• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Farmer disqualified from owning livestock and handed a $25,000 fine
• Farmer disqualified for failing to shear sheep
• Itching to control worms
• Dog liver disease cluster update
• Webinar shares solutions for feed and effluent management
• AgVic Talk podcast season two puts the focus on community
• Webinars for dairy farmers on new EPA regulations
• Victoria's game licensing system goes digital
• Advice for Victoria's household gardeners
• Australian biosecurity awards
• Fox and wild dog bounty temporarily suspended
• Encouraging kids to get creative about farm safety
• New survey explores quadbike spraying 
• 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.

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.

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. 

Feeding livestock is one of the main challenges facing farmers in parts of Victoria affected by recent severe weather and floods, with waterlogged paddocks, damaged pastures and flooded
laneways preventing normal grazing.

Agriculture Victoria’s Scott McDonald says managing livestock feeding after such an event is a three-step process.

“The first thing you have to look at is a temporary feeding solution, for the health of the herd and to maintain production,” said Scott, a dairy and livestock systems development specialist, effluent engineer and environmental planning expert with more than 20 years’ experience in the field.

“This could be temporary and mobile, easy-to-move infrastructure that will get you through the next few months.

“Then you need to consider if long-term infrastructure will provide you with flexibility and efficiency to manage livestock during or after future events such as flooding or dry seasons.

“The third step is siting, making sure feed infrastructure is placed in the optimal location, taking into account issues such as topography, neighbouring properties, property overlays, soil type and effluent management.”

Scott is one of two presenters at Agriculture Victoria’s webinar, Temporary Feeding Solutions and Managing Effluent, to be held on Wednesday 28 July. The free webinar will look at short-term and long-term infrastructure, as well as siting management.

“The challenge for farmers is to understand all the different feeding options available and then choose a solution that best suits their property and business,” Scott said.

“Success in farming is about having the flexibility in your farm and a management process where you can adapt to changed circumstances quickly.”

The webinar will also feature information on managing effluent in wet conditions, presented by Agriculture Victoria Dairy Industry Development Officer Rachael Campbell.

Rachael will discuss managing effluent ponds when they are full, assessing effluent ponds for structural damage, and how to minimise water use in the dairy.

“These are the three main things farmers need to focus on in the short term,” said Rachael, who has more than 15 years’ experience supporting farmers in the dairy industry, specialising in sustainably managing and using nutrients on-farm, especially from effluent.

“In the middle of winter, when paddocks are already wet, farmers need to be looking at where the farm is least saturated and then applying effluent as thinly as possible.

“It’s also really important to assess the structural integrity of your effluent ponds, especially in this recent flood when in some cases the water levels rose relatively quickly.”

The free webinar will run on Wednesday, 28 July from 11am to 12.30pm and will include question time at the end of both presentations.

To register, visit https://forms.office.com/r/sbUSBtv4Wv.

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

A new Victorian Environment Protection Act and regulations came into effect on 1 July 2021.

Dairy Australia, in partnership with the UDV and EPA Victoria, invites dairy farmers to a series of online webinars for dairy farm businesses on what the changes mean for their day-to-day business operations.

The new Act and regulations represent a significant change in environmental management across Victoria, with a move from prosecution to prevention of environmental damage.

There will be six webinar times to choose from throughout July and August. Each webinar will be the same, however the ‘Large Herd’ webinar, held on Thursday, July 29, will also include information specific to farmers with larger herds who are managing larger volumes of wastes and other materials.

All sessions will include time for questions, and a recording of the presentation will be available afterwards, along with supporting documents to assist farmers with their understanding of the changes.

To sign up to a session visit the Dairy Australia website.

For more information on the new regulations and what it might mean for you, visit Government Regulations.

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,” Mr Ford said.

“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.”

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.

Go online more information and to access MyGL gma.vic.gov.au.

From 1 September 2021, netting used to protect household fruit-trees, vegetable gardens, or other fruiting plants must have a mesh size of 5mm x 5mm or less at full stretch.

If you use netting to protect your household fruit or vegetable harvest you will need to comply with this new mandatory requirement introduced under Victoria’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulations 2019.

Any existing household fruit netting that does not meet this specification must be replaced with appropriate netting before the 1 September 2021 commencement date.

The use of appropriate mesh sized netting supports a productive harvest while also protecting our vulnerable wildlife from harm.

Netting with a large mesh size is more likely to entangle birds, possums or flying foxes.

There are also alternatives to netting that can be used such as fruit bags that are placed over individual branches.

Don’t forget that old netting, when discarded, can still be an entanglement risk. It is recommended that you place old netting into a strong biodegradable bag before putting into landfill.

Further advice on netting requirements, protecting fruit trees and wildlife, and helping injured wildlife, is available at animalwelfare.vic.gov.au/netting or by calling 136 186

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.

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 is 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.

The Victorian Government is working with Kidsafe Victoria to deliver farm safety education to early learning centres and primary schools across the state.

Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas has launched the second annual Kidsafe Victoria Farm Safety Creative Competition, with an aim to encourage kids to think about solutions to farm safety issues.

The theme for this year’s competition ‘Think Farm Safe, Be Farm Safe,’ is about teaching children to stop and think about the potential injury risks on farms and to ensure that safety is always front of mind in the farm environment.

The competition provides children with the opportunity to take an active role in investigating farm safety issues, empowering them to become part of the solution. Participants can submit a video they have created, an illustrated story, poster or collage, a radio advertisement, or an invention.

The winning entries will feature in a state-wide farm safety education campaign designed to increase farm safety awareness among Victorian parents and carers.

According to the Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit, children under the age of 15 in Victoria’s outer regional areas are four times more likely to die due to injury than children in major cities.

In 2019-20, almost 400 Victorian children under the age of 15 were treated in hospital as a result of an injury on farm. 

Common injury hazards for children on farms include vehicles such as quad bikes, motorbikes and tractors, accidents involving animals, water hazards, machinery and poisons.

The Farm Safety in Schools Campaign and Creative Competition is funded by Smarter, Safer Farms, a $20 million Victorian Government initiative to improve safety outcomes for Victorian farmers, their families, farm workers and visitors.

For more information on the Kidsafe Victoria’s Farm Safety Creative Competition and other learning resources, visit the Kidsafe Victoria website, with entries open until 5 November 2021.

National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) student researcher Jordan Walker wants to understand the use of quadbikes for spraying on the farm.

The rise in quadbike related fatalities in Australia last year, combined with minimal quadbike spraying research in Australia, makes this new research particularly vital.

For many Victorian farmers, the quadbike is vital to everyday farm operations, used for tasks such as mustering, transport, hunting and spraying. However, while quadbikes can be incredibly helpful on the farm, they can also be a dangerous vehicle that has the potential to cause injury.

NCFH is seeking farmers and agricultural workers around Victoria to participate in an online survey. The survey will only take 10 minutes, with questions about your farm, quadbike and agrichemical use.

The Quadbike spraying and injury surveillance project (QuadSIS) aims to help researchers understand:

• the extent to which quadbikes are used for spraying on the farm.
• the types of agrichemicals applied using quadbikes.
• whether spraying on a quadbike creates increased risks that may lead to injury.

Participation in the QuadSIS project will help inform more targeted education into how farmers can use their quadbike to safely apply agrichemicals without putting their health and safety at risk.

Participate in this survey here.

For more information contact Jordan Walker, Student Researcher, National Centre for Farmer Health on 03 5551 8002 or walkerjor@deakin.edu.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 events:

• 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 🎧 on the Agriculture Victoria website.

My Rain Gauge is Busted

Has all this talk about a possible negative Indian Ocean Dipole got you wondering, 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.

Are you experiencing wetter conditions than normal on your farm?

Agriculture Victoria invites you to a webinar which will provide practical solutions for temporary feeding options following the recent storms and floods and discuss how best to manage on-farm effluent in wet conditions.

DATE: Wednesday 28 July

TIME: 11 am – 12 midday 

WHERE: Online, via Zoom

REGISTER: https://forms.office.com/r/sbUSBtv4Wv

PROGRAM:

• Temporary feeding solutions - Scott McDonald, Dairy and Livestock Development specialist
• Managing dairy effluent in wet conditions - Rachael Campbell, Dairy Industry Development officer

ENQUIRIES: Contact Del Delpitiya on 0436 649 860 or delpitiya@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

Dairy Australia, in partnership with the UDV and EPA Victoria, invites dairy farmers to a series of online webinars for dairy farm businesses on what the upcoming changes mean for their day-to-day business operations.

There will be six webinar times to choose from throughout July and August, including a session for large herds.

• 26 July, 12-1.30 pm and 7-8.30 pm
• 29 July, 12-1.30 pm
• 30 July, 12-1.30 pm
• 4 August, 12-1.30 pm
• 9 August, 12-1.30 pm

All sessions will include time for questions, and a recording of the presentation will be available afterwards, along with supporting documents to assist farmers with their understanding of the changes.

For more information and to sign up visit dairyaustralia.com.au/VicEPAWebinars.

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