• Continuing to manage the risk of Varroa mite spreading to Victoria
• Free financial counselling with RFCS
• New biosecurity strategy keeping Victoria prepared
• A taste you can trace – episode 7
• Farm fire preparedness tip – stock containment 
• Celebrating Victoria’s robust biosecurity system
• Sign up to the Weed Spotter newsletter
• In case you missed it
• What's on

Agriculture Victoria continues to manage the risk of Varroa mite spreading to Victoria.

Field teams are continuing port surveillance, conducting targeted surveillance and deploying sentinel hives at points of general risk along the Victorian/NSW border. 

Call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881 if you see or suspect Varroa. 

For more information visit: agriculture.vic.gov.au/varroa

Have you been impacted by recent floods, fires or dry seasonal conditions?

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.

Find your closest service or call 1300 771 741.

The Victorian Government has released a new framework to further strengthen the state’s biosecurity systems from the paddock to our borders.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence recently visited Auravale Alpacas in Belgrave South to launch Victoria’s Biosecurity Strategy, which calls for greater community collaboration to prepare for and respond to future biosecurity threats.

Victoria will face intensifying biosecurity risks – driven by climate change, increasing trade and travel, and changing land use – so a clear, statewide strategy was required to ensure the state’s $20.2 billion agriculture industry remains protected.

The new strategy outlines 5 overarching goals and 20 actions that will aim to safeguard the state against pests and diseases including foot-and-mouth disease.

The goals aim to build better partnerships with key stakeholders, strengthen the state’s capacity to prepare and respond to emergencies, and identify more ways government can support Victoria’s biosecurity system as a whole.

The Biosecurity Strategy was formed through extensive engagement with Traditional Owners and nearly 450 stakeholders covering all aspects of Victoria’s biosecurity system – from farmers and industry groups to land managers and emergency management agencies.

Biosecurity and emergency animal disease preparedness is a top priority for the Victorian Government. In the Victorian Budget 2023/24, an investment of $17.4 million will continue to strengthen our emergency animal disease preparedness, bringing the total investment since 2022 to $43 million.

To learn more about Victoria’s Biosecurity Strategy, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/2023-biosecurity-strategy

Traceability can help reduce food waste along the supply chain, ensuring fresh produce arrives at the end of its journey in top condition.  

In this episode, Luke Wood from Escavox discusses the tech used to follow food around the globe and how traceability can transform export businesses.

🎧Listen online via the AgVic website: agriculture.vic.gov.au/AgVicTalk

Where will you place your stock during an emergency?

It’s crucial to have a refuge paddock or stock containment area ready for your livestock during emergencies, with adequate feed and water for their safety. 

Use the Fire Preparedness Toolkit and web resources to start planning for stock containment areas, emergency feeding and water budgeting – available at agriculture.vic.gov.au/bushfires

Find and use our Farm Fire Preparedness Toolkit here.

As the country celebrated National Agriculture Day recently, it’s crucial to recognise the exceptional efforts of Victoria’s Biosecurity System.

Recent 2022-23 performance data paints a clear picture of the essential work conducted by Agriculture Victoria staff on the ground.

Throughout the year, Agriculture Victoria conducted a total of 10,490 inspections, audits, and investigations of plants, animals, chemicals and invasive species, reflecting the dedicated effort to ensure the health and safety of Victoria’s agriculture.

In addition, they processed 26,611 services and permits online, streamlining the processes that support the agricultural industry.

Agriculture Victoria’s commitment to safeguarding the state’s agriculture is further exemplified by their response to animal disease investigations. Agriculture Victoria staff handled 1,764 animal disease investigations, of which 434 were conducted to exclude emergency animal diseases.

Agriculture Victoria responded to 16 biosecurity emergencies and incidents during the year, demonstrating their readiness to address unexpected challenges in the sector. Staff successfully completed 3 biosecurity emergency response exercises, highlighting their effectiveness in managing potential threats.

'These numbers articulate the resilience and profound significance of our agricultural industry,' Agriculture Victoria Biosecurity Executive Director Katherine Clift said.

'Reflective in the numbers, our staff quickly mobilised their expertise, initiated extensive surveillance and offered support measures following the varroa mite detection just over the Victorian border in NSW.

'Their swift response not only illustrates their commitment to biosecurity but also highlights their dedication to protecting Victorian bees, a vital component of a sustainable environment.'

In addition to these remarkable efforts, Agriculture Victoria conducted 669 investigations related to suspect and emergency plant pests and surveyed a staggering 1.77 million hectares of grain crops, which accounts for nearly half of the grain produced in Victoria.

They also responded to 73 exotic pest animal reports, resulting in 16 positive detections across 7 different species, and eradicated 100 state-prohibited weed sites.

On the trade front, Agriculture Victoria issued 4,986 livestock health export certificates and 3,791 plant health certificates, enabling safe and efficient movement of agricultural products.

On this day, we encouraged all Victorians to take a moment to reflect on the outstanding achievements of our agricultural sector of our biosecurity system in protecting and supporting our agriculture sector which is a cornerstone of the Victorian economy supporting over 68,870 jobs and generating more than $20 billion annually in 2021-22.

The Weed Spotter newsletter provides updates on the latest in weed news in Victoria, recent infestations found and removed, and where to go to report suspected weeds in your area. 

Subscribe to the Weed Spotter newsletter here.

Helping Victorians choose a pet with confidence

The Victorian Government is helping Victorians find a puppy from a reputable breeder, ensuring the highest animal welfare standards for their new best friend.

READ THE MEDIA RELEASE IN FULL HERE

Barley loose smut seasonal update recording now available

Hear cereal grain pathologists Hari Dadu and Andrea Hill present on key topics. 

WATCH THE RECORDING HERE

Protecting Victoria’s abalone from virus outbreaks

A significant leap forward has been taken that will help keep Victoria’s abalone, a marine snail, safe and healthy.

READ THE MEDIA RELEASE IN FULL HERE

Victoria’s top MSA producers announced

Some of Victoria’s tastiest beef has been recognised in the 2023 Meat Standards Australia (MSA) Excellence in Eating Quality Awards, by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).

READ THE MEDIA RELEASE IN FULL HERE

Gains for breeding program from US trip

The pulse breeding program at Agriculture Victoria’s Horsham Smart Farm is reaping the benefits from a researcher’s recent study trip to the United States.

READ THE MEDIA RELEASE IN FULL 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.

Join Agriculture Victoria Veterinarian Officer Dr Hannah Manning for a free workshop.

At this interactive workshop you will identify local health issues and learn about their prevention and treatment option solutions to create an animal health plan for your herd. 

An animal health plan is an important tool for farmers to minimise biosecurity risks and increase animal performance.

Workshop topics:

• identify local animal health issues and solutions to prevent and treat
• create an animal health plan
• find out how your animal health plan is part of your biosecurity plan
• learn about what records you need to keep and the systems you can use to comply with regulation and the Livestock Production Assurance program.

COLAC

DATE: Tuesday 28 November

TIME: 10 am – 2 pm

WHERE: Colac Bowling Club, Cnr Moore and Armstrong Streets.

REGISTER HERE

For more information contact Hannah Manning Livestock Industry Development Officer, on 0400 532 595 or email.

DATE: Tuesday 28 November

TIME:  12 – 1 pm

ONLINE - REGISTER HERE

Every farm and farming business is unique, being well prepared for bushfires can assist farm businesses to recover faster.

Planning and preparing for the bushfire season includes identifying risks and undertaking tasks to prepare your farm ahead of the season.

In this webinar, Kylie will highlight farm preparedness activities, along with tools and templates available in the new Fire preparedness toolkit page.

Dale will discuss what the current drier climate drivers of the El Nino and the positive Indian Ocean Dipole are up to as well as current soil moisture, remote sensed plant growth and grass curing.

Presenters:

• Kylie Macreadie, Land Management Extension Officer
• Dale Grey, Seasonal Risk Agronomist.

For more information about this webinar, including assistance joining the webinar email us.

DATE: Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 November

TIME: 8:30 am – 1 pm

WHERE:  Advantage Feeders farm, Burrumbeet.

REGISTRATION ONLINE  or call 1800 88 15 75.

While confidence isn’t high and income, in the short term, won’t be as high compared to the previous years, this is a great time to be assessing your production systems, making sure you are making informed decisions and not missing out on profitable opportunities when the majority are acting on pessimistic mentality.

The workshop will be bringing together information covering the important and timely aspects of livestock production:

• Where the lamb and beef prices are heading
• Containment/feedlot design
• Developing low-cost maintenance rations
• Important factors to get right for joining cows and ewes
• Mineral supplementation for joining and summer grazing
• Pasture walk – comparing 3 hybrid ryegrasses
• Low cost haylage (30% moisture) production
• Maximising production from summer crops.

Guest speakers

Cathy Bunter, Veterinary Officer, Agriculture Victoria

• Summer mineral requirements
• Optimal joining strategies.

Matt Dalgleish, Director, Episode 3

• Sheep turnoff ratio vs annual flock change
• Forecast modelling and the key inputs.

Gerard Roney, Director, Advantage Feeders

• Low-cost rations in containment
• Managing excess protein in summer crops
• Lambing every 8 months – pros and cons.

Xavier Bourke, Livestock Manager, TB White & Sons

• Current cattle and sheep trading opportunities.

Love your pigs?

Please join us for our pig health webinar on Tuesday 5 December at 6 pm to ensure your pigs have a happy, healthy summer. 

We’ll look at common illnesses, their signs and prevention.

We’ll also share an update on major diseases, including Japanese encephalitis and tell you about our free worm testing and biosecurity planning program.

Register your place here.

WestVic Dairy, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and Agriculture Victoria are conducting a 4–day workshop including a Fertsmart workshop to better understand nutrient budgeting and management, including effluent use and storage.

Participants will receive 5 free soil tests and 2 free effluent tests.

Results from these tests will be used to create comprehensive nutrient and effluent use plans, including farm maps outlining nutrient status, soil types, management zones and application areas.

When:

• Day 1 – 12 December
• Day 2 – 13 December
• Day 3 and 4 – February 2024.

Time: 10 am – 2:30 pm

Location: Timboon – to be confirmed.

For more information email Libby Swayn or call on 0459 612 681.

Nominations for the 2023/2024 State and Territory Landcare Awards are now open!

Now in its 32nd year, the State and Territory Landcare Awards stand as a prestigious biennial national Landcare Awards program.

The objective is to honour individuals, groups and organisations that are making outstanding contributions to caring for the environment in their local communities for the benefit of all Australians today, and for generations to come.

In each state and territory, the Landcare Awards will be granted to recognise the achievements that encompass climate action, environmental leadership, sustainable agriculture, First Nations, Women in Landcare, youth, Coastcare and children.

Nominating is free. You can nominate yourself, or you can nominate someone you know who should be recognised for their work to restore, enhance and protect the natural environment in their community. 

Find out more from the Landcare Australia website.

Make It Work is a collaboration between Commerce Moyne and Moyne Shire Council, the program aims to assist local business address the current worker shortage.

Make It Work has a growing database with over 100 people who are willing to work, some for a few months at a time while they travel through the region, some for longer periods.

The easy-to-use database can be filtered by industry, you can view each worker’s experience, qualifications, and contact information.

Many of the workers have expressed interest in agricultural work, they come with experience in various trades, and hold many licenses and certificates need for work on the land.

An added benefit of the Make It Work program is that subsidised site fees are available at 6 of the Moyne Shire’s Caravan Parks to help accommodate your new workers.

To start viewing and connecting with these willing workers, register today at Make It Work Program  Commerce Moyne.

Raising the Roof, the Australian dairy industry’s only major event that focusses specifically on intensive farm systems, will be held in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales from 27–29 February,2024.

WHEN: 27 – 29 February 2024

WHERE: Hunter Valley, New South Wales

For more information email karen.romano@dairyaustralia.com.au

Australia’s premier dairy event will return to the Victorian capital of Melbourne in February 2024 from 12–14 February 2024.

Program details and more information to be released throughout 2023.

Find out more here.

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