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Thursday 28 November 2024
In this edition:
Queensland fruit fly home gardener survey
Register now for drought one-on-one advisory service
People kneeling looking at a clod of dirt in paddock

Expressions of interest are open for farmers in drought-affected areas of south-west Victoria to register for a free one-on-one consultation with a farm advisor.

The technical decision-making program is being delivered as part of the Victorian Government’s $13.53 million Drought Support Package and builds on existing supports, including technical resources, workshops and field days, already available to farmers in the south west.

Agriculture Victoria Director Kate Linden said the program offers eligible farmers the opportunity to sit down with a consultant to discuss the best way forward for their business in the current season.

‘Decision-making in times of stress, such as when you’re dealing with the daily challenge of drought, can be overwhelming.

‘Taking time to step back, take stock and talk through what you need to do for the next few months can help relieve some of the pressures and feelings of being overwhelmed.

‘This might involve developing feed and water budgets to assess questions as: 'How much feed and water have I got left?', 'How much are my stock going to need?' and 'What am I going to do if the two don’t line up?'

‘Putting plans in place and acting early can make a big difference to your mental load and potentially financial bottom line – buying more hay now (straight out of the paddock), moving stock off the property to agistment or selling more stock might be required,’ she said.

Interested farmers can register their expression of interest with Agriculture Victoria.

Farmers can nominate which advisor they prefer to work with from a panel of experienced and trusted advisors.

The chosen service provider will then contact the farmer directly to book a suitable time for the one-on-one consultation.

Mrs Linden said farmers can meet their advisor either on-farm, at a convenient off-farm location or online. A follow-up one-hour phone consultation, after the initial face-to-face planning session, is also available.

For more information or to register an expression of interest in the Drought Support: One-on-one technical decision-making program visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons, phone 136 186 or email drought.support@agriculture.vic.gov.au

This program is part of the Victorian Government’s Drought Support Package for south west Victoria. Find out more at agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons or call 136 186.

Watch for heating hay!

By Michele Jolliffe, Agriculture Victoria Dairy Extension Officer - Hamilton

Every hay season several hay stacks spontaneously combust across Victoria, in single moist bales or in a stack of any size.

Once the hay has been stacked it’s important to regularly monitor it for heating and act quickly.

Unfortunately, even with technological advances in machinery for harvesting conserved fodder, there is still nothing cost effective to help monitor the internal temperatures of haystacks.

So, it’s back to some very simple techniques to keep an eye on your hay stacks.

Watch for signs of heating

Keep an eye out for signs that haystack is heating. Steam condensation on the shed roof, mould growth, acrid fumes and hot, humid air at the top of the stack are all good indicators.

When building stacks with suspect wet hay, stack the bales loosely to allow air movement and spread the stack over a wider area, for example, over several bays, thereby reducing heat build-up.

Most heating will occur over the first 1 or 2 weeks but has been known to reach ‘flash point’ up to 8 weeks after baling. Monitor the stack temperature regularly.

Determine the stack temperature?

Stack temperature can be measured using a crowbar inserted as deep as possible into the stack and left for 2 hours. After 2 hours, the crowbar can be removed and felt by hand to give you a rough guide of the internal stack temperatures.

The temperature of the bale is up to about 50°C if you can hold the crowbar without discomfort. It is up to 60°C if the bar can be held for a short time only and up to 70°C if the bar can only be touched briefly.

If you can't hold the bar, temperature is above 70°C and fire is a real possibility. Treat the stack with caution.

In the past it has been suggested to push a small pipe into the stack and lower a small thermometer to the end of the pipe to measure the temperature of warming hay.

However, this technique should not be used for severely heating hay as It may oxygenate the inner section of the stack and cause a fire to start.

What can be done if the stack heats to danger levels?

If a stack starts to get ‘dangerously hot’ pull it apart as quickly as possible.

Be aware that as the bales are pulled out of the stack, especially in a tightly built stack, oxygen will now get access to the hot spot and potentially cause ignition.

Make sure that water is readily available and suitably qualified people able to assist in fire suppression if required.

Safety Warning!

Avoid walking on the stack as the extremely high temperatures may have charred the centre of the stack. Any extra weight on the stack may cause the stack to collapse into the dangerously hot centre and cause serious injury.

If there is the slightest risk of a fire starting due to wet hay, never keep machinery in the hayshed and don’t allow children to play in or near heating stacks.

The Country Fire Authority website has good information about hay fire risk. Search ‘hay fires’ at www.cfa.vic.gov.au

For more information about dry seasonal conditions and drought support visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons or call 136 186.

Growth in Food Safety Standards for berries, leafy greens and melons

New Food Safety Standards for growers of berries, leafy green vegetables and melons will come into effect from 12 February, 2025, maintaining the state’s reputation as a responsible producer.

Food Standards Australia and New Zealand introduced the new food safety and compliance standards in 2022 to the National Food Standards Code.

Agriculture Victoria Horticulture Standards Engagement Officer, Emily Scott said the standards will assist in lifting food safety standards across the industry.

‘We are working closely with industry bodies and growers to support businesses implementing the new standards with a timely awareness and engagement campaign. Current food safety arrangements are recognised where possible, and our online system assists in documenting and verifying requirements’, said Miss Scott.

‘The Standards apply to businesses of any size that grow or complete primary or ‘early-stage’ processing such as washing, trimming, sorting, sanitising or storing of berries, leafy vegetables or melons.

‘It is worth noting that many businesses are already meeting the requirements in the standards, through their participation in industry food safety schemes.

‘However, there will be new registration requirements which are managed through Agriculture Victoria Connect.

‘If you grow leafy greens, melons or berries in Victoria, I encourage you to visit the Agriculture Victoria website to learn more about the implementation of the Standards across Victoria, and to sign up for the Food Safety Standards e-news and keep up to date with upcoming events.’

Agriculture Victoria is holding a webinar on Tuesday 10 December for berry, leafy vegetable and melon producers to learn more about the new Primary Production and Processing Standards. Register for the webinar.

The webinar will cover key microbial food safety risks, what is required to comply with the Standards for each industry, how Global Food Safety Initiative schemes will be recognised, indicative costs and where to access useful information and resources. Growers of all sizes are encouraged to attend.

All producers are still obliged to ensure food for sale is safe and suitable for human consumption prior to this new Standard commencing on 12 February 2025.

Find out more about the standards.

New drainage for orchards and vineyards video
Collage of farm machinery involved in horticulture drainage

Check out the new Drainage for Orchards and Vineyards video by Fruit Growers Victoria (FGV). 

Funded by the Australian and Victorian governments, it is a great resource and addition to the existing training videos on the FGV website.

Farm Business Resilience video
farm safety brochure and person with hand up seated at a desk

‘A good team that works together in good times and in bad is just invaluable.’

Agriculture Victoria’s Helen Chenoweth and Hannah Manning, and farmer Georgia Buckholz talk about the importance of developing people skills and successfully handling succession, to improve farming businesses for the long term.

Watch the video here.

Find out more about our Farm Business Resilience Program here.

Free financial counselling
kelpie on back of ute 'free financial counselling with the Rurall Financial counselling service

The Rural Financial Counselling Service provides a free and confidential financial counselling service to eligible farmers and small related enterprises who are experiencing, or at risk of, financial hardship.

They can help you to access available support, analyse your business situation, negotiate with lenders and develop strategies to improve your financial position. 

To find your closest service visit the website or call 1300 771 741.

Apply for an on-farm infrastructure grant

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.

Click here for more information on the On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Grants or to apply today.

Can emergency services access your property in a fire?
Family looking across paddocks from a farm gate

Will emergency services know where to come in the event of a fire? 

As part of your fire season planning, make sure roadside numbers are visible, vegetation around gates, culverts and bridges have been cleared, and gates are wide enough and easy to open. 

Check out the tips and templates for developing your farm fire preparedness plan in the Farm Fire Preparedness Toolkit. 

Download a copy here.

Join the Design Reference Group and help shape the future of Agriculture Victoria Connect! 
person typing on a laptop on a fencepost at a farm

We are excited to announce Agriculture Victoria's new online system designed to streamline your regulatory compliance such as chemical use authorities or food standards. 

As we build Agriculture Victoria Connect, we want your input!

Whether you use this system for regulatory services or simply have an interest in the process, your feedback is invaluable. 

We invite you to be a part of the Design Reference Group, where you can play a vital role in representing the community that uses Agriculture Victoria Connect. 

Meeting every 6 weeks, members will share feedback and ideas to guide the development of services, ensuring the system is effective and user-friendly for both agriculture businesses and community members. 

Your voice matters – help us shape a better system! 

For more information and to join email us.

GRDC harvest resources

GRDC has held a number of webinars recently which may be helpful for farmers getting underway with their harvest this season.

Webinars

Grain price outlook for harvest 2024 

Pre-harvest grain storage health

Minimising harvest grain loss

Pre-harvest on-farm safety preparations 

Strategies for canola harvest – windrow or direct heading

Other tools

Reducing Harvester Fires: the Back Pocket Guide - an easy-to-read harvester fire reduction checklist.

The GRDC podcast Preventing harvester fires in lentils  has relevant tips and information for growers (regardless of crop type). 

GRDC has also released a  Harvester Setup Guide – optimising harvest losses  – optimising harvest losses with contributions from a range of third-party independent harvest optimisation experts based on their experiences.

The guide covers measuring harvest losses, reducing header front losses, feeder house set-up, threshing system set-up, the cleaning area, harvest weed seed control and safety.

New premises for National Centre for Farmer Health

The National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) is moving into a brand-new premises to continue its nation leading efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of farmers and their communities.

Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Michaela Settle recently represented Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence to officially opened the new premises which marks a significant milestone in the growth of the Centre since its establishment in 2009.

Located in Hamilton, the new site sits within the local agriculture community and reinforces its role as a vital resource for the health, wellbeing and safety of farmers, farm workers and their families.

As the south west continues to experience drought conditions, Agriculture Victoria has been working with the NCFH to support farmers, their families and their communities.

As part of the Victorian Government’s $13.53 million drought support package, $1.43 million is being directed towards farmer wellbeing, technical decision-making advice and a dedicated Regional Drought Coordinator to ensure support is reaching those who need it.

The package is also providing farmers with access to free one-on-one advice from specialist farm advisors to take stock and discuss the best way forward for their business in the current season.

More than $12 million in On-Farm Drought Infrastructure grants is also available for farmers to make upgrades to equip their businesses to better withstand the current drought and future dry seasonal conditions.

The government is proud of its long-term partnership with National Centre for Farmer Health. Alongside a contribution of $900,000 in the Victorian Budget 2024/25, a further $100,000 grant is supporting the Shifting Gears program which will deliver important safety resources to the next generation of farmers.

To learn more about the National Centre for Farmer Health visit, farmerhealth.org.au.

To view the full range of financial, technical and wellbeing support available to drought impacted farmers, or to access the government’s one-to-one drought planning sessions visit, agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons.

Weed data sharing survey closes tomorrow

The Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party, Victorian Gorse Taskforce, and Victorian Blackberry Taskforce are exploring opportunities and challenges for recording and sharing data on invasive plant species across different land tenures. 

Their aim is to reduce the threat invasive species pose to our environment, agriculture, and communities.

They would appreciate hearing about your experiences with recording and mapping weeds and other invasive species. 

The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete, and your response will be instrumental in helping enhance data collection and sharing processes. 

Click here to access the survey. It closes tomorrow 29 November at 5 pm.

In case you missed it

Avian influenza control area at Meredith reduced

Agriculture Victoria has reduced the size of the control area around Meredith that was put in place for the current H7 avian influenza outbreak.

Read the media release in full here.

Terang Avian Influenza Control Area Order lifted

Agriculture Victoria has lifted the Control Area Order for Terang that was put in place for the current H7 avian influenza outbreak.

Read the media release in full here.

What's On

Details about Agriculture Victoria events can now be found in one spot on our website.

Visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/events to find out what's on.

Horticulture Standards webinar

10 December
12 pm

Online

 

New Food Safety Standards for growers of berries, leafy green vegetables and melons will come into effect from 12 February 2025. 

The standards apply to businesses of any size that grow or complete primary or ‘early-stage’ processing such as washing, trimming, sorting, sanitising or storing of berries, leafy vegetables or melons.

Join our Zoom webinar on Tuesday 10 December at 12 pm to hear more about how your business will meet the new standards

Register on Zoom here.

Find out more about the New Food Safety Standards at agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/food-safety/food-safety-for-horticulture-producers.

GRDC Grains Research Update, online - Summer weed control

11 December

1–1.45 pm

Online

 

 

Presented by Dr Yvette Oliver, CSIRO, fine tune your summer weed control strategy.

Discover how effective weed management can enhance soil moisture retention improving yields for the following season.

Yvette will showcase the $ummer weeds decision support tool, designed to empower growers to weigh up the pros and cons of summer weed control.

Register on Humantix here or contact ORM on 03 5441 6176

2025 Tri-State Heavy Vehicles and Harvest Forum
banner image promoting tristate heavy vehicle and harvest forum yellow and white

23 January
8 am - 12 pm

Mildura
Sunitafe
453 Benetook Avenue

 

A free Heavy Vehicles forum with an agricultural vehicles theme.

Presentations by:

  • NSW and Victoria Police
  • WorkSafe Vic and SafeWork NSW 
  • Wentworth and Mildura councils
  • Transport for NSW Local Industry demonstrations and more!

Visit the Eventbrite page to learn more and register.

BCG Trials Day

21 February
9 am to 5 pm

Birchip
Birchip Community Centre
Morrison Street

 

BCG's Members' Only Trials Review Day will be held on 21 February 2025.

Members are invited to join BCG to hear the latest updates to improve the productivity and profitability for your farm business.

Visit their events page for more information.

GRDC Grains Research Update – Bendigo
Two people walking through canola

25-26 February 2025
9 am - 4 pm

Bendigo
Ulumbarra Theatre, Gaol Road

 

 

SAVE THE DATE

The GRDC Grains Research Update 2-Day events are for agronomists, consultants, researchers and growers to see and discuss the latest in research and to network with their peers about how to apply new and relevant information to the latest farming systems.

Speakers and topics – coming soon
Industry Support opportunities – coming soon

Visit GRDC Events for more information.

Subscribe to Grampians Mallee Ag News

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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

Don't forget to check out Agriculture Victoria's social media sites for up-to-date information and news.

 

 

'Like' our Agriculture Victoria Facebook page.

 

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @VicGovAg

 

Subscribe to the Agriculture Victoria YouTube channel. 

 
 

Privacy | Email: anna.ferguson@deeca.vic.gov.au

 
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