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Thursday 8 October 2026
Locust hatchings continue in Mallee as surveillance moves south
Agriculture Victoria is now conducting surveillance in high-risk areas of the Wimmera catchment.
Agriculture Victoria Incident Controller Lana Russell said the surveillance would start in West Wimmera, Yarriambiack and Hindmarsh shire councils this week in line with predicted hatching timings.
‘During September, monitoring for young locusts occurred in the Mallee region, where we detected hatchings in most areas we expected to.
‘Importantly, we observed locusts at different growth stages at many of the sites, which suggests that eggs were laid over an extended period and that more hatchings may still occur.'
Spraying locusts
Need to spray locusts on your land and wondering how to go about it?
Ground spraying is most effective when locusts are in the hopper stage about 2 weeks after hatching, before they become adults capable of flight.
With an increased risk of higher than usual numbers of locusts this spring, we have put together a directory of available chemical spray contractors to help land managers control locusts before they become a problem.
Ground spraying at the right time can help protect crops and pastures while reducing the likelihood of adult swarms forming later in the season.
Videos show smart yard design makes farms safer
New videos by Agriculture Victoria are helping farmers improve safety in cattle yards, showcasing practical design features to reduce injury and make stock handling easier and more efficient.
The videos --Safe Cattle Yard Design: Key Considerations and Cattle Loading Ramps: Safe Handling -- were filmed at Tintaldra Station in north east Victoria to demonstrate how a safely designed cattle yard functions in real conditions.
Plan ahead for the fire season
Prepare your farm now for the fire season.
As part of your farm fire plan, document your farm assets and review your insurance policies.
Having an up-to-date inventory and insurance cover will make the claims process easier if you need to make a claim after a fire.
Get your copy of the Fire Preparedness Toolkit with tips and templates here: Fire toolkit | Bushfires | Emergency management | Farm management | Agriculture Victoria
Request a hard copy of the toolkit by emailing recovery@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Fast Break Newsletter out now
The Fast Break details oceanic and atmospheric climate driver activity over the last month and summarises 3 month model predictions for the Pacific and Indian oceans, rainfall and temperature for Victoria.
GRDC welcomes new Board directors
The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has welcomed the appointment of 3 new directors to its Board, alongside the reappointment of 4 existing directors.
Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Hon Julie Collins MP, announced the appointments last week. The directors’ 3-year terms began on 1 October 2026.
The new directors include Victorian grain and livestock producer John Bennett, who operates a diversified family farming operation in the west Wimmera; New South Wales’ based Robert Hulme, a fifth-generation farmer who has spent 30 years working in global agribusiness; and West Australian grain grower Brian McAlpine from Latham in the northeastern grainbelt.
Regional Drought Resilience Planning (RDRP) Phase 2 Implementation Grants
The Regional Drought Resilience Planning (RDRP) program focuses on the planning and implementation of resilience and preparedness building action across 9 regions of Victoria.
Plan Coordinators in each region will receive grant funding and be responsible for bringing together stakeholders to collaboratively
Phase 1 focused on developing Regional Drought Resilience Plans for the Barwon, Central Highlands, Gippsland, Goulburn, Great South Coast, Loddon Campaspe, Mallee, Ovens Murray and Wimmera Southern Mallee regions.
Phase 2 (2026-2029) will build on the momentum of Phase 1 with $13.95 million of Implementation Grants to deliver priority actions aligned with the Regional Drought Resilience Plans.
Expressions of Interest are now open for Phase 2 Implementation Grants of up to $1.55 million per region.
Email enquiries: drought.support@agriculture.vic.gov.au
EoI close: 5 pm Monday 23 November.
The RDRP program is funded by the Victorian Government and the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
Investing in regional drought resilience
The Victorian Government is helping regional communities prepare for future drought.
Minister for Agriculture Michaela Settle announced grants are now open for Phase 2 of the Future Drought Fund’s Regional Drought Resilience Planning program, jointly funded with the Federal Government.
Phase 1 delivered Regional Drought Resilience Plans for all nine regions supported by $3.42 million for more than 47 activities to develop those plans.
Nine regions will each have access to up to $1.55 million to deliver local drought resilience projects.
If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife, do not touch them.
Avoid direct contact.
Record what you see.
Report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 or using the online form.
Report clusters of 5 or more sick or dead wild birds of any species, anywhere in Victoria.
Report even 1 sick or dead:
- wild seabird, waterbird, shorebird or bird of prey
- marine mammal (e.g. seal, dolphin).
You can explore confirmed events on our interactive map.
Your report helps us to understand the spread of H5 bird flu across the state. Accurate reports help us respond quickly where necessary.
H5 bird flu information session – Queenscliff
When: Wednesday 21 October, 5:30–7 pm
Where: The Hub, Wirrng Wirrng, 49–55 Hesse Street, Queenscliff
To help keep the community informed following recent bird deaths from the H5 bird flu virus, DEECA will lead a meeting for the Borough community about the H5 bird flu outbreak.
There will be speakers from DEECA and the Borough of Queenscliffe involved in the local response, and an opportunity to ask questions.
No registration is required, and anyone seeking information about H5 bird flu is encouraged to attend. The meeting will also be live streamed.
As we move into the warmer months, support is still available for farmers across Victoria.
Manage current conditions, access practical advice and plan ahead with more confidence with:
- Rural Financial Counselling Service Wellbeing Counsellors - free, confidential wellbeing support alongside its usual financial and business counselling support
- Drought support events – workshops and events across the state supporting farmers in drought and recovery.
To view the full range of financial, technical and wellbeing support available, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or phone 136 186.
Support for farmers and workers in the south west
Drought impacted farming families and workers in the south west are encouraged to access financial support to ease cost-of-living pressures caused by prolonged drought conditions.
Up to $1,000 is available for farmers, farm employees and farm dependent contractors in 11 south west local government areas and parts of the West Wimmera Shire through Household Financial Relief Payments coordinated by the Country Women's Association (CWA).
Support through prolonged drought: Drought Hardship Loan
Pictured: RIC Drought Hardship Loans are available for farm businesses that have managed through at least 24 months of drought and expect further impacts.
The Australian Government has introduced the RIC Drought Hardship Loan to support farm businesses experiencing severe and prolonged drought.
The loan provides up to $250,000 over 5 years, at the RIC’s concessional interest rate (currently 5.18%), with a 2-year repayment holiday, to help farmers manage essential operating costs and improve cash flow during extended dry conditions.
It is available to eligible farm businesses that have managed through at least 24 months of drought and expect further impacts ahead. The loan complements other drought support and can be accessed alongside state programs.
Australian Government drought support: drought.gov.au
Bushfire information
Following a bushfire there is a lot to consider when it comes to caring for livestock and getting your farm back on track.
To assist in making decisions for your on-farm recovery, a range of practical technical information and advice is available on our website.
You can also speak to an Agriculture Recovery team member on 136 186 or by contacting recovery@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Primary Producer Bushfire Recovery Grants and Concessional Loans
Has your farm been impacted by bushfires?
The Victorian Government has measures to support Victorian primary producers affected by the January 2026 bushfires.
You may be eligible for a recovery grant or a concessional loan to help with cleanup, restoration and rebuilding. A full list of eligible activities is included in the program guidelines.
When applying for a grant or loan, it’s important that you don’t self-assess and if you’re unsure of your eligibility, contact Rural Finance with any questions.
Applications are now open and will close at 4 pm on 21 October 2026.
You can check your eligibility via Rural Finance www.ruralfinance.com.au or call them on 1800 260 425 with any questions.
Managing nitrogen and carbon in the long term: Longerenong field day
When: Tuesday 13 October, 9 – 10:35 am
Where: College Avenue (off Longerenong Road), Longerenong
Join us at Longerenong to see one of Australia’s longest-running cropping systems experiments. Hear from leading researchers about how crop rotations, legumes and fertiliser nitrogen affect soil health, nitrogen supply and crop production over the long term. Learn what these results mean for farming systems in the Wimmera.
The field day will feature findings from Agriculture Victoria’s long-term crop rotation and tillage trial, which began in 1998. It will also include recent results from the national Nitrogen Use Efficiency project.
Presentations will be delivered by:
- Dr Katherine Dunsford, Agriculture Victoria
- Dr Kamal Adhikari, Agriculture Victoria
- Professor Roger Armstrong, La Trobe University
Learn about:
- how crop, pasture, green manure and tillage systems affect soil carbon and nitrogen levels over time
- how different rotations and tillage practices have influenced nitrogen supply and crop production during the past 27 years
- how much crop nitrogen comes from fertiliser compared with soil reserves
- the value of fertiliser nitrogen for following crops
- where fertiliser nitrogen can be lost in Wimmera cropping systems
- what the long-term research findings mean for farming systems in the Wimmera today.
This field day offers a chance to view the trial site and discuss the findings with researchers.
Chemical use training for commercial beekeepers
When: 16 and 17 October, 9 am – 5 pm
Where: Melbourne Polytechnic, Fairfield campus
Do you own 20 or more registered beehives? Using chemicals to manage Varroa mite? Become accredited in safe chemical use through Melbourne Polytechnic.
As part of this training program, you may be eligible to be reimbursed up to $200 for the cost of this course.
For more information, email biosecurityservicescentre@agriculture.vic.gov.au
AgriFocus 2026
When: Wednesday 21 October, from 8:30 am
Where: SFS Streatham trial site, 3524 Eurambeen–Streatham Road
Cost: $31 (non-members), free (SFS members)
AgriFocus 2026 is Southern Farming Systems’ premier technical event. AgriFocus is the leading field day for high rainfall zone farming systems, offering farmers and agronomists direct access to cutting-edge research and expert insights.
This year's keynote program includes:
- Tim Neale from DataFarming presenting 'The Autonomous Agronomist', exploring how agriculture can make smarter use of technology and navigate the increasing availability of automation, both now and into the future.
- Oli Le Lievre from Humans of Agriculture presenting Building Farms for the Future, exploring the opportunities and challenges shaping Australian agriculture and the people driving change across the industry.
Across the field, the AgriFocus matrix is packed with practical presentations, proof-of-concept research and the latest information from leading researchers, advisers and industry experts.
Wimmera Pulse Field Day
When: Wednesday 28 October, 9 am – 12 pm
Where: 75 Hempills Road, Minyip
Cost: Free
The Wimmera Pulse Field Day is an annual regional showcase hosted by Agriculture Victoria and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Gain practical insights into current research and how it can be used in on-farm decision making.
Topics will include:
- Pulse agronomy
- Pulse breeding
- Nutrition management
- Nitrogen fixation research
The morning will conclude with a barbecue lunch and an opportunity to network with fellow agronomists, researchers and industry representatives.
This event is free however registrations are essential for catering purposes.
Mental health first aid training
Elmhurst: Thursday 29 October, 9 am – 3 pm
Where: Elmhurst Bush Nursing Centre, 36 Green Street, Elmhurst
Cost: Free
Do you know how to safely respond when someone says they are struggling?
This free course equips participants with skills to recognise and safely respond to mental health concerns. Participants will receive an accredited Certificate of Completion upon meeting requirements.
Mental health first aid is the help you give to someone developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis. This Mental Health First Aid International course will teach you the resources and competence to safely provide support.
Morning tea and lunch provided.
Farm office efficiencies workshop – Colac
Colac: Tuesday 27 October, 8:30 am – 2:30 pm
Where: DEECA Office, 83-85 Gellibrand Street, Colac
Cost: Free
This workshop will help you improve your farm office systems and make better use of your accounting software. Bring your laptop and work through practical examples using your own records or a demonstration program. This workshop covers accounting software skills, including:
- emailing invoices
- attaching statements to line items
- using Hubdoc and Dext
- processing batch payments
- using rules and knowing when they are appropriate
- reconciling accounts
- tracking inventory such as fuel, grain and livestock
- creating and using custom reports.
You will also learn practical ways to better manage emails, receipts, paper records and cloud-based storage.
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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