• Coronavirus update
• Pulses for building profit on show at Nhill
• Business program an opportunity for Victorian farmers
• Bull soundness gives confidence for success
• Full strength: Victoria’s dairy sector leads the nation
• Australia's knowledge and response to grapevine phylloxera is evolving
• Building boom for agriculture worker accommodation
• Putting our small-scale producers on the map
• Livestock biosecurity grants - applications extended
• Supporting agribusiness to be more sustainable
• 2022 Rural Women's Award nominations now open
• AgVic Talk podcast 
• Campfire - connecting farmers to prevent mental health risks
• 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, however workers from metropolitan Melbourne and areas where there are lockdown restrictions must have an authorised worker permit to travel. Shearers travelling from interstate will need to apply for a Specified Worker Permit to enter Victoria. 

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

• Creating a COVIDSafe Plan
• Creating workforce bubbles
• Specified Worker Permits
• Victorian Travel Permits
• NSW/Victoria Border Bubble
• COVID-19 Business Support

Increasing pulse crop profitability will be a key focus at the Southern Pulse Agronomy Field Day being held at Nhill on Tuesday, 12 October.

Hosted by Frontier Farming Systems on behalf of Agriculture Victoria and the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC), farmers, agronomists and industry are invited to attend the day to hear how the latest lentil, chickpea, field pea, faba beans and vetch varieties have performed this year.

Agriculture Victoria Research Scientist Dr Jason Brand said the event was part of the Southern Pulse Agronomy project geared at improving the profitability of pulse growers.

Field research being conducted at the site is comparing the performance of pulse varieties grown in variable soil types. Also being examined is the impact of different management strategies including stubble management, inoculation and row spacing.

Researchers, pulse breeders, industry specialists and grain marketers will be on hand at the event to discuss the research and its practical application, and to answer any questions from attendees.

Several new lentil and pea varieties will also be released at the field day and discussed in the context of this season, and how the new varieties could fit into Wimmera and Mallee rotations.

Dr Brand said the Southern Pulse Agronomy Project has a number of trial sites across Victoria, as well as similar projects in South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia, so it is bringing together a lot of information that is going to be really useful to growers in helping them tackle problems they are facing with their pulse crops.

“The key thing growers are going to get out of this field day is access to the latest, locally-validated research that will help them maximise every dollar earned through their pulse crops,” he said.

“This is real, in-the-field, practical research that will directly benefit local growers.”

GRDC Grower Relations Manager, Courtney Ramsey said the project trial objectives are driven by local grower needs with the field day providing a great opportunity for two-way communication around growers' pulse growing experiences.

“The project has been designed to respond to growers’ challenges in pulse production as they are evolving in the paddock,” she said.

The Nhill Pulse Field Day will be held 1.2 kilometres west from the junction of Propodollah from Proodollah Ext Road, Nhill, from 9am to 1pm. This field day is a COVIDSafe event and people must register to attend. Register online or contact Michael Moodie, Frontier Farming Systems, for more information on 0448 612 892.

Agriculture Victoria is offering an exciting new online program for Victorian livestock, grain and mixed farmers.

The Farm Business Resilience Program, which is part of the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, will provide farmers with the opportunity to develop or refresh their Farm Business Plan.

Project Leader Kit Duncan-Jones said participants will be supported by Agriculture Victoria staff and a professional Farm Management Consultant to develop a strategic plan for their farm business.

“Agriculture Victoria is providing the opportunity for farmers to participate in the program online in coming months.

“Farmers from around Victoria will be able to participate in a series of interactive online workshops, using practical information and tools to better manage risk and make informed decisions for their farm business,” Mr Duncan-Jones said.

Topics covered in the program include:

• Identifying and managing emerging risks
• Business planning and financial management
• Succession planning and people management
• AgTech and Internet of Things (IoT)
• Seasonal outlooks, managing soils and farm water for the future.

Mr Duncan-Jones said the successful online Whole Farm Planning courses run by Agriculture Victoria over the past 12 months has demonstrated that online workshop delivery suits many farmers.

“Farmers can participate from the comfort of their own home and there is no time commitment associated with travelling to workshop venues.”

Participants will also be able to access a Farm Business Resilience Resource Library during and after the program, including program worksheets, presentation materials, videos, podcasts, eLearns and useful websites.

Mr Duncan-Jones said if you’re a farmer who wants to better manage your business, strengthen your farm resilience to withstand future shocks and set up your farm for success now and into the future – this is the program for you.

To register your interest in participating in the online program, please complete this short survey.

For more information, contact Kit Duncan-Jones on 0427 749 466 or kit.duncan-jones@agriculture.vic.gov.au

The Farm Business Resilience program is jointly funded by the Australian Government and Victorian Government through the Future Drought Fund.

Further information about the program and the Future Drought Fund can also be found on the Agriculture Victoria website.

Dr Jeff Cave, Senior Veterinary Officer

Imagine calling your vet to come and pregnancy test your herd of cows, only to find out most of them are not pregnant. What could you have done to prevent this scenario?

A pre-joining check of your bulls’ soundness and the state of his fertility levels may help prevent this disheartening situation.

Fertility is the ability of a bull to achieve, by natural service, a pregnancy rate of 60 per cent and 85 per cent in 50 normally cycling females, within three and six weeks of mating, respectively.

Your veterinarian will check a number of components of the bull to ensure this is possible.

Firstly, the bull needs to be physically examined for any faults with his legs, head, joints, feet, sheath and penis as any of these will affect his ability to serve a cow. His general health also needs to be clinically assessed.

Secondly, your veterinarian will check the bull’s scrotal circumference and inspect the bull’s testis for tone or resilience, as these are closely related to a bull’s fertility.

It is important to watch your bull during joining to determine his serving ability and his desire to serve cows.

Furthermore, your veterinarian will examine the bull’s semen under a microscope and analyse it for motility as well as looking at the morphology or structure of the individual sperm cells.

There is much more to it than putting your bull out with a herd of cows and expecting him to perform, you need to investigate and make sure your bull is up to the job. For further advice please contact your local veterinarian.

A new report has revealed that in 2020-21 Victoria’s nation-leading dairy farmers experienced the best financial returns in more than six years as the sector continues to innovate and excel.

Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas released the 2020-21 Dairy Farm Monitor report today, which shows the hard work and resilience of Victoria’s dairy farmers has paid off after experiencing some difficult years responding to recent dry conditions, low water allocations and market volatility.

Agriculture Victoria’s Dairy Farm Monitor project is a collaboration with Dairy Australia to provide critical insight for industry into how the sector is tracking. The annual report is a comprehensive financial and production analysis of 80 Victorian dairy farm businesses in south-western Victoria, Gippsland and northern Victoria.

The quality benchmarking data in the report gives Victorian dairy farmers the ability to make comparisons and identify areas they could change to improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of their businesses.

While average dairy farm profits were up across most of the state, dairy farmers in Victoria’s north posted the best results, taking advantage of favourable seasonal conditions to record the highest profits this region has seen for 15 years.

Since the last report, farm cashflows have increased from the previous year, with 94 per cent of farms recording a positive return. This financial rebound has enabled farmers to invest back into their businesses by repairing and upgrading infrastructure and machinery and improving pastures.

Victoria is a leading contributor to Australia’s dairy industry, accounting for 77 per cent of Australia's dairy exports valued at $2.1 billion. The gross value of milk produced in Victoria is worth $2.7 billion (2018-19). The sector supports almost 10,000 jobs with more than half of these workers located in regional Victoria.

The 2020-21 Dairy Farm Monitor report is available on the Agriculture Victoria website.

An Agriculture Victoria research project studying the grapevine pest, phylloxera, has revealed new ways to improve detection and management of this destructive pest.

Over the last three years, a $1.5 million project co-funded with Wine Australia has delivered a new portable technology for rapid identification of phylloxera in the field, new knowledge in assisting screening of rootstock resistance, and new disinfestation practices to help prevent the pest from spreading.

“Phylloxera are tiny insects about a millimetre long and are extremely difficult to identify even with the trained eye of an expert,” Agriculture Victoria’s lead insect diagnostician, Dr Mark Blacket said.

“We’ve developed a portable assay that gives rapid and accurate molecular identification of a suspect phylloxera in less than an hour — before now the process of identification could take up to a week.”

The assay is called LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) and can be carried out under field conditions using a portable device (a LAMP machine) that is about the size of a laptop.

“LAMP provides a simple method to confirm the identity of the pest in a vineyard and will save valuable time in decision making for biosecurity officers,” Dr Blacket said.

“We’ve shown it works with insects removed directly from roots, and on phylloxera obtained from traps placed underneath the vines.”

In addition to developing the new LAMP tool for DNA identification of phylloxera, the project team has also made a new discovery about the genetic diversity of the insects in Australia.

Their study collected phylloxera from across the King Valley wine region in Victoria where the genetic diversity of the pest was first studied in early 2000. Having carried out genetic studies, the team compared findings with a former study conducted 30 years ago. The new study identified 32 new strains of phylloxera.

“Genetic differences among phylloxera underlies the ability of certain strains to overcome resistance in rootstock cultivars,” Agriculture Victoria phylloxera research lead, Dr Catherine Clarke said.

“By knowing more about these genetically different strains and how they spread, we can provide better advice to growers about which rootstocks might be most suitable against phylloxera in their locality.”

Wine Australia General Manager Research, Development and Adoption Dr Liz Waters said the King Valley study indicates that changes in genetic variability of phylloxera could threaten the long-term stability of rootstock tolerance to the pest.

“The identification of new strains presents a number of challenges as each strain of phylloxera has the possibility of a different impact, particularly on tolerant and resistant rootstocks,” Dr Waters said.

If you are in a phylloxera-infested zone, farmgate hygiene and disinfestation are still vitally important in stopping the spread and inadvertently introducing a new strain to your vineyard.

Because resistant rootstocks are so critical for the impacted zones, the project also expanded the rootstock testing program which delivered new information on the resistance status of particular rootstocks to certain phylloxera strains.

“The rootstock 5C Teleki was screened against a panel of phylloxera strains, and a range of rootstocks were tested for resistance to the virulent strain G38, in the field and under controlled conditions.” Dr Waters said.

“This information will be fed into the Grapevine Rootstock Selector tool for easy referral.”

In studying disinfestation practices to limit the spread of phylloxera, the project has identified a product available from supermarkets that is effective for disinfestation of footwear and hand-held tools.

“Preventative biosecurity practices are the best form of defence,” Dr Clarke said.

“Current best practice suggests bleach is optimal for disinfestation of footwear and hand tools, to prevent phylloxera from travelling within and outside quarantine zones. However, it is not favoured by growers due to the hazards posed by chlorine odours and residues, and the damage it causes to footwear and tools,” she said.

“We found that Dettol, a readily available disinfectant, is a suitable substitute for bleach. It’s adding to the arsenal of tools that growers can use at the farm gate.”

Phylloxera is a hardy insect pest, but the research found Australian strains in general are sensitive to temperatures above 30ºC and below 18ºC.

It was also found that fermentation for 48 hours is sufficient to kill phylloxera in ferments with commercial yeast added, but not necessarily for ‘wild’ ferments.

Further research will firm up these results and determine how fermentation can be applied to disinfest grape products during winemaking.

A new research project co-funded by Agriculture Victoria and Wine Australia will build on the project’s findings to further improve the nation’s strategy to control phylloxera through more effective disinfestation procedures, validating the LAMP DNA surveillance tool for use in field detection, improving selection of resistant grapevine rootstocks, and looking at native biological control options, such as Australian plants and native insects.

“Phylloxera remains a challenge for the Australian wine sector,” Dr Clarke said. “But it’s a challenge that we’re continuing to build solutions to address and provide support to ensure the sector can manage.”

The final report for the project Integrated management of established grapevine phylloxera is available on Wine Australia’s website.

The Victorian Government is investing in more accommodation for farm workers, with new facilities being built across the state.

Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas visited Boort Lakes Holiday Park in the state’s north to meet owner Wendy James and unveil new facilities for seasonal workers, which will boost accommodation for the region’s workforce for the upcoming harvest and for years to come.

Boort Lakes Holiday Park received $500,000 to build 16 new cabins and six ensuites for existing caravan sites, providing accommodation for up to 77 workers to support the region’s agriculture industry.

The development is part of the Government’s Seasonal Workforce Accommodation Program (SWAP), which is providing financial support for 13 regional projects to deliver COVIDSafe accommodation, transport and support services for up to 2000 seasonal horticultural workers.

Nearby, Boundary Bend Olives received $62,000 to build 12 new caravan sites with toilet and shower facilities for its temporary on-farm caravan park, which workers benefitted from during this year’s olive harvest.

In the broader region, Mildura City Backpackers received $45,000 to create COVIDSafe kitchen facilities, doubling its worker accommodation. Nyah Village Caravan Park received a $109,000 grant to build five units for up to 12 workers. Building on both projects is complete and workers have started using the new facilities.

These projects are part of the Victorian Government’s $84 million package to support the Victorian agriculture industry as it continues to address seasonal workforce challenges, which has already increased accommodation facilities at 80 businesses in farming regions across the state.

The Victorian Government is investing in a range of programs to boost accommodation in rural and regional areas and tackle barriers to regional workforce attraction, including projects in the $2.7 billion Building Works package.

The Victorian Government is supporting small-scale and craft businesses across the state, helping producers work together to put their high-quality produce on the tourism map.

Last week Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas visited Fleurs de Lyonville – a chemical-free micro flower farm in the Central Highlands, to officially open stream three of the Small-Scale and Craft Program.

Fleurs de Lyonville uses regenerative agricultural practices and supplies to consumers via local grocers, florists and wedding packages. Under the program, the business received funding to purchase a polytunnel and hoop houses to increase production and diversify its product line.

Alongside Fleurs de Lyonville, many other small-scale and craft producers across Victoria have received grants through previous streams of the program – including gourmet pie producers, olive growers, sake distillers and alpaca farmers.

Stream Three offers grants of between $25,000 and $100,000 for eligible small-scale and craft agribusinesses. These grants will support projects that showcase multiple producers and support the creation of distinct visitor experiences, creating tourist attractions that put their region on the map.

The government is helping small agribusinesses grow as a key pillar of its Agriculture Strategy, which will in turn boost visitation to regional towns and create jobs.

The Small-Scale and Craft Program supports the vision for an agriculture sector that is strong, innovative, and sustainable. It is a $10.2 million program over four years that delivers on the Government’s election commitment.

To find out more about the Small-Scale and Craft Program visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/smallscaleandcraftprogram.

Victorian farmers are saving on their energy costs and reducing their emissions on-farm, thanks to a Victorian Government grant program supporting investments in more energy efficient technology.

Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas visited Meredith Dairy in western Victoria, one of several businesses benefitting from the Agriculture Energy Investment Plan (AEIP). The AEIP offers grants up to $250,000 to install infrastructure and technology that will make farms more competitive and protect local jobs.

Under the AEIP, family-run business Meredith Dairy received a $250,000 grant to support its investment in a biomass energy unit, a solar power system and cool room upgrade.

The project is expected to generate over $94,000 in on-farm energy savings each year, which is almost a third of the business’s on-farm energy costs.

In addition to grant funding, the AEIP supports farm businesses better understand their on-farm energy usage and how to reduce it.

This includes free on-farm energy assessments to assist farmers in identifying how they can improve energy efficiency and productivity, as well as research partnerships, demonstrations of energy-efficient technology on-farm, and educational resources for producers on alternative energy options.

Under the AEIP, 546 grants totalling $29 million have been awarded so far and almost 1,370 on-farm energy assessments have been completed, valued at $12 million.

The government is protecting and strengthening the future of agriculture through the 10-year Agriculture Strategy, building a more resilient, energy efficient and internationally competitive sector that is well-placed to respond to climate change.

This program is one of the many ways the Victorian Government is leading the way in providing a clear path forward for farmers to prepare for and respond to climate change.

For more information, visit 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.

The Victorian Government is calling on female leaders who are passionate about making a difference in rural and regional Victoria to apply for the 2022 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.

The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award acknowledges and celebrates the essential role women play in rural and regional businesses, industries and communities.

The Victorian winner will receive a $15,000 bursary to bring to life a project that benefits rural industries, businesses or communities, as well as an opportunity to take out the national award and a further $20,000 in project funding.

The bursary can be used for activities such as formal education and training courses, establishing business plans or pilot programs, developing or testing new business concepts and publishing books.

Re-established in 2017, the Victorian Rural Women’s Network brings together women to connect, share skills and ideas and empower each other to step up, lead and succeed.

Since 2018, the Victorian Rural Women’s Network Scholarship Program has supported 44 women from across the state to access leadership development training.

Kelly Barnes from Dunkeld (pictured above), was announced as the 2020 Victorian Rural Women’s Awards winner in recognition of her work in establishing a Working Dog Training School.

The training program comprises small group sessions over a 12-month period to provide practical skills in dog handling while breaking down social isolation and building resilience in her community.

Ms Barnes is in the running to win the 2020 National AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award on 20 October, which was postponed last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Applications for the 2022 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award close on Friday, 8 October.

For more information and eligibility criteria visit the Agriculture Victoria website.

Share the profits, some of the risk, but none of the capital outlay. Sounds like a great deal? It's a farming arrangement called share farming and may be an alternative pathway into the industry for future farmers?

Gippsland dairy farmer Hans van Wees has been share farming near Maffra for 15 years and recently joined the AgVic Talk studio to discuss how having a realistic budget along with realistic ambitions provides for a very reliable income if you approach it in a pragmatic and professional way.

Hear about Hans' experiences by searching for AgVic Talk wherever you get your podcasts or listen 🎧 online via the AgVic website agriculture.vic.gov.au/AgVicTalk

The National Centre for Farmer Health is excited that the innovative and exciting new chat-based platform ‘Campfire’ has now been up and running for three months.

During this time the program engaged with over 100 registered participants across a wide range of agricultural industries in Victoria, and reaching many more primary producers through our blogs, podcasts and social media messaging.

Campfire brings farmers together in a relaxed environment where people with shared interests can get together, listen to experts and peers, ask questions and pose solutions. It helps farmers to improve their systems of work in order to better manage the demands and challenges of primary production, and to develop mentally healthy workplaces for farm owners, managers, workers and their families.

Bonfire events have attracted the most participation so far. These are held fortnightly on the Campfire platform on Wednesday evenings (from 7.30pm) where farmers can hear from topic experts and participate in live Q&A.

The audience will soon be able to submit questions ahead of time, to be answered by our experts on the night. Keep your eye on the NCFH Facebook and Instagram pages about how to lodge your questions in advance or visit the campfire page on the National Centre for Farmer Health website to leave your questions.

On alternate Wednesday evenings, farmers can join smaller Campfire Q&A discussions on work-related challenges relevant to them, including the topic of the previous week’s Bonfire.

The Farmer Health Campfire webpage is home to resources developed around the topics tackled so far, including podcasts, blogs and the link to access the Campfire platform.

You can view past Bonfire conversations at any time, with current content covering:

• Working effectively in a family business
• Making your business more resilient to environmental extremes
• Strengthening your support team: farming safety consultants
• Strengthening Your Support Team - AgriSafe
• New to Farming: Learning from Experience
• Communication: it's more than words
• Planning for Success(ion)
• Strengthening Your Support Team – Rural Financial Counselling Service.

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

Upcoming Bonfire Topics:

• 6 October - Seasonal/contract Labour – it works both ways
• 20 October - Strengthening your support team – Working dog training school. 

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.

Monday 4 October,  7 – 8 pm

Join the Victorian Farmers Federation and Agriculture Victoria for a webinar for livestock businesses on managing CovidSafe practices for the upcoming shearing season.

The evening will host speakers addressing topics such as:

• Managing COVID in the workplace; tips for your operation, what happens if someone tests positive or is a close contact
• Your obligations as an employer
• Requirements for COVIDSafe plans, QR codes, worker permits, border permits.

Online Format and Registration essential via Zoom.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Jacinta Pretty on 0455 075 010 or jpretty@vff.org.au.

The Department of Jobs Precincts and Regions is holding online information sessions in early October to update locals about minerals exploration west of Ararat.

The sessions will cover several topics including what minerals exploration involves, landholder rights, the safeguards in place and the obligations of exploration companies.

Earth Resources Regulation recently granted Stavely Minerals a minerals exploration licence following the 2018 Stavely Ground Release.

The Victorian-based company will be searching for gold, copper and other minerals in an area 25 kilometres west of Ararat, extending south to Mafeking, Wickliffe, Willaura and Lake Bolac. The area does not include the Grampians National Park.

Stavely Minerals will attend the sessions to outline their activities and there will be opportunities for attendees to ask questions.

Attendees can register to attend one of two online sessions at earthresources.vic.gov.au.

• Wednesday 6 October, 3.30 to 5 pm
• Thursday 7 October, 7 to 8.30 pm

Stavely Minerals expects to spend up to $3 million over five years on exploration and will receive a $480,000 TARGET

Minerals Exploration grant to help fund early-stage activities.

Generally, early-stage exploration activities such as mapping, sampling and rock testing, are the first steps in establishing if minerals are present. If development is considered viable, it typically takes many years to progress toward mining, including meeting regulatory controls.

In Victoria, before an explorer can access privately owned land and commence exploration activities, the explorer requires landholder consent.

Land access consent tools are available to aid negotiations between landholders and exploration companies. Templates will help both parties agree on access to private property, biosecurity protocols and managing any impacts on crops, and potential compensation.

These voluntary tools can be tailored for the specific needs and circumstances of the landholder and were developed in consultation with the Victorian Farmers Federation and the exploration industry.

The landholder tools are at earthresources.vic.gov.au/landaccess.

With increasing interest in carbon abatement in agriculture, the CSIRO has developed a landscape options and opportunities for carbon abatement calculator.

In this webinar, LOOC-C team member Dr Stephen Roxburgh will provide an introduction to this tool and explain some of the background to it.

LOOC-C estimates carbon abatement via an emission factor database, giving producers information to assess potential changes to carbon by undertaking various tree or soil carbon activities on their land.

With this online tool you can use the map interface to select a potential project area and help start the conversation of carbon abatement options for your farm business.

Webinar presenter Dr Stephen Roxburgh is the LOOC-C program leader for the CSIRO.

Stephen is a recognised leader in terrestrial plant ecology and greenhouse gas accounting, with over 20 years' experience in the field measurement and computer modelling of forest growth and carbon cycling. He currently leads the Natural Capital group within CSIRO.

Webinar: Tuesday 12 October, 12 pm (1 hour)

Register online with Zoom.

BOOKINGS: https://www.trybooking.com/BUDMO

For more information, contact: Michael Moodie on 0448 612 892.

The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award National Winner and Runner Up will now be announced via a live virtual National Announcement event on Wednesday, 20 October 2021 from 12.30 until 2 pm.

The online festivities will be hosted by the 2019 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award National Winner, Jo Palmer.

The National Winner and Runner Up announcement has moved to a day-time event to encourage Australia-wide online viewing and to cater for different time zones.

Register to join the virtual National Announcement, alongside viewers from right across Australia. You will be sent a link to the live stream.

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.

Glossery of terms

Business management terminology can often be confusing and difficult to wrap your head around.

This Glossary of Terms resource contains helpful definitions for common terms that you will come across when running a farm business.

This course is designed to be something that you can come back to any time you need a refresher.

Take a scroll through the glossary to get yourself familiar with some of the key financial terms you might come across in farm business management.

Make sure to check out what Glossie the Kelpie has to say about overhead and variable costs

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 9am to 5pm on weekends.

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