Thursday 29 January 2026

Bushfire information

Following a bushfire there is a lot to consider when it comes to caring for livestock and getting your farm back on track.

To assist in making decisions for your on-farm recovery, a range of practical technical information and advice is available on our website.

You can also speak to an Agriculture Recovery team member on 136 186 or by contacting recovery@agriculture.vic.gov.au​​​​​​​

Eligibility for Primary Producer Bushfire Recovery Grants and Concessional Loans 

Has your farm been impacted by recent bushfires? 

The Victorian Government has recently announced measures to support Victorian primary producers affected by the January 2026 bushfires. 

You may be eligible for a recovery grant or a concessional loan to help with cleanup, restoration and rebuilding, including: 

• engaging a tradesperson to conduct a safety inspection of damage to a property, premises or equipment; 
• hiring and leasing equipment, or purchasing materials to clean a property, premises or equipment; 
• purchasing, hiring or leasing equipment or materials that are essential for immediately resuming operation of the primary production enterprise, including pumps and generators; 
• removing and disposing of debris, damaged goods and material, and injured or dead livestock; 
• Other activities as listed in the program guidelines. 

A full list of eligible activities is included in the program guidelines. 

When applying for a grant or loan, it’s important that you don’t self-assess and if you’re unsure of your eligibility, contact Rural Finance with any questions. 

Applications are now open and will close at 4 pm on 21 October 2026. 

You can check your eligibility via Rural Finance www.ruralfinance.com.au or call them on 1800 260 425 with any questions. 

If you need help working through what support you can get or how to apply, the Rural Financial Counselling Service is available at: https://www.ruralfinance.com.au/grants/   

Emergency relief drinking water

Communities in bushfire affected areas and who are not on reticulated (town) water, may be eligible for a tank refill of up to 20,000 litres through the Emergency Relief Drinking Water program.

Your household may be eligible if you are not on reticulated (town) water and rely on tank water for domestic use, and your household tank has been impacted by fires.

Impacts may include that you’ve emptied your tank for fire-fighting purposes, or it may now contain ash or other contaminants.

Further information on the Emergency Relief Drinking Water program can be found at DEECA’s website: https://www.water.vic.gov.au/about-us/news/news-stories/emergency-relief-drinking-water-2026

Drought Support

Wellbeing counsellors

Wellbeing counsellors work hand in hand with experienced financial counsellors to ensure that your mental health receives as much attention as your bottom line. 

Providing practical strategies and helping you to tailor them to your specific circumstances, across the north and south west. 

Wellbeing counsellors can visit you at your property or talk over the phone to assist with:  

✔ Managing stress  
✔ Building resilience for tough times  
✔ Balancing work and life with practical tools 
✔ Getting support for big decisions and life changes 

To speak to a Wellbeing Counsellor call 1300 735 578. 

Find out more at wswrcs.com.au/  

For further drought support visit: agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.

Look Over the Farm Gate applications open

In response to the bushfires and ongoing drought, Look Over the Farm Gate applications are now open.  

Grants of up to $5,000 are available for events and activities that support mental health and wellbeing. 

Managed by the National Centre for Farmer Health on behalf of the Victorian Government.  

For further drought support visit: agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186. 

For more information on bushfire support, visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/bushfires or call 136 186. 

Drought Farm Advisory Service

Farmers from across the state have access to two Farm Advisory Service one-on-one consultations with a technical specialist.   

Specialist consultants include agronomists, veterinarians, animal nutritionists, business advisors and farm planners, with expertise across dairy, beef, sheep and wool, horticulture and cropping.  

Find out more here: Help with farm management decisions | Drought support | Farm management | Agriculture Victoria  

For further drought support visit: agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.  

Tatura at the centre of global ag-innovation exchange

Above: Harry Singh, PhD student at Tatura SmartFarm shows delegates his thesis poster on display during the symposium.

The Victorian Government is making the food and fibre sector stronger by collaborating with global partners and sharing best practice, sustainable and innovative horticulture solutions.

The XI International Symposium on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops took place last week at the Tatura SmartFarm in the Goulburn Valley, one of the state’s largest fruit-growing districts.

Co-hosted by Agriculture Victoria and the International Society of Horticultural Sciences, the event ran from 18-23 January. It is globally significant for horticulture bringing together leading scientists, growers, and industry experts from around the world.

The theme of the symposium was ‘Acting on Water for Climate Change, Environment and Energy’ exploring how smarter irrigation approaches can help horticulture adapt to climate change.

Delegates discussed irrigation, energy efficiency, drought management, and sustainable practices that protect natural resources and support global food production.

Consultation begins on new biosecurity strategy implementation plan

Victorians can have their say on implementing the state's Biosecurity Strategy through a new consultation that opened this week.

The Biosecurity Strategy Implementation Plan (the Plan) sets out what everyone can do to reduce the risks and impacts that pests and diseases have on what we value most.

'Biosecurity threats to Victoria such as H5N1 bird flu, red imported fire ants and varroa mite are dynamic. That means we must coordinate our efforts and approach to be constantly learning, flexible and responsive to emerging risks by working together,' said Biosecurity Victoria Acting Executive Director Sharyn Williams.

The Plan outlines key activities, roles and timelines to ensure delivery of actions aligns with the Biosecurity Strategy for Victoria.

Things to consider when stubble grazing your sheep

Cathy Bunter, district veterinary officer, Ballarat

With the grain harvest wrapping up across the region, sheep producers are considering the benefits of grazing their flocks on stubble. The nutritional value of the stubble depends on the amount of residual grain and green plant growth from sprouted grain and summer weeds.

In drier years, the stems and leaves can be quite nutritious as less energy and protein has ended up in the grain. Windy weather can also cause grain to drop to the ground.

When making this decision, it’s important to consider factors such as paddock size, stocking density, how much grain and green shoots remain and whether the sheep are maintaining their weight.

Rural Women's Leadership Program

Applications are now open for Agriculture Victoria’s Rural Womens Network’s flagship 2025/26 Leadership and Mentoring Program, closing at 11:59 pm on 1 February. The opening of this important Program marks a significant step in empowering female leaders across agriculture.

The initiative will address the under-representation of women in agricultural leadership roles by providing adaptive management tools and approaches, mentoring and case studies from industry leaders and subject matter experts, and peer engagement, all in a supportive environment.

Women working in agriculture often experience competing priorities and mental and physical overload. As such, the Program will run as two residential immersive sessions of three days each.

The immersive sessions will take participants away from their usual surroundings and distractions, allowing them to focus on reflecting, connecting, and gaining practical skills, as well as exploring their emotional and physical health and wellbeing, boundary setting and self-advocacy as an integral part of the Program.

Women living in regional and rural areas can also encounter financial barriers which prevent participation in leadership programs. That’s why all study and accommodation costs will be covered for successful participants to undertake the Program. We will also provide financial support for childcare and travel to those who require this.

Please share with your networks and encourage exceptional women working in agriculture to apply for the Program to support them in taking the next steps in their leadership journey.

All women living in Victoria and working across agriculture and the supply chain are encouraged to apply.

Tail docking case stern reminder of code

Gippsland dairy farm manager Peter Hoffman has been fined $6,500 with costs of $230.08 after pleading guilty to offending under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 at Sale Magistrates Court recently.

The accused was charged with cruelty, doing an act causing unreasonable pain or suffering to multiple animals, after the unauthorised tail docking of 192 dairy cows in a herd belonging to a Tinamba dairy farmer.

Agriculture Victoria Compliance Manager Daniel Bode said in Victoria the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 and its regulations don’t allow routine docking.

‘Current legislation doesn’t stipulate tail docking of cattle as a prohibited offence; however, the act of tail docking not done in accordance with the Code of Practice is.

‘The procedure may only be performed when necessary for udder or herd health and on female cattle under 6 months of age, and with the use of anaesthesia,’ Mr Bode said.

A witness who attended the farm noted the cow tails were short, pus-filled and weeping blood at the wound site and reported the tail docking to his employer and the cattle owner.

Agriculture Victoria contacted vets and consultants in the region who stated that they did not advise Hoffman to dock the cattle tails.

Magistrate Poulter said this was a serious example of offending and given the significant number of cows involved, the accused should have sought advice.

In addition to the aggregate fine, her Honour also imposed a disqualification order prohibiting Mr Hoffman from owning or being in charge of any cattle for a period of 12 months.

Mr Bode said, ‘Apart from the obvious pain and suffering of the animals, animal welfare breaches can jeopardise Victoria’s reputation as a humane and responsible producer of food, which can in turn affect all producers.

‘This is a reminder to all livestock producers that animal cruelty will not be tolerated by the Victorian Government or our community,’

Anyone wishing to make a specific complaint in regard to livestock welfare can contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or aw.complaint@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Managing and treating dams in fire affected areas

Farmers in fire affected areas are encouraged to monitor their dams and remove floating debris as soon as possible following heavy or prolonged rain. They should also consider installing sediment traps upstream of their bigger dams.

Following fires, many dams became unusable due to pollution from decomposing organic matter or after being filled with soil, sand, and gravel.

While little can be done in the short term to remove the heavier materials, quick action to remove floating materials can be highly effective in maintaining water quality. Typically, these floating materials consist of ash, charcoal, straw, grass, leaves, and manure. These materials can cause issues for the water supply if they aren’t quickly removed.

What's On

Setting strategies for farm business success

When: 3-4 February, 8:30 am - 3 pm both days
Where: Red Cliffs Club, 11 Heytesbury Avenue, Red Cliffs

This 2-day workshop led by Gavin Beever will examine aspects that help make an effective farm business strategy.

Topics

• Succession planning
• Financials
• Farm resources
• Human relationships
• Setting business goals
• Climate risk and natural resource management
• Latest in AgTech
• Tools and skills that will get you to where you want to go

Presenters

• Gavin Beever, Principal Consultant, Cumbre Consultants
• Dale Grey, Seasonal Risk Agronomist, Agriculture Victoria
• Brendan Williams, Managing Director, Autonomous Ag

Farm Office Efficiencies Workshop

When: 9 February, 9 am - 3 pm
Where: Murrayville Recreation Reserve Community Complex, Recreation Road, Murrayville

Delivered by Carmen Quade from Agri Focused, a rural based training and business, this workshop has 2 components:

Xero

• Emailing invoices to Xero
• Attaching statements to line items
• Hubdoc and Dext Demo
• Batch payment
• Rules – when to use when not to use
• Reconciling
• Using items to track inventory (fuel, grain, livestock  etc.)
• Reporting using custom reports

Office efficiencies

• Setting up emails
• Managing receipts
• Dealing with paper records
• Cloud bases storage
• Strategies for keeping up to date

Designing and building a profitable feedlot

When: 11 February, 9 am - 12:30 pm
Where: Piangil Community Centre, 8 Beveridge Street, Piangil

Join us for 3 workshops (February, March and June 2026) where Elders Senior Livestock Production Advisor Rob Inglis will present key aspects of sheep production and offer practical advice on setting up or restarting a feedlotting enterprise.

Workshop 1 - Designing and Building a Profitable Feedlot

Topics
• Why feedlot sheep
• Regulations and site suitability
• Design principles and infrastructure options
• Feed storage and delivery systems
• Practical planning and layout
• Setup costs and cost breakdown exercise
• Group cost-analysis activity

Online Farm Business Resilience Program

When: 25 February, 12-2:30 pm
Where: Online

The online Farm Business Resilience Program is supporting farmers to build on their knowledge and skills, strengthening their farm business to better manage the risks associated with a variable climate.

Facilitated by farm business consultants Rural People Co., this free online short course runs over 6 weeks, covering 5 modules:

• Module 1: Identifying and managing risks, strategic planning and setting business goals (25 February)
• Module 2: Financial management, budgeting and profitable decision making (4 March)
• Module 3: Climate risk and natural resource management (11 March)
• Module 4: Managing people on farm, succession planning and farm safety (18 March)
• Module 5: Business planning (1 April)

The program includes a one-on-one session, to be held between Module 4 and 5, to review business plans. Participants are expected to attend all 5 online sessions.

Partnering in nature-based investment for resilient communities

When: 26 February, 10:30 am - 3:30 pm
Where: The Glasshouse, Benalla Lakeside Community Centre, Benalla Showgrounds, Maud Street, Benalla

The forum will consist of 2 sessions:

• Session 1: hear examples and case studies of localised nature-based offset markets already happening in Victoria.
• Session 2: a facilitated discussion and workshop to create the framework for future partnerships.

An introduction to carbon offsetting will also be included, so that everyone can fully participate on the day.

Interested staff, executives and councillors from metropolitan and regional councils, and partner agencies, are warmly invited to attend.

Please register to assist with catering. Refreshments and lunch provided. 

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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