Join us as we sit down with Ben Farmer, a lucerne grower and chair of the Executive Committee for Lucerne Australia, to unpack the complexities of the lucerne industry and the impact of S&W Seeds Australia entering voluntary administration.
"We're seeing that there is a genuine uncertainty in our industry around the longevity of markets."
We explore how this collapse has affected growers in Keith, South Australia—a region that produces 85% of Australia’s lucerne seed—and the ripple effects on the broader industry. Ben breaks down the specialised nature of lucerne farming, the unique relationships between growers, plant breeders, seed buyers, and global markets, and why the failure of S&W Seeds has had such a massive financial impact.
This conversation is packed with insights into the double-edged sword of plant variety rights, market power, risk management, and resilience—plus the lessons growers are learning as they navigate this crisis.
