• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Horsham scientist selected for national leadership program
• Update on dog liver disease
• Farmer disqualified from owning livestock and handed a $25,000 fine
• Farmer disqualified for failing to shear sheep
• Itching to control worms
• AgVic Talk podcast season two puts the focus on community
• Fox and wild dog bounty suspended
• Australian Biosecurity Awards – nominations closing soon
• Victoria's game licensing system goes digital
• Connecting primary producers to prevent mental health risk
• Latest podcast episodes
• What's on?

The Victorian Government has announced the current lockdown will be extended until 11:59pm Tuesday 27 July and travel to Victoria using Red Zone Permits will be temporarily paused.

A range of new supports to bolster communities and businesses most affected by the current restrictions are available. See the Statement from the Minister for Industry Support and Recovery for details.

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

Agriculture Victoria scientist Dr Sally Norton has been selected for the prestigious Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP).

The ARLP is Australia’s longest and most in-depth leadership program designed to build leadership capability in people throughout rural, regional and remote Australia.

Dr Norton is a senior research scientist at the Australian Grains Genebank (AGG) based at Horsham’s Grains Innovation Park. She is one of 29 chosen participants who will attend 50 days of practical learning and mentoring.

Dr Norton said she is thrilled to be selected and is looking forward to getting started this month with an initial online training component before joining her cohort for learning experiences in regional Australia and potentially overseas over the next 15 months. 

"It’s an exciting opportunity to learn more about myself and develop skills to become a better leader,” she said. 

“Regional and rural Victorians have been facing a host of challenges in recent years including drought, bushfires and floods, so the mentorship in this program will offer guidance on how to look at these events as opportunities to work together and build resilience.

“This course will also provide the opportunity to really get out of my comfort zone and challenge both myself and my cohort to become stronger leaders.”

In Dr Norton’s role at Agriculture Victoria, she leads a team of 23, which includes scientists, technicians, and higher degree students, and she is the national leader of the AGG.

Dr Norton was successfully selected into cohort 28 of the ARLP after being nominated by Agriculture Victoria, submitting an online application and progressing through the interview panel.

The program gives participants valuable opportunities to enhance their capacities and create a network of like-minded leaders to positively influence their organisations, industries and communities.

For more information visit the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation website: https://rural-leaders.org.au/our-programs/arlp/

The PrimeSafe and Agriculture Victoria investigation into the cluster of dogs with liver disease in Gippsland has identified indospicine as the cause of liver failure.

Indospicine is a toxin found across Australia in native plants of the Indigofera species. Dogs are especially sensitive to this toxin. This is a positive step in the progress of the investigation and provides some answers to affected and concerned dog owners.

Indospicine has been previously shown to build up in some grazing animals when they continued to eat these plants.

Indospicine toxicity has not previously been reported in Victoria but has been reported in northern Australia. At this stage the investigation has no conclusive evidence of how the dogs have ingested the toxin, with pet food sources remaining a primary focus.

This complex investigation is ongoing with multiple lines of inquiry across the pet meat supply chain and testing continuing at laboratories across Australia.

PrimeSafe and Agriculture Victoria advice to dog owners remains that fresh or frozen raw pet meat sourced from Gippsland between 31 May and 3 July, should not be fed to dogs.

It is understood that various businesses and suppliers have implemented voluntary withdrawals and recalls of potentially affected products.

As dog owners may still have potentially contaminated pet meat we encourage you to check any fresh or raw meat stored at home.

Please contact your pet food supplier if you are unsure about the origins of their pet meat

Dog owners should seek prompt advice from their private veterinarian if their dog demonstrates any concerning signs including sudden loss of appetite, lethargy or jaundice in a previously heathy animal, especially after eating pet meat.

Veterinarians seeking to report cases or for further advice should speak with their local Agriculture Victoria Animal Health or District Veterinary Officers or call the Customer Contact Centre on 136 186.

To contact PrimeSafe, visit www.primesafe.vic.gov.au/contact-us

A Springbank farmer, Peter Toohey, received a lifetime disqualification order from being the owner or person in charge of any farm animal following a guilty plea in the Ballarat Magistrates Court recently.

Mr Toohey pleaded guilty to two charges of animal cruelty and a charge of aggravated cruelty leading to the serious disablement of two cows.

The accused owned five cattle confined to yards on his property, which were observed in poor condition and without access to water or adequate food which resulted in dehydration. The accused also failed to obtain veterinary care for two sick cows.

Mr Toohey had been subject to criminal proceedings previously for very similar offending, at which time he had a conditional Control Order imposed for a period of two years under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.

In addition to the lifetime disqualification order, Mr Toohey was fined $25,000 and costs were awarded to the department for the amount of $149.

The Magistrate said as a repeat offender for similar offences in the past and in respect to this offending that a term of imprisonment must be considered. He further said if Mr Toohey had not pleaded guilty, he would have imposed a term of imprisonment.

The Magistrate stated the sentence must reflect to the accused and the whole community that animals are to be protected in our justice system and those who put animals at risk must face serious consequences.

Agriculture Victoria Compliance Manager, Daniel Bode, said the importance of a lifetime disqualification order is significant and will ensure that animals are protected from further pain and suffering at the hand of the accused.

“It sends a very clear message that those who continually commit offences against animals should not have the privilege and opportunity to care for them in the future,” Mr Bode said.

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

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

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

A Marong sheep farmer has been disqualified from owning sheep for ten years after he pleaded guilty in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court last Friday to three charges of animal cruelty.

Sidney Vains was charged for failing to supervise a mob of sheep, failing to shear sheep with excess wool growth and failing to obey a Notice to Comply.

In addition to the ten-year ban, Mr Vains was fined $3000 without conviction and ordered to pay costs of $117.

Between May and November 2019, Agriculture Victoria officers investigated complaints that Mr Vains had failed to shear a mob of sheep for more than 12 months. Two of his sheep were unable to walk due to excessive wool growth, one of which had to be euthanised on humane grounds.

Agriculture Victoria Animal Health and Welfare program manager Daniel Bode said the suffering could have been avoided if the farmer had shorn his sheep on an annual basis, which is the accepted farming practice.

The welfare of animals in Victoria is protected by the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (POCTA) Act and the community expects that animals will be treated with care and respect.

The purpose of the POCTA Act is to prevent cruelty to animals, encourage the considerate treatment of animals and improve the level of community awareness about the prevention of cruelty to animals.

The Victorian Government has committed to a modern new Act to replace the current one.

Developed in consultation with industry, community and other stakeholders, a new Act for animal welfare will better meet the needs of industry, community, and government now and into the future.

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

The importance of worm control can sometimes be underestimated, but worms can be a significant problem in weaners and lambing ewes struggling with limited feed and the cold stress of winter.

This can be due to a variety of factors including declining immunity in weakened stock, management changes, and localised weather events such as short/sharp showers that can produce run-off and a fresh batch of infective larvae and green pick over parts of a paddock.

Remember, worm levels can increase rapidly in a short time.

Worms should be thought of in all ill-thrifty or scouring sheep, regardless of when the sheep were last drenched.

To help establish whether worms are the cause of ill-thrift or scouring, consider the following:

• The nutrition of the sheep including the feed availability, supplemental feeding and stocking rates.
• The class and condition of the sheep including their body condition score.
• The drench program including the product/s used and date/s drenched, especially the time since the last treatment.

To know for sure faecal samples from at least five affected and five non-affected sheep should be submitted for worm egg counts. To help manage worms in sheep during winter:

• Provide adequate feed for weaners and lambing ewes on low worm pastures such as those prepared by smart grazing over summer, those previously grazed by cattle, or those used for cropping.
• Weaners and lambing ewes need to be in a condition score around 2.5. If lighter, they will need preferential treatment and feeding.
• Check worm egg counts by Wormtest (samples from 10 representative sheep) every four to six weeks through winter.
• Confirm that the drench worked by Wormtest at the time of drenching and 10 to14 days later.
• Check worm egg counts in lambing ewes about four weeks before lambing.

It is costly to feed animals, so don't feed worms as well.

For further information please contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria Veterinary or Animal Health Officer, or use WormBoss at www.wormboss.com.au.

Fresh new voices from rural and regional communities across Victoria are bringing their personal stories of passion and endeavour to season two of AgVic Talk, Agriculture Victoria’s popular podcast channel.

With a special introduction from Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas, season two turns its focus to the many voices shaping the resilient agricultural industry including native foods entrepreneurs, rural women and young and immigrant farmers.

This season, episodes cover topics from farm safety and career diversity in agriculture to leadership, advocacy and farm management and explore how rural communities are preparing for the challenges of climate change.

In the first episode - set to air during National Farm Safety Week - Chair of the Young Farmer Advisory Council and Purnim farmer, Dr Sarah McLean, discusses how a near-miss while working alone was the catalyst that encouraged her family to recognise that their own health and safety was their most important business asset.

"We’re always conscious of safety with everything we do, but we've had to think outside the box to make things safer for ourselves and our kids. That’s the key message, safety improvements don’t have to be expensive,” Dr McLean said.

The follow-up episode features Jess Knight a young dairy farmer from Stratford in central Gippsland.

Ms Knight discusses her unconventional pathway into farming and how a passion for agriculture and a can-do attitude have resulted in her transformation into a confident young farm business manager and community leader.

“I’m continuing to work towards building my skills to manage the business side of the farm, by completing a Masters in Agribusiness so that I can continue to develop personally and professionally,” Ms Knight said.

Subscribe and listen to ‘AgVic Talk’ wherever you get your podcasts or listen online agriculture.vic.gov.au/agvictalk.

AgVic Talk season two is part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to recognising agriculture as a career of choice and building its reputation for workplace excellence.

Season two is funded through the $20 million Smarter, Safer Farms initiative to improve skills and safety outcomes for Victorian agricultural communities.

'AgVic Talk’ is one of many ways the Victorian Government is continuing to support farm businesses during COVID-19. Many previously held face-to-face events continue to be offered as online workshops and webinars.

For more information on webinars and other virtual services, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au

The Victorian Fox and Wild Dog Bounty collections have been temporarily suspended in line with the Victorian Government’s extended lockdown until 11:59pm Tuesday, 27 July.

Collections planned at Ballarat, Geelong, Colac, Warrnambool and Hamilton in the south-west will not take place in the week commencing Monday 26 July. This in addition to collections suspended at Tatura, Wodonga, Ovens, Benalla, Mansfield and Broadford in the week commencing Monday 19 July.

Hunters are still encouraged to continue to collect fox scalps and wild dog body parts on their property, while following seven-day extended lockdown requirements. These pieces can be frozen or air dried and submitted for reward at an alternative collection centre or when the suspended collection centres reopen, in line with bounty terms and conditions.

Hunting is allowed within the five kilometres of your home and two-hour limit for exercise.

Please continue to check this webpage for the latest information, as the collection schedule is subject to change in response to the  COVID-19 situation.

Australians can now nominate individuals and businesses who have made outstanding contributions to the protection of our $66* billion agricultural industries and the health of our animals, plant and people through the 2021 Australian Biosecurity Awards.

The Australian Biosecurity Awards highlight the important role that everyone plays in keeping Australia safe from biosecurity risks.

Australia’s strong biosecurity system protects $50 billion in direct tourism, $51 billion in agricultural, forestry and fisheries exports and 1.6 million Australian jobs across the supply chain.

Australia’s Biosecurity System safeguards our human, animal and plant health against potentially devastating exotic pests and diseases like African Swine Fever, foot-and-mouth disease and Khapra beetle among many others.

The Australian Biosecurity Awards acknowledge and recognise individuals and groups that show a commitment to supporting and promoting Australia's biosecurity and the systems upholding it.

There will be eight award categories in the 2021 Australian Biosecurity Awards including the:

• Dr David Banks Biosecurity Lifetime Achievement Award
• Dr Kim Ritman Award for Science and Innovation
• Farm Biosecurity Producer of The Year Award — jointly presented with Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia.
• Industry Award
• Government Award
• Environmental Biosecurity Award
• Community Award
• Education Award.

Nominations for the 2021 Australian Biosecurity Awards are open until 30 July 2021

For more information on the Australian Biosecurity Awards, including the nomination form, visit: awe.gov.au/ABA

This year’s biosecurity champions will be announced at the Australian Biosecurity Awards dinner in November 2021.

Victoria’s new online game licensing system, My Game Licence (MyGL), is now available to all new, existing and prospective game hunters in Victoria.

MyGL is compatible with mobile devices, allowing people to easily apply for a Game Licence, update personal details, renew their Game Licence, book hound hunting and waterfowl identification tests, apply for Hog Deer tags, and transfer hound ownership.

Victoria has recently recorded more than 60,000 Game Licence holders, up from nearly 52,000 this time last year. 

GMA CEO Graeme Ford said all of Victoria’s Game Licence holders will benefit from the new online system, which provides education materials including eLearning modules for hunters, helping to ensure game hunting is conducted in a safe and sustainable way.

“MyGL will also be used to communicate important information to licensed hunters on changes to game hunting laws and regulations, including season arrangements.”

“The new online game licensing system is a modern approach to game licensing in Victoria, replacing the previous system where hunters were required to mail in their licence application and renewal requests,” Mr Ford said.

The new online game licensing system is a key deliverable in the Victorian Government’s $5.3 million Sustainable Hunting Action Plan 2016-2020, which aims for all Victorians to gain from growing the economic, environmental and social benefits of responsible, sustainable and safe hunting, now and into the future.

MyGL has been developed by the Game Management Authority (GMA). The GMA works with the community as an independent regulator overseeing game hunting in Victoria through education, research and enforcement.

For more information and to access MyGL, visit gma.vic.gov.au

The National Centre for Farmer Health announced that the innovative and exciting new chat-based platform ‘Campfire’ is now live as part of the Primary Producer Knowledge Network.

Campfire provides an engaging, solution-focused community for farmers and fishers to proactively improve their systems of work in support of mentally healthy workplaces via:

• practical tools and resources,
• solution-focused stories that address work related challenges,
• interaction with experts and peer networks.

Online Campfires will be lit at each Tuesday – Thursday evening from 7:30pm, where primary producers can discuss work-related challenges.

Bonfires will be held fortnightly (Wednesday evenings from 7.30pm) where primary producers will hear from topic experts and participate in Q&A.

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

Upcoming Bonfire Event Dates:

• 28 July – Communication – its more than your words
• 11 Aug – Planning for Success(ion)

AgVic Talk

Season two of ‘AgVic Talk’ is now live!

This season of the ‘AgVic Talk’ podcast series will highlight personal stories of people who have overcome daily challenges. You’ll hear from a diverse range of people, including rural women and young farmers about how they recover, grow, modernise, protect and promote Victorian agriculture. 

Listen to 'AgVic Talk' wherever you usually get your podcasts or listen in 🎧 here: agriculture.vic.gov.au/AgVicTalk

My Rain Gauge is Busted

Has all this talk about a possible negative Indian Ocean Dipole got you thinking, what is a negative Indian Ocean Dipole?  In the latest episode of ‘My Rain Gauge is Busted’, Dale Grey explains what a negative IOD is and how it affects conditions in southeastern Australia. 

To listen search 'My Rain Gauge is Busted' wherever you usually get your podcasts or listen in 🎧 here: https://go.vic.gov.au/31cuNY

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.

NEW DATE

There is still time to register for the Small-Scale and Craft Better Business Workshops!

We are heading to Hepburn Springs on 1 September, so book your spot below to find out ways to better your business.

Agriculture Victoria is hosting Better Business Workshops for Small-Scale and Craft growers and producers through the Small-Scale and Craft Program in Victoria on ways to improve your business with a focus on good business practices, accounting and online tools, legal advice and cyber security. Five expert panel members will discuss the below topics with a focus on small-scale growers and producers.

• Date: Wednesday 1 September
• Time: 10.30 am - 12 pm
• Venue: Hotel Bellinzona
• Address: 77 Main Road, Hepburn Springs

Book Hepburn on Wednesday 1 September.

The Storm and Flood Recovery Hotline is a single state-wide number that Victorians impacted by the June 2021 storms and floods can call for help or assistance.

Operators can assist you with registering for Clean-Up of structures on private property or accessing your own Recovery Support Worker, mental health and wellbeing support, financial counselling and information on available payments.

The Recovery Hotline is open from 8 am to 7 pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) and 9 am to 1 pm on weekends.

The GRDC Farm Business Update events drive innovation and adoption of improved farm business management practices across the grains industry.

The scheduled updates program for Swan Hill and Horsham is now being delivered online.  Registration is free.

Friday 30 July, 10 am - 4 pm

For more information visit the GRDC website.

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