SustainaHAY

We're different... In a good way.

SustainaHAY is our commitment to responsible and sustainable farming practices that make sense and produce superior products for our customers.

The SustainaHAY system is owned by Boridgeree Farming Pty Ltd. We have designed the system as there is no industry level sustainability program.

Here's what we're doing for a better future.

BIosecurity

Prevention, management & control of pests & diseases.​

All inputs onto the farm are recorded. Laneways along the boundary of the property are used as biosecurity borders. Visitors are required to report to the office. Boridgeree has a documented Biosecurity Plan, there is a designated parking area & farm vehicles are used to transport visitors around farm.

Energy & Input Efficiency

More efficient energy inputs eg. fuel & fertilisers.

Implementing emissions baselining & emissions reduction initiatives using AIA Environmental Accounting Platform & consultants. Actively seeking ways to reduce usage of fuels, electricity & fertiliser through efficient operations, efficient machinery & variable rate technology.

Fodder Quality

Growing the best quality fodder for our customers.

Farming operations & timing are scheduled to cut hay at the optimal time & bale in a timely manner to retain quality. Paddocks are maintained, kept clean & managed to ensure our product is clean & uncontaminated. Moisture metres, weather stations & the latest hay-making equipment are used to make consistent, high-quality hay.  Staff are trained to assess hay quality via FeedCentral. Samples are analysed for feed quality & Fodder Commodity Declarations are completed for each lot. Each lot is assessed, graded & segregated for marketing.

Human Resources & Workplace SAfety

Good work. Pay well. Be safe. Have fun.

All staff & contractors are suitably trained & inducted to Company systems & Standard Operating Procedures. SafetyCulture is used to record machinery pre-starts, inductions & documentation. A structured recruitment process is used to hire staff. Comply with all employment conditions. Offer staff above-award pay and benefits. WH&S is the first agenda item in weekly team meetings.

Integrated Pest Management

Management of pests, weeds & diseases.

Planting date, plant density & variety selection help reduce weeds in crops. Crop nutrition helps outcompete weeds & make plants robust against pests. Monitoring & encouraging desirable predatory insects to control undesirable pest insects. Effective fallow & break cropping strategies used to break pest, disease & weed cycles. Spot-spraying & manual chipping used to control sporadic weed incursions. 'Come Clean Go Clean' farm hygeine practices used. Pest resistance testing used & chemical rotations in place to ensure the least amount of chemical is used for the most effective outcome.

Sustainable Natural Landscape

Managing vegetative & riparian assets on the property.

The Belubula River is fenced off exluding livestock from the river. Invasive weeds are removed on a regular basis. 64 hectares of remnant vegetation is permenantly fenced off from livestock. Approximately 15 hectares of tree lined laneways & shelter belts exist for wildlife corridors & habitat. Groundcover is maintained at all times to improve soil health. Livestock water is provided by off-stream troughs supplied by a network of tanks & pipelines.

Pesticide Management

Pesticide management, storage & use.

Comprehensive record-keeping of pesticide use using AgriWebb. Responsible application using agronomic advice, recommendations & weather data via on-farm weather stations. Sprayed areas & re-entry dates are clearly recorded using AgriWebb. Empty product containers are disposed of using DrumMuster.

Petrochemical Storage & Handling

Managing fuel & lubricants.

New fuel efficient machinery is used & fuel usage is tracked. Safe fuel storage, tank bottom fill & remote fuel level sensors are used. Waste oils are stored & collected by a third-party & not disposed of on-farm.

Soil Health

Maintaining & improving soil quality & fertility.

Soil maps (depth, constraints), cropping history and yields are used for the production of variable rate application maps for the application of fertilisers. Groundcover is maintained at all times to improve soil health & the soil microbiome. Boridgeree has a regular soil-testing program & improvement plan including macro nutrients, micro nutrients, pH & soil carbon. Cover cropping is used where possible.

Water Management

Water quality, efficiency, storage & distribution for dryland & irrigated farming practices

Erosion is actively managed by using no-till farming & maintaining groundcover at all times. Water usage is recorded & reported as required. Centre pivot irrigation is used an efficient water application method. Boridgeree's self-watering river flats mean the majority of our hay is produced to irrigated quality without the use of irrigation water & associated energy inputs. Boridgeree is an active member of the Belubula Landholders Association which meets regarding management of the Belubula and Lachlan Rivers and groundwater.