Australian Fodder Industry Association (AFIA) chief executive officer John McKew said there was plenty of hay already stored away from previous seasons. As a result there hasn’t been a rush by southern NSW and Riverina producers to cut frost-affected crops. 

He said there was certainly talk of a large carry over of residual hay from last year. And much of this was cereal hay or the same kind of fodder that frosted crops would be baled into. “It is really hard to know where this carryover hay will end up and how much is on the market,” he said. 

Grains Research and Development Corporation senior regional manager north, Jan Edward said reports of frost damage had been wide-spread. “We understand that there has been significant frost events in many grain growing areas in NSW, including areas such as Temora, Lockhart, Condobolin, Griffith, Croppa Creek and Moree, and across the Darling Downs of Queensland, affecting chickpeas, wheat and canola,” she said.

“The GRDC understands the devastating impact frost can have on farm profitability and on behalf of growers invested more than $11 million in frost research from 2003-13 and committed another $20 million as part of GRDC National Frost Initiative from 2014-2019,” she said.

Lake Cargelligo agronomist and Northern panel member Andrew McFadyen said the damage was variable, mostly depending on topography, with flat, low lying country the worst affected. He noted the dry season was a becoming a bigger threat too.