In this edition

• Rural Financial Counselling Service
• Cutting failed crops for hay or silage
• The latest Fast Break Newsletter is out now
• Solid results continue for Victorian dairy industry
• Farmer survey – Do farmers dream of sheep?
• Check out our free hay calculator
• WorkSafe – It's never you until it is
• Apply for new Future Drought Fund grants to support Aussie farmers
• Serving solutions at AltProteins 24 this October
• Have you signed up for Newsflash?
• In case you missed it (ICYMI)
• Dry seasons webinar recordings available here
• Fox and wild dog bounty
• What's on

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 click here or call 1300 771 741.

Michele Jolliffe, Agriculture Victoria Dairy Extension Officer

Crops that fail due to frost, moisture stress or other limiting factors may be cut for silage or hay as an economically viable option. The following key points should be considered as part of your decision-making process.

Often moisture-stressed crops have insufficient dry matter before flowering to cut for hay. Making a timely decision to cut hay can prevent poor quality hay.

Cereal growth stages

• The optimal balance between yield and quality comes when cutting a cereal crop at the boot stage
• Feed quality declines after plants become reproductive and produce more head and stem material, which is less digestible. Metabolisable energy (ME) and protein generally decline after flowering
• The quantity of feed increases until early grain fill
• Cereals tend to produce higher hay yields than canola, particularly after flowering.

Canola growth stages

• The optimal balance between yield and quality comes when cutting canola at late flowering
• Metabolisable energy (ME) and protein generally decline after flowering, although ME can rise slightly in canola after flowering
• Canola can lose leaf and pod material faster than cereals. It doesn’t retain leaves as well as cereals later in the season
• While canola can produce higher quality feed than cereals, it produces lower hay yield after flowering.

Soil moisture levels

• Determine soil moisture levels via tools and soil moisture models. These include soil probe data, SoilWater App, Agriculture Victoria’s soil moisture dashboard and cropping reports
• Alternatively, soil sample to identify plant available water and estimate grain yield potential in line with short term weather forecasts. This will allow you to compare likely gross margins from hay or grain and help you decide if it is feasible to cut a grain crop for hay
• If you need additional support in making the decision, consult with your agronomist.

Check for withholding periods and approval for use

• Before cutting or grazing a failed crop, check chemical labels to ensure any applicable withholding periods have expired
• Ensure the crop hasn’t been sprayed with a chemical carrying a label warning or prohibitive statement that treated crops are not to be grazed or fed to livestock
• Record information and be prepared for requests or declarations about chemical history to prospective buyers.

Grazing instead of cutting

• If you have livestock, it is more cost effective to directly graze the crop in a targeted and planned way, rather than cut it for hay. Refer to the drought feeding guides for sheep and cattle for nutritional requirements and further information.

Soil protection

•  The risk of soil loss from erosion increases when ground cover falls below 50%. Grazing can also increase the risk of erosion

Estimating hay yield

• Ideally, hay crops need at least 2.5 tonnes per hectare (t/ha) of dry matter (DM) to avoid excessive hay harvest losses. This is the measurement for dry matter at ground level, not cutting height
• A simple dry mater calculator is on the Agriculture Victoria website and can be used to determine dry matter
• The less dry matter, the more hay is lost during baling. For example, a NSW study showed 45% of canola hay was lost during harvest at 1.5 t/ha of DM but this dropped to 19% lost at 3.5 t/ha of DM. Hay baling losses will also vary with machinery and experience
• If a crop is unsuitable for baling, it can still provide a high-quality grazing opportunity, as livestock will selectively graze the high-quality parts of the plant
• A simple hay yield calculator is on the Agriculture Victoria website and can be used to compare potential hay yield with grain yield.

For more information about managing during dry seasonal conditions visit agriculture.vic.gov.au or call 136 186.

The latest The Fast Break newsletter is now available.

This newsletter details oceanic and atmospheric climate driver activity over the last month and summarises three-month model predictions for the Pacific and Indian oceans, rainfall and temperature for Victoria.

To subscribe or to view the latest issue click here

A new report has found Victorian dairy farm profits in 2023–24 were above the long-term average for the fifth consecutive year.

The 2023–24 Dairy Farm Monitor is an annual survey tracking 80 dairy farm businesses statewide.

In 2023–2024, average profit was strong at $629,000 or $2.64 per kilograms of milk solids.

The varied seasonal conditions across the state for 2023-24 influenced performance and costs among the regions.

Average milk price fell slightly to $9.64 per kilogram milk solids – a 1% decrease on the previous year’s very high price – while total costs for the 2023–24 period remained stable.

Agriculture Victoria Farm Business Economists Program Manager, Claire Waterman said Dairy Farm Monitor participants produced more milk across the state and increased homegrown feed production for their herds, despite some challenges including dry seasonal conditions in the South West and a slightly lower milk price than last year.

‘We thank the Dairy Farm Monitor project participants for their dedicated support to this initiative, providing such valuable information to industry and government.’

Dairy Farm Monitor is a partnership with Dairy Australia, collecting and analysing financial and production data from dryland and irrigated dairy farms in south-western Victoria, Gippsland and northern Victoria.

Dairy Australia General Manager Research and Innovation, Greg Jarman said the Dairy Farm Monitor Project provides vital insight into the factors affecting the profitability and sustainability of dairy farms.

‘The data and insights gained from the project assist farmers and service providers in decision making and support Dairy Australia and the Victorian Government by providing independent and reliable information to inform investment and resource allocation to priority areas,’ Mr Jarman said.

‘This ensures we maintain our focus on the projects and activities that will have the greatest impact on the long-term profitability and sustainability of the dairy industry.’

The 80 project participants represented a distribution of farm size, feeding systems and herd sizes.

There were approximately 2,768 dairy farm businesses in Victoria that produced 5.3 billion litres or 63% of Australia’s national milk production in 2023–24.

Read the 2023–24 Dairy Farm Monitor report

You can access the survey here

Heard about our hay versus grains calculator?

This tool calculates the gross margin of grain and hay production in dollars per hectare. It helps with deciding whether a crop should be left for harvest or cut for hay.

Just click on this link

Then fill in the white boxes – the grey boxes will automatically calculate it for you. Talk about easy!

It’s never you until it is. Every death on-farm is preventable. Find safety support for your farm HERE

The Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund is looking for eligible Australian organisations to apply for 2 new grant programs.

These programs will trial innovative solutions with the potential to build the agriculture sector, landscapes and communities’ long-term resilience to drought and climate risks, through transformational change.

The $40 million Resilient Landscapes Program focuses on demonstrating how implementing and scaling of practices, technologies or approaches to manage natural resources on farm, builds drought and climate resilience.

The $40.3 million Long-term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Program Round 2 looks at investigating new practices and technologies that will improve productivity in variable weather through evidence-based trials, co-designed with farmers.

Both grant rounds are open to agricultural industries in Australia and will be delivered over six years. Applicants must form consortia, that is 2 or more organisations working together to develop and deliver an eligible project.

Applications close on 19 November 2024.

To learn more about the grants and apply, visit: Resilient Landscapes Grants Program - DAFF and Long-term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Grants - DAFF

Food Frontier’s AltProteins 24 conference, the largest of its kind in the South Hemisphere, themed ‘Serving Solutions: Building Sustainable Food Systems’ returns to Melbourne next week.

Held at the Sofitel on Collins, the 10 October conference will spotlight the latest breakthroughs in alternative proteins from industry leaders across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, USA, Brazil, Sweden, Hong Kong, Singapore, The Netherlands, Germany, and Colombia.

Attendees will witness insightful keynotes, pioneering research presentations, dynamic panels, interactive workshops and networking opportunities designed to inspire and inform.

As lead sponsor of AltProteins 24, the Victorian Government, through support from Agriculture Victoria, Global Victoria and Invest Victoria, will open the day with a dignitary address as well as participate in a plant protein supply chain development session and an export opportunity workshop.

Agriculture Victoria Chief Executive Beth Jones said the conference will help Victorian producers and manufacturers discover where they could capitalise in the alternative proteins sector.

‘Agriculture Victoria recognises the potential of alternative proteins in shaping the future of food production, and the AltProteins 24 Conference is a great platform to discuss the opportunities the sector presents,’ she said.

‘It is not only about building more resilient food systems, but the growth of alternative proteins presents significant economic opportunities, and a chance for us to continue to grow Victorian agriculture.’

Victoria is home to a third of the more than 40 companies spanning across plant-based meats and cellular agriculture in Australia and New Zealand.

Food Frontier’s 2023 industry data revealed the agriculture sector was the largest indirect beneficiary of the economic activity generated from plant-based meat manufacturing, accounting for 21% of total indirect economic contribution and 32% of total indirect employment.

Food Frontier’s Executive Director Dr Simon Eassom said growth in the domestic plant protein ingredient manufacturing industry will increase this contribution.

‘Australia has the potential to grow a world leading plant protein ingredient manufacturing industry, and Agriculture Victoria’s nation-leading pulses research will play a fundamental role capturing this agricultural value addition opportunity for the state.’

‘Join us to hear from the industry’s experts on how ingredients made from Australian grown grains could deliver improved taste, nutrition, and functionality for plant-based foods.’

Visit the AltProteins website to register for conference tickets.

Livestock producers, have you subscribed to the BestWool/BestLamb and BetterBeef Newsflash?

Newsflash is our monthly email newsletter produced by our BetterBeef and BestWool/BestLamb network team. 

Newsflash contains:  

• beef and sheep news 
• technical articles 
• upcoming events 
• BestWool/BestLamb and BetterBeef Network profiles 
• government and industry information. 

Subscribe to the BestWool/BestLamb and BetterBeef Newsflash here.

Cream of the crop: Bringing Victorian produce to a wider audience through ice-cream

Agriculture Victoria and Food + Drink Victoria are introducing more Victorians to more local producers – through ice-cream.

For the full media release click here

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 feedinglivestock.vic.gov.au

Agriculture Victoria dry season and drought support page  Dry seasons and drought support | Farm management | Agriculture Victoria

Soil Moisture monitoring sites can be found HERE

Information on navigating farm developments online tool can be found HERE

An MLA guide to managing breeding ewes in containment can be found HERE

Stock containment areas design webinar can be found HERE

Victoria’s bounty collections continue.

Please continue to check our website for the latest information, collection centres and dates. CLICK HERE

For any assistance, please speak to our bounty collection staff on collection days or call our Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

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.

LOCATION: Echuca Agriculture Victoria 

TIME: 2 days (+1) from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

DATE: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 9, 10 11 October.

COST: $1,200 (plus GST) 2 day course + 1 day audit

Suited to engineers, designers, farm managers, contractors, and sales staff involved in larger scale water supply, agriculture/horticulture and turf irrigation schemes.

The course highlights advanced design techniques for pump and pipeline selection which explores the unique relationship between Hazen and Williams friction coefficients (C) and bore roughness (K), hydraulic optimisation and pumping system energy efficiency.

The course covers electric and diesel-powered pumps. Numerous free issued software APPs assist participants to calculate and fine tune pump and pipeline requirements and empowers them to adapt the course material to their work projects.

With emphasis on Life Cycle Costing (LCC), the course material is invaluable for comparing your designs with others for LCC analysis.

VFD application, including software, internal pipework, valves, filters (for energy efficiency), flowmeters, corrosion prevention, and sustainable energy pumping is included in the course.

Presented by Rob Welke, Water Pumping Institute. Rob has 56 years’ experience in water supply, irrigation pumping and hydraulics and has never sold a pump in his life.

Rob's career has been one of energy efficiency performance monitoring of pumping and irrigation systems, pressure gauge in one hand, portable flow meter in the other.

To register, contact Rob by emailing

The Farm Business Resilience 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.

Agriculture Victoria, in partnership with Cumbre Consultants, is inviting you to join other farmers in a free online short course with specialists on the following topics:

• business planning and risk management
• farm finances and profitable decision making
• managing people on farm, farm safety and wellbeing
• climate adaptation and natural resource improvement including soil, water, crops and pastures.

Course remaining dates:

• Monday 14 October, 12 to 2 pm - Plan review.

Location: Online.

Register here.

Online webinar for dairy farmers with cattle veterinarian and pinkeye researcher Mac Kneipp.

When: Tuesday 8 October, 12 - 1 pm

Register here

Hear from Mac about the current understanding of pinkeye, key preventative strategies and optimising treatment outcomes. Opportunity for Q&A with Mac at the end of the webinar.

Agriculture Victoria invite beef producers to a free webinar about bull selection and soundness.

When: 9 October, 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Where: Online

Fertility is a significant driver of profitability in beef breeding enterprises so join Dr. Craig Wood, pervious president of the Australian Cattle Veterinarians to learn more.

Dr Wood has over 20 years’ experience in large animal veterinary medicine and works with many leading beef studs.

This webinar will cover general bull management and describe what a veterinary bull soundness examination involves and discuss the benefits.

Register here

Beef and sheep producers are invited to join Agriculture Victoria and Precision Agriculture at a field day on precision soil mapping and variable rate fertiliser use in the livestock industry.

This producer demonstration site (PDS) was established in 2021, with funding from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).

The four demonstration sites are on properties owned by members of the Smeaton and Pyrenees BestWool/BestLamb groups. Results and insights from the three-year demonstration will be presented.

Workshop topics include:

• visit one of the project demonstration sites and discuss in field variability of soils and some of the drivers of that variability
• soil variation at the paddock scale
• variable rate spreading
• soil testing and fertility
• economics of precision soil testing and variable rate spreading.

Date: Friday 11 October

Time: 9:30 am – 12 pm

Where:

• 9:30 – Scott Howell’s – 1504 Amphitheatre Road, Mount Lonarch. Register here
• 10:30 – Amphitheatre Rec Reserve, School Street, Amphitheatre. Register here

Free to register. Light refreshments will be provided.

For more information please contact Neil James on 0417 353 929 or at neil.james@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Does it make cents to finish lambs? Join us for a webinar about finishing lambs in a tight season.

Presenter Geoff Duddy will use examples to assist with decision-making around finishing lambs on grain vs selling as stores.
Geoff is experienced in all aspects of sheep production, reproduction, nutrition and finishing. 

Wednesday, 16 October, 12:30 - 1:30 pm, via Zoom 

The sessions will run for about an hour with a chance to answer questions at the end.

To register click here

#FutureDroughtFund #FarmBusinessResilience

Cyber security in agriculture event at Wangaratta – Tuesday 15 October.

As part of our regional community, we know you understand the importance of cyber security and being safe online.

AgBiz Assist is excited to invite you to purchase your tickets for our upcoming event, Cyber Security in Agriculture, which will be held in Wangaratta.

This event has three segments – cyber security workshops, an expo of tech and service providers, and a formal dinner with keynote speaker Darren Kane, Chief Security Officer, NBN Co.

You will learn vital cyber security information to protect yourself and your business.

The workshops offer relevant and essential tools to increase your digital awareness, address potential threats, and educate you on risk management planning, overall security, and protection of your data.

The expo is designed to showcase local digital support, regional service providers, and ag tech.

Our formal dinner is an excellent opportunity for you to connect and build relationships within your local networks, and the opportunity to hear from Cyber Security expert regarding online resilience and more.

• Cyber security workshops and expo $20.00 per person
• Agricultural dinner and expo $30.00 per person
• All segments – workshops, expo and Dinner (discount) $45.00 per person (RRP $112)

Don’t miss out, numbers are capped.

Secure your tickets now via this event link

A Little Bit of Relief – Agricultural Expo is an event to support farmers.

Held from 10am – 3pm on Friday, 18 October at Dederang Recreation Reserve.

This free event features presentations and demonstrations by a range of known and respected industry professionals.

For more information click here

Join us to understand the potential impacts of Fall armyworm in a changing climate for horticulture and grain crops.

Farmers, employees and agronomists are encouraged to attend this free information session for an in-depth understanding of Fall armyworm risk. 

Date: Wednesday, 23 October
Time: 9 to 11 am, morning tea is included.

This free information session will include:

• AUSVEG Onside Project
• RapidAim pilot
• QLD FAW update
• FAW identification (hands on)
• status of insecticide resistance in FAW
• crop monitoring and management of FAW
• Q&A session.

Location: Agriculture Victoria SmartFarm Tatura, 255 Ferguson Road, Tatura.

Register here

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