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Thursday 13 February 2025
Recycled water boost for crop research and green spaces
New water recycling infrastructure in Horsham will help parks and gardens stay green and support Victoria’s world class agricultural research thanks to support from the Victorian Government.
Minister for Water Gayle Tierney and Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence today announced the completion of the $11.8 million Horsham SmartWater and Integrated Water Management project including new water recycling infrastructure at the Horsham Wastewater Treatment Plant providing more recycled water to the region.
Researchers at the Horsham SmartFarm now have access to better quality water for research to irrigate their crops thanks to the installation of a reverse osmosis plant.
The project included construction of a new network of pipes through the city of Horsham, with connections to green spaces such as parks, ovals, the cemetery and the racecourse, providing up to 126 megalitres of recycled water for irrigation per year, reducing the need to use valuable drinking water.
More recycled water allows Agriculture Victoria researchers to conduct field experiments to improve the profitability, productivity and sustainability of crop production. Purified wastewater will be used to irrigate more than 50 hectares of grain, oilseed and legume crops.
Using more diverse sources of water, such as recycled water, ensures a water supply for open spaces during dry spells, delivers environmental and economic benefits, and bolsters the regions' long-term water security.
The two projects were jointly funded by the Victorian and Federal Governments.
Detection of avian influenza at Euroa poultry farm
Agriculture Victoria has confirmed the presence of avian influenza at a poultry property in northern Victoria, which has now been placed into quarantine.
Diagnostic testing performed by the CSIRO Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness at Geelong confirmed high pathogenicity H7N8, which is different from the strains that impacted Victorian, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory poultry farms during 2024, which have been eradicated. The strain detected is also different from the H5N1 avian influenza strain that is impacting the USA and other parts of the world.
Agriculture Victoria staff are on the ground to assist control, support the business and investigate further.
A control order under the Livestock Disease and Control Act 1994 is being established. This will include a restricted area extending approximately 5km around the impacted property and a control area in the eastern portion of the Strathbogie Shire to prevent movements that could spread the virus.
Victoria’s Acting Chief Veterinarian Cameron Bell praised the poultry business for alerting Agriculture Victoria as soon as they suspected the presence of disease in their flock.
‘Avian influenza is commonly spread by wild birds, and unfortunately, despite the business having excellent biosecurity controls in place, poultry have been infected.
'The business has acted quickly to identify the infection within the flock and are working closely with Agriculture Victoria officers to contain the outbreak.' Dr Bell said.
Avian influenza is a viral disease of birds found globally. Virus strains are described as low pathogenicity (LPAI) or high pathogenicity (HPAI).
While cases among humans in direct contact with animals infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses are possible, the current risk to the public remains low.
Every producer should have an on-farm biosecurity plan and know the signs of diseases that could affect their animals.
All poultry and bird owners across Victoria are reminded to follow best biosecurity practices such as keeping poultry sheds, yards, aviaries and equipment clean, and restricting contact between poultry and wild birds.
Bird owners should also ensure their footwear is clean, always wash hands before and after handling birds or eggs and quarantine new birds before integrating with existing ones.
Consumers should not be concerned about eggs and poultry products from the supermarkets, they do not pose a risk and are safe to consume.
Poultry farmers, backyard flock and bird owners are urged to report any cases of unexplained bird deaths to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 or to your local vet.
International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Recently for International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Agriculture Victoria profiled four of the amazing scientists who work for us.
🔬 Dr. Christy Vander Jagt - Senior Researcher, Genomics and Cell Sciences team at AgriBio Bundoora. Leading a project to reduce methane emissions from cows by establishing a breeding value for ‘methane efficiency’ in the Australian dairy industry.
🌍 Anna Weeks - Systems Modeller, Landscape and Water Science team. Exploring key relationships between agricultural productivity and factors like climate, soil, topography, and land use.
🌱 Dr. Sukhjiwan Kaur - Head of Applied Genomics and Predictive Breeding team in Plant Sciences. Developing cutting-edge genomic tools to accelerate crop improvement and make plant breeding faster and more efficient.
🌾 Dr. Audrey Delahunty - Researcher at Mildura and Horsham Smart Farms, Crop Agronomy team. Focusing on improving pulse production with climate-resilient crops like heat-tolerant lentils and new farming methods to diversify and grow the pulse industry.
Moyston workshops — all you need to know about water
Agriculture Victoria in conjunction with a local farmer are running a 2-day water workshop at Moyston in Western Victoria on 18 and 25 March.
The 2-day workshop will cover a broad range of topics from siting and construction of farm dams, planning and designing a water reticulation system, preparing a water plan and the more practical aspects of pipeline installation and construction.
Agriculture Victoria Land Management Extension Officer, Clem Sturmfels said the workshop is suitable for people new to farming as well as those with plenty of farming experience.
‘Whether you are looking at your water options, planning to build a new dam or have signed up for the new East Grampians Rural pipeline this workshop is for you.
‘The workshop will commence at 10 am and run until about 3 pm on both days.
‘Each day will start with presentations and activities in the Moyston Recreation Reserve rooms followed by a farm visit after lunch,’ he said.
Mr Sturmfels said a highlight of the workshop will be a presentation by local farmer Anthony Pola who, with his wife Jane and parents John and Karyn, run a mixed farming enterprise about 10 km north of Moyston.
‘Anthony will discuss their experiences in installing more than 5 km of piping, tanks and troughs across their farm.
‘He will also touch on their experience in siting, designing and constructing a drought reserve dam’ he said.
Register now for the workshops.
Further information on drought and dry seasonal conditions support available can be found online by calling 136 186.
This project is funded by the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by Glenelg Hopkins CMA and Agriculture Victoria.
Maintain ground cover to protect soils
Clem Sturmfels, Land Management Extension Officer
Isolated dust storms recently are a reminder of how fragile some of our soils are.
They are also a good reminder there is still time to prevent this damage by de-stocking more vulnerable areas of the farm. While dust storms contain mostly mineral materials, they also contain significant quantities of organic matter, one of the most valuable components of our soils.
Leaving stock in a paddock for an extra couple of weeks to make use of remaining water supplies can be all it takes to expose the paddock to the risk of wind erosion.
Will emergency services be able to access your property
When a bushfire is likely to impact your property, staying to defend it or preparing to shelter in place can be extremely dangerous.
You must be mentally and physically fit, have all the necessary personal protective equipment, have an ample supply of food and water and an emergency and evacuation kit packed and ready to go.
Prepare an emergency and evacuation kit even if your plan is to leave early.
Apply for an On-Farm Drought Infrastructure grant today
Eligible drought-affected farmers in the south west can now apply for up to $5,000 in co-contribution grants to support establishing on-farm infrastructure such as:
- 💧 water infrastructure upgrades (pipes, tanks, troughs, dams)
- 🐑 stock containment areas
- 🌾 grain and fodder storage.
For more information visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons or call 136 186
Japanese encephalitis virus detected in Goulburn Valley pig herd
Agriculture Victoria can confirm Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus has been detected in a Goulburn Valley pig herd.
JE virus is considered established in mainland Australia and therefore there will be no quarantine or movement restrictions put in place.
Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Sally Salmon stressed that the detection, which is the first in a pig since April 2022, is not unexpected.
AgTech Innovators
Welcome to the third and final season of AgTech Innovators.
The global agrifood innovation system is complex. It’s made up of everything from researchers to entrepreneurs to investors, each a cog in the large AgTech machine.
How do you make sure that that machine is running smoothly?
Justin Ahmed is the Director of Beanstalk, a company that greases those cogs as a food and agriculture innovation advisory and venture builder.
Victorian finalists announced for 2025 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award
Three inspiring Victorian women have been named as finalists for the 2025 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, recognising their leadership, innovation, and contribution to rural industries and communities.
The award celebrates women driving positive change in rural and regional Australia by empowering them with the skills, support, and leadership opportunities to shape their industries and communities.
Now in its 24th year, the award is a nationally recognised program of influence, providing each state and territory winner with a $15,000 Westpac grant, professional development opportunities, and access to a powerful alumni network.
Small scale fixed and mobile abattoir eGuide
A clear and practical eGuide that outlines the necessary steps for people to pursue their own abattoir proposal is now available online.
The eGuide, ‘Small Scale Fixed and Mobile Abattoir guideline’, has been developed to assist farmers, consultants, and planners in navigating the approvals process for establishing on-farm, small scale fixed and mobile abattoirs.
In case you missed it 📰
🍅Victoria's ToBRFV eradication response continues
Agriculture Victoria continues to respond to a recent detection of tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) at a glasshouse tomato facility in northern Victoria.
Media articles
What's On
Details about Agriculture Victoria events can now be found in one spot at agriculture.vic.gov.au/events.
New Year, Recover, Reset and Regenerate! Let’s do a stock take on Finance, Pastures and Livestock and plan towards the autumn break.
Location: RIST Auditorium - 915 Mt Napier Rd Hamilton
Date: 19 Feb, 9 am - 4 pm
Southwest Vic stock water planning
Agriculture Victoria invites farmers and service providers to a webinar commencing at 12.30 pm on Wednesday 19 Feb on to learn more about stock water planning options and potential to expand water availability on their property.
The session will run for about an hour with a chance to answer some questions at the end.
GRDC
Grains Research Update
Location: Ulumbarra Theatre, Gaol Road, Bendigo
Date: 25-26 Feb, 9 am - 4 pm
Grains Research Update - Skipton
Location: Skipton Golf and Bowls Club, 26 Rokewood Skipton Road, Skipton
Date: 27 Feb, 9 am - 1 pm
On-Farm Emissions Action Plan Pilot update
Join our upcoming webinar to hear from our On-Farm Emissions Action Plan pilot team. The team has been working with 250 farm businesses across Victoria to estimate their emissions profile and identify actions to manage and reduce emissions while maintaining productivity.
The team will provide an update and share insights on the emissions pilot and participant Jonathan Jenkin will discuss his experience with the program and how they have used their action plan and knowledge of their emissions to make changes on the farm.
Click here for more information and to stay up to date with our upcoming climate webinars.
Date: 27 February, 12-1 pm
HERD 25
Herd'25 is a biennial conference with a program tailored to attract the herd improvement, genetics and animal performance industry.
Location: All Seasons Resort Hotel, Bendigo
Date: 12-13 Mar
Looking after your livestock, looking after you
Farmers are invited to a one-day workshop to help keep your animals and you going during challenging times.
Locations: Goroke Community Centre, 85-101 Main St, Goroke
North Park Community Sports Centre, Lamont Street, Stawell
Dates: 13 Mar, 9 am - 3 pm (Goroke)
31 Mar, 9 am - 3 pm (Stawell)
Low emissions farming with Cam Nicholson
A free workshop designed to equip farmers with the information and resources they need to track and manage their farm carbon emissions
Register with Wimmera CMA online here or contact Bronwyn Bant at bronwyn.bant@wcma.vic.gov.au
Location: Great Western Hall, 103 Main St, Great Western
Date: 17 Mar, 2-6 pm
Location: Taylors Lake Hall, 2032 Horsham-Lubeck Road, St Helen's Plains
Date: 18 Mar, 1-5 pm
All you need to know about water workshop
Everything you need to know about farm water.
Location: 2 Moyston Great Western Road, Moyston
Dates: 18 Mar and 25 Mar, 10 am - 3 pm
Save the Date - Wimmera Machinery Field Days
Find us in a new location this year in the Moore Pavilion opposite Wimmera CMA.
Agriculture Victoria is working with Victorian farmers and industry to prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters, including fires.
Visit our stand for information on the events, support resources and grants available while catching up with Agriculture Victoria’s grains, seasonal risk and meat and wool staff.
Grab some fire recovery, crop variety disease updates and biosecurity resources.
Location: Moore Pavilion, Wimmera Machinery Field Days Site, Field Days Road Longerenong Vic 3401
Date: 4-6 Mar, 8 am - 5 pm
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
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