Hay depots mooted to address drought fodder shortages

FodderLink grower liasion Neil Maher raised the idea at a Toowoomba public consultation session held by the Future Drought Fund Consultative Committee to determine how the fund might be best spent.

"I'm going to put on the table that a certain amount of this money should be used to purchase straw and hay in bountiful years," he said.

"It should be put in sheds and not just stacked up in the corner of a paddock.

"The model is the export hay industry."

Mr Maher said having hay depots at regular intervals and building hay production in different regions would negate the need for fodder to be transported large distances and the subsequent freight costs.

"I believe that depots built about 400kms apart in various areas that have the potential to make hay and straw... the Central Highlands, you would come down to Roma, you would go down to Goondiwindi and drop down across the border.

"These depots would require substantial capital.

"I'm speaking to a couple of bigger hitters in the superannuation industry in the next fortnight. They embraced my idea and we've got to bring the dollars to the table."

Committee member Kate Andrews said Mr Maher wasn't the first to raise the idea and that there would be time to hear more about such ideas as the plan became more specific.

"We're at the stage of being quite high level with the plan as opposed to the specific bids for money," she said.