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Backing farmers during drought conditions |
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The Victorian Government is backing farmers impacted by drought conditions in Victoria’s south west with a package of support to deliver on-farm infrastructure grants and increase the region’s resilience into the future.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence recently announced the $13.53 million package to help farmers in 11 south west Local Government Areas of Glenelg, Southern Grampians, Warrnambool, Moyne, Corangamite, Colac Otway, Surf Coast, West Wimmera, Ararat, Pyrenees and Golden Plains.
Right now, farmers in Victoria's south west are facing the lowest rainfall on record, which is impacting stock and harvest and putting pressure on feed and water.
That’s why the government will invest $12.1 million to help farmers prepare their properties for increasing dry conditions.
Eligible farmers will receive up to $5,000 as a co-contribution grant to support water infrastructure upgrades to pipes, tanks, troughs, dams, stock containment areas, and grain and fodder storage.
The package also includes a $1.43 million investment in counselling and advice for farmers experiencing financial and emotional distress to help them make informed financial decisions and safeguard their wellbeing.
A dedicated Drought Regional Coordinator will be also appointed to make sure support is reaching people effectively.
The support package builds on the existing support available for farmers to prepare for and respond to drought, including through providers such as the National Centre for Farmer Health, farmer workshops and field days, and a database of practical information on the Agriculture Victoria website.
The Victorian Budget 2024/25 invested $59.8 million to help farmers become drought resilient and develop sustainable irrigation practices – in addition to supporting them to prepare for future droughts in partnership with the Commonwealth Government through the $20.4 million in the Future Drought Fund.
For more information on the Drought Support Package visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons
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The Fast Break - latest edition out now |
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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.
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Save the date for pulse industry showcase |
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Increasing pulse crop profitability will be a key focus of the Wimmera Pulse Agronomy Field Day to be held at Rupanyup on Wednesday 30 October.
Hosted by Agriculture Victoria and supported by Frontier Farming Systems and the Grains Research and Development Cooperation (GRDC), farmers, agronomist and industry are invited to attend the day to hear the latest in breeding and agronomic advances for lentil, chickpea, faba bean and vetch from industry specialists.
Agriculture Victoria Senior Research Agronomist Audrey Delahunty said the key benefit growers will get out of the field day is a first-hand look at the latest locally validated research that will help them maximise their pulse crops production.
‘This is real, in-the-field, practical research that will directly benefit local growers,’ she said.
The event will showcase several new field pea and lentil varieties and include information about herbicide tolerance traits, disease management, frost and heat mitigation and marketing opportunities for pulses.
A panel session focusing on chemical use patterns and managing residues will also be held with industry experts from GRDC and McCullen Consulting.
The free event starts at 9 am and will conclude at midday with a complimentary BBQ lunch.
Tickets are now live and available from Trybooking.
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Avian influenza community information sessions |
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Agriculture Victoria continues to reach out to local communities at our pop-up information stalls.
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Saturday 5 October: Golden Plains Farmers’ Market, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
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Saturday 5 October: Terang Local Market, 9 am – 1 pm.
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Sunday 6 October: Camperdown Rotary Market, 8 am - 1 pm.
To learn more, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/avianinfluenza
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Cutting failed crops for hay or silage |
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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
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The optimal balance between yield and quality comes when cutting a cereal crop at the boot stage
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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
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The quantity of feed increases until early grain fill
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Cereals tend to produce higher hay yields than canola, particularly after flowering.
Canola growth stages
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The optimal balance between yield and quality comes when cutting canola at late flowering
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Metabolisable energy (ME) and protein generally decline after flowering, although ME can rise slightly in canola after flowering
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Canola can lose leaf and pod material faster than cereals. It doesn’t retain leaves as well as cereals later in the season.
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While canola can produce higher quality feed than cereals, it produces lower hay yield after flowering.
Soil moisture levels
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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
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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
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If you need additional support in making the decision, consult with your agronomist.
Check for withholding periods and approval for use
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Before cutting or grazing a failed crop, check chemical labels to ensure any applicable withholding periods have expired
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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
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Record information and be prepared for requests or declarations about chemical history to prospective buyers.
Grazing instead of cutting
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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
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Refer to the Drought Feeding Guides for sheep and cattle for nutritional requirements and further information.
Soil protection
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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
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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
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A simple dry mater calculator is on the Agriculture Victoria website and can be used to determine dry matter
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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
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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
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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.
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Check out our free hay calculator |
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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!
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WorkSafe Victoria - It's never you, until it is |
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“It’s never you, until it is.
Every death on-farm is preventable.
Find safety support for your farm here.
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Dry seasons webinar recordings |
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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:
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Free financial counselling |
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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 visit the website or call 1300 771 741.
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Have you signed up for Newsflash? |
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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:
Subscribe to the BestWool/BestLamb and BetterBeef Newsflash here.
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Apply for new Future Drought Fund grants to support Aussie farmers |
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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
Long-term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Grants.
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Do farmers dream of sheep? |
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You are invited to participate in a study of the sleep health behaviours of farmers and farm workers.
We hope to learn about the risk of undiagnosed sleep apnoea in farmers, how farmers and farm workers prioritise their sleep health, and the barriers and constraints for farmers who wish to seek help for their sleep issues.
FIND OUT MORE AND PARTICIPATE HERE
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Serving solutions at AltProteins 24 this October
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.
READ THE MEDIA RELEASE IN FULL 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.
Five exclusive ice-cream flavours featuring some of Victoria’s premium agricultural produce from across the state have been developed in partnership with Melbourne ice-creamery Billy van Creamy.
READ THE MEDIA RELEASE IN FULL HERE
Solid results continue for Victorian dairy industry
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.
READ THE MEDIA RELEASE IN FULL HERE
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Details about Agriculture Victoria events can now be found in one spot on our website.
Visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/events to find out what's on.
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Breakfast and farm dam discussion |
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Join Agriculture Victoria Land Management Officer Clem Sturmfels for breakfast and a discussion about managing farm dams in a difficult season.
DATES
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Tuesday 8 October – Nangeela
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Wednesday 9 October – Nareen
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Thursday 10 October - Karabeal.
TIME: 8 – 10 am
TOPICS
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rainfall and runoff update
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dam volume calculations
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how long will my water last?
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management strategies.
REGISTRATION ONLINE HERE.
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Farm Business Program: Agriculture Online Short Course |
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The Farm Business 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.
Course details:
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Monday 14 October, 12 to 2 pm - Plan review.
Location: Register online today.
Visit the Agriculture Victoria website for all the program details.
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Webinar on bull selection and soundness |
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Agriculture Victoria invite beef producers to a free webinar about bull selection and soundness.
DATE: Wednesday 9 October
TIME: 12:30 – 1:30 pm
REGISTER ONLINE HERE
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.
The webinar will cover general bull management and describe what a veterinary bull soundness examination involves and discuss the benefits.
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Calm the Farm – creating a happy healthy workplace – Casterton |
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Agriculture Victoria has engaged National Centre for Farmer Health to deliver ‘Calm the Farm’ in Casterton.
Join us for a free interactive and engaging 2-hour workshop that explores ways of reducing work related stress.
Connect with other local farmers as you focus on practical solutions to improve job satisfaction and effectiveness for you and your team.
DATE: 15 October
TIME: 10 am – 12 pm
WHERE: Albion Hotel, 25 Henty Street, Casterton.
Continue the conversation over a meal – on us.
Key focus areas
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understand the main work-related risk factors for farmers’ mental health
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explore how these may be impacting you and your farm business
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develop your own plan to stay on track.
Register here
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Does it make cents to finish lambs? |
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Agriculture Victoria is inviting farmers to 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 Duddy is recognised nationally as a lamb feedlotting specialist and co-developed the Sheep CRC Lamb Feedlot Calculator.He is experienced in all aspects of sheep production, reproduction, nutrition and finishing.
He spent 27 years with NSW DPI in both sheep and wool research and extension roles before establishing his own private sheep consultancy (Sheep Solutions) in 2013.
WEBINAR REGISTER HERE
DATE: Wednesday 16 October
TIME: 12:30 - 1:30 pm.
The sessions will run for about an hour with a chance to answer questions at the end.
Webinars will be recorded and shared with registered participants even if you miss the webinar.
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23 October
9:15 am - 3 pm
Moyston
126 Mint Road
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One of the Wimmera’s favourite events for women in agriculture is returning in October.
After a 10-year hiatus, Chicks in the Sticks is back on October 23 at Grampians Park Station, Moyston.
Low emissions farming is the focus, featuring guest speakers Fiona Conroy, who farms at the Bellarine Peninsula, and Dr Cassandra Schefe, principal scientist for The Cool Soil Initiative.
The free event starts at 9:15 am and finishes at 3 pm. It includes morning tea and lunch. Book here or email bronwyn.bant@wcma.vic.gov.au.
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Enjoying the Grampians Mallee Ag News? Then why not forward to a friend or subscribe yourself.
It's easy – simply click this link.
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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 the National Relay Service on 133 677 or www.relayservice.gov.au
All contact points can be found at: agriculture.vic.gov.au/about-us/contact-us
Don't forget to check out Agriculture Victoria's social media sites for up-to-date information and news.
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