Gippsland Ag News - Thursday 4 September 2025

Thursday 4 September 2025

Drought support for farmers across the state

Farm Drought Support Grants of up to $5,000 to support on-farm drought management activities like infrastructure improvements, water carting and pasture re-establishment
expert technical support through the one-on-one farm advisory service

‘Look Over the Farm Gate’ grant program to support local organisations to hold community events – promoting social connection and mental health support; coordinated by the National Centre for Farmer Health
local workshops and events to connect with other farmers and discuss drought issues and management strategies
fee and duty relief package to reduce costs linked to biosecurity and food safety regulations and duties.

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

RIC Loans

RIC variable interest rate for farm business loans is on hold at 5.18% effective 1 August 2025 until 1 February 2026.

Farmers in tough financial times due to situations outside their control from drought, flood or other natural disasters may be eligible to apply for a RIC loan.

RIC’s AgriStarter Loan is also available for new farm businesses or succession planning to keep family farms in the family.

Farmers can restructure up to 50% of their existing debt to improve cash flow to gain some financial breathing space.

More information

drought support available visit our website www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought

Crackdown on exotic animal trade progresses

Image: female common snapping turtle.

Agriculture Victoria is continuing its crackdown on the illegal network trading in exotic pest animals, with a series of investigations across the state.

A man seeking to breed chameleons has been convicted of 2 counts of keeping a controlled pest animal.

The south-east Melbourne man was found to be seeking to purchase a male chameleon to breed with his female chameleon.

On 3 December 2024, officers executed a search warrant at his residence. Officers identified and seized one green iguana and a mobile phone. As a result of the evidence gathered, he was convicted and fined $10,000.

Prevention is key – vaccinate against enterotoxaemia

Dr Jeff Cave, Agriculture Victoria Senior Veterinary Officer

If you keep a calendar with key farm management dates, ‘vaccinate stock’ could be a key entry at this time of year.

But why, it’s an annual vaccination after all, isn’t it?

Firstly, with abundant spring growth, losses due to enterotoxaemia, also known as pulpy kidney, become a distinct possibility.

Second, a feature of the enterotoxaemia vaccine is the duration of immunity it provides may be quite short. It may only give 3 or 4 months of protection.

Therefore, a booster dose should be given before a high-risk period, i.e. before the beginning of spring.

Young stock in good condition, up to 2 years of age, are most affected by enterotoxaemia; however, deaths in older stock may also occur.

Enterotoxaemia is caused by a toxin produced by Clostridium bacteria, which is found in the bowel of normal, healthy cattle and sheep.

Enterotoxaemia occurs when a large amount of readily fermentable feed is present in the gut, leading to the rapid multiplication of bacteria and a lethal level of toxin production.

Due to the rapid progression of the disease, an animal affected by enterotoxaemia will typically be found dead in the paddock. On post-mortem, rapid decomposition of the carcass is seen.

Little can be done to treat an animal affected by enterotoxaemia; therefore, the emphasis should be on prevention.

The key to prevention is to ensure all livestock are adequately protected through vaccination.

As with any vaccination program, adult cows and ewes should be vaccinated approximately 1 month before giving birth to give their calves and lambs maternal or passive immunity through colostrum.

Passive immunity typically lasts approximately 6 weeks; after this period, calves and lambs require vaccination to gain active immunity. This is achieved by giving 2 injections at least 4 weeks apart.

Hopefully, all producers will benefit from the upcoming spring conditions without being troubled by the problems they may bring.

For further advice, please contact your local veterinarian, Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer.

Stockyard Hill farmer pleads guilty to animal cruelty

A Stockyard Hill farmer pleaded guilty to 8 offences relating to animal cruelty and livestock traceability offences at the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court and was sentenced with conviction and a fine of $20,000, with an order to pay $383.33 in costs.

The court also imposed a disqualification order from owning or being the person in charge of sheep for a period of 5 years.

Matthew Fleay pleaded guilty to charges that occurred between October 2023 and March 2024.

Boosting livestock biosecurity through grants

The Victorian Government is backing the next generation of livestock vets, making sure the agricultural sector has the best expertise to keep stock healthy and safe.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence recently announced $15 million for 22 projects that will strengthen Victoria’s biosecurity and safeguard our livestock industries as part of the 2025 Livestock Biosecurity Funds Grant Program.

Nurturing young talent for horticulture's future

The Victorian Government is helping young Victorians build the skills and experience they need in horticulture – creating pathways to more regional jobs and shaping the next generation of our farming leaders.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence recently announced $100,000 for the Nursery & Garden Industry Victoria’s (NGIV) Branch Out program to support the learning opportunities for young people in schools across Victoria.

Supporting children’s mental health in rural areas, with Jacquie Lee

We chat with Jacquie Lee from Emerging Minds about supporting children's mental health in rural areas during challenging times like droughts and bushfires.  

In this Farming Safe and Well episode, Jacquie shares valuable insights on: 

Building strong parent-child relationships 
Understanding and managing children's emotions and behaviour 
The importance of maintaining routines 
Effective communication and meaning making 
Creating and utilising support networks

Listen now to learn more about supporting your families during times of stress.

Listen here

Apply now: irrigation incentive program

Popular irrigation incentive program set to benefit even more Gippsland farmers

West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority and Agriculture Victoria are pleased to open a new round of farm plan incentives, and for the first time, farmers in Warragul, Thorpdale, Noojee and Perry Bridge and across the entire Lake Wellington Catchment are eligible to apply.  

Up to $10,000 per farm is available through the Lake Wellington Irrigation Efficiency Incentive Program to help with the cost of a professionally designed irrigation plan.

Apply here

In case you missed it

What's On

Rabbit field day

When: Saturday 6 September, 10 am to 2:30 pm
Where: starting at the Jindivick Hall with an introductory presentation and morning tea from 9:30 am, followed by field demonstration at 1260 Jacksons Track Jindivick.

This field day is an opportunity to learn about rabbit issues and best practice approaches of rabbit management from the experts.

It is hoped this event will empower interested Jindivick residents (and surrounding regions) with undertaking effective rabbit management projects.

Details of the day:

assessing/estimating/monitoring rabbit populations
mapping burrows
smoking burrows to locate all entrances
fumigation of burrows
laying a bait trail
destroying burrows (potentially ripping using heavy machinery - excavator and/or implosion).

Register here

Trigger Point Workshops - Omeo and Bairnsdale

Omeo: 9 September, 10 am - 3 pm.
Omeo Rec Reserve - Park Street, Omeo.

Bairnsdale: 10 September, 10 am - 3 pm
Gippsland Ag Centre (Bairnsdale Aerodrome) - 345 Bengworden Road, Bairnsdale.

How can information from soil moisture and temperature probes assist your farm management?

Join Agriculture Victoria for an interactive workshop designed to identify seasonal trigger points, plan for seasonal variation and refine decision making on your farm. The workshop will help you use data to inform decisions.

Workshop topics:

accessing and using soil moisture probes to inform management decisions
setting trigger points throughout the year for your farm
data collected from the demonstration sites to date.

Register here

Virtual drought smokos with Dr Jillian Kelly

When: Tuesday 9 September and Tuesday 23 September, 9 to 10 am
Where: online

Drought smokos are an hour a fortnight to get away from the paddock and catch up with a group of farmers who are all in the same boat!

We will talk about the science of feeding, how much, which commodities, pros and cons, cost, different options, trigger points and planning.

Dr Jillian Kelly is a vet and nutritionist from Coonamble, in north-west NSW. She ran drought smokos every fortnight through the 2018–20 drought and it made a difference to hundreds of farmers and thousands of livestock.

While you don't get to taste her scones, you do get to learn all that she knows about feeding livestock in tough conditions, and to enjoy an hour of mateship away from the feed cart.

Register for 9 September here

Register for 23 September here

Register for Maffra here

Register for Pakenham here

Plant and soil health seminar – Maffra and Pakenham

When: Tuesday 9 September, 11 am to 2 pm
Where: DEECA, 1 Stratford–Maffra Road, Maffra.

When: Wednesday 10 September, 11 am to 2 pm
Where: Mercure Pakenham conference room, 77 Racecourse Road, Pakenham.

International soils expert Joel Williams is returning to the region. Learn about foliar nutrition and soil management in baby leaf and brassica crops, including sap testing.

Submit your questions to Joel through the registration page.

Agri Connect: cultivating connections

When: Wednesday 10 September, dinner from 6 pm, followed by a presentation from David Younger at 6:30 pm
Where: Cora Lynn Recreation Reserve, Corner Nine Mile Road and Bunyip River Road, Cora Lynn.

Join Cardinia Shire Council for an insightful session with David Younger, a disaster and community recovery advisor, as he shares practical strategies for managing uncertainty, community challenges, and health impacts.

What to expect:

Tips on protecting your wellbeing
Participate in a Q&A with David
Take home useful tips and ideas
Connect with others in your community.

For more information, email a.groves@cardinia.vic.gov.au or call (03) 5945 3690.

Intro to lean and drought support business planning

When: Wednesday 10 September, 12:30 to 2:30 pm.
Where: 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

Also 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.

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.

Register here

Regional Renewables Farm Forum and Tour

Gippsland New Energy Conference
When: Wednesday 10–Thursday 11 September
Where: Traralgon and Sale.

Forum
When: Wednesday 10 September, 1 pm

From Social Licence to Social Performance: Nathan Hart
Transmission Planning for Community Benefit: Adele McCarthy
Farming the Future – Regional Voices for Climate and Energy: Ben Gebert
Panel: How can Australia’s shift to renewable energy succeed if it leaves farmers behind? Kitty Walker, David Clark, Lindsay Marriot
Powering Paddocks – On-Farm Energy in Gippsland: Sandra Jefford, Stephen Soutar.

More information and to register

Tour buses from Traralgon and Sale
When: Thursday 11 September

Visits to farms using renewable energy technologies:

chicken broiler circular economy solution and potential anaerobic digestor site
gravity-fed and solar-powered irrigation solutions
fully robotic dairy
solar panel recycling plant

PPS Annual Conference

This conference, 'Taking Stock' focuses on where our region’s farms are at after a period of low sheep and wool prices followed by very dry conditions.

The conference will also look at the effect of the PPS project on farm resilience to help get through these tough times.

When: Tuesday 9 September, 8 am - 5 pm.
Where: Ararat Town Hall, corner of Barkly and Vincent Streets, Ararat.

Register here

Doing agriculture differently – experiences of First Nations farmers

When: Friday 12 September, 10 am
Where: online.

The barpangu yurpangu Speaker Series is a calendar of speaker events created for the purpose of fostering greater awareness of First Nations culture and communities, First Nations experiences and viewpoints on agriculture and self-determination.

The events provide opportunities for people involved in agriculture to build their awareness of First Nations narratives and thought leadership and to provide a platform for First Nations people to contribute and engage in narratives around agriculture and self-determination.

This event is focused on ‘Doing agriculture differently – experiences of First Nations farmers’, with Josh Williams from Tumpinyeri Growers and Cory Robertson from Booma Foods.

Josh and Cory will chat with Beth Jones, CEO of Agriculture Victoria, about their respective businesses, including how they solved challenges of access to land and how being First Nations farmers informs their business model in agriculture.

Register here

Webinar: Hay or grain? Making the right call

When: Monday 15 September, 12 to 1 pm
Where: online.

Join our seasonal agronomists Dale Grey and Dale Boyd and Nutrien Ag Solutions Elmore Branch Manager, Greg Toomey for a timely and practical webinar designed to help you make informed decisions about cutting cereal crops for hay. They’ll walk you through the key questions and considerations, including:

estimating hay yields
timeliness of making hay – effects on quality and quantity
cost–benefit analysis – the economics of hay vs grain production
key factors for making marketable hay
impact on ground cover and long-term paddock management.

If you're actively considering your options, this session will provide valuable insights to support your decision-making on whether to cut your cereal crops for hay or take them through to grain.

Register here

Planning for your farm's future

When: Wednesday 17 September 5:30 - 7 pm
Where: online.

Creating sustainable, profitable farms doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years of planning. That’s why Landcare Victoria's next webinar is bringing in Agriculture Victoria's expert Alison Kelly, to answer the question 'now what?' and share actions being taken across the state to lower on-farm emissions while remaining productive and profitable.

Many of these actions also build farm resilience and can help farmers adapt to an increasingly extreme climate. Alison will be joined by Victorian farmers, who will talk through the actions they’re taking now and plan to take in the future, to adapt and thrive.

Register here

Youth Agritech Jobs Expo

When: Wednesday 17 September, 9 am to 3 pm.
Where: Gippsland Agriculture Centre, 345 Bengworden Road, Bairnsdale.

Head along to the Youth Agritech Jobs Expo - showcasing the broad range of careers in agriculture.

For more information, contact Lily on lily.mccole16@gmail.com or phone 0497 694 372.

Fodder production in a challenging season

When: Thursday 18 September, 8:30 am to 12 pm
Where: Foster Exchange Hotel, 43 Main Street, Foster

When: Friday 19 September, 8:30 am to 12 pm
Where: Macalister Demonstration Farm, 285 Boggy Creek Road, Riverslea.

Needing to produce fodder after the tough season? Or will you be buying in fodder to get through spring? Come along to one of our fodder field days to get the most out of your pasture hay or silage this spring.

Register for Foster here

Register for Riverslea here

Presenter: Frank Mickan
Frank is an industry-renowned specialist in fodder and pasture conservation, providing insights into producing high-quality hay and silage.

Topics include:

how to make the best quality hay and silage
how fodder quality influences livestock production
understanding the ensiling process
including additives
storage systems and minimising wastage
feed testing

Look Over the Farm Gate: Help a Mate!

Farming families are invited to a series of community BBQs to connect during the drought conditions.

11 am to 2 pm.

Tuesday 23 September: Buln Buln
Thursday 25 September: Longwarry
Wednesday 1 October: Trafalgar
Wednesday 8 October: Neerim South
Tuesday 14 October: Ellinbank

How much water does your farm require?

When: Tuesday 7 October, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Where: The Inlet Hotel, 3-6 The Esplanade, Inverloch.

Come along for a relaxed informal dinner and enjoy a few hours off farm. In this practical interactive workshop lead by Agriculture Victoria's Bec Cameron, you will work through the Dairy Shed Water Booklet to comprehensively calculate water use on your farm. On the back of a dry winter and in preparation for summer, the aim is to give you a solid grasp on your water usage and look at water saving options to implement immediately.

Register here