In this edition:

• Avian influenza community information sessions
• Facing tough conditions? Don’t go through it alone
• Dry seasons support
• Dry seasons webinar recordings
• Free financial counselling
• BestWool/BestLamb and BetterBeef conference recordings
• Recording: Victoria's spring seasonal outlook
• The Very Fast Break
• GRDC welcomes SA grower as Board Chair
• 2025 Bob Hawke Landcare Award is now open
• In case you missed it
• What's on

Agriculture Victoria continues to reach out to local communities at our pop-up information stalls. 

• Friday 27 September: Colour Terang Festival, 9:30 am – 3 pm
• Saturday 5 October: Golden Plains Farmers’ Market, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
• Saturday 5 October: Terang Local Market, 9 am – 1 pm.

To learn more, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/avianinfluenza

Agriculture Victoria is encouraging farmers to take up ongoing support and assistance to help manage current difficult seasonal conditions.

Agriculture Victoria’s Aimee McCutcheon said Agriculture Victoria continues to monitor conditions across the state.

‘We know there’s been below average rainfall across most of Victoria during autumn and winter and that it’s a critical time for cropping, livestock and dairy production.

‘It’s important that farmers know that support is available to them to help make early and informed decisions.

Ms McCutcheon said the Agriculture Victoria website explains what support is available to farmers, including financial support and assistance, mental health and wellbeing support.

‘One example is the Australian Government’s Farm Household Allowance which is a fortnightly payment for eligible farmers.

‘Our website also provides access to other organisations that can help, such as the free services from the Rural Financial Counselling Services and the National Centre for Farmer Health.’

Ms McCutcheon said Agriculture Victoria offers extensive practical information, resources, tools and calculators to help farmers with forward planning, feed budgeting and livestock management.

‘All these free resources are available online 24 hours a day, or you can speak with staff at your local office.’

Visit the Agriculture Victoria website today – agriculture.vic.gov.au for more information plus details of events coming up in your region or online.

For information on technical support, contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or email recovery@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Have you updated your plan for the current seasonal conditions?

Having a solid drought plan can help you with decision making in adverse conditions. 

Check out the dry seasons and drought support on the Agriculture Victoria website today.

The recording of the recent webinar ‘Growing more feed’ with Agriculture Victoria Livestock Extension Officer Fiona Baker - can be found HERE

Additionally, here are some resources that you might find useful:

• Feeding livestock website
• Agriculture Victoria dry season and drought support page 
• Soil Moisture monitoring sites can be found HERE
• Information on navigating farm developments online tool can be found HERE 
• A MLA guide to managing breeding ewes in containment can be found HERE
• Stock containment areas design webinar can be found HERE.

The Rural Financial Counselling Service provides a free and confidential financial counselling service to eligible farmers and small related enterprises who are experiencing, or at risk of, financial hardship.

They can help you to access available support, analyse your business situation, negotiate with lenders and develop strategies to improve your financial position. 

To find your closest service visit the website or call 1300 771 741.

Sheep and beef farmers! Did you miss the BestWool/BestLamb and BetterBeef conference or feel like revisiting the sessions?

Recorded presentations are now available for viewing on our website.

👀 Watch Cam Nicholson’s talk on ‘The challenge of aligning pasture and animal needs’ HERE.

As Cam says, 'It’s a challenge because while we know what the animals need and we can know all the theory about how to grow the best plants and the right way of doing it, there’s numerous times when those two don’t align.'

👀 Watch John Francis’s talk on ‘Growing the farm’ HERE.

John talks about opportunities for growth that exist ‘within the four fences’ of your farm.

Explore more from the 🐑 2024 BestWool/BestLamb conference and the 🐄 2024 BetterBeef conference presentations here.

Farmers can access support and assistance today to help manage the current dry seasonal conditions at agriculture.vic.gov.au.

In this webinar recording, Seasonal Risk Agronomist Dale Grey discussed the recent seasonal conditions including rainfall, temperature and deep soil moisture levels across the state.

We looked at what the latest global models are forecasting for spring and shared information on the dry seasons support available to farmers.

Climate Specialist Graeme Anderson, and Dale, took a deeper look into the current seasonal risks and helped bust some common myths around making sense of forecasts.

VIEW THE RECORDING HERE

Duration: 67 minutes (including questions)

Password: Climate

This webinar was originally presented on Wednesday 14 August at 12 pm.

All climate webinar recordings can be found on our website.

For more information

For more information about these webinars, including assistance joining the webinar, email climate.webinars@agriculture.vic.gov.au

The Very Fast Break is delivered as short YouTube videos summarising oceanic and atmospheric climate drivers and the summarised model predictions for rainfall and temperature for Victoria.

View the latest HERE

If you have comments, questions or feedback, please contact Dale Grey at break@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

In what will be a new leadership era for GRDC, South Australian grain grower Sharon Starick has been announced as the new Board Chair by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry the Hon. Julie Collins.

Mrs Sharon Starick will become one of the first growers from her state, as well as the first female to lead the largest of the rural research and development corporations, when she officially takes the reins on October 1.

She replaces outgoing GRDC Board Chair John Woods, a Goondiwindi grain grower who has led the organisation since 2016.

Read the media release in full on the GRDC website here.

Applications are open until 31 December 2024.

For the first time, this prestigious $30K national award is now accepting nominations from groups and organisations, in addition to individuals.

Do you know an individual, group, or organisation that is a sustainable farm practice innovator, demonstrated leadership in Landcare and inspired others to take land conservation practices in their community?

Now is their chance to be recognised!

This award honours the significant role of former Prime Minister, the Hon. Bob Hawke AC, in transforming Landcare from a grassroots community initiative into a national movement with enduring bipartisan government support. It celebrates exceptional dedication to sustainable land management and efforts to share valuable knowledge with others.

To find out more or to nominate a Landcare legend click here

Avian influenza restrictions eased

Further changes have been made to control orders surrounding avian influenza cases in Victoria, given that no new cases have been detected since 24 June 2024.

Read the media release here.

West Wimmera farmer gets $10,000 with conviction for cruelty to livestock

A West Wimmera farmer recently pleaded guilty in the Horsham Magistrates Court and was fined $10,000 with conviction.

Read the media release in full here.

Cat desexing grants to press paws on unwanted litters

The Victorian Government is supporting vulnerable cat owners and addressing cat over-population by providing grants to local councils to partner with animal rescue shelters to increase cat desexing rates.

Read the media release here.

Details about Agriculture Victoria events can now be found in one spot on our website.

Visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/events to find out what's on.

The Farm Business Program is supporting farmers to develop the knowledge and skills they need to improve their farm business and be better equipped to manage the impacts of drought and a changing climate.

Course details:

• Monday 30 September, 11 am to 2 pm - People success 
• Monday 14 October, 12 to 2 pm - Plan review. 

Location:  Register online today.

Visit the Agriculture Victoria website for all the program details.

Register at www.vff.org.au/event/working-dog-farmer-health-check-workshop or call 1300 882 833.

Harvester Set Up Workshop - Catumnal 

24 September 9 am - 3 pm

Register at www.bcg.org.au/event/harvester-set-up-clinic-boort

Wimmera Faba Bean Discussion Group Meeting - Douglas, Bungalally and Woorak

Douglas 8 October 8-10 am

Bungalally 8 October 4-6 pm

Woorak 9 October 8-10 am

Register on SurveyMonkey here or contact Pru Cook on 0438 923 258.

Register at faraustralia.com.au or contact Rachel Hamilton on 0428 843 456.

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