It’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?
Do we know what our window is to book a contractor?
So here is what we see: you either make the decision early to have contractors come in, and if that is the case, July/August is a good time.
The majority of the growers that use the Broadacre Contracting system to find contractors use it actively from July to mid-August to lock in contractors.
If you are on the fence and wait to see how harvest tracks, you can put yourself in a position where the time to book and organise does not really exist.
If it is wet, GrainCorp is not getting trucks through, everything is slowing down, and you are getting concerned about the weather, then the pressure is already on.
To be honest, with the way the ag sector is now and having a system like Broadacre Contracting, you can feel more confident sitting on the fence and only finding that contractor if situations eventuate.
The Broadacre Contracting system works so effectively at the busiest times.
But here is a hard question.
Is it sustainable for contractors to be used only as a demand reaction?
There is still a risk for growers at this time of year: frost, floods and everything else.
But let us face it, the risk does not stop for that year’s crop until the money is in the bank.
So if we take the approach of, “Okay, our risk is a bit lower, we have got a bit of an idea where harvest will probably end up, and at this point it is looking like we are going to require contractors with a solid setup,” then July to August becomes the smart time to start moving.
That might mean contractors with 3+ headers, chaser bins, trucks and the gear needed to actually make a difference when harvest hits.
July to August for the New South Wales region is good timing.
Contractors are now actively out doing crop checks, they know what availability they have, their gear is pre-seasoned and some are ready to float gear to put in your shed for the couple of months so once she is go, she is go.
Obviously, if you are in the northern QLD regions, for example Emerald or Clermont, then June to July would be the ideal time.
For VIC, SA, WA and TAS, work on the basis of two months leeway.
Two months should be enough time for everyone to sort themselves out, from moving gear, staff and all of the general operations.
If you are unsure what is available, you can look through harvesting equipment listings to get a feel for contractor availability and the sort of gear being listed.
The talking phase is over.
The rotor is in or about to get kicked into gear, the chaser bins are hooked up and the good old 909s are singing.
If you are trying to book a contractor now, it is usually because you have weather, a breakdown or some anomaly to your normal setup.
Good chance it is rain or a breakdown.
Contractors are already committed at the start of harvest. You might not get anyone straight away, but give it a week and you might.
It will be a moment of, “We need one, we know we probably will not get one in time, but it is worth a shot.”
Now, if that is the mentality, that is completely fine.
But it could have been avoided by getting organised earlier and just getting a contractor in to help take 30% of your programme off, then doing the rest with your own gear.
I know you are sitting down going, “Well, if we do not have to pay for a contractor, I would prefer not to.”
So it comes back down to how you value your risk ratio.
At the end of the day, there is no right or wrong and you as a grower know what the best decision is for your business.
But we need to be honest about the economics.
A grower or contractor invests millions in machinery.
It needs to be worth its value to you, so with that I reckon you would agree, we do not spend millions on gear to look at it in the shed.
So for contractors, if they do not get the work they need, will they exist?
Not just will they exist, but will the quality of gear be there? Will the reliability be there? Will all the sustainable attributes be there?
I do not feel it would be.
You know, I sat down with a grower the other day and he explained to me that they run a lot of new gear and they are pretty much self-sufficient.
They have actually got new tech in their gear for it to do jobs without any operators, but they continue to feed local boys with some form of work as they have been caught out before.
Them just each year giving the boys something ensures if they pick up the phone, they are going to get some help.
It is bloody good to hear that.
After all, when I think about the conversation, my mind goes, well what cash they lose over the years they make back in getting tasks done in small windows and saving crop from weather.
But I also get a lot of people that are now self-sufficient because they used to have contractors and they just got burnt and let down.
This conversation can go around in circles.
At the end of the day, it is how you want to run your business, and as I said earlier, there is no one better than you to know what is best for your business.
Is it your responsibility to worry about the sector? Not really, but we feel everyone should be looking out for each other.
So I am going to finish this off with me selling us to you.
If you need contractors, Broadacre Contracting has built the perfect system to get you help instantly or to plan over the long term.
That could be something immediate, or it could be something like a 5-year contract for a spraying contractor to do 20,000ha.
We work on Respect, Reliability and Responsibility, and are actively supporting growers and contractors.
I am not going into any more detail, but if you ever need help or have any queries, pick the phone up and call us directly on 0439 300 380.
If you Google Broadacre Contracting, you will find us.
These resources may help growers think through harvest timing, setup and conditions alongside local knowledge and contractor conversations.
If you need to book a harvest contractor, check availability or get a job in front of the right people, Broadacre Contracting gives you a clearer place to start.
You can browse harvesting listings, post a tender or create an account to start connecting with contractors.
As a guide, many growers start organising harvest contractors around two months before their expected start date. In NSW, July to August is often a strong window. In northern QLD, June to July may be better.
For many NSW growers, July to August is a good time to start locking in harvest contractor availability, especially if you know you will need extra headers, chaser bins or trucks.
You may be able to, but by September or October many contractors are already committed. At that stage, you are usually looking for help because of rain, breakdowns or pressure, so availability can be harder.
Not always, but relying only on reactive booking can make contractor work less sustainable. Contractors invest heavily in machinery and need enough work to keep quality gear, staff and reliable service available.
Broadacre Contracting helps growers browse harvesting listings, post tenders and connect with contractors directly, whether they need help urgently or want to plan ahead.
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