Hay in the Rotation: Agronomy in the Mallee with Georgia Boddington

Next Generation is a special mini-series within Hay Matters — spotlighting the voices building agriculture’s future.In this episode Steve Page catches up with graduate agronomist Georgia Boddington from ExceedAg to discuss hay production and cropping systems across the Wimmera Mallee.Georgia shares her journey from growing up on a sheep and hay contracting operation near Narracoorte to becoming an agronomist based in Swan Hill. With strong early exposure to hay production, she now works closely with growers across the region advising on rotations, crop management and seasonal decisions.The conversation explores how hay fits into mixed cropping systems in a low rainfall environment, with growers often planning paddocks that can go either to grain or hay depending on how the season unfolds. Georgia also talks about the importance of hay in managing resistant ryegrass, improving rotations and maintaining strong gross margins.Steve and Georgia discuss the realities of the past season, including dry starts, staggered germination and the challenges of managing crops across variable Mallee soil types. They also cover current paddock preparation, moisture conservation and how growers are positioning themselves ahead of the coming season.Georgia also reflects on her first year conducting hay inspections with Feed Central, explaining how the role complements her agronomy work and gives her the opportunity to see crops all the way through to the finished hay product.In this episode:Georgia’s pathway into agronomy and hay productionCropping systems and rotations in the Wimmera MalleeWhy growers include hay paddocks in their rotationsManaging resistant ryegrass through hay productionPlanning paddocks that can switch between grain and haySeasonal challenges and lessons from last yearCurrent paddock preparation and moisture conservationGeorgia’s experience as a Feed Central hay inspectorIf you work in cropping, hay production or agronomy, this episode offers practical insights into how hay fits into modern rotations in one of Australia’s key grain growing regions.