No images? Click here
Thursday 20 March 2025
Get set for tussock treatment in the cooler months
Serrated tussock has infested over 250,000 hectares of land in Victoria, and has caused great damage to agriculture and native grasslands. Now is a good time to inspect your property for serrated tussock, with increased plant visibility due to less pasture competition and frost bleaching.
Most parts of Victoria have had a very dry 6 months, which has resulted in serrated tussock standing out from overgrazed pastures. In frost-prone areas, the tussocks are bleached a golden yellow to white colour by frost during late autumn and winter.
The lack of pasture and change in serrated tussock colour makes the plants easier to spot in a paddock, making now a good time to do a survey of your land.
The lack of rains and autumn break in some parts of Victoria has been detrimental to pasture cover and also good for the growth of serrated tussock. Controlling serrated tussock before the plant goes to seed is critical to prevent further spread, lost productivity and increased control requirements.
Serrated tussock (Nassella trichotoma) is a long-lived perennial that can invade poor soils and survive fire, drought and frost. It reduces the productivity of pasture and can create a fire hazard. Its fibre content is so high that stock are unable to digest it.
Seeds are spread by the wind, machinery and also by water and animals. The seed remains viable in the soil for an average of seven years and can dominate if there is no competition from other pasture species.
The good news? There are many options available for the treatment and removal of serrated tussock.
If done regularly and before the infestations are large, it is possible to lessen the impact on our property. Depending on the size of the infestation plants can be removed manually using a hoe or spade, or spot sprayed using a registered herbicide.
Small seedlings recently germinated will appear bright green until they are bleached by frost and will be erect and stand out from the other grasses in a pasture.
The Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party (VSTWP) has a host of information on treatment options and case studies, including videos and information sheets that can be posted or emailed to landowners.
'We are asking landowners to conduct assessments of their properties before spring when the grass starts to flower.
'Serrated tussock flowerheads develop a distinctive purple colour as the seeds ripen in late spring and early summer. During winter you will be able to see the plants easily when they are bleached a lighter colour,' said VSTWP Community Engagement Officer, Ivan Carter.
The VSTWP has developed an online video and information sheets to help landowners identify the noxious weed, which can be viewed at www.serratedtussock.com.
'Serrated tussock is a costly weed to have on your property, especially when it becomes established,' Mr Carter said.
'It is best to check your property for new infestations and treat plants every season before seeding,' he said.
'A mature serrated tussock plant can produce thousands of seeds in a season, blowing up to 20 kilometres from the parent plant.'
For more information, please visit Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party, or contact the VSTWP at info@serratedtussock.com
Pilot program helps farmers beef up carbon capture
Left to right: Paul O’Sullivan, Alison Kelly, Jenny O’Sullivan inspecting Malabar Farm livestock
Agriculture Victoria has partnered with South Gippsland farmers Jenny and Paul O’Sullivan of Malabar Farm near Walkerville to find profitable and sustainable ways to reduce emissions on their sheep and beef properties.
The O’Sullivans participated in Agriculture Victoria’s On-Farm Emissions Action Plan Pilot, a program that helped nearly 250 farmers across the state understand and act on their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The pilot was launched in 2022 under the Victorian Government’s $20 million Agriculture Sector Emissions Reduction Pledge that invested in flagship trials of leading research, and development of tools and services helping farmers to reduce emissions while maintaining productivity and profitability.
Emissions Specialist Alison Kelly worked with the O’Sullivans to develop a customised on-farm emissions action plan to reduce their GHG and sequester and store carbon.
‘Reducing emissions through efficient production and carbon storage is top of mind for farmers in this pilot like the O’Sullivans who are passionate about sustainable agriculture and climate adaptation,’ Mrs Kelly said.
‘Determining the environmental impact of your farm’s production through a process called 'Know Your Number' is now something that governments and the whole supply chain are increasingly demanding.’
As part of the program, Mrs Kelly worked with the O’Sullivans to determine their number, a net farm annual emissions footprint estimate, via an existing Greenhouse Gas Accounting Framework calculator for beef and sheep enterprises.
She said the O’Sullivans tailor-made action plan helped them apply for a government grant to implement some of the opportunities from the plan such as:
- the establishment of a 1.7 km long and 10-metre-wide plantation, which will provide carbon sequestration, biodiversity and livestock shelter benefits
- support to follow up on benchmark soil sampling to monitor changes in soil organic carbon levels across several paddocks and organic treatments using a blend of animal manure and chicken bedding litter.
As well as revegetation and land use improvements, the O’Sullivans continue to reduce their farm GHG emissions with a 7 kW solar power system for their workshop, fences and pumps.
They are also screening their bulls for feed conversion efficiency and hope to learn from feed additive research to see how they can apply benefits to their grazing operation to possibly further reduce emissions.
Recording: On-Farm Emissions Action Plan Pilot update
Watch the recording here.
Password: Climate
Presented by:
- Graeme Anderson, Climate Specialist
- Ralph Behrendt, Senior Specialist, Climate Change
- Alison Kelly, Emissions Specialist
- Jonathan Jenkin, 'Banemore'.
The team provides an update and shares insights on the On-Farm Emissions Action Pilot Plan.
ClimateTech meets AgTech, with Peter Castellas
Now is the time to be bold.
If you’re working in the AgTech sector, now is the time to be brave, as interest from large investors has never been stronger.
That’s the advice of Peter Castellas, CEO of Climate Zeitgeist and founder of the Climate Investor Forum, who joins us for this episode of AgTech Innovators.
In case you missed it
Register now for the latest climate webinar
Implications of climate change on production and water requirements of various horticultural crops in the Victorian Mallee.
Join our upcoming webinar to hear the findings of a recent study into the implications of climate change on production and water requirement of various horticultural crops in the Victorian Mallee.
Climate change is a significant issue facing irrigated horticulture in the Victorian Mallee, with increasing temperatures and a water-constrained environment.
Mallee Regional Irrigation Manager Jeremy Giddings will summarise the key findings and how the results could be used by industry and government.
When: Wednesday 26 March – 12 noon.
This webinar will be recorded and will be available to everyone who registers.
Hort Innovation webinar: From Meals to Munchies
This is your last chance to register for the From Meals to Munchies: Navigating consumer eating and snacking trends in horticulture webinar.
Join the team from Fiftyfive5, who will share the latest consumer trends in eating and snacking, and discover growth opportunities for nuts, fruits and vegetables.
What's on the agenda?
- Out-of-home dining - examine how cost of living pressures have influenced dining-out behaviours.
- Home cooking - uncover weeknight meal choices and opportunities to promote fresh produce.
- Snacking - gain insights into snacking behaviour, how it varies throughout the week, and the role of fresh produce in snacking occasions.
- Generational differences - understand how eating behaviours differ across generations and opportunities to appeal by generation.
Date: Monday 24 March
Time: 11 am – 12 pm
RSVP: Via this Zoom link
Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights into fresh produce.
Save the Date - Farming Stronger Tools for Peak Performance
Join us for Farming Stronger: Tools for Peak Performance, a practical, results-driven workshop designed to give farmers the science-backed strategies used by top performers to sustain energy, manage stress, and optimise their operations - even in the toughest seasons.
When: Tuesday 15 April, 10:30 am - 2:30 pm.
Ellinbank Football Club, Ellinbank Recreation Reserve, Korumburr-Warragul Road, Warragul South
Lunch provided
Keep up to date with GippsDairy's events on their website.
Keep up to date with Gippsland Agricultural Group's events on their website.
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
This newsletter is distributed by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
Were you forwarded this email? Subscribe now.