• Coronavirus (COVID-19) update
• Housing order remains in Restricted Area
• Avian influenza alert
• Final Gippsland spring Ag Chat session looks at soils
• Quicker the wilt the better the silage
• A complex disease explained – pestivirus
• Agribusiness supported to adapt to pandemic conditions
• Landholders warned to prepare for flash flooding
• Treading lightly to restore native pasture after fire
• Latest AgVic Talk podcast episodes
• Landcare New Zealand serrated tussock bio-control project
• NLIS tag room survey
• Fantastic new opportunities for young farmers
• Opportunity to help shape local community
• National Centre for Farmer Health #SnapshotRuralVIC competition
• Young Farmer Business Network
• Primary producers bushfire support programs
• What's on – upcoming webinars

Safely reopening regional Victoria

A roadmap for reopening Victoria has been announced by the Victorian Government.

There are two separate roadmaps in Victoria: one for metropolitan Melbourne and one for regional Victoria regarding how we live and how we work. Each roadmap outlines safe, steady and sustainable steps to COVID Normal.

The Roadmap for reopening: regional Victoria provides steps on easing restrictions, dependent on how many active coronavirus (COVID-19) cases are in the community and public health advice.

From 11.59 pm on 16 September 2020 regional Victoria moved to the Third Step on the roadmap. Please see below for an overview of this change, or visit Roadmap for reopening: regional Victoria for more details.

From 11.59 pm on 13 September 2020 metropolitan Melbourne moved to the First Step of the roadmap.

From 11:59 on 13 September 2020, it is mandatory for every Victorian business to have a COVIDSafe Plan.

To ensure compliance, random spot checks are underway in metropolitan Melbourne and will commence in regional Victoria from 29 September 2020.

Your COVIDSafe Plan must set out:

• your actions to help prevent the introduction of coronavirus (COVID-19) in your workplace
• the level of face covering or personal protective equipment (PPE) required for your workforce
• how you will prepare for, and respond to, a suspected or confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) in your workplace
• this plan must demonstrate how you will meet all the requirements set out by the Victorian Government. Some higher-risk industries or workplaces have additional requirements of employers and employees.

Businesses must review and update their COVIDSafe Plans routinely, especially when restrictions or public health advice changes. Organisations with multiple worksites must complete a COVIDSafe Plan for each worksite.

For more information and for templates and guidance on how to create your COVIDSafe Plan, visit the Business Victoria website.

Bird owners in Golden Plains Shire are being urged to continue practising good biosecurity as housing restrictions put in place on domestic birds begin to ease.

Victoria’s Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Graeme Cooke said the housing order in the Restricted Area of Golden Plains Shire has been extended until 11.59 pm on Monday 19 October. However, for bird owners outside the Restricted Area, the housing order will end at 11.59 pm on Saturday 26 September.

“The control order prohibiting the movement of poultry, birds, related equipment and products within and out of the Golden Plains Shire without a permit will also continue across the Shire,” Dr Cooke said.

“We are taking an incremental approach to the lifting of restrictions to be confident that the threat of avian influenza has been eliminated.

“During the first step the housing order will still apply to bird owners in the five-kilometre restricted area around the infected properties in the Lethbridge area where the infected properties were detected, but we can lift it in the rest of the Golden Plains Shire.”

Both large and small-scale commercial operators in the Restricted Area of Golden Plains Shire will be required to continue to house their birds until Monday 19 October.

Backyard flock owners in the Restricted Area are also required to continue to take practical measures to reduce contact between wild birds and their domestic poultry if they are unable to house their birds.

Dr Cooke said the lifting of the housing order in the broader area of Golden Plains Shire is one step towards easing the restrictions on domestic birds in Golden Plains Shire.

“Surveillance operations are continuing to monitor the viral load of avian influenza in the area,” he said.

“Spill over events from wild birds can still occur from time to time so we’re urging all bird owners to continue to practise good biosecurity to reduce the risk of their flocks being infected.”

Dr Cooke said all poultry and captive bird owners should continue to follow good biosecurity practices in order to prevent a recurrence of the disease at any time. These include:

• keep drinking water and feed away from wild birds, pets and vermin
• ensure birds’ feed and water is clean from droppings or animal waste
• keep domestic birds away from potentially contaminated water sources such as streams, dams, ponds
• feed your birds good quality feed from a reputable feed-mill
• regularly clean your chicken coop including feeders, drinkers and equipment
• frequently replace nesting materials.

More information about maintaining good biosecurity practices is available on the Agriculture Victoria website, click here 

Domestic and wild bird surveillance and testing is ongoing.

Report sick or dead birds to the all hours Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Assistance from the public is a vital part of the ongoing response to avian influenza.

Thank you for playing your part and providing surveillance teams and hotline staff essential insights and data about the health of poultry and wild birds across the state.

Wherever you are in Victoria, stay alert and report any sick or dead poultry or wild birds on the 24/7 Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.

For the latest information go to agriculture.vic.gov.au/avianflu

The final Ag Chat spring session is coming up on Tuesday 6 October and will focus on soil management.

Agriculture Victoria team leader Caroline Love said the session will help farmers to manage their important soil assets from soil fertility targets and management to making sure they can overcome any soil production constraints.

Guest speakers for this event are Agriculture Victoria’s Livestock Industry Development Officer Fiona Baker and Land Management Extension Officer John Commins.

“Ms Baker will explain the need to undertake a nutrient budget, particularly after the challenging seasons we have experienced in East and Central Gippsland. “

“While there is the possibility of having lost nutrients through soil loss, it's also important to understand how much you have bought onto your farm in feed products. Understanding this balance can ensure the most cost-effective soil nutrient plan can be developed.”

Ms Love said Mr Commins will discuss the need to plan any erosion control activities well to avoid some common traps and to ensure stock containment areas are not forgotten.

“Given we might see some increased rainfall over the next few months, now is a good time to think about managing any excess run off from these events.”

The topics covered in this session on soil management will include:

• understanding nutrient target levels and what nutrients are bought on or removed
• planning forward – sowing with Phosphorous
• soil testing – why, how and how much $$
• runoff issues with potential for La Niña conditions in spring-summer
• avoiding common mistakes with erosion mitigation projects.

Time: 7 pm
Join Zoom meeting https://zoom.us/j/94741748339
Meeting ID: 947 4174 8339
Passcode: 758186
Dial in by phone: (03) 7018 2005.

Pre-registration is not required. There will be time for questions and discussion at each session.

If you would like to submit any questions or photos for discussion prior to the event, please contact Caroline Love on 0427 515 668.

For more information visit agriculture.vic.gov.au

Sarah Clack, Agriculture Victoria Dairy Extension Officer

Ensuring quick wilting this year for your silage will be important due to the likelihood of a wetter than average spring.

Rain on curing silage can lead to a decline in quality and quantity harvested.

The aim is to harvest and store chopped stack silage at about 30 to 35 per cent dry matter (DM) and baled silage at around 40 to 50 per cent DM.

If wetter, the silage will undergo a less suitable fermentation, and will be of lower quality, losing dry matter and palatability.

Very low losses in quality (energy and protein) and dry matter (DM) occur if the wilted crop is in the pit or bale within 24 to 48 hours after mowing.

Losses increase substantially after this, and an extended wilting period increases the risk of the next shower of rain, resulting in even higher impacts on quality.

Ideally, pastures should be cut at or near when they should be grazed. This encourages quicker regrowth, promotes tillering and maintains pressure on the remaining grazing area.

Mowing with a mower conditioner and/or using a tedder will speed up the rate of wilting substantially and also help to beat any pending rain.

Plant leaves contain thousands of holes (stomata) per square centimetre through which moisture moves in/out during respiration. These stomata close within one to two hours of mowing. The warmer the weather, the faster they close. Once this occurs, the rate of wilting is substantially reduced and although wilting still occurs, it becomes extended.

Mower conditioners have a wide range of conditioning techniques. The tyned and flail types are most suited to pastures, young lucerne, clovers and vegetative cereal crops.

The roller types, on the other hand, are more suited to the stemmier type crops such as cereals cut with a seed head, mature lucerne and summer forages e.g. sorghum.

The operator’s experience, the speed of the operation, the correct clearance settings and maintenance of the equipment, width of swath etc. can also markedly affect the rate of wilting.

Using a tedder to spread the forage as thinly as possible straight after mowing, while the stomata are still open, will greatly increase the rate of moisture loss by 50 – 80 per cent.

The tedding action will leave the plants in a fluffed-up state which will allow airflow to remove evaporating moisture and encourage further wilting.

Some bruising of leaves and stems will also occur at the same time, promoting faster wilting.

Be careful when harvesting on wet soils as mud and manure are a source of undesirable bacteria which may be incorporated into the forage in the silage stack or bale.

These bacteria are highly likely to cause a poor fermentation. This will result in relatively high losses of dry matter and nutritive value of the silage and reduce palatability.

There are several additives which may aid the fermentation process. For slightly over-wet forage still high in sugars, fermentation stimulating bacterial inoculants are suitable, as is products containing sulphur compounds and amylase.

For forage that has been on the ground for many days and probably very low in sugars, buffered acid salts are the best option, although are expensive due to the high application rate needed.

Additives are not a magical solution and effectiveness will depend on the degree of wilting and how much and how well the additive is incorporated.

Summary

• Aim for a dry matter content of 30 to 35 per cent for chopped stack silage and 40 to 50 per cent for baled silage
• Very low losses in quality (energy and protein) and dry matter (DM) occur if the wilted crop is in the pit or bale within 24 to 48 hours after mowing
• Pastures should be cut at or near when they should be grazed, to encourage quicker regrowth promote tillering and maintain pressure on the remaining grazing area
• Use of a tedder and/or mower conditioner will speed up the rate of wilting substantially
• Be careful when harvesting on wet soils as mud and manure are a source of undesirable bacteria which may lead to poor fermentation and reduced palatability
• There are several additives which may aid the fermentation process; however additives are not a silver bullet.

For more information head to agriculture.vic.gov.au

Dr Jeff Cave
District Veterinary Officer

Pestivirus is widespread in cattle herds worldwide including here in Victoria.

The nature of the disease is caused by pestivirus, a complex disease that largely depends on the timing of infection.

When the virus infects cattle for the first time, they may develop fever, depression and diarrhoea. This type of infection is called bovine virus diarrhoea and is usually, but not always, mild.

Affected cattle subsequently build up strong immunity against repeat infections.

If a cow is pregnant at the time of infection, the cow herself will be affected as described above. The effect on the unborn calf depends on the stage of infection.

If the cow is infected during the second half of pregnancy the unborn calf will develop a strong immunity and be born normal although birth abnormalities and late abortions are possible and not uncommon.

During the first half of pregnancy an unborn calf's immune system is not developed and it therefore does not recognise the presence of the virus. As a result, the calf will be born a carrier of the virus and will shed large amounts of the virus.

These persistently infected (PI) cattle are the main source of virus in an infected herd.

Furthermore, if the calf that was infected during the first half of pregnancy is exposed to a more aggressive strain of the virus after it is born its immune system will not be able to fight the virus leading to a condition known as Mucosal disease.

Mucosal disease is a severe and invariably fatal disease. Its clinical signs include diarrhoea, fever, emaciation and lesions on the nose, mouth and feet.

These lesions are an example of an endemic disease commonly found in Australia, which could resemble an exotic disease such as Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Therefore, it is doubly important to seek veterinary advice. There is no treatment available for Mucosal disease.

To best manage the effects of pestivirus, ensure cattle are not exposed to the infection for the first-time during pregnancy. This can be done either by removing the carriers of the infection, vaccinating against pestivirus or by exposing heifers to the infection prior to their first joining.

For further advice please contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer, or in NSW your Local Land Services. If you see something unusual contact the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.

More than 100 food businesses, farmers and suppliers across Victoria are keeping workers safe and supply chains going thanks to support from the Victorian Government, helping workplaces adapt to physical distancing and hygiene measures.

One grant recipient, Springhill Farm, is a second-generation family-owned food manufacturer in Ballarat that makes delicious treats under their own brand and for clients under contract.

Springhill Farm’s grant of $132,000 has seen a new packing room and extra equipment installed to allow greater physical distancing between workers, as well as additional washbasins.

The funding through the government’s Business Adaptation Grants program will also support the retraining of 30 employees in COVID-safe processes and the use of new equipment.

Another grant recipient, Western Plains Pork is a breeder and supplier of free-range pigs in the Grampians region.

Western Plains Pork’s grant of almost $72,000 has gone towards new equipment, including touch-free washbasins, new wash bays to clean operational equipment and an automated industrial cleaning robot.

In Victoria’s east, dairy food manufacturer Village Dairy in Traralgon is receiving $76,000 to semi-automate the business’ cheese packing process to allow for greater physical distancing between employees.

The Business Adaptation Grants have been rolled out across Victoria as part of the government’s Agriculture Workforce Plan, which is also providing grants for worker induction and re-training, and worker relocation and transport.

The plan is supporting businesses within key agriculture and food processing industries through job-matching, case management, targeted industry skills development and initiatives to support Victorian producers connect into new markets.

Applications for Business Adaptation Grants have now been extended and are open until the end of 2020, to support Victorian agribusinesses through the summer harvest season.

To find out more or to apply for a grant, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/agworkforceplan.

Farmers are being warned to plan for flash flooding in the coming weeks, with heavy rainfall predicted this spring.

In particular, fire-affected landholders in hilly and mountainous terrain are being encouraged to check catchment areas and to prepare for possible erosion.

Central and East Gippsland Agriculture Recovery Manager Keren Walker said it was important for farmers to be aware of the possibility of increased run-off due to a combination of heavy rainfall, bare ground, water-repellent soils and steep slopes.

“Landholders need to look at catchments above key water supplies and assess whether they may need to put up sediment fencing to protect their dams or waterways from erosion and debris,” Ms Walker said.

Livestock farmers with flood-prone paddocks should ensure they have a plan to keep livestock safe.

Agriculture Victoria District Veterinary Officer Jeff Cave said livestock will naturally keep moving to higher ground if they have clear access and the appropriate gates are open.

“The problems occur when they run out of higher ground and they haven’t got anywhere else to go,” Dr Cave said.

“It really takes good planning on behalf of the owner to avoid this problem.”

A flood plan should clearly identify:

• A safe place for livestock, usually the highest areas of the property away from water sources and flood plains
• A source of supplementary food and water in an area least likely to flood
• Identification of multiple evacuation routes from the property.

Farmers should discuss their flood plan with other members of the family, record it, and practice it. Landholders are also being urged to listen to weather warnings and be prepared to implement their flood plans at the appropriate time.

For more information on how to build a sediment fence, click here.

For a guide to preparing an emergency checklist and plan, click here.

Tess McDougall,
Livestock Industry Development Officer

Native pastures play an important role in livestock nutrition for some farmers, particularly those in the North East where the environment and landscape is well-suited to native species. For those farmers affected by the fires of 2019-20, restoring native pastures is an important step in the farm’s recovery.

There are about 1,000 native grass species in Australia; species that are well adapted to the country’s harsh and varying climate and low-fertility soils.

As a result, there are situations and environments where native pastures can be a well-adapted, sustainable and suitable choice for livestock production.

Research shows that to restore native pastures you need to implement deferred grazing. While this is something most farmers do traditionally, it is particularly important to carry out this strategy after fire.

Restoring native pastures will help maintain population density and avoid invasion by undesirable species such as onion grass, broadleaf weeds and annual grasses.

There are many deferred grazing regimes including optimised deferred grazing, short-term deferred grazing, long-term deferred grazing, timed grazing and strategic deferred grazing.

The aim of deferred grazing is to:

• ensure ground cover remains about 70 per cent up to mid-January
• increase native perennial plant density
• reduce annual grass seed germination
• increase perennial germination and seedling survival
• increase root biomass down to 60cm
• increase subsequent years herbage mass.

Optimised deferred grazing

Optimised deferred grazing is one of the most effective strategies to alter pasture composition and lift perennial grass population and production while supressing annual grasses.

This strategy requires a high stocking rate, with animals grazing dry and lower quality feed.

Care needs to be taken with the class of stock grazing these pastures to ensure their needs are met. Supplementary feeding may be required to meet nutritional requirements.

With optimised deferred grazing, the withholding time from grazing depends on the growth stage of the pasture plants, with grazing generally prevented from spring to late summer depending on seasonal variations.

The period of time that paddocks need to be rested for optimised deferred grazing will depend on the pasture growth stage and seasonal variation. Generally, this occurs in spring to late summer.

This deferred grazing starts after annual grass stems elongate, but before seed heads emerge so the growing points of undesirable annual plants can be effectively removed by close grazing.

The completion of the paddock resting phase for this grazing strategy depends on pasture conditions of the desirable perennial grasses (seed set, growth and herbage on offer), which are generally ready for grazing from late summer to early autumn.

This strategy aims to reduce the amount of seed produced by annual grasses and alter pasture composition – lifting the proportion of perennials while suppressing the annual grasses.

To implement optimised deferred grazing, farmers need to have a clear understanding about pasture composition, growth stage, seasonal constraints and expected outcomes.

Optimised deferred grazing should be used when:

• there is a reasonable amount of desirable perennial species (>20 per cent)
• there is the capacity to intensively graze a paddock (adequate fencing and stock requirements).

Timing is crucial, as heavy grazing is required when most annual grass stems have elongated in late winter and early spring but before the seed heads emerge.

For information on the types of deferred grazing, see Agriculture Victoria’s Deferred Grazing Quick Reference Guide below.

Hay season is fast approaching in Victoria and farmers considering cutting crops for hay can tune into a recently released podcast with Agriculture Victoria’s Tony Fay.

The 13-minute podcast covers important aspects of decision making such as determining if a crop has sufficient dry matter to make hay, markets, storage, quality, withholding periods and fire risk.

Mr Fay encourages farmers to start thinking about this early to ensure informed decision are made. Some areas in western Victoria have experienced a relatively dry winter and start to spring, so this is the perfect podcast to listen to for farmers who are weighing up their options.

The podcast, funded by the Victorian Government’s 2019/2020 drought support package, can be found on the Mallee Sustainable Farming Project’s website.

One of the most anticipated serrated tussock research projects has reached its first significant milestone. The research project is an investigation into new and innovative biocontrol agents from Argentina for serrated tussock. The VSTWP has contributed $25,000 towards the research project, which will be conducted in New Zealand over the next few years.

Rae Kwong from Agriculture Victoria has provided an update on the achievements to date and what activities and research will be delivered over the next few years. The VSTWP will be watching for potential advances in biocontrol agents, that may limit or prevent the further spread across Victoria under certain conditions.

Key points

• The key objective of the research component is to survey and identify potential biocontrol agents from Argentina, where previous organisms pathogenic to Nassella tussock have been identified
• To date, a total of 12 site visits have been conducted at seven site locations
• To date, 64 fungi have been isolated and DNA extraction is underway to enable isolates of interest to be identified
• Leaf material was collected from up to 20 individual plants from most of the Victorian sites and stored in silica gel. Samples were sent to colleagues at Landcare Research New Zealand for genetic analysis. Seed has also been collected from various sites and will be stored until needed for pathogen testing
• The total funding for this research is $1.2 million, made up of contributions from; New Zealand - $1.0 million + Agriculture Victoria - $82,000 and VSTWP - $25,000
• The research for this 3-year project has been made possible with NZ signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Argentina for the collection of potential biocontrol agents from Argentina.

The VSTWP are very keen to support research into new and innovative control measures, that may limit or prevent the further spread across Victoria under certain conditions.

It is expected the VSTWP will be provided with further research findings from Agriculture Victoria over the next few years, and to say we are excited is an understatement!

Help us improve our online tag ordering system.

The survey is anonymous and has only five short questions, so shouldn’t take long to complete.

The survey will be open until the end of September.

Click here to complete the survey.

We will also be conducting a series of online focus group workshops in the coming months. Keep an eye on your inbox for further information about these, including dates and how to register.

If you have any questions about the survey, please do not hesitate to contact the Agriculture Victoria NLIS Helpline on 1800 678 779 between 9 am and 4.30 pm Monday to Friday.

Agriculture Victoria is partnering with Regional Leadership to offer a fully funded place in each of their ten regional leadership programs for 2021.

This is a fantastic opportunity for any young agriculture professionals or farmers looking to get more involved in community leadership.

Information about the opportunities and benefits of the 2021 program including eligibility for region-specific programs is available on the Regional Leadership website.

Applicants are required to be 18 to 40 years of age, residing in regional or rural Victoria, and involved in agriculture or the agriculture supply chain.

For more information please contact Sarah Wallis, Young Farmer Project Coordinator at sarah.wallis@agriculture.vic.gov.au

The Gippsland Regional Partnership is encouraging experienced and emerging leaders of all ages and backgrounds to apply for a position to help shape their local community.

Applications are now open for the next group of local leaders to fill roles within the Gippsland Regional Partnership, with the inaugural group’s four-year term about to come to an end.

The new group of Partnership members will be guided by the region’s Outcomes Roadmap – a living document that summarises the outcomes each Partnership is striving to achieve. 

The Partnership is encouraging people from diverse backgrounds to apply, including people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with a disability, Aboriginal people and LGBTIQ community members.

The term of appointment for new members will run until 31 December 2024. Applications close on Thursday 1 October. Go to www.rdv.vic.gov.au/regional-partnerships for more information, including the position description, and to apply.

The National Centre for Farmer Health is turning to social media to connect farmers, creators, thinkers and makers from all over the state.

While we might be distanced socially, they want to repair these connections using the universal platform of social media.

From photos to memes, Tik Tok’s and haiku’s, they want you to embrace your creativity in the hope of making another person laugh, cry or cringe in solidarity.

Your imagination will be rewarded with a weekly prize, with the winner chosen by your peers.

The campaign runs from August to October, with submissions being featured daily on their Instagram and Facebook, as well as in the National Centre for Farmer Health eNews and website.

To find out more go to https://www.farmerhealth.org.au/snapshotruralvic

Young Farmers of Victoria – this is your network to talk about farm business management with other like-minded young farmers through social media, articles, online and face to face forums.

Click here to join and learn more about the Young Farmer Business Network Facebook group.

Producers in fire-affected regions can access up to three free one-on-one Back to Business sessions with a local farm management consultant to help put their business back on track.

All red-meat producers, including sheep, cattle and goat, who have been affected by the recent bushfires are eligible to apply.

The Back to Business program in Victoria is being coordinated by Agriculture Victoria. For more information or to register, contact:

• Lyndon Kubeil on 0418 532 085 or at lyndon.kubeil@agriculture.vic.gov.au
• Jo Cameron on 0419 832 704 or at jo.cameron@agriculture.vic.gov.au
• MLA at backtobusiness@mla.com.au

Online registration is also available here.

For more info visit mla.com.au/bushfire-recovery.

The new $10,000 Small Business Bushfire Support Grants are open.

• it's easy to apply
• you aren't required to upload any financial documents if you don't have them right now
• you can apply if your business was indirectly affected by the bushfires.

The grant is available for small businesses and primary producers in East Gippsland, Towong, Alpine, Indigo, Wangaratta, Mansfield and Wellington shires who have experienced significant income loss as a result of this season’s bushfires.

Find out more at www.vic.gov.au/bushfire-recovery-victoria

Concessional loans of up to $500,000 are available to support small business, primary producers and non-profit organisations impacted by the Victorian bushfires that began on 21 November 2019.

The loans are for restoring and/or replacing damaged assets and/or to meet working capital expenses.

They are available for eligible wine grape growers in Ararat, Alpine, Ballarat, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Indigo, Mansfield, Moyne, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Wellington and Wodonga.

For further information contact Rural Finance 1800 260 425 or www.ruralfinance.com.au.

Grants of up to $75,000 to assist primary producers directly affected by the 2019–2020 bushfire with recovery costs. Eligible activities include rebuilding or replacing damaged or destroyed on-farm infrastructure, including fencing and trellises.

Wine grape growers who are located in eligible fire affected local government areas and have had crops affected by smoke taint may be able to claim for costs associated with the salvage, harvest and disposal of the smoke taint affected crops. Where no fire has occurred on the property, evidence of smoke impact, such as smoke taint testing results are required.

Available in eligible fire affected local government areas across Victoria. In the areas of Ararat, Alpine, Ballarat, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Indigo, Mansfield, Moyne, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Wellington and Wodonga, and the alpine areas of Falls Creek, Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Stirling.

For further information contact Rural Finance 1800 260 425 or www.ruralfinance.com.au.

The Victorian Government is helping regional Victorians who lost critical household water infrastructure in the 2019-20 bushfires with up to $20,000 available to replace rainwater and septic tanks.

Rebates, of up to $15,000 for septic tanks and $3,000 for household rainwater tanks, are available to cover up to half of the costs of the purchase and installation of new primary use tank systems to residents rebuilding homes.

To assist with the installation process, up to $1,500 funding is available for any combination of assessments required to get council approval to install or alter a septic system including condition reports undertaken by a qualified plumber and Land Capability Assessments.

Further funding of up to $500 is available to cover the initial refill of a rainwater tank installed as part of the program.

Rebates of up to $2,500 are also available for minor repairs or reconnections required for undamaged tank systems that comply with current standards.

The program is available to households in Alpine, Towong and East Gippsland shires, not connected to reticulated urban water systems, for the replacement, minor repairs or reconnection of primary use rainwater and septic tanks at their primary place of residence.

Rebates are available for works completed since 21 November 2019 and until 31 May 2023.

To apply for the rebates contact your local Bushfire Recovery Victoria hub or visit melbournewater.com.au/RaSTRprogram.

Details about Agriculture Victoria events can now be found in one spot on our website. Log on to the Events page to find out what's on.

The final in Agriculture Victoria's Gippsland Spring Ag Chat webinar series will focus on soil management in Central and East Gippsland.

There will be time for questions and discussion during the session.

If you would like to submit any questions or photos for discussion prior to the event please contact Caroline Love at caroline.love@agriculture.vic.gov.au or on 0427 515 668.

Abbey’s Run Equestrian are pleased to bring you this webinar on Thursday 8 October from 7 – 9 pm.  The aim of this webinar is to help you get organised and plan for any fire or emergency event that may impact you, your property and horses.

The presenters include Dr Lee Manning (Agriculture Victoria Veterinary Officer), April Padbury (CFA) and Moyna Smeaton who will share her personal story of living through the 19/20 fires with her horses.

Topics covered in the presentation include:

• Fire behaviour (hills, wind changes etc.)
• Warnings and information
• Preparing your property
• Why have an emergency plan?
• Equine behaviour in fires
• Preparing your horses to stay
• Leaving early with horses
• After the fire and basic first aid.

There will be time for Q&A’s at the end of the presentations.

This ticketed event will be held on Zoom. Abbey’s Run Equestrian will contact all ticketholders via email in the 24 hours prior to the event with the web link and access code for the presentation.

While we welcome attendees from anywhere, this webinar is relative to a south-eastern Australian context.

Attendees must be over 18 years old or have parental supervision while watching.

For more information on the event and presenters, or to register go to https://bit.ly/32Y2xm2

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