Kyabram farmer Sam Thompson is making the best looking lucerne hay in Australia.
Mr Thompson has won both the Victorian and Australian titles for the best lucerne hay visual test in Feed Centrals 2019-20 National Hay Quality Awards. He also won the Victorian lucerne feed test category.
The winners were announced during a Feed Central hay market outlook webinar.
Mr Thompson was the only Victorian to win a national title in this years awards.
Previous winner Josh Lanyon, Boort, won two state awards for the best visual cereal (barley) and vetch hay.
Other Victorian state category winners are Adrian Horman, Lascelles, with the best cereal (wheaten) hay feed test and Russell Byrnes, Picola, with the best vetch feed test.
NSW hay makers dominated the awards, winning five of the six national titles. Grant and Cindy Cameron, Tabbita, had the best national wheaten hay feed test results, Lochie Donald, Mulwala, had the best lucerne feed test, Scott Collins, Corowa, the best cereal visual test, Jerome Shirley, Bunnaloo, the best vetch visual test and Mark Burkinshaw, Lockhart, the best vetch feed test.
Feed Central managing director Tim Ford said the winners had gone above and beyond to produce excellent hay during a period of extreme drought across much of the country.
Despite gigantic demand, these producers still focused on making a quality product even though the market was willing to buy any quality at the time, Mr Ford said.
It was very tough in many areas and while yields were down, quality was up and these growers deserve to be commended for that.
Mr Ford said this years awards had been reduced because of the drought.
Queensland had no winners because there was no sizeable production, but conditions have improved and we expect that will be different next year, he said.
The awards cover July 2019 to June 2020, including the peak hay production period of September-October 2019.
The awards are supported by the peak body for hay and silage, the Australian Fodder Industry Association (AFIA).
AFIA chief executive John McKew said quality and consistency underpinned the nations domestic and export hay market.
The calibre of the hay at these awards shows why our industry is valued by our customers in the livestock industries, he said.
Making quality hay especially in the last season can be challenging and it is great to see all that hard work rewarded. Congratulations to all the winners.
