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Thursday 23 October 2025
Drought support available now
Farmers can access financial assistance and support today to help manage during drought.
Our website provides information on available support, including financial counselling, mental health and wellbeing services, and links to other organisations that can help.
You’ll also find practical tools, resources and information to help you plan and manage your feed, water and livestock needs.
Plus, find out about upcoming events in your region and online www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or by calling 136 186.
Is hay the best option for your crop this season?
The following tools can help farmers to make confident, data-driven
To use these calculators visit the following links:
For information on available drought support visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.
Consider distance when transporting livestock for processing
In Australia, livestock often travel many kilometres, in some cases even thousands of kilometres interstate for processing.
This long-distance travel often occurs where producers have long standing contracts that need to be fulfilled or species specific or specialised requirements that can only be met at a particular abattoir.
Agriculture Victoria District Veterinary Officer Cathy Bunter said where transport journeys are projected to be long it’s important to have animals well prepared for the journey in terms of their nutrition, hydration and heat management.
‘It is also essential for producers to introduce their livestock to water troughs prior so they can recognise and be able to drink from troughs both during and at the end of the journey,’ Dr Bunter said.
‘Shorter transport journeys for livestock have many benefits apart from the obvious lower transport costs.’
Dr Bunter said shorter transport distances reduce the risks of injury, disease and death. There is a substantial increase in livestock welfare incidents in stock travelling greater than 400km or undergoing journeys longer than 30 hours.
‘Producers and transporters are reminded the Land Transport Standards are nationally agreed mandatory animal welfare standards and guidelines developed cooperatively by the livestock industries and government.’
Anyone who is preparing livestock for transport or transporting livestock must follow these standards which can be found at Land Transport – Australian Animal Welfare
Dr Bunter said other motivations for shorter transport distances include better meat quality, because less stress means the meat is tenderer and consumer satisfaction is increased. The producer also benefits from heavier carcass results.
‘Regardless of the distance travelled, having animals better prepared to take the journey results in better animal welfare outcomes. This is especially important where livestock are still recovering from the prolonged impacts of drought.’
Listen to the Berries Australia drought support webinar
Did you miss the Berries Australia Victorian drought support webinar for berry growers?
You can now watch the full recording online.
This practical session connects Victorian berry growers with the services, grants, and tools available to manage drought challenges.
Hear from experts at Agriculture Victoria, NexSolutions, Berries Australia Berry Industry Partner Netafim Australia & New Zealand, and Agribusiness Yarra Valley as they cover:
- drought support grants and financial assistance
- farm water management and budgeting tools
- advisory and counselling services for growers
- environmental stewardship planning.
Watch the full recording via their Resource Library (search Victoria Drought) or watch here.
Got chooks? Sign up for Poultry Post
Got chooks? Stay in the loop with Poultry Post.
Whether you keep one chicken or a whole flock, Poultry Post is your go-to newsletter for biosecurity tips, H5 bird flu updates, and expert advice to keep your birds safe.
Together, we can protect Australia’s poultry and wild bird populations.
Monitoring worms essential this spring
Drought conditions over winter may have compromised the condition of sheep and reduced their resistance to internal parasites.
Short pastures and prolonged grazing close to the ground can increase the risk of worm larvae uptake.
Although pasture growth in spring typically lowers susceptibility, it remains essential to stay vigilant—particularly at and after weaning when young animals are most vulnerable.
2024 deer harvest report now available
The Game Management Authority (GMA) has today released the Estimates of the 2024 deer harvest in Victoria report.
Results show an estimated 167,600 deer were harvested in 2024. This is a 22% increase on the estimated 137,100 deer harvested in 2023 and an 83% increase on the long-term average (91,100).
Sambar deer were the most harvested species with an estimated harvest of 128,000 deer, of which 60% were female. Fallow deer were the second most harvested species, with an estimated harvest of 35,400 deer, of which 58% were female.
The number of licenced recreational deer hunters in 2024 was 52,098. The number of deer hunters in Victoria has remained relatively steady since 2023, when there were 52,321 licensed deer hunters.
Of the 52,098 licensed deer hunters, 50% actively hunted in 2024. On average, active deer hunters harvested an estimated 6.4 deer over 13.5 days.
GMA Research Principal, Dr Jason Flesch said the research was based on information gathered from randomly selected licenced deer hunters who voluntarily participated in the phone surveys.
'Throughout 2024, approximately 2,400 licenced deer hunters were surveyed about their hunting activity including how many deer were harvested, where hunting occurred, hunting methods used, and the species of deer harvested.'
'This research helps build a stronger understanding of deer harvest trends and hunting activity in Victoria,' Dr Flesch said.
The report is produced annually by the GMA in collaboration with the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research.
For a full copy of the Estimates of the 2024 deer harvest report, visit gma.vic.gov.au
More drought support
Farm Drought Support Grant
Apply today for a Farm Drought Support Grant to support drought management activities including:
- Stock Containment Areas (SCA)
- reticulated water systems
- irrigation system upgrades
- grain and fodder storage
- internal re-fencing
- feed system upgrades
- pasture/crop restoration
- water carting for livestock and essential business activities.
Eligible primary producers across the state can access up to $5,000 (ex-GST) as a co-contribution grant, while south west Victorian producers can access up to $10,000 (ex-GST).
For program guidelines, a list of eligible drought management activities and to apply visit https://www.ruralfinance.com.au/grants/
Find more information on drought support: agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.
Household Financial Relief Payments
Drought-affected farmers, farming families, farm workers and farming contractors in Victoria’s south west are eligible to apply for payments of up to $1,000 to help with urgent household expenses.
Provided by The Country Women's Association of Victoria. To apply for a payment visit cwaofvic.org.au
Find more information about the Victorian Government’s drought support at: www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.
On-Farm Kangaroo Control Rebate program
Farmers impacted by kangaroos competing for pasture and crops can apply for the On-Farm Kangaroo Control Rebate program.
The program provides rebates for eligible farmers statewide who hold an Authority to Control Wildlife (ATCW) to hire authorised professional harvesters who have accreditation from the Game Management Authority.
Eligible farmers across the state can access up to 3 rebates of $450 each (ex-GST) with a 25% co-contribution to help control kangaroos.
For more information and to apply visit: https://go.vic.gov.au/4eRWVxa
Find more information on drought support: agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.
What's On
Details about these events and more can be found on our website.
Weathering the season - a dinner for farmers in Cobden
Date and time: Friday 24 November from 6:30 - 9:30 pm.
Location: Thommo’s Hotel, 36 Curdie Street, Cobden.
Come and join us for meal and evening of networking and discussion at Thommo’s Hotel.
Supported by Agriculture Victoria, this event will allow farmers to enjoy a meal together and talk about the current season’s challenges. We will have a discussion with local experts on animal health, feed and nutrition.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to come together as a community and support each other through this challenging season. See you there.
Two-course meal provided. Drinks at bar prices. Registration essential.
Farm fire preparedness webinar
Date and time: Monday 27 October from 7 - 8:15 pm
Online and free
Managing the risk of bushfire for your farm is vital. Whether you’re a livestock producer, run a horticulture enterprise, a small landholder, or are new to farming it’s important to prepare for the coming fire season. Join us for this upcoming webinar about Farm Fire Preparedness.
Planning and preparing for the bushfire season includes identifying risks and undertaking tasks to prepare your farm well ahead of the fire season.
In this webinar, Agriculture Victoria’s Kylie Macreadie and will discuss key preparedness activities, tools and templates to help you plan for the fire season. Landholders impacted by recent fires will share their stories of preparing for fire, putting a fire plan into practice and share information on the recovery process.
Topics include:
- preparing farm infrastructure
- farm asset inventories and insurance
- fire preparedness checklists, action plan and map
- planning for impacts and recovery
- updating your Property Identification Code (PIC).
Southern Farming Systems - nitrogen fertiliser use workshop
Growers and industry stakeholders are invited to a free workshop that dives into the key drivers of efficient and profitable use of nitrogen fertilisers in the High Rainfall Zone (HRZ). Learn from leading experts and see precision agriculture in action.
Location: Tatyoon Football Club – 2728 Tatyoon Road, Tatyoon
Date: Tuesday, 28 October from 10 am - 12:30 pm
Open to the public with a free lunch provided
What to expect:
- understand how precision agriculture and variable rate mapping can work for your farm.
- get a clear picture of available tools and the benefits they bring.
- discover how these technologies boost efficiency and productivity.
- live tractor demonstration on-site
Hear from:
- Greta Duff – SFS, Research and Extension Coordinator
- Ben Fleay – Precision Agriculture
- Hayden Crewe – O’Connor’s Ballarat
RIC Webinar – Get ‘RIC Ready'
Date and time: Wednesday 29 October from 12 - 1 pm.
Free online webinar
Get ‘RIC Ready’ Webinar - an essential guide to help farm businesses, trusted advisers and interested stakeholders learn more about RIC loans.
Join our free webinar to understand more about eligibility criteria before applying and what you need to know before you submit an application for an Australian Government low-cost loan delivered by RIC (Regional Investment Corporation).
Boosting livestock performance with eID
Date and time: Friday 7 November from 3 - 5 pm
Join us for a webinar with a focus on the practical implementation and use of eID data to boost farm productivity and reduce methane emissions.
Why should farmers attend?
Sheep eID allows for tracking individual animal performance with precision. By leveraging this data, farmers can unlock new opportunities to increase productivity across the flock and reduce emissions by identifying and managing high-impact animals.
Suitable for farmers just starting with eID or more experienced farmers looking to refine your data strategy.
Bushfire preparation workshop
Date and time: Saturday 8 November, half day workshop. Arrive from 9:10 am for morning tea, workshop runs 9:30 am – 1 pm.
Location: Heritage Fruit Trees, Beaufort Victoria (directions provided on booking).
What we’ll cover:
- choosing and using a basic fire pump
- rooftop sprinkler systems
- managing fuel loads effectively
- how we prepared our property to support firefighters
- how we decided to stay or go
- passive and active measures to boost bushfire readiness.
Your instructors:
- Rob Pelletier – horticulturist and proprietor of Heritage Fruit Trees.
- Kate Blood – horticulturist at Heritage Fruit Trees.
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 us through the National Relay Service at 133 677 or visit the National Relay Service.
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.