• Coronavirus (COVID-19) update
• Workforce support is the cherry on top for farmers
• Next byte at IoT technology for Victorian farmers
• Transporting livestock in hot weather conditions
• Reaching more farmers to help meet seasonal workforce needs
• Don't let fruit fly ruin your homegrown fruit and veg
• Feeding Cool Cows – become a Partner Farm
• Livestock Farm Monitor Project – What are the benefits?
• Soils Community of Practice update
• The Fast Break
• New best practice weed hygiene guide
• Animal welfare fund grants – round 9 applications are now open
• Have your say on a new animal welfare Act
• Tune into the AgVic Talk podcast series
• Primary producers bushfire support programs
• What's on – upcoming webinars

Victorian Border Crossing Permit

From 11.59 pm on 21 November, permits are required for everyone arriving in Victoria who lives in or has travelled through South Australia. For more information and to apply for a Victorian Border Crossing Permit, visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au

Update: safely reopening Victoria

The coronavirus (COVID-19) roadmap for reopening 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 22 November, changes were made to restrictions across Victoria. Read the Premier’s statement or visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au for more details.

COVIDSafe Plans are required for all Victorian businesses

It is mandatory for every Victorian business to have a COVIDSafe Plan.

To ensure compliance, random spot checks are underway.

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.

In both metropolitan Melbourne and in regional Victoria, your business requires a High Risk COVIDSafe Plan if you are:

• an abattoir or meat processing facility
• a seafood processing facility
• a poultry processing facility.

For more information and for templates and guidance on how to create your COVIDSafe Plan, visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au

Cherry picking is underway across Victoria on a bumper harvest of more than 4,500 tonnes of cherries, thanks to the support from the Victorian Government’s Agriculture Workforce Plan – ensuring kitchen tables will be brimming with the delicious Christmas favourite.

One of Victoria’s largest cherry producers Koala Cherries supplies 500 tonnes of cherries and employs more than 300 workers during harvest across 10 farms in the Goulburn Valley and Yarra Valley.

In a year like no other, the horticulture industry is facing a seasonal workforce shortage, but businesses such as Koala Cherries have been able to attract the workforce they need and operate in a COVIDSafe way, thanks to support from the Agriculture Workforce Plan.

Koala Cherries has used a Business Adaptation Grant of $300,000 to establish additional staff amenities including handwashing facilities, toilets and lunchrooms to comply with physical distancing requirements in the packhouse and on farms before harvest kicked off.

Further financial assistance through the Agriculture Workforce Plan will subsidise the costs of accommodation, transport, and relocation expenses for as many as 100 new workers.

The company is one of the growing number of businesses that has employed workers through Victoria Government’s Working for Victoria platform, which links employers with jobseekers.

Working for Victoria has around 93,000 jobseekers registered and 15,000 who are in regional Victoria.

Farm businesses and labour-hire providers are actively registering employment opportunities on the platform and there are now more than 1,000 agricultural jobs on offer.

A comprehensive $17 million package is supporting Seasonal Workforce Coordinators across key growing regions to work closely with farm businesses and employers, local industry groups, schools and tertiary institutes, labour-hire agencies and local governments to address seasonal workforce shortages.

To raise even more awareness of these seasonal jobs, the government is launching The Big Victorian Harvest campaign to inform local jobseekers about the numerous seasonal work opportunities in agriculture. It features real workers on farms across the state and highlights the jobs available right now in agriculture, including fruit and vegetable picking and packing, and other roles essential to seasonal harvest.

To find out more on seasonal workforce opportunities go to agriculture.vic.gov.au/bigharvest.

Victorian farmers will benefit from a new round of grants to help them invest in Internet of Things (IoT) technology that will make farming easier and more accurate.

Minister for Agriculture Jaclyn Symes today announced the opening of round two of the On-Farm IoT Trial, with farmers in Wellington Shire, City of Greater Shepparton, Buloke Shire, Loddon Shire and Moira Shire able to apply for up to $25,000 to test IoT technology on their farms, expanding the number of farmers who can take part in the Trial from round one.

IoT technology refers to physical devices with sensors that connect to each other and to the internet to share information. These include devices such as silo level monitors, livestock trackers and weather stations.

Technology selected by more than 90 farmers taking part in round one of the trial includes soil moisture probes, livestock trackers, milk vat monitors, security cameras and surface level monitors for troughs and dams.

The Victorian Government has also partnered with NNNCo to deliver a new long-range network (LoRaWAN) in the trial regions to ensure farmers have the network coverage they need to get the most out of the technologies they invest in. 

The new network means farmers taking part in the trial can install devices on their farm and securely connect them to the internet, giving them access to the data they need to make more informed and precise decisions about their crops.

The On-Farm IoT Trial is just one part of the Victorian Government’s ongoing investment in AgTech. The Victorian Budget 2020/21 provides $15 million towards making AgTech accessible to more farmers as part of a $65 million investment in a new agriculture strategy.

For more information and to apply, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/digitalag

Livestock transporters are reminded they have a responsibility to minimise the risk of heat stress in livestock being transported this summer, whether it’s an interstate journey or a trip into the local saleyard.

Agriculture Victoria Livestock Welfare Compliance Program Manager Rachael Holmes outlined key factors that transporters should consider when planning a journey.

“When hot weather is predicted, plan ahead to allow for a reduced stocking density, and aim to load and transport livestock in the cooler hours of the day,” Dr Holmes said.

"Transporters should consider their journey route, particularly if having to travel though major cities during times of heavy traffic.

“Any person in charge of an animal during transport, including the consignor, transporter and receiver, must pay particular attention to the time off water to minimise the risk to the welfare of the animals.

“Effective airflow reduces the impact of heat during transport, so transporters should consider the need to stop mid-journey and avoid leaving transport vehicles stationary for extended periods of time.

“If it is necessary to stop, park the vehicle in the shade and at a right angle to the direction of the wind to improve wind flow between animals.”

It is important that transporters familiarise themselves with the signs of heat stress in all species they are transporting and pay particular attention to their behaviour in hot weather.

Dr Holmes said behavioural signs of heat stress in livestock can include increased respiration rate, panting and salivation as well as listlessness and lethargy.

Transporters should have contingency plans in place to deal with any heat stressed animals.

Producers and transporters should refer to the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines – Land Transport of Livestock, to ensure they understand their obligations when presenting livestock for transport or transporting animals.

All people involved in the supply chain have an obligation to ensure livestock in their care are free from pain, suffering or distress.

For further information on heat stress contact your local Animal Health staff at Agriculture Victoria or contact the Customer Call Centre on 136 186.

You can visit our website www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/transporting-livestock or the MLA fit to load guide at www.mla.com.au/fittoload

Agriculture Victoria is working closely with the state’s horticulture businesses as they address seasonal workforce challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic this harvest.

Agriculture Victoria’s seasonal workforce team has been contacting farmers and businesses to assist them with their seasonal workforce requirements and to ensure they are aware of the support available to them to attract workers and provide suitable accommodation and transport.

In the past three weeks, Agriculture Victoria representatives have phoned almost 400 businesses.

Next week, Agriculture Victoria will expand its harvest jobs support program to include automated phone calls to increase the number of farmers contacted in a short timeframe.

The call service will offer businesses one-on-one assistance with seasonal workforce needs and raise awareness of the importance of COVIDSafe planning.

An Agriculture Victoria team member will contact any business that requests assistance through this service.

Agriculture Victoria’s Director Horticulture Services Dr Sze Flett said the automated phone calls are just one part of a suite of direct support for farmers and businesses being delivered by Agriculture Victoria as part of the Victorian Government’s $17 million Seasonal Workforce Package.

“Seasonal Workforce Coordinators in Victoria’s major horticulture regions are working closely with businesses and industry groups to support seasonal workforce needs for the various sectors including table grapes, vegetables, stone fruit, berries, apples and pears,” Dr Flett said.

“Engagement officers are also working with culturally and linguistically diverse groups, which traditionally form an important part of the seasonal workforce each year, to ensure they have access to tailored supported to find jobs this harvest season.”

Online sessions are being held to provide information for employers on connecting with jobseekers and the additional transport and accommodation support available.

Recent webinars hosted by Agriculture Victoria in partnership with groups including Federation University, the Migrant Information Centre and the Victorian Multicultural Commission have been attended by more than 230 businesses, farmers and jobseekers.

Working for Victoria is proving a successful recruitment tool for many farmers and we encourage all businesses looking for workers to register their workforce needs at jobs.vic.gov.au

Businesses who would like to talk directly to an Agriculture Victoria representative to understand the support services available can call the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15.

“Fruit flies are usually most active September to May. As the weather heats up, now is a good time to look in your garden or property to see if they are present,” Ms Mansfield said.

“This year, more people have been paying attention to their garden or ramping up their gardening, and they may not be aware that we have Queensland fruit fly in Victoria.”

Fruit flies attack a wide range of fruit and vegetables including tomatoes, stonefruit, citrus, cherries, berries and grapes.

“Fruit fly maggots are often found in the centre of the fruit. The maggots are 5 to 10 mm long and creamy-white in colour,” she said.

"Infested fruit must be disposed of properly, such as putting them in the sun for at least seven days in a sealed plastic bag to destroy eggs and maggots – do not put them in compost.”

With a wet and warm spring, the conditions have been favourable for fruit flies to breed, making treatment crucial this season.

“Protecting your garden is essential not just for your own produce, but also to limit fruit fly population growth and potential spread from your property to your neighbours, nearby orchards or farms.”

For the greatest chance of successful control, speak to your neighbours for a consistent approach and use the following techniques in your garden:

• follow good garden hygiene such as picking fruit and vegetables as they ripen
• dispose of unwanted fruit and scraps carefully
• regularly monitor for fruit fly presence in your garden
• protect trees, plants and produce through netting, gazebos and bags
• use bait, traps and insecticide control.

“It’s a great strategy to net trees and vegetables to protect your garden crops and monitor specific Queensland fruit fly traps.

"If you have fruit trees in your garden but don't manage them, it's best to remove them so they don't become a haven for fruit fly and grow a population in your area.”

For more information including lists of common fruit, how to control fruit fly in your garden and tips for netting trees, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/qff

Do your cows eat less in hot weather? Do hot weather events affect your milk production? Do you want to understand how to reduce the negative effects of hot weather?  If your answer is ‘yes’, then it’s not too late to become a Partner Farm in the Feeding Cool Cows project.

Feeding Cool Cows – a DairyFeedbase project – is working to provide strategies to help dairy farmers reduce the negative impacts of hot weather on milk production and farm profit.

The changing climate is one of the biggest challenges for the Australian dairy industry and the goal of the Feeding Cool Cows program is to support dairy farms to become more resilient and ensure summer feeding strategies are cost-effective. The project aims to understand how the severity of hot weather affects milk responses to different feed components, and how cow genetics interact with nutrition – using information from farms located all over Australia.

To find out more about Feeding Cool Cows and becoming a Partner Farm go to dairyfeedbase.com.au/2020/10/29/fccpartnerfarms/

Applications for the summer program are closing soon. If you’re interested in joining Feeding Cool Cows for this summer or in 2021, contact Josie Garner at josie.garner@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Feeding Cool Cows is a DairyFeedbase project supported by Agriculture Victoria, Dairy Australia and the Gardiner Foundation.

Join the final Gippsland Ag Chat of the year on Wednesday 9 December at 1.15 pm and hear about the benefits of participating in the Livestock Farm Monitor Project (LFMP).

Agriculture Victoria Farm Business Economist Sam Henty will present the preliminary Gippsland results from 2019–20, outline the farm business management principles used in the Livestock Farm Monitor Project and discuss the long-term benefits for participating farmers.

“The project has dual benefits: it informs the Victorian Government about the farm level impact of policy decisions, as well as collates and analyses data for individual farm businesses.

“In Gippsland, 24 farm businesses participate in the LFMP,” Mr Henty said.

“Farmers are able to compare the cash, profit and wealth position of their business over the years they’ve been with the project.

“This information helps build confidence in on-farm business decision making.”

The final Gippsland Ag Chat will be held on Wednesday 9 December at 1.15 pm.

Join via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/93654449373 (meeting ID: 936 5444 9373, passcode: 779941 or dial in on (03) 7018 2005. Registration is not required.

There will be plenty of time for questions, which can be asked during the session or beforehand by emailing Caroline Love at caroline.love@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

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

The 85th edition of the Soils Community of Practice Newsletter is out now.

In this edition Rachel Coombes, Mixed Farming Development Officer at Agriculture Victoria shares information about the revived Mallee Transect project.

The feature article celebrates the upcoming World Soil Day, followed by a mix of local, national and international news.

You can read the newsletter here. 

Apart from good harvesting and hay making weather, are you keen to keep up with current weather happenings and forecasts?

Most models still predict likely wetter conditions for Dec-Feb and the La Nina will last at least until February.

For the latest Fast Break click here.

The Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party (VSTWP) recently completed an industry first, best practice weed hygiene guide, aimed at preventing the spread of serrated tussock and other weeds due to land management practices such as slashing, movement of vehicles and machinery.

The best practice guide was developed through collaboration with stakeholders, including a survey of relevant stakeholders and land managers to understand the complex networks involved in weed management.

The survey established three-quarters of respondents employed contractors to work on their land, with a range of formal and informal weed hygiene control mechanisms in place.

However, only a few admitted to auditing their contractors annually or more often, with many reporting they have never conducted an audit.

The aim of this guide is to improve the operations of staff and contractors, providing appropriate oversight and strategies to prevent the spread of weeds. The guide is a vital link in managing serrated tussock across Victoria.

The guide acknowledges that land managers spend millions of dollars each year controlling serrated tussock and other weed species in Victoria.

Of all the management activities for serrated tussock and other high threat weeds, reducing spread is the cheapest and most effective method of control.

VSTWP Chairperson Lance Jennison said this guide is split into easy-to-use sections that provide practical guidance on identifying and controlling serrated tussock, weed hygiene practices in the field, along with contract management and oversight.

“The best practice guide will prove invaluable for landowners, land managers, contractors and large-scale projects, with plenty of strategies to minimise the spread of serrated tussock,” Mr Jennison said.

Serrated tussock is a hardy and aggressive grassy weed which is found throughout temperate regions of Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania.

Serrated tussock has a devastating impact on the biodiversity of native grasslands and can drastically reduce the carrying capacity of farmland. Seed can be easily spread through civil construction works, land management activities, and via livestock and wildlife.

The newly published weed hygiene guide can be viewed by visiting: http://www.serratedtussock.com/management/reducing-spread.

Hard copies of the guide are also available on request by contacting the VSTWP.

The Victorian Government is offering $750,000 in grant funding to not-for-profit and community organisations who rehome pets or provide low-cost veterinary services.

Animal shelters, foster carers, not-for-profit and community vet clinics are encouraged to apply for funding. Eligible organisations wishing to invest in infrastructure, programs and activities that align with the below areas and demonstrate a benefit to companion animal welfare in Victoria will be considered for funding:

• Improvement in the rates of reuniting companion animals to their owners and re-homing of companion animals
• Services, systems or equipment which improve the efficiency and effectiveness of foster care, or Community Foster Care Networks, or community and not-for-profit veterinary clinics
• Upgrade or extension of current shelter, foster care or low-cost veterinary clinic facilities to improve the welfare of companion animals
• Establishment of new, low-cost veterinary clinics in areas of need in Victoria
• Education programs on responsible ownership of animals, including consideration of ethics, sentience and duty of care.

Only one grant application will be permitted per organisation.

Applicants are encouraged to read the Round 9 Program Guidelines prior to commencing an application.

Online applications for Round 9 grant funding are now open and close Saturday 12 December 2020 at midnight. Apply online here

For more information about the program contact pet.welfare@agriculture.vic.gov.au

The Victorian Government has committed to modernising Victoria's animal welfare laws.

Proposals for a new animal welfare Act have been released for public feedback.

The new Act would replace the current Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.  

The Directions Paper sets out proposed high-level policy approaches for the new Act.

The proposals aim to achieve three key objectives: 

• Improve the safeguarding of animal welfare – such as by setting minimum standards of care for animals in Victorian legislation for the first time. 
• Provide a simplified and flexible legislative framework – making it easier for people to understand how animals must be treated and to enable the law to be more easily adapted in response to developments in animal science or industry practices and technologies and changing expectations for animal welfare. Proposals also aim to cut red tape for our food and fibre producers.
• Provide a better compliance and enforcement model – to enable earlier intervention to better safeguard animal welfare, as well as improve options to respond when people don’t treat animals as they should. 

Submit your feedback 

Read the proposals for the new animal welfare Act, complete the survey or download a submission on the Engage Victoria website.

The survey and submissions are open until 14 December 2020. 

Your feedback will inform and influence the development of a draft Bill for a new animal welfare Act for the Victorian Parliament to consider.

Have you listened to the new AgVic Talk podcast series yet?

Episodes now available include:

• Turn a dream into reality with Sarah McLean
• Spring pasture management of fire affected pastures with Fiona Baker
• Getting a foot in the door using drones on-farm with Clay-Gowers
• Balancing wet winters and dairy farming with Craig Dwyer
• Managing a dairy farm in a variable climate with Kevin Fitzsimons
• Using soil moisture monitoring to help manage seasonal risk with Dale Boyd
• Managing through dry seasons is all about preparation with Peter Young
• Maintaining ground cover to secure sandy topsoil with Ron Hards.
• Dealing with stress during difficult times with David Cherry.
• The history of season climate and climate driver information with The Break team.

Listen here

Free, confidential wellbeing and mental health support is now available to business owners, their employees and family members as part of the Wellbeing and Mental Health Support program.

The Partners in Wellbeing hotline provides one-to-one support to improve wellbeing, as well as free access to business advisers and financial counsellors.

Call 1300 375 330 from 9 am to 10 pm weekdays.

The Victorian and Commonwealth Governments are continuing to support the agriculture business recovery from the 2019–20 bushfires, with additional support for both inside and outside the fire-affected areas.

The Smoke Taint Grant provides up to $10,000 for business recovery and growth, improvements to make the business more resilient to future disasters, and marketing activities.

It is available to farmers outside the local government areas that are currently eligible for the Emergency Bushfire Response in Primary Industries Grant and the Small Business Bushfire Support Grant.

For details of the grant and a list of the eligible local government areas, visit ruralfinance.com.au

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.

Book your free tickets online at  agriculturevictoriaevents.eventbrite.com then select ‘NLIS Database Webinar’.

For more information or if you have trouble registering call (03) 5761 1647. Numbers are limited to allow for an interactive session, so be quick to secure a spot!

Presenter: Acacia Pepler, Bureau of Meteorology

Acacia Pepler is a climate scientist in the Climate Research group of the Bureau of Meteorology, where she researches Australian climate variability and change, with a focus on climate extremes.

Acacia received her PhD from the University of New South Wales in 2017, where she studied East Coast Lows, severe low pressure systems that can cause very heavy rain on the east coast of Australia.​

Panellists: Dale Grey and Lyndon Kubeil, Agriculture Victoria

Lyndon and Dale will share what these changes mean on-farm and how farmers are adapting their farming systems. ​

After bushfire, ecosystems are at their most vulnerable to weed invasion.

Help to support indigenous flora and fauna by managing weeds in bushfire affected areas.

This webinar series focuses on sharing practical knowledge so everyone can contribute to bushfire recovery.

Free, each Wednesday 10.30 am to 12.15 pm, 25 November to 16 December 2020.

• Webinar 1: Wednesday 25 November 2020 – Overview weed management after fire (finished).
• Webinar 2: Wednesday 2 December 2020 – Prioritisation of weeds after fire (finished).
• Webinar 3: Wednesday 9 December 2020 – Collaborative projects – weed management after fire.
• Webinar 4: Wednesday 16 December 2020 – Weed identification and recording after fire.

Register for the online webinars and learn how you can help indigenous species through weed management. https://tinyurl.com/WeedsAfterFire.

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