Gippsland Farmer August 2020

Phone: (03) 5135 4444

August, 2020

DAUGHTERS KEY IN FUTURE OF FARMING PAGE 2

A love of horses

Beinn Kaldy Highland pony stud owner Amy Young with her stallion Tarabrae Mallee. FULL STORY - PAGE 10

RATES DEBATE “Wellington farmers are facing one of the worst rate hikes in the state as a consequence.�

But Wellington Shire Mayor Alan Hall said council had, for the past 18 years, provided farmers in Wellington a 20 per cent discount on their rates.

This year, in addition to that discount, he said council decided to deliver a zero per cent rate rise that would benefit all ratepayers, not just the farming sector. “The VFF wants council to instead provide a greater than 20 per cent discount to farmers to offset the increase in the value of their farms,� he said.

“We are not willing to do that when every sector of our community is struggling through the pandemic.�

But Mr Jochinke believes council can do more for farmers, and is trying to pass blame onto the statewide valuation system. “No one is denying there are many problems with the way valuations are carried out,� Mr Jochinke said. “However, it’s the job of the council to mitigate the effects of increased land values by setting different rates for different classes of property.�

VFF analysis of council budgets

showed a number of councils in rural and regional Victoria had successfully delivered equitable changes to rates this year, despite skyrocketing farm valuations. “Over in the Ararat council, there has been a 22 per cent increase in farm valuations, but through good management of their budget the council is delivering a one per cent rate cut to all ratepayers, including for farmers this year.�

Mr Jochinke said there were a number of mechanisms available to councils to ease the rating burden on farmers.

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FOOTY AND NETBALL CANCELLED PAGE 27

Continued on page 3

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THE Victorian Farmers Federation has rejected claims made by the Wellington Shire Council that it misunderstands the way local government rates are calculated.

VFF president David Jochinke said the organisation was concerned farmers in Wellington Shire would see an unfair increase in their rate bills this year, with the council refusing to help. “Farmers in Wellington have seen their property valuations soar, yet council has decided not to use the tools at its disposal to deliver an equitable rate increase across the community,� Mr Jochinke claimed.

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MORE focus must be placed on engaging and empowering women to remain on family farms, according to a Nuffield scholar’s report.

West Australian grain grower Katrina Sasse carried out research motivated by her own experiences of returning to the farm.

Ms Sasse travelled to the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark to understand how daughters are engaging in farm succession planning in advanced agricultural economies.

She was able to identify practices and business structures helping daughters to become far m successors.

The report found that daughters are not traditionally given equal opportunities of succession and rarely thought of as future leaders in farming. “Daughters are an untapped resource in family farming,� Ms Sasse said. “For the first time in history we are seeing women take over multi-generational family farms, but there are still discrepancies in the socialisation patterns of boys and girls in farming communities.�

Ms Sasse said she met female successors with strong credentials in higher education, agricultural

Nuffield scholar Katrina Sasse authored the report.

experience, and business and technological skills, which them apart. “Pigeonholing women into categories such as farmer’s wife or daughter-in-law, perpetuates the gender bias in rural communities,� she said. “There needs to be a paradigm shift in agriculture that involves structural changes to the way people think and make decisions about farm succession at both a home and community level. “Women bring diversity, innovation and thought leadership to the agricultural sector, and both men and women must continue to promote and validate the achievements of female farmers.�

Ms Sasse said although there were initiatives across the globe that empowered women into agriculture, there was limited visibility into the roadblocks women faced in succession planning. “To change the way our rural communities think about succession, we need to see more industry led initiatives that focus on building the capacity of women to remain on family farms and become successors,� Ms Sasse said. “Then on the homefront, parents need to be challenging gender role stereotypes, recognising unique strengths and capabilities, and ensuring both sons and daughters are given equal opportunities for succession.�

Ms Sasse said young women needed to be encouraged by hearing stories of female successors so the younger generation viewed it as a career option. “To safeguard the success and continuity of family farming enterprises, we need to continue striving for a balanced gender setting on farms and within rural communities across Australia, and ensuring daughter are engaged and empowered in family farm succession planning,� she said.

Council offering advice

A NEWLY established Farm Safety Council is providing advice to the state government and agriculture sector on how to reduce injuries and deaths of people on farms.

The council was established by Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes to help guide the government to make farms safer and change farm safety culture, reducing farm deaths and injuries. “We want our farms to be safe places for those who live, work or visit them.

The advice provided by the Farm Safety Council will guide industry and

government on what can be done to make farms safer,�

Ms Symes said. “In the past five months, six people have died while working on a farm - that’s six people too many. It is critical that we find solutions to help keep people safe.�

The agricultural sector is overly represented in fatality statistics, making up less than three per cent of the Victorian workforce but more than 30 per cent of workplace deaths.

Victorians who live on or interact with a farm, including children, suppliers and contractors can also be at

risk of an unsafe workplace.

The council includes representatives from including unions, farming and agriculture bodies, and government departments.

It is linking with other programs including the $6 million quad bike rebate scheme, drought and bushfire recovery, and industry-led services such as Dairy Australia’s farm safety programs.

The Farm Safety Council is part of the state government’s $20 million Victoria’s Smarter, Safer Farms program and Making our Farms Safer election commitment.

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August, 2020

RURAL NEWS

Debate over rates Continued from page 1

“Councils should implement a dynamic rating strategy where the rate in the dollar is set at a different level for each class of property proportionate to changes in land values,” Mr Jochinke said.

“After 20 years at 80 per cent, the VFF thinks it’s time that Wellington decreased its farmland rate to accommodate for increased farmland values in comparison to other land uses.

The Blyth family has been farming daffodils since post-World War II, but Peter Blyth said some of this year’s golden crop will be left in the ground with the cancellation of this year’s Cancer photograph hayley mills Council Daffodil Day.

By MICHELLE SLATER

AN ELLINBANK daffodil grower has to leave some of his flowers in the ground this season as he is unable to supply this year’s Cancer Council’s Daffodil Day due to COVID-19.

Daffodil farmer John Blyth has been growing the golden blooms for the Cancer Council’s annual fundraiser for the past 20 years, shipping flowers interstate for volunteers to sell at street stalls.

However, this year’s event has gone digital and people are instead being encouraged to buy a virtual flower to raise cash for cancer research.

Mr Blyth usually spends a fortnight each year picking and preparing daffodils at the peak of the season for Daffodil Day, but said this year he will leave them to add colour to the local landscape.

“It’s a fair-sized quantity when this happens, we will leave them in the paddock as there is no market for

‘‘

There will be a lovely season of daffodils flowering in Ellinbank this year.

JOHN BLYTH

them at that volume, we are already growing as much as we can,” Mr Blyth said.

“There will be a lovely season of daffodils flowering in Ellinbank this year.

We’ve had good rains and it’s been a good year for bulbs, they’ve grown well as we should get some nice flowers.”

The Blyth family began growing daffodils in 1945 out of a paddock in Boronia, before Mr Blyth expanded into the nearby Dandenong Ranges and moved to West Gippsland 30 years ago.

They now plant 20 hectares of bulbs a year to mainly supply wholesale markets around Australia, and rotate the paddocks with their Angus cattle enterprise.

Mr Blyth said they also donate about 50,000 bulbs to raise funds for the West Gippsland Hospital, which this year generated $20,000 for the local healthcare service, But he said dwindling imports of blooms from Asia meant that there was more of a local demand for domestically grown flowers, so his flowers had been “selling a bit better this year”.

“We are approaching the year with a cautious attitude of not knowing what will happen, and this has paid off,” Mr Blyth said.

“We are not going beyond our limits and we are treading carefully, so whatever comes we will make the most of it. It may not be the most successful year, but we are doing okay.”

“We are committed to working with all rural and regional councils to help deliver a fair rates system for all ratepayers.

“Farmers stand ready to sit down with Wellington Shire and offer positive solutions to create a more equitable rating strategy.”

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Daffodils to stay in the paddock

“Wellington also chooses not to levy a municipal charge, which is a good way to help flatten the rating burden across the community.

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RURAL NEWS

Changing safety attitudes TWO new educational programs will be rolled out for rural and regional school students to start changing attitudes towards safety on farms.

Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes announced the programs in last month’s Farm Safety Week to reinforce the government’s commitment towards reducing deaths and injuries on farms.

Kidsafe Victoria will receive a $97,000 grant to support delivering a farm safety campaign and creative competition in primary schools over three years.

The National Centre for Farmer Health will receive a $108,500 grant to deliver twenty Gear up for Agriculture Health and Safety workshops to Victorian secondary school students interested in agriculture.

Ms Symes said increasing

Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes announced the two new educational programs will be rolled out for rural and regional school students.

education and awareness was crucial in order to change the culture of safety on farms.

“By partnering with Kidsafe Victoria and the National Centre for Farmer Health, we can do this from an early age,� Ms Symes said. “This Farm Safety Week is a good reminder that we all have a role to play in understanding that farms are workplaces as well as homes, and how we behave on them can have significant consequences for every person who works, lives or visits one.�

Monash University Accident Research Centre found that children younger than 15 in Victoria’s outer regional areas were four times more likely to die from injury than children in major cities.

MUARC recommended addressing this problem through increased education and awareness of known injury hazards such as dams, farm

equipment and off-road motorbike use.

Drowning is the leading cause of death of children on farms - providing a fenced play area away from water hazards such as dams is one recommendation to help make farms safer for children.

Teaching children about farms as workplaces as well as homes is vital, as children influence the decisions their parents make, in turn improving farm safety for the whole family.

These grants are part of the state government’s $20 million Victoria’s Smarter, Safer Farms program which is addressing skills and safety issues in the agriculture sector.

To find out more about the educational programs visit the Agriculture Victoria website.

$500,000 for water feasibility study WATER Minister Lisa Neville has announced $500,000 for a study to scope potential development of further irrigation in Central Gippsland.

The feasibility study will examine potential infrastructure options for expanding irrigation development in Central Gippsland - based on customer demand and willingness to invest, and water availability.

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options based on demand and water availability. “We have modernised irrigation systems and expanded the water grid in regions across the State and this work will help give us a sound basis for any further decisions,� Ms Neville said.

Souther n Rural Water will conduct the study and Gippsland communities will have an opportunity to provide

their feedback and expertise in helping shape the work.

The work will feed into the state government’s Sustainable Water Strategy to be conducted over the next twelve months in Central Victoria including Gippsland - which is a regular examination of the water resource and its management in a given region.

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Farm staff urged to don masks

by Premier

By MICHELLE SLATER

AGRICULTURE sector workers must wear masks on farms if they coming into contact with others, or if they do not live on the property, the Victorian Premier had clarified.

All regional Victorians have been directed to wear face masks or face coverings when out in public this month in order to keep COVID-19 cases low in the regions.

Premier Daniel Andrews urged farm staff to don masks, as well as people who regularly come and go from properties including contractors and seasonal workers.

However, he stressed farmers should use “common sense� particularly for those working alone on their properties. “When you invite other people onto your property when they are moving back and forth, the best thing is to wear a mask so you are not contributing to the spread of the virus,� Mr Andrews said. “If you are on your own and not coming into contact with anyone else, just livestock, or operating on your own, you don’t need to wear a mask.�

Mr Andrews also acknowledged that agriculture properties were unique work places which were also farmer’s homes. “If it’s just you and your family working, then you wouldn’t need to be wearing a mask,� he said.

Mr Andrews gave examples of farmers sending cattle to market, and said the driver should wear the mask when they got into the truck, as well as at the sale. “When someone is delivering cattle, they must put the mask on,� he said.

Mr Andrews said many farm occupations or practices already required the wearing of masks as part of occupational and safety procedures.

He said there may be instances where it was not possible to wear a mask for health reasons, and said kids under 12 were not directed to wear them. “I think all people will do it, they will do it with good will and with a sense of purpose to keep numbers in regional Victoria low,� he said. “We have low numbers in regional Victoria and we want to jealously guard that.�

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RURAL NEWS

Hold on there

By MICHELLE SLATER

MIRBOO North Coal and Gasfield Free is urging the state government to put a hold on issuing exploration licences for onshore conventional gas companies in Gippsland.

The group is ramping up its opposition after the state government passed legislation in June for onthe-ground exploration and the development of onshore conventional gas to start in July next year.

Geoscience studies located potentially significant resources in the Gippsland Basin from Yarram to Lakes Entrance and inland to the Latrobe Valley, as well as the state’s south-west.

Group member and South Gippsland beef producer Fergus O’Connor said his concerns were “breezed over” at government consultation meetings.

Mr O’Connor said he had “no confidence” that there would be minimal impacts on land and water and he believed these issues had not been adequately addressed.

The farmer told Gippsland Farmer he feared that sinking gas wells would jeopardise the region’s underground water quality

FERGUS O’CONNOR

and its “clean and green” agriculture industry.

“They must think that farmers are easy picking.

Why don’t they go and explore in the middle of Toorak? But they will go onto farms, wreck the joint and leave,” he said.

“Water is our most precious commodity, more important than coal and gas, because without water, we can’t grow what we need to eat. It’s as simple as that.”

Mirboo North Coal and Gasfield Free member Marg Thomas believed Gippslanders had not been accurately represented in government discussions.

She pointed to Victorian Gas Program community consultation report which she said represented a

“poor sample size” considering the amount of people in the region.

“We find the report lacking as it does not provide an accurate assessment of community attitudes to onshore gas development,” Ms Thomas said.

“Nor does it adequately reflect the concerns of residents, in particular those in Gippsland.”

The state government has banned the more controversial practice of coal seam gas.

Resources Minister Jaclyn Symes said new gas industry rules would increase consultation with the community throughout the life of any project.

She said about 200 Gippslanders had engaged with the Victorian Gas Program in the past three years, including community groups, councils, water authorities, environment groups and farmers.

“Three years of detailed geoscientific and environmental investigations by the Victorian Gas Program showed that an onshore conventional gas industry will not come at the cost of the state’s groundwater supplies, agricultural industries or our farming’s clean and green reputation,” Ms Symes said.

Pilot project endorsed

SOUTH Gippsland Shire Council endorsed its submission to the State Government’s Strategic Extractive Resource Areas (SERA) Pilot Project at last month’s meeting.

Council has recognised the strategic importance of the Nyora sand resource for the local and broader Victorian economy for many years.

The submission demonstrates council’s support of the introduction of new planning scheme controls through the SERA project to protect the resource and amenity of local residents.

A request will be made to the Planning Minister

that any process to formally introduce the SERA planning controls into the South Gippsland Planning Scheme will occur with further public consultation and independent review by a planning panel or advisory committee.

South Gippsland Shire Chair Administrator Julie Eisenbise understood the balance needed between providing such an important resource to the local and Victorian economy while respecting the needs of local nearby residents.

“There is a high priority to protect the sand resource at Nyora due to its economic importance - the sand is of

high-quality and is close to market where there is a high demand as finding these new resources is becoming increasingly difficult,” Ms Eisenbise said.

“There is a balance that needs to be achieved between providing access to this resource and the impact of amenity to local residents. This is why we are pleased to see the state government engaging with local residents on the project but we are encouraging them to continue this work in any further stages of the project to ensure residents concerns are considered and mitigated where possible.”

RUSSELL NORTHE MLA

Member for Morwell

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“Gippsland, such a great place to live, work and visit. Through fire, flood and drought the resilience, generosity and goodwill of Gippsland people always shines through”

RUSSELL NORTHE MLA

Member for Morwell

12-14 George Street, Morwell VIC 3840 / PO Box 214, Morwell VIC 3840 p. 03 5133 9088 | f. 03 5133 9388 | e. russell.northe@parliament.vic.gov.au w. www.russellnorthe.com.au Authorised by Russell Northe, 12-14 George Street, Morwell VIC 3840. Funded from Parliamentary Budget.

August, 2020

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THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

5

RURAL NEWS Got news to share?

Do you have an agricultural story to share with the Gippsland Farmer?

Send your news tip to farmer@gippsnews.com.au or share your story with journalist Michelle Slater by phoning 5135 4444.

Menke family an absolute pearler

By MICHELLE SLATER

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A MALLACOOTA family which had faced a string of tragedies is back in business, producing fine pearls from wild abalone grown off the pristine waters of the Victorian coastal town.

Mallacoota Abalone Pearls Australia - or MAPA - cultivates unique pearls to create fine jewellery by local artists, as well as processing the molluscs’ meat for export to Asia.

The family-owned business was struck when its founders Mary and Gerry Menke were killed aboard the ill-fated MH17 in 2014, leaving children Sara, Brett, Anna, and Paul to carry on.

Brett Menke said it took the family about two or three years to recover from the grief of losing their parents and learn the methods from their father who began expanding the business 25 years ago.

The business took another hit when Mallacoota was ravaged by bushfires over the New Year forcing the town to evacuate, and then COVID-19 put the clamps on exporting the delicacy to China.

Mr Menke said they had to stop harvesting for six months after the meat processing factory had burnt down, but it was now back in production in a temporary facility.

The family is also hoping to start an aquaculture enterprise to produce sustainably-grown abalone instead of relying on wild populations.

Mallacoota’s Paul Menke, Sara Menke and Brett Menke.

“Everything we do is clean and bio-secure, if we could farm abalone, it would boost production and create jobs. It’s an exciting proposition and the town would like a new industry,�

Mr Menke told Gippsland Farmer. “People want to see where they are produced. We are sustainable and low impact and we produce unique pearls. But we are not like a farm on land, and we can only go out when the weather is good.�

Mr Menke said abalone pearls produced a different type of lustre than those from oysters, with jewellers crafting custom pieces for

people who want to hear the “story behind Mallaocoota pearls�.

He hoped to build-up the business to sell abalone meat on the domestic market where there was a niche demand, and there was further interest to use the site for research and development. “We are now at a stage where we are putting in more infrastructure and harvesting,� Mr Menke said. “We’ve also been experimenting with new shapes of pearls. “It was daunting when we first took over, but the support from the locals drives us on to do what we do.�

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7

A D V E R T I S I N G

F E A T U R E

Innovate and adapt during COVID-19 FOUNDED in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr Pearse Lyons, Alltech is a cutting-edge technology company in a traditional industry, agriculture.

Their products maximise the health and nutrition of plants and animals, resulting in more nutritious products for people as well as less impact on the environment.

With expertise in yeast fermentation, solid state fermentation and the sciences of nutrigenomics and metabolomics, Alltech is a leading producer of yeast additives, organic trace minerals, feed ingredients, premix and feed.

Together, with more than 5000 talented team members worldwide, they believe in “Working Together for a Planet of Plenty.� “With the adoption of new technologies, the adaptation of better farm management practices and the ingenuity inherent in the human spirit, they believe a world of abundance could be a very real possibility.

Jacqueline Pieters, lead finance and investment with the World Business Council of Sustainable Development at Rabobank, and Mark Lyons, president and chief executive officer of Alltech, recently spoke at a Women in Food and Agriculture webinar.

She was asked, “How Have Different Food and Agribusiness Leaders Addressed COVID-19 Challenges?� “I think the food industry has reacted extremely well,�

Ms Pieters said. “At the same time, you see specific sectors and areas

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with major disruptions,� such as meat production in several countries.

She said the agrifood industry’s volatility under normal conditions may have helped it adapt during the pandemic. “Food companies are used to the fact that there are barriers where you suddenly have to change your sourcing or your markets,� she said.

Dr Lyons said that, while the industry continues to operate during the pandemic, it has made changes to how it operates. “In so many countries, the food sector was designated

as essential,� he said. “And a really important message that I’ve seen is companies that responded to that to say, “Essential, yes, that means we must continue to operate, but that doesn’t mean business as usual.�

Dr Lyons said this could be a great time for the food and agribusiness industries to lead and innovate. “Agriculture has an extraordinary moment right now to step out in front, to lead the way out of COVID. “We don’t have to rebuild it the way it was, we can rebuild it in a new way and we can really embrace some of these

concepts that are coming out - really embrace this broader essence of sustainability and become a leader in the global economy,� he said. “2020 has to be the year that agriculture looks itself in the year and says, ‘Who do we want to be?’�

Ms Pieters and Dr Lyons said companies now have a broader view of what is important to them.

While they still want quality, sustainability and low cost from their partners, they now also know that trust is key. “The confidence of having a supplier that is going to deliver for you suddenly shot

up on the list� of priorities, Dr Lyons said.

Ms Pieters said companies need to increase their resilience by forming good partnerships that give them options for sourcing and distribution, and by focusing less on “just-in-time� production and more on “just-in-case� production. “We’re so focused on ‘just in time’ that there is little resilience in any disruption.

Maybe we should look into ‘just in case,’� she said. “It’s good to take a broader perspective than just looking into efficiency. Yes, it needs to be efficient, but maybe things should be more ‘just in case.’�

Ms Pieters added that, while many companies are just trying to survive in the short term right now, they must not lose sight of their long-term sustainability goals, because planning for the future is still important.

Before the pandemic, she said Rabobank identified the key transitions for its clients to make in the next five years: the reduction of carbon emission, the improvement of quality of water and soil, the increase of digitalisation, and the reduction of waste.

The pandemic has only stimulated conversation about these topics, she said, because people have seen that the unexpected can actually happen. “People are realising that the black swans that we have been discussing, like pandemics, are not black swans; it’s something that happens,� she said.

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8

THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

August, 2020

Clover the Cow is

a story with heart " " $" RURAL NEWS

Zoe (11) and Angus Brunt (7) read Clover the Cow to some of their calves while Tink the Kelpie listens in. photographs supplied

contains fun facts about weeds and dairy farms.

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Kids can also learn what happens to milk after it has left the farm gate and the products created in south Gippsland.

Clover the Cow is available by emailing poowong@live.com or text 0418 595 429, or via post to the PCCC at PO Box 9, Poowong, Victoria, 3988.

GP1611449

THE Poowong community is helping young readers learn about the life of a South Gippsland dairy cow with a new picture book published with the help of Dairy Australia.

Clover the Cow is a homegrown story written

by Jackie Wilmann and illustrated by Drouin artist Emma White, created on behalf of the Poowong Community Consultative Committee.

The local community group is taking care of book preparation, printing and sales.

The book was published with the proceeds from prize money the town won from a Dairy Australia Legendairy regional award in 2017.

The story follows Clover the calf who lives in the rolling green hills of South Gippsland, where her adventures take her around the farm discovering various nasty weeds.

She learns that farmers and other animals work hard to keep weeds like ragwort, blackberries and thistles out of her pasture, and the book also

The cover of Clover the Cow.

Gippsland South

Elders Real Estate

rural land, farms and lifestyle properties Elders Sale

Greg Tuckett

0428 826 600 August, 2020

Tracey Wrigglesworth

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s e s r o h f o e v For the lo Touch of Scotland atYinnar South

By MICHELLE SLATER

A YINNAR South woman’s love of Scottish historic novels led her to embarking on establishing a Highland pony stud in Australia.

Amy and Dean Young began breeding the native Scottish ponies about six years ago, looking for a sturdy, tough and quiet animal suited for Gippsland’s steep hills.

Ms Young is also the Rare Breeds Trust of Australia equine coordinator and said Highland ponies were listed as vulnerable world-wide with only about 100 breeding animals in Australia.

“I love to read historical novels and read about the Highlands, but I had never seen one before, although I had read about them,” Ms Young said.

“I didn’t even know if they still existed when I went looking, so I began researching them. There are not many in Australia, only about 10 foals are being bred each year.

“When I saw one in real life, it was like looking at on old-fashioned horse, not a showy type. They look like they can work and carry weight.”

Highland ponies were developed to carry stags out of the Scottish high country and are renowned for their weight-carrying ability, with a short back, heavy bone, broad chest, and thick neck.

Ms Young found a stallion and a purebred mare in New South Wales after a long search, but said it was rare to see them up for sale.

She said it was also challenging to find mares with a diverse pedigree, but the recent import of two stallions had helped to vary the gene pool, and there were programs to establish a sperm bank.

Ms Young now has 14 horses and is producing both purebreds and cross-breds to add some athleticism into their build.

She said her stallion acted “like a big dog” with a quiet temperament, and had young

Beinn Kaldy Highland pony stud owner Amy Young with her stallion Tarabrae Mallee.

photograph michelle slater

stock almost ready to start under saddle.

Ms Young said the breed was “quiet, accepting and trusting” and there were a few going around at local shows and adult riding clubs.

“I want to help with the breed’s numbers so I can get them out more. They have a loyal following but the average person doesn’t know much about them, they have been forgotten about,” she said.

“I’d like to set up a legacy for my kids to take on and so all the doors will be open, but it has been hard to get these doors open.”

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– Beinn Kaldy Highland stud owner Amy Young with some of her young stock.

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Farm visits and medication pickups still available Call us or visit the website www.maffravet.com.au for more details

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We’ve got you covered

Maffra Vet 03 5147 1177 Equine Hospital 03 5147 1008

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THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

August, 2020

RURAL NEWS

Hospital with the focus on equines GIPPSLAND Equine Hospital was opened in July 2011 and is a purpose built hospital complete with operating theatre, stables, crush, day yards and paddocks.

Gippsland Equine Hospital has surgery facilities that enable safe anaesthesia and recovery of horses in a special padded room, adjacent to a purpose built surgical suite.

There is a set of stocks that allows dental, minor surgical and reproductive procedures to be undertaken under cover and digital radiology, endoscope and ultrasound units.

There are five stables, all lined with padded rubber to make a comfortable stay for patients.

There is also a double sized, purpose built, stable for mares to foal down in.

This is done under strict supervision of staff who monitor the horses via cameras that can be accessed remotely.

At the Gippsland Equine

Hospital they provide a number of Equine Reproductive services.

The purpose built facility includes a dummy for training and collecting from stallions for fresh, chilled and frozen Artificial Insemination (AI).

Mares can be prepared and inseminated at the Equine Hospital with fresh, chilled and frozen semen.

They have semen storage tanks for the storage of your frozen semen.

They also offer embryo transfer and have a recipient mare herd which can be lined up to receive embryos from your performance horses and hired until the foal is weaned.

The hospital can also conduct soundness examinations for both mares and stallions including ultrasound of your mareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uterus and ovaries and semen morphology for your stallion.

For more information visit www.maffravet.com.au/equine.

Gippsland Equine Hospital is a purpose-built facility complete with operating theatre, day yards, stables, crush and paddocks.

Laminitis on the increase during spring months

By VICTORIA MCIVER

AFTER a wet and cold winter we will all be looking forward to some warmer spring days, but did you know that we see an increase in laminitis in horses and ponies through spring?

Laminitis is something many horse owners dread as it can cause life long crippling pain or even prompt euthanasia of a beloved friend.

Laminitis refers to a painful inflammatory condition of the hooves.

Typically, it only involves the front feet but all four feet can be affected.

Inside the hoof is a bone that is called the pedal bone.

This triangular shaped bone sits snugly within the hoof capsule - the hard, outer layer of the hoof that we see from the outside of the horse.

The pedal bone is held in place by fingers of tissue called laminae.

These laminae support the entire weight of the horse by connecting the bone to the hoof capsule and holding it

Laminitis is a painful inflammatory conditions of the hooves.

tightly in place, so it canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sink or rotate.

When a horse suffers laminitis - â&#x20AC;&#x153;itisâ&#x20AC;? meaning inflammation, therefore laminitis means inflammation of the laminae - these fingers of

tissue become weak and tear away from the hoof wall.

This causes pain and often significant lameness, and allows the pedal bone to rotate or sink within the hoof under the weight of the horse.

The severity of the resulting lameness can vary immensely from a shuffly gait to a complete reluctance to move or turn in tight circles.

Horses may rock backwards or shift side to side - weight shifting - in an attempt to unload the weight from their sore front feet.

You may even notice them lying down more than normal.

There are several causes of laminitis.

Often it is linked to hormonal/metabolic diseases such as cushings or Equine Metabolic Syndrome, or episodes of severe illness that cause toxins to flood throughout the body - such as severe diarrhoea or retained foetal membranes.

In spring, we see many cases of laminitis that are triggered by lush green grass.

The grass is full of sugars and some horses and ponies are unable to cope with this.

In these animals, the sugars in the grass can increase blood sugar levels beyond what they can manage and upset a delicate balance of hormones.

A cascade of events eventually damages the sensitive laminae within the hoof.

Overweight ponies or horses are particularly prone to this, so it important to keep your equine friends from becoming too round - something that is often easier said than done.

In most cases, we can diagnose laminitis through a physical examination. In many cases we take x-rays of the feet to see if the pedal bone has shifted within the hoof.

We can also test your horse for cushings disease or investigate other underlying causes. This allows us to tailor a treatment plan for the individual horse.

In most cases, treatment involves anti-inflammatory and pain relief medications, corrective farriery and management of diet or underlying diseases.

Fortunately, most horses do recover from laminitis with careful management and most importantly, early intervention.

Victoria McIver is a vet at the Gippsland Equine Hospital.

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August, 2020

THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

11

A D V E R T I S I N G

F E A T U R E

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– Andrew Harborne in a crop of SF Greenland Forage Brassica

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FORAGE BRASSICA YIELD IS KEY TO LIVESTOCK PROFIT POTENTIAL

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The popularity of forage brassicas continues to increase in Australia as their usage has expanded into different seasons and pasture mixes.

Originally sown in southern Australia as a spring planted summer forage, they are now sown from Queensland to Tasmania to South west WA at various times of the year based on region.

But one variety has been a stand-out in performance over the past 15 years. SF Greenland seems to be the most durable at handling Australian extremes due to its strong genetic characteristics.

Forage brassicas are highly digestible with estimated Metabolizable Energy (ME) similar to grain at around 11.5-12.5MJ/kg DM depending on when they are tested.

They usually have adequate Crude Protein 12-20% if plant nutrition is managed, but have a low level of fibre (typically 18-30% NDF).

“For optimum animal performance, livestock producers should provide feed with highest ME, Crude Protein around 15-20% and NDF levels of around 35%,” says Andrew Harborne of Seed Force, who also runs an Angus breeding operation from his home base near Crookwell in southern NSW. “SF Greenland is quite unique in that it can be sown autumn through spring to

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provide low-cost, high quality feed that can provide high daily weight gain for valuable livestock classes.

“We use it as part of a soil building phase to prepare our paddocks for sowing to perennial pastures, but also as a way of ensuring that stock can achieve target weights (1.5kg/hd/day in cattle) much earlier, enabling less costly feeding time and often allowing livestock sales when prices are higher.”

Andrew’s background in soil nutrition and animal production gives him a strong understanding of how best to manage forage rape to get the best economic outcomes for livestock producers.

“Fertiliser trials sown by Seed Force using SF Greenland have highlighted its strong response to Phosphorous at planting and Nitrogen for subsequent growth,” he said.

“Whilst the crop is responsive to Sulphur it can induce stock health issues, so should not be sown with the crop but used in the following pasture phase if required.

“The other important area to review in your nutrient program is the micronutrients Molybdenum and Boron, both which are important to forage brassica crop production.

“Ideally if required they should be

applied as a post sowing foliar application to ensure good coverage.

“Growing a high yielding crop is the first part of maximising profitability from your forage brassica investment.

“Secondly, is ensuring you understand the importance of transitioning livestock from different feeds gradually, so that a change in any one of those parameters is slow enough to enable rumen bacteria to adjust.

“So with high ME not being a limiting factor, the key to maximising profit from grazing forage brassicas will be down to following a sound plan which I have detailed below.”

Key steps to a successful forage rape results 1. Obtaining a soil test well ahead of planting 2. Selecting the variety with highest yield potential, currently SF Greenland 3. Timely sowing to give the seed best opportunity for good moisture to establish 4. Providing adequate soil nutrition, largely Phosphorous and Nitrogen, but being mindful of the trace elements Molybdenum and Boron Take care not to include Sulphur unless necessary

It is best applied for the next crop or pasture 5. Drenching and/or vaccinating ahead of stock being introduced according to product labels 6. Ensuring adequate fibre is available, preferably fed before introduction 7. Transition animals slowly so that they are not introduced hungry and ensure access to other sources of fibre and adequate drinking water Trials conducted by Seed Force using SF Greenland under either worked seedbed or direct drilled situations, suggest for best results the following strategies: ■ Worked seedbed - sow with adequate P (suggest 100kg/ha MAP as TSP no longer available) and then if good moisture is available, top-dress with Urea four weeks after sowing.

■ Direct drill - sow with P and N (suggest 100kg/ha DAP) and then if the season is favourable and moisture is available, top-dress with Urea or Easy N four weeks after sowing.

For further information you can contact Andrew Harborne on 0499 700 345 or email andrewharborne@seedforce.com

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THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

August, 2020

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THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

13

RURAL NEWS

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A NEERIM South dairy farmer whose cows produce milk for top-notch cheese has been named in the top 100 of the Dairy Australia Milk Quality Awards.

David Johnson and his staff produce high-quality products under the Tarago River Cheese Company brand, as well as supplying Burra Foods.

Dairy Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Milk Quality Awards recognise farmers who produce the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best milk based on bulk milk cell count.

Gold Awards recognise the top 100 dairy farmers nationwide for milk quality, while Silver Awards are given to the top five per cent of producers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always nice to keep improving,â&#x20AC;? Mr Johnson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My staff are the ones that are doing the grind, day in day out, and it is good recognition of their skills.â&#x20AC;?

Mr Johnson said the care of his animals helps keep the cows healthy to produce milk with low bulk cell counts. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe if you focus on doing the little things well the results take care of themselves,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having content and quiet cows that arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stressed also helps.â&#x20AC;?

Mr Johnson cites teat spraying, blanket dry cow

Neerim South farmer David Johnson was named in the top 100 Dairy Australia Milk Quality Awards. photograph supplied

and teat sealing at dry off, good shed hygiene standards and herd testing as the four key steps towards mastitis prevention. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mainly chatting to other farmers and learning what they are doing,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We also meet often with staff to discuss and improve systems and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plenty of material online and on the Dairy Australia website

that we can access.â&#x20AC;? Mr Johnson had also conducted Cups On Cups Off along with his staff, and said training and learning new skills enabled his staff to get more satisfaction from their work. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having excellent quality milk and low cell count gives our cheesemakers the best chance to produce excellent quality cheese,â&#x20AC;? he said.

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THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

SilaNET

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GrainBAG August, 2020

A D V E R T I S I N G

F E A T U R E

NEW LOOK FOR OLD FAVOURITE which plays a vital role aiding in the prevention of coccidiosis, thus contributing to the overall good health of the calves and allowing them to thrive with requiring additional anti-coccidial supplementation.

The Palastart products all contain molasses, which calves love.

This tasty ingredient enhances palatability and increases the rate of feed intake, thus helping ensure consistent weight gain.

Those with an eye for design will recognise that the new colour-coded packaging features the original colours associated with the different products, but in a stronger way, making product identification quick and easy when you’re in store.

seen a variety of products consolidated under the Barastoc brand.

These are products that you may already be familiar with and could have used for many years.

The new look packaging creates a more consistent look and feel for the brand, making it easier to identify the right product for your needs.

The Barastoc range now comprises Palastart Green, Palastart Blue, Palastart Lamb & Kid, Platinum and Daisyvite.

With this assortment of products within its range, Barastoc becomes the only brand with a product offering to suit all protein, fat and nutritional requirements for calves, lambs and kids of different ages.

And while the packaging may look a little different, the benefits associated with many of the products in the range have not changed.

For example, Barastoc Platinum continues to be the only premium milk replacer that contains Rumensin®,

And while the outside of the packaging may have changed, the Barastoc bags are still made from high-quality, food grade, poly lined paper bags, delivering the highest possible degree of product protection.

The new-look Barastoc range can now be purchased from stores throughout the region, providing farmers everywhere with an all-encompassing brand of milk replacers that they can trust to give their calves the best possible start in life.

Because let’s face it, at the start of the day, and at end, that’s what it’s all about.

GP1611478

When it comes to rearing animals, getting them off to the best possible start in life is all-important.

Tick the right boxes in their early days and they’re on their way to good health and healthy growth.

Calves, like many other animals, can be fickle and need to be nurtured through the early months to make sure they get exactly what they need to thrive.

Every year farmers across Australia go to great lengths to ensure that their calves receive the right balance of protein, fat and nutrition.

Thankfully they have products, like those that make up the Barastoc range, designed to make it easy to cater for the specific needs of their calves, at the different stages in their life.

The Barastoc range of milk replacers provides Australian farmers with the confidence of knowing that they’re using a brand that will get their calves off to a positive start.

For many years the Palastart name has been synonymous with quality and high performance.

It has been one of the ‘go-to’ products for famers looking to rear healthy and robust calves.

The different products within the range are designed to provide calves with the specific nutritional requirements they need at different ages.

A recent packaging upgrade has

August, 2020

THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

15

RURAL NEWS

Local distributor works with your plumber and builder on installing the best hot water service ADVERTORIAL HOT water is one of the most expensive costs in running your home.

With a wide choice of hot water systems how do you know what is best for you?

And, if you’re a plumber or builder, which system do you recommend to your customers?

Qualified electrician and refrigeration mechanic Ken Ingwersen has more than 35 years’ experience and is the Gippsland agent for Sanden Eco Heat Pumps, a product he firmly believes is

the best of its kind on the Australian market.

Covering an area from Yarram to Mallacoota to Mount Hotham, Ken provides quality workmanship, exceptional customer service and professional advice.

Most people only think about their hot water service when it breaks down, resulting in a frantic call to a plumber which usually leads to a straight swap of an existing, inefficient hot water cylinder.

Ken can supply a Sanden unit the same day, liaising with your plumber for

you and even taking care of any available Government rebates.

All this adds up to hot water being restored to your home - stress free and usually on the same day.

So what is a hot water heat pump?

Essentially it works by drawing heat from the surrounding air and using that to help heat the water.

It’s extremely efficient, with hot water costing as little as 30c a day.

For example, a typical electric hot water service would normally cost about $1250 per year to run, with a heat pump

fitted, this falls to about $230 per year (estimated on average power rates and household usage) so the savings can be very significant.

Sanden Eco Heat Pumps can even be added to existing PV solar systems.

Whether you’re a home owner, landlord, plumber or builder Ken is on hand to answer any questions you might have about this exciting hot water technology and how it can benefit you.

Contact your plumber or builder, or speak to Ken on 1800 91 30 50 today.

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THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

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By PHILIP HOPKINS

A $4 million centre for timber research and innovation will be set up in Gippsland to service the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forestry industry.

In a joint project, the federal and state governments have committed $2 million each over the next four years to establish the Gippsland Centre of the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation (NIFPI).

Projects funded under NIFPI are expected to cover forest and plantation management, timber processing, wood fibre recovery, value-adding, advanced manufacturing and the bio-economy.

Forest and Wood Products Australia will provide ongoing administrative support to the centre, which will have no staff.

Like existing NIFPI centres in Launceston, Tasmania and Mount Gambier, South Australia, it will have an investment/management committee and an independent chairman.

Committee members usually cover the whole value chain, from forest growers to harvesters, sawmillers and the pulp and paper sector.

The centre will operate as a virtual structure to reduce management and administrative costs and will be linked to activities underway in existing centres.

Successful projects, which will be managed by FWPA, will be chosen by the management committee.

FWPA managing director, Ric Sinclair, said FWPA would have no say or input into the committee. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Using the existing NIFPI infrastructure - websites and management systems - we can hit the ground quickly,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Federal Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries Jonathon Duniam said the governmentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; funding would be supported with additional money and in-kind contributions by industry and research agencies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Funding the centre is a further commitment to the native forest industry in Victoria. Our policy for forestry is to ensure both strong plantation and native forest sectors,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We call on the Andrews Government to overturn their devastating unilateral decision to shut down the native forestry industry in Victoria by 2030 and back the industry, the workers and the regional communities the industry supports.â&#x20AC;?

Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes said the centre would encourage ingenuity that supports the Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy to transition from native timber harvesting to plantation timber by 2030.

Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, said the announcement was positive news for Gippsland, which had battled drought, bushfires and the economic fallout from the coronavirus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It demonstrates the federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support for a sustainable and economically viable native timber industry here in Gippsland,â&#x20AC;? he said.

The Australian Forest Products Association applauded the announcement but criticised the Andrews Government for pretending the centre would support the closure of the native forest sector.

AFPA chief executive officer Ross Hampton said it was disappointing that the state government marred the important development with media spin claiming the centre supported its plan to close the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sustainable native forestry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Andrews plan is not for a transition to plantations but rather a transition to imports,â&#x20AC;? Mr Hampton said.

Victorian Association of Forestry Industries chief executive officer Tim Johnston welcomed the announcement, but said he was keen to see the details, priorities and processes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Victorian timber and forest industry needs ongoing resource security, which requires maintaining access to native forests and getting trees in the ground,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Livestock,animal safety in focus RESEARCHERS are looking into the impacts of bushfires on livestock and protecting animals from suffering and pain.

Meat and Livestock Australia has provided $1.3 million into the effects of the summer bushfires on grazing stock and how farms are recovering.

The two-year study is being conducted by Sydney and Melbourne universities and Ausvet researchers.

Melbourne Uni co-lead researcher Caitlin Pfeiffer said

the study had the potential to minimise the loss and trauma suffered by both humans and animals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No farmer can stand to see their animals suffer and Australians were heartbroken to see animals endure pain, suffering and death during the bushfire emergency of 2019-2020,â&#x20AC;? Dr Pfeiffer told Gippsland Farmer.

Researchers are aiming to produce a Livestock Bushfire Preparation and Recovery manual for farmers on the

physical and financial effects of bushfires.

This will be completed by assessing animal health and welfare, and effects on product quality and the financial strains for farmers.

The study will examine the mid-to long-term effects of bushfires on surviving animalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; health as well as herd and flock managersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bushfire strategies.

It will investigate patterns of burnt areas and livestock losses on each farm, identifying

important features so farmers can find the safest paddocks as part of their fire plans.

The research will develop a paddock fire risk index for any farm to reduce livestock injury and loss, and minimise ongoing impacts.

There will also be recommendations for post-fire pasture rehabilitation and strategies for reducing weeds.

Researchers will assess the effect of fire exposure on carcass damage and meat quality in surviving animals.

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New forestry centre for Gippsland

RURAL NEWS

August, 2020

THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

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Bairnsdale Latrobe Valley Maffra Sale Sale Traralgon 18

THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

Brown Wigg Valley Pumps & Irrigation Brown Wigg Brown Wigg (pumps only) PK Equipment (pressure cleaners only) Rodwells

[03] 5152 1313 1800 060 965 [03] 5141 1544 [03] 5144 4441 [03] 5144 2200 [03] 5174 2944

Dealer enquiries welcome August, 2020

g n i Spr BULL SALES eview Pr

The long and shorthorn of it at Doben Park Doben Park Shorthorns is run by the Benson family at Buln Buln and has been breeding shorthorn cattle for more than 40 years.

DOBEN Park Shorthorns is run by the Benson family at Buln Buln and has been breeding shorthorn cattle for more than 40 years.

The stud is offering three roan bulls for sale aged from 16 to 22 months old - ideal for any joining.

Doben Park is running 45 registered cows, 10 registered joined heifers, nine crossbred and registered yearling heifers, and 19 crossbred and registered weaner heifers.

Stud principal Doug Benson said they had selected shorthorns for their excellent fertility, calving ease, mothering, milking ability and docility.

“These inherent qualities combine to

Two sons of Nirvana N128s.

Innesdale puts together a group of quality yearlings

INNESDALE Angus will offer a group of yearling bulls suited to joining heifers at its September bull sale.

Included in this draft are the first sons of Nirvana N128, purchased as the top priced $26,000 bull from Ben Nevis stud at Walcha in northern New South Wales.

Nirvana sires low birth and high growth with very high carcass predictions.

Other sire lines include Reality, Jasper and Resource bloodlines, who will have well grown sons weighing in at about 500 kilograms by next month when available for private sale.

Shorthorns-

The easy care breed

produce more live and healthy calves.

They have the ability to grow quickly,” Mr Benson said.

“They finish on pasture and, or grain, producing high yielding premium quality meat with marbling and even fat distribution.”

Mr Benson said this marbling ability could fill demand for superior meat eating qualities, tenderness, flavour and juiciness.

“Shorthorns are suitable for domestic and export markets,” he said.

“The quiet nature of shorthorns, the ease of calving and the resistance to bloat and eye cancer combine to make shorthorns an easy care breed.”

Doben Park Shorthorns is run by The Benson Family at Buln Buln in West Gippsland. We’ve been breeding Shorthorn cattle for over 40 years.

We have 3 Roan Bulls, aged 16-22 months, For Sale, that are ideal for any joining.

The quiet nature of Shorthorns, the ease of calving & the resistance to bloat & eye cancer combine to make Shorthorns an easy care breed.

Doben Park SHORTHORNS 

EST. 1977



1387 OLD SALE RD. BULN BULN

DOUG 0407 343 966 SANDY 0409 074 291

Yearling Bulls available in September

ORDERS NOW BEING TAKEN! Including 1st sons of ‘Ben Nevis Nirvana’ $26,000 sire

Innesdale Angus,

718 Rosedale Road, Heyfield 3858 Geoff 0412 958 168 AH 5148 6371 E geoff@innesdale.com August, 2020

Innesdale Bull Calves THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

GP1610888

FOR DETAILS CONTACT

19

SPRING BULL SALES PREVIEW

Leawood Angus offering 42 bulls at sale

Leawood Angus will be busy with 42 bulls at its annual spring bull sale on September 11.

LEAWOOD Angus is offering 42 Angus bulls at its annual spring bull sale on September 11 at 1.30pm followed by 50 commercial females, including spring females with calves at foot and un-joined heifers.

This year’s spring bull line up showcases Leawood’s strongest genetics with a large influence of New Zealand and home-bred sires.

This includes Leawood Express L581 - an exciting sire going back to Turihaua Rambo on the dam’s side, and Leawood Deni G250 who is a huge influence in the herd with more than 320 progeny.

EAWOO L D ANGUS

Spring on Property Sale 1545 Princes Highway, Flynn

Friday 11th September 2020 @ 1.30 pm

36 Bulls 18 mths 50 Commercial Females

THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

GP1609842

Graeme, Joy and Luke Stuckey

20

sound, very fertile, with outstanding weight gain that demand a premium when they sell progeny,” Mr Stuckey said.

“To support this, we recently preg-tested 139 first calved females to find only one empty.”

Leawood is a four-generation, family-run operation that has been breeding cattle for 76 years.

“We pride ourselves on honesty and integrity and with Luke [Stuckey] now managing our program with these same principles we will continue to maintain a sound practical breeding future,” Mr Stuckey said.

For more information, call Luke Stuckey 0474 992 683 or Graeme 0429 992 683, check out the Leawood Angus Facebook page, or visit livestockvideo.com.au.

The sale and scanning details on all bulls will be available on AuctionsPlus.

Busy time for Bowman

Established 1944

Graeme mob: 0429 992 683 Luke mob: 0474 992 683

Other sires include, Rangatira Mack, Leawood Yeo K268, Leawood Tangi K356, Leawood Express G508, along with five sons of Stern 15815 which sold to high demand in autumn.

Stud principal Graeme Stuckey said all of these sires have been used in Leawood’s heifer program and leave easy calving, short gestation progeny.

“We pride ourselves on even and consistent cattle,” Mr Stuckey said.

“We focus very hard on our female herd and what genetics we use. We select for sound and proven genetics that will breed a high retention rate that don’t give us or our clients any surprises.”

Leawood will also have brothers to its spring sale bulls on show with 50 16-month-old steers up for sale at the Heyfield store sale on August 13.

“As quoted by many clients, our cattle are affordable, amazingly quiet, structural

BOWMAN Performance Genetics is offering approximately 50 Angus and 10 Hereford bulls at its inaugural on-property sale in Neerim South next month.

Stud principal Glenn Bowman said he had carried out extensive embryo transfer programs in the past five years using top end lines from the Millah Murrah herd.

Mr Bowman has been producing Herefords for the past 30 years at his family’s historic property ‘The Ridge’, in Rosedale.

As a seventh generation Australian farmer, he carries on a family legacy of breeding cattle, whilst sourcing the latest genetics on annual trips to the United States.

He said he fast-tracked this knowledge to branch into producing Angus from elite cow families purchased at stud dispersal sales, including those from Aberdeen Estate and Witherswood.

Mr Bowman said his genetics thrive on both grass finishing and feedlots, whilst regularly topping store markets and meeting MSA requirements.

“We run a 1000-head commercial breeder operation in Rosedale, which has given me a greater knowledge of what the end consumer and

Glenn Bowman is preparing up for his inaugural on-property sale in Neerim South next month. photograph supplied processors are looking for,” he said.

Mr Bowman aims to hold an open day a fortnight before the auction, depending on COVID-19 restrictions.

The spring bull sale will be held on September 25 with Tamworth auctioneer Paul Dooley and will be run

by Elders and Nutrien.

The bulls can be viewed pre-sale via appointment. For more information call 0437 127 748.

August, 2020

SPRING BULL SALES PREVIEW

Anthonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passion is shining through

Some of the bulls on offer from South Kolora.

photograph supplied

Focus on South Kolora

SOUTH Kolora is offering 20 hereford bulls for sale by appointment at its Inverloch property.

Stud manager Scott Andersen said these quiet and docile bulls had been produced from Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top polled semen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are easy doing and have good feet structure. We have clients who come back and buy a couple of bulls every year, both dairy and beef breeders,â&#x20AC;? Mr Andersen said.

Absolute Angus stud owner Anthony Pisa is preparing for his second on-farm bull sale next month.

ABSOLUTE Angus stud principal Anthony Pisa is following his childhood passion by returning to the land to breed top-notch Angus.

The Trafalgar breeder has 50 bulls and 20 females up for sale at his second on-property auction on September 22 at 1pm. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cattle have always been my passion and I do the work with them myself. My cows are so quiet, they are a part of me,â&#x20AC;? Mr Pisa said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love breeding them, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing better than seeing what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve produced and how youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve improved the herd by putting the right bull to the right cow.â&#x20AC;?

Mr Pisa grew up on a Thorpdale spud farm but always harboured a love of bovines.

He returned to the land after a stint in Sydney finance and is now running 300 breeders producing high quality genetics. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was at a lecture one day and someone said to me that your job needs to be your passion. I was working in the city but I was always thinking about cattle,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So I came home and bought 40 commercial cows in 2007 and never looked back.â&#x20AC;?

Mr Pisa had been scouting dispersal sales and investing in top bulls from Landfall, Te Mania,

Vermont, Kennyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Creek and Wattle Top, as well as using world-renowned AI sires.

He also went on a trip to the United States to check out the best in the business, visiting top studs and AI centres. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My Angus program suits all conditions. I like my cattle to have a high milk yield, good rib and rump, and low birth weight is important too,â&#x20AC;? Mr Pisa said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I find Angus are a superior breed, they adapt to all conditions. I was breeding herefords but I find Angus had more to offer and there was more market demand.â&#x20AC;?

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August, 2020

Poll Hereford and Hereford bulls are available for sale SIRED BY

ELITE A1 BULLS Over 50 years breeding QUALITY Hereford cattle

For further particulars and inspection contact:

1100 Inverloch Kongwak Road, Inverloch

Scott Andersen on 0409 785 846 or John Langley on 0418 528 632

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Clients love their temperament, easy calving and good muscle. We are really improving our herd with good AI genetics.â&#x20AC;?

Stud principal John Langley has been breeding herefords for more than 50 years and is now focusing on producing a polled herd.

South Kolora sells about 20 to 30 bulls a year, and runs and 140 breeders as well as a bullock fattening operation selling directly to the processor.

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THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

21

SPRING BULL SALES PREVIEW

Fernleigh hopeful restrictions will not impact on sale FERNLEIGH Angus is hoping to forge ahead with its Koonwarra bull sale, but the date is to be announced depending on COVID-19 restrictions.

If the sale does not go ahead, cattle will be on offer via private treaty at the studâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ellinbank property, and interested parties should contact stock agent Alex Scott and Staff.

Stud owner John Blyth will have 10 carefully selected bulls up for sale, chosen from last

yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crop of calves by leading sires, with some produced through AI or embryo transfer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are very well bred, we selected them for type and growth. We have some big bulls amongst them and some bulls suitable for breeding with heiffers for low birth weight,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the past weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve purchased sires from Banquet as these are popular in South Gippsland, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve selected others to AI

with our cows for desired traits.

We breed for conformation and growth.â&#x20AC;?

Fernleigh runs its stud in conjunction with a daffodil growing operation selling flowers and bulbs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a double-barrel farm, the cattle fit in well as they graze the paddocks for regular crop rotation which is unique. We are getting lots of flowers at present and we are busy picking,â&#x20AC;? Mr Blyth said.

Fernleigh Angus is hoping to forge ahead with its Koonwarra bull sale, but the date is to be announced depending on COVID-19 restrictions. photograph hayley mills

Alpine Angus all set 10 Big Butted Angus Bulls ALEX SCOTT & Staff Bull Sale, Koonwarra Saleyards

September 2020

TeMania Emperor

ALEX SCOTT & STAFF Rob Ould 0408 595 183

Top price of $13,000 was paid for this Leader son, Alpine Leader P216 bought by L & MS Ham at the Alpine Angus autumn bull sale in March this year. focus on a big growth spread from low birth to high 400 and 600 day growth as well as breeding bulls with a body type demonstrating good temperament, capacity, structural soundness and fleshing.

The Siresâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with sons represented in the Spring Sale include Baldridge Beast Mode B074, Texas Mount K2, Deer Valley All In and Karoo Knockout K176 Texas Hector M172.

Alpine Angus has developed a Quality Assurance program among the best in the industry with a thorough pre sale preparation comprising a full vaccination program and independent structural assessment and semen

quality test in addition to the 3 Year Guarantee outlined in the Alpine catalogue. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Given all augurs well for a good spring generally with markets and the season working in favour of beef producers we hope our buyers can bid with confidence knowing that their investment in Alpine genetics will be rewarded,â&#x20AC;? Alpine principal Jim Delany said.

The sale will commence in the Alpine Sales Complex, Rosewhite at 1pm.

Once again the Auction will also be conducted on Auctions Plus to afford buyers the opportunity to bid online. Bulls will be yarded for inspection by 10am on sale day.

GP1611791

FERNLEIGH ANGUS Melinda Kent 0407 862 657

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Sons of TeMania Emperor E343, E.F. Complement, Matauri Reality, Banquet K210 and BenNevis Metamorphic

NORTH-EAST Victorian stud Alpine Angus, Rosewhite, are preparing for their upcoming Spring Bull Sale on September 23 with a strong line up of Angus 50 HBR and APR Angus Bulls.

This follows Alpineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very successful Autumn Bull Sale in March this year which delivered a total clearance of 78 bulls selling to $13,000 with an average of $7,240.

The buoyant sale occurred despite the sudden onset of COVID-19 social distancing restrictions in the hours leading up to the sale which required considerable thought and effort to ensure compliance and the safety of those in attendance.

For this reason this was also the first time Alpine conducted the sale via Auctions Plus to allow those not wishing to attend the opportunity to directly participate in the sale.

Stud manager Chris Oswin said the sale was a good result, particularly the total clearance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are fortunate to enjoy very strong local support which we value greatly and work hard to maintain,â&#x20AC;? he said.

The Spring Sale line up showcases Alpineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

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SPRING BULL SALES PREVIEW The Banquet Angus team is looking forward to its annual spring bull sale on September 4.

Banquet selection to whet buyers appetite David Meikle with wife Ann and their granddaughter with the Tarwin sale bulls.

Tarwin offering five bulls

Tarwin

stud will deliver to Gippsland. Banquet intends to hold its auction at the West Victorian Livestock Exchange while adhering to COVID-19 restrictions, but people should keep an eye out on the website for changes.

The sale will be held on September 4 at 11am and will be run by Elders Nutrien and interfaced with AuctionsPlus.

Pre-sale inspections are welcome via appointment and catalogues will be out early this month at banquetangus.com.au.

ESTABLISHED 1950

POLL HEREFORDS

Bulls and Females

FOR SALE inspections welcome

A typical Tarwin bull for sale in 2020. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are also regular exhibitors at Beef Week, and the Lardner Park steer trials, where we won last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hereford class and came third overall.â&#x20AC;?

Tarwin Poll Herefords welcomes visitors via appointment.

GP1611150

TARWIN Poll Herefords has five, twoyear-old bulls up for private sale this spring, following 70 years of breeding and servicing South Gippsland.

Stud principal David Meikle said these animals are strictly grass-fed, presenting â&#x20AC;&#x153;honest bulls with easy temperamentsâ&#x20AC;?.

All bulls are performance recorded with better- than-breed-average carcass and growth traits, and have been semen tested and vaccinated at the start of the year.

Mr Meikle said these bulls are showcasing the studâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s better bloodlines including those of Anzac E114. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We run our stud along commercial lines, so our cows calf every year,â&#x20AC;? Mr Meikle said.

BANQUET Angus is going ahead with its annual spring bull sale with 40 bulls on offer.

The selection includes 16 two-year-olds and a group of 24 bulls between 16 and 18 months-old, hand-picked for their ease of calving for heifer joining.

Stud principal Steve Branson said all bulls have been vet checked and have had undergone sperm morphology testing and J-BAS quality assurance scoring.

Mr Branson said all bulls are also being sold with a three-year warranty and the

Location: Parrys Road, 3km from Meeniyan on Meeniyan-Dumbalk Road (Signs will be posted) ENQUIRIES:

David Meikle 5664 7556 Mob: 0429 800 756 Email: meikledd@dcsi.net.au

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THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

23

RURAL NEWS

New agreement is a win for Gippsland BEEF, dairy and vegetable farmers in Gippsland will benefit from increased export opportunities to Indonesia as the free trade agreement struck between Australia and Indonesia takes effect.

Under the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), almost 100 per cent of Australian goods exported to Indonesia will now enter duty free or under significantly improved and preferential arrangements.

Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester said the elimination and reduction of tariffs on Australian produce would encourage Indonesian importers to buy more of our produce, boosting opportunities and prices for Gippsland farmers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For our farmers, the free trade agreement with Indonesia means more market access and more demand for our clean, green Gippsland products,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The elimination and reduction of tariffs might be a game changer for some exporters: their products will stand before consumers without the additional cost burden of a tariff. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It gives Gippsland exporters a competitive edge in what is one of the fastest growing economies in the world so they can capitalise on Indonesiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

growing consumer demand for high quality goods and services.â&#x20AC;?

Under the agreement, there will be: â&#x2013; a 2.5 per cent tariff cut for frozen beef, which previously had a 5 per cent tariff, with the remaining 2.5 per cent eliminated after ďŹ ve years; â&#x2013; reduced tariffs and improved access across a range of commodities including carrots and potatoes; â&#x2013; elimination of a 5 per cent tariff on concentrated and sweetened milk and cream; and â&#x2013; elimination of a 5 per cent tariff on grated and powdered cheese of all kinds.

The Department of Foreign Af fairs and T rade said Indonesian consumption of meat, dairy products, breadbased products and processed food is increasing.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said Indonesia is projected to be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth largest economy by 2050. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With many restrictive tariff requirements for our exporters being eliminated under this agreement, Indonesia represents a game-changing opportunity for our farmers,â&#x20AC;?

Mr Littleproud said.

Flavorite leads way

A LARGE-scale Warragul hydroponic vegetable producer has become the first business in the state to be part of a landmark investment initiative with the state government.

Flavorite is being backed by the $250 million Victorian Business Growth Fund, a partnership between First State Super and the state government.

The fund partners are investing in the business on commercial terms and taking an equity stake, rather than providing a grant.

Flavorite will now work with independent fund manager Roc Partners to expand the business and explore new product lines and markets in Gippsland and the Goulburn Valley.

Treasurer Tim Pallas said the â&#x20AC;&#x153;landmark investmentâ&#x20AC;? would back one of Gippslandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proud agribusiness companies and create more local jobs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re partnering with the private sector to invest in local companies - to boost the economy, drive employment and help businesses grow,â&#x20AC;? Mr Pallas said.

Flavorite is a family-owned business is one of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest glasshouse growers of fresh fruit and vegetable, supplying premium produce nationally and internationally.

The business had significantly expanded since founders Warren Nichol and Mark Millis started out in 1988 growing tomatoes in greenhouses in Warragul all year round.

It now produces tomatoes,

Large-scale Warragul hydroponic vegetable producer Flavorite has become the first business in the state to be part of a landmark investment initiative with the state government.

capsicums, cucumbers and blueberries in state-of-the-art glasshouses and protected cropping environments, and has a second major growing facility in Katunga.

The business had also recently announced the merger of its three business entities to be known as the Flavorite Group.

Roc Partners managing partner Michael Lukin said the fund manager had worked-up an â&#x20AC;&#x153;exciting partnershipâ&#x20AC;? with the Flavorite Group. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were pioneers in the protected cropping industry in

Australia and have a proven record of innovation and first-in-market experience,â&#x20AC;? Mr Lukin said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Flavorite has a vertically integrated structure and strong management team which makes them an ideal platform business on which to further grow and diversify within the Australian produce industry that is crying out for a more robust and reliable supply chain, which is what consumers rightly expect.â&#x20AC;?

For more information about the Victorian Business Growth Fund, or to apply online, visit dtf.vic.gov. au/businessgrowthfund.

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THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

August, 2020

A D V E R T I S I N G

F E A T U R E

FIRE PREVENTION

SAVING THE URBAN INTERFACE

WITH one million plus homes in the urban interface around Australia’s major capital cities and outskirts, it’s critical that we start acting now to get prepared for the coming summer.

Lessons of last year taught us that a combination of global warming and consistently higher temperatures mean we can reasonably expect another catastrophic fire season from hell.

Australian Pump Industries is preparing to double its production of high pressure fire pumps and to send out tens of thousands of fire survival guides early this year.

“We know that the volunteer brigades are doing the best they can all around the country”, Aussie Pumps product manager Brad Farrugia said.

“There’s no way they can contain or even backburn the huge amount of fuel that survived last year’s fires.

“That fuel load is now bigger than ever, thanks to the recent rain.”

The fire survival guide is continuously updated by Australian Pump based on the feedback from fire authorities and users.

It shows how to prepare house, farm, outbuildings and even deals with crop and stock protection.

Properties around powerlines

are particularly susceptible and Ausgrid’s chief operating officer Trevor Armstrong said that this year’s bushfire safety program has more importance than ever.

Ausgrid are already using two helicopters to patrol powerlines as one of the most efficient ways to take preventative action against powerline generated fires.

“The biggest issue we have is the huge number of “blockies” or “tree huggers” who like to live on the outskirts of the big cities and towns, amongst the trees,” Mr Armstrong said.

“We can’t blame them. It is a wonderful environment except when the fires come.

“If we learnt lessons from last year’s horrific season, it’s the need for precautions to be taken before the fire season hits.

Aussie’s fire survival guide is a good start.

At least then, the prewarned the homeowner or farmer can take the necessary precautions based on the “lessons learnt” from the past.

Australian Pump’s Fire Chief and Mr T twin impeller fire pumps really performed in last year’s fire season.

The company produced record numbers of product, cleaning out Honda Australia of their firefighting engines.

“The production team were

magnificent,” Mr Farrugia said.

“They put heart and souls into getting those pumps built and shipped promptly.

“Even after those extraordinary efforts, we couldn’t produce enough products to satisfy demand.

“The reason people love our fire pumps is because of the five year warranty and the quality of their components.

“We don’t skimp on materials, design or engineering.

“We put everything we have got into this product because we relate to the people whose properties and lives are maybe on the line.”

Further information on the Aussie Fire Chief and the Aussie Survival Guide range is available at their website.

There is also a series of movies there including five reasons that show why the Aussie Fire Chief is a superior product and better value than any other pump on the market, both in Australia or anywhere else in the world.

The company is justly proud of the support it gives to both professional and volunteer firefighters and the efforts it makes to keep the people safe.

Contact Australian Pump Industries (02) 8865 3500 or aussiepumps.com.au

The winter months are ideal to prepare now for the next fire season.

Aussie’s Bushfire Survival Guide is full of crucial information to keep your property safe.

FAST DAIRY CLEAN UP VICTORIAN dairies are the largest producers of dairy products in Australia.

That means they need to be the most efficient!

The “need to clean” is constant and of paramount importance to the quality of the product they produce.

Australian Pump has worked with dairy far mers from Gippsland and around the country to develop a range of high pressure hot water and steam cleaners, particularly suitable for dairy applications.

HOT WATER ADVANTAGES

Cleaning with hot water and steam has three major advantages.

MORE EFFICIENT - can cut cleaning times by up to 75%!

MORE HYGIENIC - reduces bacteria and virus counts left on surfaces.

MORE SUSTAINABLE - gets the job done faster using less water and less chemicals!

Aussie’s new Sizzler Hot Wash, the Sizzler, designed in Australia, is a high pressure hot wash machine, delivering 1,800 psi (130 bar) of pressure,

August, 2020

with a flow of 10 lpm. With a maximum temperature of 80°C, the machine has proved popular for both dairy washdown and for cleaning other farm equipment!

“Using hot water to clean away oil and grease from machinery is not only faster, but it helps to identify hydraulic leaks prior to service facilitating less equipment downtime,” Aussie

Pumps chief engineer John Hales said.

The Aussie Sizzler Hot Wash is compact in design and easy to move with four flat free tyred wheels.

Although it weighs 100 kilograms, it’s manoeuvrable with an integrated handle and full stainless steel cover.

Underneath that shiny stainless steel exterior, there

is a heavy duty four pole (slow speed) 1,450 rpm single phase 240 volt motor.

That motor drives a top quality Italian triplex pump with ceramic pistons.

The machine is loaded with safety controls, designed to protect the machine and operator.

It has delayed total stop, a device that stops the machine 30 seconds after the gun trigger is closed.

This saves fuel and can prevent accidents.

“We really gave this machine everything we had in terms of ultimate design criteria,” Mr Hales said.

“We can offer a range of high pressure accessories that can improve cleaning efficiency even further, like hose reels, turbo guns and foamers for applying cleaning products.”

The company believes that using a Sizzler with its engineering innovations can help dairy farmers save money, operate more efficiently, but also in the most hygienic manner John Dawson, from Smithton in Tasmania, bought one of the first

machines in the range around two years ago, John has a herd of 650 cows and milks them twice daily. His experiences with the Sizzler are all totally positive.

He reports the machine hasn’t blinked since he’s got it and he’s very happy with the results in the dairy.

STEAMER OPTIONS The Sizzler is just one of a series of great Aussie products designed for the dairy industry.

Australian Pump also offers bigger three phase steam cleaners with temperature ratings up to 130 degrees C. These bigger machines are available in a pressure range of 3,000 and 4,000 psi, making them suitable for even high producing dairy or milk processing plant.

Contact Australian Pump Industries on (02) 8865 3500 or aussiepumps.com.au

THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

25

RURAL NEWS

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THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

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Major effect on Farmers Market

By MICHELLE SLATER

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The Warragul Farmers Market (photo taken before COVID-19 restrictions).

MELBOURNE metropolitan COVID-19 restrictions took a toll on producers with taking down at last month’s Warragul Farmers Market.

However, some would-be market attendees were still illegally breaking the ring of steel around Melbourne, as market officials were told to check IDs and turn people away if they were from within the metro boundary.

Market co-founder Sally Jones said she was “surprised” at how many people from Melbourne had attempted to turn up to the monthly farmers market.

“Some people were from Pakenham and didn’t think they were doing anything wrong. I think they weren’t expecting to be checked at the market, but most people were compliant and understanding,” Ms Jones said.

“The market is usually a real heartbeat and people come from far and

wide, including a lot from Melbourne and it’s usually very social, but this month we were telling them to shop and go home.”

This comes at the Traralgon Farmers Market decided to remove all metropolitan and Mitchell Shire stallholders at last month’s market after it resumed from a hiatus.

Ms Jones said her Gippsland Jersey stall takings were down by 50 per cent at Warragul and market attendances had dropped from the previous month.

She still encouraged Gippslanders to turn up to support local producers whose livelihoods depended on selling their wares at farmers markets.

“If were don’t have farmers markets, then where else will these producers sell?

We will lose them and be overtaken by major supermarkets,” she said.

“Producers must have access to market, and we

are one of the big income streams, so people need to support local producers and choose how their money is spent.”

Hazelwood North-based vegetable grower Rocco Verduci relies on farmers markets to sell his produce, but is now only able to sell at Warragul as others have closed.

Mr Verduci is bolstering his business by selling home deliveries to customers from Traralgon to the city and is waiting for markets to open up again.

“We are still growing the same amount in the hope it opens up again and we will have enough to sell. I thought this would be over by now,” Mr Verduci said.

“We have some problems with the government changing the rues every week, as we plan our crops three months in advance and the rules keep changing.

“If Warragul gets closed then what will we do?”

Beef conference axed THIS year’s East Gippsland Beef Conference scheduled for this month in Bairnsdale has been canned due to COVID-19 restrictions.

However, farmers can still go online and hear from a range of experts as part of an Agriculture Victoria webinar series.

South East Meat and Wool program regional manager Lindsay Hyde said they were making the webinar program flexible reach as many farmers as possible.

“We’re keen to get the message out to Gippsland farmers that we are still here and working hard to support them, particularly those farmers in drought and fire affected regions of Central and East Gippsland,” Mr Hyde said.

“The webinars are just one of the initiatives we’re providing that are designed to support farmers and

the agriculture sector in Gippsland.”

Meat and Livestock Australia has also been delivering a webinar series on productivity and profitability with industry experts including Alison Gunn of Herd Solutions.

Agriculture Victoria is working with the MLA to coordinate the Back to Business program in Victoria, with the aim of providing tailored one-onone business planning and technical support to red meat farmers in fire affected areas.

Tailored consultations will help farmers to assess their current situation, work through key issues, and prioritise actions.

Farmers can also access one-on-one phone consultations on a range of technical issues as well as general information about

bushfire recovery and drought support programs.

Drought affected farmers can still apply for the On-Farm Drought Resilience Grant until August 28, or until funds are fully expended.

For more information about dry seasons, drought and fire recovery assistance, call 136 186 or visit agriculture.vic.gov.au.

Beef producers can also keep in touch with the latest information, technical advice and industry announcements by subscribing to the Newsflash e-newsletter at bit.ly/2VzFMRf. To keep up-to-date with the webinar schedule check out the events page on the Agriculture Victoria website at agriculture.vic.gov.au/ events.

August, 2020

August, 2020

THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

27

RURAL NEWS

Fee outrages mine’s opponents

OPPONENTS of the Fingerboards mine project at Glenaladale are outraged Kalbar will charge a fee for its long-awaited Environmental Effects Statement, and have asked the Planning Minister and the Department of Land, Water, Environment and Planning to intervene.

A Minefree Glenaladale spokeswoman said the group felt it would be “unfair” for the community to have to pay for hard copies of Kalbar’s EES, as it could be a financial barrier to reviewing the project and making submissions.

Under the current COVID19 restrictions, Kalbar has announced that it was “unlikely” there will be hard copies of EES

documents available to view at local libraries and government offices, as was normally the case during EES exhibition.

However, a Kalbar spokesman said fees charged for EES documents were not a Kalbar decision, but were up to Planning Minister Richard Wynne.

He added the company was waiting on the minister’s advice on any costs associated with EES hard copies and as soon as it was received, Kalbar would notify the public of the details.

“We continue to work with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning to finalise the details and procedures for the EES public exhibition and

public access to copies of the exhibited EES documents,” he said.

The Minefree Glenaladale spokeswoman said AGL had not charged a fee for the EES documents on the gas import jetty at Crib Point, which was more than 8000 pages.

Kalbar told ABC radio that the EES statement would be released for public submissions sometime in July, but as of July 27, the documents had not been released.

According to Kalbar’s Bulletin from mid-July, the EES hasn’t been finished yet, and the adequacy review by DELWP was still underway.

Opponents of the Fingerboards mine project at Glenaladale are outraged Kalbar will charge a fee for its long-awaited Environmental Effects Statement, and have asked the Planning Minister and the Department of Land, Water, Environment and Planning to intervene

World-first virtual property valuations technology

GLOBAL food and agribusiness bank Rabobank has rolled out world-first technology enabling virtual rural property valuations from CSIRO-backed start-up Digital Agriculture Services (DAS) in Australia.

The Rural Valuations Hub, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) product - delivering rural intelligence at farm, regional and national scale - is helping Rabobank deliver consistent, efficient and independent property appraisals.

It provides comprehensive information enabling the bank to undertake property appraisals on a virtual basis when required - both complementing physical inspections and assisting in circumstances where these are not possible.

Rabobank Australia chief operating officer Andrew Vickers said while the solution was co-created over three years to meet a specific industry-wide need, its value as a platform for remote teams, individuals and broader agribusiness had been proven during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

“While Rabobank is very much a relationship bank focussed on personal contact with our clients, we are also committed to launching innovative solutions that benefit both our customers and internal teams,” Mr Vickers said.

“We partnered with DAS to create and launch a rural valuations platform and solution that would improve property

Rabobank Australia chief operating officer Andrew Vickers.

An example of how the Rural Valuations Hub works.

appraisals and workflows by taking advantage of advanced technological approaches to make more informed assessments.

“Part of the power of the solution is how it’s seen Rabobank support Australian agriculture as the essential business it is during COVID-19. We have been able to support the business continuity of an essential industry by using the Rural Valuations Hub to undertake rural property valuations when they weren’t able to be conducted in person because of the lockdown restrictions.”

Rabobank is one of Australasia’s leading agricultural lenders and has been recognised as Australia’s most recommended Agribusiness

Bank for two years running (in the DBM Australian Financial Awards).

The bank is seeing increased use of its digital services, including by its employees - with 90 per cent who were working from home during the COVID-19 lockdown.

DAS, established in 2017, is an Australian rural technology startup. It caters to growing appetite for AI-powered rural, agri and climate risk intelligence that puts science in the hands of decision makers - including farmers, lenders, insurers, commodity traders and rural suppliers.

DAS and Rabobank first piloted the Rural Valuations Hub in 2019 before rolling it out in early 2020.

The Australian-led and developed solution offers a digitised appraisal and valuation workflow, appraisal reports, comparative sales analysis, custom capabilities and science-supported, standardised insights and data.

It is also designed to scale globally, supporting farmers, clients and business continuity in weathering COVID-19 and other disruptions.

In the next phase of the partnership, Rabobank plans to implement the solution to additional markets outside of Australia, as well as explore how the technology can be applied to areas like climate risk and portfolio management.

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Rabobank has a strong record working with clients and companies in the food and agri space to support them to develop initiatives tackling some of the most pressing issues facing food production and agriculture.

DAS co-founder and chief executive officer Anthony Willmott said financial services that failed to invest in rapidly advancing technology, such as machine learning, would become uncompetitive in years to come.

“We have found that the best way to drive advantages faster is to complement what we’re doing with a co-design partnership.

Rabobank is both a cornerstone customer and an innovation partner more broadly,” he said.

“It’s said that Rabobank is the best bank for farmers - but its reputation as the best bank for start-ups also holds true.

“The work we’re doing on this strong performing digital platform provides efficient and compliant appraisals, but the real power is what the technology enables including portfolio management and understanding the impact of climate change and extreme events.”

Mr Willmott said that while the technology had been built with continuous input and feedback from Rabobank, the benefit was that it could be used by any financial or lending leader across Australia or globally, with DAS already seeing strong interest and uptake among its client base.

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PADDOCK From paddock to‘virtual’classroom

Case IH horsepower product specialist Jason Wood in his tractor in regional New South Wales.

customers interested in our product lines.”

The answer was to move the training sessions to a virtual classroom, where for the past few weeks Case IH dealer representatives from across Australia and New Zealand, from the comfort of their homes and offices, have been undergoing important tractor product training with Case IH High

horsepower product specialist Jason Wood, from his tractor.

It’s a new experience for Mr Wood, looking at training participants - more than 200 over three weeks of sessions via a laptop screen in a tractor rather than face-to-face, but he says the feedback from those involved had been extremely positive.

It’s the first time Case IH ANZ

has conducted on-line training from the cab of a tractor, with numerous cameras mounted in the cab to assist Mr Wood in showing dealers all the features via his laptop, and illustrating the increasing connectivity abilities of the Case IH tractor fleet.

Mr Wood’s ‘classroom’ was in a paddock on his property between Gunnedah and

Mullaley in the north-west of New South Wales.

Sessions were limited to 20 people to maximise the opportunity for interaction by those involved, and participants were encouraged to ask questions throughout the course of the session.

Jason said it had proved highly successful and came with a number of benefits.

“There’s cost savings when participants don’t have to travel and conducting our training in this way actually allows us to get to a wider audience because dealerships can involve more of their staff when it’s in an online format,” he said.

Mr McCann praised the efforts of the Case IH team in ensuring an engaging and successful training experience for dealers considering the challenges - and agreed it was a great addition to the current training structure.

“None of us know how long these pandemic restrictions will be in place, so it’s reassuring to know we don’t need to stop what we’re doing. Using some ingenuity and with the help of online technology, we can continue to reach out to our dealerships and through them, our customers, by providing the most current information related to every aspect of our product range,” he said.

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PANDEMIC restrictions have forced Australian businesses to take a new approach to their day-to-day operations and ag machinery company Case IH is no exception, with dealer training sessions this month taking on a very different look.

Six months ago, Case IH training with its dealer network would have involved dealer representatives travelling to a central location to undertake face-to-face sessions with Case IH staff, but under current restrictions the company opted for a new approach which is opening training up to increasingly more dealership staff throughout the network.

“We’re obviously committed to adhering to the government guidelines around COVID-19 and the health and safety of our staff and dealership representatives is paramount, so the way we’ve previously conducted machinery training for dealers was out of the question at this time,” Case IH Australia/New Zealand general manager Pete McCann said.

“But equally our business operations must continue and training for dealers on current and new machinery is an extremely important part of what we do to ensure they have the most up-to-date and comprehensive information for

30

THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

August, 2020

PADDOCK Direct Drill a hit at Pardoo

PARDOO Station is impressed with the performance of their 33-row Direct Drill.

A 200,000 hectare cattle operation, Pardoo Station is approximately 120 kilometres east of Port Hedland in Western Australia’s remote Pilbara region.

The property was purchased by the Pardoo Beef Corporation in 2015.

Pardoo Beef Corporation’s herd is being transformed into purebred and crossbred Wagyu.

This is made possible by using an extensive irrigation system to create and support perennial pastures.

Investing in centre pivot irrigation systems has transformed Pardoo’s marginal grazing country into lush green pasture with water from the Artesian basin.

By August 2018, Pardoo will have 18 centre pivot irrigators watering more than 840 hectares of pasture and they expect to install up to another 18 pivots over the next three years.

The pivots are divided into sectors and herds of up to 400 are moved onto fresh grass every two-to-three days.

In May 2017, Pardoo Station purchased a John Shearer 33 row Direct Drill from McIntosh & Son located at Geraldton.

August, 2020

A John Shearer 33-row direct drill at Pardoo Station in Western Australia.

The drill was ordered with double disc openers with press wheels rather than tynes for better control over seed placement.

“Getting the seed to the right level during seeding is very important to ensure good germination. With the double disc openers and press wheels, adjustments can be made to seed at the optimum depth,” Pardoo’s service manager said.

“The John Shearer drill has proven to be a very worthwhile investment. It is a great machine, easy to set up and to plant into a range of different scenarios. We have

had a good run from the drill and the germination has been fantastic.

“For our mixed pastures of lucerne, rhodes and panic, once the drill is calibrated, you can achieve consistent flow of seed and very palatable pasture at the end.

“Sometimes we are adjusting the press wheel about 25mm below the disc openers and dropping seeds such as rhodes grass nearly on top of the ground and pressing the seed in with the press wheel.

This gives us a measured seed placement and germination in around seven days.

“In some other cases we sow

photograph supplied

the seed at 5mm deep and the germination is very good at around 95 per cent.

“We also do a lot of lucerne plantings with the drill and the 180mm spacings on irrigated land with seed rates of 22 kg/ha, have proved to return better crop density and faster yields per hectare.

“Most plantings are grazed or cut for hay at 40 to 45 days.

“The John Shearer Direct Drill is also very good for planting straight through strip grazed country, when changing over to winter bulk feeds such as oats and barley.”

CLAAS calls on Christian

CHRISTIAN Radons has joined the group executive board at CLAAS with responsibility for the global sales and service division.

He succeeds Bernd Ludewig.

“We would like to thank Bernd for his successful development work as regional managing director in Eastern Europe and his four years of committed service on the Group Executive Board,” CLAAS’ group executive board chairman Thomas Bock said.

“We are also very pleased that with Christian Radons, we have been able to internally recruit an experienced and imaginative manager for this important task.”

Radons has been part of the CLAAS Group for around 20 years now and initially held various commercial management positions, including that of commercial director when CLAAS Global Sales was launched.

He was appointed managing director of the technology subsidiary CLAAS Agrosystems in 2012, which later became CLAAS E-Systems.

This company was founded in 2014 during his time as managing director and moved into the newly built Electronics Development Centre in Dissen in 2017.

Radons has headed up the sales region of Western Europe and Oceania as regional managing director since October 2017 and has also led the sales region of Africa and the Middle East since 2019

THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

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WEATHER OUTLOOK July’s Rainfall Observations for Eastern Victoria (source: BOM)

The chance of exceeding median rainfall across Australia for the period August to October.

East Sale Airport.........77.0mm Hogan Island...............36.0mm Latrobe Valley.............34.2mm Mount Baw Baw.......255.4mm Mount Moornapa................N/A Wilsons Promontory.88.2mm Yanakie ........................50.2mm Yarram Airport............29.2mm Bairnsdale....................90.4mm Combienbar..............180.8mm

The Victorian total rainfall chart for July.

Gabo Island...............150.2mm Gelantipy .....................52.8mm Lakes Entrance...........82.8mm Mallacoota.................151.0mm Mount Nowa Nowa..145.4mm Omeo...........................84.8mm Orbost........................117.2mm Point Hicks...........................N/A Pound Creek...............59.6mm Wonthaggi...................56.6mm

GIPPSLAND’S

Cattle Market REPORT PAKENHAM LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE

Monday, July 27

There were approximately 500 export and 250 young cattle penned representing a decrease of 150 head week-on-week. The usual buying group was present but not all operating in a generally firm market. Quality was very mixed with some good grain finished lots and fewer vealers. Quality vealers gained a few cents. Yearling trade cattle sold to mixed demand with the steer portion easing a little and the heifers improving. Grown steers and bullocks sold firm. Cows sold firm to 5c/kg dearer. Heavy bulls lifted slightly.

Vealers sold from 364c to 440c/kg. Yearling trade steers made from 380c to 430c/kg. Yearling heifers to the trade sold from 360c to 410c/ kg.

Grown steers made from 350c to 385c/kg. Bullocks sold from 347c to 382c/kg. Most light and medium weight cows made from 205c to 295c/kg. Heavy weight cows sold mostly between 238c and 319c after a top of 333c/kg. Heavy bulls made from 274c to 303c/kg.

Yarding 755

Change -149

Category Weight

Grade Score

Carcass

Live Weight c/kg Low

Estimated Estimated Carcass c/kg $/Head High

Avg

Change

Avg

Low

High

Avg

Yearling Steer 330-400

B,C,D,2,3

420

420

420

N/Q

724

1680

1680

1680

400+

B,C,D,2,3

379

430

401.3

9

706

1743

2472

2071

Yearling Heifer 330-400

B,C,D,2,3

340

360

345

-25

651

1350

1360

1358

400+

B,C,D,2,3

360

410

387.9

24

701

1560

2378

2009

B,C,D,2,3

395

420

411.5

33

738

1257

1386

1314

B,C,D,2,3

375

440

407.5

23

734

1219

1430

1324

Vealer Steer 280-330 Vealer Heifer 280-330 Grown Steer

GIPPSLAND REGIONAL LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE Yarding 60

LEONGATHA LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE

Wednesday, July 29

There were approximately 1,000 export and 70 young cattle penned representing an increase of 340 head week-on-week. Most of the usual buying group was present however a number of export processors were not operating in a generally firm market. Quality was mixed with fewer trade cattle and more grown steers while several pens of bullocks were withdrawn from the sale. A handful of vealers sold dearer for a better selection while the more limited offering of yearling trade cattle sold firm. Grown steers and bullocks under 650kg sold dearer with strong feedlot demand while there was little competition for heavy weights. Cows lifted 5c/kg on most sales while heavy bulls sold generally firm.

The limited selection of vealers sold from 349c to 445c/kg. Yearling heifers to the trade made between 370c and 400c/kg.

Grown steers sold from 360c to 398c/kg. Bullocks made from 371c to 400c/kg. Crossbred manufacturing steers sold from 333c to 370c/ kg with a few pens of Friesians passed in. Most light and medium weight cows made from 180c to 290c/kg. Heavy weight cows sold mostly from 248c to 315c/kg. Heavy bulls made from 250c to 323c/kg.

Yarding 1063

Change 339

Category

500-600

B,C,D,2,3

365

406

383.9

8

695

2008

2436

2211

600-750

B,C,D,2,3

347

375

356.3

-21

660

2221

2438

2293

Carcass

Grade Score

Live Weight c/kg

Estimated Estimated Carcass c/kg $/Head

Low

High

Avg

Change

Avg

Low

High

Avg

Yearling Steer

520+

B,C,D,2,3

279

321

286.8

-10

588

BAIRNSDALE LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE

1535

2408

1701

Thursday, July 30

There were approximately 45 export and 40 young cattle penned representing a decrease of 140 head week-on-week. Most of the usual buyers were present and operating in a limited market. Quality was hard to find with few prime cattle on offer. The handful of well finished trade cattle sold to solid demand. The sprinkling of mostly crossbred manufacturing steers sold to softer competition. Cows and bulls improved.

Vealers sold from 344c to 414c/kg. Yearling steers were mostly lacking finish making from 310c to 382c/kg. Manufacturing steers sold from 260c to 305c/kg. Cows made from 216c to 284c/kg. Heavy bulls sold from 230c to 291c/kg.

Yarding 85

Change -24

There were approximately 50 export and 10 young cattle penned representing a decrease of 24 head week-onweek. The usual buying group was present and operating in a dearer market for cows.

Quality was plain in the limited offering with cows and grown heifers representing the majority of the sale.

Restocker demand kept a floor in prices for sound lots. The female offering which made up most of the sale was a few cents dearer.

Grown heifers sold from 257c to 309c/kg and were mostly dairy lots. Cows sold from 213c to 285c/kg. A few heavy bulls made between 260c and 265c/kg.

Weight

Cows

Tuesday, July 28

Change -142

Category Weight

Grade Score

Carcass

Live Weight c/kg Low

Estimated Estimated Carcass c/kg $/Head High

Avg

Change

Avg

Low

330-400

B,C,D,2,3

380

400

390

52

716

1520

1600

1560

400+

B,C,D,2,3

383

394

385.2

18

711

1724

1812

1741

Yearling Heifer 330-400

B,C,D,2,3

400

400

400

60

741

1600

1600

1600

400+

B,C,D,2,3

345

373

367.8

-5

692

1639

1850

1730

B,C,D,2,3

349

383

378.1

N/Q

689

1134

1245

1229

500-600

B,C,D,2,3

360

398

377.8

N/Q

691

1997

2388

2226

600-750

B,C,D,2,3

371

383

376.3

4

692

2412

2490

2446

B,C,D,2,3

278

315

294.2

19

600

1470

2363

1749

Vealer Heifer 280-330 Grown Steer

Cows High

Avg

520+

Yearling Steer 330-400

B,C,D,2,3

310

310

310

N/Q

574

1163

1163

1163

400+

B,C,D,2,3

355

382

362.2

N/Q

665

1491

1853

1643

B,C,D,2,3

344

344

344

N/Q

626

1108

1108

1108

B,C,D,2,3

275

284

282.2

9

588

1846

2035

1884

Vealer Heifer 280-330

Market figures supplied by Meat and Livestock Australia’s National Livestock Reporting Service

Cows 520+

August, 2020

THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

33

GIPPSLAND SPORT

Joe relaxes with a number of his junior athletes at the Newborough track named in honour.

photographs delwyn hewitt.

Carmody’s magnificent impact

By BARRY HIGGINS

THE iconic Joe Carmody Athletics Track at Newborough is used and enjoyed throughout the year by many athletics groups and schools throughout the Latrobe Valley and beyond.

The synthetic running track that was resurfaced in 2014 and the grassy central sports oval have been showered with the perspiration of many athletes over the years, from Little Athletics level to Olympic standard.

Although the sports venue is a regional talisman the man behind its name may not be so well known, except to the members of the beloved clubs he nurtured for so many years.

In a parallel to the Cliff Young story, Joe Carmody also grew up on a farm in Victoria’s Western District, near Colac.

Julie George, on the Virtual Yallourn website wrote “With father Joe Senior and his cousins all noted local runners, foot running came very naturally to Joe, often representing his school and district at the highest level”.

“Like many young men during the depression years Joe left school in search of work and money. Professional Sheffield (gift) events were very popular and Joe didn’t let his natural talent go to waste”, Julie wrote.

In Melbourne in his mid-twenties Joe played district football and cricket, and competed at a high level as a professional runner.

Joe’s search for work sent him to Yallourn in 1952.

He continued his passion for all sports, playing A Grade tennis for Yallourn and coaching the Yallourn football team for many years.

34

His own sporting career came to an abrupt halt when he suffered serious injuries in a bike accident in his late twenties.

Joe joined the Yallourn District Athletic Club in 1955, aged 32, only a few years after it was formed.

He became president of the club in 1957 and with the inevitable destruction of the Yallourn township looming on the horizon saw it merge in 1971 to become the YallournNewborough Athletics Club.

Joe coached athletes from Yallourn, Morwell, Essendon, Sandringham and Glenhuntly athletics clubs, including more than 30 national title winners and three Olympians, including 1994 Commonwealth Games runner and 1996 Olympian Julian Paynter, 1996 Olympian Mark Ladbrook and 2000 Olympian Michael Hazel.

During the 1980s, the Yallourn Newborough club members were recognised as some of the best track, cross country and road athletes in the state.

By the 1990s, the club was home to some of the best athletes in Australia, culminating in Paynter, Tim Forsyth and Mark Ladbrook competing in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Earlier, Dave Stephenson competed in the 10,000 metres event at the 1956 hometown Olympics.

Joe’s tireless work for athletics in the region was formally recognised in 1991 with the Moe-Newborough Athletics Venue named in his honour - the Joe Carmody Track.

Many other clubs and groups enjoy the facilities at the track and oval that complements

THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

Joe Carmody proudly carried the Olympic torch through the Valley in 2000.

the Latrobe Leisure Moe Newborough indoor swimming complex and gymnasium.

The Gippsland Athletics club that was founded in 1955 marginally younger than its companion Yallourn Newborough club - also offers a relaxed and friendly environment for individuals and families at the Joe Carmody Track. Athletes compete in age groups from Under-14 up to Masters.

Its track and field competition is usually held from October to March on Tuesday evenings.

Athletics Victoria regional relay championships are held at the track - the only championship where boys and girls can run

with and against each other in mixed teams.

Moe Little Athletics normally conduct a popular summer track and field season, currently pending state government guidelines, on Saturday mornings from October to March.

The Traralgon Harriers have also run many laps around the Joe Carmody Track.

Many Harriers compete in the Gippsland Athletics program as a basis for good running technique, avidly espoused by legendary veteran Harrier Ian Twite, and the club runs its annual 5000 and 10000 metres track championships there.

The Harriers also conducted the 50km and six-hour Victorian Track Championships

on ‘Joe’s Track’ from 1996 to 2012.

Many Harriers, as well as other elite runners, became Victorian and National champions by winning one or the other event, run in parallel, and a number of Harriers have established Australian records across both events.

In 2000, Joe was awarded an Australian Sports Medal for Outstanding Services to Sport and also carried the Olympic torch.

He was honoured with a life membership of Athletics Victoria in 2001, and the Athletics Victoria Winter Men’s Under 16 Championship is named after him.

Joe was still the president of his much-loved Yallourn Newborough club, based at the eponymous Newborough track, when he tragically passed away in 2005, aged 82 At the time of his passing one of Joe’s few female athletes, Delwyn Hewitt, compiled a number of heartfelt messages written by Joe’s trainees: “Joe coached countless national, state, country, school title and record holders, as well as Australian representatives at Olympic level.

It did not matter to Joe what your level of skill was; whether you were someone trying to improve your PBs at interclub, or training for the Olympics, each individual athlete was equally important to Joe. Such was his passion and dedication that Joe made every one of us feel like we were the only athlete he coached.”

“Joe was a coaching legend in Victoria and Australia for over half a century. He coached athletes from Yallourn, Morwell, Glenhuntly,

Essendon, Sandringham and other clubs for the greater part of his voluntary career. While Joe took enormous pride in his Yallourn Newborough club, if you wanted Joe to coach you, it did not matter which club you were a member of,” Delwyn said.

“The prestigious Glenhuntly club embraced Joe and his dedicated group of athletes, and recognised the enormous contribution he made. He also coached at the Gippsland Grammar School, where he was idolised by the kids.”

“Joe ... was also our life coach. He built into us a work ethic of incredible self-discipline and dedication ... aspects that flows on to other areas of our lives.

During their formative years, Joe helped to build strength of character in his teenage athletes. Achieving athletic and personal goals and dreams and growing into fine young adults was a direct consequence of being coached by Joe.” “Sadly, Joe’s life was cut short, and he has now finished the hardest race of his life. It was a race that he was never able to win. We all thought Joe would live to be 100, and we have no doubt he would have, had it not been for the asbestos related disease he contracted through his work in the State Electricity Commission of Victoria.”

Delwyn wrote, “There will never be another person like Joe, who touched the lives of all those that knew and loved him. He is always in our hearts and minds, and 15 years down the track, every time we put on our running shoes, he is still right there with us”.

August, 2020

GIPPSLAND SPORT News in brief

photograph supplied

Morrow clan loving football in paradise

By LIAM DURKIN

EVEN a worldwide health pandemic has not been enough to stopped one Gippsland football loving family from playing competitive football this season.

Moe players Sam, Tyler and Ben Morrow have ventured up to Queensland to play for a team based in the popular tourist town of Port Douglas.

The trio are playing for ‘the Crocs’ in the seven-team AFL Cairns competition, which encompasses six teams from Cairns as well as their new home club.

After all Victorian football competitions were cancelled and Victoria-based AFL teams flew out to enter various hubs, a number of suburban and country players have followed a similar path in a bid to play some form of competitive football this season.

AFL Cairns, which began its season last month, usually welcomes around 40 per cent of players from interstate each season, and carries the slogan ‘footy in paradise’.

Sam said he along with many others would be calling Port Douglas home for the next three months.

“We had 10-plus recruits play across the first game in both grades, with another 12 to come in, so 22 players from Victoria are in Port Douglas,” he said.

Having returned to Moe this season, Sam said the decision to head north came about after preliminary talks with older cousin and former Lions senior captain Ben planted the idea in his head.

“The week before the Gippsland League had the pin pulled Ben hit me up one night after training,” he said.

“His mum had told him Port Douglas were on radio promoting the opportunity to come and play.

“It was a bit of an offhand remark but little did he realise I’d actually follow up on it a week later after the Gippsland League was finished.

“I rang the Port Douglas coach and asked if he needed a few players and he couldn’t get enough of us.”

With time not on his side, Sam explained it was something of a mad rush to drop work and arrange things

August, 2020

Moe’s Ben Morrow (left) is playing at Port Douglas this season. photograph hayley mills

in time before the state’s borders were shut down.

“It was very late notice,” Sam said.

“I had a few weeks lined up with a shut at Longford so I pretty much had to pull the pin on that just to come up and play footy.

“We’ve started to organise some work up here now but it’s been a lot of juggling trying to get up here.

“The Port Douglas coach rang us and we were still sort of umming and ahing.

“He rang us on a Tuesday night and said ‘fellas, you’ll need to leave tomorrow morning if you want to come and play because the borders are closing at 12 o’clock on Friday’. So we made our decision at 8pm on Tuesday and were in the car at 8.30am on the Wednesday.

“We beat the border shut down by half a day.”

Sam and Ben took to the field for the opening game of the season, while Tyler sat out with injury.

Somewhat ironically, the first game of the season was against the Cairns City Lions, which meant Ben played against the emblem he has represented more

than 200 times for Moe. The workhorse ruckman had a solid first outing for the Crocs, being adjudged best-on-ground in a 78-point win.

The Cairns City Lions team featured a couple of former AFL players in former Melbourne best-and-fairest winner Aaron Davey and North Melbourne’s Eddie Sansbury.

Sam, who was productive in the earlier match with two goals, said it was quite surreal to play football in a tropical climate as opposed to the freezing conditions of Gippsland.

“The sun plays a very big factor up here. It was the first time I’ve ever got sunburnt playing footy,” he said.

“The game is probably close to 20 degrees warmer than what we normally play this time of year at home.

“It’s definitely a bit more free-flowing than I expected. There’s not a lot of stoppages, there’s quite a lot of clean football.

“I was very stiff two days after the game. Obviously not playing for so long it takes a bit to get use to.”

While the weather has been a hurdle for outsiders, the major hurdle all players are facing is playing within COVID-19 parameters.

Sam said the protocols were more or less the same as those being enforced in Victoria at junior games.

“There’s quite a few things in place but they seem to be coping with it,” he said.

“It’s second nature to want to get around your mates but you just have to really bring it to the front of your mind that you need to think about things a bit more.

“It doesn’t take away from the physicality of the game, come siren time it’s game on, everything as normal.”

The Port Douglas Crocs have had a successful recent history, winning the past four senior premierships.

Whatever the season brings for Sam, he may have already won the town’s most sought after prize - a free round at the famous Port Douglas golf course.

“I managed to snag myself a voucher for 18 holes and a cart so no doubt we’ll be having a run around there at some stage,” he said.

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THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

GP1611040

Sam Morrow (centre), pictured here playing for Orbost-Snowy Rovers, is up at Port Douglas this season.

THE Gippsland League competition came to a grinding halt earlier this month after just three rounds.

With the coronavirus crisis worsening in Melbourne, the state government’s announcement to enter a state of disaster on August 2 until early September virtually eliminated any hope of sporting competitions going ahead in the foreseeable future.

Although brief, players, parents and coaches would have no doubt enjoyed the opportunity to get back out on the field and court.

With the senior seasons abandoned earlier in the year, the youngsters had their time in the spotlight across three weeks.

Wonthaggi, Sale and Morwell enjoyed unbeaten starts to the Under-18 football competition, while Traralgon and Drouin did likewise in the Under-16 age group.

On the netball court, Moe had been the only team to go three from three in the Under-17 competition.

But Sale were also unbeaten, having played out a draw with Maffra.

In the Under-15 competition, Leongatha and Sale were setting the pace with 100 per cent winning records, while Maffra, Traralgon and Wonthaggi Power were all unbeaten in the Under-13 age group.

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THE GIPPSLAND FARMER

August, 2020