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. Meanwhile, contractor Ben Wright from Central West Contracting shares insights into achieving the National Heaviest Cereal Straw Bale award and the equipment strategies behind consistent, high-density bale production.

• Grant Alday's mixed farming operation at Sea Lake typically dedicates 8-10% of area to oat hay and another 8-10% to vetch, but last season's widespread frost damage prompted an opportunistic shift to cut hay across multiple padd ...