It was a ‘hay for sale’ sign that alerted auditors to a Clarendon property

After battling drought for years, a Clarendon farmer has been denied selling their first crop of hay after their stacks were deemed compromised by fire ant auditors

Farmers who have battled drought and destocked cattle because they had no water were told they couldn’t sell their first crop of hay in years because it wasn’t stored correctly.

Two farmers at Clarendon in the Somerset Region have told the Gatton Star that department of agriculture workers inspected their sheds to find their hay was stacked incorrectly, despite not knowing of such rules.

The inspections were part of an audit by the National Red Imported Fire Ant program.

Biosecurity officers were only made aware of hay for sale at Max and Trish Linde’s Clarendon farm because of their roadside sign.

READ MORE: Hay farmers shut down, ambushed by auditors with ‘special powers’

Mrs Linde was home when officers arrived and thought they were inspecting chemical storage on June 2.

But she was told the hay was “compromised” because it wasn’t stored correctly.

“All we wanted was to be notified,” Mrs Linde said.

Clarendon farmer Trish Linde looks over fire ant information after the department denied her selling hay from the property. PHOTO: Ali Kuchel

“Who in their right mind would take them to a hayshed if they hadn’t followed biosecurity rules.

“I felt as if I was tricked because I knew nothing of it.”

Mrs Linde told the Gatton Star her version of events and said the body cam-wearing auditors told her they were allowed onto her property without permission because they had “special powers”.

It was another blow to the guts for the Lindes after selling cattle for $34.50 a head during the height of the drought.

The hay they grew and bailed this season was for their own livestock, plus a trailer load to sell as income.

“We’ve had another major drought, we’ve had to decrease the number of cattle, we’ve had no water or feed and we finally get rain that allows us to produce hay,” she said.

“This is the first lot of Rhodes grass we have bailed in years and we had a trailer to sell.”

But the trailer was parked too close to hay stacked on the ground, Mrs Linde was told, where stalks could touch for fire ants to walk across from one stack to another.

Clarendon farmer Trish Linde sits on a trailer of hay that was deemed "contaminated" by Fire Ant auditors. PHOTO: Ali Kuchel

After 60 years of farming, Mr Linde said if they had been notified that there were changes or regulations to storing hay, they would have complied.

“We don’t want to see other people go through this,” he said.

“Our farming days are probably coming to and end, but I feel for others that are much younger having a go that are in a similar situation.”

Fodder distributor and grower, Bradley Reck, who supplies 150 tonne of fodder to feedlots on the Darling Downs each week, was told he could no longer move or sell for the same reasons.

But despite fire ant-sniffing dogs not detecting any ant scents, he’s still unable to fulfil contracts that have taken years to secure.

Clarendon hay farmer and distributor Bradley Reck. PHOTO: Ali Kuchel

Mr Reck said he had contacted the fire ant department earlier this year and asked if an officer could “see his situation” and assist with advice.

But the next person he saw was an auditor, who last week shut his operation down, despite storing his hay in an enclosed shed.

Mr Reck said his Clarendon property was baited last year and he is yet to see a fire ant on his property.

He was also told to put a spray band around his shed, which would stop the ants, or he could fumigate or re-bale his already baled hay.

“This could mess up the whole valley, even the vegetable industry,” Mr Reck said.

“If our population of fire ants grows anymore, they won’t be able to sell vegetables from here because there could be fire ants in the produce.”

Mr Reck said all he wanted was for someone to provide information to him about his business and instead he was condemned from selling hay.

“They should be listening to both sides, they shouldn’t be implanting procedures when they’re not the right ones,” he said.