• Coronavirus update
• Pneumonia and pleurisy in sheep during summer
• Landowners urged to get serious with bindii
• Watch out for hitchhiker pests in parcels
• 2022 young farmer and new entrant mentoring program
• Soil Moisture Monitoring cropping report
• Showcasing Victorian produce on the global stage
• Ryegrass management in the HRZ relies on a stacked approach
• Crime Stoppers puts a spotlight on farm crime
• Seasonal climate update webinars
• Livestock biosecurity grants - applications extended
• AgVic Talk podcast 
• What's on?

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.

Sheep producers are urged to plan early for shearing this year.

Protect your family and farm business by ensuring you are up to date with COVID-19 restrictions and your farm has a COVIDSafe Plan in place.

Farming is authorised work. Authorised workers must be vaccinated and workers from areas under lockdown restrictions require an authorised worker permit to travel.

Visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au for information on:

• Workers who require to be vaccinated
• Creating a COVIDSafe Plan
• Creating workforce bubbles
• Victorian Travel Permits
• NSW/Victoria Border Bubble
• COVID-19 Business Support

Both pneumonia and pleurisy in sheep can prove costly for producers, from having slow growth rates, carcase trimming or even death.

Pleurisy is inflammation of the lining of the chest cavity and is seen at slaughter as translucent bands joining the lungs to the insides of the ribs.

Pleurisy typically occurs in conjunction with pneumonia, which makes sheep reasonably sick. Many sheep recover from pneumonia, so the residual pleurisy is seen at processing.

Outbreaks of pneumonia and pleurisy are caused by either environmental, animal and pathogen factors, these could include:

• dusty conditions, hot weather, and excessive crowding
• inadequate nutrition, concurrent disease (e.g. internal parasites), and stress. These all impact the animal’s immune system making them more susceptible to pneumonia
• pathogens include bacteria and viruses - primary pathogens like Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae initiates a mild pneumonia with no or mild signs – which can make the sheep more susceptible to a secondary bacterial infection which leads to severe disease
• parasitic infection from lung worm can play a role
• additionally, poor drenching technique can lead to aspiration pneumonia.

Agriculture Victoria Veterinary Officer Hayden Morrow said the severity of signs can vary greatly as some sheep will not show any respiratory signs except a reduction in weight gain, while others develop nasal discharge, coughing, laboured breathing, exhaustion, and a lack of appetite before progressing to death.

“Clinical cases of pneumonia lead to increases in mortality, increased treatment costs and a reduction in animal welfare. However, reductions in weight gain from mild cases are also likely to be significant,” Dr Morrow said.

Agriculture Victoria advises to focus on prevention and manage risk factors, which include:

• avoid handling/transporting sheep in hot dry conditions – consider impact of mixing purchased groups of lambs from different sources (stressful but also potentially exposes lambs to new pathogens)
• ensure nutrition and access to water is optimised – ensure other major animal health issues such as intestinal worms are managed, and suitable shade is available
• hosing down dusty yards and laneways before moving stock – consider impact of stocking rate on dust levels when containment feeding and avoid dusty feeds
• do not lift head above horizontal and don’t drench in cradle
• new sheep could be carriers of respiratory pathogens that are new to your flock. Clinical cases of pneumonia can be treated with consultation from a private veterinarian.

For more information, read the Pneumonia Pleurisy factsheet on the Animal Health Australia website or contact your private veterinarian for advice.

The onset of summer and associated warmer temperatures will see the emergence of Caltrop, also known as bindii or cat’s head.

Agriculture Victoria is encouraging landowners begin their seasonal planning for treatment of this herbaceous annual weed.

Infestations of Caltrop can have far-reaching consequences such as reduction in pasture productivity through competition, contamination of food and fibre products as well as significant impacts on livestock such as damage to feet, mouth and stomach and in extreme cases death if grazed due to its toxicity.

Caltrop (Tribulus terrestris L.) germinates in summer when soil temperatures rise and throughout the warmer weather after rainfall events.

Leading Biosecurity Officer Kate Cunnew said the fruit of caltrop is the most well-known feature of the plant – a woody burr with sharp, hard spines that imbed in footwear and vehicle tyres, and can easily attach to animals’ feet and in the fleece of sheep.

“The ability of the weed to disperse great distances as a contaminant on vehicles, people and animals can create new infestations in previously clean areas,” Ms Cunnew said.

Caltrop is a declared noxious weed in Victoria under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 and is classified as Regionally Controlled in the Wimmera, Glenelg Hopkins, North Central, Corangamite, Goulburn Broken and North East catchments.

Landowners in this area have an obligation to control the growth and spread of the weed on their property.

Caltrop is more likely to occur where competition is minimal, such as overgrazed pastures, fallow areas, stock yards, roadsides and waste lands. Management of the weed can include the complete physical removal of small infestations or the appropriate application of a registered herbicide.

Ms Cunnew said landowners are advised to seek professional advice from their local agronomist or chemical retailer when undertaking chemical treatment of any weed to ensure they have the most up to date information on products and application methods.

“Cultivation as a method of control should only be used for juvenile plants before flowering and in combination with other methods of control, as burial of the seed can increase the longevity of the seedbank," she said.

“Multiple treatments may need to occur throughout the growing season, as new plants can germinate with each rainfall event and quickly mature in the warmer weather. In suitable conditions germination to seed set can occur within a month.

“Timing of grazing and removal of stock to increase summer ground cover or germination of pasture species at key periods can also assist in increasing competition against the weed.”

For further information on caltrop visit agriculture.vic.gov.au or contact the Customer Contact Centre on 136 186.

In the lead up to Christmas, Victorians are being encouraged to check online shopping packaging for any hitchhiker pests.

Victoria’s Chief Plant Health Officer Rosa Crnov said the earlier the unwanted pest is reported, the better chance there is in stopping it from spreading or moving to other areas.

“Exotic plant pests such as brown marmorated stink bug (pictured above), khapra beetle, exotic ants and snails, can go
unnoticed due to their small size and hitch a ride in packages, especially in overseas mail,” she said.

“Exotic electric ants and fire ants can also hitch a ride in domestic mail and are very aggressive, as opposed to common ants in Victoria that usually run away from disturbances. If undetected, these pests can threaten Victoria’s $14 billion food and fibre export market.”

Australia Post is delivering approximately 10 million parcels a week in Australia. In Victoria, online shopping has grown by 48.9 per cent in the year to 30 June 2021, exceeding the national average of 31.8 per cent.

In the same year, Agriculture Victoria received 797 reports from the public and from industry of suspected exotic plant and bee pests which were thoroughly investigated.

“In November last year, a Bayswater business emailed photos of a strange-looking bug to Agriculture Victoria after discovering the insect in an airfreight package,” Ms Crnov said.

“The insect was confirmed as brown marmorated stink bug — a high priority for Australian biosecurity.”

The report was referred to the federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE), who followed up the detection.

"The brown marmorated stink bug can attack more than 300 types of fruit trees, ornamental trees, vegetable crops and gardens, so this was a very significant detection,” Ms Crnov said.

While Australia applies strict import conditions to goods coming in from overseas through our ports and mail centres, sometimes pests can go undetected.

Australia’s farmers rely on freedom from pests and diseases to produce our food, and access both domestic and export markets.

Victoria is Australia's largest producer of food and fibre products with the gross value of agricultural production in Victoria worth nearly $16 billion.

Ms Crnov said everyone can play a role in protecting our farmers, environment and community from biosecurity threats by reporting anything unusual.

For more information on priority insects and mites visit: agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/pest-insects-and-mites/priority-pest-insects-and-mites.

Are you a young farmer looking to take your careers to the next level?

Expressions of interest for the 2022 Young Farmer and New Entrant Mentoring Program have been extended and will now close on Sunday 31 October.

The Young Farmer and New Entrant Mentoring Program provides young farmers and new entrants the opportunity to be a paired with an experienced farmer or ‘mentor’ to assist them in:

• developing skills to better manage their farm businesses
• identifying risks
• developing strategies to build resilience and achieve their business goals.

The program will be facilitated by a farm business consultant who will pair the young farmer or ‘mentee’ with a mentor whose experience aligns with the mentee’s enterprise and personal development goals.

It is open to young farmers and new entrants from all agricultural industries. The program has partnered with the Gardiner Foundation to support young dairy farmers participate in the program.

The program will run until 30 November 2022. During this period the mentor and mentee will work together overseen by their facilitator. All parties will work together to arrange regular catch ups to track the progress of the mentee.

The purpose of the program is to assist the mentee in building professional networks, using trusted sources of advice and information, and developing competency in setting business goals and assessing risks.

The Young Farmer and New Entrant Mentoring Program is supported by the Gardiner Foundation and the Victorian Government's Smarter, Safer Farms program.

The application period opens on Tuesday 21 September 2021 and will close at midnight on Sunday 31 October 2021.

APPLY NOW:

For more information and to apply visit the Agriculture Victoria website.

FUTHER INFORMATION:

Listen to the Ag Vic Talk podcast episode and hear from 2021 Mentoring Program mentee Sammy Mitchell and her mentor Andrew Bell who share and reflect on their experiences, and how they have been working to increase Sammy’s confidence as she looks at employing her first staff member.

CONTACT:

Sarah Wallis – Young Farmer Project Coordinator, sarah.wallis@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

Soil moisture measurements collected by the Agriculture Victoria monitoring network indicate very few monitoring sites increased their deep soil moisture levels in the past three weeks despite rain in late September and early October.

The water deficit during mid-September was large and required 50 millimetres plus to allow water to infiltrate to the first soil moisture sensor at 30 centimetres. Rainfalls of 60 - 70 millimetres had greater impact, moving down to 30 - 50 centimetres.

The rain was welcome in all districts and has provided some freely available water to crops, although more rain was required in the Mallee. Generally, in the Wimmera, the rain was enough to maintain crop production but not enough to bank that moisture and build reserves for the next season’s crop (at this stage).

There is still a range of low to low/moderate soil moisture conditions in the Mallee and patches of the Wimmera. There is evidence of high yielding crops in the regions due to isolated storms during the growing season and more recently in the past three weeks.

Southern parts of the Wimmera have moderate to high potential.

North Central region crops were starting to be impacted through September with three weeks of dry weather. Fortunately, rain received at the critical period of flowering for crops will pick up yield potential and follow up rain will provide moisture to progress through the grain-fill period. Similar conditions last year produced exceptional grain quality.

North East districts still have medium to high deep soil moisture levels and the high yield potential crops were supported by good rain during September and early October that has provided freely available water.

South West Victoria still has wet sub-soil but high yielding crops are using water and the Gippsland monitoring site is still very wet.

For more details about how soil moisture is tracking in your region visit the Agriculture Victoria website and subscribe to the soil moisture monitoring newsletter.

The Victorian Government is supporting agribusinesses to grow their global sales and reach new markets through a new state-of-the-art trade facility in China.

Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas has launched Vic House – the Victorian Food and Fibre Trade Pavilion in Shanghai – which provides Victorian agriculture producers and exporters with a dedicated in-market space to showcase their products.

The pavilion has been developed to support established, emerging and start-up food and fibre export businesses and will allow Victoria’s agriculture sector to strengthen existing trade relationships, build new networks and boost export opportunities. 

The dedicated three-story facility features rooms to conduct virtual business meetings with importers and retailers, high-end supermarket shelving for product display and a full kitchen for cooking demonstrations and hosting dinners to sample produce.

The space also provides Victorian agribusinesses with the opportunity to tailor events to meet Chinese consumer demand by offering seasonal produce tastings in the facility’s chilled and frozen display area.

Vic House will support existing and prospective Victorian exporters to access this key market where demand for Victoria’s high-quality food and fibre products remains strong. China is Victoria's largest food and fibre export market with sales worth $4.75 billion in 2019-20.

Vic House is supported through the Victorian Government’s $15 million Food to Market Program and $5 million Pathways to Export Program. Three agriculture export specialists were recently appointed in key markets for Victorian food and fibre, including Southeast Asia, Middle East and North Africa.

The new pavilion is part of the government’s commitment to supporting Victoria’s agricultural producers and exporters to access a wide range of markets across the globe.

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

Annual ryegrass in the high-rainfall zone (HRZ) is as competitive and damaging as in lower-rainfall environments, with each ryegrass plant reducing cereal yield potential by about 0.3 per cent, according to recent research undertaken to develop integrated and profitable weed management strategies.

The research conducted by the University of Adelaide, Southern Farming Systems and MacKillop Farm Management Group through Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) investment, showed there is no benefit to tolerating more weeds in the HRZ than in other environments. Previously questions had been raised about whether the higher yielding environment of the HRZ could tolerate the presence of more weeds.

However, it has been shown that both crops and annual ryegrass grow vigorously, and the yield loss due to weeds is similar in both low and high-rainfall zones.

Southern Farming System's Senior Research and Extension Officer James Manson said managing annual ryegrass in the HRZ has been a significant challenge for many years, but this has increased through the prevalence of herbicide resistance.

“In the HRZ, annual ryegrass germinates throughout winter into spring, which challenges the ability of early season herbicide strategies to control it,” Mr Manson said.

“The unique environment of the HRZ requires an integrated approach to weed management where multiple tactics are stacked over several seasons to have a greater chance of success.

“The economic benefits of additional weed control tactics are less in lower yielding years but increase in higher yielding years. The benefit of increased herbicide expense and weed control may not be captured every year because the season has a greater effect on yield than weed pressure. Instead, the benefits of improved weed control accumulate over time, paying off given the right conditions.”

Robust pre-emergent herbicide strategies, crop competition and double breaks are important tools for reducing the seed production of annual ryegrass in the HRZ.

Harvest weed seed control is less effective than in other regions due to the staggered ryegrass maturity in the HRZ, but still plays a very important role when integrated with other tactics.

Stacking these weed management tactics are essential for long-term control of annual ryegrass in the HRZ.

A new Managing Annual Ryegrass in the High Rainfall Zones of Victoria and South Australia and Tasmania publication has been developed to disseminate the research findings.

GRDC Growers Relations Manager – South, Randall Wilksch said the new publication provides practical information gained from years of research and industry experience.

“The booklet combines information from several GRDC investments into one consolidated resource focussing on clear messages for growers and advisers on combating annual ryegrass.”

For more information about ryegrass management in the HRZ, see the Managing Annual Ryegrass in the High Rainfall Zones of Victoria and South Australia and Tasmania booklet, the Integrated Weed Management Manual or check out this WeedSmart podcast – Ryegrass management in the High Rainfall Zone – What have we learnt?

Information on mitigating herbicide resistance can be found via WeedSmart which has investment from the GRDC and commercial companies and delivers science-backed weed control solutions. 

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

Launched 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 Victoria Police take farm crime very seriously.

“It’s vital farmers come forward to report any crime and they should know we will investigate it fully," she said.

"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.

President of the Victorian Farmers Federation Emma Germano said that rural crime can have a significant and harmful impact on hard-working communities.

“It not only hurts the victim’s hip-pocket, but reduces how much they can spend locally, from cafes to hardware stores," Ms Germano 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 Crime Stoppers Victoria.

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.

A webinar providing the seasonal climate update for October is available watch now.

Get the outlook in your region based on model projections for rainfall, atmospheric pressure and soil moisture conditions.

To watch the recording log in here.

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

Eligible Victorian organisations in the cattle, sheep, goat, swine and honey bee industries now have until Friday 26 November to apply for funding through the Livestock Biosecurity Funds – Grant Program.

Grants are available to fund projects that prevent, monitor, and control diseases, thereby enhancing animal health, biosecurity and market access for the benefit of Victoria’s livestock industries.

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.

NEW CLOSING DATE: Applications will close 11.59 pm on Friday 26 November 2021.

For more information, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestockbiosecurityfunds or call our Customer Contact Centre on 136 186.

Join Emma Bolding, an organic beef producer from South West Victoria to hear how the Farm Safety Rebate enabled her to upgrade livestock handling equipment at the family property.

"Safety is one of those things that for us is just non-negotiable,” Emma says.

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

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.

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

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.

Stock Containment Areas

This Stock Conatinment Areas short course provides Victorian farmers with key information to help them better prepare and respond to dry seasonal conditions and other emergencies before critical decisions need to be made.

Topics include:

• What is a stock containment area?
• Why use a stock containment area?
• Other uses of a stock containment area
• Are you up for the task?
• Site selection
• Design
• Water
• Feeding
• Shade and shelter
• Management.

The course takes about 30 minutes to complete.

When: 11 am to 12.30 pm, 27 October

Where: Webinar

Register: Online

Agriculture Victoria is conducting this interactive two-part webinar to assist Victorian livestock producers to use the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database to complete transactions, including Property to Property (P2P) transfers. This two-part webinar is relevant to cattle, sheep and goat producers.

All cattle, sheep and goats tagged with an EID NLIS tag must be transferred on the NLIS database when they are moved between two different Victorian Property Identification Codes (PICs). This interactive two-part webinar will walk producers through setting up and using the NLIS database.

Numbers will be limited to allow for an interactive session.

Part 1 is an online video that provides an overview of the Victorian traceability system that you can watch before attending Part 2, the scheduled interactive webinar - 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.

Contact Morgan Cassell, 0427 681 714 or morgan.cassell@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

When: 7.30 pm to 8.30 pm, 27 October

Where: Webinar

Register: Online by 5pm on the afternoon of the webinar

Agriculture Victoria is presenting four webinars covering Planning, Budgeting, Profits and Succession Planning which will provide insights into operating a profitable farm business.

The following webinars are open to farmers and business operators who can join one or all in the series:

Planning - 27 October: A webinar to show how to develop, document and use strategic, tactical, and operational business plans.

Budgeting - 10 November: Successful farm businesses have a budget, review it regularly and use it as a communication tool. This webinar looks at how to develop and make the most of cash flow and partial budgets.

Managing Profits - 24 November: With high prices and good seasonal conditions, it's even more important to ensure business profits are put to best use. This webinar will explore how to achieve this.

Succession Planning - 8 December: This webinar will focus on how a succession plan helps a farming business manage challenges, including where to seek advice and communicate effectively with family members.

Presenters
Paul Blackshaw is a farm business consultant with Meridian Agriculture in North East Victoria. Paul provides farm financial analysis, benchmarking, business performance and succession planning.

Claire Booth is a lawyer, Nuffield Scholar and cropping and beef farmer from Dubbo, NSW. Claire has presented to farmers on succession planning at workshops and conferences.

For information on Planning, Budgeting or Profits, contact Paul Simpson, Agriculture Recovery Extension Officer, on 0428 975 728 or paul.simpson@agriculture.vic.gov.au

For information on Succession Planning, contact Darren Hickey Agriculture Recovery Manager East Gippsland on 0457 609 140 or darren.hickey@agriculture.vic.gov.au

The Local Economic Recovery 'On Farm Recovery Support Services' project is jointly funded by the Victorian Government and Commonwealth Government under the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Ewe replacements – management for successful first joining and lifetime performance

When: Thursday, 4 November, 8 to 8.30 pm

Where: Register online

First presentation

Professor Andrew Thompson from Murdoch University, Western Australia will talk about the management of maternal ewe lambs aiming to achieve a successful joining as ewe lambs (seven to ten months of age).He will also discuss how to ensure follow up performance on future reproduction.

This will guide some of the management requirements of ewe lambs from weaning to their first mating and lifetime performance.

Andrew will describe the influence of joining weight, mature weight and other genetic traits on ewe lamb reproduction from his research.

Second presentation

The webinar will also feature a short ‘Myth Buster’ presentation dealing with the question ‘Is rumen development completed at weaning – can you recover from a tough start?’

Further information contact: Jane Court, jane.court@agriculture.vic.gov.au or 0436 606 742.

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 https://www.partnersinwellbeing.org.au/small-business-support

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

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