• Fox and wild dog bounty resumes for 2020
• Consider a second 'summer' drench
• Working in Dairy Communities small grants program – applications open
• Digital Opportunities Roadshow
• Expressions of Interest: Rural Minds Training
• Landcare Australia bushfire recovery grants 2020
• Drought and dry seasons support services and information
• What's on

The Victorian Government’s fox and wild dog bounty will resume this month.

Agriculture Victoria Biosecurity Officers will be at designated collection centres in March including Ellinbank (23 March), Bairnsdale (24 March), Maffra (25 March), Yarram (25 March) and Woori Yallock (26 March).

Agriculture Victoria Biosecurity Manager Jason Wishart said the fox and wild dog bounty had been running in Victoria since 2011.

“In that time, we have collected more than 814,695,000 fox scalps and 3,519 wild dog body parts through the bounty,” Mr Wishart said.

Eligible participants can submit entire fox scalps for a $10 reward and entire wild dog body parts for a $120 reward during scheduled collection times.

Mr Wishart said he urged hunters to refresh their knowledge with the terms and conditions of the bounty to ensure the fox scalps and wild dog body parts they submit are acceptable.

“They should also check the collection schedule website as there have been changes for 2020 including a location change for the Colac collection centre.

“It’s important that everyone participating knows the requirements, so they can benefit from the bounty.”

He said hunters were reminded that the collection of entire wild dog body parts for the North West Wild Dog Control Area was by appointment only.

“Appointments should be made by calling the Agriculture Victoria Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

Foxes and wild dogs require ongoing management from all private and public land managers.

Agriculture Victoria supports an integrated approach, using a range of control tools to manage fox numbers, of which hunting is a part.

For full details on bounty collection times and locations, terms and conditions, and frequently asked questions, visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/bounty or call the Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

Dr Jeff Cave, District Veterinary Officer

The majority of producers understand the value in having a strategic summer drenching program in place, but I want to reiterate to sheep producers – the possible need for a second summer drench.

Drenching is expensive and time consuming therefore pre-drench faecal egg counts (FECs) should always be considered, and this will put some science and evidence into whether or not to drench.

Strategic summer drenching involves an effective drench at the beginning and end of the season. This is to take advantage of the destruction of worm larvae on pasture by heat and lack of moisture.

The life cycle of the worm involves both your pasture and the animal. While the drench fixes the animal problem, the hot, dry conditions of summer will help eliminate the pasture problem.

Ineffective chemicals and/or an inadequate drench procedure can reduce the effectiveness of summer drenching.

Worm resistance, particularly to the white and clear drenches, is common in north east Victoria and unnecessary overuse and the incorrect use of drenches just add to the problem.

After drenching, producers should try to put sheep onto low risk pastures. These may be paddocks previously grazed by cattle, cut for hay or silage or grazed by low risk sheep such as older wethers.

Ewes rearing lambs and the lambs particularly after weaning are the most susceptible sheep in terms of worm burdens.

Large reinfestation of worms can occur in as little as three weeks if your drenching program is ineffective.

For further advice contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer or Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

Applications are now open for the ‘Working in Dairy Communities’ – Small Grants Program offered by the Gardiner Foundation in partnership with the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal.

The grants provide up to $5,000 in funding for grass-roots community projects that strengthen dairy communities.

Applications close on Monday 16 March.

Application guidelines, eligibility criteria and an application toolkit are available online at the Gardiner Foundation website https://www.gardinerfoundation.com.au/people-community/#pc3

The Victorian Government in partnership with Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is delivering face-to-face workshops in regional Victoria to provide small businesses with practical actions and tips on how to make the most of the digital economy and reduce cybersecurity risks.

By attending the FREE workshop, small businesses will develop digital skills across a range of areas.  The following topics will be covered:

• developing an online presence,
• understanding and using digital tools and
• managing your cybersecurity and safety plan.

The workshop will assist small business in developing a fit-for purpose online presence and identifying online goals.

It will give practical advice on how businesses can operate in a digital economy, understand and use the digital tools and services that are available. Guidance will be provided on how to manage cybersecurity and safety to help small businesses invest time in developing a practical cybersecurity plan.

Workshops are planned for Leongatha on Monday 23 March and Traralgon on Tuesday 24 March. For more information and to book a place, go to: https://www.business.vic.gov.au/events-workshops-and-mentoring/digital-opportunities-roadshow

The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) can now deliver Rural Minds training to your community!

Rural Minds is a comprehensive program designed for people living and working in rural Australia by people living and working in rural Australia.

We are currently seeking expressions of interest for anyone who would like to attend a Rural Minds mental health and suicide prevention workshop.

Rural Minds training aims to:

• Improve your awareness and understanding of mental health issues
• Make the connection between mental health and personal safety
• Give you the confidence, strategies and pathways to support your mental health and that of your family and friends.

Rural Minds Training options:

Rural Minds Community Workshop: This three to four-hour workshop combines practical, culturally relevant information about risk factors to mental health, signs and symptoms of mental health problems, advice about self-help and coping strategies where and how to seek support via local referral pathways.

Rural Minds Briefing: This one to two-hour workshop builds knowledge, understanding and confidence in participants about the prevention of mental illness and suicide. The briefing provides opportunities to identify and promote local pathways to support and clinical care.

A minimum of eight attendees are required to run these workshops in your community. Participants are required to pay a small fee of $15 to cover the costs of materials provided in the session.

If you are interested in attending/running one of these workshops in your community, please contact Molly Stilo at molly.stilo@rfdsvic.com.au or call on (03) 8412 0430.

Expressions of Interest are now open to join the Young Farmers Advisory Council.

The Victorian Government is seeking enthusiastic, skilled and dynamic young people, from all agricultural industries and regions, to join the Young Farmers Advisory Council.

Council members represent the interests of young farmers and provide advice to government on issues and program delivery affecting young people in agriculture.

For more information and to express your interest go to www.getonboard.vic.gov.au

Expressions of Interest close on 22 March 2020.

The Landcare Australia Bushfire recovery grants 2020 program will support Landcare and community environmental groups as well as networks located in bushfire affected areas across Australia.

Applications close Friday, 13 March 2020.

The aim of the program is to support the urgent needs of the Landcare community to restore essential wildlife habitat, shelterbelts and fences, protect our waterways, manage weeds and feral animals, work with Traditional Owner groups and run local community workshops, amongst other recovery activities.

To find out more information click here.

The Victorian Government is waiving the $235 application fee for new domestic and stock bore construction licences (BCL) for landholders in eligible areas of Victoria.

This initiative will help landholders secure their domestic and stock water supply needs in areas experiencing drought and dry conditions.

Apply online at the Victorian Water Register waterregister.vic.gov.au/water-trading/my-water#Online_BCLs

The Household Financial Relief program is being delivered by The Country Women's Association of Victoria Inc. – CWA through its CWA Drought Relief Program.

The program can provide up to $3000 to eligible farming families, farm workers and farm dependent contractors to reimburse them for household expenses like school costs, utilities, food and medical bills.

For more information and to apply contact the CWA online at cwaofvic.org.au or email them at drought@cwaofvic.org.au.

For more about the program and other available drought support visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons or call 136 186.

Farmers in Wellington and East Gippsland shires are reminded that the $5000 On-Farm Drought Resilience Grant can be used to purchase seed and fertiliser to restore drought affected pastures.

With recent rainfall in the region, now is a good time to invest in on-farm infrastructure that will improve drought preparedness and better position your farm business into the future.

The infrastructure component of this grant must have been purchased or undertaken on or after 2 October 2019.

To access the guidelines and eligibility criteria, contact Rural Finance on 1800 260 425 or visit ruralfinance.com.au.

For more information about other drought and dry seasonal conditions support from Agriculture Victoria go to agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons or call 136 186.

Drought employment program

The East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority received funding for the Drought Employment Program from the Victorian Government last October.

The program provides off-farm employment training for farmers, farm workers and individuals affected by drought and dry seasonal conditions to expand or obtain transferable employment skills.

For further information:

Phone East Gippsland CMA on (03) 5152 0600 

Email egcma@egcma.com.au

Visit Workways.com.au: Gippsland drought employment 

Producers are encouraged to access the On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme for the purchase and installation of emergency water infrastructure for livestock.

In Gippsland, the scheme is available to eligible farm businesses in the Wellington and East Gippsland shires.

Farm businesses NOT in these local government areas can make an application if they can demonstrate a critical water need for livestock resulting from current seasonal conditions.
These applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

The scheme is available for water infrastructure purchased since 1 July 2018. Guidelines and application details can be obtained from Rural Finance.

Check out the GippsDairy Events calendar here.

This interactive two-part webinar will walk producers through setting up and using the NLIS database.

TOPICS WILL INCLUDE:

• Setting up, navigating and using the NLIS database
• Management of livestock movements onto your property
• Property to Property (P2P) transfers on the NLIS database.

If you have any problems with registering online please call (03) 5761 1647.

Click here