What's On

• Upcoming events

What's New

• myMLA
• On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme Round 2
• Building farm business resilience for future success
• Farm Safety Creative Competition

BestWool/BestLamb

• Time to cast your vote for wool's future

BetterBeef

• Technote: Bringing new bulls home from the bull sale

Beef and Sheep News

• Upper Murray Young Farmer Business Bootcamp EOI
• Feeding Livestock - pasture predictions
• eLearn
• Campfire - Connecting farmers to prevent workplace mental health risks

Ag Recovery

• Recovery After Fire: Practical Steps for Farmers
• Supporting landholders impacted by fires and floods across Victoria
• Financial and business support
• Regional weather and climate guides
• Recovery After Storms and Floods: Support for Primary Producers

Quick Links

• Links to Feeding Livestock website, AWI, MLA, The Fast Break, Rural Financial Counselling Service and more

PLEASE NOTE: The events listed below may be subject to last minute cancellation in the event of an emergency or advice from Victoria’s Chief Health Officer.

[Back to Top]

myMLA is the gateway to accessing a range of MLA products and services and personalised, relevant content that’s unique to each user, based on their pre-determined preferences.

The main features of myMLA are:

• a new easy-access catalogue to MLA’s range of products and services - including eNVDs, NVDs, LPA accreditation and subscriptions to Sheep Genetics.
• a single sign on facility to your NLIS, LPA, NVDs, LDL and MSA accounts
• a localised seven day weather forecast
• customised market information based on your livestock species and location
• local events
• industry news.

For more information visit the MLA website

[Back to Top]

If you’re a drought-affected farmer living in the East Gippsland and Wellington local government areas, you may be eligible to apply for the On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme.

The $1.7 million Scheme is funded by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and Agriculture Victoria, and provides a one-off 25 per cent rebate for the cost of purchase, delivery and/or professional installation of on-farm water infrastructure.

A rebate of up to $25,000 (GST exclusive) is available per farm business. 

The scheme is open until the funds are fully allocated during the 2021–22 financial year. 

Apply for the On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme via the Rural Finance website.

[Back to Top]

Are you a Victorian livestock or mixed farmer? Do you want to develop or refresh your farm business plan to take your business to the next level? Are you interested in improving your skills in risk management, business and succession planning, and the management of natural resources for improved productivity?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, Agriculture Victoria’s new Farm Business Resilience program may be the program for you and/or the farmer groups you’re involved in.

Agriculture Victoria Project Leader Kit Duncan-Jones said while Victorian farmers successfully manage uncertainty and complexity every day, the business of farming is becoming more challenging as farmers face significant risks, such as future droughts, natural disasters, market uncertainty and other industry challenges.

“The program will support farmers to adapt to a changing climate and strengthen their farm business’s resilience to withstand future shocks and challenges.

“Farmers will be supported by Agriculture Victoria staff and a professional Farm Management Consultant to develop a strategic Farm Business Plan which will assist them to take actions to effectively manage risk and take advantage of opportunities available to them to grow their businesses.

“If you’re a farmer who wants to put your plans on paper and commit your time to strengthen your knowledge and skills, this program will assist you to set up your farm for success now and for your family into the future,” Mr Duncan-Jones said.

The program is being delivered between now and June 2022.

Farmers will have access to a Farm Business Resilience Resource Library during and after the program. The digital library contains program worksheets, presentation materials, videos, podcasts, eLearns and useful websites.

The Farm Business Resilience program is jointly funded by the Australian Government and Victorian Government through the Future Drought Fund.

To register your interest in participating in the online program, please complete this short survey.

For more information or to register your interest please contact Kit Duncan-Jones on 0427 749 466 or kit.duncan-jones@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Further information about the program and the Future Drought Fund can also be found on the Agriculture Victoria website

[Back to Top]

The Farm Safety Creative Competition is encouraging kids to think about solutions to farm safety issues.

The theme for this year’s competition ‘Think Farm Safe, Be Farm Safe,’ teaches children to stop and think about the potential injury risks on farms and to ensure that safety is always front of mind in the farm environment.

The competition provides children with the opportunity to take an active role in investigating farm safety issues, empowering them to become part of the solution. Participants can submit a video they have created, an illustrated story, poster or collage, a radio advertisement, or an invention.

There are great prizes available, and the winning entries will feature in a state-wide farm safety education campaign designed to increase farm safety awareness among Victorian parents and carers.

Common injury hazards for children on farms include vehicles such as quad bikes, motorbikes and tractors, accidents involving animals, water hazards, machinery and poisons.

The Farm Safety in Schools Creative Competition is funded through Agriculture Victoria’s Smarter, Safer Farms program a $20 million initiative to improve safety outcomes for Victorian farmers, their families, farm workers and visitors.

For more information on the Farm Safety Creative Competition and to access other farm safety learning resources, visit Kidsafe Victoria.  Entries are open until 5 November 2021.

Voting for WoolPoll 2021 is open!

WoolPoll is open to all wool growers … Merino producers, mixed farmers or those who only run sheep as seasons allow. If you’ve paid at least $100 in wool levies over the last three years, you’re eligible to vote in WoolPoll 2021.

Held every three years, WoolPoll is a voluntary vote of all wool levy payers through which the industry decides on its levy rate for investment in the research, development and marketing activities conducted on behalf of wool growers by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI).

Growers are being given up to five options of levy rate to support and can vote for one or more levy rates in order of preference through the independent poll. The options growers can vote on as their preferred levy rate are 0 per cent, 1 per cent, 1.5 per cent, 2 per cent and 2.5 per cent.

This year’s WoolPoll will feature a supplementary question which will ask woolgrowers whether they want a five-year WoolPoll cycle, or if they want to remain with the current three-year voting cycle.  

Voting can be conducted either online at WoolPoll website or via email, fax or post.

For more information, call the voter helpline on 1800 990 365.

[Back to Top]

Cathy Mulligan, Queenscliff

With the bull sale season upon us, it's time to plan for a smooth transition when you bring your new bull home. Whether you purchase one or several new bulls, it's worth considering what you can do to ensure your new investment gets off to a favourable start and reaches his full breeding potential.

Read the full article online.

Visit the Agriculture Victoria website for more resources and articles like this.

[Back to Top]

A two-day course introducing farm business management skills

Agriculture Victoria is calling for Expressions of Interest for a Young Farmer Business Bootcamp to be held next year, following full bookings for the Upper Murray bootcamp to be held this October.

The free, two-day business bootcamp targets the Upper Murray’s young producers or those new to managing a farm business and wanting to establish a long and successful career in beef, sheep, or mixed farming enterprises.

Agriculture Recovery Manager Kylie Macreadie said this bootcamp will help farmers to understand and manage business risk, develop a business plan to grow their business and have confidence in a future in agriculture for them.

These fun and interactive bootcamps use a series of farm case studies as real-life examples, providing participants with the skills to help them manage their farm business now, as well as planning for their business into the future. They are also an opportunity for young and emerging farm managers to get together with like-minded and motivated people in a social setting.

The Upper Murray bootcamp will be delivered by Paul Blackshaw, Farm Business Advisor with Meridian Agriculture.

TOPICS

Workshop participants can expect to walk away with:

• cash flow budgeting skills,
• a strong understanding of risk management and planning,
• plus fine-tuning their business goals.

PRESENTERS

Paul Blackshaw - A farm business advisor with Meridian Agriculture based in Rutherglen in North East Victoria, Paul provides services in farm financial analysis, benchmarking, farm business performance, and succession planning. Paul previously worked as a Farm Business Economist for Agriculture Victoria, delivering the Livestock Farm Monitor Project, and as a Rural Financial Counsellor.

Cost:    free

Registration: “FULLY BOOKED” If you missed out on the October bootcamp, we are taking further Expressions of Interest for another bootcamp next year.

Register your Expression of Interest here at Eventbrite

Contact: Paul Simpson, Agriculture Recovery Extension Officer, email, mobile 0428 975 728

The Local Economic Recovery “On Farm Recovery Support Services” project is jointly funded by the Victorian Government and Commonwealth Government under the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

[Back to Top]

As part of a Producer Demonstration Site, predictions for pasture growth this spring are available for sites in central and south west Victoria, on the website. The predictions are modelled using soil moisture probe information from 1 September and the seasonal forecast for sites in south west Victoria (Harrow, Coojar and Dartmoor) and central Victoria (Baynton). 

These will be updated in early October. This project is co-funded by Meat and Livestock Australia.

For more information visit the Feeding Livestock website.

[Back to Top]

A selection of online courses that can be undertaken at your own pace, at any time and from anywhere with an internet connection.
The Victorian Government understands that life can get busy, and it isn’t always possible to attend courses in person.

eLearning provides an accessible and flexible option for learning and expanding your knowledge.

It enables you to enhance your skills without having to attend an event or workshop in person which could be a significant distance from home, or difficult to complete due to time constraints.

To access courses, you will need to create an account.

This will allow you full access to the courses and it will track your progress as you move through them.

Browse the range of courses that can be undertaken at your own pace, at any time and from anywhere with an internet connection.

This week’s eLearn in profile is: Managing Soils and Groundcover

Soil is essential to productive and sustainable farming practices.

Soil loss can have negative consequences.

Factors such as soil type; climate, rainfall, and wind; land management and vegetation cover and stock management all impact the potential for erosion.

This managing soils and groundcover course provides key information to help Victorian farmers to better prepare and respond to dry seasonal conditions and other emergencies before critical decisions need to be made.

Sign in to view the eLearn through the Agriculture Victoria website.

[Back to Top]

The National Centre for Farmer Health are excited that the innovative and exciting new chat-based platform ‘Campfire’ has now been up and running for three months. During this time, we have engaged with over 100 registered participants across a wide range of agricultural industries in Victoria, and reaching many more primary producers through our blogs, podcasts, and social media messaging.

Campfire brings farmers together in a relaxed environment where people with shared interests can get together, listen to experts and peers, ask questions, and pose solutions. It helps farmers to improve their systems of work to better manage the demands and challenges of primary production, and to develop mentally healthy workplaces for farm owners, managers, workers, and their families.

Bonfire events have attracted the most participation so far. These are held fortnightly on the Campfire platform on Wednesday evenings (from 7.30 pm) where farmers can hear from topic experts and participate in live Q&A. The audience will soon be able to submit questions ahead of time, to be answered by our experts on the night. Keep your eye on the NCFH Facebook and Instagram pages about how to lodge your questions in advance or visit the Campfire page to leave your questions.

On alternate Wednesday evenings, farmers can join smaller Campfire Q&A discussions on work-related challenges relevant to them, including the topic of the previous week’s Bonfire.

The Farmer Health Campfire webpage is home to resources developed around the topics tackled so far, including podcasts, blogs, and the link to access the Campfire platform. You can view past Bonfire conversations at any time, with current content covering:

• Working effectively in a family business
• Making your business more resilient to environmental extremes
• Strengthening your support team: farming safety consultants
• Strengthening Your Support Team - AgriSafe
• New to Farming: Learning from Experience
• Communication: it's more than words
• Planning for Success(ion)
• Strengthening Your Support Team – Rural Financial Counselling Service
• Supporting the Next Generation of Farmers

Upcoming Bonfire Topics:

• Preventing stress in your farming workplace
• Seasonal/Contract Labour – it works both ways
• Strengthening Your Support Team – Working Dog Training School
• Decision making skills
• Managing Fatigue
• Staying Socially Connected

Register online today to join the conversation, receive information about upcoming events and access topic blogs and podcasts. 
 

[Back to Top]

An updated recovery guide is now available to help farmers rebuild and provide a one-stop reference to the support available. The guide includes steps to take immediately after the fire and for short-term recovery and longer-term rebuilding. It covers re-fencing, dealing with erosion and flooding, pasture recovery, pest and weed control and preparing for the next season.

The printed booklet is available from Agriculture Victoria, by contacting our Agriculture Recovery Managers (details noted below) or the Customer Services Centre on 136 186 or digital version online.

[Back to Top]

The Victorian and Commonwealth governments are supporting landholders impacted by fires and floods across Victoria.

For more information on bushfire recovery or recovery from floods/storm event, visit the Agriculture Victoria website or contact:

Bushfire Recovery Victoria – 1800 560 760 vic.gov.au/bushfire-recovery-victoria

Regional Agriculture Victoria Recovery Managers:

• North East – Kylie Macreadie on 0428 975 728
• Gippsland – Darren Hickey on 0457 609 140

For more information on bushfire recovery, contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or see agriculture.vic.gov.au/farm-management/emergency-management/bushfires

[Back to Top]

Rural Financial Counselling Service

The Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) have an experienced team ready to assist primary producers and small rural business in recovery planning. Financial counsellors can help develop financial forecasts and business plans required for lenders or investors, plus connect with support agencies and services. RFCS provides free financial counselling to farmers and small related businesses who are in, or at risk of, financial hardship. They can also assist with filling in forms and grant applications. For more information or to book an appointment call RFCS Gippsland on 1300 045 747 or RFCS North East on 1300 834 775

[Back to Top]

The Regional Weather and Climate Guides project is part of the Commonwealth Government Drought Assistance Package. The project aims to improve the resilience of farming businesses by providing localised facts about the likelihood, severity, and duration of key weather variables in regions across the country.

The weather and climate information will be delivered through a set of guides corresponding to Australia's Natural Resource Management regions. The project is a collaboration between the Bureau of Meteorology, the CSIRO, and FarmLink Research. The guides have been developed in collaboration with representatives from each NRM region to ensure the information is tailored to the needs of local farmers and agribusinesses.

For more information visit the Bureau of Meteorology.

[Back to Top]

Agriculture Victoria’s Ag Recovery Team can provide support to producers following the June storms and floods across Victoria.

There is Agriculture Recovery support available in each of the regions affected including Central and southwest Gippsland, Central Highlands, Macedon Ranges and Yarra Valley and surrounds, to provide support with issues in livestock, dairy, cropping, irrigation and horticulture.

Agriculture Victoria can offer technical advice on:

• Pasture recovery and grazing management
• Soil erosion management
• Animal health, nutrition and feed budgeting
• Whole farm planning
• Water quality, budgeting
• Farm water reticulation and dam management
• Farm business planning.

Producers and growers are encouraged to contact the Agriculture Victoria Ag Recovery Team on 0427 694 185 or at recovery@agriculture.vic.gov.au or visit agriculture.vic.gov.au.

[Back to Top]

Visit Agriculture Victoria’s website for the latest information and resources relating to livestock and animals.

Agriculture Victoria is delivering workshops, farm walks and information sessions online. Virtual events might include webinars, teleconferences or livestreams. Visit Agriculture Victoria events for a comprehensive list of upcoming activities.

The RFCS provides free financial counselling to farmers and small related businesses who are in, or at risk of, financial hardship. Counsellors can also assist applicants to apply for the Farm Household Allowance (FHA).

For more information visit the RFCS or call the national toll free number on 1300 045 747 (select option four for Victoria).

The National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) provides health and safety education and advice to farmers and their families via the Online Ag Health program. 

For more information visit the National Centre for Farmer Health or contact Cecilia Fitzgerald on (03) 5551 8533

[Back to Top]