year’s hay cut just as challenging.
Invergordon hay contractor Luke Felmingham overcame last summer’s wet conditions with sheer determination and persistence.
“After all that rain, last year was probably one of the toughest years we’ve had for a long time,” Mr Felmingham said.
“In the end it was a combination of several things from late starts to over-mature crops and after the rain, still trying to not get bogged entering paddocks to mow, even in December.
“And once we could get through all that, trying to get the cut hay dried down enough to bale some kind of product was another challenge.”
Mr Felmingham said all cut crops received at least one downpour on them before baling, with some getting soaked by three events.
“It’s the first time I have seen people describe their hay being rained on; it has meant there’s been honest advertising this year.”
Last year’s rain has significantly affected hay prices, particularly as it was more widespread across the east of the country.
“It wasn’t just a regional problem, however, if someone just got the right window to make hay, then they had a good opportunity to capitalise on the state of the market.”
Many farmers utilised their stored hay last year, particularly for protein-rich fodder.
“Last year vetch was a washout, so farmers have been using the cheaper protein hay they’ve cut in previous years which have been better.
“Their storages have been mined out, so we need a decent hay season to get some back into the shed.
“Milk prices have also been fair so dairy farmers will be chasing hay.”
Carryover soil moisture from last year’s rain means that the upcoming season will not be without its challenges.
“We were supposed to have a dry winter this year, but it hasn’t eventuated,” Mr Felmingham said.
“We have come into the winter with a full profile of moisture and some guys are having just as much drama as last year.
“A lot of people are still waiting for El Niño; everyone is hanging out for a bit of a break.”
A national shortage of urea has complicated the situation, with Australia now importing all its nitrogen requirements.
Brisbane’s Gibson Island urea manufacturer closed at the end of 2022 after 50 years of production, due to the unavailability of a long-term affordable gas supply.
A new Western Australian plant will not be in operation until 2027, meaning that all growers are currently reliant on imported urea.
Mr Felmingham described some farmers still contending with soil over-saturation.
“We had that real dry period towards the end of April and May and that was a drama with striking crops, and it had some farmers probably make the wrong call of irrigating late.
“We have seen that throughout the whole Goulburn Valley, but some crops are thriving, getting into that moisture and utilising it.
“But it is hard to get urea right now, to get the crops to grow out of the wet and so suck some of that moisture out.
“If growers’ timing was right on dry land, then they were laughing.”
“The rest are about three or four weeks behind.”
The Felminghams’ business has been in operation for 20 years and is managed by Luke and his father Ken.
They have spent the winter break purchasing a new baler and two self-propelled mowers in anticipation of a drier end to the year.
While El Niño remains a 70 per cent chance of occurring in 2023 and has most food producers on alert, its one blessing will be a good hay season.
“We’ve got full water storages, we’ve been lucky not to be flooded again, and if it turns dry, then we’re sitting pretty,” Mr Felmingham said.
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