• Coronavirus (COVID-19) update
• Be ready – North East flood warnings
• Work for National Horse Traceability System underway
• Know the difference between abscess and footrot
• Are you considering buying or selling calves?
• Collection dates for fox and wild dog bounty
• Listen to webinar on Water Trade 101
• Primary producers bushfire support programs
• What's on – webinars

Safely reopening Victoria

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

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

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

From 11.59 pm on 16 September 2020 regional Victoria moved to the Third Step on the roadmap for reopening.

From 11.59 pm on 27 September metropolitan Melbourne moved to the Second Step on the Roadmap for reopening. This step included some small but significant changes to the planned roadmap based on current case numbers and the latest modelling and projections.

Visit Roadmap for reopening for more details.

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

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

Your COVIDSafe Plan must set out:

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

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

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

Do you have your flood plans ready to activate?

All livestock and pets should be included in your emergency plans, and fire-affected landholders need to make allowances for possible reduced vegetation cover, on their own farm and surrounds.

For information and guidelines visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/farm-management/emergency-management/floods/how-to-prepare-for-flood

The following industry organisations and representatives will make up the working group: 

• Kathy Gibson, Animal Health Australia
• Linda Kelly and Dr Meredith Flash, Australian Horse Industry Council
• Karen Day, Racing Australia
• Kathleen Mullan, Harness Racing Australia
• Dr Bidda Jones, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)
• Equine Australia
• representatives from state and territory governments as well as the Commonwealth.

Stuart McLean OAM will chair the group, bringing a depth of traceability experience as the current Chair of the Australian Livestock Saleyards Association and having provided exceptional leadership in a variety of local, state and national roles. The group will meet for the first time this month.

The working group will analyse existing animal traceability systems and technologies in Australia, such as the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS), informed by a review already undertaken by Agriculture Victoria; and will put forward recommendations on what form a national register for all horses in Australia should take.

An effective horse traceability system will benefit all horse owners in Australia, including the racing industry, with better traceability for exotic diseases such as equine influenza and African horse sickness, as well as endemic diseases such as Hendra virus.

Dr Jeff Cave
District Veterinary Officer

One of the main animal health issues for producers a good spring may bring is foot problems in sheep.

A question often asked is “is it foot abscess or footrot?”

A sheep with foot abscess will usually be very lame in just one foot. This is an important difference from footrot where more than one foot will invariably be affected.

Although foot abscess is associated with the bacterium Fusobacterium necrophorum it is not contagious. In contrast, footrot, caused by the bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus, spreads readily in warm, moist conditions.

The foot of a sheep with foot abscess will appear hot, swollen and painful. The abscess can be present in either the toe or the heel of the foot.

The severity of the effects of footrot, which are inflammation between the toes and underrunning of the hoof, will depend upon whether the strain of bacteria is benign (mild) or virulent (severe).

A foot abscess contains pus. It can be treated by hoof paring to provide drainage for the pus. Antibiotics prescribed by your veterinarian will also help.

Footrot can be controlled through foot bathing. Virulent footrot can be eradicated but a long, hot, dry summer is needed.

In a spring with abundant feed sheep become unusually heavy and this coupled with standing on wet pasture or muddy ground for an extended period leaves them susceptible to developing foot abscess.

For further advice please contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer, or in NSW your Local Land Services.

Richard Smith
Dairy Extension Officer

Australian cattle prices have been surging throughout 2020. With the lift in the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator, combined with increasing re-stocker activity, many cattle producers may be considering taking advantage of these high prices by selling or buying calves.

As calf buying transactions are increasingly occurring online, it is important sellers and buyers are aware of the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) requirements and the consequences which can occur if requirements are not being met.  

If you are considering buying or selling cattle, it is a requirement at dispatch, all cattle regardless of age (including calves) must be tagged with an NLIS (Cattle) tag, have a National Vendor Declaration and any previous movements onto the property of dispatch are recorded on the NLIS database.

If you are looking at purchasing calves through a saleyard, cattle scale operator, public auction (conducted by a registered Livestock Agent), it is the responsibility of the person operating this business to notify the NLIS database of the movement.

You can check this yourself by logging in to the NLIS database by following the link –  nlis.com.au/Login/

If calves are purchased through private transactions (including Facebook and Gumtree) or online auctions (for example AuctionsPlus), a property-to-property NLIS transfer must occur.

The NLIS transfer must be completed within two days (48 hours) of the livestock arriving at the new property. It is the responsibility of the buyer/receiver of the calves to notify the NLIS database of the transfer.

The only time an NLIS tag can be replaced is if the NLIS tag falls out or is damaged and cannot be read electronically. In these instances it's very important that the correct NLIS tag is used - Post-breeder NLIS tag (Orange tag) for introduced livestock and Breeder NLIS tags (white tag) for livestock still on the property of birth.

If you are thinking of buying or receiving a calf, it is important to note that all Victorian properties must have a Property Identification Code (PIC) to have one or more cattle (including calves).

In following these steps you help protect Victoria’s food safety reputation by maintaining Victoria’s ability to trace and control diseases, and by being able to quickly trace livestock for any residue, disease or food safety issues if they occur.

All calves must be identified with the appropriate NLIS tag prior to pick up. If your calves do not have the appropriate NLIS tags, you are risking legal penalties and could be issued with infringement notices, worth up to $495. You are also risking the integrity national red meat industry.

To maintain Australia’s whole-of-life cattle identification, producers are encouraged to be familiar with NLIS (Cattle) requirements and to do their part by tagging their animals correctly and ensuring movement records are up to date.

For queries regarding NLIS please contact the Victorian NLIS helpline on 1800 678 779 during business hours and or visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/national-livestock-identification-system

Victorian Fox and Wild Dog Bounty collections have resumed for regional Victoria.

Agriculture Victoria has a COVIDSafe Plan in place for each bounty collection centre.

If you are attending a collection centre, you must comply with coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions including physical distancing, good hygiene practices and wearing a face mask (unless you have a lawful reason not to).

All hunters are reminded to use common sense when hunting and when it comes to attending bounty collections. Stay safe by following the coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions that apply to your area and, if you feel unwell, get tested and stay home.

Reward payments can only be made by Electric Funds Transfer.

Benalla collections (fox only)
Address: Depot, 89 Sydney Rd, Benalla
Time: 10 am – noon

• Wednesday, 14 October
• Wednesday, 11 November

Broadford collections (fox only)
Address: 5 Mollinson St, Broadford
Time: 10.30 am – 12.30 pm

• Thursday, 15 October 
• Thursday, 12 November 

Ovens collections (fox and wild dog)
Address: 5338 Great Alpine Rd, Ovens
Time: 1.30 – 3.30 pm

• Tuesday, 13 October 
• Tuesday, 10 November 

Mansfield collections (fox and wild dog)
Address: Depot, 128 Highett St, Mansfield
Time: 2 – 4 pm

• Wednesday, 14 October 
• Wednesday, 11 November 

Tatura collections (fox only)
Address: Depot, 255 Ferguson Rd, Tatura
Time: 11.30 am – 1.30 pm

• Monday, 12 October 
• Monday, 9 November 

Wodonga collections (fox and wild dog)
Address: 14 Moorefield Park Drive, Wodonga
Time: 9 – 11 am

• Tuesday, 13 October 
• Tuesday, 1 November 

Please continue to check the Agriculture Victoria website for the latest information, as the collection schedule is subject to change in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation: visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/bounty

The recording is now available of the Water Trade 101 webinar presented last week with expert speaker Craig Feuerherdt, H20X Business Development Manager.

This webinar discusses key features of the connected southern Murray Darling Basin water market and the situation and seasonal outlook for water availability and price. It focuses on providing practical knowledge and tips to inform water trading decision making.

Click here to listen to the recording.

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, contact Rural Finance on 1800 260 425.

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 the 2019–20 bushfires.

Eligible activities include meeting standard business costs, seeking financial advice, adjusting the business to be viable in the changed local context following bushfire and improvements to make the business more resilient to future disasters.

The grants are available to eligible small businesses that have suffered a decline in revenue of 40 per cent or more in a relevant three-month period.

Businesses can apply for this grant in addition to other bushfire grants.

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

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 agriculture.vic.gov.au/events to find out what's on.

Do you know the NLIS requirements for goats sold at public and online auctions?

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

Date and time
Part 1: Wednesday 21 October, 7 – 8 pm
Part 2: Wednesday 28 October, 7 – 8 pm.

Note: Attendance at both sessions is required.

Topics
Overview of the Victorian traceability system. Setting up, navigating and using the NLIS database and completing Property to Property (P2P) transfers on the NLIS database.

For both sessions, register with eventbrite, please click here.

For more information, or if you have trouble registering, please call (03) 5761 1647.

Numbers are limited to allow for an interactive session, so be quick to secure a spot!

Other information
Participants are required to set up their NLIS account prior to attending the webinar, further information on how to do this and how to join the webinar will be provided at registration.

Managing and forecasting cash flow is essential for any business. For farmers it’s particularly important given the highly variable income that comes with seasonal conditions, market fluctuations and unforeseen circumstances such as fire or floods.

Being prepared, both on the farm and on the books, will assist in preparing for and managing challenging situations.

Farm Cash Flow 101 is a two-session course designed to help farmers understand cash flow budgets, and develop confidence using spreadsheets for cash flow management.

Using case study figures from a farming operation, Farm Cash Flow 101 presenter farm business specialist Jim Moll, from AgBiz Assist, will show you how to develop a simple cashflow budget for your farm business, to get a better handle on managing income and expenditure over the next 12 months.

Once mastered, these simple Excel® spreadsheets can become an integral part of farm financial planning and management, revised regularly to reflect current circumstances.

The course will run over two days from 11 am to noon:
Monday 26 October

• Why cash flow budgets are important and how they assist farm businesses
• Introduction to cash flow budgeting and spreadsheet basics.

Wednesday 28 October

• Adapting cash flow budgets to different production systems
• Refining the spreadsheet.

Register on Eventbrite: https://farm-cash-flow-budgets.eventbrite.com.au

Join-in information and an Excel® spreadsheet template will be provided prior to the sessions.

For more information: contact Greg Ferrier at greg.ferrier@agriculture.vic.gov.au or call 0438 738 634.

Agriculture Victoria is delivering a webinar for livestock producers with a focus on interpreting soil tests.

Thursday 15 October
12.30 – 1.30 pm

Online via Zoom®
Register here

Topics covered:

• Why soil test?
• What do the numbers mean?
• Trace mineral deficiencies
• When should I soil test?

For more information, or if you need assistance registering or joining the webinar please contact the event organiser Tess McDougall  on 0409 841 492 or at tess,mcdougall@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Agriculture Victoria will host a number of climate and agriculture science talks in its latest lunchtime webinar series.

Having proved popular the first time around, the lunchtime webinars are designed for busy people chasing fast facts about climate and agriculture research.

Participants will hear from a broad range of expert speakers from Agriculture Victoria, North East Catchment Management Authority (NECMA), University of Tasmania and other agencies.

Scheduled to speak this series, are:

• Agriculture Victoria, Senior Research Scientist Dr Craig Beverly: over two webinars Dr Beverly will talk about using climate data in agriculture and how this data was applied in the Mallee
• Dr Rebecca Harris from University of Tasmania: will share Australia’s Wine Future: A Wine Climate Atlas which shows how wine-region climates have changed, with more to come
• Agriculture Victoria, Climate Specialist, Graeme Anderson: will talk about using seasonal forecasts and share new tools developed with a GRDC project for south eastern Australia.

Land managers, service providers, researchers and educators are encouraged to subscribe to our climate updates and newsletters.

Any queries can be directed to Climate Development Officer Heather Field at heather.field@agriculture.vic.gov.au

For more information and to subscribe to stay up to date with these upcoming climate webinars visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/climate

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