Fodder Care is the Australian Fodder Industry Association’s quality procedure program that aims to recognise professionalism in hay and silage production.
The Fodder Care program consists of a Production and Contracting module with Marketing and Transport and Logistics and Safety modules to be added in the future.
Growers producing Fodder Care hay and silage adhere to guidelines that require producers to carry out and record paddock inspections, chemical spray diaries and harvest details. This information is recorded electronically on the web based Fodder Care program and is permanently and securely stored, which provides a pathway of traceability from the bale, back to the paddock it was produced from and the chemical history for that paddock.
Both export and domestic hay buyers are increasingly demanding accurate chemical application records and reliable traceability mechanisms. This ensures the hay they are purchasing meets the demands of export customers and milk company requirements.
The Fodder Care logo will be used to identify those who are accredited and can be used by hay producers on their invoices which can also be used by the purchaser as proof of compliance to their milk company’s quality assurance program. Murray Goulburn, Warrnambool Cheese and Butter and Fonterra recognise the value of the program save double handling of paperwork and chasing down vendor declarations months after the hay has been delivered to their dairy suppliers.
Contractors also are set to benefit with the utilisation of standard written agreements which puts in writing the details of the task to be performed. While certainly not mandatory the written agreements provide both parties, the contractor and the client, a clear and unquestionable job outline. Variation forms are available for use when unexpected circumstances change the nature of the agreement, eg baling hay at a higher moisture level or adding additional operations such as super conditioning Both the Agreement and Variation forms come as self carbonised forms and are to be signed by the contractor and the client.
For information about accreditation please contact Nick McClelland.
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