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Thursday 25 September 2025
Drought support available for south west farmers
Farmers can access financial assistance and support today to help manage during drought.
Our website provides information on available supports, including financial counselling, mental health and wellbeing services, and links to other organisations that can help.
You’ll also find practical tools, resources and information to help you plan and manage your feed, water and livestock needs.
Plus, find out about upcoming events in your region and online or by calling 136 186.
See us at the Melbourne Royal Show
Heading to the Melbourne Royal Show? Swing by the Livestock Pavilion and say hi!
- We're here to talk drought and its impact on farms and communities.
- Learn how to help protect our wildlife from avian influenza (H5N1).
- Plus, fun for the little ones with activity packs and headbands!
See you there!
Find more information about drought support visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.
Did you miss our hay and grain webinar recently? Here is the recording
Don’t despair if you missed our hay or grain webinar this week with Agriculture Victoria’s agronomists Dale Grey, Dale Boyd and Darryl Pearl, plus Greg Toomey from Nutrien Ag Solutions.
- Listen to the webinar recording here Please use the passcode hayorgrain
Information about drought supports can be found at www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or by calling 136 186.
Vic Hub project 1 of 5 awarded in national Long-term Trials program
A project to establish tree-survival signatures for water stress in orchards is one of only 5 nationally to receive funding in Round 2 of the Future Drought Fund (FDF) Long-term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Program.
Led by The University of Melbourne, the project brings together 3 other Vic Hub partners – Federation University (as the Digital Platforms Innovations lead), Agriculture Victoria and Mallee Regional Innovation Centre.
Save the date for Wimmera Pulse Field Day showcase
Farmers, agronomists and industry are warmly invited to the annual Wimmera Pulse Field Day on Wednesday 22 October at Kewell hosted by Agriculture Victoria in partnership with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).
Horsham SmartFarm research agronomist Ash Wallace said the annual field day is an industry networking opportunity not to be missed.
‘Come and see our trials in lentil, field pea, chickpea and faba bean, and hear the latest in pulse research and emerging pulse protein market opportunities,’ Ash said.
Important information for small berry, melon and leafy vegetable growers
We understand that small horticulture businesses operate differently to larger ones.
To help, we have made sure that relevant information, resources and support are available to help you meet the requirements of the new Food Safety Standards.
Small growers who are not within recognised food safety schemes will complete an online Food Safety Management Statement (FSMS) as part of the registration process. We have created a factsheet to help small growers understand this process.
Learn more here: FSMS Fact Sheet
The Fresh Produce Safety Centre have created 1 page grower guides to help navigate the requirements of the standards: fpsc-anz.com/food-safety-grower-guides/
We recognise it may take some time to work through the necessary steps, so our team is here to help. Reach out at food.safety@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Find more information and resources, including a factsheet on water quality testing, on our website.
Safe Food Victoria: help shape the future of food safety
The Victorian Government is cutting red tape and making it easier to get fresh food to Victorian families with a new food safety regulator.
Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas recently announced the new, stronger regulator, Safe Food Victoria – designed to better protect public health and continue to give communities confidence in the safety of their food.
Victorians are now encouraged to have their say on the role of the new body, with the feedback to help shape its focus and priorities, including how they currently interact with other regulators and councils, and how the new regulator should operate.
This new independent statutory authority will report to the Minister for Agriculture and is expected to begin operation in mid-2026, subject to passage of legislation.
Ag Vic Talk season 10 -Embracing CaLD workers in Victoria's dairy industry, with Christine Sebire and Jenny Wilson
Hear how Victoria's dairy industry is embracing Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) workers.
In this Farming Safe and Well episode, Jenny Wilson from the Gardiner Foundation and dairy farmer Christine Sebire share practical strategies for building culturally safe workplaces, supporting CaLD employees, and strengthening community connections.
More drought support
The Victorian Drought Freight Network
The Victorian Drought Freight Network is supporting fodder and grain movements on key freight routes in south west Victoria.
As part of the network we are also providing a free and tailored service to suppliers, transporters and farmers to help them to efficiently navigate the permit requirements to bring feed into Victoria while managing biosecurity risks.
One-on-one farm advisory service
All farmers, anywhere in Victoria, can register for a free consultation with a farm management specialist.
The advisory service offers a session of up to 3 hours (face-to-face or online) and a follow-up call, to help farmers take stock and develop a plan for managing drought conditions.
The advice is suited to your situation, from a consultant that you nominate from the registered panel.
Agronomists, livestock nutritionists, veterinarians, pasture and grazing specialists and farm business advisors, can support you with:
- feed and water budgeting
- farm safety and workload management
- farm business and financial management
- soil health and pasture re-establishment
- animal health and welfare, and more.
For more information about drought support: www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.
CMA Drought Employment Program
Farmers, farm workers and agricultural business employees impacted by the ongoing drought conditions in the south west can now apply to be part of the Catchment Management Authority (CMA) Drought Employment Program.
The program will be available for farmers or farm-dependent workers from 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in south west Victoria including Ararat, Moyne, Colac Otway, Pyrenees, Corangamite, Southern Grampians, Glenelg, Surf Coast, Golden Plains, Warrnambool, City of Greater Geelong and southern parts of West Wimmera.
Eligible local farmers and farm workers can now express interest in being part of the program ahead of a recruitment process via www.ccma.vic.gov.au (Corangamite CMA region) or www.ghcma.vic.gov.au (Glenelg Hopkins CMA region).
What's On
Details about these events and more can be found on our website.
Spring webinar series webinar 2 - hay done right
We are hosting a lunchtime webinar series. The series will cover key topics including silage, hay and pasture recovery. Join us for one webinar or attend them all.
Frank Mickan is a celebrated expert in fodder and pasture conservation, sharing valuable tips and techniques for producing top-quality silage that boosts farm productivity.
Date: Wednesday 1 October from 12:30 - 1:30 pm
Grains biosecurity awareness – spring 2025 webinar series
As harvest time approaches, growers are looking ahead to the challenges that could affect this year’s crops. While the weather is outside your control, biosecurity is one area where you can take practical steps to protect your farm and your business.
Plant Health Australia (PHA), the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and Grain Producers Australia (GPA) have partnered to deliver a new webinar series focused on biosecurity in the grains industry.
The first webinar in the series, Grains biosecurity awareness – spring 2025, will run from 9 - 10 am on Tuesday, 30 September.
Bouncing back from dry times
When: Wednesday 1 October from 8:30 am - 3 pm
Cost: Free one-day event (morning tea and lunch provided)
Venue: Hamilton Showgrounds, Shakespeare Street, Hamilton
Program
8:30 - 8:45 am Arrival and registration
8:45 - 9 am Introduction - Johnny Gardner (SALRC Western Victorian Regional Chair)
9 - 9:45 am Strategies for underperforming pastures - Lisa Miller (SFS)
9:45 - 10:15 am Livestock Market Insights - Angus Brown (Mecardo)
10:15 - 10:30 am Group session: Reflecting on Drought - Lessons learned for future responses
10:30 - 11 am Morning tea
11 am - 12 pm Knowing your numbers, benchmarking - Sandy McEachern (Aggregate Consulting)
12 - 1 pm Lunch
1 - 2 pm Strategies for bouncing back from dry times - Nigel Kerin (Kerin Ag)
2 - 3 pm Speaker Panel Session (Q&A)
3 pm Forum close
Managing soil acidity: Cost effective lime strategies - Penshurst
Date and time: Thursday 2 October from 9:45 am -12:30 pm
Location: Penshurst Football and Netball Club, 60-72 Thackery Street, Penshurst
Producers and industry stakeholders are invited to join us for a practical and informative workshop Managing soil acidity: Cost effective lime strategies.
Liming isn’t cheap—but it’s essential for protecting your soil asset and getting the most out of your pastures.
This hands-on workshop tackles the most common questions: How much lime should I apply? How often?
You’ll walk away with practical strategies tailored to your farm, backed by the latest tools including the LimeAssist calculator and LimeAssistor webpage.
Whether you're refining your current approach or starting fresh, this session will give you the confidence to make informed, cost-effective liming decisions.
For more information: Lisa Miller SFS on 0488 600 226 or email
Crop Technology Field Day – Winchelsea
Date and time: Thursday 2 October from 10 am - 4 pm
Location: 660 Inverleigh, Winchelsea Road, Winchelsea
Find out more at - Field Day – VIC Crop Technology Centre - GRDC
Hamilton - Farm Safety Day
Farm safe and strong - Practical tips for improving safety on the land
Date and time: Friday 3 October from 9 am - 1:30 pm
Location: Agriculture Victoria Hamilton SmartFarm, 915 Napier Road, Hamilton
Join WorkSafe for a hands-on event dedicated to improving safety and well-being in agriculture – and especially during challenging times. Through expert-led demonstrations and practical advice, attendees will learn safer methods for cattle handling including loading and unloading cattle, preventing Q fever and needle stick injuries.
Whether you’re managing or working on a family farm or a large property, or you are a student in agriculture, this event offers valuable insights and tools to protect your livelihood, your team, and yourself. Come away informed, connected and better equipped for a safer future on the land.
Protection from farm theft webinar
Join co-founder of AgCloud Grant Sutton, a representative from Victoria Police Farm Crime Liaison Group and AgVic Grains Industry Officer Darryl Pearl for a timely webinar on how AgTech and strong biosecurity protocols can protect your farm assets.
The webinar will cover:
- farm theft trends, Victoria Police
- physical security solutions, Grant Sutton
- biosecurity and safety, Darryl Pearl
- question and answer session.
Whether you're looking to make informed decisions or future-proof your farm operations, this session offers practical insights and tools to support your journey in protecting what matters.
When: Tuesday, 7 October from 12 – 1 pm
Click below to register or contact Darryl Pearl on 0417 432 711 or email.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join the webinar. The session will be recorded for those who register but are unable to attend.
Take a Well-Being Break workshop for women farmers and service providers – Camperdown
Date and time: Wednesday 8 October from 10:30 am - 2:30 pm.
Where: Camperdown Golf Club, Saddlers Road, Camperdown
Carrying the mental load. Being the emotional support blanket for the family. Juggling farm work, business pressures and home life. Doing all the things, all the time! It’s no wonder your energy can run low, your head feels full and you find yourself running on empty.
The Take a Well-Being Break workshop is your chance to pause, recharge and get back to thriving – both on and off the farm.
Your facilitator, Cynthia Mahoney, is an agricultural scientist and an experienced leadership coach who has worked extensively with farmers and agricultural teams across Australia. She’ll share proven strategies, grounded in brain science, to help you lift wellbeing, protect relationships and achieve more without adding extra hours to your day.
Farm business health check - Nareen Hall
Date and time: Wednesday 8 October from 8:30 - 11 am
Where: Nareen Hall
RSVP: Sardie on 0478 053 943
Join us for a free breakfast and hear from guest speaker Neville Brady. Neville will speak about improving team (family) performance by reducing conflict. You will get a farm business health check, looking at gaps between actual and ideal structures.
Zanda McDonald Award
Are you a rising star in the agriculture or rural sector?
The Zanda McDonald Award can help you realise your ambitions through life-changing mentoring, industry connections, and unique 'light-bulb moments'.
Tap into a dynamic network of leading ag professionals and take part in a fully funded trans-Tasman tour designed to fast-track your personal and professional growth.
Open to individuals aged 21–35 across Australia and New Zealand. Apply for the 2026 Award and unlock your full potential.
Online applications open 1–31 October 2025.
www.zandamcdonaldaward.com
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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