In this edition

Latest news

• Get your fire plans finalised
• Farm Fire Preparedness Toolkit
• Act on farm water planning

Events, programs and workshops

• Agriculture Victoria upcoming technical events
• Looking for a wellbeing break? Mortlake
• SAVE THE DATE: Talk the Talk with RFCS Victoria West, Hamilton and Inverleigh

Tools, tips and programs

• Dry seasons spring webinar series spring – webinar recordings
• FBR profile: Meet mixed farmers Simone Nuske and Kate Cooke
• Farm Fitness Checklist
• Victorian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub
• My Climate View

Resources for tackling tough times

• Dry seasonal conditions technical information and decision-making support
• Rural Financial Counselling Service
• Farm Household Assistance
• Regional Investment Corporation
• National Centre for Farmer Health
• Managing the stress on the farm
• Health and personal wellbeing
• Farm Business Resilience Program

Victorian producers are more aware than most of the importance of being prepared and having a plan in place for livestock during a fire.

With the fire season upon us, now is the time for livestock owners to get prepared and have a clear strategy to apply in the possibility of a fire emergency on their farm.

A key factor in minimising the threat to livestock during a bush fire or on extreme fire danger days, is to identify safer areas on-farm where livestock can be moved to.

The area you choose will depend on the type of livestock and their expected behaviour during a fire.

To reduce potential injury and death to livestock you should consider relocating stock to designated low risk areas during days of high fire danger and Total Fire Bans.

Low risk areas include:

• bare areas such as ploughed paddocks, and areas cultivated and kept free of combustible vegetation
• bared-out paddocks, provided they are well defended by fire breaks
• irrigated paddocks or paddocks containing green summer crops
• stockyards that can be wet in advance. However, the yards must be well defended as the fire front passes
• dams and swamps are another possible option.

All low-risk areas should have sufficient drinking water to enable stock to remain in the area for extended periods of high fire risk and high temperatures.

Read more about stock containment areas for emergencies.

Have you got your farm fire plan ready?

Use our Farm Fire Preparedness Toolkit to review or develop your plan for this season.

The characteristics of every farm and farming business are different – so develop a plan that suits your farm.

Start today by downloading a copy of the Farm Fire Preparedness Toolkit.

With below average rainfall leading to unusually low water levels in many farm dams, a timely reminder to continue monitoring water use, regularly check on-farm water supply levels and keep your farm water budget up to date as we head into the summer months.

Agriculture Victoria has information and tools available to help assess your stock water supply and calculate how long your water will last, including:

• Farm Water Calculator
• Summer Water Calculator.

Agriculture Victoria upcoming technical events

For full details on the following events and to register your attendance, click on the links below.

Better pasture management: manipulate or renovate?

• Freshwater Creek, 20 November

Breakfast and farm water discussion

• Navarre, 20 November

Visit the Agriculture Victoria events page for updates on future in-person and online technical events and webinars.

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If you missed the dry seasons spring webinar series, recordings are now available.

Listen at your convenience:

• Bull selection and soundness with Dr Craig Wood
• Water and dam management with Clem Sturmfels
• Growing more feed with Fiona Baker
• Common spring animal health issues with Dr Leah Tyrell
• Cash flow and financial management with Paul Blackshaw
• Land management, sacrifice paddocks and stock containment

Check out these resources:

• Soil moisture monitoring sites
• Online planning tool for navigating farm developments
• MLA guide to managing breeding ewes in containment
• Stock Containment Areas design webinar

For more information, email Livestock Industry Development Officer Christopher Blore or call 0428 155 781.

Hear their story.

Learn more about the FBR program.

Farm Fitness Checklist

The Farm Fitness Checklist helps farmers assess where their business is at currently, and to identify areas and opportunities to strengthen their farm business.

It covers subjects including people management, skills and training, business planning and financial performance, emergency management, infrastructure, water supply, natural resource management, risk management, succession planning, off-farm activities and more.

Download the Farm Fitness Checklist from the Agriculture Victoria website.

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Agriculture Victoria is working with Victorian farmers to deliver technical information and decision-making support to plan ahead and make informed decisions for managing dry seasonal conditions.

Topics include:

• drought planning
• assessing pasture 
• measuring feed on offer
• stock containment areas
• tools for making feed rations
• assessing livestock health
• monitoring and managing farm water supplies.

Farmers are encouraged to contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or email recovery@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

For more information on dry seasonal conditions support visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons

Have you been impacted by natural disasters or dry seasonal conditions?

The Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) 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.

Find your closest service here or call 1300 771 741.

Farmers in financial hardship may be eligible for the Commonwealth Government’s Farm Household Allowance (FHA), a fortnightly payment available for up to four years in a specific 10-year period. 

More information on the Farm Household Allowance is available at Services Australia or by contacting the Farmer Assistance Hotline on 132 316.

A rural financial counsellor can help farmers to understand eligibility and apply for the FHA.

Farmers may be able to access low-interest loans through the Commonwealth Government’s Regional Investment Corporation (RIC).  A RIC loan is a partnership between the farm business, a commercial lender and the Regional Investment Corporation. Available loans include the Farm Investment Loan and the Drought Loan.

Loan terms for both the Farm Investment Loan and the Drought Loan cover a maximum amount of $2 million at a variable rate of 5.18% (effective from August 2024 to January 2025). Loans are available for a 10-year term with interest only repayments in the first 5 years.

More information about low-interest RIC loans, the application process, eligibility, and terms and conditions are available from the Regional Investment Corporation by calling 1800 875 675, emailing info@ric.gov.au or visiting their website.

The National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) is committed to supporting primary producers whose properties, livestock or crops were damaged or lost in the floods and storms. There are a number of resources available on the NCFH website to support farmer health, wellbeing and safety.

Managing stress on the farm

Click to read or download this Managing Stress on the Farm book from the National Centre for Farmer Health website. You can also request free hard copies from the website.

It is normal to have strong reactions following a distressing or frightening event and people can experience a range of physical, mental, emotional and behavioural reactions.

There are a number of support services available (listed below) to assist you and your family recover from the strong emotional or physical reactions you may be experiencing.

Are you concerned about your own mental health? Reach out to Lifeline for a safe place to talk on 13 11 14.

Other available support includes:

• Your doctor or local community health centre
• A counsellor or psychologist
• Parentline 13 22 89
• Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
• Nurse-On-Call 1300 60 60 24 – for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days)
• Australian Psychological Society Referral Service 1800 333 497.

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The Farm Business Resilience (FBR) Program is supporting farmers to develop knowledge and skills to improve their farm business and manage the impacts of a changing climate.

The program supports farmers to improve skills and management practices around 4 key areas:

• Business planning and risk management
• Farm finances and profitable decision making
• Managing people on farm, farm safety and wellbeing
• Climate adaptation and natural resource management including soil, water, crops and pastures.

The FBR Program has supported farmers in developing 823 farm business plans and engaged 2043 farmers in intensive training activities.

More information about the FBR program is available at agriculture.vic.gov.au/FBRP .

Information about upcoming FBR events is regularly posted on the Agriculture Victoria website.

The Farm Business Resilience Program is jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Victorian Government’s Future Agriculture Skills Capacity Fund.

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