• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Individual support helps business workforce planning
• Supporting Mallee farmers to profit from pulses
• Farm Business Resilience Program - registrations close 12 October
• Preventing fatigue during harvest
• Molka farmer convicted of multiple animal cruelty charges
• Dairy farm monitor project
• Business support to drive agriculture industry recovery
• Getting our lost pets home sooner
• Supporting the next generation of farmers to succeed
• AgVic Talk podcast series
• eLearn at your pace with Agriculture Victoria
• Wild dog management a template for feral cat and fox control
• Fox and wild dog bounty collections for North West Victoria
• National feral pig action plan stakeholder forum
• In case you missed it
• What's on?

Update

Restrictions are currently in place across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Keep up to date with all the latest restrictions, permits and requirements at coronavirus.vic.gov.au.

Victorian Travel Permits

Victoria has a permit system for all domestic travel into Victoria.

The travel permit system is a traffic light system that designates areas across Australia and New Zealand as green, orange, red zones or extreme risk zones according to their public health risk.

Specified worker permits are available to eligible workers who need to enter Victoria from other states.

For information about Victoria’s travel permit system, transiting through other zones to get to Victoria and restrictions on entering from other states, including exceptions and exemptions, visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au.

For up-to-date information on travel restrictions for your state, see Travel updates.

For advice specific to Victorian, NSW and SA cross-border communities in a border bubble with Victoria, see Cross-border communities updates.

Keep up to date with all the latest restrictions and requirements at coronavirus.vic.gov.au.

Do you have a plan for how your animals will be looked after if you are required to self-isolate?

Will you have enough feed, animal health products and other supplies?

Animal owners have an obligation to ensure their pets or livestock are properly cared for at all times.

If you are required to self-isolate you should arrange for someone else to care for livestock and make sure the person you will be trusting to look after your animals is willing to take on this responsibility.

Protect your animals and farm business by ensuring you are up to date with COVID-19 restrictions and your farm has an up-to-date COVIDSafe plan.

Find information on implementing the six principles of COVIDSafe workplaces online and keep up to date with all the latest restrictions, permits and requirements at coronavirus.vic.gov.au.

Horticulture businesses across Victoria are preparing for the upcoming harvest and, for many, managing the workforce will be crucial as they find new ways to attract and retain workers.

To support business to manage this challenge, Agriculture Victoria is providing free, one-on-one Horticulture Workforce Planning sessions with workforce recruitment and HR specialists Meridian Agriculture.

Agriculture Victoria’s Statewide Seasonal Workforce Coordinator Aimee McCutcheon said the sessions will help individuals develop business plans with a focus on identifying workforce needs, attracting and retaining workers and increasing skills development capabilities.

“These free one-on-one sessions will help horticulture businesses to identify where they can improve their HR and recruitment processes,” Ms McCutcheon said.

“This may include offering a workplace that is more inviting, adaptable and inclusive, writing better position descriptions and job ads, finding new sources of workers or reviewing management processes.”  

The sessions are part of Agriculture Victoria’s Horticulture Business Workforce Planning Program, which has included a review of the 2020-21 harvest season, and several industry workshops.

“Agriculture Victoria has been working with industry and farmers and we have heard the challenges businesses experienced last year with seasonal workforce issues,” Ms McCutcheon said.

“We have also heard of the opportunities, where businesses have adapted with new practices, used various labour sources and made their businesses more attractive to workers."
 
To take part in an individual session, managers or business owners need to register their interest online.

The individual business will have a two-hour session with a Meridian Agriculture HR consultant, with a one-hour follow-up session to check progress and gain additional support.

“This is the opportunity to participate in a strategic planning session focusing on the workforce of your business,” Ms McCutcheon said.

“It will give you the opportunity to reflect on what is working well within your business, areas to focus on and create an action plan that will enable you to do everything within your control to attract and manage workers vital to your business.”

Register online for a session in October.

For more information on Seasonal Workforce business support visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/bigharvest

PHOTO: Agriculture Victoria regional research agronomist Audrey Delahunty

Victorian-led research in the state’s north west is helping to boost the production of pulses by testing new varieties and harnessing cutting-edge technology, capitalising on a growing domestic and global market.

Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas commended researchers at Agriculture Victoria, in partnership with the Grains Research and Development Corporation who are supporting growers in the Mallee to expand their crop rotations to include fit-for-purpose pulse crops.

Field research sites have been set up in the Mallee, including one at Sea Lake, which enables researchers to test the performance of pulse types so that breeders can target traits to develop new plant varieties that will withstand dry conditions, thrive in local soil types and be more resistant to pests and disease.

These trials have already uncovered two pea varieties, PBA Noosa and PBA Taylor, which are adaptable to most pea growing regions in Australia and commercially suitable for both export and domestic markets.

Large-scale field trials in the northern Mallee have also been established, including a Southern Pulse Agronomy field site at Kooloonong.

Scientists are investigating how pulses can be grown in marginal areas to increase farm profitability and export earnings for Victoria’s growers.

In Horsham, researchers at Agriculture Victoria’s Smartfarm are investigating how sensor technologies can be used to measure grain quality in lentils and faba beans – supporting growers to target premium markets.

In 2019-20, Victoria produced 550,000 tonnes of pulses, with exports valued at $370 million and representing 33 per cent of Victoria’s grain exports.

With worldwide population growth and increased demand for plant protein, global pulse production is projected to increase by 23 per cent by 2030.

Health-conscious consumers have contributed significantly to the demand for pulses due to their high protein and nutritional content.

The Victorian Government is backing an even stronger agriculture sector through its 10-year Agriculture Strategy, ensuring the industry is well-placed to manage climate risk by increasing adoption of new, effective and fit-forpurpose technology.

For more information visit agriculture.vic.gov.au.

Agriculture Victoria is offering an exciting new online program for Victorian livestock, grain and mixed farmers.

The Farm Business Resilience Program, which is part of the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, will provide farmers with the opportunity to develop or refresh their Farm Business Plan.

Topics covered in the program include:

• Identifying and managing emerging risks
• Business planning and financial management
• Succession planning and people management
• AgTech and Internet of Things (IoT)
• Seasonal outlooks, managing soils and farm water for the future.

Participants will also be able to access a Farm Business Resilience Resource Library during and after the program, including program worksheets, presentation materials, videos, podcasts, eLearns and useful websites.

To register your interest in participating in the online program, please complete this short survey.

For more information, contact Kit Duncan-Jones on 0427 749 466 or kit.duncan-jones@agriculture.vic.gov.au

The Farm Business Resilience program is jointly funded by the Australian Government and Victorian Government through the Future Drought Fund.

Further information about the program and the Future Drought Fund can also be found on the Agriculture Victoria website.

PHOTO: Simon Craig, Kooloonong grain and sheep farmer

With the busy harvest approaching, we’re sharing farmer tips to help your farm planning and setting up for a safe and successful season.

For Simon Craig, Farm Manager at Lemac Farm, long hours during sowing and harvest are the most dangerous times when workers can get fatigued.

To reduce the risk of fatigue, Simon’s team try different things including auto-steer for tractors, managing hours spent on the machinery and accommodation options if workers are too tired to drive home.

More about fatigue, tips for avoiding it and more go online to the WorkSafe website.

You can watch Simon in a short video speaking about fatigue on-farm.

Molka farmer, Anthony Gleeson, was sentenced for multiple animal cruelty and aggravated cruelty charges, in the Shepparton Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 29 September.

Following a four-day contested hearing, Anthony Gleeson was convicted and fined $50,000 plus costs to the department of $26,384.41.

The Magistrate also imposed a 15-month Community Corrections Order to perform 150 hours of unpaid community work and issued a conditional order for five years requiring Mr Gleeson to ensure the wellbeing of his livestock, to be monitored periodically by Agriculture Victoria.

Mr Gleeson was found guilty of 26 charges of aggravated cruelty relating to 26 seriously disabled sheep on his property in 2019. In some instances sheep were stuck in mud around dams while trying to get to water and predated whilst alive by crows.

Mr Gleeson was also found guilty of two additional charges of cruelty related to a flock of approximately 750 sheep that did not have safe access to drinking water and suffered unreasonable pain and suffering as a result of Mr Gleeson failing to provide proper supervision.

Agriculture Victoria Compliance Manager Daniel Bode said the sheep were not being provided with safe access to water, along with inadequate supervision, leaving our officers no alternative but to euthanise numerous animals.

The Magistrate noted animal welfare must be the cornerstone of a commercial business and drought cannot be relied upon as an excuse, as there is no excuse for what those animals endured.

The Magistrate further remarked this offending led to the serious disablement of animals that had to be euthanised. Knowing that sheep are herd animals, it was distressing to see the sheep in those situations, unable to extract themselves from the mud.

His Honour also added the sheep were left to predatory behaviour while alive, and vulnerable to the elements. Mr Gleeson has at the same time shown no remorse or acceptance of his responsibility.

Mr Bode said apart from the obvious pain and suffering of the animals, animal welfare breaches can jeopardise Victoria’s reputation as a humane and responsible producer of food, which can affect all producers.

“This is a reminder to all livestock producers that animal cruelty will not be tolerated by the Victorian Government or the community.”

Anyone wishing to make a specific complaint in regard to livestock welfare can contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or aw.complaint@agriculture.vic.gov.au

The Dairy Farm Monitor Project is a comprehensive financial and production analysis using 80 Victorian dairy farms spread evenly across three dairy regions:

• south-western Victoria
• Gippsland
• northern Victoria

Now in its fifteenth year, the project is a joint initiative between Agriculture Victoria and Dairy Australia.

Reports inform government and industry decision-makers on the farm-level factors that contribute to profit and the information helps shape policy design, research themes and extension programs.

The results and trends reported need to be interpreted carefully as participant farms might not be representative of the industry or region and participant farms differ every year.

The positive financial returns in 2020–21 are welcome across the sector after the challenging seasonal conditions and financial pressures experienced over the past decade.

In 2020–21, average farm earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose to $422,000 ($1.86 per kilogram of milk solids [kg MS]).

Livestock trading profit increased, fodder inventory increased, and costs decreased.

Gippsland and the south west recorded close to long-term average in 2020-21, with the North offering its best result in 15 years.

A decline in milk price did not deter 75 of the 80 farms recording a positive performance.

The full 2020-21 Dairy Farm Monitor report is now available on the Agriculture Victoria website, including regional breakdowns.

The Victorian Government is fast-tracking the road to recovery for agriculture and food supply chain businesses in rural and regional Victoria.

Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas has announced a new $5.2 million Agriculture Resilience and Recovery Program while visiting Mt William Advanced Tree Nursery in Lancefield.

The nursery received $35,000 last year as part of the government’s Agriculture Workforce Plan - Business Adaptation program.

The grant enabled the nursery to build a portable lunchroom and expand the existing lunchroom to provide suitable space for workers.

Prior to this, staff were forced to split shifts, restrict work days, rotate lunch breaks and work across multiple sites.

The new program provides grants of between $10,000 and $300,000 to support on-farm infrastructure, business upgrades and new facilities to enable businesses to adapt their operations to COVIDSafe settings.

The program provides three types of business support:

• Business Resilience and Recovery – to support businesses to adapt their operations to maintain production and manage risks.
• Place-based Worker Support – to support the development of COVIDSafe worker accommodation.
• Training and Education –  to provide support for farm and food processing workers to access information and services and ensure businesses are providing COVIDSafe work practices.

The grants will provide support for businesses as they prepare for upcoming peak seasons including spring shearing, grains harvest and meat processing, and horticulture’s peak picking and packing season.

The Agriculture Resilience and Recovery Program is part of the Government’s comprehensive $84 million support package to assist industry to address workforce challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

More than $30 million has been provided through the Agriculture Workforce Plan, which has awarded more than 380 grants to assist businesses to create COVIDSafe workplaces, provide worker induction and training, and create additional accommodation and transport facilities.

Businesses have been supported to build COVIDSafe lunchrooms, kitchens, washrooms and other worker amenities, make modifications to processing, packaging and manufacturing lines, create automated entry points, build partitions for workspaces and install temperature checking facilities.

For more information visit agriculture.vic.gov.au.

The Victorian Government is delivering on its election commitment to make sure lost pets get returned home sooner, with legislation to be introduced in Parliament this week.

The change means Victorians will soon be able to take a lost dog or cat to a participating vet clinic or registered animal shelter to be reunited with its owner, rather than relying on councils.

At present, lost cats and dogs must be handed in to an authorised officer in the council area where the animal is found, or to vets and shelters that have an agreement under the Domestic Animals Act 1994.

Surveys show just 23 per cent of vets have a contract with council to accept lost pets and as a result many animals are spending longer in pound and shelter facilities. The proposed reforms will:

• allow shelters and participating vets to accept and reunite lost pets directly with their owners, with simple record keeping and reporting requirements
• improve animal welfare by ensuring lost pets get home as quickly as possible
• reduce burden on local councils, by allowing vets and shelters to assist with direct reunification services
• improve operations for regulatory authorities, including the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Victoria and Greyhound Racing Victoria.

The Domestic Animals Amendment (Reuniting Pets and Other Matters) Bill 2021 includes a robust verification process to ensure pets are returned to the correct owner.

It also identifies circumstances where pets should go to the council to protect public safety and animal welfare. This includes situations where an animal is declared dangerous, or ownership cannot be verified.

These reforms are important as Victoria has high pet ownership rates, with an average of 665,000 dogs and 215,000 cats registered with councils each year.

Extensive consultation with community and stakeholders including veterinarians, councils, shelters, animal registry (microchip) services, rescue groups and community foster care networks was an important part of the process that led to the final form of the legislation.

The new arrangements will be in effect by 1 October 2022.

For more information visit agriculture.vic.gov.au.

The Victorian Government is calling on young farmers to take their careers to the next level, with expressions of interest open for the 2022 Young Farmer and New Entrant Mentoring Program.

Eight positions are available in the 2022 program which pairs young farmers with experienced farmers in a mentorship, overseen by a skilled farm business consultant.

The program is open to farmers aged 18 to 35 years to develop the skills they need to better manage their farm businesses, identify risks and develop strategies to build resilience and achieve their business goals.

During the 12-month program the mentor and mentee will meet regularly to assist the young farmer in building professional networks, utilising trusted sources of advice and information, and setting business goals.

Program participants are matched to ensure the mentor’s experience aligns with the mentee’s enterprise and personal development goals.

The Young Farmer and New Entrant Mentoring Program is funded by the government’s $20 million Smarter, Safer Farms initiative, which includes targeted training support to build capability in financial literacy, risk management, farm planning and adaption to climate change.

Expressions of interest for mentees for the 2022 Young Farmer and New Entrant Mentoring Program are now open.

For more information and to apply visit vic.gov.au/youngfarmers.

This podcast series delivers knowledge and information in a format that suits the way farmers and agricultural professionals work and live today.

Subscribe to AgVic Talk

You can subscribe and listen to AgVic Talk wherever you get your podcasts:

• Subscribe to AgVic Talk on Spotify
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Your feedback is important to us so make sure to rate and review AgVic Talk episodes and share with your friends and family.

Episodes cover contemporary problems and solutions on how members of the agricultural community recover, grow, modernise, protect, and promote Victorian agriculture.

All information included in these episodes is accurate at the time of release.

Contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or your consultant before making any changes on-farm.

Gippsland sheep farmer and Young Farmers Advisory Council member Nick Blandford firmly believes Australian agriculture can adapt to climate change.

Discover how he is using his knowledge of climate change science to inform his business decisions; ensuring that soil health, emissions and profitability are integrated into his business model.

Listen to Nick’s podcast episode by searching for 'AgVic Talk' wherever you get your podcasts or listen online via the Agriculture Victoria website agriculture.vic.gov.au/AgVicTalk

Share the profits, some of the risk, but none of the capital outlay.  Sounds like a great deal?   It's a farming arrangement called share farming and may be an alternative pathway into the industry for future farmers?

Gippsland dairy farmer Hans van Wees has been share farming near Maffra for 15 years and recently joined the AgVic Talk studio to discuss how having a realistic budget along with realistic ambitions provides for a very reliable income if you approach it in a pragmatic and professional way.

Listen to Hans’s episode by searching for 'AgVic Talk' wherever you get your podcasts or listen 🎧 online via the AgVic website agriculture.vic.gov.au/AgVicTalk

For young farmers and those new to running a business, deciding to employ staff is a big step.

In the latest AgVic Talk podcast we hear from young farmer Samantha Mitchell (pictured right with dad John) who – with the support of her mentor Andrew Bell – is working towards hiring her first on-farm employee.

Samantha and Andrew are part of the Young Farmer and New Entrant Mentoring Program designed to support and build confidence in young farmers as they learn the ropes.

Hear Andrew reflect on why his 40-year working relationship with his employee has been so successful and how his experience has helped Samantha.

Search for AgVic Talk wherever you get your podcasts or listen 🎧 online via the AgVic website agriculture.vic.gov.au/AgVicTalk

In episode eight Tamara always wanted to be a farmer and growing up in Melbourne hasn’t stopped her.

In this episode the former city slicker explains why you don't have to come from a family farm to make your dreams come true.

Listen to Tamara tell her story by searching for 'AgVic Talk' wherever you get your podcasts or listen 🎧 online via the AgVic website agriculture.vic.gov.au/AgVicTalk

In episode seven early succession planning and earning off-farm income have been important for young farmers Emma Hawker and Tristan Schilling as they establish themselves and their farming businesses.

Listen to Emma and Tristan tell their story of starting from scratch by searching for 'AgVic Talk' wherever you get your podcasts or listening in 🎧 online via the Agriculture Victoria website  agriculture.vic.gov.au/AgVicTalk 

A selection of online courses that can be undertaken at your own pace, at any time and from anywhere with an internet connection.

The Victorian Government understands that life can get busy and it isn’t always possible to attend courses in person.

eLearning provides an accessible and flexible option for learning and expanding your knowledge.

It enables you to enhance your skills without having to attend an event or workshop in person which could be a significant distance from home, or difficult to complete due to time constraints.

To access courses, you will need to create an account.

This will allow you full access to the courses and it will track your progress as you move through them.

Browse the range of courses that can be undertaken at your own pace, at any time and from anywhere with an internet connection.

This week’s eLearn in profile is: Land Classing Application

The land classing application course provides a step-by-step approach to identifying the land class of a particular area of a farm.

Land classing is a fundamental step in developing a Whole Farm Plan. By identifying areas with similar land and soil types you are better able to make informed decisions on what land use is best suited to a certain area.

This tool is based on the Land Classing Kit For Farmers, a booklet written by Nathalie Baxter and John Williamson in 2000.

The course will assist you to identify the capability or land class of your land in a systematic and logical way using your knowledge of the farm and a few simple assessment techniques.

Fencing and managing your land according to its land class will reduce the risk of degradation and in most cases will increase your farm's production.

View the Land Classing Application online course.

PHOTO: National Feral Cat and Fox Management Coordinator Gillian Basnett joins a network of national vertebrate pest coordinators covering wild dogs, deer and feral pigs

Strategies proven under the National Wild Dog Action Plan are set to help work undertaken by the new National Feral Cat and Fox Management Coordinator.

Environmental scientist and ecologist Gillian Basnett, of Launceston, Tasmania, has been appointed to the new role with the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, funded by the Australian Government as part of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment’s Regional Bushfire Fund.

Gillian specialises in fire ecology, wildlife management and community engagement, environmental education and science communication.

She has worked with many landholder, community and student groups, agencies and not-for-profit organisations across Australia.

Ms Basnett said the standard operational procedures and best practice guidelines established by NWDAP would be used as a model.

“The National Wild Dog Action Plan will be really useful as a template for landscape scale, cross-tenure, coordinated, collaborative, community driven feral predator management,” she said.

“Key learnings of what has worked and what hasn’t will help with planning and engagement particularly for fox control.”

The National Feral Cat and Fox Management Coordinator role joins a network of national vertebrate pest coordinators covering wild dogs, deer and feral pigs.

“As national coordinators with a focus on individual species, we can provide specific information on our pest species that is relevant to landholders, groups, projects, planning and legislation,” Ms Basnett said.

“This is important but we also recognise in most, if not all, landscapes there are multiple threats and pests, often interacting and needing to be managed together to have the desired outcome.

“By having the four coordinators, who work closely together, we can be both targeted in our approach and provide best practice management information, and access to a wider range of networks and partnerships across multiple species.”

Ms Basnett will initially focus on seven priority bushfire-affected regions ranging along the east coast from South-East Queensland to East Gippsland and Kangaroo Island, as well as priority threatened species.

She will be reaching out to landholders, Landcare, and others to help them with community led approaches that mitigate the impact of feral cats and foxes in their local areas.

More broadly, Gillian will be coordinating action and best practice management approaches to control feral cats and foxes nationally.

She will serve on the National Feral Cat Taskforce, chaired by the Threatened Species Commissioner, meaning local action will connect with national action, and build on the feral cat work already being undertaken.

“We all watched in horror as huge bushfires burnt through large areas of Australia in the summer of 2019-20,” she said.

“It has been estimated three billion native animals were killed or displaced during these fires. As areas start to regenerate, our wildlife has a chance to recover.

“But cats and foxes will significantly hamper this recovery through increased predation of wildlife sheltering in small areas of unburnt vegetation and more efficient hunting in recovering, but exposed habitats.

“In order to protect the surviving wildlife and help with recovery, it is vital we manage introduced predators effectively and coordinate efforts across the landscape, and I look forward to working with others to help make this happen.”

Victorian Fox and Wild Dog Bounty resumed in the majority of regional Victoria on 14 September 2021.

If you are attending a collection centre, you must comply with COVIDSafe principles including using the QR code to check-in, physical distancing, good hygiene practices and wearing a face mask indoors and outdoors (unless you have a lawful reason not to).

Please continue to check the Victorian fox and wild dog bounty webpage on the Agriculture Victoria website for the latest information, as the collection schedule is subject to change in response to the COVID-19 situation.

Bendigo collections

Address: Cnr Midland Hwy and Taylor St, Epsom
Collection type: Fox only
Time: 10.30 am to 12.30 pm

Dates:
Monday, 25 October 

Ouyen collections

Address: Gregory St Ouyen
Collection type: Fox only
Time: 2 to 4 pm

Dates:
Tuesday, 26 October 

St Arnaud collections

Address: 4 Montague St, St Arnaud
Collection type: Fox only
Time: 10.30 am to 12.30 pm

Dates:
Thursday, 28 October 

Swan Hill collections

Address: 7 Quin Drv, Swan Hill
Collection type: Fox only
Time: 8.30 to 10.30 am

Dates:
Tuesday, 26 October 

This forum will focus on feral pig management planning and practical measures to optimise outcomes from your management activities.

Our next NFPAP Stakeholder Forum will be held on Monday 11 October from 1 – 2.30 pm.

It will be chaired by Ricky Archer, CEO, NAILSMA and Chair of the NFPAP’s Implementation Committee. A progress update on the Plan’s implementation will be presented by Dr Heather Channon.

This forum will focus on feral pig management planning and practical measures to consider to optimise outcomes from your best practice management activities.

Presentations will be made by Troy Crittle, Invasive Species Officer, NSW DPI and Stu Barker, from Wild Science in NT, who will discuss the application of effective integrated, best practice management of feral pigs in different regions around Australia.

For more information or to register go online to the eventbrite website.

Helping rural councils deliver for their communities

The Victorian Government is supporting Victoria’s 38 rural councils to deliver exciting projects that improve services and provide value for money for local communities.

Breaking the illegal wildlife trafficking chain

Victorians are being urged to report illegal wildlife trafficking to Crime Stoppers Victoria in a new campaign to stop native and exotic animals being trafficked in and out of Australia.

New on-farm accommodation plan to boost workforce

Farmers across Victoria can now invest in worker accommodation on their farms without the need for a planning permit, under a new streamlined planning approval process adopted by the Victorian Government.

Make your mark on the future of agriculture training

Students, trainers and industry are being encouraged to have their say on the future of agriculture training, with consultation now open as part of a Victorian Government review that will strengthen the industry.

New on-farm accommodation plan to boost workforce

Farmers across Victoria can now invest in worker accommodation on their farms without the need for a planning permit, under a new streamlined planning approval process adopted by the Victorian Government.

Greater transparency in Victoria's water markets

The Victorian Government is improving transparency and compliance, to make sure our irrigation water is being used fairly and in line with the rules.

On-the-ground support for Victoria's border communities

The Victorian Government will deploy a team of locally based ‘Border Brokers’ to support industries and businesses impacted by restrictions on Victoria’s borders with New South Wales and South Australia.

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.

The Mallee Corner Post - a series of 30-minute informal discussion sessions – will be held via phone and/or Zoom, in the morning or evening, to support farmers in the Mallee with information and advice.

Sessions will run on the second Tuesday of each month:

• 12 October, 9.30 am and 7.30 pm: Ram health prior to joining, Dr Jeff Cave
• 9 November, 9.30 am and 7.30 pm: Managing fire risks during harvest, Darryl Pearl
• 14 December, 9.30 am and 7.30 pm: Open forum.

Farmers can decide when they would like to participate in a session, morning or evening, to discuss any questions they may have about livestock, grazing or land health.

The sessions will run in the morning at 9.30 am, and evening at 7.30 pm, on the second Tuesday of each month.

To phone-in call: 03 7018 2005 (Conference ID: 881 6482 5993, Passcode: 206886)

Call in on 03 7018 2005 (Conference Meeting ID 881 6482 5993, Meeting Password 206886).

Go online to join by Zoom

Reliable, science-based information and specialist tools to help farmers manage livestock nutrition are also available through the Feeding Livestock website.

If you’d like to talk to someone about The Mallee Corner Post sessions, you can contact Erica Schelfhorst at erica.schelfhorst@agriculture.vic.gov.au or Darryl Pearl on 0417 432 711 or darryl.pearl@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

With increasing interest in carbon abatement in agriculture, the CSIRO has developed a landscape options and opportunities for carbon abatement calculator.

In this webinar, LOOC-C team member Dr Stephen Roxburgh will provide an introduction to this tool and explain some of the background to it.

LOOC-C estimates carbon abatement via an emission factor database, giving producers information to assess potential changes to carbon by undertaking various tree or soil carbon activities on their land.

By visiting https://looc-c.farm/ you can use the map interface to select a potential project area and help start the conversation of carbon abatement options for your farm business.

Webinar presenter Dr Stephen Roxburgh is the LOOC-C program leader for the CSIRO.

Stephen is a recognised leader in terrestrial plant ecology and greenhouse gas accounting, with over 20 years' experience in the field measurement and computer modelling of forest growth and carbon cycling. He currently leads the Natural Capital group within CSIRO.

Webinar, Tuesday 12 October, 12 pm (1 hour)

Register online via Zoom.

This field day is being held at the new Southern Pulse Agronomy hub site north of Nhill.

The field day will cover:

• the latest lentil, chickpea, field pea, faba bean and vetch varieties and agronomy
• new varieties available for sowing in 2022
• herbicide tolerance
• row spacing
• disease management

Researchers, industry agronomists and grain marketers will be in attendance to answer your questions.

Tuesday 12 October 9 am - 1 pm

Location: 1.2km west of the junction of Propodollah and Propodollah Ext Rd, Nhill Vic 3418

Contact the event organiser via trybooking.com.

Knowing what assets you have on your property is essential when it comes to managing a major disruption to your business, whether it’s a fire, flood or storms.

It’s impossible to recall everything you have stored in that now burnt down shed.

Agriculture Victoria’s Insuring Farm Assets webinar will discuss the importance of asset inventories, and the things you need to consider when it comes to insuring fences, fodder and stock.

One of the big issues in making insurance decisions and claims is having an accurate inventory list and an understanding of its true value. Not only is this information useful for preparing insurance decision and claims, it’s also particularly helpful for annual tax returns.

PRESENTER

Michael Myers (Adroit Insurance and Risk) – Michael has 35 years’ experience in the insurance industry and provides insights on how to approach insurance, what you need and what your insurance will cover.

TOPICS to be discussed:

• The importance of asset inventories
• Creating simple and easy asset inventories
• How to get your farm fence insurance right
• How to insure your cattle and fodder reserves
• What is ‘self-insured’ and what are the implications for your business.

Date:  Tuesday, 19 October
Time: 7.30– 8.30pm
Cost:  Free
RSVP: Register for this online webinar by 5 pm, Tuesday 19 October with EventBrite.

Contact: Paul Simpson, Agriculture Recovery Extension Officer on 0455 750 605 or paul.simpson@agriculture.vic.gov.au

These webinars with seasonal risk agronomist Dale Grey, will focus on the current seasonal climate outlook for Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and southern New South Wales.

The outlook will be based on model projections for rainfall using current oceanic, atmospheric and soil moisture conditions.
These webinars are simply online presentations during which you can ask questions.

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

Please share this invite with your colleagues.

Date and time: Wednesday 20 October at 12 noon AEST
Event number: 811 3124 5098
Password: 425769

Register online via the Zoom platform.

Note:
To join a webinar you’ll need access to a computer that has a good internet connection and a headset or built-in computer speakers and microphone.

You can also watch via computer and phone in (if you can’t access audio on your computer) or you can watch and interact in the webinar via your smartphone or tablet.

For more information about this webinar, email the.break@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Do you buy or sell livestock privately, online or through saleyards?

Do you know the NLIS requirements for livestock movements?

Agriculture Victoria is delivering interactive online training sessions for livestock producers using the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database.

There are two events for you to choose from, between October and November.

• Wednesday 27 October, 11 am – 12.30 pm
• Wednesday 24 November, 9 – 10.30 am

Participants will learn about the Victorian traceability system, tour the NLIS database features and learn how to complete a Property-to-Property (P2P) transfer.

Session plan

Part 1: Overview of the Victorian traceability system

• Self-paced online learning (30 minutes)

Part 2: Navigating and using the NLIS database, Zoom meeting (1.5 hours)

• Watch a live demonstration of the NLIS database over a Zoom meeting
• Access the training NLIS database to practise completing Property-to-Property (P2P) transfers
• Question and answer session.

Book your free tickets online via the eventbrite website.

For more information - or if you have trouble registering online - please call 0427 681 714.

Numbers are limited to allow for an interactive session.

Participants are encouraged to set up their NLIS account prior to attending the webinar.

Grants are available to support cattle, sheep, goat, swine and honey bee industries through the Livestock Biosecurity Funds – Grant Program.

The grants program, now open for applications, has been developed collaboratively between Agriculture Victoria and the livestock compensation advisory committees.

Funded projects from last year include the Victorian Farmers Federation’s producer-led biosecurity extension program for cattle, sheep and goats, the Livestock Saleyards Association of Victoria’s ‘Managing Transit Stock in Saleyards’ project, and HiveKeepers’ ‘Smart Sentinel Beehives Pilot Program’.

Other projects previously funded include the National Livestock Identification System tag subsidy for both sheep and cattle, Significant Disease Investigation programs, animal disease investigation courses, abattoir-based pig health surveillance, and prevention of anthrax.

Applications are invited from private sector businesses, universities and research institutions, co-operatives, government agencies and local government, and incorporated associations.

Any organisation looking to apply should consider the guidelines and eligibility criteria, review the relevant Statement of Strategic Intent, and complete the online application form.

The grants are made possible through funds established under the Livestock Disease Control Act, which enable the collection of duties generated by the sale of cattle, sheep, goat and pigs and their carcasses in Victoria, and the registration fees for beekeepers.

Applications are now open and will close 11:59 pm on Friday 26 November.

More information is available on the Agriculture Victoria website or call the Customer Contact Centre on 136 186.

The National Centre for Farmer Health are excited that the innovative and exciting new chat-based platform ‘Campfire’ has now been up and running for 3 months.

During this time we have engaged with over 100 registered participants across a wide range of agricultural industries in Victoria, and reaching many more primary producers through our blogs, podcasts and social media messaging.

Campfire brings farmers together in a relaxed environment where people with shared interests can get together, listen to experts and peers, ask questions and pose solutions.

It helps farmers to improve their systems of work in order to better manage the demands and challenges of primary production, and to develop mentally healthy workplaces for farm owners, managers, workers and their families.

Bonfire events have attracted the most participation so far. These are held fortnightly on the Campfire platform on Wednesday evenings (from 7.30 pm) where farmers can hear from topic experts and participate in live Q&A.

The audience will soon be able to submit questions ahead of time, to be answered by our experts on the night.

Keep your eye on the NCFH Facebook and Instagram pages about how to lodge your questions in advance or visit the Campfire page to leave your questions.

On alternate Wednesday evenings, farmers can join smaller Campfire Q&A discussions on work-related challenges relevant to them, including the topic of the previous week’s Bonfire.

The Farmer Health Campfire webpage is home to resources developed around the topics tackled so far, including podcasts, blogs and the link to access the Campfire platform.

You can view past Bonfire conversations at any time, with current content covering:

• Working effectively in a family business
• Making your business more resilient to environmental extremes
• Strengthening your support team: farming safety consultants
• Strengthening Your Support Team - AgriSafe
• New to Farming: Learning from Experience
• Communication: it's more than words
• Planning for Success(ion)
• Strengthening Your Support Team – Rural Financial Counselling Service

Register today to join the conversation, receive information about upcoming events and access topic blogs and podcasts by clicking here. 

Upcoming Bonfire Topics:

• 20 October - Strengthening your support team – working dog training school

HARVESTER FORUMS

To support growers in their efforts to reduce harvest losses and improve operations at harvest time, Birchip Cropping Group with funding from GRDC, are holding a series of Harvester Forums:

• Tutye - Monday 11 October, 9 am - 1 pm
• Kooloonong - Tuesday 12 October, 9 am - 1 pm
• Diggora - Wednesday 13 October, 9 am - 1.30 pm
• Birchip - Thursday 14 October, 9 am - 1 pm
• Kaniva - Friday 15 October, 9 am - 1 pm.

The face-to-face workshops will provide growers and advisors with hands on training in harvester set-up to minimise losses and get more grain in the bin.

The practical and interactive forums provide an opportunity for grower discussion on how harvest losses can be accurately measured and how to identify where losses are occurring.

The forums also have a key focus on options for harvest weed seed control and how to get the best benefit for hard to control weeds whilst maintaining efficiency of operations, as well as minimising risks of harvester fires.

The project is being led by Primary Sales, with project management support from BCG, and will be delivered nationally with forums and workshops held across the southern, northern and western grain growing regions.

Contact Tom Draffen on 0418 304 695 or tom.draffen@bcg.org.au

PODCASTS

Fungicide resistance podcast provides regional insights for southern growers

Past seasons have already seen several local examples of fungicide failure from Tasmania to the far west of South Australia, generally linked to a lack of crop and fungicide rotations.

In this podcast, Dr Hugh Wallwork talks about the factors that contribute to fungicide resistance and how fungicide management needs to begin with variety and seed treatment selection before sowing.

Plant available water capacity

In this podcast, many factors affect how much stored soil water is available, including rainfall before and during the growing season, infiltration, evaporation and transpiration. And then there’s plant available water capacity, which is the total amount of water a soil can store and release to a crop, which differs depending on the crop.

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