• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Take stock of your assets before the fire season arrives
• Strike fast against flystrike
• Pulse field day showcases new lentil and pea varieties
• Farmer pleads guilty to animal cruelty charges
• New Hendra virus genotype discovered
• Look up and live this hay season
• Dairy Food Safety Victoria welcomes new board members
• The Very Fast Break seasonal climate update video
• Crime Stoppers Victoria puts a spotlight on farm crime
• Recording: A look at LOOC-C, Carbon Abatement Calculator
• AgVic Talk podcast series
• One-on-one business and workforce planning workshps
• eLearn at your pace with Agriculture Victoria
• Fox and wild dog bounty collections for North West Victoria
• 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.

Do you have a plan to protect your farm business from the impacts of COVID-19?

How will your business continue if you or one of your workers needs to self-isolate?

Horticulture operations using seasonal workers have additional industry obligations.

Plan ahead and protect your business and workforce by ensuring you are up to date with COVID-19 restrictions, your workforce is vaccinated and your farm has a COVIDSafe Plan.

For information visit the links below:

• Creating a CovidSafe Plan
• Vaccinations for Authorised Providers and Authorised Workers
• Creating workforce bubbles
• Specified Worker Permits
• Victorian Travel Permits
• Information about workers who are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19
• COVID-19 Business Support - Business Victoria provides information on restrictions and support to help your workplace plan and respond to COVID-19.

Keep up to date with all the latest restrictions, permits and requirements

A good insurance policy is important when it comes to preparing for the fire season, but just as important is knowing exactly what you have on your farm and in your shed.

Insurance and risk adviser Michael Myers said spring is the perfect time to review your insurance policies, and part of this review is making sure you have a good asset inventory.

“An asset inventory doesn’t have to be longwinded or difficult,” Mr Myers said.

“It can be as simple as taking pictures or a video of your shed or house, so you have a clear record of your assets.

“Often when people experience theft, they know something is missing but they don’t know what it is.

"It’s the same with tools and equipment if your shed has burnt down. You won’t even know something is missing until you go to use it again.”

To help farmers prepare for the fire season, Agriculture Victoria is hosting Insuring Farm Assets, a free webinar to discuss the importance of asset inventories, getting farm fence insurance right, and insuring cattle and fodder reserves.

It will also explain the concept of “self-insured” and the implications for your business.

Mr Myers, who will be presenting at the webinar, said along with a current asset inventory, it’s also important to have a clear understanding of the replacement value of the assets.

“Typically, most farmers will think about what it will cost to rebuild the fence themselves. They will calculate the material costs but won’t factor in labour costs. We try to tell them that if a fire does go through their property, the last thing they will have time for is fencing.”

Mr Myers said spring is the perfect time to review insurance policies.

“Often people won’t take the time to review their insurance. They will pay it year after year, and they’ll compare the price but they need to review the details to make sure they have adequate insurance.

“Farmers need to look at things like hay value, stock value and stock numbers to make sure they are accurate.

“Farmers should make sure they are not necessarily getting the cheapest insurance but getting the cover that is going to do what they expect it to do when it comes time to put in a claim.”

The free Insuring Farm Assets webinar is on Tuesday, 19 October from 7.30 - 8.30 pm.

Register online via the Agriculture Victoria website.

For details contact Paul Simpson, North East Agriculture Recovery Extension Officer on 0455 750 605 or paul.simpson@agriculture.vic.gov.au

This event is provided by the Local Economic Recovery “On Farm Recovery Support Services” project which is jointly funded by the Victorian Government and Commonwealth Government under the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

Dr Jeff Cave, Senior Veterinary Officer

With warmer weather around the corner combined with recent rain events, sheep producers need to be prepared for humid spring conditions that are ideal for flystrike.

Flystrike is a condition that costs the Australian sheep industry approximately $173 million annually, as a result of lost production, treatment costs and deaths.

Reducing the risk of flystrike has immense benefits to the health and wellbeing of sheep and their productivity.

The major fly responsible for flystrike in sheep is the green blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, which is believed to be the cause of 90 per cent of flystrike cases.

Lucilia cuprina begins to become active when temperatures are above 15°C and is most active when temperatures are between 26 – 36°C, and conditions are calm.

Each female fly can have up to 300 viable offspring and with a 21-day life cycle when conditions are optimal, fly numbers can increase rapidly.

The fly is attracted to odour and moisture, so the risk of flystrike increases when there is regular consistent rainfall that keeps the sheep’s skin moist.

Sheep most susceptible to flystrike are those with breech wrinkles, long wool, dags, urine stain, fleece rot, dermatitis and / or wounds. Sheep that have been previously fly-struck have a relatively higher likelihood of being re-struck.

The prevention of flystrike requires an integrated plan and includes the following:

• the selection of sheep and marking of lambs to produce a flock with relatively low susceptibility to flystrike
• shearing and crutching timed before the peak flystrike risk period
• the correct use of preventative chemicals timed to give protection during the peak flystrike risk period
• worm control and dietary management to help reduce the prevalence of dags
• the selection of relatively open, windy, dry paddocks
• the removal of infective material and carcasses that may attract flies.

As conditions become more conducive to flystrike, sheep should be monitored more regularly for flystrike.

If a fly-struck sheep is found, the affected area should be clipped close to the skin, dressed to prevent reinfection, and the sheep should be moved to a hospital paddock to reduce the risk of infecting the rest of the flock. Any maggots should be collected and killed to help reduce the build-up of fly populations.

For further advice please contact your local veterinarian, rural merchandise reseller or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer on 136 186 or go online to the AWI website.

PHOTO: Agriculture Victoria Senior Research Scientist, Dr Jason Brand

The Southern Pulse Agronomy Field Day was held at Nhill this week showcasing new lentil and field pea varieties.

Senior Research Scientist Dr Jason Brand said the field day provided growers with access to the latest, locally validated research that will help them maximise every dollar earned through their pulse crops.

“The field day showcased in-the-field, practical research that will directly benefit local growers,” Dr Brand said. “Victorian growers produce high quality pulses that are sought after by key markets in India and South East Asia.”

As part of the Southern Pulse Agronomy Project, with a number of trial sites across Victoria, as well as similar projects in South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia, the field day brought together information for growers to help them tackle problems they are facing with their pulse crops.

New lentil and field pea varieties offering growers higher yields and a better ability to manage weeds, disease and soil types were featured as part of the research presentations.

Among the pea varieties on display were two recently released options for the 2022 growing season: PBA Noosa and PBA Taylor.

PBA Taylor will be the best variety to grow in environments prone to virus diseases as it has resistance to two viruses – pea seed-borne mosaic virus and bean leafroll virus.

PBA Noosa is a high-yielding, blue pea variety ideal for the domestic splitting market, boasting a 25 per cent long-term yield advantage over Excell.

The field day also featured recent releases from the National Lentil Breeding Program (NLBP).

Research Scientist Dr Arun Shunmugam said growers were updated on yield potentials and market classes of recent lentil releases under the program.

The NLBP focuses on providing high yielding lines with appropriate tolerances to biotic and abiotic constraints in a diverse range of agroecological regions.

Dr Shunmugam said the NLBP is deploying cutting edge technologies such as genomic selection and high throughput phenotyping to provide better varieties to growers faster.

“NLBP has access to a range of herbicide tolerance traits and we are doing due diligence to ensure any releases have appropriate testing and specifications to minimise risk to industry.”

Traits and characteristics of CIPAL 2121 and CIPAL 2122 in national variety trials (NVT) were presented to growers.

Dr Shunmugam said the latest release is PBA Kelpie XT and it yields about the same as the other Group B tolerant lines in key growing regions but is still a few per cent behind our conventional standard PBA Jumbo2.

“PBA Hallmark XT and PBA Highland XT have respectively been classified as medium and small red lentils. However, they both approach the mid-line cut-off between medium and small market classes and environmental effects may place them into a different class depending on the season.”

The field day was hosted by Frontier Farming Systems on behalf of Agriculture Victoria and the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC) and was held as a COVIDSafe event.

For more tips and strategies on growing specific pulses go to the Agriculture Victoria website.

Jancourt East farmer Alexander Watson pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated cruelty resulting in the serious disablement of a steer at the Warrnambool Online Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 11 October.

Mr Watson was the owner of a number of cattle in Jancourt East in February 2020.

Following a report, Agriculture Victoria officers attended and observed a steer that was suffering from an eye cancer growth, 14 cm in diameter, with no evidence of any veterinary treatment provided and no notification given to Agriculture Victoria.

The steer was subsequently euthanised on humane grounds following the officers’ attendance.

Mr Watson pleaded guilty to one charge of aggravated cruelty resulting in the serious disablement of the animal and one charge of failing to notify an inspector of the disease in accordance with the Livestock Disease Control Act (LDCA).

The Magistrate took into account the accused’s early plea, remorse and lack of priors.

His Honour nevertheless noted the court must condemn this type of offending, in particular the fact that his approach to basic animal husbandry fell way short of the requisite behaviour required and a sentence should reflect the seriousness in respect to general deterrence.

As a result, Mr Watson was fined $2500 without conviction with costs awarded to the department in the amount of $351.

The Magistrate also issued a Conditional Control Order for a period of five years, ensuring all animals in his care are provided for with a monitoring order imposed.

Agriculture Victoria Compliance Manager Daniel Bode said bovine eye cancer is a common condition in Hereford cattle.

The severity of eye cancers can be reduced by the early identification of growths and prompt action by either seeking veterinary treatment or culling.

“Owners who fail to take reasonable action to prevent suffering in their animals will be considered for prosecution under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.

“Apart from the obvious pain and suffering of the animal, 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.”

From July 2020 to June 2021, Agriculture Victoria received and assessed 953 animal welfare reports of which 309 were found to be substantiated.

Agriculture Victoria assesses each animal cruelty investigation for the most appropriate regulatory outcome, ranging from voluntary compliance and education to warning and infringement notices and finally prosecutions for serious matters.

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

Agriculture Victoria is reminding horse owners to take steps to protect their horses from Hendra virus following the discovery of a previously unidentified virus genotype.

Victoria’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Graeme Cooke said the further genotype was last week detected in a horse near Newcastle, New South Wales – the most southern detection of Hendra virus in a horse to date.

This follows on from a detection earlier this year, in an historic sample from a Queensland horse. The virus was also detected in 11 historical flying fox (fruit bat) archived samples.

“The flying fox is the natural host for Hendra virus but not known to transmit Hendra virus to humans.”

“Seven of the 11 detections in bats are attributed to Victorian samples from grey-headed flying foxes collected for other testing, going back to 2013.”

“Hendra virus remains a potentially fatal zoonotic threat and as our knowledge increases the assessment of risk may change. The risk in Victoria, though, is unchanged.” 

The recently identified genotype displays similar characteristics to the already known Hendra virus and researchers at Australia’s national science agency CSIRO said they expect the Hendra vaccine for horses should also be effective against the new virus type.

“This discovery serves as a timely reminder for horse owners to be vigilant about biosecurity on their properties. People can be infected with Hendra virus through contact with infected horses and vaccination is an effective way to prevent infection in horses”.

“Horse owners should always adopt caution when a horse is unwell and report any signs of illness early. Avoid contact with a sick horse that is showing clinical signs when Hendra virus is a possible diagnosis. Strict infection control measures should be implemented under veterinary supervision.”

Horse owners can take steps to protect their animals from Hendra virus including:

• moving feed and water away from trees where bats may roost
• discussing Hendra vaccination options with their vet
• early isolation of a sick horse while waiting veterinary attention
• good hygiene and cleaning practices
• isolating new horses to their property, especially if they have travelled or co-mingled at events with horses from areas where Hendra cases have been previously detected (NSW or QLD).

Horse owners and veterinarians are reminded to remain vigilant for diseases such as Hendra virus and should report any unusual illness to the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Flying foxes are protected species that are critical to our environment because they pollinate native trees and spread seeds.

Biosecurity measures will help to minimise the risk of Hendra virus transmission, while protecting these important species and their role in maintaining a healthy environment.

For more information about Hendra came be found by going to the Agriculture Victoria website.

With the busy hay and harvest seasons approaching, considering your farm’s loading zones as part of your farm planning could save lives.

Is there an alternate site and route for trucks, hay forks to unload/load, and machinery to travel, that’s away from powerlines?

Look up and live, and check for powerlines before any work begins

Tips for reducing the risk with overhead powerlines include:

1. Stack hay and other materials well away from powerlines.
2. Park oversized machinery away from powerlines.
3. Rethink your loading zones on the farm – you don’t need to touch a powerline for it to arc.
4. Talk with workers and contractors about how to work safely around powerlines, and what to do if they hit a powerline. 
5. Remember powerlines can sag in hot weather, which means there may be less distance between yourself and the powerlines than you think.

Go online for your free safety sign for display on farm fences near overhead powerlines to remind drivers not to tip under or near powerlines from EnergySafe Victoria.

If you see someone hit a powerline, stay at least eight metres away and call 000.

The Dairy Food Safety Victoria (DFSV) board comprises seven members led by Chair Dr Anne Astin who are responsible for maintaining regulatory oversight of the dairy food industry.

Victoria is a leading contributor to Australia’s dairy industry with annual exports valued at $2.1 billion – 77 per cent of the national total – and more than 20,000 people are employed in the sector. The gross value of milk produced on dairy farms across the state is $3 billion (2019-20). 

The new DFSV board members are:

• Mr Nicholas Renyard – also a Corangamite Catchment Management Authority board member
• Ms Peta Slack-Smith – a director of the Cotton Research and Development Corporation
• Ms Tania Luckin – a director of the Dairy Australia board
• Dr Tracey Marsden – a director of the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions

Each new member has been appointed for three years following a competitive process. They will join returning board members Dr Astin, Dr Joanna Wriedt and Dr Michele Allan.

DFSV plays a vital role in safeguarding the state’s valuable dairy food industry – which accounts for 77 per cent of national dairy exports – by ensuring products are safe for consumers in Victoria and overseas.

The dairy regulator licenses more than 3800 Victorian businesses, including cow, sheep, goat and camel milk manufacturers and farms, and supports them to understand and adopt proactive food safety practices.

Agriculture Victoria acknowledged outgoing board members Mr Peter Moloney, Mr Noel Campbell, Dr Julie Johnson and Dr Julie Simons for their service and commitment to the dairy food industry.

For more information, visit dairysafe.vic.gov.au.

Welcome to the "Very Fast Break" seasonal climate update video clips.

Agriculture Victoria is partnering with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) to bring you this short summary for Victoria.

If you have comments, questions or feedback address them to Dale Grey at the.break@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Crime Stoppers Victoria is urging farmers and rural property owners across the state to speak up about theft on farms.

Launched recently, in partnership with Victoria Police, the new campaign Putting a Spotlight on Farm Crime aims to increase farm crime reported in Victoria, whether it's stolen livestock,
harvested animals, firearms, equipment, tools, or chemicals.

New data released by the Crime Statistics Agency has revealed livestock theft across the state has risen by two per cent in the past 12 months, costing rural communities close to
$2,000,000. Despite this staggering figure, underreporting of farm crime remains a widespread problem.

Stella Smith, Chief Executive of Crime Stoppers Victoria, said farm thieves are becoming increasingly sophisticated in how they target victims.

"We're seeing offenders use drones and satellite imagery to spy on rural properties. It doesn't matter if you live in a remote area, with technology criminals can easily find a way to
steal from you," Ms Smith said.

A recent study by Dr Alistair Harkness, Co-Director of the Centre for Rural Criminology at the University of New England, identified concerns from farmers that the offender is known
and living in a community, and there exists fear of reprisal.

Sharing what you know with Crime Stoppers overcomes that fear.

Ms Smith said it is vital farmers and property owners make a report to Crime Stoppers if they’ve been targeted by criminals or have suspicions farm crime has occurred. Information
can be provided anonymously.

“Even the smallest piece of information could assist police with an investigation and help reduce the rate of farm crime in Victoria."

Acting Inspector Emma Bartel, of Victoria Police’s Farm Crime Coordination Unit, said: “We take farm crime very seriously.”

“It’s vital farmers come forward to report any crime and they should know we will investigate it fully. We understand the impact theft of livestock and equipment can have on farmers and their livelihoods.

“We encourage people in rural areas to report any suspicious activity. The information they have might be the piece we need to hold perpetrators to account.

“We also urge farmers to take precautions – a simple measure like a sign on the fence warning would-be trespassers to stay off private property can go a long way to discouraging crime.”

The public is also being encouraged to check the authenticity of livestock and second-hand farming equipment before purchasing.

"If you buy livestock or machinery for a steal, it probably is," Ms Smith said.

To help boost security on rural properties, Crime Stoppers Victoria in conjunction with Victoria Police, has produced new farm gate signs, available to order for free through the Crime Stoppers website.

Rural property owners are also encouraged to download the Farm Security checklist.

"By using these free resources, farm owners are helping protect themselves and their properties from both organised criminals and opportunistic offenders," Ms Smith said.

Recording: A look at LOOC-C, Carbon Abatement Calculator
Landscape Opportunity and Options for Carbon abatement Calculator

Presented by: Dr Stephen Roxburgh, LOOC-C program leader, CSIRO

With increasing interest in carbon abatement in agriculture, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has developed a landscape options and opportunities for carbon abatement calculator.

In this webinar recording,  LOOC-C team member Dr Stephen Roxburgh provides an introduction to this tool and explains 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.

The recording has been shared online by Agriculture Victoria via the Zoom platform.

• Duration: 68 minutes (including questions)
• Passcode: Climate1!

This webinar was originally presented on Tuesday 12 October 2021 at 12 pm AEST

All climate webinar recordings can be found on the Agriculture Victoria website.

For more information about these webinars, including assistance email climate.webinars@agriculture.vic.gov.au

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
• Subscribe to Apple Podcasts

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.

PHOTO: Farmhand Jason Fogg with grain producer Jason Mellings

As Victoria heads toward harvest, we invited a grain farmer and farmhand into the studio to talk about staying safe during the upcoming season. 

Hear from third generation Wimmera grain producer Jason Mellings and farmhand Jason Fogg as they discuss machinery, fatigue and how creating a safety culture is essential no matter what time of year.

Listen to their farm safety stories by searching for 'AgVic Talk' wherever you get your podcasts or listen 🎧 online via the AgVic website agriculture.vic.gov.au/AgVicTalk

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 this 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

Want help managing your workforce planning for the harvest season ahead?

New free one-on-one business and workforce planning workshops over the next few weeks from Agriculture Victoria and Meridian Agriculture could help set you and your business on the right track.

Register your interest in attending the workshops and we will give you a call and organise a time for your session.

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.

Register online for a session in October.

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

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: Understanding the weather forecast. What does it all mean?

Weather directly influences the world we live and work in.

This course will help you correctly interpret weather information within an eight-day forecast.

The course focuses on understanding how forecast information is developed and reported, including probabilities of forecast outcomes and explores where you can access reliable and credible weather information and the questions to ask when evaluating the wide range of forecasting apps and websites available.

This eLearn from Agriculture Victoria will take about 15 minutes to complete.

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 

Business support to drive agriculture industry recovery

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

Supporting Mallee farmers to profit from pulses

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.

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.

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.

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

The 2020-21 Dairy Farm Monitor report shows a positive one for the Victorian dairy industry.

Average profit was the highest since 2013-14 and most businesses capitalised on the good operating conditions. Strong livestock prices and easing variable costs offset the five per cent (on average) decrease in milk price during 2020-21.

Refer to the report for further information which is available for download on the Agriculture Victoria website or Dairy Australia website.

Join a webinar outlining the highlights from the report

• Northern Victoria - Tuesday 19 October, 12.30 - 1.30 pm. Register online.
• South West - Thursday 21 Oct 2021. Register online via Zoom for the 8 am or the session at 12 noon.
• Gippsland - Thursday 28 October, 11 am to 12 noon. Register online.

Now in its 15th year, the Dairy Farm Monitor Project is a joint initiative between Agriculture Victoria and Dairy Australia.

The project provides financial and production information enabling businesses to effectively measure, track and compare their business over time.

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.

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:

• 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.

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

FINAL HARVESTER FORUM TOMORROW

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

• Kaniva - Friday 15 October, 9 am - 1 pm.

The face-to-face workshops 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.

The Partners in Wellbeing Helpline offers free and confidential one-on-one access to wellbeing coaches, financial counsellors and business advisors.

Small business owners can call the Partners in Wellbeing Helpline on 1300 375 330 seven days a week.

Alternately, a live chat function is available on the organisation's website.

Wellbeing coaches are available from 9 am to 10 pm on weekdays and from 9 am to 5 pm on weekends.

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