Rural hay and bedding yard

Local horse owners, hobby farmers, smallholders, pet and poultry keepers, and small farms.

You earn a margin on each bale or bag sold, often better than a delivery-only model because you buy in bulk. Delivery fees and add-ons such as feed or shavings add extra income.

• Stock and cash flow management
• Negotiating with growers
• Safe handling of heavy bales
• Customer service

• Council approval for a retail or rural supply business on your site, check with your local council
• Fire risk from stored hay, which can heat and combust if baled damp; check storage rules and insurance cover
• Public liability and property or stock insurance, and workers compensation once you hire
• Ties up cash in stock, and spoiled or unsold hay is a loss
• Lifting injuries, plan equipment such as a forklift or tractor and check any licence needed to operate it
• Register an ABN and check when GST registration applies to you

Startup costs are typically around $10,000 to $50,000, depending on your shed or site, equipment and how much stock you buy in. These are estimates only, and stock ties up cash, so plan your buying carefully.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on your location, customer base and how much you deliver. That is revenue before costs such as stock, rent and insurance.

Check council approval for a retail or rural supply business on your site, fire risk and storage rules, and insurance such as public liability and stock cover. Also check any licence needed for a forklift or tractor, workers compensation when you hire, and ABN and GST.