Thursday 26 June 2025

Drought support for south west farmers

Agriculture Victoria continues to support drought-affected farmers in south west Victoria with an ongoing program of events. Check out the events being delivered as part of the Drought Support Package.

Stay up to date with what’s on at the calendar of events. 

Drought support

This program provides an opportunity to bring communities together to support farmers and their families under stress.  

Managed by the National Centre for Farmer Health on behalf of the Victorian Government, the program offers grants of up to $5,000 for community-led events that promote social connection and mental health awareness.  

Find out more at: https://farmerhealth.org.au/ 

To view the full range of financial, technical and wellbeing support available visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186. 

Dry swamps and dams pose toxic weed risk to livestock

Lesser loosestrife. Credit: Oliver Kerr

Paul Beltz, Senior Veterinary Officer

The green pick available on swampy land or dried up billabongs and dams may seem a boon for producers during drought and difficult seasonal conditions.

However, it’s important to check for toxic weeds and plants in swampy areas before allowing stock access for grazing.

There are many plants that grow where the land is usually wet and rarely dried out which could cause issues.

Toxic plants that might be found in these areas include dock, soursob, fat hen, lesser loosestrife and swamp grass.

Roughage is essential 

Dr Jeff Cave, Senior Veterinary Officer, Northern Region 

With the escalating price of hay and the availability of other feed supplements you may be asking ‘why feed roughage this winter?’ 

Roughage will be needed during winter for any of the following reasons: 

• even though some roughage may be left uneaten, for digestive function livestock require a minimum amount of fibre and long roughage to maintain their digestive systems. This is sometimes known as the 'scratch factor' and stimulates rumination (cud chewing) 
• if feeding grain or pellets with too little roughage acidosis or grain poisoning can occur 
• as we move further into winter, hay may be needed to reduce grass tetany risks and allows a way of administering Causmag. 

Livestock need to eat more roughage in cold weather to give them energy for heat production.  

Roughage in their diet helps keep livestock warm since the fermentation and breakdown of cellulose creates heat energy.  

If they don’t have enough roughage, the weight will melt off as they mine body fat to create energy for warmth.  

Therefore, there are several compelling reasons why roughage may be needed this winter.  

Plus, if you can feed late in the afternoon it will provide your livestock ‘heat’ through the night. 

For further information please contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria animal health or extension staff. 

Across the state any farmer can access technical information and advice to help manage the impacts of increasingly difficult seasonal conditions. 

These services will be delivered in partnership with a range of technical experts, including farm business advisors, livestock nutritionists, soil, water and pasture specialists and veterinarians. 

The program provides tailored advice through one-on-one consultations, webinars, workshops, field days, and online tools and information. 

Find more information on drought support at www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186. 

What's On

Details about these events and more can be found on our website.

Lambing and calving during drought conditions

When: Tuesday 3 July, 8:30 am to 1 pm
Where: Burrumbeet

When: Monday 7 July, 8:30 am to 1 pm
Where: Coleraine

A practical workshop focused on improving lambing and calving outcomes during dry conditions. Learn how to manage nutritional demands, reduce animal health risks, and adapt livestock systems when pasture is limited.

Topics include confinement lambing, early weaning, creep feeding with lamb and calf panels, and tailored nutrition strategies for each stage of production.

Know Your Number, Control Your Future

Join North Central CMA to learn how understanding your farm’s number can help you improve efficiency, boost soil health, and gain access to emerging markets, while providing practical insights to help future-proof your business and maintain profitability.

Free workshops will feature locally relevant strategies and be delivered by people who have practical experience in agriculture.

Drop-in sessions at:

• St Arnaud - 2 July
• Castlemaine - 3 July

Setting Strategies for Farm Business Success – Underbool, Ultima and St Arnaud

When: 30 June and 1 July, 8:30 am to 3 pm 
Where: Underbool Bowling Club, Reservoir Road, Underbool

When: 3 and 4 July, 8:30 am to 3 pm 
Where: The Ultima Hotel, Ultima

When: 23 and 24 July, 8:30 am to 3 pm 
Where: St Arnaud Sporting Club, 26 Dunstan St, St Arnaud

Join Gavin Beever from Cumbre Consulting for a Setting Strategies for Farm Business Success 2 day workshop series commencing in Underbool Wednesday 23 July followed by workshops in Ultima and St Arnaud.

Learn:

• What an effective business plan is and how to define success
• Cashflow management
• Dealing with downturns
• How to undertake a business fitness check
• Identifying success drivers and benchmarking

Catch up with Ag Vic experts Dale Grey and Jim Moran to discuss seasonal risk and biosecurity concerns. Hear Brendan Williams from Autonomous Ag talk about latest in AgTech.

Sheep emissions update

When: Tuesday 3 July

This webinar will offer an opportunity to hear from 2 experts sharing insights on recent greenhouse gas (GHG) calculations of sheep enterprises across Victoria.

Hear from Sam Henty (Farm Business Economist) on the 2023–24 livestock farm monitor GHG results and from Dr Ralph Behrendt (senior specialist, climate change) discussing the outcomes of the sheep rounds in the On-Farm Emissions Action Plan Pilot

Drought Ready Think Tank

When: Thursday 3 July, 9 am - 4 pm
Where: Horsham Town Hall

Hear about Wimmera Southern Mallee's 11 drought resilience projects and help shape the region’s drought ready future.

Talking trees webinar

When: Thursday 3 July, 5:30-7 pm 

Join this Landcare webinar to learn more about how trees can benefit your farm while being used to generate additional revenue through agroforestry, carbon farming, or biodiversity markets.  

On-farm emissions for advisors

When: Monday 14 July, 2-4 pm
Where: Longerenong Conference Centre

This workshop will provide an overview of the external forces driving the need to track farm emissions.

Cam Nicholson will share insights into how ag industry advisors can assist farmers to best position their business for a low carbon emission future.

Drip irrigation monitoring and maintenance course

When: Monday 15 July, 2-4 pm
Where: Longerenong Conference Centre

Join Jeremy Giddings (AgVic) and Peter Henry (Netafim) for this free event.

Please bring your irrigation design to this session.

Topics:

• Understanding design and specification sheets
• Monitoring, measuring pressures and discharges
• Flushing, chlorination and acid injection

Places are limited so please book your spot in advance.

Emissions and productivity: What farmers need to know with Cam Nicholson

When: Tuesday 15 July, 10 am — 2:30 pm
Where: Apsley Golf Club. 

This workshop will provide an overview of the external forces driving the need to track farm emissions.  
It will assist farms to position their business for a low carbon emission future and highlight the relationship between emissions and productivity.  

Why should farmers attend? 

New legislation requires large business and financial institutions to report their carbon emissions. Many global and national businesses have signed up to voluntary targets and emissions reporting. This means there will be increasing supply-chain demand to provide your farm’s carbon emissions.  

Presenter
Cam Nicholson

Learn more on the GRDC events page.

Emissions and productivity: What farmers need to know with Dr Cass Schefe

When: 22 July, 10 am — 2:30 pm
Where: Kaniva LINK Neighbourhood House 

This workshop will provide an overview of the external forces driving the need to track farm emissions. It will assist farms to position their business for a low carbon emission future.

Why should farmers attend?

New legislation requires large business and financial institutions to report their carbon emissions. Many global and national businesses have signed up to voluntary targets and emissions reporting. This means there will be increasing supply-chain demand to provide your farm's carbon emissions.

Presenter
Dr Cass Schefe

Learn more on the GRDC events page.

Tumpinyeri growers soil biology workshop

When: 1 July, 10 am — 2 pm
Where: 129 Morgantis Rd, Eganstown

Tumpinyeri Growers have been working with RMIT University and the University of Melbourne on a research project examining soil biological health with a focus on nematodes, bacteria and fungi. The workshop will present a summary of the research findings. This will be an opportunity to hear from scientists about soil biology, soil health, and how management practices influence soil properties, plant growth and healthy production systems.

Talk the talk workshop

When: 22 July, 3:30-5:30 pm
Where: Harrow Golf Club

A free workshop to help community leaders and farm supplier and service providers support people facing mental health challenges.

Bookings essential by 17 July.

GRDC events

Birchip Cropping Group events

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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