Thursday 30 October 2025

Drought support available now

Farmers can access financial assistance and support today to help manage during drought.  

Our website provides information on available support, including financial counselling, mental health and wellbeing services, and links to other organisations that can help.  

You’ll also find practical tools, resources and information to help you plan and manage your feed, water and livestock needs.  

Plus, find out about upcoming events in your region and online www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or by calling 136 186. 

Grants open to improve pet welfare across Victoria

The Victorian Government is backing shelters, rehoming groups and community vet clinics – making vet care more affordable and helping more pets find loving homes across Victoria.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence recently announced the opening of applications for Round 13 of the Animal Welfare Fund, which will invest $1.6 million to support companion animal welfare across Victoria.

This round offers Pet Welfare Grants of up to $100,000 for not-for-profit organisations, animal shelters and community foster care networks.

Eligible projects include those focused on rehoming, education, emergency animal relief and expanding facilities available to the community during times of crisis.

Get your livestock fire plan done now

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

A key factor in minimising the threat to livestock during a bushfire 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 the potential for injury and death to livestock, 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.

For more information regarding stock containment areas for emergencies, go to https://go.vic.gov.au/Ex53E4

Stockyards have been known to successfully hold stock during a fire if protected by a firebreak. If this is your preferred option, consider using a sprinkler system, as stock held together on a hot day can suffer from heat stress.

Horses should not be confined to small areas or stables; instead, they should be moved to an open paddock with minimal vegetation, allowing them to move freely.

Horses and cattle are adept at avoiding fires, moving themselves to safe, open areas, and usually suffer minimal burns if left to do so.

If equipment such as rugs, halters, and flyveils remain on horses, the plastic may melt, and metal buckles can burn the animal. Therefore, consider using rope halters for easier handling and management.

It’s crucial not to open gates that may allow stock access to public roadways, as any animals will be a hazard to traffic in smoky conditions.

On days of extreme fire danger or on the day before, stock should be moved into lower-risk areas on-farm or to a safer property.

Agriculture Victoria advises livestock owners to act early and avoid being caught trying to move stock as a fire approaches.

Listen to weather forecasts and observe your own environment to help you decide when to put your plan into action.

For further assistance on preparing a farm and livestock bushfire plan click here or contact the Agriculture Victoria Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

Listen to the Berries Australia drought support webinar 

Did you miss the Berries Australia Victorian drought support webinar for berry growers? 
 
You can now watch the full recording online. 
 
This practical session connects Victorian berry growers with the services, grants, and tools available to manage drought challenges. 
 
Hear from experts at Agriculture Victoria, NexSolutions, Berries Australia Berry Industry Partner Netafim Australia & New Zealand, and Agribusiness Yarra Valley as they cover: 

•  drought support grants and financial assistance 
•  farm water management and budgeting tools 
•  advisory and counselling services for growers 
•  environmental stewardship planning. 

 Watch the full recording via their Resource Library (search Victoria Drought) or watch here.

Reporting varroa mite remains vital in transition to management

Agriculture Victoria is encouraging beekeepers to continue to report varroa mite despite the state transitioning to management of the pest.

Throughout August, large numbers of beehives were moved into almond orchards for pollination. As anticipated, new detections of Varroa have and will continue to occur across Victoria.

The focus is now on preparing beekeepers to live with the pest while slowing its spread.

Agriculture Victoria’s Varroa Development Officers are working in field with beekeepers to ensure any positive loads within the state are well managed to minimise the biosecurity risk.

Boosting long-term biosecurity across Victoria

The Victorian Government is backing local heroes who are fighting back against invasive pests and weeds – the kind that threaten our farms, forest and parks and can be harmful to native wildlife.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence recently announced 27 grant recipients from Round 4 of the $5 million Partnerships Against Pests grants program, which supports community-led initiatives to build strong partnerships, raise awareness, and deliver long-term, collaborative invasive species management.

What's On

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

Capturing carbon in trees and wood products on farms - field day at Deans Marsh

Date and time: Thursday 6 November from 1- 4 pm

Location: Deans Marsh. RSVP by 3 November.

Participants will deepen their understanding of the carbon cycle and gain hands-on experience calculating the carbon content of standing trees, logs and processed wood.

What we’ll cover on the day:

• uncover the science behind carbon sequestration in trees.
• learn how to calculate carbon content in various wood types and standing forests.
• explore the durability and long-term security of stored carbon in wood products and farms.
• tour a small-scale timber business.
• discuss prices for a wide range of farm-grown timbers.

Address will be provided on registration. Afternoon tea provided.

This event is free for Otways Agroforestry Network members and $10 for non-members.

Boosting livestock performance with eID

Date and time: Friday 7 November from 3 - 5 pm

Join us for a webinar with a focus on the practical implementation and use of eID data to boost farm productivity and reduce methane emissions.

Why should farmers attend?

Sheep eID allows for tracking individual animal performance with precision. By leveraging this data, farmers can unlock new opportunities to increase productivity across the flock and reduce emissions by identifying and managing high-impact animals.

Suitable for farmers just starting with eID or more experienced farmers looking to refine your data strategy.

Bushfire preparation workshop

Date and time: Saturday 8 November, half day workshop. Arrive from 9:10 am for morning tea, workshop runs 9:30 am – 1 pm.

Location: Heritage Fruit Trees, Beaufort Victoria (directions provided on booking).

What we’ll cover:

• choosing and using a basic fire pump
• rooftop sprinkler systems
• managing fuel loads effectively
• how we prepared our property to support firefighters
• how we decided to stay or go
• passive and active measures to boost bushfire readiness

Your instructors:

• Rob Pelletier – horticulturist and proprietor of Heritage Fruit Trees.
• Kate Blood – horticulturist at Heritage Fruit Trees.

Intro to lean and drought support business planning webinar

Date and time: Tuesday 11 November from 12:30 - 2:30 pm

Free and online

Learn how to strengthen your operations, improve profitability, and drive long-term sustainability with expert insights from Moshie.

What you’ll gain:

• Introduction to lean business management and how it applies to your farm business
• Moshie’s tools for identifying waste and improving efficiency to increase profitability and resilience
• Simple business planning templates to identify areas for improvement
• Straightforward costing tools to improve decision-making and resource management
• Strategies for risk management, building drought resilience and long-term business sustainability
• 12 months of access to an exclusive online portal, with workshop resources.

Discover other relevant support programs, including:

• drought one-on-one advisory service – discover how to sign up for free, personalised business planning support with Moshie's expert team
• On-Farm Infrastructure Grants
• Look Over the Farm Gate (Mental health and Wellbeing grants)

Who should attend?

• turf, agriculture and horticulture business owners
• farmers, growers and primary producers
• retail and supply chain operators
• anyone managing business costs and resources.

Lamb feedlotting masterclass - Burrumbeet

Dates and times: Tues 11, Wed 12 and Thurs 13 November from 8:30 am - 4:15 pm

Location: Advantage Feeders Farm, Burrumbeet

Cost: $50pp with all ticket proceeds donated to National Centre for Farmer Health. Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea provided.

A one-day masterclass on lamb feedlotting featuring industry experts, top agriculture
companies, and see the recently constructed 5,000 head automated feedlot in action.

Practical sessions on:

• feedlot updates
• identifying animal health issues
• answering your pricing questions
• inducting, creep feeding
• animal handling
• feedlot set up.

Rural Financial Counselling Service - free webinar

Date and time:  Wednesday 12 November from 12- 1 pm

Location: Online (link to be provided after registration)

Register by emailing - lena@theagricollective.com.au

This session will give an overview of how the RFCS assists farmers, small business owners, and rural communities to build financial resilience and wellbeing, free of charge. The assistance is also available to businesses in regional centres.

You’ll learn about:

• How RFCS supports people through financial challenges
• Options for farm debt, budgeting, and financial planning
• Free wellbeing and personal support services
• What to expect when speaking with a financial or wellbeing counsellor.

Stock Sense goat essentials workshop - Wattle Flat

Date and time: Friday 21 November from 9:30 am - 1:30 pm

Location: Wattle Flat (exact location to be released closer to event).

The Stock Sense team have an upcoming goat essentials workshop presented by Agriculture Victoria Veterinary Officer and committed goat enthusiast Berwyn Squire.

It will cover the following topics: foot paring, vaccinations, faecal egg counts, general biosecurity, body condition scoring and FAMACHA® for effective worm control. 

We will also be joined by Agriculture Victoria, Animal Health Officer Ellie Mowle, who will be helping out throughout the day.

The event is free, and catering will be 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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