No images? Click here
Thursday 12 June 2025
Expanded drought support package: Assistance for farmers and communities
The Victorian Government has announced a new and expanded Drought Package – with an additional $37.7 million in funding.
Eligible farmers across the state will be able to access grants of up to $5,000 to support on-farm drought management.
For eligible farmers in the south west, the grant has been increased to up to $10,000.
The Premier has also established a Drought Response Taskforce.
More details will be available soon at www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons
Farmers can lodge an Expression of Interest for the grants by emailing Rural Finance at: admin@ruralfinance.com.au
Helping Victorian farmers access interstate fodder
Importers looking to bring fodder into Victoria from interstate can go through Agriculture Victoria to apply for a Plant Biosecurity Permit (PBP) to ensure biosecurity risks are properly managed.
Agriculture Victoria is providing a free service to suppliers, transporters and farmers to navigate permit requirements and expedite access to fodder.
Ongoing drought conditions have created serious challenges for Victoria’s livestock industry, particularly a critical shortage of hay and fodder - so farmers are needing to look interstate for source supplies.
All imported fodder requires a PBP to manage key biosecurity risks from entering Victoria from interstate, including Annual Ryegrass Toxicity (found in all states but NT and Tasmania), Green Snail (found in WA), Red Imported Fire Ant (found in QLD), and Electric Ant (found in QLD).
Agriculture Victoria Chief Plant Health Officer Dr Stephen Dibley said all fodder imports will require a PBP, except for NT and Tasmania.
Be alert for triple fungicide resistant Barley net form net blotch
Barley growers in Victoria should keep watch for signs of net form net blotch (NFNB) disease following the recent confirmation of a triple fungicide resistant mutant of NFNB at Streatham.
Agriculture Victoria cereal pathologist Dr Hari Dadu said NFNB mutant was discovered after a suspected fungicide resistance sample of RGT Planet barley was sent to the Centre for Crop Disease Management (CCDM) for analysis. This NFNB mutant may have existed for several years prior to its detection.
‘This mutant form of NFNB is resistant to several active ingredients within 3 different kinds of fungicide: Group 3, Group 7 and Group 11,’ Dr Dadu said.
The Crop Density tool – AgVic’s latest agronomy tool
An early estimation of crop emergence in these challenging, dry winter conditions is an important agronomy tool to later manage canopy density for the season and spring outlook. If plant establishment is poor it can have a major influence on final crop yield.
Agriculture Victoria Seasonal Risk Agronomist Dale Boyd said successful crop establishment depends largely on soil moisture which has been limited due to May’s decile 1 rainfall.
‘Having the planting equipment and good quality seed can really help make the most of what moisture is there.’
‘The crop density calculator can be easily downloaded to your home screen of a Smartphone, and is part of the soil moisture dashboard, which provides real time moisture profiles across the state.
Agisting? Manage the biosecurity risks
Richard Smith, Dairy Industry Development Officer, Agriculture Victoria, Tatura
If you’re considering agisting cattle on your property alongside your own herd or sending your stock for agistment elsewhere, taking some simple precautions may help avoid the risk of a costly disease outbreak.
There are 3 main considerations to protect agisted stock, where possible:
- Follow your biosecurity plan and the procedures you have put in place to manage risks that could impact your stock or property
- Request or provide as much information as possible about the health of the stock prior to agistment (i.e., ask for or provide a National Cattle Health Declaration)
- Segregate livestock from different properties into designated paddocks. At a minimum, quarantine newly introduced animals in separate paddocks until their health and disease status is confirmed.
Q Fever eStatements
You may want to make sure that you have your Q Fever eStatement before the current register closes. You can download your eStatement up until 30 June 2025.
How to get your Q Fever eStatement - you can start by clicking on this link Q Fever Register Login - Australian Q Fever Register then follow the steps in the document.
If you have problems logging in, call 1300 733 837.
Alternatively, people may have received their statement when immunised from the following email address (if you want to search your own email database): register@mg.qfever.org
Once you have downloaded or received an email of your eStatement, you can take your eStatement to a medical professional like a doctor or practice nurse, who can then load this information to the Australian Immunisation Register on your behalf.
The Australian Immunisation Register will hold this information so you can access it in the future.
Catch up on our 'feeding by-products' webinar
If you missed our recent webinar on feeding by-products, you can catch up by clicking the button below.
Passcode: feeding
Nominations now open for the 2025 Australian Biosecurity Awards
The awards provide important recognition for biosecurity champions across industry, government and the public, who have made a significant contribution towards protecting our nation from pests and diseases.
Nominations close 9 am, Monday 30 June 2025.
Victorian Transmission Plan
We want to hear from communities, landholders, industry, and First Peoples about the draft Victorian Transmission Plan.
We’ve opened community hubs across regional Victoria where you can learn more, ask questions and have your say in person.
Partnership against Pests Grants
Round 4 of the Partnerships Against Pests grants program is now open to organisations operating at a regional or local level with an interest in established invasive species management.
The grants will help community groups to deliver workshops, resources and community engagement initiatives, build
community capacity, and promote collaboration between neighbours and communities.
Applications close on Friday 4 July.
What's On
Details about these events and more can be found on our website.
VFF sheep essentials webinar series
Join sheep expert Alison Gunn as she discusses all things sheep in this two-part webinar series. The first session will cover the dos and don’ts of sheep care, traceability requirements and what to look for when buying sheep.
Session 2
When: Wednesday 18 June, 6-7:30 pm.
Glenelg Grass Growers - What to do about water workshop
When: Thursday 19 June, 11 am - 4 pm
Where: 'Cobbity', 249 McFarlanes Lane, Pigeon Ponds
Join us for our next BWBL session designed to help you with the decisions you are currently facing regarding stock water.
For more information and to RSVP call or text Tim Leeming 0427 797 or Jane Gaussen on 0488 249 814.
Water Wise Workshop - Rokewood
We invite all producers and industry stakeholders to participate in a free workshop with Clem Sturmfels, Adam Buzza from Agriculture Victoria, Southern Rural Water and Michelle McClure, Southern Farming Systems.
These will be an interactive and hands-on workshop please dress appropriately, we will be visiting a small farm dam site, gumboots and warm clothing may be required.
When: Tuesday 17 June
Time: 9:30 am-1 pm
Where: 'The Meadows', 705 Meadows Road, Rokewood.
RDA Torquay AI event
Regional Development Australia (RDA) Melbourne is partnering with Delos Delta, the National AI Centre, Australian Regional AI Centre and Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub to help explore opportunities and practical applications for AI in the regions.
Upcoming events in Wangaratta and Torquay follow RDA Melbourne’s highly successful 2024 AI forum in Bendigo – see some of the highlights here.
The events will be a platform for regional businesses to showcase how they have revolutionised their operations through innovative solutions, while providing attendees with the opportunity to hear from AI leaders in industry, academia, and governance.
Tickets are limited for each event, so get in soon to secure your spot!
AI Forum Barwon South West Region
In collaboration with RDA Barwon South West, the forum will be an opportunity for attendees to learn and explore the practical applications of AI in industry.
The event will feature break-out sessions with real use cases, facilitated by industry leaders to provide you with skills to take home and apply to your business.
AI speakers and presenters include National AI Centre, Australian Regional AI Network, Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Hub and more.
Date: Friday 20 June
Location: RACV Torquay Resort.
Talking trees webinar
When: Thursday 3 July, 5:30-7 pm
Join this Landcare webinar to learn more about how trees can benefit your farm while being used to generate additional revenue through agroforestry, carbon farming, or biodiversity markets.
In good times and in bad: adaptive skills for your farming future – Wonwondah and Dunkeld
When: Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 August, 8:30 am - 3 pm
Where: Wonwondah Hall, Wonwondah Hall Road, Wonwondah
When: Thursday 28 and Friday 29 August, 8:30 am - 3 pm
Where: Dunkeld Bowling Club, 77 Parker Street, Dunkeld.
Livestock and grain farmers are invited to participate in a 2-day workshop to help future proof your farm. Develop practical strategies to manage climate risk, build resilience and shape a stronger, more adaptable business.
Events include morning tea and lunch.
Numbers are limited. Registration is essential.
Whole farm planning online 6-week course
Are you needing some advice during the current drought conditions?
Would you like to review where your farm is heading, while hearing what other farmers are doing?
Are you interested in making your farm more resilient, productive and sustainable?
Are you wanting to complete a whole farm plan?
Farmers in south west Victoria are invited to join our upcoming online whole farm planning course, ‘Helping you meet the challenges of farming in the 21st century’, delivered in partnership with Glenelg Hopkins CMA.
Every Tuesday and Thursday morning for 6 weeks, commencing Tuesday 12 August through to Thursday 18 September, via Zoom.
Register your place before Friday 4 July.
Contacting Agriculture Victoria
Call 136 186 from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call (except for mobiles and public telephones).
If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, contact us through the National Relay Service at 133 677 or visit the National Relay Service.
All contact points can be found at: agriculture.vic.gov.au/about-us/contact-us
This newsletter is distributed by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
Were you forwarded this email? Subscribe now.