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Thursday 26 June 2025
The Look Over The Farm Gate program is now open
This program provides an opportunity to bring communities together to support farmers and their families under stress.
Managed by the National Centre for Farmer Health on behalf of the Victorian Government, the program offers grants of up to $5,000 for community-led events that promote social connection and mental health awareness.
Find out more at: https://farmerhealth.org.au/
To view the full range of financial, technical and wellbeing support available visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.
Roughage is essential
Dr Jeff Cave, Senior Veterinary Officer, Northern Region
With the escalating price of hay and the availability of other feed supplements you may be asking ‘why feed roughage this winter?’
Roughage will be needed during winter for any of the following reasons:
- even though some roughage may be left uneaten, for digestive function livestock require a minimum amount of fibre and long roughage to maintain their digestive systems. This is sometimes known as the 'scratch factor' and stimulates rumination (cud chewing)
- if feeding grain or pellets with too little roughage acidosis or grain poisoning can occur
- as we move further into winter, hay may be needed to reduce grass tetany risks and allows a way of administering Causmag.
Livestock need to eat more roughage in cold weather to give them energy for heat production.
Roughage in their diet helps keep livestock warm since the fermentation and breakdown of cellulose creates heat energy.
If they don’t have enough roughage, the weight will melt off as they mine body fat to create energy for warmth.
Therefore, there are several compelling reasons why roughage may be needed this winter.
Plus, if you can feed late in the afternoon it will provide your livestock ‘heat’ through the night.
For further information please contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria animal health or extension staff, or in NSW your Local Land Services.
Across the state any farmer can access technical information and advice to help manage the impacts of increasingly difficult seasonal conditions.
These services will be delivered in partnership with a range of technical experts, including farm business advisors, livestock nutritionists, soil, water and pasture specialists and veterinarians.
The program provides tailored advice through one-on-one consultations, webinars, workshops, field days, and online tools and information.
Find more information on drought support at www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.
Lesser loosestrife. Credit: Oliver Kerr
Dry swamps and dams pose toxic weed risk to livestock
Paul Beltz, Senior Veterinary Officer
The green pick available on swampy land or dried up billabongs and dams may seem a boon for producers during drought and difficult seasonal conditions.
However, it’s important to check for toxic weeds and plants in swampy areas before allowing stock access for grazing.
There are many plants that grow where the land is usually wet and rarely dried out which could cause issues.
Toxic plants that might be found in these areas include dock, soursob, fat hen, lesser loosestrife and swamp grass.
Safeguarding Victoria's agricultural sector
Victoria has a strong track record in containing H7N8 avian influenza to date, with no new cases since February 2025 – a major milestone in safeguarding our world-class poultry industry.
Victoria’s agricultural industry is backed by a $36.7 million Victorian Budget 2025/26 investment which included $20 million to make sure the state is well prepared to respond to biosecurity threats and emergency diseases now and into the future, including avian influenza.
Q Fever eStatement current register closing soon
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 - visit Q Fever Register Login - Australian Q Fever Register, then follow the steps.
If you have problems logging in, call 1300 733 837.
Alternatively, people may have received their statement when immunised from the following email address: register@mg.qfever.org
Adding your record to the Australian Immunisation Register.
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.
Quick quiz to help evaluate your farm water system
Farmers can use a simple online quiz to evaluate the effectiveness of their farm water supply system – which is available on our website.
Agriculture Victoria Climate Change Service Development Officer Heather Field said the short quiz could help farmers develop a farm water improvement plan for their property.
‘There are 14 questions to help farmers assess their current farm water system,’ Ms Field said.
The quiz is designed to help you assess whether your farm water system is easy to maintain, performs well and is suitable for climate challenges such as warmer, drier climatic conditions, fire risk and other natural disasters such as storm events.
At the end of the quiz, you will receive a score and summary report based on your responses.
‘The quiz is best suited for livestock enterprises that have dams and a reticulated farm water supply system.’
Go to https://go.vic.gov.au/4l4PKDJ and visit the Goals Catalogue to access the quiz. Sign in to our Learning Management System to complete the quiz.
Find more information on drought support and technical decision-making support below.
Catch up on our webinar: Seasonal outlook myth busting
Did you miss our recent webinar? Click below to watch.
Hear Seasonal Risk Agronomist Dale Grey discuss the timing of the autumn break, if summer is really dry - does it have any bearing on the autumn break, why is it so hard to accurately predict the autumn break, current forecasts and what tools are available to help with planning.
Popular irrigation incentive program set to benefit even more Gippsland farmers
West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority and Agriculture Victoria are pleased to open a new round of farm plan incentives, and for the first time, farmers in Warragul, Thorpdale, Noojee and Perry Bridge and across the entire Lake Wellington Catchment are eligible to apply.
Up to $10,000 per farm is available through the Lake Wellington Irrigation Efficiency Incentive Program to help with the cost of a professionally designed irrigation plan.
What's On
Practical feed budgeting and animal nutrition workshops
Join Agriculture Victoria and livestock nutritionist Jess Revell from Rumenate Livestock, at an interactive workshop focusing on animal nutrition and developing or refining your own feed budget during the current seasonal conditions.
Workshop 1 - Woodside
When: Tuesday, 1 July, 1 to 4 pm
Where: Woodside Recreation Reserve,
20 South Gippsland Highway, Woodside.
Light dinner provided.
Workshop 2 - Benambra
When: Wednesday 2 July, 11 am to 3 pm
Where: Benambra Recreation Reserve,
32 Tip Road, Benambra.
Lunch provided.
Workshop topics:
- practical session for you to develop a ration for your livestock
- evaluating your current feed supplies
- evaluating feed in paddocks
- using feed test.
Tackling emissions together: practical steps for your farm business - Bairnsdale and Flynn
When: Tuesday 1 July, 1 to 4 pm.
Where: Gippsland Agricultural Centre 345 Bengworden Road, Bairnsdale.
When: Wednesday 2 July, 9 am to 12 pm.
Where: Flynn Community Hall, Widdis Way, Flynn.
An interactive workshop with Alison Kelly and local farmer Josie Zilm.
Carbon is more than a challenge – it’s an opportunity.
With markets evolving, banks and processors shifting focus, and new opportunities on the horizon, now is the time to understand how emissions reduction fits into your farm’s future.
Whether you’re curious, cautious, or keen… this is your chance to hear straight from the experts to help you as a farmer at a grass roots level to better understand:
- What emissions reduction means for YOUR farm
- Learn the process to 'know your number' and why it matters
- Simple, practical actions that boost farm productivity and carbon outcomes
- How to get your farm ready and tap into future carbon opportunities
- Hear how Josie is working toward a more efficient farm – including strategies around trees, pastures, and natural capital
- Learn how participation in a Sustainability Beef Program is unlocking processor premiums and aligning farm actions with profit signals from banks, markets, and the supply chain.
Talking trees: Landcare Victoria webinar
When: Thursday 3 July, 5:30 - 7 pm
Join Landcare Victoria's next 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.
Sheep emissions update
When: Thursday 3 July, 12 to 1 pm.
Where: online.
Hear from Sam Henty (Farm Business Economist) on the 2023–24 livestock farm monitor GHG results and from Dr Ralph Behrendt (senior specialist, climate change) discussing the outcomes of the sheep rounds in the On-Farm Emissions Action Plan Pilot.
This webinar will offer an opportunity to hear from 2 experts sharing insights on recent greenhouse gas calculations of sheep enterprises across Victoria.
Agri Connect: cultivating connections
When: Wednesday 9 July, 3 to 9 pm
Where: Cora Lynn Recreation Reserve, Corner Nine Mile Road and Bunyip River Road, Cora Lynn (access is off Bunyip River Road).
Come along and hear from AgVic, who are presenting on Feed budgeting for Beef Livestock, chat with representatives from NEX Business Farming and Wellness and Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF). Soil health expert Dr. Mary Cole will also be available to chat with from 6 pm.
Free barbecue, scones and refreshments are available from 3 pm onwards.
For more information, please email a.groves@cardinia.vic.gov.au or call 5945 3690.
Smart socials to tackle the pest problem
When: Thursday 10 July, 10 am to 12 pm.
Where: online.
Jodie McEwen from The Marketing Side joins the Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network for a 2-hour online workshop to show how social media is one of the easiest, cheapest and most effective ways to raise awareness and share practical environmental advice about managing pest species.
You’ll learn:
- how to use social media to educate your neighbours
- what makes a post engaging (and what doesn’t)
- how to reach the right people with the right message
- tools to plan, schedule, and stay consistent
- easy tips for taking great photos with your phone
- smart ways to promote events and projects.
You’ll walk away with real-world tips, templates and the confidence to make your social media more effective for your group.
Keep up to date with GippsDairy's events on their website.
Keep up to date with Gippsland Agricultural Group's events on their website.
Keep up to date with Food & Fibre Gippsland's events on their website.
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
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