Thursday 19 June 2025

Drought support

Control Area lifted after successful response to bird flu outbreak

The H7 avian influenza response in Victoria has come to an end. The outbreak, which began in February, affected four commercial poultry properties.

There have been no new cases of H7N8 high pathogenicity bird flu since 24 February 2025.

Disease eradication activities have been successful, allowing Agriculture Victoria to remove quarantine from the infected properties and lift the Control Area that has been in place around Euroa for more than four months.

As a result, there are no longer movement restrictions around the four properties.

This progress is a significant step towards re-establishing Australia’s claim to freedom from high pathogenicity avian influenza.

Victoria’s Acting Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Sally Salmon said the disease was eradicated thanks to the hard work of the poultry industry, local bird owners and the wider community.

'Early reporting from the first affected business meant we could act quickly, and their ongoing co-operation with all elements of the response has been a major factor in achieving eradication,' Dr Salmon said.

Once the affected birds had been removed from the properties, more than 100 people were deployed to clean and disinfect each site.

Dr Salmon also thanked bird owners across the region for their support during the response.

'Thanks to local residents, we visited 350 properties, took 20,600 samples and completed 21,500 tests for the virus,' Dr Salmon said.

'Surveillance is key to gathering the evidence to show that the disease hasn’t spread. We couldn’t have done this without the help of bird and poultry owners.'

Local businesses also played an important role by supporting response staff. Food and fuel, accommodation, cleaning and security services, equipment hire and repair and maintenance supplies were provided to keep the response moving.

Now that the emergency response has concluded, poultry and bird owners across Victoria are reminded to continue to follow good biosecurity practices. This includes:

keeping sheds, yards, aviaries and equipment clean
limiting contact between poultry and wild birds
cleaning footwear and washing hands before and after handling birds or eggs
quarantining new birds before mixing them with others.

Every producer should have a biosecurity plan and know the signs of disease.

If you see unexplained bird deaths, report them to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 or contact your local vet.

Don't sacrifice your perennial pastures

With good rain across most of Victoria, farmers may be looking to return stock to paddocks following months of containment feeding.

Agriculture Victoria Livestock and Land Management Extension Officer Neil James said returning stock too early may result in damage or death of deep-rooted perennials such as phalaris, cocksfoot and fescue.

‘The loss of perennial pasture is primarily caused by over grazing, but when combined with extended dry periods, pasture decline can intensify.

‘Perennial ryegrass, however, rarely survives prolonged dry periods, regardless of grazing pressure.

‘Many pastures are already under stress due to the prolonged dry conditions. Late season rainfall will have triggered some green leaf growth.

Read the full article here

Quick quiz to help evaluate your farm water system

Farmers can use a simple online quiz to evaluate the effectiveness of their farm water supply system – which is available on our website.

Agriculture Victoria Climate Change Service Development Officer Heather Field said the short quiz could help farmers develop a farm water improvement plan for their property.

‘There are 14 questions to help farmers assess their current farm water system,’ Ms Field said.

The quiz is designed to help you assess whether your farm water system is easy to maintain, performs well and is suitable for climate challenges such as warmer, drier climatic conditions, fire risk and other natural disasters such as storm events.

At the end of the quiz, you will receive a score and summary report based on your responses.

‘The quiz is best suited for livestock enterprises that have dams and a reticulated farm water supply system.’

Go to https://go.vic.gov.au/4l4PKDJ and visit the Goals Catalogue to access the quiz. Sign in to our Learning Management System to complete the quiz.

Find more information on drought support and technical decision-making support at https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought

Support for farmers to manage kangaroos on farm land

More support has been announced to help farmers whose agricultural property is impacted by kangaroos.

Farmers will soon be able to apply for rebates to engage professional shooters to control kangaroos under an approved Authority to Control Wildlife (ACTW).

Find out more or apply for an ATCW online, visit Wildlife management and control authorisations | vic.gov.au

To register an interest to be notified when the program is open email: drought.support@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Avian influenza short survey for locals

Thank you for your support.

Avian influenza surveillance in Euroa is now complete.

We’re sending a short survey via SMS to local residents. Your feedback will help.

Please keep an eye out for our message and complete the survey.

SmartFarms to break new ground for soil research

Agriculture Victoria’s soil research capabilities at its Horsham and Tatura SmartFarms have been boosted with a $1.49 million investment from the Australian Government’s National Soil Action Plan (NSAP).

Agriculture Victoria Research Scientist Dr Katherine Dunsford said the ‘Improving soil structure for resilient ecosystems’ project will fund critical research into increasing drought resilience.

‘In Australia soil is the basis for most agriculture, both food and fibre, and directly tied to our food security and economy.

‘This project funding has helped us appoint a dedicated soil physicist Dr Anne Yusuf to our soil physics laboratory facility at the Tatura SmartFarm.

‘Dr Yusuf will apply her soil science, hydrology and ecosystem knowledge to our project and make the most of the technology and facilities available at the soil physics lab and our SmartFarms,’ Dr Dunsford said.

‘Poor soil structure limits rainfall capture and root access to water, shrinking the soil's water bucket.

‘It can also lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions and reduced fertility, resulting in lower plant production and poor environmental outcomes.

‘Soils can have naturally poor structure or as a result of management decisions, such as excessive tillage or trampling by cattle in wet conditions.

‘Our research focuses on understanding how different soil amelioration strategies such as organic materials and gypsum can improve soil structure and soil function,’ she said.

Dr Dunsford said they are looking to expand understanding across a wider range of soil types and industries, particularly grains and dairy.

‘The goal is to guide farmers to effective soil improvement strategies to maintain or boost productivity, enhance drought resilience, and increase environmental services in a changing climate.

NSAP is a 5-year plan under the 20-year National Soil Strategy. The funding aligns to priority actions which aim to improve Australia’s soil health and long-term security.

Learn more about NSAP at agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/farm-food-drought/natural-resources/soils/national-soil-action-plan.

To learn more about our SmartFarms visit Research | About | Agriculture Victoria.

WorkSafe risk warning for silage wrappers

Farm machinery is the leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries on farms.

In-line silage wrappers have many hazards and risks.

There are many contributing factors and recommended ways to control risks, for more information go to Employee killed whilst operating a silage wrapper | WorkSafe Victoria

Catch up on our webinar: Seasonal Outlook Mythbusting

Did you miss our recent webinar? Click below to watch.

Hear Seasonal Risk Agronomist Dale Grey discuss the timing of the autumn break, if summer is really dry - does it have any bearing on the autumn break, why is it so hard to accurately predict the autumn break, current forecasts and what tools are available to help with planning.

Watch here: Webinar Registration - Zoom

In case you missed it

Family with dog walking towards haystack

What's On

Details about these events and more can be found our website.

Wangaratta – Diversifying farm income: boost your farm’s future

The Murray Region Forestry Hub, in partnership with North East and Goulburn Broken CMA's and Wangaratta Rural City Council, is proud to present an informative landholder forum aimed at empowering you with practical and research-backed insights into the benefits of integrating forestry into farming systems.

This free forum will give farmers and landowners factual information about the opportunities for trees on privately owned land, based on federally funded research outcomes from Hubs, Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA), Australian Forest & Wood Innovations (AFWI), and other key industry bodies.

When and where: 27 June, from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm at Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre, 33–37 Ford Street, Wangaratta

Register for the workshop here

Birchip – Season, stubble and soil discussions

Tumpinyeri growers soil biology workshop

Tumpinyeri Growers use regenerative farming practices to grow salad and other vegetables for local markets. They follow agroecological principles and are focused on soil health, and careful water usage including for crop production and to encourage biodiversity.

Tumpinyeri Growers have been working with RMIT University and University of Melbourne on a research project examining soil biological health with a focus on nematodes, bacteria and fungi. This workshop will present a summary of the research findings.

Workshop details

Where: 129 Morgantis Road, Eganstown.

When: Tuesday 1 July from 10 am to 2 pm - lunch will be provided.

This will be an opportunity to hear from scientists about soil biology, soil health, and how management practices influence soil properties, plant growth and healthy production systems.

Presenters will include Josh Williams, Tumpinyeri Growers, Dr Helen Hayden, RMIT University and Dr Reza Ghaderi, University of Melbourne.

Register for the workshop here

Webinar – Talking trees

Trees do a lot more than just take root. Trees on farms improve biodiversity, enhance soils, and sequester carbon all while improving farm productivity and health.

Join Landcare Victoria's next webinar on Thursday, 3 July, to learn more about how trees can benefit your farm while being used to generate additional revenue through agroforestry, carbon farming, or biodiversity markets.

When: Thursday, 3 July

Register for the webinar here

Rochester, St Arnaud and Castlemaine – Know your number, control your future

Join us to learn how understanding your farm’s number can help you improve efficiency, boost soil health and gain access to emerging markets, while providing practical insights to help futureproof your business and maintain profitability.

This free workshop will feature locally relevant strategies and be delivered by people who have practical experience in agriculture. It will equip farmers with the information and resources they need to apply practical strategies that suit the way they farm today.

Rochester: 1 July, Rochester Community House, 43–45 MacKay Street
St Arnaud: 2 July, St Arnaud CFA, 10 Alma Street
Castlemaine: 3 July, Former Tea Rooms, Castlemaine Botanic Gardens, Downes Road.

Presenter Cam Nicholson is an agronomist and has been consulting to the ag industry for 40 years and is a director of consulting business Nicon Rural Services.

Managing on-farm emissions doesn’t mean radical changes to the way you farm. In our region, it’s the opposite. Farmers in north central Victoria can incorporate simple strategies into their existing farming practices and enjoy the benefits of a better ACCU number.

Topics include:

improving soil health
rotational grazing
improving herd efficiency
pasture planting
manure management
and more.

All workshops run from 9:30 am to 2 pm, and a barbecue lunch will be provided.

To register for Rochester

To register for St Arnaud

To register for Castlemaine

Baranduda – Integrated fox management in peri-urban areas

Foxes are one of the most significant threats to native biodiversity, impacting livestock and agricultural production.

Join this free workshop and hear from experts on fox behaviour and best practice control options, focussing on peri-urban areas and collaborative management.

Saturday 19 July from 10 am to 1 pm at Baranduda Community Centre, 3 Sage Ct, Baranduda.

Wodonga Urban Landcare Network is working with Agriculture Victoria to deliver this workshop on managing foxes in our area.

Register for fox workshop here

In good times and bad: Adaptive skills for your farming future

When: 22-23 July, 8:30 am for 9 am start to 3 pm.
Where: Dookie College, 940 Dookie-Nalinga Road, Dookie.

When: 14-15 August, 8:30 am for 9 am start to 3 pm.
Where: Agriculture Victoria, 124 Chiltern Valley Road, Rutherglen.

Livestock and grain producers are invited to participate in a 2-day course for your farm business future. In the course you will develop a plan that will help contribute to your farm’s success.

For further information, contact: Kylie Macreadie Team Leader Land Management, on 0427 052 352 or email kylie.macreadie@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Register on TryBooking

Diversifying farm income

When: 27 June, 9:30 am
Where: Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre

The Murray Region Forestry Hub, in partnership with the North East Catchment Management Authority, Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, and Wangaratta Rural City Council is proud to present a pivotal forum aimed at empowering landholders with practical and research-backed insights into the benefits of integrating forestry into farming systems.

This free event will take place on 27 June in Wangaratta, featuring a range of topics presented by leading specialists.

Register on TryBooking

Irrigation Insights 2025

Irrigation Insights is designed to address the needs of irrigated farm systems offering growers access to information and the latest innovations. The conference program focuses on issues and opportunities for irrigated farm systems.

Event details

Date and time: Tuesday 22 July, 9 am to 4:30 pm

Venue: Rich River Golf Club, Moama

For more info and to register

Setting Strategies for Farm Business Success – St Arnaud

St Arnaud Sporting Club, 26 Dunstan Street, St Arnaud.

The 2 days will discuss and examine areas that make for an effective farm business strategy.

8:30 am – 3 pm, 23 and 24 July.

Topics will cover financials, farm resources, human relationships, setting business goals and the tools and skills that will get you to where you want to go.

Presenters include Gavin Beever from Cumbre Consulting. Dale Grey and Jim Moran representing Ag Vic and Brendan Williams, Managing Director Autonomous Ag, on the latest in AgTech.

Register now