As the national peak body for the fodder conservation, AFIA has taken a leading role in the reform of hay transport in Australia. The key objectives of this reform are the safe, consistent and efficient transport of hay on Australian roads.
The key lobbying position of AFIA is that the most efficient and safe transport of hay and straw is undertaken with loads that measure a maximum of 2.7 m wide and 4.6 m high.
There has been a significant increase in the volume of hay and straw traded in Australia. This increase in hay transported on road has increased the industry’s public profile as bulky trucks loaded with hay stand out when travelling on rural roads.
As a consequence, load restraints and dimensions have become a focus for enforcement agencies. Many infringement notices have been served on hay carriers for not adhering to prescriptive load restraint and dimension limits, highlighting an inequity in the regulatory system that has different rules in each State. The Australian Fodder Industry Association (AFIA) has worked closely on this issue with the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) and the key transport engineering organisation in Australia, the ARRB Group, to develop an evidence based report to support our lobbying efforts.