• Flood information
• Increased risk of Japanese encephalitis
• Financial support for flood-affected farmers
• Mental health support for farmers
• Chemical safety after floods
• Practical tips for flood-affected farmers
• Rural Financial Counselling Service
• Livestock Biosecurity Grants Fund Program
• Foot-and-mouth disease information
• Free biosecurity learning modules for farmers
• Tips to recover bogged machinery safely
• Mixing and batching chemicals - a key to spray efficiency
• ICYMI
• What's on?

Flooding and heavy rainfall have increased the risk of a range of mosquito-borne diseases in Victoria, including Japanese encephalitis (JE).

JE can cause illness in susceptible animal species including horses and pigs.

In pigs, the most common clinical signs are mummified and stillborn or weak piglets while horses usually show no signs of illness but can present with fever, jaundice, lethargy, neurological signs and anorexia.

For mosquito control advice visit the Farm Biosecurity website.

For more information about protecting yourself from JE, please follow the Victorian Department of Health or visit their website.

A support package is available for flood-affected farmers:

• Primary Producer Recovery Grants: Up to $75,000 grants to cover the cost of recovery and get businesses up and running again. Note: This replaces the $10,000 Primary Producer Flood Clean-Up, Relief Grants announced on 19 October. Producers that have received a Primary Producer Flood Clean-Up Relief Grant of $10,000 can now apply for up to a further $65,000 under the Primary Producer Recovery Grant, bringing the total to $75,000. 
• Rural Landholder Grants: Up to $25,000 grants to cover the costs of disaster impacts for small-scale producers. 
• Primary Producer Concessional Loans: Up to $250,000 to restore or replace damaged equipment and infrastructure, or to cover the short-term business expenses.
• Primary Producer Transport Subsidies: Up to $15,000 to support the transport of emergency fodder or stock drinking water, and the movement of livestock.

To apply for support or for more information, visit the Rural Finance website.

We are providing regular updates on upcoming events, past webinar recordings, resources and support available to flood affected Victorians via our flood recovery, events and resources newsletter.

To sign up click HERE.

Have you been taking care of yourself?

During an emergency, people tend to exist in a survival state to get through the incident, using up considerable emotional reserves. 

If you’ve been working hard for long periods, missing meals and sleep, take some time to take care of yourself.

Recognise the signs of stress and reach out for support if you need it.

For a comprehensive list of health support agencies, CLICK HERE.

Landholders in flood affected areas may face a range of issues related to the storage and use of chemicals:

• Weed, pest and fungicide spraying may increase after floods. There may also be increased need for chemicals used on livestock, for diseases such as flystrike. Follow the label and ensure you don’t use chemicals past their expiry date.
• Floodwaters may result in different pests or diseases to those you usually manage. To minimise risks please only use chemicals according to the label instructions.
• Comply with any “DO NOT” statements, including those relating to spraying near waterways or on saturated ground.
• Be cautious when using spraying equipment on flood affected areas as it may be less stable than normal.
• As large areas are saturated there may be an increased need for aerial spraying.
• If chemicals are contaminated or damaged due to flood waters dispose of them appropriately e.g. via subsidised programs like ChemClear. Call 1800 008 182 to register.

For more information visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/floods

Go to our website for a range of practical flood recovery information for farmers, and helpful information on what to do immediately after a flood, including the following:

• Managing animals in wet conditions
• Floods resource directory

Recent flood recovery webinar recordings

• Feed budgeting – with Fiona Baker, AgVic. Passcode: Livestock
• Animal health – with Dr Rachel Gibney, AgVic. Passcode: Livestock
• Cash flow budgeting – with Carmen Quade, AgriFocused. Passcode: CASHFLOW

Find out more at agriculture.vic.gov.au/floods.

The Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) has an experienced team ready to assist primary producers and small rural businesses in recovery planning.

Additional funding has been made available for these services as a result of the floods, and the significant impact on the agricultural sector.

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 find your nearest RFCS HERE

Last call for applications for the Livestock Biosecurity Funds Grant Program.

Victoria’s Livestock Compensation Committees are seeking projects that boost biosecurity for the cattle, sheep and goat, swine and honey bee industries.

Applications close Friday 23 December. Discover more HERE. 

Farmers across Victoria will benefit from a series of free online learning modules, helping them protect their animals from diseases and biosecurity threats.

Available through Agriculture Victoria’s website, the three learning modules have been released: foot and mouth disease awareness, lumpy skin disease awareness and Come clean, stay clean, go clean – when visiting farms.

Each module should take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

To access the modules CLICK HERE.

With the recent flooding and significant rain events across the state, you may be worried about bogged machinery on your property.

Have a plan for recovery before starting work in the paddock:

• check conditions before entering areas where the ground could be boggy
• assess the situation:

1. can you wait for drier conditions?
2. can you dig out the farm machinery?

• think about maps to show boggy areas to contractors and employees
• reduce or remove weight from the machinery
• use suitable recovery equipment – check the ratings of straps and shackles so you know the working load limit (WLL) and break strength, and how to interpret for recovery
• minimise people in the recovery area
• check the communication between machinery operators, for example, use a phone or UHF radio
• use appropriate anchor points
• consider where (if any) weight can be added to the recovery vehicle
• consider which direction to tow the bogged machinery
• consider how the recovery vehicle will be positioned
• place a dampener onto the recovery equipment.

For more information visit Worksafe's agriculture page.

The recent flooding event combined with warmer weather conditions has produced favourable conditions for blue-green algae to thrive in farm water supplies and standing flood water.

Senior Veterinary Officer Dianne Phillips said livestock owners need to remain alert – ingestion of blue-green algae can result in the poisoning of livestock.

For further information read the full article HERE.

Anthrax has been the cause of sudden deaths in livestock at some point in time in most districts in Victoria.

Agriculture Victoria is calling on the support of private veterinarians and sheep producers to supply samples from cases of sudden death in sheep as part of the anthrax immunochromatographic test (ICT)validation project.

Please contact your local Agriculture Victoria District Veterinary Officer or Animal Health Officer if you have any questions about the ICT validation project in sheep or the Significant Disease Investigation Program.

A new technical and troubleshooting guidebook on mixing and batching chemicals for grain growers is now available for download from Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

Available for download 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.

Are you an agribusiness looking to build or improve your supply chain?

Join us for the online launch of the Agriculture Victoria Traceability Information Hub.

Where: Online
When: Friday 16 December
Time: 10 - 11am

The Hub is a new resource for industry to access traceability information.

It provides a central, online place to inform, educate and connect businesses along the supply chain.

Register NOW to attend.

Do you want to find more practical ways to reduce your electricity costs?  We are hosting an online forum to explore practical measures for increasing energy productivity and reducing your electricity bill.

When: Wednesday 14 December, 11.30 am.

Smarter electricity management - see how your smart meter data can help you find for your farm (and home):

• cheaper electricity deals
• awareness of your electricity tariff to save money
• how best to use solar and batteries
• energy saving opportunities.

Join our webinar to find out all this and more money saving ideas.

Energy expert David Coote will be presenting on energy saving opportunities and best use of solar and batteries and much more.

Please register here. Email Kelly Wickham or call 0456 772 641 for further information.

Stock Sense is holding a FREE workshop in Ballarat on a range of livestock health, welfare, and biosecurity topics. 

Topics include:

• Livestock handling demonstration
• Saleyard tour
• LPA and auditing
• Fit to load standards
• NLIS and traceability
• Biosecurity and diseases

When: Wednesday 14 December (9am – 1pm)

To register, click here.

Healthy Landscapes: Practical Regenerative Agricultural Communities program is running a native grass identification field day. 

Date: Sunday 11 December

Time: 10 – 11.30 am

Location: Malmsbury Common Reserve, 96 Mollison Street Malmsbury.

Register HERE.

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