Visitors to have a field day at Elmore

Innovative ideas, inspiring stories, and practical tools

Dairy Farm Monitor project shows mixed results across the state

Opportunity to contribute to the future of dairy

Solar switch paying off for Willera Merinos

Millewa dry seasons support drop-in centre

Lend a hand for the land

Soil Moisture Monitoring September report for cropping

On-farm water planning avoids a dry argument

Rural women connecting over a cuppa

Applications open: youth engagement grants

Young Farmer Business Network group on Facebook

Look Over the Farm Gate funding

Fox bounty collection continues

What's On

Save the dates

A range of information as diverse as the industry it represents will be available inside the Agriculture Victoria marquee during the three days of the Elmore Field Days this year.

Interactive displays and “TENT Talks” will offer visitors the chance to gain the latest information about farming and rural life.

Grain growers will have the opportunity to talk about agronomy and crop diseases with Agriculture Victoria’s Seasonal Risk Agronomist Dale Boyd and members of the grains team.

Land health, irrigation services, the new Internet of Things project, biosecurity and livestock electronic identification displays will also form part of the extensive display.

Ongoing dry seasonal conditions support, and information will be backed up by free farmer health checks with a team of agri-health professionals from the National Centre for Farmer Health offering field day goers an opportunity to check on their number one asset - their health. 

Featuring daily in the “TENT Talks” this year will be:

• Dale Boyd, Seasonal Risk Agronomist who will give an overview of Victoria’s soil moisture conditions and a review of the season
• Tracy Hatherell from the National Centre for Farmer Health who will present on “Living Longer on the Land”
• Joanna Gangemi, Communications Officer Integrity Systems Company who will deliver an overview of the Integrity Systems Company and using the NLIS database
• Mark Sloan, Industry Technology Officer with Agriculture Victoria who will discuss the on-farm IoT trial; and
• Rebecca Thompson, project officer with DELWP will provide information on the water market watch app and water market transparency

While he won’t be there in person, Agriculture Victoria Seasonal Risk Agronomist and star of ‘The Very Fast Break’ Dale Grey will give a virtual crop forecast presentation.

The Agriculture Victoria tent is playing host to several other groups, including the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) Loddon Mallee, the North Central CMA, the Murray Darling Basin Authority, Minerals Development Victoria, the National Centre for Farmer Health, Coliban Water and the Goulburn Murray Queensland Fruit Fly project.

Agriculture Victoria staff will also be participating in other events at the Elmore Field Days, including Dr Rob Suter who will speak on lameness in sheep at 11 am each day at the site’s shearing shed for the Campaspe Lamb Producers Group.

The Agriculture Victoria marquee can be found at the usual site #349, corner of 2nd Avenue and Bonn Drive on the three days of the event (1, 2 and 3 October).

FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER 6 pm
COMEDY NIGHT
Nangiloc Tavern
In partnership with The Nangiloc Tavern

Welcome to the world of the Nelson Twins. Raised in rural New South Wales, they have been performing as a duo for the past 13 years, fast becoming one of the most sought-after double acts in Australia.

This free night of entertainment also includes local raffles and competitions, complimentary food by the Nangiloc Tavern, community planning activities, and fun for children.

Dean Cracknell, CEO and co-founder of the Town Teams movement will run an activity to unleash the potential of the best asset of any place, its people.

SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER 2 pm
REGENERATIVE COMMUNITIES TENT
Ouyen Lake
In partnership with Ouyen Inc

A series of free interactive, informal workshops and talking circles will feature in our Regenerative Communities tent to help celebrate one year since the opening of the Ouyen Lake.

SUNDAY 6 OCTOBER 11 am
SUNDAY TUCKER
Murrayville Rec Reserve
In partnership with Neighbourhood House

Come down to the recreation reserve for a free lunch cooked by Food Next Door using local produce and creative cooking techniques. Join the Rio Vista Social Club for a live folk music jam, a series of Regenerative Communities workshops and talking circles.

FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER 9.30 am - 5pm
REGENERATIVE COMMUNITIES FORUM
Magenta Woolshed, Australian Inland Botanic Gardens 1183 River Road Buronga NSW

Head here for more related information.

Variability in farm profits and strategies to respond to high costs and seasonal conditions are revealed in the 75 farm survey results of the 2018-19 Dairy Farm Monitor Project.

The Dairy Farm Monitor Project provides annual farm level data related to profit and production in Victoria. The latest report is the thirteenth to be produced in collaboration with Dairy Australia.

The top performing farms in the project have shown timely decision making combined with a business analysis approach were key strategies to managing the dry conditions throughout the 2018-19 financial year.

While profits were mixed across the regions, the project reported average earnings before interest and tax were $85,000 in 2018-19, half of the level set the year before.

When interest and lease costs are considered, average net farm income across the state fell to -$24,000, the fourth lowest in the 13-years of the project.

Agriculture Victoria’s Farm Business Economist Claire Waterman said there was a significant variation in profitability across the three dairy regions of Victoria. 

“The dry conditions have led to a 20 per cent increase in variable costs as a result of higher irrigation water, concentrates and fodder prices,” Ms Waterman said. “Farmers also spent more on making homegrown feed, including fertiliser, hay and silage making costs.”

Across South West Victoria’s survey results, net farm income improved on the previous year to $27,000 yet remained below the long-term average.

In the North of the state, net farm income fell to -$85,000, the lowest level in the 13-year history of the project.

Across Gippsland, net farm income reduced to -$15,000 with varied seasonal conditions and profitability results.

Despite the increased costs and earlier culling in some regions, herd size among the farmers surveyed remained constant at an average of 357 cows.

Milk price improved six per cent to $6.13/kg MS compared to the previous year, partially offsetting the increased costs.

“Following a challenging 2018-19 season, more than 85 per cent of farmers predicted their farm profit will improve for 2019-20 underpinned by strong expectations for improved milk price and stable or improving milk production,” Ms Waterman said.

Agriculture Victoria and Dairy Australia provide a range of services to support farmers managing drought and dry seasonal conditions.

These services include one-on-one consultations, workshops and grants.

For more information on the support available to dairy farmers please contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons

The annual report is available at agriculture.vic.gov.au/dairyfarmmonitor

Gardiner Dairy Foundation is offering up to eight fully funded places in the 2020 Victorian Regional Community Leadership Program (VRCLP).

The VRCLP is an opportunity for people who want to expand their contribution to the Victorian dairy industry and dairy communities.

“Our aim is to support emerging leaders by giving them access to professional development training that is based in, and focused on, their region and local communities,” Gardiner Dairy Foundation CEO, Dr Clive Noble said.

The regions covered include south-west Victoria (Leadership Great South Coast), Gippsland (Gippsland Community Leadership), north-west and central Victoria (Loddon Murray Community Leadership) and northern Victoria (Fairley Leadership).

Each recipient has a unique opportunity to strengthen their leadership capabilities and to make a positive difference in their local community and in the wider dairy industry.

“Through the VRCLP program we have seen recipients start community projects that grow beyond the program itself. They are better equipped to take on responsibilities on industry and community committees and to contribute positively in their workplaces,” Dr Noble said.

VRCLP CEO, Katrina Baddeley, said the regional leadership programs open up new, socially valuable, collaborative opportunities for participants.

“They develop projects that have a community benefit and for many the experience accelerates or changes their life and career trajectory,” Ms Baddeley said. “They also make many lifelong friends.”

The Gardiner Foundation partnership with VRCLP has supported more than 70 participants to develop their leadership skills.

“I’d strongly encourage individuals wanting to contribute to a strong Australian dairy industry to apply for a place on one of these programs and take advantage of the great opportunities they offer,” Dr Noble said.

Application opening and closing dates for 2020 Victorian Regional Community Leadership Program for Loddon Murray and Goulburn Murray, below:

Loddon Murray Community Leadership Program

Now open until 30 September 2019 - visit https://www.leadlm.org.au/

Emma Dotollo is working on a dairy farm at Calivil in the Loddon Shire and participated in the Loddon Murray Community Leadership Program in 2018.

“It was a great opportunity for me in reaching out and helping people in need,” she said.

“The community project I am investigating involves re-establishing an old gymnasium in Pyramid Hill where I would encourage the local youth to be more aware of their health rather than partying and getting involved in drugs and alcohol.”

Fairley Leadership (Goulburn Murray)

Now open until 25 October 2019 - visit http://www.fairleyleadership.com.au/

Former Northern Victorian farm manager, Ashley Gabler, joined the 2018 Fairley Leadership program.

“It gave me the opportunity to develop, build confidence and take my skill sets to a new level and it will help me to become a better ambassador and future leader in the dairying and agricultural sectors especially across the Goulburn Valley,” she said.

“The recurring theme I’m sensing is, good leadership takes team work and a good leader has a great team behind them with various skill sets to draw on.”

For more information about Victorian Regional Community Leadership Program please go to: https://www.gardinerfoundation.com.au/people-community/#pc7 and follow the links or email: Richard Meredith richard.meredith@gardinerfoundation.com.au or Ashley Eldridge ashley.eldridge@gardinerfoundation.com.au.

Karl and Will Hooke had long foreseen that a switch to solar power to pump groundwater for their Serpentine sheep operation was inevitable – especially in the lead-up to August last year.

“We had a four-year contract with an electricity company that was coming due last August and we knew the charges were going to go up,” Karl (pictured above) said.

“When they almost tripled – well, we’d been considering solar for several years and we knew this was the time.”

Karl said on-farm energy grants provided through Agriculture Victoria made the decision easy.

“It was a no-brainer really, it effectively made the investment half the price.”

The brothers run Willera Merinos – a 4000ha sheep and cropping farm in Serpentine in north-central Victoria, a further 12,000ha in the Riverina district and a smaller farm near Macarthur, in south-west Victoria.

They are fifth-generation sheep farmers with “home” and most of their farming operations concentrated in Serpentine. There, they operate a couple of high-yielding groundwater bores that allow them to grow feed, finish winter crops and produce fodder – providing important water security, particularly in dry years.

The brothers worked with Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW) to develop the groundwater bores and ensure they did not impact on the environment, then found other farmers willing to sell their entitlement. 

Their efforts were recognised when they were named regional winners in the groundwater category of the 2016 Rural Water Awards.

Karl said he was grateful the on-farm energy initiative gave his family an added $50,000 grant incentive to take their innovation a step further by installing a solar panel array to run each of their bores.

Installed only a few months ago, Karl said the move was already paying off and reckons the total investment will pay for itself in about two and a half years.

He estimates his best-producing bore, capable of 22 ML of water a day, is now delivering about a third of that volume free of charge. His family’s second bore, at 12 ML, is run entirely by solar during good daylight hours.

As a bonus, any extra electricity is fed back into the grid and earning the business a tidy $9 an hour.

Karl is now looking at solar power for his shed and farm office operations and said his kids are giving him credit for helping the environment – another bonus.

“Everything is getting more expensive so you have to look at new ways of doing things,” Karl said. “And when it comes to water, you can’t waste a drop.”

On-farm energy grants are available to eligible primary producers until March 2020 or until available funding is exhausted.

For details and conditions, go to agriculture.vic.gov.au.

Discussions can cover a range of topics including feed budgeting and rations, hay and crop decision making and soil management.

Other services and supports can also be discussed including Rural Financial Counsellors, accessing the Farm Household Allowance and concessional loans programs.

Information packs covering Agriculture Victoria and other agency supports will be available.

Where: Millewa Resource Centre, Cullulleraine

Dates:  Thursday 26 September and Tuesday 1 October

When:  12 - 3 pm

For more information about assistance available to help farmers manage during dry seasonal conditions call 136 186 or visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons

Rural Aid is a charity assisting more than 80,000 farmers across Australia impacted by drought.

Last year it distributed public donations, fodder and financial assistance in the form of one-off $1,500 bill payments for primary producers.

It has 15,000 volunteers and runs programs such as Buy-a-Bale, Farm Army and Farm Rescue.

The Farm/Community Rescue Program involves fixing or repairing four farms and 4-6 community projects. 

The Idea is to give farmers and the town a boost during hard times.

Projects range from:

• Fencing
• Gardening
• Painting
• Water Tank Insulations
• Laying pipe for water to building or troughs
• Lining Buildings, fixing Sheds.
• Basically, helping a farmer get some jobs done

Community projects have involved:

• Gardening
• Fencing schools
• Painting town halls
• Replacemet kitchens at show grounds
• Community gardens

Nominations are now open for Farm and Community Rescues for next year and they are looking to two in in Victoria.

Find out more at www.ruralaid.org.au/

Find out what the latest readings are for soil moisture levels for crops across Victoria in the September edition of the Soil Moisture Monitoring e-newsletter.

The e-newsletter is a critical part of the Agriculture Victoria 'Rain and Grain Project' which uses Soil Moisture Monitoring (SMM) probes that provide real time soil water content data.

**SUBSCRIBE TODAY**

Livestock producers are being encouraged to assess how much on-farm stock water they have and how long it will last as we head into spring and summer.

Agriculture Victoria is encouraging producers to inspect their water storages and start making plans leading up to peak demands from livestock over summer.

Land Management Extension Officer Kerri Goschnick said the prolonged dry period has impacted a number of on-farm dams that require further rainfall and run-off to fill.

“The biggest loss of water from your storages through evaporation occurs between October and March each year. When dam levels are quite low, water quality can be quite poor which in turn can affect livestock health,” Mr Goschnick said.

Mr Goschnick said knowledge of stock drinking water requirements and potential sources of water were important for planning both annual and daily supply needs.

“Other farm water options can be investigated for your circumstances before levels become critical, such as stream extraction, groundwater, desalination and reticulated systems.

“Planning now will help you make informed decisions for the next three months and you can project this planning out six to twelve months or longer if there is little or no runoff,” he said.

“Weather forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology are currently forecasting a relatively low chance of exceeding median rainfall across most of Victoria for the next three months, so it is a good time to also reconsider stock numbers while prices are good.

“On the bright side, if the next thunderstorm dumps 50 mm or more of rain, then your storages could be full in a matter of hours. All the same, it’s important to do the planning now to mitigate this potential risk.”

Agriculture Victoria has produced a booklet – Managing Farm Water Supplies – which covers farm water planning including farm water balance, stock water requirements, water quality, water testing, calculating dam volume and capturing rainfall from roof areas.

The booklet can be accessed by visiting https://bit.ly/2UPsdL4 or by contacting Agriculture Victoria  at North Central or North East offices or customer service on 136186.

“For Victorian women living in rural areas, strong connections are vital to professional success and personal wellbeing.”

“Whether you’re a working woman, a young farmer, a community advocate, or a stay-at-home mum, you need a community – which is exactly what Country Cuppas provides,” Ms Glover said.

“Country cuppas is an opportunity to gather new friends and old and I strongly encourage all women in rural areas to host a casual Country Cuppa, in whatever way suits them best, to celebrate the International Day of Rural Women.”

Country Cuppas gatherings can take place at any home or venue across Victoria, on Tuesday 15 October or the weekend prior, to coincide with the International Day of Rural Women.

Registered hosts will receive an event pack from the Victorian Rural Women’s Network with support materials, including promotional resources, tips and tricks for how to host a successful event and Victorian Rural Women’s Network mugs.

The Victorian Rural Wo men’s Network (VRWN) is a supportive and inclusive group of rural and regional Victorian women who connect, share skills and ideas and empower each other to step up, lead and succeed.

To get involved in Country Cuppas, you can register to host your event at https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/country-cuppas-regional-gatherings-connecting-rural-women-registration-70583066853.

For more information about the International Day of Rural Women, visit the Victorian Rural Women’s Network website https://extensionaus.com.au/VRWNetwork/home or email vrwnetwork@ecodev.vic.gov.au.

Agriculture Victoria is keen to encourage more young people to connect with their local community and natural environment through invasive pest and weed management.

Grants of up to $15,000 are available to support projects that will increase youth interest, engagement and skills in invasive species management in Victoria.

Invasive Species Project Officer Lauren Hull said young people are under-represented in community efforts to manage pests and weeds.

"Looking after our environment is an intergenerational challenge, and it's important that young people are part of the conversation on how we reduce the impact of pests and weeds in our landscape."

The grant program is open to community groups, education providers and local councils, with a focus on projects that connect with young people and develop their skills, and therefore deliver broader benefits for local communities.

"We know that increasing young people's participation in community environmental projects has significant benefits and can bring fantastic new ideas to the invasive species challenge," she said.

"But there are also barriers to young people getting involved such as a lack of awareness of the problem or of how they can make a difference.

"Bringing a youth-focus to community projects allows knowledge to be shared across generations, and helps young people develop the confidence to be part of the solution."

Victorian Landcarer and Corangamite farmer Kaye Rodden said boosting youth involvement was an opportunity to strengthen community-led approaches to invasive species management.

"The younger members of our community have so much to offer, they are energetic innovators and we need to find ways to make it attractive for them to be part of community-led projects such as this one focused on managing invasive species," Ms Rodden said.

"A healthy, pest free landscape needs a strong resilient community, and this relies on people of all ages being engaged and involved."

Applications for the grants program close 30 September 2019.

For more information visit the Weeds and Rabbits Project website.

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.

Loddon Mallee farmers and communities facing drought and dry conditions can apply for funding under the Look Over the Farm Gate Program.

Look Over the Farm Gate events let farmers take a break from the farm, reconnect, access professional support and participate in mental health training.

The program encourages community groups to think creatively about what single event or series of events would be most effective.

It could be anything from a barbeque and comedy night, regular fitness meet-ups in the park, or a family movie night.

Look Over the Farm Gate is a mental health and wellbeing initiative funded by the Victorian State Government.

It's managed by the VFF in partnership with the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the Country Women’s Association, the Country Fire Authority, and The National Centre for Farmer Health.

For more information about eligibility and how to apply, visit the website.

Visit the Agriculture Victoria marquee at the Elmore Field Days 1, 2 and 3 October.

Agriculture Victoria exhibitors

Dry seasons support

Grains

Land Health

Internet of Things

Electronic identification of livestock

Irrigation

Animal Health and Welfare

Guest exhibitors

DELWP Loddon Mallee

Murray Darling Basin Authority

National Centre for Farmer Health

Mineral Development Victoria

Goulburn Murray Queensland Fruit Fly project

Coliban Water

TENT Talks

Dale Boyd, Seasonal Risk Agronomist, Agriculture Victoria - Overview of Victoria’s soil moisture conditions with review of the season including some of the localised monitoring sites in northern Victoria that are both hay and grain crops

Tracey Hatherell, National Centre for Farmer Health - Farmer Health - Living Longer on the Land

Joanna Gangemi, Communications Officer Integrity Systems Company - Overview of the Integrity Systems Company and using the NLIS database

Mark Sloan, Industry Technology Officer (Sheep), Agriculture Victoria - On Farm IoT Trial Update

Rebecca Thompson, Project Officer Water Resource Strategy Division Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) - Water market watch app and water market transparency

See you at the giant Agriculture Victoria marquee site #349, corner 2nd Avenue and Bonn Drive https://www.elmorefielddays.com.au/

WHEN: 12 pm, Tuesday 8 October

Climate change is rapidly ramping up existing threats to global land resources, reducing the ability to feed people around the world.

In Australia, rivers are drying up, the natural resource base is under pressure and climate-related pressures are increasingly impacting on the conservation estate.

Agriculture is under pressure too as heatwaves become increasingly frequent and intense, farm animals are increasingly stressed and less productive, crops yields are shrinking and crops are failing more regularly whilst rural communities are suffering.

At the same time, the land sector is currently making climate change worse, even as it can offer some of the solutions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).

This is because the global food system produces about 29 per cent of the world’s total GHG emissions.

Australian numbers are similar. But at the same time the land absorbs about 22 per cent of global GHG emissions via natural processes.

With the right management, we can reduce the land sector’s GHG emissions and increase the land’s carbon sinks.

If left unchecked, the current situation threatens to increase global warming, and leave the world hungry and with an increasingly degraded natural resource base.

One of the key findings of the report is that there is no way we can limit global warming in line with the Paris Climate Agreement without actively managing our land sector GHG emissions.

But even if we do everything right, the land sector alone cannot solve climate change. Reducing fossil fuel emissions remains absolutely vital.

Presenter: Professor Mark Howden

Director of the Climate Change Institute at the Australian National University, Honorary Professor at Melbourne University, a Vice Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and a member of the Australian National Climate Science Advisory Committee.
 
Please register in advance.

Event password:  IPCC2019

Event number: 570 991 127

For more information about this webinar, contact Liz Hamilton, E: liz.hamilton@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Applications are now open for the Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, a competitive annual grants program recognising and supporting young Australians aged 18-35 by funding projects that will benefit Australia's primary industries.

Since 2001, the Science and Innovation Awards have helped more than 250 young researchers, innovators and scientists turn their ideas into reality through more than $4 million in grant funding.

We invite you to put your hand up and be part of something big.
Are you eligible?

• Are you working or studying in an agriculture, fisheries or forestry related industry?
• Are you aged between 18 and 35?
• Do you have an original research project idea and need $22,000 to make it a reality?
• Check the full list of eligibility requirements on the website.

There are 11 industry category grants worth up to $22,000 (incl. GST) each. Interested?

Here's what to do next;

1. Go to GrantConnect and search for GO2850 for more info and the application form.
2. Check out our handy questions and answers for applicants.
3. Read the Science Awards partner profiles to learn more about what they are looking for.
4. Discover what projects were successful in the previous rounds.

Applications close Friday 4 October, visit the website for all the details.

Grazing Management - balancing the needs of pasture and livestock

DATE: Tuesday 15 October (RSVP 11 October)

TIME: 9 am - 3 pm (catering provided)

VENUE: Seymour DELWP, 15 Hume and Hovell Road, Seymour

To register for this workshop and other Agriculture Victoria events, visit agriculturevictoriaevents.eventbrite.com.au

3rd Australian Pulse Conference, 16 and 17 October

Please join us on what will be an exciting journey into pulse research and development – linking cutting edge technological research to improved profitability for growers and providing healthy options for human consumption – Taste and Technology.

To register or view the program.

In a Nutshell - 5th Australian Almond Research & Development Forum and Field Day

30 - 31 October, Loxton (South Australia)

Australian almond industry partners and collaborating researchers will again take part in the R&D Forum and Field Day to present the latest updates on almond projects.

This event will include presentations by respected Australian researchers and experts on both days.

Speakers will address issues, technology advancements, technical information and scientific research outcomes.

This year we will continue the Field Day held on Thursday, at the Almond Centre of Excellence Experimental Orchard in Loxton, South Australia.

On Thursday the Field Day will involve speakers, machinery and equipment exhibition, machinery demonstration opportunities as well as networking with growers and industry in a casual, relaxed setting.

Read the preliminary program here.

Dried grape industry annual conference - Mildura

A date has been set for this year's Dried Fruits Australia Annual General Meeting and Grower Forum.

The half-day conference, which covers key issues affecting the dried grape industry, will be held on Thursday 31 October at Mildura Working Man's Club.

The members-only AGM will begin at 1 pm, and will be followed by the grower forum at 2 pm. The forum is open to anyone with an interest in the industry.

Four dried grape producer positions on the Dried Fruits Australia Board will be up for re-election at the AGM.

Current directors and new candidates will be able to apply.

Subscribe here to the 'Loddon Mallee Ag News' e-newsletter and share this link with your colleagues.