Southern Farmer

THE SOUTHERN

Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria Published since 1986

APRIL, 2016

PASTURE AND FERTILISER

486 Whitehorse Road, Surrey Hills, 3127

THE SILENT THIEVES OF DAIRY PROFIT

PAGES 8-10

PAGE 16

MACHINERY PAGE 19

Phasing out wine tax will destroy small winemakers

CANCER CRUSADE: Owners of Red Fox Farm Fresh in Thorpdale, Jason and Rachel Carpinteri pictured with daughter Lola, are using a percentage of their potato sales to assist the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s research program.

See page 5 for our full story.

THE wine industry is reeling at the recent Senate committee’s recommendations to change the nation’s wine tax system by proposing a phase out of the wine equalisation tax (WET).

The Senate’s rural and regional affairs and transport references committee recently released a report in which it argued that the WET rebate, introduced 17 years ago to support regional producers, be phased out over five years.

The committee recommended that the savings be put towards “structural adjustment” in the wine business, including what it described as an annual grant to “genuine cellar door operators” to support wine sales.

Reactions to the recommendations have not been favourable among local winemakers.

Balgownie Estate, which has a cellar door in the Yarra Valley and Bendigo, winemaker Tony Winspear said that any change to the wine tax system would be a “remarkable backward step”.

“Given we have only just had some relief in terms of the Aussie dollar going down, and which is now heading back up again, any increase would be extremely counterproductive,” he said.

“We need to keep investing in our wineries to keep up with world demand.

“We need to look at new varieties and we are dealing with climate change, so we need to plant heat and drought tolerant varieties.

“With all these challenges we already face, any changes to tax will make life very difficult,” Mr Winspear said.

Yarra Valley-based Seville Hill Estate winemaker and owner John D’Aloisio said that any idea of phasing out the WET is “ridiculous” and would send all small wineries broke.

Continued page 6

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THE SOUTHERN

Covering Central South Victoria and West Gippsland Level 1, Suite 103, 486 Whitehorse Road, Surry Hill, North VIC 3127 Phone (03) 9888 4822 Fax (03) 9888 4840 Email: sfarmer@nemedia.com.au Website: www.nemedia.com.au

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What’s on in southern Vic region *NOMINATIONS are now open for the inaugural AUSVEG VIC Awards for Excellence to be presented at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club on Friday, April 22.

The Awards for Excellence will reward Victorian growers, researchers and other industry participants for their dedication to quality, innovation and leadership within the Victorian vegetable and potato industries.

Nominations are being accepted for the following awards: -Grower of the Year (sponsored by E.E Muir and Sons) -Young Grower of the Year -Rising Star of the Year -Industry Impact -Environmental -Community Stewardship -Innovation Partner -Innovative Marketing -Women in Horticulture (sponsored by Boomaroo Nurseries) -Researcher of the Year For more information about the awards visit www.ausvegvic.com.au. *ENTRIES are now open for the Branded Beef and Lamb competitions that are part of the 2016 Royal Queensland Food & Wine Show (RQFWS) with winning entries to be displayed at the Royal Queensland Show on Friday, August 4 to Sunday, August 14.

The judging panel, overseen by chief judge Elaine Millar, will be made up of top chefs, butchers, food consultants and food journalists.

The 2016 competitions include the Cheese & Dairy Produce Show, Ice-cream, Gelato and Sorbet Competition, Branded Beef Competition, Branded Lamb Competition, Royal Queensland

Wine Show, Sausage King and Ham, Bacon and Smallgoods Competition.

Entries close on Friday, April 15, with judging taking place on Tuesday, May 24 and Wednesday, May 25.

The awards presentation will take place on Thursday, May 26.

For more information visit www. rqfws.com.au. *THE Climate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industries (CCRSPI) conference will be held in Sydney on Wednesday, April 27 and Thursday, April 28.

The overarching theme of the CCRSPI 2016 conference will be climate resilience within Australia’s primary industries.

Australia’s leading climate scientists, researchers, policy makers and industry leaders will discuss the drivers for primary industries in relation to climate, and insights will be drawn out from influencers in business, the value chain and financial service sector.

For more information about CCSPRI visit www.ccrspi.net.au. *IRRIGATION Australia Limited is holding a three-day conference and exhibition on Tuesday, May 24 to Thursday, May 26 at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

The conference will feature separate streams covering irrigation, agriculture, horticulture and open space presented by international and Australian industry leaders and authorities.

An evening social program on Tuesday, May 24 will include networking drinks and industry Gala Dinner, with technical tours presented on day three of the conference program.

For more information www. irrigationaustralia.com.au. *Applications are now open for the 2016 Growing Leaders - National Vegetable Industry Leadership Program.

Growing Leaders is a highly regarded program designed to develop personal, business and industry skills.

The program was designed in consultation with vegetable industry people with their specific needs in mind.

The program encourages all sectors of the industry including growing, harvesting, processing, extension, exporters, importers, marketing and employees to register interest.

The program ensures that participants develop effective ways of handling conflict, improve communication, manage efficient meetings, build high performance teams, manage change and media awareness.

The program is cost-free to The Vegetable Growers’ Association of Victoria levy payers and includes dinners with guest speakers, tours, industry functions and three residential sessions in May, August and November 2016.

For more information contact Jill Briggs on (02) 6035 7284 or 0409 455 710. *REGISTRATIONS are now open for the Australian Farm Institute Conference titled ‘Digital Disruption in Agriculture’ to be held on Thursday, June 2 and Friday, June 3 at the Stamford Plaza in Sydney.

The conference will provide the opportunity for a very detailed look at the possibilities that

are being provided by digital technologies and pose questions about how to ensure that those possibilities can be realised.

For more information contact the Australian Farm Institute on (02) 9690 1388. *THE AgriVictoria-State of Opportunity Summit will take place on Thursday, June 9 in Melbourne at the Park Hyatt.

The Summit, which is a partnership between the Victorian Farmers Federation, The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria, ANZ and PwC, will be followed by the Agriculture: The Heart of Victoria gala dinner.

The gala dinner celebrates the vital role Victoria’s agricultural industry plays in the state’s economy, showcasing the best of the best in local produce.

The dinner will be held at Central Pier, Docklands.

For more information contact Sally Edgar on 0425 247 133. *THE 2016 National Horticulture Convention will be held from Thursday, June 23 to Saturday, June 25 at the RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, QLD. Hosted by AUSVEG, Central Markets Association of Australia and Fresh Markets Australia the convention will allow vegetable and potato growers, as well as marketers from across Australia to forge business networks, learn from the world’s leading industry experts and gain priceless industry insights that will strengthen the future of Australian horticulture.

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NEWS

April 2016

Southern Farmer, Page 3

/LYHVWRFN FRPPLWWHHV ¿ QDOO\ DQQRXQFHG AFTER being accused of deliberately delaying the announcement of the new members to livestock committees by industry leaders, Victorian Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford has appointed members to the Sheep and Goat Compensation Advisory Committee (SGCAC) and the Cattle Compensation Advisory Committee (CCAC).

Nominees of the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) include Michael Craig who returns as committee member and new chair to the SGCAC and Christopher WallaceSmith who will continue as chair on the CCAC. Gippsland livestock producer Faye Tuchtan and Angelique Raspin from theAustralian Meat Industry Council will join both committees as new members.

VFF livestock president Ian Feldtmann, Australian Livestock Property Agents Association nominee Elizabeth Summerville and Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources representative Cassandra Meagher have also been appointed to the CCAC. Margaret Piccoli and Kathryn Joseph, both nominees of the VFF, will return to the SGCAC. The committees are made up of representatives from the farming and livestock sectors, supply chains, processors, saleyard managers and livestock agents.

These committees make recommendations to the Victorian Minister for Agriculture on the allocation of funding to programs and projects that ben-

efit their respective livestock industries.

The initiatives utilise revenue generated through levies on cattle, sheep and goats sold throughout Victoria.

The committees are also responsible for advising the Minister on the amount of compensation payable to industry in the event of livestock disease.

Recently, leader of the Victorian Nationals and Shadow Minister for Agriculture Peter Walsh voiced concerns that the levy money generated through the livestock industry may be used to subsidise government projects instead of funding priority biosecurity measures.

“The Cattle and Sheep and Goat Compensation Funds are in place to ensure there is

money available to livestock producers in the case of a major biosecurity outbreak,” he said.

“Some of the funds also go toward preventative biosecurity projects, as chosen by a committee of industry representatives.

“When questioned by the Nationals in Parliament, the minister refused to rule out using the levy funds to subsidise her department’s costs.

“Something just doesn’t add up.

“Jaala Pulford must explain her intentions to livestock producers who are rightly concerned their levy money could be redirected to other projects – putting their industry’s biosecurity at risk,” Mr Walsh said.

When questioned in Parliament by Member for Northern

Victoria Damian Drum who asked Minister Pulford if she could rule out that the delays in announcing the committees was due to her plans to change the rules on how the industry levies can be used, Minister Pulford said that there are processes that take time to ensure the correct candidates are chosen.

“Indeed the chairs of these bodies are cabinet appointments, and so there is a process that does take some time to make sure that the candidates are selected, interviewed and properly appointed in accordance with the legislation that governs these arrangements,” she said.

“I can assure Mr Drum that these announcements will be made in the very near future and that he can park all his

conspiracy theories back on the bench.”

After announcing the appointments to these committees, Minister Pulford said that it was important that she have highly credentialled industry advice to help guide decision making.

“I warmly welcome new committee members and thank continuing committee members for their service,” she said.

“The meat, dairy and animal fibre industries are vital to the economy of Victoria, these sectors are responsible for over 50 per cent of Victoria’s exports.”

She added that trade data published just this month showed Victoria’s exported meat products valued at $2.9 billion last year had increased $61 million in the past 12 months.

Government backflips on increasing backpacker tax

RELIABLE WORKFORCE: Backpackers provide a valuable source of labour for farmers during peak harvest times.

AFTER a strong campaign against increasing the tax rate for working holiday makers led by the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), the Victorian Farmers’ Federation (VFF) and other farmer groups the Federal Government has agreed to review the idea.

Minister for Tourism Richard Colbeck said the government will look at other options that will avoid negative impacts on Australia’s backpacker intake after growers, industry groups and government members expressed serious concerns about the impact the tax would have on Australian industry.

NFF president Brent Finlay said he was heartened by the government’s acknowledgement of concern surrounding the tax, originally announced in last year’s federal budget, and its willingness to examine viable alternatives.

“We welcome this commitment to review the proposed tax which, if left unaddressed, will stifle agricultural productivity at a time when we should be looking to build upon the significant growth potential of our global markets,” he said.

“Since the announcement of this tax we have heard from primary producers from across the country who say this will damage both their businesses and their communities.

“At the core of this issue is the

threat the tax poses to the ability of farmers to access a secure and reliable workforce – something which underpins our capacity to produce premium quality food and fibre at increasing volumes as dictated by surging demand for Australian product,” Mr Finlay said.

VFF Horticulture vice president Emma Germano echoed Mr Finlay’s concerns and said the review is welcomed because the proposal of taxing backpackers 32.5 per cent on all income will have a major impact on the availability of labour.

“The government needs to realise the damage a new tax will cause to the agriculture sector industries and instead develop a solution that will benefit all stakeholders,” she said.

More than 40,000 visa holders work in the agriculture industry each year and contribute about $3.5 billion to the Australian economy.

Currently, the tax paid by working holiday maker visa holders depends on the box ticked on the Taxation Declaration form, which means that in some cases visa holders can end up paying no tax in Australia.

Ms Germano said that the NFF, VFF and others were advocating a fairer solution of 19 per cent tax on all income.

“We have always said that

if backpackers want to work in Australia, they need to be taxed like the rest of us, but the government needs to be reasonable in its approach.

“We can’t expect backpackers to pay a tax rate of 32.5 per cent when an Australian resident next to them could be paying 13 per cent, because it is hard to explain and is a major disincentive on their productivity,” Ms Germano said.

Vegetable industry body AUSVEG also welcomed the review with chief executive officer Richard Mulcahy having said that the proposed tax would prevent temporary workers who come to Australia under the Working Holiday Maker program from being able to access the $18,000 tax-free threshold.

“Australian growers rely on backpackers due to the high need for manual labour in the vegetable industry, and it is vital that this critical source of labour is not diminished by shortsighted policy decisions,” he said.

“While Australian growers’ first preference is to always employ local workers, there is simply not enough local labour to satisfy demand during peak harvesting periods, and backpackers play a vital role on Australian farms by providing a workforce during these critical times,” Mr Mulcahy said.

Not all industry groups welcomed the review with the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) slamming the decision, with AWU national secretary Scott McDine stating the tax was important, not only as a revenue measure, but as a way for ensuring backpackers were not used as a means of undercutting Australian jobs.

“Temporary foreign workers who come to Australia are often dangerously exploited, paid under the table at illegal rates, and used to undercut wages and conditions for working Australians,” he said.

“To be honest, backpackers probably won’t be too concerned about paying some tax if they have access to full award rates of pay, overtime payments, and other conditions of employment.

“Instead of worrying about how much tax temporary foreign workers pay, the business lobby would be better off telling their member organisation to give jobs to young Australians who are desperate to work.

“Rather than inching toward a generous tax cut for foreign workers, the government should be helping link young Australians for jobs at home,” Mr McDine said.

“The AWU would be more than willing to assist them with such efforts,” Mr McDine said.

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NEWS

Page 4, Southern Farmer

April 2016

Farmers happy with agreed deal on port sale VICTORIAN farmers are pleased that after many months, both sides of politics have finally agreed to a deal on the sale of the Port of Melbourne lease which will be privatised after legislation was recently passed through State Parliament.

The legislation was passed after months of negotiations between the major political parties on what compensation should be paid to the new owners if a second port was built.

Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) president Peter Tuohey said the deal delivers a clear commitment to ensuring 10 per cent of the port proceeds goes to rural and regional Victoria through the establishment of a Victorian Transport Fund.

“The Andrews Government has already committed $200 million to the Agriculture Infrastructure and Jobs Fund, so it’s great to see even more money committed to rural infrastructure from the Victorian Transport Fund,” he said.

“It’s great to see both the government and coalition agree with the VFF’s stance that a fair share of the port revenue goes into agricultural infrastructure, given food and fibre exports dominate the port throughput.”

Mr Tuohey added that the VFF was looking forward to working with the State Government on identifying priority projects, many of which desperately needed funding.

“In agriculture we need infrastructure investments in irrigation modernisation, pipelines to secure water for livestock producers, freight rail line upgrades, the elimination of

Summary of key amendments to Port of Melbourne Lease transaction

DONE DEAL: After months of negotiations legislation has now been passed through State Parliament to sell the Port of Melbourne lease.

mobile phone black spots and a raft of other projects,” Mr Tuohey said.

“Our support of the sale has always depended on the State Government ensuring these issues are addressed and the port remains competitive.”

Victorian leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh commented that the Liberal-Nationals have secured three times as much funding for regional Victoria from the sale of the Port of Melbourne lease than was offered by the “city-centric” Andrews Labor Government.

“The Liberal-Nationals stand up for regional communities and fight for their fair share,” Mr Walsh said.

“Daniel Andrews’ proposal to

send 97 per cent of the port sale proceeds to level crossing projects in Melbourne was not a fair deal.

“We will not accept the scraps off the table thrown to regional Victorians by the Andrews Government.

“In those amendments (to the Delivering Victorian Infrastructure Port of Melbourne Lease Transaction Bill 2015) we have secured 10 per cent of port sale proceeds – or up to $700 million – for transport infrastructure projects in regional Victoria,” he said.

Victorian leader of the Liberal Party Matthew Guy said that the proposed amended Bill does not preclude the development of a second container port for Victoria

after the adaption of a “reasonable compensation regime” capped to the first 15 years.

“The Liberal Nationals have spent months ensuring the best deal possible for business, agricultural producers and consumers – both for today and future generations,” he said.

“The process engaged by the Upper House inquiry last year brought many critical issues to the attention of the Parliament.

“It is this evidence that has guided the Liberal Nationals position and as such, this evidence that has produced what is now a workable, reasonable outcome,” Mr Guy said.

It is expected that the Port will be sold by the end of the year.

Term of the port lease limited to 50 years and 30 days (not 70 years).

Compensation to be strictly limited to 15 years from commencement of the lease (not full lease term).

Compensation during that 15 year period to be capped at 15 per cent of revenues.

Compensation during that 15 year period only to apply to the existing asset, unless an expansion is approved by the Ports Minister or Essential Services Commission.

Competitive neutrality regime to be established for the term of the lease.

10 per cent of the net proceeds of the lease to be quarantined for investment in rural and regional transport infrastructure.

Commitment to establish a Port Phillip Bay environmental monitoring function.

An accelerated review of market power in relation to leases and sub-leases at the Port of Melbourne by the Essential Services Commission (ESC).

Capitalisation of the Port Licence Fee limited to 15 years (not 50 years).

Exemption from Federal competition laws to be removed, so Port of Melbourne leaseholder subject to competition laws.

Additional contractual restrictions on vertical integration by Port of Melbourne operator.

The price of prescribed services to be ‘fair and reasonable’ and users of prescribed services able to make complaints to the ESC. Requirement of Port of Melbourne operator to provide a port rail plan to Government within three years and every five years thereafter.

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Southern Farmer, Page 5 SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND HAVE

Using spuds to raise funds and awareness of breast cancer they will reach this target with ease.

In the first season that the Carpinteris ran their own farm they planted about five acres of potatoes and hand-picked the first harvest themselves.

Now the couple have about eight to 10 people helping at harvest time, which starts in mid-to-late December and finishes about mid-May. “The process begins with the planting season, which starts in late July and continues through to December,” Mr Carpinteri explained.

“From October to April we irrigate and maintain the crops.

“We then harvest, which is done in the morning and will only last until about 1pm at the

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Published by: North East Media Suite 103, 486 Whitehorse Road, Surrey Hill 3127 Ph: (03) 9888 4822 Fax: (03) 9888 4840 ABN 65 006 238 277

GREAT CAUSE: (From left) Jason, Rachel and Lola Carpinteri with Pete Ockenden, whose wife Suzy passed away from breast cancer, and Suzy’s parents Les and Janet Rowlings.

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latest because the sun damages the potatoes and fatigue sets in.”

All potatoes are hand-picked and placed into 10 kilogram and 15 kilogram cartons in the paddock, where they are loaded and transported by truck back to the shed for weighing and to have lids placed on them.

From there they are taken to the fruit and vegetable wholesale markets by local freight companies.

And now they have specially branded pink cartons being distributed to some capital cities in Australia as their contribution to help fight breast cancer one spud at a time.

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JASON Carpinteri and his wife Rachel are proof that you don’t need to be a huge corporation to make a difference to causes that are close to your heart.

The 40-year old potato farmer from Thorpdale is the owner of Red Fox Farm Fresh and grows a number of potato varieties including the popular Kipfler and Dutch Cream in the volcanic soil that the Thorpdale hills are famous for.

After growing up on his family’s potato farm, also in Thorpdale, he left school at 17 years of age and after working with his father and brother on the family farm for many years, decided it was time to buy his own land and start his own business.

Now, with wife Rachel and their six-month old daughter Lola in tow, they farm about 25 acres of potatoes, producing about 350 tonnes each year which they currently distribute to a number of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane fruit and vegetable wholesale markets.

The couple have also recently opened up a fruit and vegetable store in Thorpdale where they sell their hand-picked potatoes alongside locally grown fruit and vegetables, including organic produce, all at farm gate prices.

And now, the Carpinteri’ s have just “proudly” signed on to become corporate supporters of the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Like many others, the family and the small township of Thorpdale have been touched by breast cancer directly, with Mr Carpinteri’s mother, Gina diagnosed in 2000 with the disease, followed by his sister Mary who was diagnosed in 2003.

Both women are survivors of the disease, but as Mr Carpinteri said, with two sisters, four nieces and now a six-month old daughter and a history of breast cancer in the family, it is a cause close to his heart and one which he wants to contribute to helping find a cure.

Red Fox Farm Fresh is packing its potatoes in specially branded pink cartons with $2 from the sale of each pink carton being donated directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s research program.

“We tried to get this off the ground last season, but it takes a bit of time because you have to sign contracts and have logos approved and verified, so it took a while,” Mr Carpinteri said.

“The contract for the pink cartons is for 12 months and there are no issues with being able to renew the contract.

“We would be part of it again and we have had such good feedback from the community as Thorpdale has had its fair share of cancer in such a small town.

“With Mum and my sister being survivors it’s just so good to be part of the program and we haven’t limited ourselves to an amount or timeframe,” he said.

Currently, Red Fox Farm Fresh carton sales have reached $5000, with Mr Carpinteri hoping to get to $15,000.

And no doubt, with how hard the family work

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Page 6, Southern Farmer

Summer is over but fire restrictions still in place SUMMER might now be over but the CFA is reminding residents to not become complacent about Fire Danger Period restrictions and safety.

CFA South East assistant chief officer Trevor Owen said the end of summer does not mean the end of fire restrictions.

“We may be entering autumn, but the landscape remains extremely dry and there is still real potential for serious fires,” he said.

“The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting there is still hot

weather to come – meaning vegetation will remain extremely dry and continue to be a serious fire hazard.”

Mr Owen said people heading into national parks for camping or barbecues need to take extra care to prevent fires from starting.

“We’re asking people to please take extra care and do the right thing to make sure any campfires are fully extinguished.

“The risk of campfires escaping on hot and windy days is very real.

“Once a fire gets going in the bush it can be difficult to control,” Mr Owen said.

During the Fire Danger Period (FDP) fires cannot be lit in the open air without a written permit from CFA or a municipal fire prevention officer.

“Fire restrictions remain in place, meaning you can’t burn off without a permit,” Mr Owen said.

“CFA decides when the Fire Danger Period is declared and revoked.”

For more information visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au/can.

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April 2016

Phasing out wine tax will destroy small winemakers From page 1

“The problem is some of the bigger winemakers are actually cheating the system by saying they are making wine for smaller wineries and claiming the tax rebate as an expense, but they aren’t actually doing that,” he said.

“It is just ridiculous to phase out the WET and as a small wine maker I would go broke.

“The government is already making money out of wine tax and small wineries are losing any tax benefit now.

“Any small winery will not be making wine in the future if they get rid of the WET, and I tell you, if they do I will go out of business and never vote again,” Mr D’Aloisio said.

The reason for the instigation of the WET tax many years ago was to support the diversity of the wine from small producers and the social and cultural benefits from their existence.

Currently, the WET is added at a rate of 29 per cent to the wholesale price of wine and before the standard 10 per cent goods and services tax is applied.

Most vignerons who make wine from their own grapes, or producers who have their grapes vinified by a contract winemaker are then able to claim a rebate of 29 per cent of the wholesale price of wine sold to retailers and at cellar door, or used, for example, as tasting stock.

An individual claim is capped at a maximum of $500,000 per year.

Businesses that buy bulk wine and then bottle it for sale cannot lawfully claim the WET rebate, however the committee cited concerns about alleged rorting in some parts of the industry as one reason for recommending change.

The committee also reported “unintended consequences” where major retailers who buy bulk wine and turn it into house-brand

WINE TAX: The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education has called on the government to increase wine taxes which has been strongly rejected by the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia.

labels for retail sale position themselves to “capture the value” of the WET rebate when making purchase arrangements with producers.

Recently the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) called on the government to increase wine taxes which was strongly rejected by the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia.

Winemakers’ Federation of Australia chief executive Paul Evans said FARE’s claims come around “like a broken record” and are based on incomplete analysis on the impact a tax hike would have on regional communities.

“Not only is Australian wine heavily taxed already when compared to our global competitors, in fact we are among the highest taxed in the world today, but the tax rates reflect that alcohol industries are not all the same and this continues to be missed by health lobbyists like FARE,” he said.

“The reason why wine is taxed differently and preferentially to other alcohol types

is clear cut.

“Wine is different when it comes to our socio-economic input into regional Australia, employment footprint, contribution to export earnings, profitability and access to capital compared to the vastly different brewing and spirits industries and it’s only fair that alcohol tax arrangements reflect this,” Mr Evans said.

The federation believes wine must continue to be taxed within the existing WET legislative framework and that any future changes to wine tax arrangements are done so within this framework and not shifted to an excise-based approach as is the case for beer and spirits.

“The federation does not advocate how the WET should be calculated.

“Speculative reports in the meantime such as those pushed again and again by FARE need to be seen for what they are – headline grabbers that will hurt the local industry and must continue to be ignored by government,” Mr Evans said.

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NEWS

April 2016

Southern Farmer, Page 7

Joyce concedes tough campaign ahead to retain New England DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce, knows he has a tough battle ahead to retain the seat of New England, but said he still has plenty he wants to fight for.

At a recent press conference held in Tamworth, Mr Joyce said the good news is that recent Ipsos and Fairfax polls indicate that the Coalition would win if the election was held now, but the bad news is that the seat of

New England would be won

by Independent Tony Windsor.

“It’s quite obvious, and a statement of the bleeding obvious, that from the office of the Deputy Prime Minister, you’ve got a vastly better chance of getting through the important issues of New England than as a backbencher in what will, for all intents and purposes, be the opposition,” he said.

“This is going to be, as I always thought, an incredibly tough campaign.

“I have never shied away from a political battle.

“I remember when I was in the Senate and had basically a safe seat and a safe job, I resigned from that and basically went on the unemployment queue to come down here because I believe in the people of New England, I believe in coming home.

“It doesn’t really concern me that I put it all on the line again,” Minister Joyce said.

He said he has a strong

desire to ensure that prime agricultural land is protected, particularly in relation to the BHP Caroona mine, which falls in the New England electorate.

“That mine would be a real threat and we don’t want a mine on prime agricultural land,” he said.

He added that he would make sure that the upcoming election be about delivery, mainly the delivery of jobs.

“Getting the APVMA into Armidale – 195 jobs, mak-

ing sure that more dams are built in this area, that more water infrastructure goes into this area, that the roads are upgraded in this area, that we continue to drive for a stronger economy that can support this area, because they are the issues that will give people’s sons and daughters jobs into the future and give a strong resilient economy no better seen than in the economic work we have done in the turnaround of the soft commodity prices

to record prices that we are currently receiving,” he said.

Minister Joyce said that he wanted to make sure that Australia continues on with the firm prices for commodities, such as beef, which has been assisted by the work his party has done while working in the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, “through such things as seven new live animal destinations and three free trade agreements”.

Horses can’t say neigh to new compact bale A NEW format hay bale is proving popular at a time when freight and storage of hay are key factors when purchasing.

The product is the RPC EzyBale from Rolliston Pastoral Company of Callawadda, Victoria which was established in 1865.

Measuring just 55cm x 26cm x 45cm, RPC EzyBale is 60 per cent smaller than a standard square bale.

Spokesperson for Rolliston Pastoral Company Sandy McGregor said that as a result of the bale measuring smaller, livestock owners can fit more than twice as many on a truck, trailer or ute, while hay now takes up a fraction of the shed space required for square bales.

“There is less wastage with RPC EzyBales because the biscuits don’t fall apart,” she said.

“At 23kg to 24kg, RPC EzyBales weigh the same as square bales and offer the same amount of feed.”

The new bales are available in oaten and lucerne hay.

“We are delighted at the response to the new RPC EzyBales,” Ms McGregor said.

“The quality of the product exceeds export specifications.

“Our local customers love being able to carry over double the number of bales in their vehicle, reducing the number of pickups and saving on fuel.”

Rolliston Pastoral Company offers free delivery by the 40 bale pallet.

The pallets come stretch film wrapped for easy storage and can be stacked up to three high.

A pallet of 40 bales of lucerne hay is $680 and a pallet of oaten hay is $600 (both including GST).

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PASTURE AND FERTILISER

Page 8, Southern Farmer

April 2016

Yates helping to improve the health of plants and soil THE benefit of seaweed to improve soil quality and crops has been known for centuries, but only in the past 10 years have methods been developed to produce liquid seaweed concentrates for foliar and soil drench application.

According to Yates senior product development horticulturalist Johann Lombard the Yates Uplift range provides growers with certified organic solutions for plant growth stimulation, feeding plants and soil health.

“The range currently consists of Uplift Seaweed Liquid Concentrate and Uplift Fish Liquid Concentrate, available in a convenient range of sizes,” she said.

“Yates Uplift Seaweed Liquid Concentrate is a complete plant health tonic that contains essential micronutrients and growth bio-stimulants (plant hormones) as naturally found in seaweed, to target improved root development, help protect plants from environmental stress and promote improved flowering and fruiting.

Uplift Seaweed is produced in Australia from sustainably harvested Australian seaweed (Bull kelp),” Ms Lombard said.

The production process uses gentle cold composting, preserving more of the delicate compounds that would otherwise be destroyed by high temperature and alkaline extraction methods.

Also in the range is Yates Uplift Fish Liquid Concentrate which is a natural complete fertiliser.

Nutrients are water-soluble

and available for plant uptake through both foliage and roots to improve shoot and root growth, as well as flower and fruit development.

These include various natural trace elements, minerals, proteins, oils, amino acids and vitamins that also feed, condition and rejuvenate soil, including soil micro-organisms and earthworms.

“Application of Yates Uplift Fish Liquid Concentrate complements your fertiliser program and will help to reduce

the use of inorganic acidifying fertilisers,” Ms Lombard said.

“Uplift Fish is produced in Australia from the fish waste of sustainably harvested commercial Australian fresh ocean fish.

Uplift Fish is a fish hydrolysate, an enzymatic cold composting process that uses all of the fish waste, ensuring all fish nutrients are processed into the final liquid product, without addition of water.

No portions such as fish oil or fish meal are removed, as is typically done when preparing

fish emulsions.

Uplift Seaweed and Uplift Fish can be applied as a foliar application, soil drench or via the fertigation system.

Both Uplift Seaweed and Uplift Fish are certified organic inputs by NASAA and ACO. Uplift Seaweed is available in five litres, 20 litres, 200 litres and 1000 litres, and Uplift Fish is available in five litres , 20 litres and 1000 litres.

For more information visit www.yates.com.au.

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New alert system warns about potential threats for grain growers GRAIN growers are being encouraged to subscribe to a new alert system that will send early warnings about potential threats from diseases, weeds and pests.

GrowNotes Alert will publish urgent messages, sent from experts across Australia, in an attempt to address any potential threats before they become problematic and a financial burden on growers and the industry.

In an Australian-first, growers will be able to nominate their farm

locations and specific crop types, increasing the relevance of alerts, their reliability, speed and coverage.

The free alerts will be sent to growers and advisers in the format of their choice, either from an App, email, media portal, as an SMS or voice message, or via Twitter.

The new system has been delivered as a joint venture between the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources

(DEDJTR), the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), Australian pathologists, entomologists and weed experts.

GrowNotes Alert will build on GRDC’s existing GrowNotes, a popular webbased information service focused on delivering packaged crop-specific management resources.

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freedom to decide how they would prefer to receive the information, saving both time and money.

“GrowNotes Alert is taking early subscribers now, with a view to launching a full service by mid-year,” he said.

“Early subscription will give growers a chance to get familiar with the tool, and possibly help us in user-testing the system in our pilot phase.

“We want to be able to deliver what growers and advisers want.

“We will look at all feedback to iron out any bugs and issues, and we will address any specific needs, so that growers will get a system they find userfriendly and one that they really want to use for the benefit of their operations,” Dr Pittock said.

The App and Twitter channels will be launched closer to the middle of the year when the alert system becomes fully operational.

To become an early bird subscriber go to www.grdc. com.au/grownotesalert.

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PASTURE AND FERTILISER

Southern Farmer, Page 9

Renew pasture ASAP to ensure quality

HOME-GROWN FEED: Dairy farmer Brendan Martin is committed to maximising his one-farm feed production even during periods of water pricing uncertainty.

optimum stock condition and growth rates. “A lack of quality on-farm feed at this time means farmers have to rely on supplementary feeding, which can get costly very quickly. “Autumn is the optimum time to boost your on-farm feed production and start renovating your pastures with a highquality Italian ryegrass such as Concord II because you can get full establishment of pasture up and running before we get into the midst of winter, and then hopefully the rainfall carries

them through into spring. “High quality, late maturing varieties can provide real costefďŹ ciencies that you just won’t get with some cheaper common varieties,â€? Ms Burke said.

Through its trial research the company found that after start-of-season rains, every one week delay in sowing can cost a farmer up to 1000 kilograms per hectare of dry matter leading into winter, which is why it is critical to get ryegrass in early and utilise the irrigation to establish it quickly.

Victorian dairy farmer Bren-

Rebranding for Vic potato lobby group to ensure strong support VICTORIA’S potato lobby group is rebranding itself as Potatoes Victoria replacing the Victorian Potato Growers Council.

A division of the Victorian Farmers’ Federation, Potatoes Victoria has been the peak industry body representing Victorian potato growers for more than 20 years.

Potatoes Victoria chairman, Frank Rovers said the decision to rebrand was made for the benefit of organisation members and will help in consultation with all tiers of government.

“The rebranding clearly spells out who we represent to government and industry stakeholders,� he said. “We intend to continue to represent Victorian potato growers to all levels of government and to support growers wih issues affecting their business.�

The Potatoes Victoria executive will continue to have two representatives from the seed, fresh, crisping and processing sectors and include other industry participants as required.

The lobby group is currently working closely

with Agriculture Victoria and the Victorian Certified Seed Potato Authority to finalise the industry-owned Action Plan in response to the recently developed Potato Industry Strategic Plan. “We are looking forward to discussing the rebranding with growers over the coming months as we hold events in key growing areas,� Mr Rovers said. “I encourage all potato growers to join Potatoes Victoria and to call to find out what we are doing, as well as discuss issues affecting your business.�

dan Martin milks 800 cows, predominantly Holstein and Jersey, and grows mostly ryegrass pastures, lucerne, maize and some cereal across his 450 hectare property in Bamawm.

Mr Martin said he is committed to maximising his one-farm feed production even during periods of water pricing uncertainty. “It’s usually pretty dry here and our average annual rainfall is only 400ml per annum, so we rely heavily on irrigation – about 90 per cent of our property is ood irrigated,â€? he said.

“We normally buy in around 1000 megalitres annually, and all up we use about 2500 megalitre per year. “High water costs mean we have to carefully plan for our future requirements and be really efďŹ cient in the way we use our water. “This is the third year we’ve sown Concord II and this year we will sow about 200 hectares. “For us, water management is all about understanding our feed requirements, selecting our pasture, selecting our variety and managing moisture

requirements with moisture probes,� Mr Martin said.

He added that before the end of March he has pre-irrigated to close up cracks in the soil before spraying out weeds and sowing. “This means the pastures are well established as we head into winter and we’ve got plenty of feed,� Mr Martin said. “I’d say probably 40 per cent of the cows’ diets are direct pasture graze, 30 per cent concentrate and 30 per cent home-grown feed as pit silage or hay.�

Mr Martin’s farm is one of many in recent years favouring Italian ryegrasses, as they become known for producing consistent, high-quality feed. “We’ve done the number over and over and I would say 95 per cent of the time it’s better to grow our own feed on-farm. “Water prices are a signiďŹ cant factor, but with good farm management home-grown feed is still the cheapest, highest quality option,â€? Mr Martin said.

This year PGG Wrightson Seeds has also launched its Pasture Manual which has a strong technical focus including detailed trial data and analysis on all of the company’s key products.

For more information visit www.quickwinterfeed.com. au.

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DESPITE uncertainty in water prices, it is important to continue your pasture renewal program to ensure you have cost-effective, high-quality feed when you need it.

According to the team at PGG Wrightson Seeds, getting your pasture renewal efforts under way promptly can make a real difference in terms of availability and quality of feed, whether that is for grazing or to cut for hay and silage.

The company recommends starting sooner rather than later this autumn to ensure maximum production and performance through winter and into spring, which is important even during current periods of water pricing uncertainty.

PGG Wrightson Seeds’ product development team member Kelly Burke said that a recent study conducted by water market advisors Aither found that water prices in the southern Murray Darling Basin area might increase by as much as 10 per cent in the next ďŹ ve years during low allocations. “But farmers shouldn’t be tempted to hold off on their pasture renewal efforts in light of this, or go with cheaper seed alternatives, as it could end up costing them much more in the long run,â€? she said. “Feed availability and feed quality is essential through winter to be able to maintain

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PASTURE AND FERTILISER

Page 10, Southern Farmer

April 2016

Soil moisture probes reduce guesswork ACCORDING to Agbyte’s Leighton Wilksch soil moisture probes can be a valuable tool when making soil moisture-based management decisions.

Speaking at a recent Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Grains Research Update, Mr Wilksch said that soil moisture probes (SMPs) quantify how much moisture is in the soil, what depth it is at, where plant roots are active and how much moisture is being used by the crop.

He added that multiple years of data could give a clear picture of how much soil moisture there was at any point in time compared to previous seasons. “This can assist with making decisions associated with when and what to plant during autumn, and how much nitrogen to apply and potential for the crop to reach target yield,�

Mr Wilksch said. “Generally, a grower will be installing one soil moisture probe and therefore getting it in the ‘median’

soil type of the farm, which is important. “Sometimes if a grower is installing two SMPs, they may want to install one in a poorer soil type if that soil type makes up a sizeable portion of the farm. “Increasingly, we are seeing local networks of SMPs (and weather stations) pop up that allow a grower to invest in one site, but have access to multiple sites set up by neighbouring growers. “For example, on the northern Yorke Peninsula in SA, there are a number of networks that have three to ďŹ ve neighbouring growers that each have a SMP installed in different soil

types,� he explained.

Mr Wilksch added that in any one season, there will also be different crop types planted over the top of the SMP. Data can be displayed on the same webpage so that each grower can look at the others’ graphs and essentially extrapolate the information across their farm where they may have a similar soil type/crop type to their neighbour. “This also allows for discussion amongst the group which has been found to be useful for getting a better understanding of plantavailable water and its use by the crop.�

Some users of SMPs are now installing the tools to a greater depth. “Often, the ďŹ rst generations of SMPs were placed 80-100 centimetres deep, but now some sites are heading to 1.6 metres deep to better understand what is occurring at depth.â€?

Mr Wilksch encouraged growers to develop a sound understanding of the soil type they are installing into by recording horizon changes down the proďŹ le and even stratifying out a soil sample to get it analysed for chemical and physical constraints.

He said the data from SMPs should be looked at regularly and growers should seek interpretation from those who have experience with the data. “And consider hooking it up to a weather station so that you can access data that impacts your farming business daily,� Mr Wilksch said.

More information on SMPs visit www.grdc.com. au/Research-and-Development/GRDC-UpdatePapers.

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VALUABLE TOOL: Leighton Wilksch of Agbyte speaking at a GRDC Grains Research Update, said soil moisture probes can be a valuable tool to assist in making soil moisture-based management decisions.

New managing director for Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation JOHN Harvey has been appointed as the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) managing director following the retirement of Craig Burns in February.

RIRDC’s chair Daniela Stehlik said that Mr Harvey brings a wealth of relevant experience to the role and will provide strong leadership through a time of change and opportunity for the corporation. “Mr Harvey’s long experience in the agricultural sector and

proven leadership skills will ensure RIRDC’s quality work and high standing among its stakeholders will continue under his management,â€? she said. “The RIRDC board undertook a thorough and extensive national search for a suitably qualiďŹ ed person and we are conďŹ dent that Mr Harvey will lead RIRDC successfully through what we anticipate will be an exciting time for the corporation.â€?

Mr Harvey commenced

his career in agriculture as a soil conservationist and extension agronomist with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries.

He joined the Grains Research and Development Corporation in 1997 and there held several positions including as a program manager for farming systems and became an executive manager in 2001 and managing director and chief executive ofďŹ cer in 2011.

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NEWS

Page 12, Southern Farmer

April 2016

Huge amount of choice on offer

By DAVID RIZZOLI STUD cattle breeders from around south eastern Australia have reported outstanding results at their annual autumn on-property sales for 2016 despite the prolonged dry putting a strain on paddock feed resources.

Among the biggest studs were Mortlake-based Banquet Angus stud of the Branson family and the Gubbins family’s Te Mania Angus Stud.

Stephen and Noeleen Branson from Banquet Angus said the recent sale was the best ever, which was preceded by the sale of 150 PTIC heifers Banquet blood and in calf to Banquet bulls.

Although Mr Branson said the top price of $21,000 for a bull was moderate, the average of $8868 was a $494 increase on last year and a record for Banquet.

There were 107 registered bidders from five states and New Zealand, bidding on 97 bulls for a total clearance.

The top priced bull was purchased

by Paul Hawkins from Elm Grove Cattle Co. in Llangothlin, NSW, with the second top price of $20,000 paid

by Richard Waderson from RCW (Vic) Pty Ltd in Shepparton.

Preceding the Banquet Bull sale, Margaret and Robbie Patterson of Drysdale Estates at Mortlake offered 150 PTIC Angus heifers by Banquet bulls in calf to Banquet bulls.

These sold at a top price of $2700 for and average of $2411.67, and a gross of about $361,750.

The average price paid was about

$400 about other market prices for similar aged and status heifers.

The renowned Te Mania Angus stud with co-principals Tom Gubbins and Hamish McFarlane, also at Mortlake, presented its annual drafts of females and bulls, with 566 commercial females offered online the evening before the bulls.

A pen of 14 ACR registered 30-month old cows sold, with the top price reaching $2220.

Altogether, 540 of the offering of females sold at the on-line auction.

The annual bull sale the following day had a large contingent of buyers attend, including 58 logged on through AuctionPlus which bid on the 133 bulls on offer.

Equal top price of $23,000 was paid for Te Mania Kasbah K388 by Shane and Jodie Foster of Boonaroo Angus at Casterton and for Te Mania Kilkenny K912 which was purchased

by Greg and Sally Chappel at Glen Innes in NSW. The Andemeleuca Angus stud of Sam Trovatello based in Kyneton offered 34 bulls at auction and managed to clear 27.

The top price of $12,000 was paid

by Frank Sofia of Clyde, with the average price for a small stud reaching a very respectable $4500.

For a change of colour, the sale scene shifted to the Glendan Park Hereford stud run by Alvio and Jessica Trovatello at Barfold.

Thirty bulls were offered with a clearance of 27 for an average price of $4700.

Buyers from the Pepper Hereford

PREMIUM PRICE: Murdeduke Angus sold Lot 20 CSWK18 for the top price of $16,500 during its recent autumn bull sale.

stud from the Victorian western district paid the top price of $9000 for a Hereford bull, with a buyer from Balranald in NSW paying the second top price of $8000.

The Paringa Livestock studs of Tom and Olivia Lawson at Yea offered 14 Angus bulls, 16 Stabilizer and 30 Charolais bulls at their annual autumn bull sale.

The top-priced Charolais bull, Paringa Free Lunch K330, was sold for $11,000 weighing in at 812 kilograms and was described as polled with a quiet nature and a ranking on Breedplan putting him in the top one per cent across the board.

SALES & SERVICE

Paringa had a total clearance of the 14 Angus bulls offered with a top of $6000 at an average of $4300.

Of the Stabilizer bulls offered, 12 sold at auction to a top of $6500 at an average of $4600.

The remaining four bulls were sold privately after the auction.

Sixteen of the 30 Charolais bulls on offer sold to a top of $11,000 at an average of $4750.

A new stud record price of $29,000 was set at the 11th annual on-property sale of Damien and Mandy Gommers’ Mandayen Limousin stud at Keith in South Australia.

This price was achieved by Man-

dayen King K6 described as an outstanding embryo transfer homozygous, 920 kilogram, apricot coloured bull by the US super sire Hunt Mr Jock 44J from the elite donor female Ramomie Abigail U2.

Forty-nine out of the 54 bulls offered sold to the top of $29,000 at an average of $7,602.

There was a limited demand for the Limflex bulls the stud had on offer, with seven bulls sold, with the top three selling for $4000.

Fifty-one registered bidders competed strongly for Winchelsea-based Murdeduke Angus’ 2016 offering of 62 bulls.

The stud managed a 100 per cent clearance after three bulls that were passed in sold straight after the sale.

The top price paid was $16,500 for Lot 20 CSWK18, with an average of $6215.

Landmark livestock manager for Victoria and Tasmania, Ray Atwell who was bidding on behalf of first time buyers from Latrobe Park Angus is Gippsland, said his clients were keen to buy a son of Murdeduke Emperor, but having missed out on the two top priced bulls, purchased Murdeduke Kacey K168 for $8000.

Murdeduke stud principal Lachie Wilson said the loyal support received from their clients is “fantastic and we want to thank them for it”.

“We sold an extra 10 bulls, achieved a new top price and an $800 increase in average on last year, in spite of what can only be described as horrible seasonal conditions,” Mr Wilson said.

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NEWS

Page 14, Southern Farmer

April 2016

AWN invests in Australian wool industry’s future THE Australian Wool Network (AWN) has just invested in the nation’s knitwear manufacturing industry by opening its own manufacturing facility in Victoria.

The new Hysport factory, located at Carrum Downs, was opened last month, with AWN the only wool marketing company with its ownAustralian based, purpose built processing plant.

Hysport manufactures garments made from pure wool and wool blends that are marketed under the brands MerinoSnug and Only Merino.

The company manufactures up to 72 different garments and retails at more than 250 outlets across Australia using Australian wool yarn processed through network partners in New Zealand and Italy.

Hysport chief executive officer Rod Murray said that AWN’s involvement had resulted in closer contact with woolgrowers.

“We often have growers calling into our factory – they like to see what AWN is investing in to improve the flow of their wool.

“Manufacturing in Australia is going through tough times but we are bucking the trend.

“You can count the number of Australian knitwear manufacturers remaining on two hands,” Mr Murray said.

Hysport uses 17.5 to 19.5 micron wool in pure wool garments, while possum-blend product uses 50 per cent wool, 40 per cent possum fur and 10 per cent nylon or silk.

Mr Murray said high domestic orders last year had negated the need to explore options, however, the additional production capacity now meant the company would look to export markets

BRIGHT FUTURE: AWN’s South Australian wool marketing manager Rod Miller with Kangaroo Island wool grower shareholders Felicity Salkeld, Lloyd Berry, Christine Berry and Greg Johnsson at the opening of the Hysport factory.

within the next six months.

He added that the feedback from woolgrowers involved in AWN’s regional branding had been overwhelming.

“They love to see their wool going right through the pipeline and coming out the other end.”

AWN managing director John Col-

ley said Hysport was a critical link in the wool broking and trading business.

“To put it together, we have had to put strategic alliances through all parts of the chain,” he said.

“This is the process that allows us to take growers wool from the sheep’s back right through the manufacturing process to the end garment in Australia

and by Australians, then marketed in retail stores right across Australia.”

Mr Colley said other regional wool growing groups were due to come on board in the next six to eight months, including the Riverina and Victoria’s western districts.

Established in 1999, AWN now ranks as Australia’s third-largest wool

broker, marketing more than 250,000 bales of wool each year for more than 5000 growers.

While clip preparation at shearing is critical to meet the manufacturing specifications, growers will benefit from premium prices and the ability to track their wool through the supply chain.

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NEWS

April 2016

Support for drought welcomed, but VFF wants more Q

This funding will help our farmers deal with the impacts of drought and the ongoing dry that’s undermining the carrying capacity of many farms as they face repeated seasons of low rainfall and stock water shortages.

- VFF PRESIDENT PETER TUOHEY shortages,” he said.

“I’m also glad to see the government has extended drought support to the Ararat shire, which means 11 shires are now covered by the fund.

“However, the VFF will continue to lobby the government to deliver more support, especially for water tanks and emergency piping to deliver stock and domestic water, as well as funds for carting water,”

Mr Tuohey said.

He added that water corporations are doing what they can to find alternative supplies, but ultimately many farmers face having to cart water, rather than risk watering stock with contaminated supplies like the current toxic blue-green algal blooms that are in the Murray River.

Mr Tuohey said that the VFF understands that government does not want to offer rebates on water carting, which it has argued would simply inflate cartage costs during a period of high demand.

But the VFF is arguing the government should at least ensure water is made available to farmers, free of charge, at standpipes in drought affected areas.

“While cartage – fuel and driver time – is the greatest cost, we’d like to see the government working with water corporations to ensure farmers don’t have to pay for the actual water.

“While some farmers are getting access to free water, we’ve got others paying $5 a kilolitre for standpipe supplies,” Mr Tuohey said.

Cheaper electronic tags available CHEAPER electronic National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) sheep ear tags are now available in Victoria.

Victoria’s chief veterinary officer Charles Milne said

cheaper tags will help more Victorian producers harness the benefits of electronic identification.

The cheapest electronic tag is now available for 77 cents per tag and is manufactured

by Leader Products.

A further six tag brands are also available for prices ranging from 80 cents to $1.52 each.

For assistance phone NLIS Helpline on 1800 678 779.

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WHILE the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has welcomed the State Government’s $10 million Drought Support Fund, the lobby group is pushing the government for even more support to cover water tanks, emergency piping and water cartage.

Farmers across 11 western Victorian shires have been given access to risk management grants of up to $10,000 and a second round of $2000 stock containment grants.

The Drought Support Fund now covers areas such as Ararat, Buloke, Yarriambiack, Loddon, Northern Grampians, Horsham, Hindmarsh, Gannawarra, Pyrenees, Central Goldfields and West Wimmera shires.

VFF president Peter Tuohey said that the financial support is valuable at a time when drought conditions are looking grim across the state.

“This funding will help our farmers deal with the impacts of drought and the ongoing dry that’s undermining the carrying capacity of many farms as they face repeated seasons of low rainfall and stock water

Southern Farmer, Page 15

NEWS

Page 16, Southern Farmer

April 2016

7KH VLOHQW WKLHYHV RI GDLU\ SUR¿ W SUB-CLINICAL metabolic disease (MF & Keto) works silently against milk production, immunity, mastitis, metritis, displaced abomasum and worse, our equal profit driver with milk production: fertility.

Worse than a second mortgage – we can see the damage this one does on monthly bank statements.

Awareness of their existence is often hazy, let alone their prevalence in the herd.

Sub-clinical milk fever and ketosis are often described as “iceberg” diseases: what is visible is only the tip of the iceberg with a far greater portion under the surface, and far more costly.

Sub-clinical milk fever usually occurs within 24 to 48 hours after calving (and often lingering for some time after as random blood testing in a client’s herd has well verified), however, in light of the average cow’s calcium intake in late lactation, and especially during the dry and springer phases, it is highly likely it exists even prior to calving.

Bear in mind, the first test bucket of colostrum contains

By JOHN LYNE Dairytech dairy production specialist nine times the cow’s whole calcium pool.

She has already shifted a very significant volume of calcium from her reserves into colostrum synthesis, and that’s assuming she had a good calcium reserve to start with, which we are now questioning based on general calcium nutrition and recent research on this subject.

Research has quantified the cumulative effects of subclinical milk fever: 3.2 times increased risk of metritis and 2.4 times increased risk of fever post-calving and almost without saying, induces sub-clinical ketosis if not already present.

If you are aware or suspicious that this is an issue in your herd, you are not alone.

Estimates are that 54 per cent of mature cows and 25 per cent of heifers succumb to sub-clinical milk fever.

These are big numbers in anyone’s herd to be underperforming.

Where do we go from here?

Firstly, I think calcium nutrition through the whole annual cycle of a cow’s life is number one.

We are currently doing our own research/trials in this based on dramatic improvement, particularly in fertility, where we’ve witnessed when calcium has not been a limiting or debilitating issue.

At present, this is a work in progress, but showing very favourable response.

Detection of sub-clinical milk fever can only be through blood tests for blood calcium concentration.

If you have the vet coming for other reasons, I strongly urge you to hold back a random half dozen very fresh cows for blood samples to be taken from.

This will give some idea of the prevalence of the problem.

Calcium drench is the remedy.

Obviously a good quality Lead Feed grain mix for springers is next, however, this must be verified by checking urine

pH of springer cows at least weekly, but preferably twice weekly to ensure DCAD is right (Holstein 5.8 to 6.5 pH and Jerseys 5.6 to 6.2 pH).

If every other task related to milk production were less diligent, this one could go a long way to compensate.

Healthy, uninhibited cows produce milk, get in calf and make profit.

The greatest danger in not checking urine pH comes from varying potassium levels in the springer ration’s forage.

Silage or hay from different paddocks on farm, and more so, bought-in forage, can have dramatically differing potassium contents.

Potassium is a very strong positive charged ion and has power to decimate the best designed transition program.

We have seen herds with ‘seamless’ transition plummet to cows going down with clinical milk fever, some even before calving, and some never rose again.

A DCAD either too high or too low will have the same devastating effect in milk fever, entirely due to variations in

potassium content of forages.

It is not practical to test all forages to be used for springers: urine pH checking alerts immediately to a problem.

Urine pH strips are cheaply available at www.animart.com.

Whenever a cow has subclinical milk fever it will bring on sub-clinical ketosis, and vice versa. They are never separate and are equally devastating to overall profit and equally as prevalent.

Again research shows subclinical ketosis affects 40 per cent to 60 per cent of fresh cows at a cumulative impact average of $300 per case.

This one regularly starts in dry cows due to insufficient energy intake to sustain the dam’s maintenance energy requirement and her unborn calf.

Inadequate energy can also be induced by a low protein dry cow diet.

Worse still, often the quality of the dry cow ration is inadequate in both energy and protein.

The onset of ketosis is usually five to nine days postcalving, however, we have certainly verified its sub-clinical

existence in dry cows through blood tests.

Post-calving, sub-clinical ketosis is easier to both detect and treat.

Milk Keto Test strips to check milk of fresh cows will soon identify its presence.

The treatment is very simple – 250 millilitres of propylene glycol drench.

I suggest you check treated cows again three or four days later to ensure the cow has passed from sub-clinical ketosis.

If not, drench again with propylene glycol.

Milk Keto Test Strips are also available at www.animart. com.

Sub-clinical ketosis is usually in this early stage of lactation and relatively easy to remedy.

The later stage - about five to six weeks after calving - is a more severe scenario and usually is clinical in nature – downer cow.

This cow needs both propylene glycol to ‘kick-start’ the liver to process excess fat accumulation, but also dextrose to give her an energy boost.

New calculator helps dairy farmers better use effluent DAIRY Australia has released a new calculator that aims to help farmers make better use of the nutrients contained in dairy effluent and sludge, saving money in the process.

The ‘Nutrients for Effluent and Sludge Calculator” assists dairy farmers to determine a suitable application rate for effluent as well as the value of the nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) that is

applied during reuse.

Users can also calculate a value for their effluent or sludge based on equivalent fertiliser prices.

Dairy Australia land water and carbon consultant Scott Birchall said farmers are often told to sample their effluent and to then get a lab to analyse the amount of N, P and K it contains.

“The calculator was developed to answer the usual question that followed

about working out how much to put on,” he said.

“The question is critical if it is pond sludge that is being spread, as the contractor’s cost is partly dependent on the application rate, and more importantly, the distance to the paddock that you’ve chosen for reuse.

“The temptation to apply heavy rates of sludge in paddocks close to the pond is understandable, but if you

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can match the amount of nutrient available to what the soil or crop needs and then substitute for purchased fertiliser, desludging becomes a cost effective part of the fertility program rather than just another cost,” Mr Birchall said.

Kerang-based agronomist Matt Page has been using the calculator while preparing Fert$mart nutrient management plans for his clients.

“Knowing how much nutrient is in the effluent or sludge is an important part of fertiliser planning,” he said.

“The calculator helps me to target the area of the farm that need the nutrients and also understand when too much effluent on a paddock may be detrimental.”

Early autumn is typically a time of maintenance around effluent ponds in southern dairy regions.

Drawing down the effluent storage pond to its minimum level going into the autumn break and also removing sludge that has accumulated in the primary pond are key maintenance requirements to support a functional effluent pond system.

The calculator is available for free download from Dairy Australia’s Dairying for Tomorrow website at www. dairyingfortomorrow.com.au.

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FARMER TO FARMER

April 2016

Southern Farmer, Page 17

Tynong beef producers focus on quality breeding Give our readers a quick snapshot of your farm at Tynong North.

We farm our Welsh Black cattle on 51 hectares of lush green pasture (most of the year) in the rolling foothills of Tynong North situated in West Gippsland.

The main focus on our farm is the breeding of quality Welsh Black cattle.

Our efforts have been rewarded with the success our cattle have achieved in the show ring, winning many Interbreed Championships including Supreme Exhibits in Show.

We have been breeding Welsh Black cattle for 15 years and we are very proud of our Welsh beauties at our Buchanan Park Welsh Black Stud.

How long have you been farmers?

Allan was born into a dairy farming family and has been a successful farmer all

FARMER TO FARMER Allan and Jill Furorough

of his 70 plus years of life.

Dairy farming was where he began his farming career, before advancing into vegetable growing combined with beef cattle.

We are currently, solely beef farming.

Jill became a farmer 45 years ago when she married Allan.

Tell us about your family.

We have three girls Karen, Maree and Julie, and three grandsons.

Karen is married with two boys, Maree lives in Western Australia and Julie is married with one boy. A future farmer among them we hope.

Karen helps on the farm when she has some spare time.

Best advice or farming tip you have received.

Best farming advice given to Allan was to sit on your wish list for 12 months then possibly the wish list may have shrunk considerably for one reason or another.

Beef Week 2017 dates announced

THE dates for 2017 Beef Week have been announced and will start on Friday, January 27 and finish in north east Riverina on Saturday, February 4.

Beef Week director Geoff Phillips said the nine Beef Week days are adjusted each year to avoid clashes

with other events and to act as a prelude to the busy onproperty bull selling season that begins mid-February.

The first day of Beef Week 2017 begins the day after Australia Day with days close to Melbourne scheduled over the weekend.

Days 4 and 5 cover the

BERENDS

packed Western District program, with Day 6 covering the Goulburn Valley and west Riverina.

Day 7 is in North East Victoria, with the final two days in east Riverina.

On-line entry forms will be available at www.beefweek. com.au from July this year.

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Describe your perfect day.

When nothing goes wrong.

Have a rest, put your feet up and do nothing and have a little snooze.

What is the best thing about being a farmer?

It is very rewarding when you can achieve your goals of breeding quality cattle - producing a great Australian beef product.

What is the worst thing about being a farmer?

The weather - cold, mud then the heat, drought, fire, floods.

Having to be on call 24/7 – 365 days a year. Also having to deal with the unexpected.

If you could be someone else, who would that be and why?

We would be the Federal Minister of Agriculture for a day so we could legislate to give farmers a better go, including penalty rates on Sundays.

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Page 18, Southern Farmer

April 2016

Compost under vines spreads benefits A

CLOSE INSPECTION: Joe Vaughan inspects the ripening winegrapes on his mulched vines.

FERTILISED VINEYARD: Compost at this vineyard has expanded from the three trial rows to the entire vineyard.

SOIL SENSORS: Soil moisture, temperature and air temperature sensors.

partnership between the Port Phillip & Westernport Catchment Management Authority (PPWCMA), Western Port Catchment Landcare Network and Enviromix is quickly proving that the use of compost mulch under grape vines brings a number of benefits for vineyards.

Joe Vaughan from 100Hunts Vineyard on the Mornington Peninsula is a trail blazer for using compost under vines and said that his herbicide use has decreased by more than 50 per cent in the vineyard as there is less weed pressure.

Karen Thomas from the PPWCMA said that high-tech soil moisture and temperature sensors on site, which sends readings to the cloud every 10 minutes 24 hours, seven days a week, enables growers participating in the trials to look at soil moisture and temperature before turning on irrigation on extreme heat days.

“What we are finding with the compost is that there are more stable fluctuations between maximum and minimum temperatures as well as cooler and wetter soils on extreme heat days,” she said.

“On the control row where there is no compost and the soil is bare, the temperatures can quite

dramatically fluctuate which causes the soil biology to shut down,” Ms Thomas said.

Peter Ronalds from the Western Port Catchment Landcare Network said that Mr Vaughan was one of the first farmers to trial compost mulch in his vineyard.

“In 2014 only a handful of vineyards were using compost mulch and since this demonstration began, over 20 vineyards are now applying compost mulch,” he said.

Simon Humphris from Enviromix said he is happy to be supporting the three demonstration sites and that the company has worked hard to transform urban garden waste into a usable composted product for agriculture, “which is very exciting”.

Soil scientist Declan McDonald, an expert in on-farm compost, use will present his interpretations on what all the observable and measurable data means for soil health and productivity at a mid-project results day to be held on Friday, May 6 from 10am11am at 100Hunts Vineyard, 100 Hunts Road Tuerong, followed by a presentation at 11:30am-1:30pm at Dromana Estate, 555 Old Moorooduc Road, Tuerong.

These trials have been funded through the Federal Government’s National Landcare Program.

Compost under vine spreads benefits Compost has now been spread for two consecutive years at our 3 trial sites. Some amazing benefits have been observed and measured!

Come along and hear what we are finding! Joe Vaughan from 100Hunts Vineyard will showcase how the use of compost under vine over the last 2 years has benefited his vineyard.

When & Where: Friday 6th May 2016 FARM WALK 10am-11am- 100Hunts Vineyard, 100 Hunts Rd, Tuerong (park in the signposted paddock) Please note Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt MP will be attending the farm walk

Speakers include: Declan McDonald Declan has spent many years conducting compost trials and has a wealth of analytical knowledge on its use and benefits. Declan will present his interpretation of the results from these trials to date.

Federal Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt MP will be attending to hear more about how the trials funded through BIOLOGICALLY DIVERSE the National Landcare Programme, are providing real data and results with the number of vineyards on the Peninsula using compost mulch rising by over 50% in the last 12 months.

Morning tea (100Hunts) and lunch (Dromana Estate)

Registration link: https://register.eventarc.com/33739/composting-under-vinespreads-benefits

For further information contact: Peter Ronalds (Western Port Catchment Landcare Network) on 0402 650 382 or peter@wpcln.org.au

PRESENTATION 11:30am-1:30pm- Dromana Estate

Karen Thomas (Regional Landcare Facilitator PPWCMA) on 0427 480 170 or karen.thomas@ppwcma.vic.gov.au

555 Old Moorooduc Rd, Tuerong (5 minutes from Hunts Rd) This project is supported by Port Phillip and Westernport CMA, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program

NEWS

April 2016

Southern Farmer, Page 19

Rebate to fit ROPS on quad bikes needed FOLLOWING on from the WorkSafe Victoria announcement that roll-over protection devices (ROPS) must now be fitted on all quad bikes in the state, the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) is calling on the State Government to support a rebate to assist farmers in the cost of fitting them.

VFF president Peter Tuohey said that if WorkSafe is now mandating ROPS on quad bikes then farmers need a rebate on the $700 cost, particularly when many farmers run several quad bikes on their properties.

“If there’s risk of roll-over, then WorkSafe is saying farmers will need to reduce the risk by choosing a safer vehicle or fitting a ROPS,” he said.

“It’s basically coming down to – if you think the quad can roll over then you’ll have to fit a ROPS or buy another vehicle, like a two-seater.”

The VFF’s call for a rebate follows WorkSafe Victoria’s announcement that it deems ROPS devices as appropriate means of reducing risks when quad bikes are in the workplace.

The VFF is supporting the voluntary fitting of ROPS on quad bikes.

WorkSafe has told the VFF it’s developing a risk assessment toll that farmers, as employers, will need to use in determining if a ROPS needs to be fitted to a quad bike or other action needs to be taken.

“We’ll be negotiating with WorkSafe on how they develop this new assessment tool, what they deem to be an ‘appropriate’ ROPS and encouraging the State Government to provide a rebate for farmers to fit ROPS,” Mr Tuohey said.

Primary Industries Health and Safety Partnership advisory chair

SAFETY FIRST: Quad bikes are the leading cause of on-farm fatalities, accounting for 15 on-farm deaths last year.

Gordon Gregory said that on-farm death tolls are continuing to devastate farming communities around the country, with the new mandatory requirement a welcome change.

“Quad bikes are the leading cause of on-farm fatalities, accounting for 15 on-farm deaths in 2015,” he said.

“The industry cannot continue to do nothing about this.

“WorkSafe Victoria is to be congratulated on starting the ball rolling on this highly important area of on-farm safety and we would hope the rest of the states also take action to address the risks to riders from quad bikes,” Mr Gregory said.

In a recent report prepared by the University of Adelaide’s Centre for Automotive Safety Research it urged Australian farmers to replace their quad bikes with safer alternatives, to prevent children under the

age of 16 from riding them and to wear helmets.

The report’s lead author Lisa Wundersitz said that many quad bike riders have the belief that these vehicles are an all-terrain vehicle and therefore safe and stable to ride, leading to a false sense of security.

“This study is the first of its kind to examine in-depth the circumstances of both fatal and nonfatal quad bike incidents in South Australia, and to evaluate the risks involved in such incidents,” she said.

“We hope our recommendations will help to save lives and prevent serious injury among agricultural workers and their children.”

The study, commissioned by SafeWork SA, used national and state data on quad bike accidents and involved interviews with injured riders and farmers.

From 2000–2014 there were 161 fatal quad bike accidents in Australia, with 16 per cent of those being killed children under the age of 16.

“We found 44 per cent of the interviewed riders allowed children aged under 16 years to ride quad bikes either as riders or passengers,” Dr Wundersitz said.

The researchers found that the majority of quad bike fatalities were on agricultural properties (59 per cent).

More than half (56 per cent) of all quad fatalities involved the quad rolling over, causing crushing injuries.

Head injuries were found in 38 per cent of fatal cases, with helmets usually not worn by riders or passengers.

“Typically, quad bikes overturn when used on steep inclines, when they are carrying heavy loads, from turning too sharply, or simply because the vehicle has struck a hidden rock in the ground,” Dr Wundersitz said.

The report also found that one of the most common, yet riskiest tasks undertaken by quad bike riders in farming is mustering or chasing livestock.

Among the report’s recommendations are: s ENCOURAGING FARMERS TO TRIAL AND purchase side-by-side (two-seater utility) vehicles, which are more stable than quad bikes; s REGULATIONS TO PREVENT CHILDREN under the age of 16 from riding adult-sized quad bikes; s PROMOTING THE USE OF PERSONAL protective equipment, such as helmets; and s DEVELOPING HELMETS THAT PROVIDE much-needed protection, while being suitable for day-to-day work.

FIELD DAY SITE: G.W. Tractors recently attended Warragul and Seymour Field Days displaying some of its Fiat and New Holland machinery.

Opportunity knocks for farmers at G.W. Tractors G.W. TRACTORS has a very strong work policy that rivals all their competitors – they always return their customers’ phone calls – often a rarity these days according to owner Lloyd Price.

Mr Price said the uniqueness of his business is “good old fashioned service”.

“Customers appreciate the old world style service because they talk to long-term staff members who really understand what they need and who genuinely put the effort into supplying their needs,” he said.

G.W. Tractors has been supplying Fiat parts for 35 years and the progression through to Ford and New Holland was natural for the company as the brands are of the same family.

Mr Price said that recent significant changes in the New Holland dealership system highlights the opportunity to remind farmers that G.W. Tractors is a long time supplier of CNH tractor parts.

The company has factories in Melbourne and Brisbane, dispatching parts directly to the end user overnight.

The company keeps up to date with new models and changes by visiting Italy and the United Kingdom searching for new products for the Australian market.

Mr Price said that while G.W. Tractors covers all brands and makes, there is always something new that has a place in the market.

“Recently we exhibited at the Warragul and Seymour Field Days and gave farmers a look at the Fiat Agri and New Holland agricultural crawler tractors.

“These machines are unique and sought after in the Gippsland hills and they are very safe and versatile having three point linkage and PTO,” he said.

For more information visit www.gwtractors. com.au.

Tractor parts for most and makes and models.

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