In this edition

• Get emergency information in your hands
• Inspiring investment in Victorian AgTech startups
• Beau Vernon at BestWool/BestLamb and BetterBeef
• Shortcutting fruit fly control with dwarf trees
• The latest Fast Break newsletter
• Fox and wild dog bounty
• Applying First Nations’ approaches to agriculture training
• Workshops to support irrigators and designers
• Northern Pacific Seastar
• Adaptive farm courses for grain growing regions
• The Pinches – National Centre for Farmer Health
• In case you missed it
• What's on

Download the VicEmergency app and set up a watch zone to receive up to date information about the avian influenza situation straight to your phone.

VicEmergency is Victoria’s combined source of information and warnings, with everything from fires and floods to shark sightings and earthquakes. It’s handy no matter where you are in the state.

There are currently two Community Information messages about avian influenza – stay informed by downloading the app or visiting www.emergency.vic.gov.au 

Stay up to date on the avian influenza situation HERE

The Victorian government is investing in new tech startups to drive innovation in the agriculture industry and create new technologies that will help farmers improve their efficiency and adapt to new challenges.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence recently announced an additional $1 million for the Hugh Victor McKay Fund – bringing the total value of the fund to $2 million for use in investing in AgTech startups.

Delivered in partnership with LaunchVic, the Hugh Victor McKay fund aims to invest up to $200,000 into at least ten early-stage Victorian AgTech startups over the next year.

Every dollar of funding is matched by two dollars of private investment, which means the fund will aim to activate $6 million in total capital for founders building the future of on-farm technological innovation, productivity and sustainability.

The first two investments from the Hugh Victor McKay Fund include Agrinous, who are rolling out a cloud-based livestock management platform and The Leaf Protein Co, who are developing an alternative plant protein for growers and food manufacturers.

This funding is on top of the government’s $1 million investment the AgTech Grants program announced in May.

A further 20 AgTech grants of $50,000 will be available for eligible startups looking to build their business capability and access dedicated mentoring from startup experts to build their businesses, grow jobs and drive Victoria’s economic growth.

Since 2023 the AgTech Grants Program has awarded grants to 19 startups providing services in supply chain efficiency, farming automation, soil sensing intelligence and pollination management systems, among others.

These programs are part of the Victorian government’s AgTech Regional Innovation Network (AgRIN) which aims to grow a vibrant, globally competitive AgTech ecosystem in Victoria.

To read more about past recipients and to apply for new grants visit launchvic.org

Beau Vernon, former Bass Coast footballer, coach and disability advocate, will be the guest speaker at the upcoming BestWool/BestLamb and BetterBeef dinner on 19 June at The Goods Shed, Ballarat.

Agriculture Victoria Senior Technical Specialist Lyndon Kubeil said Mr Vernon’s story will inspire sheep and beef conference-goers to tackle the challenges facing their farming businesses.

‘Beau became a quadriplegic after a collision during a country football game, yet he didn’t let his disability stop him from making a positive difference to the world around him,’ Mr Kubeil said.

‘People attending the dinner will hear Beau’s life story and his practical advice that shows how a positive mindset, and a team approach is key to overcoming any obstacle.’

Mr Vernon now lives in Queensland and was recently selected to play for the Australian Wheelchair Rugby team at the Paralympics in Paris.

He said he was excited to be invited to speak at the dinner.

‘I understand that the industry has had its fair share of challenges recently and I know from personal experience that through challenge comes great growth.

‘I’m looking forward to providing some ideas and my perspective on how to move forward in the face of these challenges,’ Mr Vernon said.

For BestWool/BestLamb and BetterBeef program and ticket information from the Agriculture Victoria events page.

If you are planning to plant fruit trees this winter, consider dwarf trees as an easier option to protect against fruit fly.

Statewide fruit fly coordinator Cathy Mansfield said dwarf varieties are easier to harvest, easier to cover with insect-proof netting and easier to monitor for pests.

‘It’s particularly important to control fruit fly and other pests and diseases if you live near commercial production areas like the Yarra Valley, Goulburn Murray Valley or Sunraysia,’ she said.

‘For home gardeners, covering fruit trees with netting is the best way to prevent fruit fly.

‘Finding fruit fly on dwarf trees is made easier when you can access fruit below head height and identify the small pin like mark that female Queensland fruit fly make as they lay eggs into the surface.’

Another advantage of dwarf varieties is that a ladder is not required for fruit picking, netting or pruning. In Victoria alone, there are about 1,200 emergency department presentations due to ladder falls at home each year.

Dwarf trees provide other benefits for home gardeners such as greater coverage with insecticides and fungicides, and for renters, the ability to move to the next property when planted in a pot.

Standard varieties of fruit trees require careful pruning to manage vigour and direct energy to fruit. Skillful pruning and thinning is required to ensure gardeners don’t end up with very tall trees and small fruit.

For more information visit the Agriculture Victoria website www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/qff

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

Victoria’s bounty collections resumed on 4 March 2024.

Please continue to check our website for the latest information, collection centres and dates. CLICK HERE

For any assistance, please speak to our bounty collection staff on collection days or call our Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

Future agricultural workers will benefit from a $2 million investment by the Victorian government to support projects that embed Aboriginal traditional knowledge and practices into accredited agriculture TAFE training.

The government’s $2 million garinga djimbayang Grant Program aims to increase cultural knowledge among agriculture students and encourage more First Nations people to consider a career in the agriculture sector.

As the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage, through this Grant Program, Victoria’s Registered Aboriginal Parties will partner with TAFEs to upskill agriculture students enrolled in accredited training with Traditional Owner knowledge and practices.

The program has been designed under the principles of self-determination with input from First Nations people with subject matter expertise through a sub-committee working group of the Yuma Yirramboi Council.

The name of the program was provided by the Dja Dja Wurrung People and directly translates as 'to grow and learn' in Dja Dja Wurrung language.

The garinga djimbayang Grant Program is funded through the $50 million Agricultural College Modernisation Program which has been delivering the agriculture skills of the future and helping more Victorians pursue an exciting career in this diverse industry.

Grants valued between $300,000 and $1,000,000 are now available.

To learn more about the garinga djimbayang Grant Program visit the agriculture.vic.gov.au

Agriculture Victoria is encouraging irrigation farmers to register for two upcoming irrigation workshops at Kerang and Numurkah.

These workshops are specifically for farmers involved with designing and installing new Centre Pivot or Lateral Move (CPLM) systems or aiming to optimise the performance and management of an existing system.

Agriculture Victoria Irrigation Extension Officer Nick O'Halloran said the workshops would cover design considerations to improve efficiency, financial decisions for purchasing and operating a CPLM, critical performance indicators, and much more.

‘These free workshops offer invaluable insights and practical strategies and will be facilitated by Peter Smith from Sapphire Irrigation Consulting,’ Mr O'Halloran said.

'Peter has a sound background in irrigation systems and management and delivers training courses nationally. He is strongly committed to building skills for a resilient irrigation sector.'

Location and session times are as follows:

• Kerang: Tuesday, 25 June and Wednesday 26, 8.30 am – 4 pm each day at Agriculture Victoria, 26 Wellington Street, Kerang. To register, please contact Adam Taylor on 0439 412 366 before Wednesday, 19 June.

• Numurkah: Thursday, 27 June and Friday, 28, 8.30 am – 4 pm each day at the Shamrock Hotel Numurkah. To register, please contact Chris Pollard on 0473 085 873 before Wednesday, 19 June.

Please see the Agriculture Victoria events page for further information.

Northern Pacific seastars collected by volunteers.

Reports of a significant die-off of the Northern Pacific seastar, a highly invasive marine pest, have been confirmed at Carrum in south-eastern Port Phillip Bay.

The increased number of seastars is currently present at Carrum but it has also been reported at Seaford, Frankston, Edithvale and Mount Martha.

Agriculture Victoria Principal Officer Invasive Marine Species, Dr Richard Stafford-Bell, said the Northern Pacific seastar was first detected in Port Phillip Bay in 1995, and by 2000 a significant population of the seastar had established.

‘It is a widespread and well-established marine pest in Port Phillip Bay and cannot be eradicated. There have been dead seastars reported in the area since February 2024, but numbers have increased significantly over the last few months.

‘We would like to highlight the great work of Earthcare St Kilda and the Port Phillip EcoCentre in organising removal events of the Northern Pacific seastar, with over 60,000 removed since February.’

Earthcare St Kilda welcomes volunteers to assist in seastar removal events.

The key features of the Northern Pacific seastar are 5-pointed arms with upturned tips and yellow and purple markings. It is an opportunistic predator that consumes a large variety of prey. In high densities, it can have severe effects on wild and cultured shellfish populations, and on native biodiversity.

Bay users should be aware that marine pests can spread easily to new areas of Victoria through movement of recreational equipment such as boats, kayaks and canoes, and fishing equipment.

Dr Stafford-Bell urged people using marine equipment in the affected area to follow the Check, Clean, Dry method to reduce the risk of spreading marine pests to other marine areas.

‘This is particularly important for people moving any equipment used in Port Phillip Bay to other areas,’ Dr Stafford-Bell said.

Good marine equipment hygiene means:

• Check any equipment and vessels that have been in marine waters for pests.
• Clean the equipment in freshwater.
• Dry the equipment before moving to a new marine location.

He added that Northern Pacific seastars are not poisonous or dangerous to people or domestic animals and asked that beachgoers finding Northern Pacific seastars washed up on the shoreline not to return them to the water.

For more information:

• https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/marine-pests/marine-pest-deck-invasive-species-guide/northern-pacific-seastar
• https://earthcarestkilda.org.au/get-involved/northern-pacific-seastar-removal/

Farmers in northern and western Victoria have the perfect opportunity to prepare their business for the future with several two-day farm business courses coming up with agronomist Dr Kate Burke.

Agriculture Victoria Regional Manager Grains Services Ms Felicity Pritchard said Dr Burke’s ‘Adaptive Skills for Your Farming Future’ courses are suitable for grain and mixed farmers including multi-generational family farms who wish to develop a climate adaptive plan to suit their business goals and seasonal challenges.

‘Dr Burke has extensive experience in crop agronomy and dryland agriculture and her practical farm finance workshops are well-received and popular,’ Ms Pritchard said.

‘Attendees from the courses we held in February told us they enjoyed the interactive and thought-provoking group discussions and left the course eager to review their business plans and implement new milestones.’

Course topics include:

• Key profit drivers and high-level benchmarks
• Income versus cost of production and impact of rotation
• Calculating basic financial benchmarks
• Understanding personal appetite for risk
• Understanding production potential to assess variation in profit
• Managing climate variability and farm financial performance
• Scenario planning for the 2024 and 2025 seasons and beyond.

Course dates and locations:

• 15-16 July, Colbinabbin Hotel, Colbinabbin
• 18-19 July, Bridgewater Recreation Reserve, Bridgewater
• 24-25 July, Brim Sports and Social Club, Brim
• 20-21 August, Goroke Recreation Reserve, Goroke
• 27-28 August, Joel Joel Hall, Joel Joel
• 7-8 September, Skipton Golf and Bowls Club, Skipton.

To book and see full course details visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/events or TryBooking.

These events are delivered through the Farm Business Resilience Program jointly funded by the Australian government Future Drought Fund and the Victorian government Future Agriculture Skills Capacity Fund.

We're often able to carry one or two challenges at a time and carrying a heavy load for short periods may be okay.

But the compounding effect of constant and multiple stresses at once can wear us down and impact not only our livelihoods but also our mental wellbeing.

No matter what our situation, we all feel the impact of external stressors.

While these may be out of our control and frustrating, it’s important to acknowledge them, regain a sense of control through managing what we can and prepare for what lies ahead.

Alongside our social media series, a great resource to look at is our free and very popular Managing Stress on The Farm Booklet (MSOF).

MSOF talks through the common causes of stressors on farms and offers practical ways to deal with them.

We develop interventions to improve the health, wellbeing and safety of Australian farmers, farm workers, farming families and agriculture-dependent communities focusing on prevention and early identification of risk factors associated with farming populations.

Key focus areas include chronic disease prevention and management, mental health, and occupational health and safety.

It includes the Steering Straight plan - an action plan to help you work through challenges and plan activities that help you feel better with practical, useful steps.

You can find this and other support resources here

Boosting winter growth

Most of the state experienced an extremely dry autumn. When rain does fall, soil temperature may become the main factor limiting pasture growth.

Read the full 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.

Future-proofing horticulture in a changing climate with precision weeder technologies.

Join us for a webinar supported by Australian Processing Tomato Research Council and AusVeg-Vic, discussing the advances in weeder technologies. 

Hear a grower’s perspective on how modern weeder technologies utilising lasers, cameras and AI have been implemented on farm to improve efficiencies, plus technical insights from technology providers. 

Register here: https://bit.ly/4b4UOCu

When: Thursday 20 June, 12 to 12:45 pm 

For more information or if you need assistance with registering, please contact Andy Clark on andy.clark@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Agriculture Victoria is running a two-day workshop on centre pivot and lateral move (CPLM) irrigation systems facilitated by Peter Smith, Sapphire Irrigation Consulting.

The workshop is targeted at farmers and service providers involved with the design and installation of CPLM systems or aiming to optimise the performance and management of an existing system.

Participation will be free of charge.

Participants will learn and understand:

• the key design considerations for an efficient CPLM system with uniform application
• the financial considerations associated with the purchase and operation of a CPLM
• planning considerations when installing a CPLM
• the key measures and indicators of CPLM system performance
• technology options including variable application rate, end guns and sprinkler packs
• irrigation scheduling and operation for improved agronomy
• energy efficiency considerations.

Kerang workshop

Dates: Tuesday 25 June and Wednesday 26 June - 8:30 am to 4 pm
Location: Kerang Agriculture Victoria Office
Contact: Adam Taylor - 0439 412 366
RSVP: Wednesday 19 June.

Numurkah workshop

Dates: Thursday 27 June and Friday 28 - 8:30 am to 4 pm
Location: Shamrock Hotel Numurkah
Contact: Chris Pollard - 0473 085 873
RSVP: Wednesday 19 June.

Friday, 21 June, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

Experience Stress-Free Stock Handling at Barnawartha!

Join us for a hands-on session led by the Stock Sense team and expert Stock Handler, Jack Briscoe.

Plus, Trucksafe Director Peter Callanan will talk on common issues around Fit to Load. Learn invaluable techniques to care for your cattle with minimal stress and maximum safety.

Topics Include:

• Stockmanship: Understand livestock behaviour for reduced stress and improved handling.
• Low-Stress Handling Demonstrations: Witness safe handling practices for enhanced yard safety.
• Practical Sessions: Gain special techniques for drenching, vaccination, and ear tagging.
• Biosecurity Insights: Explore vital biosecurity practices and the importance of quarantine.

Don’t miss this free opportunity to boost your stock handling skills and ensure healthier, happier livestock.

Admission is free with lunch provided so registration is essential.

To find out more, or to register, click HERE

For further inquiries, please contact Stock Sense on stocksense@vff.org.au

New to calving? Wanting to learn more? Maybe you just need a quick refresher?

This free webinar is perfect for you.

Get ready for the calving season with a checklist covering everything you need to know.

From when to call a vet to prepping your calving box, we've got you covered.

Join Stock Sense and seasoned expert Rob Bananno, who brings over 30 years of farming and veterinary experience to the table.

Don't miss out on this invaluable session!

DATE: Wednesday 26 June

TIME: 6:30 - 7 pm

REGISTER HERE

Register now – you are invited to join other horticulture growers and apiarists for a free short business course in July in Wangaratta. 

This free Farm Business Resilience course is designed to help you develop the knowledge and skills you need to improve your business and be better equipped to manage the impacts of drought and changing climate.

These sessions will not focus on individual business information e.g. finances, but build and strengthen your business productivity.

Course facilitator: Gavin Beever, Cumbre Consulting with specialists presenting on:

Planning for success, 9 July

• Set plans and direction for your business
• Establish a vision and set goals
• Understand how to better identify and manage risk.

Business success, 10 July

• Profitable decision making
• Key business and finance tools.

Successful people, 11 July  

• Effective people management
• Safety
• Succession planning.

Climate and biosecurity risk, 16 and 17 July

• Climate risk and its impact on your business
• Natural disaster preparedness
• Apiary biosecurity.

Plan review, late July – August

• Refine your vison and goals with group feedback
• Further training opportunities and resources.

To register click here or for more information contact Andy Clark on 0436 804 656.  

The GSSA conference at Bendigo on 17-18 July will offer something for everyone.

The central theme will focus on ‘Evidence Based Decision Making’ and the topics have been built around what farmers need to know.
Delegates will be able to choose from two bus tours.

One to a property north of Bendigo integrating lucerne into a profitable livestock system and one to a higher rainfall perennial pasture property south of Bendigo.

Topics will include:

• Carbon - An informed farmers perspective
• Carbon neutral livestock production - is it possible?
• Soil carbon and fertility
• Measuring and knowing your soil carbon levels
• Old clover identification and sub optimal clover nodulation
• Paddock livestock weighing
• What bugs you?
• Use of drones in agriculture
• Facial livestock recognition
• Remote pasture measurement
• Running lambs on improved varieties of perennial ryegrass vs more persistent Victorian ryegrass - animal responses above yield responses
• N efficiency and endophytes in ryegrass pastures
• Introduction to fertiliser calculator tool.

Click here for more information - 2024 GSSA Annual Conference

The Southern Australia Livestock Research Council (SALRC) is excited to announce their third biennial Livestock Conference with the overarching theme of Environmental challenges and opportunities for Australian livestock industries.

Sessions will include keynote speakers and group workshop activities and cover the following:

• improving land, air and water
• solutions for human capacity
• economic considerations and market impacts.

Click here for more information about the upcoming conference.

If you would like to register for conference updates you can join the mailing list here.

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