• Register now for drought one-on-one advisory service
• Watch for heating hay!
• New premises for National Centre for Farmer Health
• Free financial counselling available now
• Join the Design Reference Group and help shape the future of Agriculture Victoria Connect! 
• Growth in Food Safety Standards for berries, leafy greens and melons
• Apply for an On-Farm Drought Infrastructure grant today
• Can emergency services access your property in a fire?
• Weed data sharing survey - closing tomorrow
• Farm Business Resilience Program - successful farm people
• What's on

Expressions of Interest are open for farmers in drought-affected areas of south-west Victoria to register for a free one-on-one consultation with a farm advisor.

The technical decision-making program is being delivered as part of the Victorian Government’s $13.53 million Drought Support Package and builds on existing supports, including technical resources, workshops and field days, already available to farmers in the south west.

Agriculture Victoria Director Kate Linden said the program offers eligible farmers the opportunity to sit down with a consultant to discuss the best way forward for their business in the current season.

‘Decision-making in times of stress, such as when you’re dealing with the daily challenge of drought, can be overwhelming.

‘Taking time to step back, take stock and talk through what you need to do for the next few months can help relieve some of the pressures and feelings of being overwhelmed.

‘This might involve developing feed and water budgets to assess questions as: 'How much feed and water have I got left?', How much are my stock going to need? and What am I going to do if the two don’t line up?'

‘Putting plans in place and acting early can make a big difference to your mental load and potentially financial bottom line – buying more hay now (straight out of the paddock), moving stock off the property to agistment or selling more stock might be required,’ she said.

Interested farmers can register their expression of interest with Agriculture Victoria.

Farmers can nominate which advisor they prefer to work with from a panel of experienced and trusted advisors.

The chosen service provider will then contact the farmer directly to book a suitable time for the one-on-one consultation.

Mrs Linden said farmers can meet their advisor either on-farm, at a convenient off-farm location or online. A follow-up one-hour phone consultation, after the initial face-to-face planning session, is also available.

For more information or to register an expression of interest in the Drought Support: One-on-one technical decision-making program visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons, phone 136 186 or email drought.support@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

This program is part of the Victorian Government’s Drought Support Package for south west Victoria. Find out more at agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons or call 136 186.

By Michele Jolliffe, Agriculture Victoria Dairy Extension Officer - Hamilton

Every hay season several hay stacks spontaneously combust across Victoria, in single moist bales or in a stack of any size.

Once the hay has been stacked it’s important to regularly monitor it for heating and act quickly.

Unfortunately, even with technological advances in machinery for harvesting conserved fodder, there is still nothing cost effective to help monitor the internal temperatures of haystacks.

So, it’s back to some very simple techniques to keep an eye on your hay stacks.

Watch for signs of heating

Keep an eye out for signs that haystack is heating. Steam condensation on the shed roof, mould growth, acrid fumes and hot, humid air at the top of the stack are all good indicators.

When building stacks with suspect wet hay, stack the bales loosely to allow air movement and spread the stack over a wider area, for example, over several bays, thereby reducing heat build-up.

Most heating will occur over the first 1 or 2 weeks but has been known to reach ‘flash point’ up to 8 weeks after baling. Monitor the stack temperature regularly.

Determine the stack temperature?

Stack temperature can be measured using a crowbar inserted as deep as possible into the stack and left for 2 hours. After 2 hours, the crowbar can be removed and felt by hand to give you a rough guide of the internal stack temperatures.

The temperature of the bale is up to about 50°C if you can hold the crowbar without discomfort. It is up to 60°C if the bar can be held for a short time only and up to 70°C if the bar can only be touched briefly.

If you can't hold the bar, temperature is above 70°C and fire is a real possibility. Treat the stack with caution.

In the past it has been suggested to push a small pipe into the stack and lower a small thermometer to the end of the pipe to measure the temperature of warming hay.

However, this technique should not be used for severely heating hay as It may oxygenate the inner section of the stack and cause a fire to start.

What can be done if the stack heats to danger levels?

If a stack starts to get ‘dangerously hot’ pull it apart as quickly as possible.

Be aware that as the bales are pulled out of the stack, especially in a tightly built stack, oxygen will now get access to the hot spot and potentially cause ignition.

Make sure that water is readily available and suitably qualified people able to assist in fire suppression if required.

Safety Warning!

Avoid walking on the stack as the extremely high temperatures may have charred the centre of the stack. Any extra weight on the stack may cause the stack to collapse into the dangerously hot centre and cause serious injury.

If there is the slightest risk of a fire starting due to wet hay, never keep machinery in the hayshed and don’t allow children to play in or near heating stacks.

The Country Fire Authority website has good information about hay fire risk. Search ‘hay fires’ at www.cfa.vic.gov.au

For more information about dry seasonal conditions and drought support visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons or call 136 186.

The National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) is moving into a brand-new premises to continue its nation leading efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of farmers and their communities.

Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Michaela Settle recently represented Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence to officially opened the new premises which marks a significant milestone in the growth of the Centre since its establishment in 2009.

Located in Hamilton, the new site sits within the local agriculture community and reinforces its role as a vital resource for the health, wellbeing and safety of farmers, farm workers and their families.

As the south west continues to experience drought conditions, Agriculture Victoria has been working with the NCFH to support farmers, their families and their communities.

As part of the Victorian Government’s $13.53 million drought support package, $1.43 million is being directed towards farmer wellbeing, technical decision-making advice and a dedicated Regional Drought Coordinator to ensure support is reaching those who need it.

The package is also providing farmers with access to free one-on-one advice from specialist farm advisors to take stock and discuss the best way forward for their business in the current season.

More than $12 million in On-Farm Drought Infrastructure grants is also available for farmers to make upgrades to equip their businesses to better withstand the current drought and future dry seasonal conditions.

The government is proud of its long-term partnership with National Centre for Farmer Health. Alongside a contribution of $900,000 in the Victorian Budget 2024/25, a further $100,000 grant is supporting the Shifting Gears program which will deliver important safety resources to the next generation of farmers.

To learn more about the National Centre for Farmer Health visit, farmerhealth.org.au.

To view the full range of financial, technical and wellbeing support available to drought impacted farmers, or to access the government’s one-to-one drought planning sessions visit, agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons.

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 rfcsnetwork.com.au or call 1300 771 741.

We are excited to announce Agriculture Victoria's new online system designed to streamline your regulatory compliance such as chemical use authorities or food standards. 

As we build Agriculture Victoria Connect we want your input.

Whether you use this system for regulatory services or simply have an interest in the process, your feedback is invaluable. 

We invite you to be a part of the Design Reference Group, where you can play a vital role in representing the community that uses Agriculture Victoria Connect. 

Meeting every 6 weeks, members will share feedback and ideas to guide the development of services, ensuring the system is effective and user-friendly for both agriculture businesses and community members. 

Your voice matters – help us shape a better system! 

For more information and to join email us. 

New Food Safety Standards for growers of berries, leafy green vegetables and melons will come into effect from 12 February 2025, maintaining the state’s reputation as a responsible producer.

Food Standards Australia and New Zealand introduced the new food safety and compliance standards in 2022 to the National Food Standards Code.

Agriculture Victoria Horticulture Standards Engagement Officer, Emily Scott said the standards will assist in lifting food safety standards across the industry.

‘We are working closely with industry bodies and growers to support businesses implementing the new standards with a timely awareness and engagement campaign. Current food safety arrangements are recognised where possible, and our online system assists in documenting and verifying requirements’, said Miss Scott.

‘The Standards apply to businesses of any size that grow or complete primary or ‘early-stage’ processing such as washing, trimming, sorting, sanitising or storing of berries, leafy vegetables or melons.

‘It is worth noting that many businesses are already meeting the requirements in the standards, through their participation in industry food safety schemes.

‘However, there will be new registration requirements which are managed through Agriculture Victoria Connect.

‘If you grow leafy greens, melons or berries in Victoria, I encourage you to visit the Agriculture Victoria website to learn more about the implementation of the Standards across Victoria, and to sign up for the Food Safety Standards e-news and keep up to date with upcoming events.’

Agriculture Victoria is holding a webinar on Tuesday 10 December for berry, leafy vegetable and melon producers to learn more about the new Primary Production and Processing Standards. Register for the webinar.

The webinar will cover key microbial food safety risks, what is required to comply with the Standards for each industry, how Global Food Safety Initiative schemes will be recognised, indicative costs and where to access useful information and resources. Growers of all sizes are encouraged to attend.

All producers are still obliged to ensure food for sale is safe and suitable for human consumption prior to this new Standard commencing on 12 February 2025.

Find out more about the standards.

Eligible drought-affected farmers in the south west can now apply for up to $5,000 in co-contribution grants to support establishing on-farm infrastructure such as:

• 💧 Water infrastructure upgrades (pipes, tanks, troughs, dams)
• 🐑 Stock containment areas
• 🌾 Grain and fodder storage.

Click here for more information on the On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Grants or to apply today.

Will emergency services know where to come in the event of a fire? 

As part of your fire season planning, make sure roadside numbers are visible, vegetation around gates, culverts and bridges have been cleared, and gates are wide enough and easy to open. 

Check out the tips and templates for developing your farm fire preparedness plan in the Farm Fire Preparedness Toolkit. 

Download a copy here.

The Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party, Victorian Gorse Taskforce, and Victorian Blackberry Taskforce are exploring opportunities and challenges for recording and sharing data on invasive plant species across different land tenures. 

Their aim is to reduce the threat invasive species pose to our environment, agriculture, and communities.

They would appreciate hearing about your experiences with recording and mapping weeds and other invasive species. 

The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete, and your response will be instrumental in helping enhance data collection and sharing processes. 

CLICK HERE to access the survey. It closes tomorrow 29 November at 5 pm.

‘A good team that works together in good times and in bad is just invaluable.’

Agriculture Victoria’s Helen Chenoweth and Hannah Manning, and farmer Georgia Buckholz talk about the importance of developing people skills and successfully handling succession, to improve farming businesses for the long term.

Watch the video here.

Find out more about our Farm Business Resilience Program here.

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.

DATE: Wednesday 4 December

TIME: 9:45 am - 2: 30 pm

LOCATION: Woolsthorpe Hall, 15 Manifold Street, Woolsthorpe.

For more information contact Richard Murphy from the Glenelg Hopkins CMA on 0407 516 532 or email.

Changes to greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting requirements in 2025 will impact farm businesses.

From 01 July 2026, farmers begin reporting GHG emissions through supply chains.

This workshop informs farmers of changes to GHG emissions reporting requirements and help them identify the specific training they need to prepare and prosper in a low carbon economy.

Please join farmers Gary Simpson and Ali Howgate and Clem Sturmfels from Agriculture Victoria to hear first-hand about the design and installation of farm pipelines.

DATE: Monday 9 December

TIME: 10 am - 3 pm

LOCATION: On-farm, 90 Armitage Street, Dunkeld.

TOPICS:

   Preparing a water plan:

• calculating your water needs
• planning your pipeline
• pipeline hydraulics and design
• pipes, fittings and pumps
• pipeline installation and construction.

REGISTRATION - please register to assist with catering by 5 December.

This is an outdoor event and suitable clothing is required and a chair.

For more information contact Lisa McIntyre, 0428 749 235 or advancel@bigpond.com

DATE: Tuesday 10 December

TIME: 10 am - 2 pm

LOCATION: Mortlake Soldiers Memorial Hall.

REGISTER ONLINE HERE

Looking after your well-being and connecting with others is important in challenging times and we all know that laughter is the best medicine.

This fun and practical Take a Well-Being Break workshop brings farmers, farming families, couples and service providers in your community together to provide well-being tools and information, connect and share ideas and to identify practical strategies you can immediately implement to positively impact your well-being and improve your performance.

Get off the farm and give yourself the time and space to bring some calm to the chaos and focus on you.

Lunch is provided. Tickets $20 with proceeds going to charity.

DATE: Tuesday 10 December
TIME: 12-1 pm.

REGISTER ONLINE HERE

New Food Safety Standards for growers of berries, leafy green vegetables and melons will come into effect from 12 February, 2025. 

The standards apply to businesses of any size that grow or complete primary or ‘early-stage’ processing such as washing, trimming, sorting, sanitising or storing of berries, leafy vegetables or melons.

Find out more about the New Food Safety Standards on our website

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