Bendigo Sheep & Lamb Market Report

Market in a slight holding pattern this week, with similar results to last week.

Monday, May 1st 2023 - Bendigo Yarding: Lambs - 15,500 Sheep - 6,500

Heavy Lambs $210-254 $6.40-6.80 Firm

Trade Lambs $145-190 $6.50-7.20 Firm

Store Lambs $70-125 $3 (liveweight) Firm

Heavy Sheep $140-168 $4.10-4.50 Firm

Light Sheep $65-95 $4-4.20 Firm

To discuss the marketing opportunities available for your livestock, contact the McKean McGregor team.

Alex Collins - 0408 314 768 Drew Stratton - 0414 576 371

Zeb Broadbent - 0447 002 844 Will Holt- 0417 686 814

Alex Pollock - 0409 145 832 Henry Bugge - 0403 671 917

The working party was established in in 1995 in response to the community’s concern with the spread of serrated tussock, and a strategy for the control of serrated tussock in Victoria was produced.

GRAIN

Wheat – H1 356 FIS. H2 $353 FIS. APW1 $343 FIS. ASW $343 FIS. AGP1 $343 FIS. SFW1 $338 FIS. Barley – BAR1 $286 FIS. BAR2 $261 FIS. New season –APW MG $345.

Will Lowe - 0498 381 584

By MARTHA HAYLETT

IT’S been great meeting so many locals across the Loddon Shire recently – whether at my mobile office in Inglewood, at the Rheola Charity Carnival, the Newbridge hotel, or Bridgewater Memorial Hall and Bowling Club.

I’ve had the pleasure of judging the Easter hat oarade at Tarnagulla Primary School, discussing child care needs with mums in Wedderburn, touring Inglewood and Districts Health Service, and catching up with local CFA members.

In my visits, I am constantly reminded of the importance of our emergency service volunteers to our rural communities. They are the lifeblood of our communities, and they need the right equipment to do what they do best.

I encourage all interested CFA brigades and SES units across the Loddon Shire to apply for the Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program hat has recently opened.

The State Government has made almost $15 million available for emergency services volunteer groups to purchase essential operational equipment, vehicles and appliances, and minor facility improvements too.

For more information, groups can visit www.emv.vic.gov.au/vesep. They can also contact my office for further information and a letter of support to

By TIM HADDAD

THE Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Native Bird Shooting closes for public comment on Monday.

Regional Victorians Opposed to Duck Shooting is encouraging people to have their say.

We know most regional Victorians oppose the unnecessary cruel slaughter of our native ducks and quail, and many feel intimidated to speak out, due to a loud pro-shooting minority. (Less than half of one per cent of the population shoot birds). This Inquiry is your chance to be heard.

The shooting has a terrible impact on mental health of those forced to live with or witness it, let alone on our native birdlife – many species unique to our country. And economically, our rural economies are largely dependent on tourism which shooting thwarts. We all deserve better.

Made up of farmers, regional business owners and residents, to say we’re concerned with Loddon council’s recent vote to support native bird shooting would be an understatement.

It would appear to many that the Mayor - widely known as a keen duck shooter and ex-president of a duck shooting club - is using his position to promote personal interests.

Council’s February meeting minutes discloses no conflicts of interest when

Your Online Words

Climate Change And Duck

Hunting Decisions By Loddon

Shire Have Engaged Loddon

HERALD READERS

Catherine Norman wrote: Should residents of Loddon Shire be concerned that Cr Jungwirth’s motion on a climate change report gets rejected by the same three councillors who supported a motion to make a submission to the inquiry into native bird shooting, supporting the benefits of duck hunting? What is council’s priority

State Perspective

include in their application. Recently, I also contacted all Landcare groups across the shire to encourage them to apply for the 2023 Victorian Landcare and Junior Landcare and Biodiversity Grants –which are also now open.

Up to $20,000 is available for onground works and community education projects that protect or improve the natural environment. Support grants of up to $500 are also available to help with group administration and running costs.

Grants of up to $5000 are also available for projects that provide kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, youth groups in the Loddon Shire with an opportunity to participate in hands-on projects such as planting indigenous gardens, building habitat to attract native insects and birds, collecting data about nature, and excursions to wildlife sanctuaries.

More information can be found at www.environment.vic.gov.au/grants/ victorian-landcare-grants.

In my travels across the shire, including in Wedderburn, Inglewood and Bridgewater, locals continue to raise concerns with road safety and maintenance with me.

I have raised these issues directly with Regional Roads Victoria and encourage any locals to contact me directly about problem roads in their area. I’m also pleased that the State Labor Government has recently announced a new $210 million Safer Local Roads and Streets Program.

The program will design and deliver safer infrastructure upgrades for communities including raised crossings, intersection upgrades, speed cushions, kerbing upgrades, pedestrian islands, safer speeds, and roundabouts.

Recognising the barriers local governments face in delivering road safety improvements, the program will support local governments to identify road safety issues in their area and implement solutions.

An expression of interest process will be held for councils interested in the first phase of the program.

As part of this phase, up to 10 councils will be selected to participate and begin trialling approaches that will then be rolled out to all 79 councils.

Local councils know their area best and can help us identify the road safety improvements required to reduce the risks and impact of trauma on local roads.

*MarthaHaylettisthememberfor Ripon