• All aboard the virtual climate bus tour
• Cracking the code on medicinal cannabis
• Are you a regular podcast listener?
• Western Victorian farmer pleads guilty to animal
• Developing a national horse traceability system
• AgTech webinar 5 - building farm business resilience with AgTech
• Absentee farmer fined $25,000 for animal cruelty to cattle
• Monitoring continues for Japanese encephalitis
• New mental health and suicide prevention support for Australian farmers developed in Victoria's Great South Coast
• The Very Fast Break
• Farm finance – young farmers getting prepared together
• My Rain Gauge is Busted - The 101 of climate change science
• Gorse community grants closing soon!
• Solar for business program
• In case you missed it
• What's on?

Season three of the AgVic Talk podcast takes listeners on a virtual bus tour to speak with farmers and agricultural influencers who are looking at different ways to manage climate variability.

Agriculture Victoria Land Management Extension Officer Darryl Pearl said that across the ten podcasts, we hear real examples of how farmers have managed climate change and variability across a range of locations around the state.

“Agriculture is undertaken successfully by farmers across a whole range of climates. This podcast series explores some of the ways farmers are managing climate risk on their farms. This can offer valuable insights for how others are setting up to manage climate change and increased variability.”

This season includes conversations with livestock producers who are using stock containment areas, agricultural business resilience experts, low and high rainfall zone growers who talk about their coping strategies, and farmers developing new skills through online learning.

“In one episode we talk to third-generation Millewa farmer Ian Arney who has experienced a huge amount of change in order to continue farming in a changing climate, arguably none more so than in the last ten years with a move from cereal and grain cropping to focusing mainly on sheep,” Mr Pearl said.

“Everyone we talk to during this season has a focus on planning and understanding their business in order to help them through the tough years and make the most of the good ones,” he said.

Ten virtual climate bus tour episodes will run as part of season three of the AgVic Talk podcast channel which began as a pilot in August 2020.

“Through the podcasts, we’ve been able to deliver knowledge and information in a format that suits the way farmers and agricultural professionals work and live today,” Mr Pearl said.

“In the past, we might have delivered this information as part of a roadshow or through workshops, but we’ve realised the value of delivering online and the virtual climate bus tour has saved 1,900 kilometres of vehicle travel, time, and carbon emissions.”

He said the new season will continue to deliver trusted, relevant and timely information to Victoria’s agricultural sector, and rural and regional communities through podcasts.

You can subscribe and listen to AgVic Talk wherever you get your podcasts:

• Subscribe to AgVic Talk on Spotify
• Subscribe to Apple Podcasts

More online resources relevant to season three include the Climate Change in Australia website.

You can also look up your location on the climate analogue website

Or for more climate-related information from Agriculture Victoria, visit the climate and weather page on the website

This AgVic Talk season is funded by Smarter Safer Farms, a $20 million Victorian Government initiative to keep farmers, workers and farm families safe and well.

PHOTO: PhD student Erez Naim-Feil in Agriculture Victoria's controlled environment cultivation facility

In 2016, Victoria legalised the use of medicinal cannabis, and since then scientists have improved strains to produce better health products.

Victorian scientists have unlocked the genetic code of medicinal cannabis, creating the world’s most complete DNA sequence.

Agriculture Victoria laboratories have been fitted with the latest technology that can precisely measure and quantify cannabinoids, and are being used by Victorian scientists to quickly and accurately identify the cannabis varieties with the best medicinal properties.

In the biggest study of its kind, the key physiological traits of 121 medicinal cannabis strains have been characterised by scientists, which will help breed plants that are tailored to treat a range of medical conditions.

In 2016, Victoria became the first Australian state to legalise the use of medicinal cannabis and its first government grown crop was also harvested that year by Agriculture Victoria.

Medicinal cannabis is rich in compounds, known as cannabinoids, which can be used singularly or combined to treat and manage a range of health conditions such as cancer and chronic pain, epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Agriculture Victoria PhD student Erez Naim-Feil said while cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for millennia, its designation as an illegal crop over the last century drove cultivation underground.

“Cannabis was cultivated in clandestine conditions and driven by recreational consumers, breeding focused on selecting crops with high THC (a psychoactive cannabinoid that produces a ‘high’), so scientific knowledge of the plant is limited,” Erez said.

“That’s why the potential is so great, by using contemporary scientific tools we are discovering new things that have never been reported before – this research is the first to characterise the traits of such a wide range of medicinal strains.”

The findings showed historical selective breeding for high THC has had no impact on the physiology of the cannabis strains.

“There was very high diversity in the physiological traits we were examining, which is an excellent finding for breeding purposes,” he said.

The research team identified five attributes that can be used to maximise plant growth and productivity.

These attributes can be manipulated to adjust plant development towards the desired plant architecture, such as cultivating fast-growing plants with a quick production turnaround or plants that match specific shapes and sizes.

The team also developed a novel prediction equation which can be used across a broad range of medicinal cannabis strains.

By obtaining a few parameters from the growing plant during the vegetative phase (the first four weeks of cultivation), the equation can predict the yield of the plant at the end of the season.

“This equation is the most important aspect of this research, as it could be utilised as a powerful selection tool to streamline breeding, increase selection intensity and enhance genetic gain,” Erez said.

“If breeders are screening 1000 plants, they don’t have time to process and weigh them all to determine yield, but this equation could be used to identify and select favourable plants and discard others.”

Characterising these physiological traits will provide medicinal cannabis cultivators with the knowledge to optimise the yield of specific strains.

“As every gram of dry bud is high in value, a tiny change driven by a better understanding of the physiological parameters can have a significant impact on the profitability of the medicinal cannabis industry.”

These findings will enable breeders to develop customised medicinal cannabis strains, cultivate more productive crops and fast-track therapeutic products for patients suffering from a range of serious or life-threatening health conditions.

Scientists at Agriculture Victoria have been at the forefront of genomic analysis and DNA testing for agriculture in Australia for more than two decades.

In 2018-19, Agriculture Victoria scientists sequenced 50 trillion bases of DNA. Advances in technology mean the same amount can today be done in just three weeks, which is equivalent to 60,000 cannabis genomes or 66,000 chickpea genomes.

Further research has been completed in this area at Agriculture Victoria by a team of cultivation personnel, computer scientists and geneticists.

The research is focussing on reducing post-harvest costs while processing plant material to generate the product.

These methods could benefit farmers by lowering operational costs and consumers by reducing the costs of final products.

For more information about the research capabilities at Agriculture Victoria visit Our research and innovation.

Are you a regular podcast listener?

At Agriculture Victoria we’re interested in knowing how our audience listens to podcasts.

Your feedback will help us identify how we can improve podcast production and develop new content.

While we know podcasts are a great medium and an increasingly popular format to share timely and topical information, we’re keen to know how you listen to them and what you like.

Please take this short five minute survey and help us continue to create great new podcasts.

Complete the survey by Friday 10 June.

A farmer from western Victoria has received a two-year good behaviour bond and been ordered to pay costs of $5,700 after pleading guilty to animal cruelty charges at the Horsham Magistrates’ Court last week.

Drung South farmer Bernard Gross pleaded guilty to one charge of animal cruelty and seven charges of aggravated cruelty, relating to sheep that were found to be in poor condition – including several that were stuck in mud due to an overflowing trough – in April and May 2018.

The Court heard that the sheep in Mr Gross’ care were in very poor condition.

During inspections in autumn 2018 Agriculture Victoria officers reported seven dead sheep. A further five were euthanised as a result of their poor condition and their inability to walk.

In delivering his decision, Magistrate McNamara said while the offences were very serious he took into account Mr Gross’ lack of prior offending and departmental involvement since the incident, as well as his personal circumstances at the time.

Agriculture Victoria Animal Health and Welfare Compliance Manager Daniel Bode said people who own animals have a serious responsibility to look after them and minimise their suffering.

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 affect all producers.

“This is a reminder to all livestock producers that animal welfare is of critical importance to the Victorian Government or the community,” he said.

“Farmers are reminded that adequate supervision is a requirement to ensure animals have proper and sufficient care, feed, water and shelter.”

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

How would an Australian horse traceability system work for you as a horse owner or carer, business or organisation?

The National Horse Traceability Working Group invites you to have a say on proposed business rules for a National Horse Traceability System.

Business rules outline how horse traceability will be achieved across the industry, the roles and obligations industry will have as part of the system and what movement records will be required.

Have your say  HERE.

Consultation is now open until Wednesday 25 May.

How can AgTech make your farm business more resilient? Are you interested in making your farm business more resilient?

In Webinar 5 of the Unpacking AgTech webinar series we’ll investigate what farm business resilience is and how technology can help your business become more resilient.

This webinar will be presented on Friday 20 May at 12.30 pm AEST.

Please register here.

We look forward to seeing you then!

An absentee farmer was recently fined $25,000 in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court for animal cruelty offences to his cattle herd.

Pierre Roland De Bondy pleaded guilty to seven charges, including two for cruelty and three aggravated cruelty offences.

With conviction, Mr De Bondy was fined $25,000 and costs awarded in the amount of $101.25 to the department.

The Magistrate also imposed a conditional disqualification order on livestock for a period of five years.

Mr De Bondy lives at a property in Vermont South and has been operating a pastoral farming enterprise since 1999.

He is the sole director and secretary of accused company Geralem Services Pty, which owns three rural properties at Flowerdale, Woodside and Mirboo.

Across these properties Mr De Bondy generally ran approximately 150 head of cattle, which were predominantly Angus cattle.

Agriculture Victoria authorised officers inspected the property in response to a report of sick and dying cattle at the Mirboo property.

Several cattle were observed in poor condition with several young cattle having to be euthanised to prevent further suffering as they were found too weak to rise or lift their heads.

On further inspection of the property, officers identified that Mr De Bondy failed to monitor the conditions of his stock. 

The ‘Code of Accepted Farming Practice for the Welfare of Cattle’, clearly states livestock supervision obligations.

The code describes the minimum standard of frequency and level of inspection related to the potential risks to the welfare of the cattle.

The Magistrate noted he considered a number of previous cases in reaching his decision but balanced them against the seriousness of the offending and the suffering caused.

Agriculture Victoria Animal Health and Welfare Compliance Manager Daniel Bode said people who own animals have a serious responsibility to look after them and minimise their suffering, including absentee farmers where adequate supervision is essential.

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 affect all producers.

“This is a reminder to all livestock producers that animal cruelty will not be tolerated by the Victorian Government or the community.”

“Also, those farmers who work as absentee owners are reminded that adequate supervision is a requirement, particularly during risk times such as summer, to ensure animals have proper and sufficient feed, water and shelter.”

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

Agriculture Victoria is working closely with both the pig and horse industries in response to Japanese encephalitis.

There are now a total of 23 properties with pigs confirmed with Japanese encephalitis in Victoria.

These are located across the Wangaratta, Moira, Greater Shepparton, Campaspe, Gannawarra, Loddon, Greater Bendigo and Northern Grampians local government areas.

A number of suspected cases are under investigation.

The detections are the result of national surveillance efforts to identify new cases and determine the extent and spread of the disease and the source of its introduction.

Japanese encephalitis has also been confirmed in piggeries in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia and in a small number of feral pigs in the Northern Territory.

Agriculture Victoria is working closely with industry, conducting surveillance activities and providing advice and information to farmers, livestock and horse owners.

Infection is not spread directly from pigs to people, and there is no risk to humans from eating pig meat. Only infected mosquitoes can spread infection.

Pork is safe to eat.

In general, spread is through the movement of some species of migratory water birds and through the movement of infected mosquitoes, often over long distances.

It does not usually spread directly from animal to animal (i.e. it is not considered contagious).

Victorians are being reminded to protect themselves from mosquito bites particularly when spending time outdoors.

Japanese encephalitis vaccines are recommended for people at a higher risk of exposure to the virus, such as those working with pigs.

All people should undertake measures to reduce exposure to mosquitoes.

For more information about Japanese encephalitis virus and animals visit Agriculture Victoria’s website.

For more information about Japanese encephalitis virus and human health contact your GP or phone NURSE-ON-CALL on 1300 606 024, or go to health.vic.gov.au/jev

Farming communities across Australia will benefit from two ground-breaking initiatives in suicide prevention developed on Victoria’s Great South Coast; a framework to train farming communities in mental health support and a self-managed mental health action plan.

Deakin University’s National Centre For Farmer Health has recently completed a two year project to improve access to appropriate and effective mental health support in rural farming communities.

The project was part of the Great South Coast Suicide Prevention Place Based Trial (GSCSPPBT), a joint commitment between the Western Victoria Primary Health Network (PHN) and the Australian Government recognising the benefits of collaborative, community-based approaches to suicide prevention.

Key initiatives of the Farmer Health Suicide Prevention Project include the development of a framework to train and support farming community members to provide mental health support to each other, as well as Steering Straight, a self-managed mental health action plan.

While the framework will underpin ongoing work in community-based suicide prevention, Steering Straight is already being utilised by farmers across Australia.

It has also attracted international attention, with farmers in New Zealand and Canada requesting access to the plan.

Both initiatives are designed to provide crucial support in farming communities where access to face-to-face mental health support is limited and does not always meet the needs of farming populations.

According to national coronial data, an Australian farmer dies by suicide every 10 days - almost 60 per cent more frequently than non farmers.

While there is no clear evidence of higher rates of diagnosed mental illness in farming communities, farmers face a wide range of situational factors that can increase their risk of experiencing poor mental health and suicidal thinking.

These factors include geographic and social isolation, extreme climatic events and an unpredictable and uncertain future.

Steering Straight was co-designed with farming community members and uses practical strategies to empower individuals to take responsibility for their own wellbeing.

The personalised action plan helps to build resilience and also reduces the chance of experiencing a challenging situation as a crisis event.

Steering Straight has been incorporated into the National Centre For Farmer Health’s Managing Stress On The Farm book, and has been accessed over 1,000 times in digital format. Managing Stress On The Farm is also available in printed format.

Alison Kennedy, Director - National Centre for Farmer Health, Associate Professor - Deakin University said.

“It’s been exciting to involve the farming community so closely in the design and development of Steering Straight —knowing that the resource is meaningful and helpful for those who use it.

"It’s also great that we’ve been able to include it as part of the Managing Stress on the Farm book, which has strong existing interest from farmers around Australia and internationally. We’ve already had requests for Steering Straight from as far away as New Zealand and Canada.

Steering Straight was developed in conjunction with community members who understand the unique challenges of farming life.

Kelly Barnes said “being part of the co-design process for Steering Straight was very rewarding.

Having experience of life on the farm and of poor mental health whilst living and working remotely enabled me to contribute ideas and allowed us to design a plan that worked.

It allowed me to draw on my own experiences to create something relatable and practical to help others. I have also used it myself to keep on track during these challenging times”.

Rowena Clift, Chief Executive Officer at Western Victoria Primary Health Network said “The development of Steering Straight is a great example of a collaborative, community-specific approach to suicide prevention.

"It is heartening to see that the resource is being used by farming communities in the Great South Coast, as well as across Australia."

Steering Straight is accessible via the Managing Stress on the Farm Booklet 

Free hard copies are also available by contacting National Centre For Farmer Health on (03) 5551 8533.

Welcome to the "Very Fast Break" seasonal climate update video clips.

We are partnering with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) to bring you these short summaries for Victoria, South Australia and southern New South Wales.

WATCH THE VICTORIAN VIDEO HERE

Young farmers across Victoria are being invited to come together for farm finance workshops at a number of locations, as well as to network and ask questions.

Agriculture Victoria Young Farmer Coordinator Sarah Wallis said it was wonderful to be able to offer the Farm Finance – Getting Prepared sessions as in-person events after having to shift to an online format for the past two years.

“This year it’s about coming together, being together and interacting with our financial specialists to ask those burning finance questions in a safe space,” Ms Wallis said.

“Our take on this is to provide the kind of experts at these workshops who can cut through the ‘bank speak’ and enable young farmers to be well prepared when applying for financing,” she said.

ORM Agribusiness consultant Jane Foster said the workshops will be an opportunity to have open and transparent conversations about farm finance and get some tips on how to communicate in ‘bank speak’.

“By the end of the session participants will have a new clarity on finance and how the whole system works,” Ms Foster said.

Young farmer Josh said workshops like the Farm Finance – Getting Prepared sessions were a great way to bring like-minded people together.

“It’s great to have these programs running again as we come out of the pandemic, they’re an excellent opportunity to network and come together.”

All sessions will be held between 6 and 8.30 pm and are scheduled for:

• Ouyen – Wednesday 25 May
• Horsham – Wednesday 1 June.

Register now for Agriculture Victoria’s Young Farmers Network Farm Finance – Getting Prepared Workshop.

CLICK HERE to find out more.

The Farm Finance – Getting Prepared series is supported by Agriculture Victoria’s Smarter, Safer Farms program.

The 101 of climate change science

In this episode of the My Rain Gauge is Busted podcast we talk to Monash University’s Neville Nicholls about the science behind climate change.

There is a long history of research that has culminated in our understanding today, such as work presented in 1859 by John Tyndall to the Royal Society. 

Interested in hearing more?  Search for My Rain Gauge is Busted wherever you get your podcasts or listen 🎧 online via our website 

Through the Community Grants Program the Victorian Gorse Taskforce (VGT) works to support communities in reducing gorse in their local area.

The VGT are interested in helping landholders looking to control their gorse long-term.

The program looks to educate and build community capacity around gorse and gorse control so that communities can take real ownership and overcome the problem.

Now is the time to plan ahead and start a conversation with your community about gorse in your area.

Eligible Small Grant projects can attract up to $5,000 in funding.

The 2022 – 2023 Small Community Grants will close on 28 May.

If gorse is a problem on your land or across your local area, the VGT encourages you to connect with your local community and apply now.

For more information email: info@vicgorsetaskforce.com.au

Find out from the Victorian Gorse Taskforce.

The Victorian Government is encouraging businesses to consider energy independence.

Eligible business owners can access up to $3,500 off the upfront cost of a solar panel (PV) system, reducing their energy costs and investing in a cleaner, renewable future.

From 29 April, eligible businesses are also able to opt in for an interest-free loan up to $5,000 to further reduce the upfront costs of installing solar.

More information about the program can be found HERE

More jobs and milk products for Victorian dairy company

The Victorian Government has supported one of Australia’s fastest growing dairy companies to hire more workers and expand its operations in the small northern Victorian town of Girgarre

READ THE FULL MEDIA RELEASE HERE

Victoria's premium lamb producers go global

The Victorian Government is backing the state’s lamb producers to strengthen international exports to new and established markets while supporting jobs.

READ THE FULL MEDIA RELEASE 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.

About the workshop

Pastures cost a lot of money and time to establish. The last thing producers want to experience is the disappointment of a pasture thinning out after only a few years. 

Southern Farming Systems have developed multiple pasture products on behalf of MLA, to help you keep your pastures productive and persistent.

WHERE: 900 Helendoite Road, Tatyoon.

Enter at the machinery shed gate and meet at the horse arena

WHEN: Wednesday 25 May

TIME: 9 am to 1 pm

REGISTRATION
Please register HERE by Monday 23  May.

For more information contact  Ayesha Burdett, Upper Hopkins Landcare Group, on email: facilitator@upperhopkins.org.au or mobile on 0429 021 500

REGISTER HERE

WHEN: Wednesday 25 May

TIME: 11 am - 1 pm

Register now for our 10th biosecurity webinar: Taking the reins on equine health – three biosecurity risks for Australian horses.

You’ll hear from virus researchers, vaccine experts and veterinarians, who will outline what governments and partner agencies are doing to protect our valuable equine industry from three emerging diseases, including African horse sickness (AHSV), Hendra virus variant (HeV g2) and Japanese encephalitis (JEV).

Caption: Presenter Galia Bastoni from Australian Red Cross

Do you employ people from a culturally or linguistically diverse background in your workplace?

If you want to find out ways to make your business more attractive to people from different background and take advantage of the benefits they bring, then sign up to the Welcoming Workplaces webinar on 27 May from 12 pm.

In the webinar you will learn to how to develop and encourage positive attitudes in workplaces and address barriers preventing people from migrant backgrounds participating in the agricultural workforce. 

The webinar will also look at the strengths and skills they bring to the business and how to make your business more attractive.

Welcoming Workplaces is a Red Cross initiative that encourages and builds capacity in welcoming new arrivals into your workplace.

It aims to help build capacity in fostering appreciation of diversity in the workplace, increase understanding of the impact of forced migration and build skills/ values such as equality, solidarity, cooperation, empathy, responsibility and resilience.

Register HERE to attend.

For more information contact Del Delpitiya from Agriculture Victoria on 0436 649 860 or del.delpitiya@agriculture.vic.gov.au

The Victorian Government is committed to improving safety and skills on farms, visit Smarter Safer Farms for more information.

Immerse yourself in an exclusive three-part educational series to learn about global market opportunities, focusing on the China market, and how Agriculture Victoria’s new Pathways to Export program can assist your international trade journey.

Hear from the Victorian Government’s Deputy Trade Commissioner in China and key in-market experts who will help you gain a deeper understanding of international market opportunities.

Register for your exclusive ticket to export:

Part 3: Business Matching Essentials

Tuesday 24 May 2 – 3 pm

Register HERE

The Agriculture Energy Investment Plan has supported agricultural businesses to reduce energy costs, improve energy efficiency and explore alternative energy options through energy assessments, grants, demonstrations, research and extension.

Agriculture Victoria is hosting a webinar to share insights and key findings from the research and demonstration projects completed under the Agriculture Energy Investment Plan.

The webinar will cover:

• On-farm energy opportunities: analysis of AEIP assessments, Adriana Robaina, Agriculture Victoria
• Economic insights from farmers’ energy journeys, Julie Harman, Agriculture Victoria
• Dairy Energy at Ellinbank SmartFarm, Greg Morris, Agriculture Victoria
• Orchard Agrivoltaics at Tatura SmartFarm, Ian Goodwin, Agriculture Victoria
• Pasture Agrivoltaics in Solar Farms, Bruce Gill, Agriculture Victoria.

Date: Tuesday, 7 June

Time:  12 pm to 1:30 pm

Where: Online via Zoom or dial in

Register or join the webinar here:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Please join the webinar five minutes early to set up.

If you need assistance registering or would like more information, please contact Sarah Clack on 0417 316 345 or sarah.clack@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Click here for information on other webinars in this series or other energy events.

This initiative is part of the Victorian Government’s Agriculture Energy Investment Plan, which is supporting producers to improve energy usage on-farm.

Agriculture Victoria is pleased to announce that early bird tickets for the BestWool/BestLamb and BetterBeef Conference are on sale now.

The 2022 conference will run as a single day event, catering for those involved in the sheep and beef industries.

The conference will return to the Bendigo Exhibition Centre on Thursday 16 June. Featuring three keynote speakers, and 12 specialised speakers/demonstrations.

Highlights include:

• climate - reducing emissions, carbon and climate risks
• a producer’s perspective on managing risk and making decisions on-farm
• working dog demonstration
• lamb autopsy demonstration
• genomics for commercial angus breeders
• ALMTech – tool and technology for measuring eating quality
•  trade displays.

The conference dinner will be held the evening prior to the conference, on Wednesday 15 June, at the All Seasons Hotel Bendigo.

You can purchase tickets and view the full conference program at Eventbrite.

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