WA farmers are lending a helping hand to replenish South Australia’s drought-impacted farmers’ hay stocks

WA farmers are poised to lend a helping hand to replenish South Australia’s hay stocks as the state continues to grapple with some of the driest conditions in decades.

Green snail has prevented local farmers from supplying their drought-affected neighbours in the past, however, recent animal feed entry conditions have been adjusted by the SA Government to help provide its farmers with some relief.

The SA Government granted conditional entry to hay from areas of WA with a lower risk of the pest infestation on May 30.

Farmers Across Borders - Hay — a volunteer group of farmers and truckies from WA — plans to take its first ever convoy in the coming weeks in partnership with Victoria Lions Club’s Need For Feed program, containing 1000 bales each of barley straw and hay.

WA spokeswoman Sam Starcevich said while conditional entry had been obtained, the group still faced many hurdles.

“It’s made it a bit easier for delivery but there are still regulations and procedures we must follow,” she said.

The SA Department of Primary Industries requires each consignment to be accompanied by a Plant Health Import Certificate and a Biosecurity Declaration that clearly identifies the origin of the hay.

Additionally, all consignments must be sealed/covered during transport to prevent spillage and a detailed manifest must be submitted to PIRSA prior to arrival, in accordance with existing procedures.

Upon arrival in SA, consignments are inspected by either a business registered with PIRSA or PIRSA Biosecurity Officers.

The SA Government has also waived biosecurity inspection fees which will assist drought-impacted farmers importing fodder from interstate.

The PIRSA website has been updated with the revised WA green snail zones and covers the requirements for commercial hay imports.

Ms Starcevich said the convoy would not make a huge dent in the organisation’s stockpile, which would be kept strong to assist WA farmers should they require it.

A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesperson said they have assisted the SA Government by providing snail distribution data to help inform important requirements.

“While WA’s cropping area is considered largely free from green snails – which are generally found on the coastal fringe between Lancelin and Busselton – there have been isolated detections near Albany, Kendenup and in the Beverley and Northam townsites,” they said.

Green snails feed on leafy vegetables, cereal crops, pasture grasses, nursery plants and cut flowers.

It is a reportable pest within the state.

WA has and will continue to export hay to NSW and Victoria despite green snail.

“NSW and Victorian regulations for green snail allow for hay to be sourced from WA cropping areas that are outside a 25km buffer from a detection,” the DPIRD spokesperson said