• Investing in the next generation of Victorian farmers
• Young Farmer Business Network
• Still the best crop summary – only the name has changed
• Improving the nutritive value of pasture
• Harvest weed seed control – does it have a fit in the high rainfall zone?
• New genomic research to future-proof pasture grasses
• Finding Australia's next generation of lamb leaders
• Small-scale and craft grants help agribusiness thrive
• Food Innovation Voucher Stream – Round 4 now open
• Honey bee health survey
• Planning support for small-scale pig and poultry producers
• What’s on
• Save-the-date

Thirteen young farmers from across Victoria have received the State Government’s Upskill and Invest Young Farmers Scholarships, supporting the state’s future agriculture leaders to shine.

Minister for Agriculture Jaclyn Symes this week announced the winners of the fifth round of scholarships, celebrating young farmers from around Victoria across diverse agriculture sectors including goat dairy, cropping, chestnuts and livestock.

Upskill and Invest Young Farmer Scholarships are worth up to $10,000 per farmer – with $5000 to upskill through training and study in areas like farm management, financial literacy, product development or innovative farming techniques, making sure the next generation of farming leaders are developing world-class skills.

Once they complete their studies, recipients are eligible for an additional funding boost of up to $5,000 to invest on-farm or in professional development – putting their new skills into practice and boosting their businesses.

To date, the scholarship program has seen 63 young recipients go from strength to strength in their careers – and is an important part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to grow the state’s agriculture sector to $20 billion by 2030.

The successful recipients include:

• Sophia Christoe, dairy (goat), Mount Alexander
• Hannah Dowsett, livestock (mixed), Wellington
• Bridget Doyle, livestock (beef), Benalla
• Clay Gowers, cropping, Mildura
• Edward Guthridge, dairy, Corangamite
• Jackson Keane, horticulture (garlic) and livestock (sheep), Macedon Ranges
• Jessica Knight, dairy, Wellington
• Nicola Letts, horticulture (chestnuts) and livestock (pigs) Alpine
• Andrew Murphy, dairy, Campaspe
• Joseph Sutherland, livestock (sheep), Southern Grampians
• Joseph Watts, cropping and livestock (sheep), Buloke
• Dallas Willersdorf, livestock (sheep) and grains, Mildura
• Rebekah Winter, dairy, Colac-Otway.

Applications for the 2020 Young Farmers Scholarships will open in mid-2020, with farmers aged 35 or under encouraged to apply. To find out more about the scholarships program, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/youngfarmers.

Young Farmers of Victoria – this is your network to talk about farm business management with other like-minded young farmers through social media, articles, online and face to face forums.

Click here to join and learn more about the Young Farmer Business Network Facebook group.

Agriculture Victoria’s flagship crop research publication, formerly known as the Winter Crop Summary, is available now as the Victorian Crop Sowing Guide.

Published in partnership with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), the guide provides the most up-to-date information on crop variety performance and crop disease resistance ratings at a time when growers are thinking about next year’s sowing programs.

It contains the latest grain yield and quality data on major winter crops grown in Victoria from the National Variety Trials (NVT) program, including the latest data and ratings on newly released varieties.

Agriculture Victoria Grains Industry Network Program Manager Kellyanne Harris said the annual sowing guide is a significant piece of work from agronomists and crop disease experts within Agriculture Victoria and is valued resource for growers.

“Growers use this publication to develop a very clear picture about what varieties best suit their situation,” she said.

“Growers tell us they also use the guide to test their thinking and the thinking of their consultants, advisers and marketing agents.”

Most of the grain yield and quality data provided in the summary is sourced from the GRDC National Variety Trail (NVT) program of comparative crop variety testing, with data from some breeding trials added to the information available.

Results from the NVT program are also used by pathologists to determine disease resistance ratings presented in the Victorian Crop Sowing Guide.

Overall, the summary brings together NVT data from the previous five seasons, long term multi-environment trial yield predictions, disease ratings, quality data and agronomic information.

The latest 2019 NVT data will also be available early in 2020 via the NVT Online website at www.nvtonline.com.au.

The 2020 Victorian Crop Sowing Guide is available to download online https://grdc.com.au/2020-victorian-crop-sowing-guide.

Research conducted at Agriculture Victoria’s Hamilton research centre is helping to overcome this.

In this research, data was collected from ryegrass plants using a field spectrometer – a scientific instrument which can measure substances in plants such as sugars or fibres.

The data collected by the spectrometer was then used to develop prediction models for eight nutritive value parameters such as protein, fibre and digestibility.

Agriculture Victoria Research Scientist Chaya Smith said the new field-based model was very promising for pasture breeding programs and farmers.

“This will provide a way to improve the nutritive value of forage varieties that is much faster and cheaper than anything that currently exists,” she said.

The models also provide a tool for selection in breeding programs with a high degree of accuracy comparable to laboratory-based spectrometry.

“The accuracy varies with each of the eight nutritive value parameters, but protein, dry matter and digestibility were 80 per cent accurate,” Ms Smith said.

“For more complex traits such as fibre content, we are collecting more samples from different environments and growing seasons to make the prediction model more robust.

“We are also developing a machine learning approach to improve the prediction of sugar content, which is complex as grass sugar content changes over the course of the day.”

Australia’s grazing industries will benefit significantly from pastures with better nutritive value.

Ms Smith said improvement in these herbage quality traits would increase the amount of nutrition available for stock and would decrease the need for, and reliance on, costly
supplements.

“Eventually, as the model is further developed, it could also be a tool for farmers to check the quality of their pasture in the field, providing relevant, real-time information for decision making,”
she said.

This research is part of the DairyBio joint venture between Agriculture Victoria, Dairy Australia and the Gardiner Foundation.

The analysis was conducted by Southern Farming Systems (SFS) research and extension officer, James Manson, who concluded that HWSC is likely to capture only 30 per cent of problematic annual ryegrass (ARG) seeds in the southern HRZ – compared with 70 per cent in other regions of Australia. 

“But this 30 per cent is valuable to farm businesses because of the high productivity of the region,” Mr Manson says.

“Therefore, HWSC has a fit in the southern HRZ farming systems, but it fits differently. It is not the ‘holy grail’, but it can play a supporting role for integrated weed management strategies.”

The GRDC has just released a publication of the findings from the study, ‘Harvest Weed Seed Control for the Southern High Rainfall Zone’, which can be found on the GRDC website’s harvest resource hub at https://grdc.com.au/harvest-weed-seed-control-for-the-southern-high-rainfall-zone/. 

HWSC is an umbrella term that refers to a range of technologies and practices that captures weed seeds at harvest for subsequent management through a range of approaches. These include chaff carts, narrow windrow burning, chaff lining, chaff tramlining (chaff decks) and weed seed impact mills. However, the first critical step of HWSC involves capturing weed seeds and getting them into the harvester. This is largely governed by the physiology of the weed species.

While research has previously established that HWSC offers significant agronomic and economic benefits in low and medium rainfall zones, the effectiveness of HWSC in the HRZ had until recently not been fully quantified.

Mr Manson says the HRZ is different to other rainfall zones in many respects: “The southern HRZ is a unique agroecological region in Australia. Not only does it have a high yield potential, it is also cool with a longer growing season, and both characteristics may affect the role that HWSC should have in this region’s farming systems.

“It has been recommended that harvesters cut at 15 centimetres above ground height when using HWSC to maximise the amount of weed seeds captured, however, high-yielding environments produce heavy stubble loads that hinder harvest operations.

“These environments also produce crops with large biomass that cause ARG plants to grow taller and develop seed heads higher above the soil surface. This raises a question about the practicality of using HWSC in the HRZ and whether it is necessary to cut as low as 15cm.”

Mr Manson says the southern HRZ’s cool climate extends the growing season and, as a result, cereals are harvested through December and January (much later than in other parts of Australia).

“This may provide ARG with enough time to shed seeds before harvest. This is a critical question in understanding the efficacy of HWSC.”

Annual rye grass seed heads in a mature wheat crop Photo: Paul Breust

To test the previously held assumption that HWSC has a similar fit in integrated weed management packages in the HRZ as it does elsewhere, a GRDC investment led by SFS in collaboration with Riverine Plains Inc, MacKillop Farm Management Group and FarmLink was implemented from 2015 to 2018.

The research addressed three key questions:

• Is HWSC effective? Small-plot experiments were conducted in Victoria (Lake Bolac, Rutherglen, Yarrawonga), South Australia (Conmurra) and Tasmania (Cressy). All trials except for Rutherglen were for two to three consecutive years on the same plots. Sowing date, crop cultivar choice and harvest cut height were hypothesised to assess the efficacy of HWSC.
• Is HWSC practical? On-farm trials were conducted in Victoria, South Australia and southern New South Wales to test the practicality of using HWSC technologies, ground-truth their efficacy and measure operating costs.
• Is HWSC profitable? The data from these trials was pooled to re-calibrate a farm systems model which was used to explore the long-term economic impact of adding HWSC to a wheat-barley-canola rotation.

Key findings contained in Mr Manson’s report include:

• A realistic target for ARG seed capture in cereals in the southern HRZ is 30 per cent; HWSC is a useful tool that can help control, but not drastically reduce ARG numbers;
• It is difficult to increase the efficacy of HWSC in the southern HRZ through agronomic means. A harvest cut height of 15cm was no more effective than 30cm. Changing the crop cultivar and time of sowing did not manipulate ARG phenology and/or the harvest date enough to prevent high ARG seed shedding;
• Estimate the extra costs associated with HWSC before investing. Consider nutrient removal, extra fuel usage, extra wear-and-tear costs and depreciation. Any decrease in harvest speed caused by a HWSC technology should be carefully estimated.

In conclusion, Mr Manson says HWSC could make a valuable contribution to weed control in the southern HRZ by decelerating the population growth of ARG, but growers should not expect it to reduce a weed burden quickly.

“HWSC must be combined with consistently effective herbicides and other weed management options to reduce weed numbers, and even then, the reduction in ARG seedbanks will be small and slow.”

More information on HWSC can be found on the GRDC Harvest Resources hub at https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/resources/harvest-resources or via the GRDC-supported WeedSmart initiative at https://weedsmart.org.au/.

Australia’s red meat industry is set to benefit from new pasture grass research focused on increasing its production and profitability and helping to safeguard it in a changing climate.

Agriculture Victoria research scientists have generated the world’s first genomic reference for the pasture grass Phalaris, a perennial grass commonly used in Australia’s red meat industry because it is persistent and supports high levels of animal production.

Until now very little has been known about the genetic makeup of Phalaris, partly due to its complexity, and this has limited its genetic improvement.

Agriculture Victoria research scientists generated DNA sequences for more than 56,000 genes from the Phalaris genome using its next generation sequencing and advanced scientific computing capabilities.

Within the Phalaris genes more than half a million individual DNA markers were identified, including those than control important traits such as yield, persistence and seed retention.

Agriculture Victoria research scientist Dr Noel Cogan said the research enabled pasture breeders and industry to develop elite pasture varieties using genomic selection.

“This research provides the basis for a genomic breeding program in Phalaris that can create superior varieties for Australia’s red meat industry,” Dr Cogan said.

“We have set the scene for Phalaris to join the ranks of other key livestock and plant species, like perennial ryegrass, that are experiencing significant rates of genetic gain and improvements.”

Dr Cogan said this research could be used to future-proof Victoria’s red meat industry in a changing climate.

“Phalaris could become hugely valuable due to its persistence and ability to adapt to hotter temperatures.

“In what is by far the largest contribution to genomic research in Phalaris in the world, our research has set the basis for a modern Phalaris breeding program using genomic selection approaches – it is now for industry to take the next step.”

Agriculture Victoria conducted this research at AgriBio, the Centre for AgriBioscience in Victoria – Australia’s premier state-of-the-art agribioscience facility.

This research was a collaboration between Agriculture Victoria, the University of Melbourne and the CSIRO.

Are you, or do you know someone, aged 18 –35 years who is passionate about the Australian sheep and lamb industry?

Well, we'd like to let them know that the LambEx 2020 Young Guns competition is open!

Six finalists will be selected from round one of the LambEx 2020 Young Guns competition to attend the conference in Melbourne, receive travel assistance up to $800, and will be provided with professional development opportunities during the event.

Entering the competition is easy! LambEx wants to hear your vision on how to connect the Australian sheep and lamb industry with city consumers.

Simply capture your vision in three minutes or less using any digital medium(s) including (but not limited to) video, photography with voice overlay, digital storytelling, graphics, animation, GoPro etc.

Unleash your creativity over the coming months to prepare and submit your entry by 31 January 2020.

For information go to: https://lambex.com.au/lambex-young-guns/

The State Government is supporting Victorian small-scale agricultural businesses to grow – boosting jobs, attracting visitors and making sure regional communities are vibrant destinations to live and visit.

The government is encouraging small-scale and craft agribusinesses across Victoria to apply for the Small-Scale and Craft Program.

Two streams of funding are available under the $10 million program:

Small-Scale and Craft Business Development grants of up to $25,000 for projects that support eligible small-scale and craft producers to scale up, expand their operations and diversify their products
Job Creation and Economic Development grants of between $25,000-$200,000 for eligible small-scale and craft agribusinesses to deliver significant projects that deliver benefits to the community and generate jobs.
Projects involving multiple businesses are encouraged to apply.

The Small-Scale and Craft Program is a four-year program that builds on the Artisanal Sector Program to support businesses looking to scale-up operations, diversify product lines and expand outreach.

Applications for Small-Scale and Craft Business Development grants close on 6 December.

Expressions of interest for Job Creation and Economic Development grants close on 31 December.

For more information and to apply for a grant, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture.

The Food Innovation Voucher Stream is a new initiative of the Victorian Government that helps companies access the know-how needed to innovate, diversify, improve productivity and take new and innovative products to market.

The vouchers and associated Food Innovation Network will deliver on the Victorian Food and Fibre Sector strategy.

Potential assistance available includes: 

• Up to $10,000 for early stage feasibility and testing
• Up to $50,000 for process innovation, product development and research and development
• Eligibility

Applicant businesses must be a small to medium enterprise with an operating presence in Victoria and be registered as members of the Food Innovation Network.

Round 4 of Boost Your Business closes Sunday 22 December 2019.

More information on how to apply is available here

A short survey has been developed to find out how healthy Australian honey bees are, and what pests and diseases might be causing problems for beekeepers.

The results from the survey will be used to decide what help beekeepers might need to keep their honey bees healthy. It will also provide statistics for use by the industry.

The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council, Plant Health Australia, and AgriFutures Australia, encourage all Australian beekeepers to take part in this survey, which will only take 10–12 minutes to complete.

The survey closes on 31 December 2019.

**TAKE THE SURVEY NOW**

Provides Victorian small-scale pig and poultry producers with funding of up to $3,000 to help them with the costs related to obtaining a land use planning permit.

Who can apply:

At a minimum, you must:

• have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• be seeking a land use planning permit for an existing or proposed small-scale pig or poultry farm located in Victoria
• complete a small-scale pig and poultry planning workshop prior to applying for the grant program.

Other eligibility requirements may apply.

Deadline to apply: Applications close: 31 May 2020

Applications will remain open until 31 May 2020, or when the funding allocation is expended, whichever occurs first.

Contact information: 13 61 86 or psai@ecodev.vic.gov.au

APPLY HERE: Planning Support Program for Small-Scale Pig and Poultry Producers VIC

Agriculture Victoria will cancel workshops on Code Red fire danger days

Save-the-date

Further information about the awards, including the application process, is available from WestVic Dairy at www.westvicdairy.com.au or by contacting them on 5557 1000.

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