• Flood and storm information
• Questions to ask before selling carbon
• Goulburn Valley farmer fined for neglected pigs
• More skills for young Victorian farmers
• Young Farmer Scholarship closing soon
• Watch our invasive species videos
• Get expert advice on cattle health
• Livestock Farm Monitoring Project calling for participants
• Farmer feedback sought to improve farm safety
• More skills for more women across Victoria
• Fox and wild dog bounty collection details
• AgVic Talk on all things AgTech and Energy
• Free online training modules for Emergency Animal Disease Awareness
• In case you missed it
• What's on?

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. 

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

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.

Ag recovery newsletter

Farmers and service providers are encouraged to subscribe to the ag recovery digital newsletter to access latest events and information.

Ag recovery events

For information on events and field days across the state please visit the Events page on the Agriculture Victoria website.

Victorian Primary Producer Flood Recovery package

Flood and storm-affected farmers and growers are eligible to apply for financial support via the current flood recovery grants.

Applications for primary producer and rural landholder financial supports related to the October 2022 to 13 January 2023 flood and storm event have been extended to 13 July 2023.

Applications close at 4 pm on Thursday 13 July 2023.

The extension applies to:

1. Primary Producer Recovery Grants: Up to $75,000 grants to support the cost of recovery and get businesses up and running again. Note: This replaces the $10,000 Primary Producer Flood Clean–Up, Relief Grants announced on 19 October. Producers that have received a Primary Producer Flood Clean–Up Relief Grant of $10,000 can now apply for up to a further $65,000 under the Primary Producer Recovery Grant, bringing the total to $75,000.
2. Rural Landholder Grants: Up to $25,000 grants to support the costs of disaster impacts for small-scale producers.
3. Primary Producer Concessional Loans: Up to $250,000 to restore or replace damaged equipment and infrastructure, or to cover short-term business expenses. This loan has been amended to allow primary producers who suffered a significant loss of income as a direct result of the 2022 Victorian floods and storms but who did not suffer direct damage to assets to apply for a concessional loan of up to $100,000.
4. Primary Producer Transport Subsidies: Up to $15,000 to support the transport of emergency fodder or stock drinking water, and the movement of livestock.

To apply for support or for more information, visit the Rural Finance website.

Rural Financial Counselling Service

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.

They can also assist farmers to apply for financial assistance.

To connect with your local service call 1300 771 741 or visit the National Emergency Management Agency

National Centre for Farmer Health: flood response support

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 farmer health trained 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.

More information is available on the National Centre for Farmer Health website.

Have you noticed a lot of commentary about carbon markets in the press recently? 

An emerging carbon offset market offering payments for new carbon sequestered on-farm sounds like an interesting option for farmers hoping to reduce their emissions profile and diversify their business income stream.

To support farmers learn more about getting involved in this market, Agriculture Victoria has developed a list of questions to ask before selling carbon.

The first thing to consider is the reason why you might like to sell sequestered carbon from trees or soils on your property.

Questions include, but are not limited to:

• Does selling carbon fit your long-term property/business goal?
• Might you want to retain your carbon for use in offsetting/insetting against your own farm emissions at some future point?
• Are you prepared to undertake benchmarking, ongoing sampling, and measurement activities to verify carbon stocks?

Participation as a seller of carbon is voluntary, so farmers get to choose if they would like to participate as a seller of carbon into the offsets market.

Some questions to ask include, but are not limited to:

• Will any longer-term covenants be placed on my land?
• What happens if the carbon offset company goes broke?
• Will the carbon offset company require access to my property and if so, how often?

In addition to selling carbon, there are also many other practical ways that farmers can reduce emissions or increase carbon on their farm and the 'Making cent$ of carbon and emissions on-farm' booklet provides practical actions that farm businesses can take now to improve their emissions performance.

If you’re interested in selling carbon, seek independent legal and financial advice to ensure that you are aware of all the considerations and obligations that apply in this developing market. 

For more information visit Agriculture Victoria or the Australian Government – Clean Energy Regulator.

An animal welfare case against a Girgarre farmer has been resolved following a plea in the Shepparton Magistrates Court recently.

Due to a lack of prior criminal history, an early plea of guilty, plus the accused Grant Haydn Smith, being no longer involved in farming pigs and in the process of selling the property and stock, the Magistrate imposed a $3,000.00 fine without conviction, with costs awarded in the sum of $278.38.

Magistrate Burt made a further order pursuant to section 12(1)(a) of POCTA disqualifying the accused from being the owner or person in charge of pigs for a period of two years.

Magistrate Burt did note ‘but for the plea of guilty, I would have imposed a larger fine, in the order of $10,000’ and indicated that she did not impose a conviction because he has stopped working with pigs and this is his first time before the court.

Agriculture Victoria Program Manager Animal Health and Welfare Compliance, Daniel Bode said Mr Smith was the owner and person in charge of approximately 80 pigs in Girgarre in May 2021.

The pigs were confined to the property, which had minimal or no feed available to them, and a large portion of them were in poor body condition. None of the pigs on the property had access to adequate drinking water.

One pig was found with a broken leg that had not been provided any treatment, despite the issuing of Notices to Comply requiring Mr Smith to take specific action, including providing feed and drink.

Mr Smith pleaded guilty to four cruelty charges, one aggravated cruelty charge for the pig with the broken leg and one charge of failing to comply with a Notice issued by Departmental Officers pursuant to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.

Mr Bode said this is a reminder to all livestock producers that animal cruelty will not be tolerated by the Victorian Government or the community.

“If you are responsible for the care of any animal, you have a duty to provide for that animal including ensuring disease or parasites are treated appropriately.”

Anyone wishing to make a specific complaint in regard to the welfare of commercial livestock on Victorian farms can contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or aw.complaint@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Looking to extend your skills?

We’re making it easier than ever for young farmers to learn new skills for their chosen career or retrain to get the job of their dreams.

Even with a previous qualification, Victorians are now eligible for Free TAFE and other government-subsidised courses, giving an additional 2 million Victorians access to more than 500 courses without having to pay full fees.

With free TAFE, you could undertake courses in agriculture, dairy production, horticulture and more without the cost of tuition.

Want to know more? Find the course you’re looking for HERE 

Are you a #youngfarmer looking to take your career to the next level?

Applications for the 2023 Upskill and Invest Young Farmers Scholarships are closing soon.

The program offers scholarships of up to $10,000 to upskill and invest in your career.

To find out more and apply visit Business Victoria.

Applications close Monday 21 May.

Rabbits, foxes and feral pigs pose a major threat to our environment and agricultural production.

Monitoring pest animals before, during and after control efforts using activity plots, remote cameras, spotlighting and other methods can save you time, money and improve pest animal control on your place.

Click here to learn more

Agriculture Victoria is teaming up with RSPCA Victoria to present a webinar about cattle health and biosecurity management.

Keeping Your Cattle Healthy, to be held on Wednesday 10 May from 6 to 7 pm, will provide smaller-scale farmers with important information and practical tips to help ensure their cattle are healthy, productive, and profitable.

The one-hour session will cover a range of topics, including how to manage on-farm biosecurity, assessing and monitoring cattle health and feed requirements.

Brett Davidson from Agriculture Victoria and Rachael Laukart from RSPCA will be presenting at the webinar.

Both presenters have extensive experience in animal management and are passionate about helping Victorian farmers to care for their animals.

“Livestock health and productivity go hand-in-hand, and both are crucial for the success of any farming operation,” Mr Davidson said.

“By implementing good biosecurity measures, all landholders can better protect their cattle and farms from diseases and pests.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with RSPCA Victoria to deliver this webinar and provide practical advice to small scale farmers on how to improve the health and wellbeing of their cattle.”

Ms Laukart said RSPCA Victoria is excited to be working with Agriculture Victoria and sharing their expertise with the community.

“Management of livestock’s ongoing health and welfare requirements are vital to producing high quality agriculture produce.

“It may sound obvious, but productive farms need productive animals, which is why a healthy herd and having the skills to assess and manage your livestock’s health are essential.”

To register your attendance, visit: agriculture.vic.gov.au/events

Spots are now available in a free and trusted sheep and beef farm benchmarking project.

Find out how your farm stacks up against similar businesses across the state by participating in Agriculture Victoria’s Livestock Farm Monitor Project.

All information is treated as highly confidential.

For more information see the project website or contact fmp.Victoria@agriculture.vic.gov.au

The Victorian Farmers Federation’s Making our Farms Safer Project (VFF MOFS) is calling for farmer feedback to gauge the impact of the ‘Making our Farm Families Safer’ campaign, which aims to improve the safety of children on farms.

VFF President Emma Germano is urging farmers to complete a short anonymous survey that will be used to inform future campaigns and help reduce tragedy from striking Victorian farming families.

“We’re asking farmers themselves to do a short survey and let us know what worked as part of the campaign and what they’d like to see in future to assist us in our commitment to improve safety outcomes for children on farms.”

“This campaign couldn’t be more important. Recent figures from Agrifutures Australia reported 55 deaths on farms nation-wide in 2022, demonstrating that we must continue to work towards keeping every family member and employee safe on our farms,” Ms Germano said.

The ‘Making our Farm Families Safer’ campaign, including the Child Safe on Farms handbook, was initiated in response to a Coronial recommendation in 2021 following the death of seven children on farms between 2016 and 2021.

It launched during Farm Safety Week in July 2021 and is primarily aimed at providing information, tools and resources to those caring for children aged 10-15, who are performing farm work tasks.

Since launching, one campaign video featuring the Head of Trauma and Burns Unit at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Dr Warwick Teague was viewed over 55,000 times on YouTube and the guidebook has been downloaded more than 1,000 times per month from the MOFS website.

“We know thousands of people viewed the campaign videos, read case studies and the guidebook. Now we’re asking farmers what they’d like to see in the future,” Ms Germano said.

The two minute survey and can be completed here or by visiting www.makingourfarmssafer.org.au and is open until 23 May.

This initiative was developed by the Victorian Farmers Federation Making Our Farms Safer Project with support from KidSafe Vic, the TAC and FarmSafe Australia.

Looking for a new challenge?

We’re making it easier than ever for women across Victoria to learn new skills for their chosen career or retrain to get the job of their dreams.

Even with a previous qualification, Victorians may now be eligible for free TAFE and other government-subsidised courses, giving an additional 2 million Victorians access to more than 500 courses.

With free TAFE, you could undertake courses in community services, nursing, agriculture, early childhood, construction and more without the cost of tuition.

Want to know more? Find the course you’re looking for HERE

Participants are reminded the Victorian Fox and Wild Dog Bounty is now digital.

Agriculture Victoria introduced the new system last year to streamline the application process, reduce wait times at collection centres and allow participants to keep track of bounty applications.

To register for the digital system visit our bounty homepage and follow the prompts.

For assistance, please chat to our bounty collection staff on collections days or call the Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

Tatura collections

Address: Depot, 255 Ferguson Road, Tatura.

Collection type: Fox only

Time: 11.30 am – 1.30 pm

• Monday, 29 May
• Monday, 26 June
• Monday, 24 July
• Monday, 21 August
• Monday,18 September
• Monday 16 October.

Wodonga collections

Address: 14 Moorefield Park Drive, Wodonga.

Collection type: Fox and wild dog

Time: 9 – 11 am

• Tuesday, 30 May
• Tuesday, 27 June
• Tuesday, 25 July
• Tuesday, 22 August
• Tuesday, 19 September
• Tuesday, 17 October.

Ovens collections

Address: 5338 Great Alpine Road, Ovens.

Collection type: Fox and wild dog

Time: 1.30 – 3.30 pm

• Tuesday, 30 May
• Tuesday, 27 June
• Tuesday, 25 July
• Tuesday, 22 August
• Tuesday, 19 September
• Tuesday, 17 October.

Benalla collections

Address: Depot, 89 Sydney Road, Benalla.

Collection type: Fox only

Time: 10 am – noon

• Wednesday, 31 May
• Wednesday, 28 June
• Wednesday, 26 July
• Wednesday, 23 August
• Wednesday, 20 September
• Wednesday, 18 October.

Mansfield collections

Address: Depot, 128 Highett Street, Mansfield.

Collection type: Fox and wild dog

Time: 2 – 4 pm

• Wednesday, 31 May
• Wednesday, 28 June
• Wednesday, 26 July
• Wednesday, 23 August
• Wednesday, 20 September
• Wednesday, 18 October.

Broadford collections

Address: 5 Mollinson Street, Broadford.

Collection type: Fox only

Time: 10.30 am – 12.30 pm

• Thursday, 1 June
• Thursday, 29 June
• Thursday, 27 July
• Thursday, 24 August
• Thursday, 21 September
• Thursday, 19 October.

Bendigo collections – fox only

Address: Corner Midland Highway and Taylor Street, Epsom.

Time: 10.30 am – 12.30 pm

• Monday, 15 May
• Tuesday, 13 June
• Monday, 10 July
• Monday, 7 August
• Monday, 4 September
• Monday, 2 October
• Monday, 30 October.

AgVic Talk podcast is back for season five, this time talking about the future of Agricultural Technologies (AgTech) and Energy.

From solar-powered poultry farms to on-farm drone trials and the difficulties of connectivity in rural and remote areas, this season covers everything you need to further understand the evolving world of AgTech and Energy.

The series will help farmers learn what AgTech is, what energy solutions are available and how they can use them to improve productivity and efficiency on-farm.

These 14 episodes are the latest in the AgVic Talk series, which began as a pilot in August 2020 to cover contemporary commentary on how members of the agricultural community recover, grow, modernise, protect, and promote Victorian agriculture.

You can subscribe and listen to AgVic Talk wherever you get your podcasts:

• Subscribe to AgVic Talk on Spotify
• Subscribe to Apple podcasts.

Farmers across Victoria are encouraged to complete a series of free online training modules to help them protect their animals from diseases and biosecurity threats.

Agriculture Victoria’s online training modules aim to give farmers an overview of the risk and impacts of an emergency animal disease (EAD) outbreak.

They raise awareness of Foot-and mouth disease and Lumpy skin disease, what a livestock standstill means for the industry and how people can visit farming properties safely.

The four modules include:

• Foot-and-mouth disease awareness
• Lumpy skin disease awareness
• Come clean, stay clean, go clean – when visiting farms
• Livestock standstill for Foot-and-mouth disease.

Each module takes about 15 minutes to complete. To get started, click here.

Victoria’s iconic Helmeted honeyeaters take flight

The Victorian Government is boosting Victoria’s critically endangered Helmeted Honeyeater population, with 20 more birds released into the wild as part of conservation efforts to save the species.

Minister for Environment Ingrid Stitt visited the Yarra Ranges National Park to participate in the wild release of the birds, which are one of the state’s faunal emblems.

Find the media release here

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.

Attention sheep industry - plans are finalising for the Agriculture Victoria 2023 BestWool/BestLamb Conference and dinner to be held in Bendigo on 19-20 June.

The dinner will be celebrating 25 years of BestWool/Best Lamb network, with the conference on the following day. 

Further details will be on our events page HERE

On Saturday 6 May from 10 am to 12 pm at Ruffy.

Hughes Creek Catchment Collaborative are hosting an informative morning on how to improve water quality in dams, how to revegetate dams, reducing greenhouse emissions and water reticulation systems.

Speakers include Dave Smith from ANU Sustainable Farms project and Damien Gerrans from Gecko Clan.

Bookings essential. Please contact vanessa@hccclandcare.net.au to book your place and access the address. Lunch provided.

Agriculture Victoria seasonal risk agronomist and climate specialist Dale Grey will present on this year’s climate outlook and delve into climate drivers’ historic effects on the Goulburn catchments.

Where and when – Wednesday 10 May at the Molesworth Public Hall, 4355 Goulburn Valley Hwy, from 6:30 – 8 pm.

Presenter and topics – Dale Grey, Seasonal Risk Agronomist, will present on the following topics:

• Climate drivers: historic effects on local and catchment rainfall.
• The latest climate outlook, what is the chance of an El Nino?
• The times of the year to pay most notice to climate forecasts.

This is a free event. Catering will be provided. Please RSVP to Toni Dakis for catering purposes.

To register please contact: Toni Dakis, Agriculture Recovery Officer on 0428 975 728 or at toni.dakis@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Landholders are invited to join a webinar that will discuss how a coordinated and prioritised approach can treat invasive weeds and pest animals on public land, where it adjoins private land. 

Invasive weeds and animals have a significant impact on Victoria’s natural environment.  The Good Neighbour Program is run by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) and Parks Victoria (PV).

Each year over 200 Good Neighbour projects are delivered across Victoria targeting Gorse, rabbit, Blackberry, fox, Serrated tussock, Prickly pear, and many other species along the public / private boundary.

Mel Birleson – Good Neighbour Project Officer, DEECA, will present on how the Good Neighbour Program complements your weed and pest control efforts to prevent the spread of invasive species, protect your property, and sustain our natural environmental assets.

Andrew Griffiths – Natural Resources Co-Ordinator from Wodonga Council will outline the importance of determining land tenure, the weeds and pests of concern to Wodonga Council, how to contact your Council and what assistance may be available for pest and weed control on council land to complement work on your property and maintain natural assets.

When: Tuesday 16 May, 7 – 8 pm

Register: https://www.trybooking.com/CHVNU by Monday 15 May.

For further information contact Gervaise Gaunt 0409 027 115 or at healthyhectaresne@wodongalandcare.org.au.

Agriculture Victoria seasonal risk agronomist and climate specialist Dale Grey will present on this year’s climate outlook and delve into climate drivers’ historic effects on the Goulburn Broken catchment.

Where and when

• Rochester: Tuesday 9 May, Rochester Hotel
• Numurkah: Thursday 11 May, Shamrock Hotel, Numurkah

Time: 6.30 – 8 pm

This is a free event. Dinner will be provided at each of the sessions.

Please RSVP at the registration link below for catering purposes.

Presenter Dale Grey, Seasonal Risk Agronomist, will present on the following topics:

• Climate drivers: historic effects on local and catchment rainfall
• The latest climate outlook, what is the chance of an El Nino?
• The times of the year to pay most notice to climate forecasts.

Register HERE

For more information, contact: Tanya Dobrijevic, Agriculture Recovery Officer, at tanya.dobrijevic@agriculture.vic.gov.au

On Saturday 13 May from 9.30 to 11.30 am in Mansfield region.

Up2Us Landcare Alliance is hosting Pat McVeigh who will be identifying different plants in the pasture and explaining why we might be seeing them and options for management.

Booking is essential, the address will be released on booking.

Please wear sturdy shoes and weather appropriate clothing.

Register HERE

Learn how you can maximise pasture productivity and utilisation at this free one-day workshop with leading pasture expert Phil Shannon.

When: Monday 15 May, 9.30 am to 3.30 pm
Where: Harston Hall, Harston

This workshop delivers the latest information on grazing guidelines for main pasture and crop types, providing a practical approach to managing grazing rotation length and daily pasture allocation.

There will be a focus on farm layout and paddock size required for profitable grazing control and consistent feed allocation.

The ‘peg’ system is explained, as this greatly simplifies the challenge of working out where the herd should graze next – and can help with the challenge of establishing a rotation plan when the season breaks and identify the true farm surplus in spring.

Whether you are:

• new to the industry and looking for the latest approach to gain key skills and tools to optimize home grown feed and feed cows profitably 
• an experience farmer looking to check that your current approach is on track and take the opportunity to explore new approaches this program is for you.

The workshop is free and open to all beef farmers.

Free lunch provided.

To register or for more information: Tanya Dobrijevic on 0484 620 029 or at Tanya.Dobrijevic@agriculture.vic.gov.au

On Thursday 18 May from 10 am to 2 pm at Kyabram.

Presenters include:

• Dale Grey – Agriculture Victoria Agronomist, seasonal forecast outlook presentation
• Dale Boyd – Agriculture Victoria Agronomist, how to read and interpret soil moisture probe information
• James Diack – Soils for Life, how to read and interpret observational in paddock testing.

For more information visit: GBCMA Events Calendar

Register HERE

Webinar, Farmers Perspective – taking action to reduce emissions, will be held online on 5 May.

Agriculture Victoria has commenced an On-Farm Emissions Action Plan Pilot as part of its commitment under the Agriculture Sector Emissions Reduction Pledge to provide practical information, tools and services to support farmers understand and reduce emissions.

The team will work with up to 250 farm businesses across Victoria to estimate their on-farm emissions profile and identify potential actions to manage and reduce emissions while maintaining productivity.

In this free webinar we will hear more about the pilot and learn from two of the participating farmers who have begun their journey to understand their emissions profile and taking action to reduce their emissions.

Please register HERE

For more information or registration assistance contact Heather Field on heather.field@agriculture.vic.gov.au or call 0438 391 210.

Agriculture Victoria and RSPCA Victoria are inviting you to attend a free webinar to help the cattle you care for be healthy, productive, and profitable, on 10 May.

Learn how to manage biosecurity on-farm, better assess and monitor your cattle’s health and feed requirements.

Presenters: Both presenters have many years of experience in animal management.

• Rachael Laukart, RSPCA Victoria
• Brett Davidson, Agriculture Victoria.
   

What will be covered:

• Assessing health in cattle
• Body condition scoring
• Manure scoring
• Feeding cattle
• Grazing management
• Feed testing, quality of forage
• Transitioning a diet
• Biosecurity management
• Fit to Load.

Please register HERE

For more information contact Celeste Tai on celeste.x.tai@agriculture.vic.gov.au or call 0499 938 678.

Agriculture Victoria and the City of Greater Bendigo Council are excited to be partnering with sheep vet Dr Monica Dickson for a free seminar on managing worms, animal health and biosecurity for small sheep flocks.

The program is ideally suited to small landholders and artisanal agricultural producers in the Bendigo region and surrounds.

We encourage all small sheep flock owners in the Bendigo area to register for this free seminar to gain valuable information on managing worms and biosecurity planning.

Location: Peppergreen Farm, 44 Thunder St, Bendigo
Date: Wednesday 17 May
Time: 6 – 8 pm

Light dinner will be provided.

Register HERE

If you have any issues registering or further questions about the event, please contact Jennifer Shaw on 0499 684 237 or at jennifer.shaw@agriculture.vic.gov.au

9 am – 2.30 pm, 18 May

Join us for a free, interactive workshop on measuring to manage ewe and lamb body condition and feed requirements.

Topics covered will include:

• Assessing ewe body condition
• Feed on offer assessment
• Ewe feed requirements before and after lambing
• Lamb feed requirements
• Managing ewes to optimising joining and lambing outcomes
• Livestock feeding tools
• When you register for this workshop, you can also register for a free feed quality test, click on the link in your registration email
• Farm Business Resilience program and Flood/storm recovery support packages available from Agriculture Victoria.

Register HERE

For more information contact Kate McCue on kate.mccue@agriculture.vic.gov.au or call 0407 099 793.

Want to hear how two Wimmera Development Association projects are supporting Wimmera farmers to measure and manage their emissions?

Join our webinar on Friday 18 May at 12 pm to explore the findings of the 'Road map to Net Zero Emission Grampians Agriculture Project' and 'Wimmera Broadacre Farming Net Zero Emissions Project'.

For more information and to stay up to date with our upcoming climate webinars click here

Registrations are now open for the Future Drought Fund’s 2023 Science to Practice Forum, 6-8 June 2023.

The annual forum is a showcase of the innovative tools and practices helping Australian farmers and communities respond to a changing climate and prepare for future drought.

Award-winning television journalist and presenter of ABC TV’s Landline, Pip Courtney, will host this year’s online forum and facilitate engaging discussions, with each day focussed on a particular theme:

• Tuesday 6 June – Research and Development: Data-driven projects, stories around research trials and outcomes, future-driven content and content relevant to opportunities under the Future Drought Fund for Natural Resource Management, farming systems groups and research bodies.
• Wednesday 7 June – Farmers, Producers and Agricultural Advisors: Stories of drought and preparing for it, ‘call-to-action’ presentations, content relevant to opportunities under the FDF for producers and their communities, farmer and farm-advisor delivered stories.
• Thursday 8 June – Community and Policy: Community and social projects, including presentations on farmer wellbeing and community resilience in the context of drought, policy discussions and input from FDF network partners.

The forum connects participants to research and activities building the sustainability of Australian agriculture and is an opportunity to collaborate and network with like-minded people.

Register for the 2023 Science to Practice Forum via Eventbrite.

Victorian dairy farmers are invited to join Agriculture Victoria’s upcoming workshops to learn about developing and updating their on-farm biosecurity plan.

Three workshops will be held on 14 and 15 June at Tallangatta, Rochester and Numurkah.

It is critical that dairy producers have an updated on-farm biosecurity plan, to safeguard their businesses, industry and our state from emergency animal diseases and pests.

With many dairy farmers currently active in building or upgrading feeding and housing infrastructure, there are more people than usual, such as contractors, visiting farms.

During these workshops, participants will learn how to understand the emerging biosecurity threats to agriculture, identify potential biosecurity risks, and develop a property specific plan tailored to individual farm needs.

These workshops are being delivered to ensure Victorian dairy farmers are equipped with the information and skills they need to develop an effective on-farm biosecurity plan.

To find out more or to register your interest call or text Richard Smith on 0436 803 765.

Enjoying the Northern Ag News? Then why not forward to a friend or subscribe yourself.

It's easy – simply click this link.