It’s no secret that summer cropping in Australia can be a risky business.
Having to pay out for seed, chemicals and fertilisers regardless of the outcome brings financial and emotional stress when crops fail.
With the aim of sharing some of the risk, Heritage Seeds introduced its ‘Sow the Revolution’ campaign last season.
It was a bold move that really shook up the Australian summer crop seed market.
The offer was well received by sorghum and corn growers.
For Kevin Schwager, the campaign proved to be a godsend at season’s end.
He participated in the Heritage offer when he purchased the premium HGS-114 and HGS-102 grain sorghum varieties.
In addition to having a cotton and grain marketing business based in Narrabri, Kevin has a farm north-east of Edgeroi and another block north-west of Narrabri.
On his farm north-east of Edgeroi, where in-season rainfall was adequate, his dry land sorghum crops averaged 3.4t/ha.
Considering the conditions, he regarded that as a very pleasing result.
In contrast, his leased block west of Narrabri was exposed to very dry growing conditions, to the extent that he didn’t even run the header over some of it.
“Lack of any decent rain west of Narrabri was disappointing,” he said.
“At the end of the season Heritage Seeds was contacted to let them know we had a failed crop due to lack of rainfall.
“They came out with our agronomist and did a crop assessment.
“Our re-seller issued us with a credit for half the cost of the seed off that area.
“It was as easy as that.”
Kevin said he thought the ‘Sow the Revolution’ campaign was a great initiative.
“For us it reduced the risk from a cost recovery perspective,” he said.
“Of course, the program itself wouldn’t work as a standalone without decent varieties to back it up.
“Heritage Seeds HGS-114 and HGS-102 sorghum varieties are very good for this area.
“The incentive Heritage extended gave us extra confidence to go and sow.
“We aim to plant our sorghum early in the sowing window and in a normal season, have the crops maturing before the very hot conditions in February.
“Last season we had as good an establishment as we could ask for on the farm north-east of Edgeroi.
“If we’d received better rain after establishment the HGS-114 yield would have been substantial.”
Rob Johnston, Heritage Seeds northern commercial ,anager, said the ‘Sow the Revolution’ campaign had been an exceptionally well received initiative and matched the company’s premium sorghum and corn varieties.
“HGS-102 is a proven mid-season grain sorghum with flexible sowing time and impressive yields,” Mr Johnston said.
“HGS-114 has been bred to maximise top end yield with great test weight under stress and a high midge rating of six.
“HM-114 is a true all-round feed corn with high yielding grain and silage potential in the mid-maturity bracket.
“It offers growers true yield and stability across all conditions.”
He explained the ‘Sow the Revolution’ program operated by the grower paying to their re-seller an upfront deposit of just $80 on each bag of the selected premium seed varieties.
The grower then did not have to pay the remainder of the agreed bag price to the re-seller until harvest.
In an event such as Kevin’s where harvest did not eventuate due to poor weather conditions, Heritage Seeds credited the re-seller the remainder of the bag price.
“We understand that establishing corn and grain sorghum is a big investment and that it comes with a risk, especially considering that any season can result in no harvest,” Mr Johnston said.
“Our ‘Sow the Revolution’ program has shown Heritage is prepared to help growers by taking away some of their seasonal risk, and also by deferring seed costs.”
“For growers, it delivered unprecedented flexibility with the ability to free up funds that could be invested in other farm inputs or services.
“Or, it may just have assisted growers by reducing the size of the crop loan and subsequent interest bill.
“Unlike other offers, in practical terms it was like an interest free loan offered by Heritage from crop establishment through to harvest.”
Mr Johnston said growers should again look for the distinctive yellow bag this season.
