• Coronavirus (COVID-19) update
• Fox and wild dog bounty collection suspended
• Enterotoxaemia – vaccination is key
• Managing stonefruit quality for export
• Free biosecurity course for Aussie beekeepers
• Crime Stoppers Victoria new podcast out now!
• New technology to strengthen pet register
• Improving digital literacy and connectivity on-farm
• Report suspect Ehrlichiosis infections
• Farm finance workshop recording
• Young farmer business network
• Science and Planning Graduate Program
• Gardiner Foundation Nuffield Scholarships
• Managing dry conditions
• What's on and upcoming webinars

Stage 3 restrictions for regional Victoria

From 11:59 pm on Wednesday 5 August, regional Victoria has returned to Stage 3 restrictions.

There are four reasons that you can leave home:

• Shopping for food or other essential items
• To provide care giving, for compassionate reasons or to seek medical treatment
• For exercise (applies to outdoor exercise, and with only one other person or members of your household)
• Work or study, if you cannot work or study from home.

Otherwise, you must stay home.

From Wednesday 22 July, when you leave home you must wear a mask or face covering.

Stage 4 restrictions for Melbourne

For Melbourne, curfews are in operation from 8pm to 5am every evening. People are only allowed to leave their house for work and essential health, care or safety reasons.

Outside of these hours, you are only allowed to leave your house for one of the following four reasons:

• To purchase food and necessary supplies. This must be done within a 5km radius from where you live. Only 1 person per household can leave for essential goods, and only once per day. For some people the nearest goods and services will be more than 5km away. In this situation you may travel beyond 5km to the nearest provider. If you are unable to leave home because it would mean leaving a young child or at-risk person at home unattended, then they may accompany you.
• Exercise once a day for up to 1 hour within a 5km radius of your home. Gathering sizes will be limited to 2. If you are unable to leave home because it would mean leaving a young child or at-risk person at home unattended, then they may accompany you.
• For care and health care including accompanying someone for essential medical care if you are a carer, guardian or necessary support person. The 5km limit does not apply to care or caregiving.
• Work. Study at TAFE and university must be done remotely. The 5km limit does not apply to work.

For the latest information on restrictions to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), visit the Department of Health and Human Services website.

COVID Safe Plans mandatory for every operational business in Victoria

Every workplace still operating in Victoria has until 11:59 pm Friday 7 August to put in place a COVID Safe Plan focused on safety, prevention and response in the event that coronavirus (COVID-19) is linked to the workplace.

This applies to every workplace throughout Victoria except those with fewer than five employees.

Templates and guidance material to create a COVID Safe Plan are available on the Business Victoria website.

In line with updated Victorian Government restrictions, all fox and wild dog bounty collection events have been suspended until further notice.

The collection schedule will be reviewed in line with the Victorian Chief Health Officer’s advice and will resume accordingly.

Hunters are encouraged to check the Agriculture Victoria website for further updates.

Hunters are encouraged to keep collecting fox scalps and wild dog parts on their properties.

These pieces can be frozen or dried and submitted for reward when the fox and wild bounty collection schedule resumes.

For bounty updates go to the Agriculture Victoria website.

Dr Jeff Cave, District Veterinary Officer

Spring is approaching. Unfortunately, spring-like conditions can sometimes result in livestock health issues.

With abundant spring growth, losses due to enterotoxaemia may be more likely.

Enterotoxaemia is caused by a toxin produced by Clostridium bacteria.

These bacteria are found in the bowel of normal, healthy cattle and sheep.

Enterotoxaemia can occur when a large amount of readily fermentable feed is present in the bowel, leading to these bacteria multiplying rapidly and producing a lethal amount of toxin.

Due to the rapid progression of the disease, an animal affected by enterotoxaemia will typically be found dead in the paddock.

On post-mortem, rapid decomposition of the carcass is seen.

Young stock up to two years of age, and that are in good condition, are most commonly affected; however deaths may also occur in older livestock.

Little can be done to treat an animal already affected by enterotoxaemia, and so the emphasis must be on preventing this condition.

The key to prevention is to ensure all your livestock are adequately protected through vaccination.

As with any vaccination program, adult cows and ewes should be vaccinated approximately one month prior to giving birth, to give their calves and lambs maternal or passive immunity through colostrum.

Passive immunity lasts approximately six weeks, after which calves and lambs need to be vaccinated twice, with an interval of about four to six weeks (refer to manufacturer’s directions).

Most vaccines provide around 12 months of protection and should therefore be given annually.

A feature of the enterotoxaemia vaccine is that the duration of immunity that it provides may be quite short.

It may only give three or four months of protection.

Therefore, it is important for each livestock owner to consider the most effective times to vaccinate their herds or flocks.

This may include a booster dose given before high-risk periods such as the beginning of spring.

For further advice please contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria veterinary officer or animal health officer.

Agriculture Victoria research and development of a new tool to predict stonefruit quality before it reaches its export destination will be a highlight of an upcoming summerfruit webinar series.

Agriculture Victoria research scientist John Lopresti said the Managing fruit quality for export webinar series would include a presentation of the new tool designed to predict the likely quality of fruit received by overseas importers subjected to different cool chain variables.

“The aim of this research is to increase the value and profitability of Victoria’s horticultural exports by improving the ‘freshness, consistency and reputation’ of our horticulture exports into Asia,” he said.

“We’ve put the series together exclusively for summerfruit growers and exporters – anyone with an interest in the industry,” Mr Lopresti said.

In 2018/19, with more than 22,000 tonnes exported, the overall value of Victoria’s stonefruit trade was worth $88.68 million (IHS Global Trade Atlas 2019).

'The Stonefruit cultivar performance during cool storage and predicting quality during export' webinar will be the first of four beginning on 19 August containing the latest research on supply chain innovation from Agriculture Victoria and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland.

Register via ZOOM at: https://bit.ly/302T4IE

Four webinars on 'Managing fruit quality for export' are to be held 19 ad 26 August and 2 and 9 September.

These online webinar events will be run as ZOOM meetings. You will need access to a computer and the internet.

All webinars will be recorded and made available at http://www.hin.com.au/networks/profitable-stonefruit-research

WEBINAR SERIES DETAILS

Wednesday 19 August

Stone fruit cultivar performance during cool storage and predicting quality during export John Lopresti, Researcher, Agriculture Victoria

• TIME: 3 – 4 pm (VIC, NSW, QLD), 2.30 pm (SA), 1 pm (WA).
• Please register via ZOOM at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pv_UurKeS6KSYbNCvy3h0g

Wednesday 26 August

Using real-time data loggers and dashboards Glenn Hale, Researcher, Agriculture Victoria

• TIME: 3 – 4 pm (VIC, NSW, QLD), 2.30 pm (SA), 1 pm (WA)
• Please register via ZOOM at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d3YrVXiwSwiUol8SVpjo8g

Wednesday 2 September

Delayed cooling after harvest reduces storage disorders in white nectarine and peach John Lopresti, Researcher, Agriculture Victoria

• TIME: 3 – 4 pm (VIC, NSW, QLD), 2.30 pm (SA), 1 pm (WA)
• Please register via ZOOM at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i0avv4_eTxyJpYqAnLVHGQ

Wednesday 9 September

Are the fruit on your trees really ready to pick? Christine Frisina, Researcher, Agriculture Victoria

• TIME: 3 – 4 pm (VIC, NSW, QLD), 2.30 pm (SA), 1 pm (WA)
• Please register via ZOOM at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0PKfceYeSsy6SbV5N8SF6Q

The Biosecurity for Beekeepers online course is now free for all Australian beekeepers, increasing the accessibility of training which will help protect the honey bee industry from pests and diseases.

Trevor Weatherhead, Chair of the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council (AHBIC), said the course was previously only free for commercial beekeepers who had 50 or more hives with others having to pay a small fee.

“AHBIC funding allows the course to be accessed at no cost to commercial beekeepers and now Australian state and territory governments have contributed to make the course free to all beekeepers,” said Trevor.

“This is a great step towards improving bee biosecurity standards across Australia which will help ensure the industry’s sustainability into the future.”

Plant Health Australia (PHA) CEO Sarah Corcoran said the course has also been refreshed to ensure it remains current and relevant.

“The course was updated by the PHA training team with advice and input from AHBIC, state bee biosecurity officers and other industry representatives,” said Sarah.

The course, which takes about 90 minutes to complete, covers:

• checking your hives for pests and diseases
• identifying exotic and established pests and diseases of honey bees
• taking action after finding a serious pest or disease in your hives
• minimising the impact of pests and diseases on your hives.

On successful completion of the course you receive a certificate which demonstrates compliance with the Australian Honey Bee Biosecurity Code of Practice.

Completing an approved pest and disease management course is a requirement of the Code for all beekeepers with 50 or more hives and this course is one way to meet that requirement.

Beekeepers can also speak to their local Bee Biosecurity Officer about alternative options.

The Biosecurity for Beekeepers course is delivered by PHA through funding from state and territory governments and AHBIC.

The original development of the course was funded by AgriFutures Australia.

For information on how to register for the course visit beeaware.org.au/training

Please direct enquires to media@phau.com.au

Crime Stoppers Victoria has released a new podcast series looking at the impact of rural crime across Victoria.

A two-part series, the podcast seeks to address criminal activity on Victorian farms from both a criminology and farming perspective.

Part one features Dr. Alistair Harkness, rural criminologist, author and Senior Lecturer of Criminology at the University of New England.

Part two features three farmers from the Wimmera region of Victoria, David Jochinke - President of the Victorian Farmers Federation, Sam Eagle and Bruce Crafter.

The discussion highlights the motives and impacts of farm crime, preventative measures farmers can take on their properties and how the community can play a role in solving a farm crime.

Where to Listen                    

The podcast is available at the following link on the Crime Stoppers Victoria website: https://www.crimestoppersvic.com.au/crime-stoppers-victoria-podcast-series/

It is also available on all podcast playing services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Please find the below link to a short clip taken from the podcast: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wibzx6ipj75xj9p/Rural%20Crime%20Podcast%20-%20Audio%20Clip.mp4?dl=0

Victorians looking for a new furry friend for their home can be more confident of where their pet has come from, thanks to new technology improving the Victorian Government’s Pet Exchange Register.

The Victorian Government has made Application Programming Interface (API) technology available to classifieds websites, enabling them to automatically verify whether a source number is genuine and valid, before publishing an advertisement.

Websites that employ the technology will only allow a valid source number to be published, building on their legal obligation – introduced as part of the Victorian Government’s landmark laws to crack down on puppy farms – to ensure that a source number is listed in every advertisement offering a dog or cat for sale or give-away.

Like the street address verification technology used by hundreds of websites, the new Pet Exchange Register API is yet another tool to crack down on illegal puppy farms and kitten breeders and break their business model.

This complements a new requirement that dogs and cats born after 1 July 2020 must have the source number of their breeder – or the source number of the council pound, animal shelter or foster carer that owns the animal – included on their microchip application form.

This enables our beloved pets to be traced throughout their lifetime.

If you advertise a puppy, kitten, dog or cat for sale or to give away in Victoria, a source number from the Pet Exchange Register is needed.

This number must be displayed on all advertisements, along with each individual animal’s microchip number.

Since the launch of the Pet Exchange Register just over 12 months ago, Animal Welfare Victoria has issued over 11,000 source numbers and has recently introduced a new user category for rescue organisations and community foster care networks who self-enrol on the Pet Exchange Register.

Acknowledging the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, the Government has also waived the annual fee to enrol or renew on the Pet Exchange Register until 1 July 2021.

Before purchasing a dog or cat, Victorians should check the source number listed in the advertisement and report any non-compliant advertisements by visiting per.animalwelfare.vic.gov.au.

Want to know more about improving your digital literacy and connectivity? Need confidence to access technology to improve your on-farm decision making?

CONNECTIVITY WEBINARS

Join extensionAUS and Agriculture Victoria for a series of webinars providing a unique opportunity for you to address on-farm connectivity issues and help you to understand available digital technology - how to measure it and how to make it work as best as possible for you and your business.

WEBINAR DATES AND TIMES

Webinar 4 – Online networking to better communicate on-farm and service farm businesses

Tuesday 11 August
1.30 – 2.30 pm
Register or join at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84433966881

Contact: If you need help registering please contact
Gavin Beever, Cumbre Consultants on 0438 234 886 or gavin@cumbre.com.au

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AUDIT

An opportunity exists to participate in an on-farm digital technology audit conducted by phone by Agriculture Victoria, to understand the technology you already have available on-farm and how you can improve its efficiency.

Participants will be asked to identify what type of internet connectivity they have, where they have access to WiFi and how they use technology on their farm.

Participants will have time to prepare for the audit and will receive a property map and report of results.

REGISTRATION

To register for the audit please book a time at https://bit.ly/2VbBXBK

Contact: If you need help registering or would like more information please contact Andy Clark,
Agriculture Victoria, on 0436 804 656 or andy.clark@agriculture.vic.gov.au

For more information about drought and dry seasonal conditions support call 136 186 or visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons

This project is supported by the 2019–20 Drought Support Package.

Preference will be given to participants from Central and East Gippsland, the GMID and the Millewa region of North-West Victoria.

Victorian vets should be aware cases of the disease Ehrlichiosis were recently confirmed in dogs in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

This is the first time an Ehrlichiosis infection has been confirmed in Australia in dogs that weren’t imported.

The disease is caused by bacteria that are only transmitted through bites from infected ticks.

Be aware of the symptoms of the disease the disease and report if you suspect infection.

Ehrlichiosis is a nationally notifiable disease.

For suspected cases call the national Emergency Animal Disease Watch hotline on 1800 675 888 or report through the Notify Now smartphone app.

https://www.outbreak.gov.au/current-responses-to-outbreaks/ehrlichiosis-dogs

For those people that couldn’t make the workshop in late July called Farm Finance – Getting Prepared, you can now listen to the session.

We have also included a link to provide feedback via a quick two minute survey.

We would really appreciate you filling it out once you have watched the recording as your feedback helps us to produce content that you as our audience most want and need.

Workshop recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jOpFOqV2kU

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.

Applications for the 2021 Science and Planning Graduate Program are now open.

The development program is open to recent graduates with science-based qualifications including, environmental science, agricultural science, natural resource management and planning.

A unique learning  opportunity for graduates, the two-year training program allows for rotating placements across regional and metro Victoria.

Mixing field and policy work, research and community engagement, the program has supported more than 250 participants over the last 20 years.

Visit our website for more information: djpr.vic.gov.au/about-us/careers/employment-programs/science-graduate-program

Applications are now open for the Nuffield Farming Scholarship for a Victorian dairy farmer.

The scholarship, sponsored by the Gardiner Dairy Foundation and Nuffield Australia, provides a chance for the successful applicant to travel and investigate their field of interest. It is open to applicants between the age of 28–45 years.

Further details on the program is available at on the Gardiner Foundation website. Applications close on 11 September.

Information on the full 2021 Nuffield Scholarship Program is available at https://www.nuffield.com.au/

The Victorian Government’s Household Financial Relief Program delivered by the CWA and the On-Farm Drought Resilience Grant will close on 28 August 2020 or once program funding is expended.

The maximum value of the On-Farm Drought Resilience Grants has increased from $5000 to $10,000 to boost farmers’ access to professional services while still enabling farmers to invest in drought preparedness infrastructure.

Eligible farm businesses can now apply for:

• up to $5000 for business decision making activities (with no-contribution required)
• up to $5000 for infrastructure investments (with at least 50 per cent co-contribution required)

There are three new eligible infrastructure investments under the resilience grants:

• technologies to improve mobile phone connectivity
• weed control (e.g., purchase of registered herbicide)
• soil moisture probes (as an explicit investment under soil moisture monitoring activities)

For more information and to access the On-Farm Drought Resilience Grants program, call Rural Finance on 1800 260 425 or visit ruralfinance.com.au.

This grant program closes on 28 August 2020 or once program funding is expended.

Grants continue to be available up to $10,000 per eligible dryland farm business located in the Millewa region of North-West Victoria to assist in the maintenance of essential on-farm machinery and equipment to meet key operational requirements and prepare for the 2020 growing season.

For more information and to access the Farm Machinery Improvement Grants program, call the Victorian Farmers Federation on 1 300 882 833 or visit vff.org.au

This program will remain open until 28 August 2020 or until program funds are fully expended.

Agriculture Victoria remains available to assist Victorian farmers. We want to reassure farmers, particularly those impacted by bushfires and drought, that we will continue to provide support services to you and your farming business. However, the way we are doing this during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed.

What are we doing differently?

We are moving from our usual face-to-face client contact to other alternatives. This means we might call you on the phone, send you information via post or email, invite you to a video or teleconference, or even a webinar.

Our technical support remains available to help landholders affected by fires and drought in East and Central Gippsland, North East, Millewa and the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District. 

Farmers can call us to access information tailored specifically to their needs on a range of topics including:

• feed planning and pasture recovery
• supplying feed and water to livestock
• land and farm water management
• general technical information
• other assistance available and grants programs

Farmers affected by drought

For support in drought-affected areas contact our Dry Seasonal Conditions Coordinators:

• Millewa – Sue McConnell on 0418 572 087
• Northern – Mick Bretherton on 0428 346 209
• East and Central Gippsland – Nick Dudley on 0428 562 139

Or email us at Drought.Support@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Farmers can also continue to call our Customer Service Centre on 136 186 and access the website anytime at – agriculture.vic.gov.au

There are many other agencies providing assistance too – this includes the Rural Financial Counselling Service:

Rural Finance is administering many grants programs for drought and bushfire impacted farmers.

Give them a call on 1800 260 425 or access online anytime at ruralfinance.com.au   

Dairy support

The Dedicated Dairy Support Program is available to dairy farmers in the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District who are considering structural or significant changes to their business.

Decisions could include leaving the industry, scaling back (or up), family succession or transitions to other enterprises.

For more information go to agbizassist.org.au, call 1300 834 775 or email dairysupport@agbizassist.org.au

Millewa and Carwarp district farmers can contact Agriculture Victoria on 1800 318 115 for dry seasonal conditions information and advice.

You may have questions about:

• feed budgeting
• stock containment areas
• feed testing
• livestock requirements
• biosecurity
• soil management

Our staff can also discuss other available support including grants.

The CWA of Victoria’s Drought Relief Program has been provided a funding boost by the Victorian Government for the provision of household financial relief.

A grant payment of up to $3000 per individual applicant and/or household is available for farming families, farm workers and contractors that are drought-affected and reliant on farming as their primary source of income.

This program is being funded through the Victorian Government’s Farmers’ Drought Fund - Household Financial Relief program.

To access an application form or to find out more go to cwaofvic.org.au or email drought@cwaofvic.org.au.

For anyone seeking a copy of the application form or requiring assistance to complete the application, please contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or email the CWA on drought@cwaofvic.org.au

This program closes on 28 August 2020 or once the funding is expended.

Did you know that the Agriculture Victoria’s Beef and Sheep Drought Feeding and Management online books have a new home?

They are housed and updated on the Feeding Livestock website and can be downloaded or viewed in whole or as individual chapters on any device.

Other key features of the website, include:

• tools and calculators
• sheep resources
• beef resources
• climate information
• unusual feeds
• stock water information

Details about Agriculture Victoria events can now be found in one spot on our website. Log on to agriculture.vic.gov.au/events to find out what's on.

Social Media Panel Discussion: Dairy Businesses

Date - Thursday 13 August

Time - 7.30-8.30pm

Learn how to use social media to promote your dairy business, connect to your customers and build a positive industry brand.

Featuring:

• Sallie Jones, co-founder of Gippsland Jersey
• Declan Patten, founder of Lightning Ridge Genetics
• Jayne Newgreen, co-founder of Provenir.

Register now: https://bit.ly/socialmedia4dairybusiness

This webinar with seasonal risk agronomist Dale Grey, will focus on the seasonal climate outlook.

The outlook will be based on model projections for the climate drivers as well as the oceanic, atmospheric and soil moisture conditions.

The information presented will be of relevance to the grains industry in the four GRDC southern region states.

This webinar is simply an online presentation which allow you to ask questions.

It will be recorded, so if you miss the live presentation you can watch it later at a time that suits you.

DATE: 12 August

TIME: 12 - 1 pm

REGISTER: Click here

‘Understanding your farm soil’ is the theme of a webinar series being presented by Macedon Shire Ranges in partnership Agriculture Victoria.

The webinars will be held on Tuesdays at 7 pm in August; topics include:

• 11 August – Soil sampling and testing
• 18 August – Soil carbon, soil carbon sequestration and soil carbon credits
• 25 August – Organic matter on clay soils and soil amelioration.

Register online at https://www.mrsc.vic.gov.au/See-Do/Events/Events-Activities

The much anticipated Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) and BioCollect training will now be delivered via a series of free webinars.

When:  Second week of August to third week of September 2020

Format: Four on-line webinars. There will be several options to attend all modules

Facilitators: Peter Brenton and Matilda Stevenson from the CSIRO.

The training is being provided in an interactive train-the-trainer format and is not being offered to everyone in the first instance.

The expectation is for people trained in these sessions to deliver training and user support within their local communities.

Selection criteria

Preference will be given according to the following criteria:

a) Occupy a volunteer or professional role which would enable them to deliver training to community members

b) Have the capacity to deliver training and provide support to community members within areas of Victoria affected by serrated tussock or gorse

c) Have at least a basic to moderate experience in computers and web-based applications.

Course outline

Module Duration Date and time
1 – Preparation and Overview  2 hr 00 min TBA
2 – Creating Projects and Surveys 2 hr 45 min TBA
3 – Sites, Data and Membership 2 hr 45 min TBA
4 – Everything else 2 hr 45 min TBA

Application form

If you would like to take part please follow the link to complete the application https://forms.gle/oCvHQC5e6SZuxfPCA

Further opportunities

Once the initial train-the-trainer course is complete, participants can apply for a $500 grant to assist in delivering an on-ground training workshop in their community.

About Atlas of Living Australia and BioCollect

The Atlas of Living Australia is Australia’s national biodiversity database and  is the largest mapping database of invasive species in Australia.

BioCollect is a field data collection tool in which users can freely set up and collect data for their own projects, as well as enabling data to be easily copied into the ALA and be made accessible to others who need to use it.

This project is coordinated by the Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party (VSTWP) with support from the Victorian Gorse Taskforce (VGT).

Steep hills and slopes provide a challenge to farmers in terms of access, rehabilitation, productivity and managing livestock access, particularly in wet seasons.

Agriculture Victoria invites you to join our panel of aerial land management specialists in a webinar to discuss the big issues in aerial agriculture, including how to rehabilitate, manage and improve productivity on steep hill country.

Presenters include agronomist Graham Martin, helicopter pilot Hugh Acton-Adams, drone operator Garth Short and beef producer Rob Bulle.

DATE AND TIME

Wednesday 12 August, 7 –  8 pm

REGISTRATION

Register online at:
https://aerial_agriculture.eventbrite.com.au

Details for joining the session (online or phone) will be provided via email after registering.

A recording of this event will be available afterwards.

For further information, contact Greg Ferrier, Agriculture Victoria on 0438 738 634 or greg.ferrier@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Agriculture Victoria’s beef and sheep networks’ winter/spring webinar series is on again with expert presenters helping farmers answer all the challenging questions to get them through the next few months.

Agriculture Victoria Livestock Industry Development Officer Tess McDougall said this series is aimed at decision-making with a focus on managing pastures, conserving fodder and livestock health and nutrition.

“Producers can join the afternoon sessions via their phone and/or computer, tablet or smartphone.

“They are easy to join and provide an opportunity for participants to ask questions and discuss issues with our presenters,” she said.

“Each webinar will be recorded if you can’t attend, so please register to receive a copy of the recording via email.”

Webinar 1: Animal health and nutrition (13 August, 12.30 –1.30 pm)

• Learn more about animal nutrition, trace mineral deficiencies, winter/early spring feed budgeting and livestock health issues to watch out for.
• Presented by Dr Jeff Cave, District Veterinary Officer and Nick Linden, Sheep Industry Development Officer.
• Register at – www.eventbrite.com.au/e/113841172010

Webinar 2: Fodder conservation (3 September, 12.30 – 1.30 pm)

• This webinar will explore questions such as how much is conserving fodder really costing me? How much of my farm should I cut and how can I produce high quality hay and silage this spring?
• Presented by Michele Jolliffe, Dairy Extension Officer and Claire Waterman Farm Business Economist.
• Register at – www.eventbrite.com.au/e/113841535096

Webinar 3: Spring pasture (17 September, 12.30 – 1.30 pm)

• Discussion will focus on what nutrients need to be replaced after fodder conservation, the importance of tillering and key grazing management practices for a successful spring.
• Presented by Fiona Baker, Beef Extension Officer.
• Register at – www.eventbrite.com.au/e/113841709618

For further information or if you have trouble registering contact Tess McDougall 0409 841 492 or tess.mcdougall@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Getting the best information from your soil moisture monitoring system is critical, particularly when water allocations are a little tight.

To help with this, Dried Fruits Australia, in partnership with MEA and Mitchell Agronomy, is running an online session on the use of Green Brain soil moisture monitoring.

If you have this system it will be a great opportunity to ask questions, and if you're thinking about soil moisture monitoring it will give you a chance to see in detail how it works.

Phil Grahame from Ruralco will also provide an update on the water market, while Jeremy Giddings from Agriculture Victoria will be on hand to answer your tricky irrigation questions.

The online event will be held on Thursday 13 August from 4 – 5.30 pm.

Registrations are essential.

Please contact Stuart for more information and to register - projects@driedfruitsaustralia.org.au

The GRDC Grains Research Update events are for grain growers and advisers to explore the latest research and discuss its impact and adoption to modern farming systems.

Location: online

Time: 9.30 - 11 am (AEST)

Date: 13 August

Registration and further details: https://grdc.com.au/events/list?etype=grains-research-update&result_400392_result_page=2

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