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Thursday 25 September 2025
- Farm Drought Support Grants of up to $5,000 to support on-farm drought management activities like infrastructure improvements, water carting and pasture re-establishment
- expert technical support through the one-on-one farm advisory service
- local workshops and events to connect with other farmers and discuss drought issues and management strategies
- fee and duty relief package to reduce costs linked to biosecurity and food safety regulations and duties.
Find more information about drought support: www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.
RIC Loans
RIC variable interest rate for farm business loans is on hold at 5.18% effective 1 August 2025 until 1 February 2026.
Farmers in tough financial times due to situations outside their control from drought, flood or other natural disasters may be eligible to apply for a RIC loan.
RIC’s AgriStarter Loan is also available for new farm businesses or succession planning to keep family farms in the family.
Farmers can restructure up to 50% of their existing debt to improve cash flow to gain some financial breathing space.
Melbourne Royal Show - 25 September to 5 October
Heading to the Melbourne Royal Show? Swing by the Livestock Pavilion and say hi!
- We're here to talk drought and its impact on farms and communities.
- Learn how to help protect our wildlife from avian influenza (H5N1).
- Plus, fun for the little ones with activity packs and headbands!
See you there!
Find more information about available drought support, visit our website or call 136 186.
Vic Hub project 1 of 5 awarded in national Long-term Trials program
Almond, summer-fruit and pear tree-survival signatures focus of $7.8m project to better manage drought conditions in Australia’s $16.3b horticulture industry
A project to establish tree-survival signatures for water stress in orchards is one of only five nationally to receive funding in Round 2 of the Future Drought Fund (FDF) Long-term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Program.
Through extensive research, the Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (Vic Hub) project will develop guidelines and tools to help Australia’s $16.3 billion horticulture industry better manage drought conditions.
Safe Food Victoria: Help shape the future of food safety
The Victorian Government is cutting red tape and making it easier to get fresh food to Victorian families with a new food safety regulator.
Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas recently announced the new, stronger regulator, Safe Food Victoria – designed to better protect public health and continue to give communities confidence in the safety of their food.
Important information for small berry, melon and leafy vegetable growers
We understand that small horticulture businesses operate differently to larger ones.
To help, we have made sure that relevant information, resources and support are available to help you meet the requirements of the new Food Safety Standards.
Small growers who are not within recognised food safety schemes will complete an online Food Safety Management Statement (FSMS) as part of the registration process. We have created a factsheet to help small growers understand this process.
Learn more here: FSMS Fact Sheet
The Fresh Produce Safety Centre have created one page grower guides to help navigate the requirements of the standards: fpsc-anz.com/food-safety-grower-guides/
We recognise that it may take some time to work through the necessary steps, so our team is here to help. Reach out at food.safety@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Find more information and resources, including a factsheet on water quality testing, on our website.
Watch our webinar: hay or grain?
Don’t despair if you missed our hay or grain webinar with Agriculture Victoria’s agronomists Dale Grey, Dale Boyd and Darryl Pearl, plus Greg Toomey from Nutrien Ag Solutions.
Information about available drought supports can be found at www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or by calling 136 186.
Use the passcode hayorgrain
Embracing CaLD workers in Victoria's dairy industry, with Christine Sebire and Jenny Wilson
Hear how Victoria's dairy industry is embracing Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) workers.
In this Farming Safe and Well episode, Jenny Wilson from the Gardiner Foundation and dairy farmer Christine Sebire share practical strategies for building culturally safe workplaces, supporting CaLD employees, and strengthening community connections.
Listen now to learn how we can all make farming safer and more inclusive.
Apply now: irrigation incentive program
West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority and Agriculture Victoria are pleased to open a new round of farm plan incentives, and for the first time, farmers in Warragul, Thorpdale, Noojee and Perry Bridge and across the entire Lake Wellington Catchment are eligible to apply.
Up to $10,000 per farm is available through the Lake Wellington Irrigation Efficiency Incentive Program to help with the cost of a professionally designed irrigation plan.
Apply now: GRDC Research Scholarship
A GRDC Research Scholarship (GRS) supports PhD candidates in delivering innovative research that:
- addresses constraints in the Australian grain industry; or
- builds opportunities for Australian grain growers to help improve their sustainability and profitability.
Applications close: Wednesday 15 October 2025.
What's On
Spring webinar series
Spring is here, and silage, hay and pasture recovery will be top of mind for many producers.
Join us for a lunchtime webinar series running every Wednesday for 3 weeks, from 12:30 to 1:30 pm.
- October 1: Hay Done Right with Frank Mickan
- October 8: Bounce Back Pastures with Andrew Speirs from Meridian Agriculture
Webinar: Grains biosecurity awareness – spring 2025
When: Tuesday 30 September, 9 to 10 am
Where: online.
As harvest time approaches, growers are looking ahead to the challenges that could affect this year’s crops. While the weather is outside your control, biosecurity is one area where you can take practical steps to protect your farm and your business.
Plant Health Australia (PHA), the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and Grain Producers Australia (GPA) have partnered to deliver a new webinar series focused on biosecurity in the grains industry.
The session will cover:
- key biosecurity threats to grains for spring 2025
- simple steps you can take to reduce risk on your farm
- how biosecurity supports a strong and profitable industry
- who to contact if you see something unusual in your crops
- upcoming activities to help build industry preparedness.
Look Over the Farm Gate: Help a Mate!
Farming families are invited to a series of community BBQs to connect during the drought conditions.
11 am to 2 pm.
- Wednesday 1 October: Trafalgar
- Wednesday 8 October: Neerim South
- Tuesday 14 October: Ellinbank
Winning the blackberry battle
When: Friday 3 October, 11 am - 3 pm
Where: Poowong Football Club, Poowong.
If you have blackberry on your property and you want expert advice on the best ways to manage it, come along to this free event.
Speakers include:
- Dr Robin Air from the Victorian Blackberry Taskforce
- local framer Jackie Checkley
- Katie Robinson and Luke Vinton from Agriculture Victoria.
Weather permitting, there will also be a drone demonstration.
How much water does your farm require?
When: Tuesday 7 October, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Where: The Inlet Hotel, 3-6 The Esplanade, Inverloch.
Come along for a relaxed informal dinner and enjoy a few hours off farm. In this practical interactive workshop led by Agriculture Victoria's Bec Cameron, you will work through the Dairy Shed Water Booklet to comprehensively calculate water use on your farm. On the back of a dry winter and in preparation for summer, the aim is to give you a solid grasp on your water usage and look at water saving options to implement immediately.
Webinar: Protection from farm theft
When: Tuesday, 7 October, 12 to 1 pm
Where: online.
AgVic is hosting a timely webinar on how AgTech and strong biosecurity protocols can protect your farm assets.
Presenters include Grains Industry Officer Darryl Pearl, co-founder of AgCloud Grant Sutton, and a representative from Victoria Police Farm Crime Liaison Group.
The webinar will cover:
- farm theft trends, Victoria Police
- physical security solutions, Grant Sutton
- biosecurity and safety, Darryl Pearl
- question and answer session.
Whether you're looking to make informed decisions or future-proof your farm operations, this session offers practical insights and tools to support your journey in protecting what matters.
Succession Planning Roadshow: Paynesville, Genoa, Buchan, Twin Rivers, Bairnsdale, Orbost and Omeo
'It's all okay... until it's not.'
As part of the Victorian Seniors Festival 2025, NEX and East Gippsland Shire Council are hosting a series of informative workshops on Succession Planning. These sessions are
designed to give attendees clarity and confidence to approach the important and often difficult topic of succession.
Learn why succession planning matters, what options there are and how to start the process.
Paynesville:
When: Tuesday 7 October, 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Where: Service Centre/Library, 55 Esplanade, Paynesville
Genoa:
When: Thursday 9 October, 12 - 2 pm
Where: Genoa Community Hall, Princes Highway, Genoa
Buchan:
When: Tuesday 14 October, 10 am - 12 pm
Where: Neighbourhood House, 6 Centre Road, Buchan
Twin Rivers:
When: Wednesday 15 October, 2:30 - 4:30 pm
Where: Nicholson Hotel, 929 Princes Highway, Twin Rivers
Bairnsdale:
When: Tuesday 21 October, 10 am - 12 pm
Where: GAgG, 345 Bengworden Road, Bairnsdale
Orbost:
When: Wednesday 22 October, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Where: Service Centre/Library, 1 Ruskin Street, Orbost
Omeo:
When: Tuesday 28 October, 4 - 6 pm
Where: Fresh Air Cafe, 199 Day Avenue, Omeo.
Managing biodiversity on your farm
When: Friday 10 October, 10 am - 2 pm
Where: Redmond property, 850 Princes Hwy, Flynn
West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority and the Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network invite you to a farm walk and talk with local ecologist Peter Gannon.
Learn practical ways to protect and enhance biodiversity on your property, and explore exciting opportunities in carbon farming, biodiversity markets, and grants designed to support sustainable land management.
Lunch provided. BYO chair.
Integrated Worm Management for Sheep
Gelantipy:
When: Monday 13 October, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm.
Where: 52 Saleyards Road, Gelantipy.
Swifts Creek:
When: Monday 13 October, 5 - 8 pm
Where: DEECA Office. 13 McMillan Avenue.
Bengworden:
When: Tuesday 14 October, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Where: Gippsland Ag Centre, 345 Bengworden Road.
A 3-year project with the Bairnsdale Bestwool/BestLamb group aims to demonstrate best practice sheep worm management in East Gippsland.
These sessions will outline the various practices important to integrated sheep worm management such as monitoring drench effectiveness, grazing management and breeding for resistance.
Topics
- outcomes of the drench resistance testing undertaken as part of the project.
- importance of quarantine drenching.
- grazing management to reduce worm burdens in your pastures.
- breeding for resistance
- update on demonstration sites in each area.
Waste Not: Getting the most from your dairy effluent
When: Wednesday 15 October, 10 am - 2 pm
Where: Macalister Demonstration Farm
285 Boggy Creek Rd, Riverslea
Dairy effluent is a valuable source of nutrients that can save you money in reduced fertiliser bills.
This workshop will explore different effluent management options, including composting, fermentation and biogas.
- Pros and cons of different systems
- How to get the best out of the organic resources on a dairy farm
- How much extra nutrient is really required on a dairy farm
Make your dairy farm more resource savvy, less reliant on imported nutrients, less exposed to commodity price fluctuations. A much more resilient farming system.
Weed and Pest Workshop on Farm - Flynn and Seaview
- Flynn – Friday 17 October, 10 am to 2 pm
- Seaview – Thursday 30 October, 10 am to 2 pm
Got weed or pest problems? Join the Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network for practical, expert advice from vertebrate control specialist Dominic Bromilow (DeeperGreen) and habitat restoration guru Gez Watt (Native Habitat).
What you’ll get:
- 4 hours with Dominic and Gez (bring photos and questions!)
- Take-home weed and pest management calendars
- Free herbicide dabber to get you started
- Morning tea and lunch provided.
Be Work Ready - Jobs on Farms
- Monday 13 October
- Tuesday 14 October
- Monday 20 October
- Tuesday 21 October
Heyfield Community Resource Centre, 5 George Street, Heyfield.
To book your place, email coordinator@heyfield.net
Keep up to date with GippsDairy's events on their website.
Keep up to date with Gippsland Agricultural Group's events on their website.
Keep up to date with Food & Fibre Gippsland'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 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
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