In this edition

Latest news

• Soil carbon explained in new eLearn
• Farmer online assist: register by 30 September

Events, programs and workshops

• On-farm carbon, soil carbon and farm business workshop: Murrayville
• Slugging slugs and conical snails: Lake Bolac
• Farm HR: Creating employers of choice
• Efficient farm office workshops: Wodonga, Tatura and Swan Hill
• Farming Smarter program: Expressions of Interest open
• Elmore Field Days

Resources

• Seasonal climate update for Victoria
• On-farm visitor management in your pocket
• Farm Fitness Checklist
• Drought Resilience Self-Assessment Tool
• Climate Services for Agriculture

Supports

• Victorian flood and storm support for farmers
• Hailstorm Primary Producer Concessional Loan
• Rural Financial Counselling Service
• National Centre for Farmer Health
• Health and personal wellbeing
• Farm Business Resilience Program

Heather Field, Agriculture Victoria Climate Change Service Development Officer

Are you keen to understand more about soil carbon?

Agriculture Victoria has developed a soil carbon eLearning module that will provide a great introduction for those seeking a better understanding of soil carbon, its role and function in agriculture.

Over recent decades farmers have been actively working towards conserving and increasing soil carbon and reducing soil carbon losses by improved farm management practices.

Soil carbon is critical for soil health, improving productivity, profitability and resilience.

While soil carbon is easy to lose, and can be challenging to increase, it’s important to remember that maintaining your soil carbon levels whilst producing food and fibre is a great outcome.

The introduction to soil carbon eLearn delves into:

• soil health benefits of soil carbon
• difference between soil carbon and soil organic matter
• influence of soil type, climate and land management on soil carbon stocks
• impacts of agriculture practices on soil carbon
• where to go for further information and resources.

If you would like to learn about the importance of soil carbon, this is a great resource.

Access the Introduction to soil carbon eLearn here.

The Farmer Online Assist program provides Victorian farmers affected by extreme seasonal conditions with up to 3 free sessions with a farmer health trained and registered AHPRA accredited psychologist – without a need to have a GP mental health plan.

The following eligibility criteria apply:

• you must be over 16 years of age
• you must be a Victorian resident living in a local government area affected by the 2022 floods
• you must be currently living or working on a farm.

Farmers who register for the service by 30 September 2023 will have until January 2024 to book and use their free sessions.

Farmer Online Assist is not a crisis service. If you require crisis support please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or in an emergency where there is an immediate risk of harm to a person call 000.

For more information or to register for Farmer Online Assist visit the National Centre for Farmer Health #BuildingFarmSpirit webpage.

On-farm carbon, soil carbon and farm business workshop: Murrayville

Kate Carmichael from Pinion Advisory and Darryl Pearl from Agriculture Victoria will present a workshop about carbon. 

Topics:

• What is soil organic matter, soil carbon?
• The process for building both organic matter and soil carbon.
• What are the on-farm benefits of soil carbon and on-farm carbon?
• How on-farm activities can build or decrease carbon stocks.
• What to do with carbon credits, carbon accounting tools and trading including risks.

Presenters: 

• Kate Carmichael, Pinion Advisory
• Daryl Pearl, Agriculture Victoria

Location: 27 McKenzie Street, Murrayville

Date and time: Wednesday 30 August, 9 am to 1 pm

For more information and to register, email or call either:

• Darryl Pearl / 0417 432 711
• Fiona Willersdorf / 0431 459 514.

To assist with preparation of handouts and catering, please register by close of business Monday 28 August.

Slugging slugs and conical snails: Lake Bolac

Growers and advisers are invited to join a free slug and snail expert presenter, Dr Michael Nash, to learn about managing slugs and conical snails.

Michael has extensive knowledge and a PhD in integrated pest management of slugs, an engaging communication style and comes from a farming background.

He helps farmers to gain the skills and insight they need to control slugs and snails. Michael is also a strong advocate for the conservation of native species in productive landscapes.

Topics:

• Hands-on identification of local slug species; biology and lifecycle
• Integrated management strategies – biological, cultural and chemical
• Balancing pest management with sustainable farming systems
• On-farm demonstration of spring monitoring techniques.

Presenter: Dr Michael Nash. Invertebrate Ecologist

Location: 137 Frontage Rd, Lake Bolac

Date and time: Thursday 31 August, 9 am to 12 pm

Register online

Farm HR: Creating employers of choice

A workshop to update your knowledge and provide reassurance that you are doing the right thing with your employees and family members.

This practical workshop has been developed for those:

• in farm businesses who currently employ staff
• who will be employing in the future
• who have family members who are working within their farm business.

Topics:

• Do we need to pay leave loading?
• How many overtime hours can employees work?
• What is included in a salary offer?
• What do we need to include in a job description?
• How do we retain great staff?

Workshop format:

• In person: delivered as a one-day workshop
• Individualised action planning
• Workbook provided to all participants.

Presenters:

• Carlyn Sherriff, HR Consultant, with 15 years' experience in this area and a direct understanding of farm workplaces.
• John Darcy, VFF Safety Advisor.

Location: 110 Natimuk Road, Horsham

Date and time: Thursday 7 September, 8:30 am to 4 pm

Register online

More information on the Agriculture Victoria events page or by emailing Adam Buzza or calling 0447 525 457.

The Farm Business Resilience Program is jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Victorian Government’s Future Agriculture Skills Capacity Fund.

Efficient farm office workshops: Wodonga, Tatura and Swan Hill

Let’s face it, no one comes into farming because of an interest in administration! Regardless of that, the requirements of running a farm office can be complex and time consuming.

This workshop will look at the record keeping obligations on farm businesses and how things can be streamlined and simplified.

Topics:

• Legal requirements
• Record keeping for tax and for livestock
• Cloud-based and paper-based systems
• Overcoming barriers to change
• Tips for various bookkeeping programs
• Data security and avoiding fraud.

Presenter: Carmen Quade, AgriFocused

Wodonga

• Location: 1 McKoy Street, West Wodonga
• Date and time: Tuesday 12 September, 10 am to 2 pm

Tatura

• Location: 255 Ferguson Road, Tatura
• Date and time: Wednesday 13 September, 10 am to 2 pm

Swan Hill

• Location: 324 Campbell Street, Swan Hill
• Date and time: Thursday 14 September, 10 am to 2 pm

Register online

More information on the Agriculture Victoria events page or by emailing Tanya Dobrijevic or calling 0484 620 029.

Farming Smarter program: Expressions of Interest open

• Are you ready to start Farming Smarter…not harder?
• Are you making money or just working harder and harder for eroding profits?
• Are you looking for ways to ‘farm smarter’ to improve cash flow and put the fun back in farming?
• Do you want to have better relationships with your farming business partners?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, register now for the Farming Smarter program where you will get to meet other like-minded farmers, be inspired, and create a better work-life balance.

Program trainer and coach: Dr Kristy Howard, Inspiring Excellence

How to get involved

The Farming Smarter program is valued at over $4,500 and has been subsidised by Agriculture Victoria and Meat & Livestock Australia to a per business cost of $1,450 incl. GST (early bird registrations before 24 August) or $1,600 incl. GST for later registrations.

Register your Expression of Interest by completing this form.

More information by emailing Kristy Howard or calling 0400 282 222.

Elmore Field Days

Come along to site 349 and meet the Agriculture Recovery Team at the Elmore Field Days.

Location: 48 Rosaia Road, Elmore

Dates: Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 October

For more information, visit Elmore Field Days.

Seasonal climate update for Victoria

Very Fast Break

The lastest Very Fast Break seasonal climate update for Victoria is now available. It summarises oceanic and atmospheric climate drivers with model predictions for rainfall and temperature for Victoria.

Click here to watch the short video.

The Fast Break: seasonal climate risk information

Volume 18, Issue 7 

To read the full seasonal climate risk information issued on 26 July, visit The Fast Break page on the Agriculture Victoria website. 

On-farm visitor management in your pocket

If you missed the Agriculture Victoria webinar presentation on the benefits of smartphone apps and how they are being used to maintain on-farm safety through visitor management, it's not too late.

Utilising the technology that is in everyone's pocket, these apps are designed to improve workforce communication giving growers a real time ability to be on top of management tasks.

This week's lunchtime webinar discussed the Onside platform, which has been designed specifically for the agriculture industry.

Learn how growers, industry associations and government are using this technology for tracing and responding to on-farm biosecurity risks.

Check out the Horticulture Industry Networks website to view this week's webinar (available early next week) and other webinars in the Future-proofing horticulture in a changing climate series. 

Farm Fitness Checklist

The Farm Fitness Checklist helps farmers assess where their business is at currently, and to identify areas and opportunities to strengthen their farm business.

It covers subjects including people management, skills and training, business planning and financial performance, emergency management, infrastructure, water supply, natural resource management, risk management, succession planning, off-farm activities and more.

Download the Farm Fitness Checklist from the Agriculture Victoria website.

A range of support measures are available for flood and storm-affected farmers. Information about these measures can be found at agriculture.vic.gov.au/floods. For any urgent animal welfare needs, please contact 136 186. 

Technical Information and decision-making support 

Agriculture Victoria is working with Victorian farmers and industry to prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters (including floods and storms) through delivery of technical information and decision-making support services to help farm business recovery including: 

• Grazing, cropping and pasture management
• Irrigation and horticulture system rehabilitation 
• Soil erosion management  
• Land management 
• Animal health and nutrition  
• Farm mapping and planning  
• Water quality
• Weed management.

As of 7 August, Agriculture Victoria has been involved in and supported the delivery of 287 recovery activities, including 139 technical events engaging 2,740 farmers.

These activities provide tangible support and information to farmers recovering from floods and storms in a range of areas including grazing, cropping and pasture management, irrigation and horticulture system rehabilitation, land management, animal health and nutrition, climate and seasonal outlook and pest and weed management.

Farmers are encouraged to contact the Agriculture Recovery team on Phone: 0427 694 185 (Mon-Fri between 8.30 am and 5 pm) or Email recovery@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

Concessional loans of up to $250,000 are available for Primary Producers in the Greater Shepparton City Council and the Yarra Ranges Council local government areas for impacts from the 23 March hailstorm.

Applications close on 14 November 2023.

More information about the 23 March hailstorm support is available on the Rural Finance website or by calling 1800 260 425. 

The Rural Financial Counselling Service offers free and independent financial information, options, decision-making support and referral services to farmers and small, related rural businesses who are in, or at risk of, financial hardship.

A rural financial counsellor can assist farmers to understand, and apply for government support. Call 1300 771 741.

The National Centre for Farmer Health is committed to supporting primary producers whose properties, livestock or crops were damaged or lost in the floods and storms through the delivery of initiatives to boost farmer mental health and wellbeing, including:

• a supportive online community through the #BuildingFarmSpirit social media campaign
• free access to online psychology support delivered by Lysn psychologists
• support for community events providing social connection and mental health promotion opportunities for farmers, farming families and farming communities
• distribution of mental health resources and support information.

Managing stress on the farm

Click to read or download this Managing Stress on the Farm book from the National Centre for Farmer Health website. You can also request free hard copies from the website.

Dealing with a stressful season

Stressful periods like floods, extended wet conditions and associated production losses often result in farmers themselves getting a bit stuck and operating at less than their best.

A key to recovery is to remain as healthy as you can and recognise that experiencing stress following extreme climatic events is normal.

The National Centre for Farmer Health has developed some quick tips to help you on the journey.

It is normal to have strong reactions following a distressing or frightening event and people can experience a range of physical, mental, emotional and behavioural reactions.

There are a number of support services available (listed below) to assist you and your family recover from the strong emotional or physical reactions you may be experiencing.

Are you concerned about your own mental health? Reach out to Lifeline for a safe place to talk on 13 11 14.

Available support includes:

• Your doctor or local community health centre
• A counsellor or psychologist
• Parentline 13 22 89
• Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
• Nurse-On-Call 1300 60 60 24 – for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days)
• Australian Psychological Society Referral Service 1800 333 497.

The Farm Business Resilience Program is jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Victorian Government’s Future Agriculture Skills Capacity Fund.

If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment contact the National Relay Service on 133 677 or relayservice.gov.au

Don't forget to check out Agriculture Victoria's social media sites for up-to-date information and news.