Tasmanian farmers urged to beware of hay scammers

THE state’s peak farming body has issued an urgent warning for producers to be extra careful when buying hay or silage after what it says is an alarming rise in scam activities.

TasFarmers has received reports revealing a troubling trend where farmers seeking to purchase hay are falling victim to substantial financial scams.

The organisation’s president Ian Sauer said these schemes typically involve requests for deposits or payments for feed that are never delivered.

“We’ve got some of the worst conditions as far as dry seasons go, we’ve got no fodder left in the state, red meat prices have crashed ...  it’s really difficult to get fodder from interstate and then you’ve got people trying to scam farmers,” he said.

“Farmers are being slapped around financially and mentally as well and almost every farmer you talk to is pulling their hair out because they don’t know what to do, they’re between a rock and a hard place. Then you’ve got these people preying on farmers who are in a really bad position.”

There are reports of some farmers losing up to $5000 after paying deposits for fodder that was never delivered.SOME Tasmanian farmers have lost thousands of dollars as scammers take advantage of producers desperate to find fodder.

Mr Sauer said it was important that all farmers were on the lookout for these scams and report them if possible.

“People need to exercise extreme caution with this type of purchase,” he said.

“The offers often appear legitimate initially, but once money is paid, issues with delivery arise and even excuses for delayed delivery may seem plausible.”

Mr Sauer said they are urging farmers to be vigilant and cautious.

“Firstly, being asked to pay a deposit should raise a red flag,” he said. “It’s crucial to confirm the source of the hay and the expected delivery date. Secondly, verify the credentials of the seller and seek third-party endorsements. Remember, using resources like Google can be helpful.”

Mr Sauer said they had alerted the Police Commissioner about  the issue.

“We want to get some feedback firstly on what can the police do, and then TasFarmers are more than happy to work with the police to try and stamp out this really low and cruel behaviour,” he said.

“Some of these people are all too often well known to police and the court system in Tasmania. If members do experience these problems, they should let us know.”

Mr Sauer also encouraged farmers to spread the word about the scams.

“We’re saying if you do find hay, do some research on it and ask the person have they sold hay before and who to so you can ring them up and make sure it has been delivered,” he said.