Victorian Farmer Winter 2021

WINTER 2021

AMPED UP

On the frontline of the great energy debate

OPEN GATE CONVERSATIONS

OUR TINIEST WORKERS

FUTURE-PROOFING FARMING

Now anyone can ask a farmer for their opinion

Helping bees to make the world go round

A training and innovation hub looking at the horizon

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Victorian Farmer PUBLISHER James Wells EDITOR Michelle Hespe ART DIRECTOR Ryan Vizcarra

From the Editor

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EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Michelle Hespe: mhespe@intermedia.com.au

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CONTRIBUTORS Emma Germano Gina Milicia Kirsten Lloyd Patrick MacDonald Ryan Moloney Sue Gough Henly Tony Blackie

THE INTERMEDIA GROUP

CEO Chris Baker MANAGING DIRECTOR Simon Grover FINANCE MANAGER Mina Vranistas PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper HEAD OF DIGITAL Pauline Grech HEAD OF EVENTS Beth Tobin Victorian Farmer is published for the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) (ABN: 67 079 980 304) by The Intermedia Group (ABN: 94 002 583 682) 41 Bridge Rd, Glebe NSW 2037. @2021. All rights reserved. Printed by IVE Group.

Getty Images were used throughout the magazine.

VICTORIAN FARMERS FEDERATION

CEO Jane Lovell STAKEHOLDER POLICY AND ADVOCACY MANAGER Luke Hooke STAKEHOLDER MEDIA & COMMS ADVISOR Ryan Moloney MAGAZINE WORKING GROUP Annabel Mactier Gary Beck Charles Everist

For a small magazine, we like to cover big topics that we know you, our members, are passionate about.

In this issue for instance, we get the conversation going about energy projects are affecting farmers and other people, and look into how these developments can be better managed.

We know that even uttering the words ‘wind farm’ will heat the debate up, and it shouldn’t be shied away from. By the way, I was informed the other day that the term ‘wind farm’ is on its way out, and that we should start applying other terminology such as ‘wind project’ or ‘wind development’. I'm fine with that, however the topic at hand reaches much further than wind projects and their short and long-term affects on the land and the farmers around them.

In Victoria right now, it’s also about levelling the playing field and ensuring that any farmers who are affected by energy projects are treated equally.

Whether that be in a tangible sense with their farming land, or in a mental/ emotional sense due to the stress and extra work that large, new projects of any kind can cause. As people involved in farming, we all want to take care of the land that produces the food and fibre that we all live on, but we will also always have differing opnions due to our situations.

And this is why this little magazine is here – so that our members’ stories can be told and as a group, we can harness the power to make change and support others.

Speaking of which, in this issue we also look into what is being done to protect

our tiniest workers – bees, and we check out the innovations that are spearheading progession in horticulture at SuniTAFE. Always looking to the future, the VFF are determined to keep fostering positive change, and so we've also outlined the organisation's strategic plan for the next five years. There are some big goals to achieve, such as having 5,000 members by 2026 so that the VFF's voice is stronger, and thus more effective, than ever.

The VFF also hopes that members see and describe the management team as accountable, transparent and inclusive.

A good reminder that you can always get involved in topics that you are passionate about. Enjoy the read, and I hope these stories strike a chord, or many.

Michelle Hespe

The Intermedia Group takes its corporate and social responsibilities seriously and is committed to reducing its impact on the environment. We continuously strive to improve our environmental performance and to initiate additional CSR based projects and activities.

WINTER 2021

As part of our company policy we ensure that the products and services used in the manufacture of this magazine are sourced from environmentally responsible suppliers.

This magazine has been printed on paper produced from sustainably sourced wood and pulp fibre and is accredited under PEFC chain of custody.

PEFC certified wood and paper products come from environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of forests.

The wrapping used in the delivery process of this magazine is 100 per cent biodegradable.

Photography: Gina Milicia

AMPED UP

On the frontline of the great energy debate

OPEN GATE CONVERSATIONS

OUR TINIEST WORKERS

FUTURE-PROOFING FARMING

Now anyone can ask a farmer for their opinion

Helping bees to make the world go round

A training and innovation hub looking at the horizon

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VICTORIAN FARMER

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WINTER 2021

DISCLAIMER: This publication is published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by New Zealand and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information.

All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.

Copyright © 2021 – The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd

Contents 4

N EWS

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VFF REPORT

A win for farmers in negotiations with the EPA; VFF’s ‘Kids to Ag’ project inspires 2,000 possible future farmers, UDV member Lance Netherway recieves OAM, and VFF safety advisors always on hand for farming families.

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Looking ahead over the next five years, we outline our strategic plan; what success looks like to us and our communty, and how we're going to achieve it.

W HAT'S ON

Keeping you in the loop with all the events you should be attending across Victoria this year.

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C AMPAIGN

18

BIG ISSUE

VFF's Open Gate Conversations campaign is giving consumers a chance to find out exactly where their food comes from, and who is repsonsible for growing it.

Landowners are paid well to host wind turbines on their property, but farmers being affected by other energy developments want to be on equal grounding.

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I NNOVATION

32

INDUSTRY

A new SMART Farm is inspiring the next generation of horticulture workers while upskilling existing ones, with everyone's eyes on the future.

The annual Gardiner Dairy Foundation Study Tour stays close to home this year, hosting nine young farmers on an educational journey across Victoria's dairy farms.

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TRADE

42

THE LAST WORD

43

SOCIALS

The importance of bees to Australia's agricultural sector cannot be overstated. So, what are we doing to protect out tiniest workers and which industries will be hardest hit if we don’t?

Farmers rally on the steps of Parliament in Melbourne to oppose the controversial law change that will impact farmers’ privacy, water and biosecurity integrity.

Our members share some interesting, amusing and poignant moments of life on the land.

Innovation is the name of the game at SuniTAFE FARM (Pictured here)

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VFF helps secure livestock manure win In a win for farmers, the EPA’s livestock manure determination will mean no additional paperwork for farmers receiving animal manure on farm after it was announced in June.

The decision came after constructive negotiations between the VFF, other industry and the EPA and will result in less red tape for Victorian farmers.

The determination means that if you are doing the right thing on your farm when receiving and utilising animal manure, you do not have to change your practices and you do not have to complete any additional paperwork.

The VFF actively lobbied that animal manure is an important part of many of our farming systems and farmers are experienced at managing its use and application.

The VFF team would like to thank VFF members who help provide information to build our advocacy position.

‘Kids to Ag’ inspires the next generation The ‘Kids to Ag’ project – which aims to increase primary school students’ understanding of where their food and fibre comes from – has reached some important milestones recently.

Since launching late last year, more than two thousand students have either gone or applied to visit more than 27 farms and primary production sites involved in the project.

The feedback received from the children has also been encouraging, with more than 75 per cent of schools reporting that the kids now express an interest in a career in the agriculture industry.

Applications are now open for activities up until end of Term 1 2022 and further information is available on the VFF website at vff.org.au/kidstoag, or you can call VFF Project Coordinator Kath Dunn on 03 9207 5524 or email kidstoag@vff.org.au Kids to Ag is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, through funding from the Australian Government’s Educating Kids About Agriculture initiative.

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News Lance Netherway receives Queen’s birthday honour

Photo courtesy of The Weekly Advertiser

A worthy recognition for UDV member Lance Netherway who received an OAM in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours for his service to the Wimmera-Mallee community.

Lance has a long association with not just dairy farming, but agriculture in general. He has been involved in many policy discussions and continues to be strong advocate for rural and regional Victoria. Congratulations Lance.

How young is too young?

The subject of child safety on farms has been well documented in the past. However, the Victorian Farmers Federation recently provided a response to the recommendations made by the State Coroner in relation to the death of a 12-year-old child on a farm. The child suffered traumatic head injuries after he had been run over by the machinery.

It is a good time to revisit this important topic.

Although there can be a lot of variance in workplace fatality statistics depending on the agency that is producing the report, incidents still happen.

A farm property that has no employees is a home (i.e. it may not be captured under OHS law) and therefore incidents that involve the injury or death of a farmer, or a member of their family, may not be recorded in WorkSafe’s annual statistics.

Some farmers perceive it to be a cultural norm to guide their children to work on the farm from a young age. Social media is filled with posts of farmers proudly boasting that their child is capable of driving a tractor or operating an excavator, sometimes from as young as 10 years of age.

But questions have to be asked. Does your child have the physical and mental development to be able to safely operate the machine? Just because they can operate a machine does not mean that they should be allowed to operate it, and certainly never without direct supervision.

Remember, the Making Our Farm Safety advisors are here to support you to make your farm a safer place to work and live. Have a chat to one of our advisors or book in a consult by emailing mofs@vff.org.au or call 1300 882 833.

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WFI, Proud Alliance Partner of the Victorian Farmers Federation Farm Insurance. Made Locally.

At WFI, we take the time to thoroughly understand your business and how it operates.

Because when we get to know a business, we can protect everything that matters.

We’re available to discuss your insurance requirements based on your own individual needs. That’s just one of the reasons why we’re good people to know for insurance.

Farm Insurance WFI Rural Plan has been designed specifically for farms and is backed by 100 years of experience.

Choose from the following individual policies: • Farm Property Damage

• Farm Electronic Equipment

• Farm Loss of Income

• Farm Burglary and Theft

• Farm General Property • Farm Transit • Farm Legal Liability

Why not call us for a quote?

Contact your local Area Manager by calling 1300 934 934 or simply visit wfi.com.au

• Motor Vehicle • Domestic Home Cover

• Farm Machinery Breakdown WFI also offers the following rural insurance products:

Proud Partners

• Livestock Mortality • Farm Property Transit • Early Bird Crop

Insurance Australia Limited ABN 11 000 016 722 AFSL 227681 trading as WFI (WFI) issues WFI Insurance policies. This flyer doesn’t take in account your objectives, financial situation and needs. To see if a product is right for you, always consider these matters and the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). You can get a copy of our PDS’ from our website at www. wfi.com.au or by calling 1300 934 934. If you purchase any WFI product, we will charge you a premium, plus any taxes and charges, based on your risk profile and circumstances. the VFF is an alliance partner of WFI and does not make any recommendations or provide an opinion about WFI’s products. If you take out a policy with WFI, the VFF receives a commission from WFI of between 5% and 10% of the value of the premium payment (excluding taxes and charges).

VFF Report

Meet the VFF Board: Danyel Cucinotta, Ashley Fraser, Paul Mumford, Nathan Free, Dr Zena Burgess, Tim Kingma, Steven Harrison, Andrew Dix and VFF President Emma Germano.

THE VISION An exciting, secure farming future – for Victoria and for generations to come

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Looking ahead VFF’s new Strategic Plan 2021 – 2026

THE MISSION We are the voice of Victorian agriculture: we protect and progress farmers’ interests

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Evolving and modernising the VFF June 2020 was a moment of significant reflection for the VFF. Our members told us a few fundamental facts: • Our primary purpose is to advocate for farmers and to lobby government on behalf of farmers • Most of the challenges our members face on farm are common across most types of agriculture, regardless of farm size, regardless of region • That it was time to reflect on the organisation and plot a better way forward.

At the heart of the feedback was the need for the VFF to be the united voice for Victorian farmers – to represent and support Victorian farmers.

We must improve our services to members, through more effective, targeted and relevant communication and by making our achievements clearer.

Better representation involves gathering the diverse thoughts and opinions of Victorian farmers and our community and working towards common ground whenever we can.

Better representation also means encouraging all farmers to be members and to actively participate in the VFF – regardless of what you farm, your age, gender or philosophy.

We have a proud and strong heritage that dates back to 1879.

Today’s Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) was formed in 1979 and is the voice of Victorian farmers and rural communities helping to create a sustainable and socially responsible agricultural industry connecting with all Victorians.

Our mission will always be to represent, protect and progress Victorian farmers’ interests. To do this to the best our ability, our focus for the next few years will be to:

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Foster a connected and engaged farming community – the voice of solidarity of the Victorian agricultural industry, a community where we find connection and support • Use our resources responsibly – earning the best return on our financial resources and getting the most out of our people.

• Proactively advocate for Victorian farmers – connecting with all current and potential stakeholders for solid outcomes for farmers and the supply chain • Evolve and modernise the organisation – in culture, governance and advocacy A clear, dynamic plan underpinned by accountability to our members and to each other is essential. Our 2021–2026 Strategic Plan defines our way forward.

The team put in place will deliver our plan. The organisational structure has been redesigned to reflect the four key areas identified to deliver on what you have told us.

You said advocating for farmers was at the heart of our purpose.

The new structure delivers on this feedback with a unified farmer engagement team, a strengthened policy team, and a dedicated promotions and communications team with governance support to ensure we're not just talking about change, but effecting it.

Emma Germano President

VFF Report WHO ARE WE AND WHAT DO WE DO FOR VICTORIA?

$13.1

BILLION contribution to Victoria’s economy

22,000 farms in Victoria

23%

of Australia’s total gross value of agriculture

43%

62%

of Australia’s sheep and lamb meat

18%

of Australia’s winter grain production

of Australia’s milk

32%

23%

of Australia’s horticultural products

24%

of Australia’s chicken meat production

60%

of Australia’s egg production

29%

of Australia’s flower production

21%

of Australia’s wool production

92,000

of Australia’s pig meat production

jobs in agriculture

EXPORTS

$11.4 billion

in food exports with main markets being China, USA, Japan, New Zealand and Indonesia WINTER 2021

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VFF Report

PILLAR 1

PILLAR 2

ENGAGEMENT AND CULTURE

FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

• A stronger more engaged farmer community

• Establish corporate industry partnerships delivering member benefits

• Attract and retain young diverse farmers

• Consolidate the service offering for our members

(engaged, diverse people and culture)

• Provide support and representation for farmers in need • Connect with the non-farming community

(effective use of financial resources)

• Maximise investment portfolio • Deliver valuable and impactful projects that add value to farmers

• Attract, develop and retain passionate and effective staff

PILLAR 3 ADVOCACY

(one advocacy voice for all Victorian farmers) • Ensure resourcing reflects our strategic objectives • Streamline and digitise policy and advocacy • Initiate core campaigns • Stronger industry stakeholder relationships become modern and progressive in our advocacy strategies

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PILLAR 4 GOVERNANCE

(modern and agile corporate governance) • Increasing transparency and accountability • Establish and communicate core values and ethics • Diverse and professional Board, Committees and Councils • Deliver outstanding customer service • Establish best practice risk and governance culture and behaviours

What’s On

VFF Events Calendar Make sure you visit our VFF events page at vff.org.au/events for the latest information on when we’ll be visiting a town near you.

You can come and see us at: •

VFF Livestock meeting: 19 Aug in Omeo

•

VFF Membership meeting: 19 Aug in Tallangatta/ Corryong

VFF Grains Pre-Harvest Roadshow: 13–17 Sept in Manangatang, Hopetoun

•

•

•

VFF Membership meeting: 20 Aug in Mansfield

VFF Membership meeting: 15 Sept in Nhill, Hopetoun

•

•

VFF Membership meeting: 26 Aug in Beeac

Royal Melbourne Show: 23 Sept – to 3 Oct in Melbourne

•

•

VFF Livestock meeting: 26 Aug in Coleraine

VFF Grains Pre-Harvest Roadshow: 20–24 Sept in Wycheproof, Murtoa

•

•

VFF Livestock meeting: 27 Aug in Mortlake

VFF Grains Pre-Harvest Roadshow: 4–8 Oct in Yarrawonga

•

•

VFF Livestock meeting: 2 Sept in Euroa

VFF Grains Pre-Harvest Roadshow: 11–15 Oct in Lake Bolac

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Campaign

It’s an Open Gate conversation

As a farmer, have you ever had the feeling that whilst consumers enjoy the food and fibre you produce on your farm, the majority of them don’t know the process behind how it got there, and what it takes to get it from the paddock to their plates?

Words: Ryan Moloney

T

he VFF’s ‘Open Gate Conversations’ campaign, with support from the Victorian Government aims to gives consumers the chance to ask questions that will be answered by real farmers through an online, interactive website.

The project was launched with the knowledge and research indicating that 80 per cent of Victorians feel positive about Victorian farmers, but 61 per cent also felt they had low knowledge about farming practices in Victoria.

In the same study, 70 per cent of farmers surveyed considered it extremely important to farm in a way that met community expectations.

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The research highlighted three key issues that raised concern amongst consumers – climate change, food quality and animal welfare.

Here are some takeaways:

64 62

per cent

of consumers were concerned about reduction in native plants and animals

per cent

of consumers were concerned there was not enough water for irrigation on farms

75 35

per cent

of consumers were concerned about chemicals in food

per cent

of consumers considered animal welfare to be an extremely important issue

Opposite page: Stuart Jennings of Thorpdale.

This page – top left, then clockwise: Allan Bullen of Lang Lang, Tim Wilson of Labertouche; Campaign ambassador Gorgi Coghlan and VFF President Emma Germano; Stuart Griffen of Westbury.

In light of these statistics, the campaign offers consumers transparency around what we do as farmers and the practices we have in place.

VFF President Emma Germano said it represents an important opportunity for farmers to listen to community concerns and be transparent about how farming is changing.

“Our customers rightly want to know how our food and fibre is grown and produced.

This is our opportunity to openly share what we do with the community,” she said.

The website revolves around the notion that farmers are ready for a conversation

with all Victorians about how food and fibre is produced in our state. Anyone can ask a question and once submitted, an actual Victorian farmer will provide the answer.

The aim is to highlight the value our farmers bring as stewards of the Victorian countryside and providers of fresh, nutritious food and as an industry Victorian farmers are not standing still.

You can participate by visiting opengateconversations.org.au and you can get involved by either asking a question or nominating yourself to help answer some of the key questions people have about our industry.

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Ensuring you stay connected In the current world of so many variables, it’s important connectivity is something you can rely on.

We are committed to ensuring regional and remote Australia continues to remain connected.

Over the past five years we have invested more than $3 billion in regional and rural Australia and more than 7% of our capital investments have gone to provide services to the 2% of the population that live in the most remote parts of the country.

Under the Federal Government Mobile Black Spot Program we have invested three times more money than the rest of the industry put together, and we are building more than two thirds of all mobile base stations jointly funded under the program.

And we are the only major mobile provider to win projects and commit funding to improve services through the

Regional Connectivity Program. Under the RCP we’ll be delivering 72 new projects into regional and remote Australia, of which 24 will be in Victoria.

Connectivity is the one thing that ensures we can stay connected to our family, friends and colleagues.

It allows for remote learning.

It allows us to continue operating our businesses, machinery, sensors and other equipment.

And it also allows us to enjoy the more fun things in life, streaming TV shows and movies, playing games online, or listening to music.

We understand the importance of remaining connected, it’s importance to daily life and keeping everything working smoothly.

We know there have been some questions around our decision to close the 3G network in June 2024.

Particularly what this might mean for sensors and equipment, existing 3G network coverage, and what a 4G coverage footprint will look like – and mean for you.

A few points to remember 3G is closing but it’s not going anywhere until June 2024 We are working to upgrade 3G only areas of our network to 4G. We’ll be making announcements as soon as we can to let you know when this might be happening in your area. When these upgrades are completed, 3G will still be available where it is now, right up to June 2024.

When we complete these 4G upgrades you may notice some changes This could be the signal bars on your phone, or if you live on the edges of our existing 3G coverage footprint the coverage overlay may have changed slightly. Firstly, less signal bars doesn’t mean less service). There are no standards for signal bars, and the way these are displayed on a phone reflects how a vendor manufactures it, and every phone is different. We don’t take coverage away when we complete 4G upgrades, and there are several variables that affect coverage including hills, trees, terrain, even weather.

There is still plenty of time to upgrade your equipment There is time, but don’t delay.

Many manufacturers of devices and business tools like EFTPOS machines already have 4G solutions in place – speak to them about what’s in market. Additionally, most existing (and Telstra authorised) extension coverage devices are 4G compatible – check which device you have and if unsure speak with us.

There are many more questions you probably have, but the important point to remember is – we are working to ensure your experience on our 4G network, will be better or similar to what you experience on 3G. Your connectivity, to everything, is too important for us to get this wrong.

Equitable W treatment on the renewables landscape

ith renewables rapidly overhauling coal as the predominant means of producing electricity, there is growing need to ensure communities are considered in the infrastructure roll out by governments, regulators, power companies and other interested groups.

The current rules allow the impact on agriculture, the environment and communities to be excluded from the investment decision and inevitably leads to many dissatisfied groups transparency and inevitably many dissatisfied community groups.

Farmers who are most heavily impacted by the associated infrastructure have mostly embraced renewables and some are looking at ways to convert their energy sources to solar, wind and hydrogen.

In fact, farmers have been amongst leaders in the call for a plan to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050. But while wholeheartedly supporting the development of wind, solar and hydrogen energy generation, they demand that they are treated equitably by the energy companies and State and Federal Governments.

Tackling the issue

The massive growth in the development of renewable energy projects in Victoria is proving to be a double-edged sword for farmers, and rural and regional communities.

Words: Tony Blackie Photography: Gina Milicia 18

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The issue has reached pressure point in Victoria with the State Government announcing the establishment of the new VicGrid authority and more than 30 new projects in the pipeline that will have a major impact on farmers and their land.

Katherine Myers is VFF Horticulture Vice-President and a farmer near Ballarat. Her property is directly affected by the development of the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project which involves the development of 85-metre-high transmission lines taking electricity to urban centres.

Big Issue

She says the issue is not a ‘Not In My Backyard’ (NIMBY) situation. Rather, it is about the fundamental impact on farm land and farmers’ ability to maintain productivity. It is this project which is now bringing to a head the need for the development of a fair process by which farmers who are impacted by the new infrastructure are treated.

The growing impact on farmers and indeed all people living in regional areas requires a total overhaul of the National Energy Rules, to allow the community needs as well as economic considerations to be taken into account when developing the projects. Currently, many groups say there is little transparency in the negotiations between power companies, regulatory authorities and the land holder.

Due to safety requirements when operating around energy infrastructure, an easement of between 40m and 100m wide must be taken along

Above, then top to bottom: David Myers, Katherine Myers and Ben Myers; Local Tourello potatoes; Charlotte and Tommy Myers play on the farm.

planned transmission line routes. The impact of these towers and the easement means that farmers are unable to use drones or helicopters for spraying, the use of spray gun irrigation is severely curtailed, and there are likely many impacts on farm-based insurance policy protections for the farmer.

Katherine points out that there are alternatives to the current transmission towers. She says numerous studies have shown that placing transmission wires underground – while more expensive to begin with – is safer in terms of bushfire threat and extreme weather impacts, and this method has far less impact on farmers ability to grow crop or run animals.

A high level scoping report undertaken by the Moorabool Council, west of Melbourne confirmed that underground High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cables are a viable, safer, more reliable and more efficient alternative to overhead HVAC for the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project.

According to some critics, this is contrary to the counter arguments put forward by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and energy company AusNet’s claim that going underground what not a feasible option.

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Better planning wanted

At the heart of the matter is the way farmers downstream from the major power generation facilities, including the current growth in wind and solar farms, are consulted and compensated.

Currently those farmers who provide land for the wind turbines are achieving reasonable annual payments for their land use.

However, the farmers who are forced to host the poles and wires that transport the electricity from the turbines to Melbourne and other centres are being seriously impacted and their needs ignored.

Victorian Farmers Federation Policy Manager, Luke Hooke, says downstream farmers are not being treated fairly and considered early enough in the decision around what technology will be used for transmission projects.

“The first and most important thing is speaking to the community at the earliest opportunity. We have asked the Victorian Government to develop a transmission strategy so farming communities can have genuine input in the future,” he says.

While the focus of the VFF now is minimising the impact of the project on farming, they are also planning ahead.

“VFF believes that the technologies that minimise the impact of productive agriculture should be chosen where possible.

“The VFF also believes a minimum solatium payment of 20 per cent should be required for all types of access to ensure farmers are fairly compensated.”

A solatium payment is a compensation paid to someone whose home or land has been acquired by a government authority, in addition to payment for the market value of the property.

According to Luke, access to a farmer’s land doesn’t just impact a farm financially, it also impacts the farmer who has to deal with the stress and worry of negotiating with big, well-resourced project proponents.

“There is currently no avenue for review of land access issues for landholders. The VFF believes a Victorian ombudsman or other proper review process is required,” Luke says.

The Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner Andrew Dyer, says he and his team have been looking at the impact of infrastructure projects like the siting of transmission towers on farm land.

The Commissioner is an independent role appointed by the Australian Government to handle complaints from concerned community residents about wind farms, large-scale solar farms, energy storage facilities and new major transmission projects, promote best practices for industry and government to adopt in regard to the planning and operation of these projects, and provide greater transparency on information related to proposed and operating projects.

Andrew says that they aim to provide farmers, land holders and others who are impacted by the energy projects, with the tools to ensure the best and most equitable outcome for all involved.

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He says that while farmers who give over their land to site renewable energy projects such as windfarms are well compensated, other farmers who are subject to the placement of transmission towers are not so well looked after.

He says a farmer with four wind turbines on his land may be paid around $100,000 a year which would result in a substantial increase in property values. But for the farms where the transmission towers are located, there is usually only a one-off impairment payment, which is based on the land consumed by the easement.

To assist landholders with the process, Andrew has released a check list to help landholders negotiate and review commercial agreements to host renewable energy infrastructure on their property.

Landholders wishing to discuss their sitution with the Commissioner can access further information on the AEIC website: aeic.gov.au.

Delivering community benefits

Andrew Bray is the National Director of RE-Alliance – a community driven group which says it represents the needs of landholders, farmers, small businesses, climate campaigners, environmentalists and people living across regional Australia.

He says the group’s aim is to ensure the renewable energy transformation in Australia delivers sustainable, long-term community benefits to regional communities and that it delivers the best outcomes to all members of the community.

Big Issue

means that the value of the property at a future sale would be severely diminished. This he says is not generally the case in a situation where a landholder has given over land for wind turbines which attract an annual payment and therefore increase the value of the land.

He says that indeed it is not just the landholder who is affected by the transmission towers, but neighbours and others in the community can also be adversely impacted and should be compensated.

The Victorian Farmer attempted to contact Lily D'Ambrosio MP the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change for a Government position on the issue. A Government spokesperson responded that the process of taking into account the needs of all stakeholders was vital in all discussions.

“Community consultation is an important part of planning and delivering new renewables energy projects and residents with concerns have multiple opportunities to have their say,” the spokesperson said.

Andrew says that the energy landscape is rapidly changing and that renewables will be the predominant source of power, but he says it is vital that the community view on this development must be taken into account at this early stage so that a sustainable system which benefits all parties can be developed.

The group recently release a report entitled “Building Trust for Transmission – Earning the Social Licence Needed to Plug in Australian Renewable Energy Zones”. The 29-page report looks at what effective community consultation would look like and argues the benefits for improved landholder compensation and benefits.

The full report can be found on the RE-Alliance website at RE-Alliance.org.au.

Andrew says that the current easement payments often leave landholders in a poor financial condition.

Because they are one-off payments, it effectively

Top left: One of the many wind projects dotting the Victorian landscape.

This page, top to bottom: Katherine and Ben Myers with Phil Ward on the grader; The Myers' potato farm.

“There is currently no avenue for review of land access issues for landholders. The VFF believes a Victorian ombudsman or other proper review process is required,” LUKE HOOKE - VICTORIAN FARMERS FEDERATION POLICY MANAGER

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Note from the AEIC

This information has been taken from a document prepared by the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner.

It aims to provide farmers and other landholders with general background information and considerations when reviewing commercial agreements to host renewable energy infrastructure on their property. The Commissioners’ website says it doesn’t guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and that it would be seen as a guide only.

Landholders are strongly encouraged to seek independent legal or financial advice before entering into any commercial agreements.

License Agreements

A license agreement should simply provide a developer with rights to access a landholder’s property to undertake project development activities for a duration of time. This can include the right to access the land to capture wind or solar resource data as well as undertake other surveys and investigations to determine the suitability of the site and feasibility of a project.

A licence agreement does not guarantee that a project will proceed and should not bind the landholder beyond allowing access for the term.

Matters for the landholder to consider include: • Term of the agreement, extension clauses and ability for landholder to terminate.

• Binding clauses – clauses that grant exclusivity and force the landholder to enter into subsequent agreements and specifying the terms of such an agreement.

• Any clauses that prescribe and set parameters that should be part of the subsequent lease agreement, such as the number of turbines, fee per turbine.

• License Fees payable to the landholder during the agreement including how and when they are paid.

• Constraints on the landholder in the event of sale or transfer of the land.

• Ability of developer to transfer the agreement to another party with or without landowner consent.

• Access rights and procedures for developer to conduct survey and investigations.

• Landholder protection from potential damage, claims and legal action • Required insurances to be taken out by the parties.

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Lease Agreements

A wind or solar farm usually consists of one or more ‘host’ landholders willing to have project infrastructure (e.g. wind turbines or solar panels) located on their land. A Lease Agreement is a long-term agreement that is negotiated between a project developer and the landholder. This agreement is essentially a commercial lease and should set out the terms to enable the developer to install, operate and maintain the project infrastructure.

Landholders may also enter into agreements for land access, private transmission line easements, substations, office buildings and other items associated with a project. Matters for the landholder to consider include: • Fees payable to the landholder during the development stage (pre-permit approval), financial close stage (post-permit approval), construction, operational and decommissioning stages.

• Method of calculating the fee amounts and fee increases over time.

• Variations to fees in the event of changes to turbine or solar array layout, turbine specifications, turbine capacity and number of turbines or solar arrays to be hosted.

• Timing of payment of fees to the Landholder by the project.

• Easements that may be required.

• Landowner’s responsibilities in regard to residential tenants and/or property lessees.

• Sale or transfer of the land by the landholder or transfer of ownership by the project.

• Restrictions on further development on the property.

• Provisions in the event of subdivision of the property.

• Term of the agreement, options for renewal of the agreement and provisions for termination.

• Required insurances and responsibility for taking out insurances and payments.

• Funding security provisions to protect the landholder in the event of “tenant default”.

• Dispute resolution procedure, including key contacts at the developer for the raising and escalation of issues.

Lease Agreements – pre-construction

There can be quite a long period between a developer lodging a permit application for a project and commencement of construction.

Typically, a developer must obtain the necessary permit approvals and then go on to arrange and confirm project finance, known as “financial close”.

Even after financial close there may still be further delays due to changes in equipment selection and design, resulting in the need for permit modifications and further approvals.

During this time, the developer needs to have “occupancy” of the land required for the project – which is typically done via a Lease Agreement with the landholder.

Landholders should consider what fees should be payable to them during this time, which may last for many years. Landholders should also consider termination provisions in the event that the landholder wishes to exit the Lease due to ongoing delays.

Lease Agreements – construction activities

Construction activities can be particularly disruptive to the landholder for a period that may last a few years, so it is important that the landholder has a clear understanding of the extent of any potential impacts to the property during this phase and has discussed how these impacts can be managed or mitigated. Key matters for the landholder to discuss or negotiate in relation to the construction phase of project include: • Fees payable to the landholder during the construction period.

• Proposed internal road layout for the project – consider impact on farming operations.

• Location of other infrastructure (cabling, construction offices, substations, transmission lines etc.).

• Gate policy and other on-site procedures, such as biosecurity compliance requirements for contractors entering the property.

• Use of additional land during construction and major maintenance activities.

• Responsibilities for maintenance of shared use infrastructure.

• Removal of construction waste, including who is responsible and timeliness of removal.

• Access agreements required for accessing easements via a landholder’s property.

• Rehabilitation of disturbed land after the completion of construction works, such as replacement of soils over underground trenching for cabling.

• Work place safety responsibilities during construction, including required insurances.

Big Issue • •

Compliance with permit conditions related to construction.

Provisions and process for handling disputes such as damage to landholder’s property/equipment by contractors.

Lease Agreements – operational activities

Both wind and solar farms typically have a project life span of approximately 25 years.

During the operational phase of a project, it is expected that there will be some ongoing maintenance activities which will require periodic access to the property.

In considering a proposed lease agreement, key matters for the landholder to review/negotiate in relation to the operational aspects of the project include: • Fees payable to the landholder during the operational phase of the project, including timing of fee payments and escalation of fees.

• Additional fees payable for use of extra land during operations for major maintenance activities • Ongoing access requirements for operational and maintenance activities.

• Responsibility for occupational health and safety plans and communications.

• Responsibility for developing and maintaining the emergency plan • Compliance with permit conditions related to operations (e.g. noise emissions).

• Responsibility for fire and emergency plans and communications.

• Required insurances to be taken out by the project operator in respect of the landholder.

• Required insurances to be taken out by the landholder in respect of the project.

• Additional insurances that may be required to be taken out by (or for) neighbours to the project, such as increased public risk & liability insurance.

• Responsibility for the costs and payment of:

◆ the various insurances

◆ additional council rates levied on the landowner as a result of the project

◆ additional land taxes levied on the landowner as a result of the project

◆ additional emergency services or other levies as a result of the project.

• Payment of outgoings – are they paid directly by the project or is the landholder required to pay and then seek reimbursement.

• • • • •

Provisions for landholder to sub-let some or all of the property.

Development restrictions that may be placed on the land by the project.

Constraints on sale or transfer of the property.

Term of the lease agreement, options for renewal and termination provisions by either party Key contacts at the developer for the raising and escalation of issues and the dispute resolution process for handling breaches of the agreement

Lease Agreements – decommissioning

At the end of the operating life of a project, there is a clear expectation that the wind or solar farm will be decommissioned and all turbines, solar arrays and other infrastructure will be removed from the property, with the property returned to its original condition.

However, it is important for the landholder to have a clear understanding of how the decommissioning phase will be managed by the project operator.

In relation to the decommissioning of a proposed project, key matters for the landholder to discuss or negotiate include: • Decommissioning plan and provision of the plan to the landholder.

• Decommissioning responsibilities of the parties, which may be defined in the plan and/or the permit.

• Detailed, verified estimates of the likely decommissioning costs.

• Clarify who is responsible for decommissioning the site and pays for the decommissioning costs.

• Arrangements to ensure decommissioning funding is set aside and secured, such as:

◆ bank guarantee

◆ bond, or

◆ trust fund.

• Provisions for dealing with default by the project.

Seeking independent advice

Our Office strongly encourages all landholders considering entering into commercial agreements with developers to obtain independent legal, financial and insurance advice prior to entering into any agreement.

An agreement can always be negotiated before you sign, however it is much more difficult thereafter.

Further information

More information and resources are available on our website aeic.gov.au.

If you have any questions, please contact us via email at aeic@aeic.gov.au or at our toll free number 1800 656 395.

“The transition to clean energy represents enormous economic opportunities for Victoria, and we are ensuring that any project that receives Victorian Government support will benefit local industry.

“Renewable energy projects have created thousands of jobs across Victoria – more jobs than any other state – and helped develop new supply chains and driven down Victoria’s carbon emissions.”

The Victorian Government says it has been seeking input to its planning process to manage the rapid rise of renewable energy in the State and released the Renewable Energy Zones Development Plan directions paper for consultation in February this year.

The Victorian Government claims that the establishment of VicGrid – a new agency to oversee the development of Victoria’s Renewable Energy Zones – will ensure engagement with nearby communities on how our renewable energy boom can benefit local communities, industry and farmers.

A new Community Engagement and Benefit Sharing Guide on the different ways farmers and local communities can benefit from renewable energy projects will be launched in coming weeks ahead of the Victorian Government’s VRET2 Auction.

The Victorian Government will hold a second Victorian Renewable Energy Target auction (VRET2) to drive new investment and create thousands of jobs in Victoria and to help achieve its commitment of sourcing 100 per cent renewable electricity for Victorian Government operations by 2025.

Private landowners receive compensation for compulsorily acquired easements in accordance with the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act 1986.

Energy companies cannot compulsorily acquire freehold property. Licensed energy corporations undertaking powerlines work can acquire easements for erecting, laying or maintaining powerlines, subject to approval.

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WORKPLACE RELATIONS ADVICE

SECURING YOUR BUSINESS The Workplace Relations Team at the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) provides tailored and up-to-date advice on workplace related matters.

The team delivers updates for members on key issues pertaining to employment, clarifying information from the Fair Work Commission, and explaining the information in clear terms to help members understand their employment obligations.

The Workplace Relations Team’s services are available to full commodity members of the VFF, either by a subscription to the Workplace Relations Handbook or an hourly fee-for-service arrangement.

Critical advice and expertise Areas of advice the Team can assist with includes: Ü Federal and State employment legislation Ü The National Employment Standards (NES) Ü Interpretation of modern awards Ü Wage rate information Ü Employment contracts Ü Performance counselling Ü Warning letters Ü Abandonment of employment Ü Termination of employment Ü Redundancy Ü The Fair Work Information Statement Ü Workplace policies and procedures Ü Workers compensation Ü Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Ü Legislative developments Ü Court & tribunal rulings Ü Enterprise Agreements and bargaining

Ü Ü Ü Ü Ü Ü Ü Ü Ü Ü

Union entry Union rule interpretation Workplace bullying Discrimination Adverse action cases General protections Flexible work arrangements Pay and remuneration Equal opportunity Underpayment of wages

The Team also offers individual consultations for VFF members on a fee-for-service basis, providing professional and comprehensive advice on the following: Ü Agreement making Ü Mediations with agencies such as Fair Work Commission and the Fair Work Ombudsman Ü Workplace audits Ü Representation (Fair Work Commission)

WORKPLACE RELATIONS ADVICE

SECURING YOUR BUSINESS Reducing your risk By utilising the fee-for-service option, members greatly reduce the following financial risks to their business, including: Ü Underpayment Ü Unfair dismissals Ü Safe working conditions Ü Correct documentation Ü Equal Employment Opportunity Ü Anti-Discrimination As an example, the VFF service reduces the risk of an infringement notice being issued by a Fair Work Inspector (FWI) to an employer who fails to follow the required record-keeping and pay slip workplace obligations. This includes: Ü Not making or keeping time and wage records Ü Not including the right information on a pay slip or employee record Ü Not issuing pay slips within the required time limits

Timely information and peace of mind Workplace Relations is a necessity for businesses small and large in today’s climate, due to the ever changing legislation, rules and regulations, and entitlements to employees. Workplace entitlements that are being regularly updated include: Ü Ü Ü Ü

Your investment Full commodity members of the VFF who subscribe to the VFF Workplace Relations Handbook can call for advice anytime on workplace relations matters and the advice, in many instances, could reduce your business risks. Financial penalties can be applied to the individual business owner who is deemed at fault, or they could be applied to the entire business.

The VFF Workplace Relations Handbook, which contains all your workplace relations needs, is available to commodity members of the VFF for $204 (including GST, postage and handling). The subsequent annual subscription fee, which provides regular Handbook updates, is $165 per year (plus GST).

In addition, the VFF Workplace Relations Team, is available on a fee-for-service basis to provide assistance at $200 per hour (plus GST).

JOIN NOW For all your workplace relations needs, please contact us 1300 882 833 wr@vff.org.au

Casual rights per all modern awards Family violence and domestic unpaid leave Overtime for casuals (horticulture) Labour Hire Licensing Act (all industries)

With access to the VFF Workplace Relations Team you, as a member and employer, can make sure you are doing the right thing by your employees, keeping up-to-date with changes and minimising your chance of any infringement or claims. Infringement notices can be quite expensive at a cost of: Ü Up to $1260 per breach for an individual Ü Up to $6300 per breach for a corporation

September 2019

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Innovation

farming

A new-age farm in Victoria’s North West is developing a training and innovation hub with a bold vision for the future of Australian horticulture Words: Kirsten Lloyd

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Innovation

S

uniTAFE SMART Farm is set on 30 hectares a few minutes from the centre of Mildura.

Over the past five years it has transitioned from a traditional farm to one driven by emerging technology. Dedicated to supporting the growth of the horticultural industry – the bedrock of the Sunraysia region’s economy – SuniTAFE is positioning the SMART Farm as a platform for horticultural innovation and experimentation, delivering world-leading vocational training that reflects the processes, philosophy, technology and skills that will be key to the future sustainability and viability of farming enterprises.

CEO of SuniTAFE Geoff Dea says the SMART Farm, still in its infancy, is committed to changing the image of farming by demonstrating the range of opportunities that exist for the younger, techsavvy generation.

“The vision is to forge lasting partnerships, establish a contemporary training facility for horticulture and to attract new people into the industry.

“We know we have a workforce shortage, and we believe we can assist in solving that problem by demonstrating what a career in horticulture and agriculture can look like – and technology is a big part of that.”

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Opening spread: Drone flying over a high density almond grove.

This page – top left, then clockwise: SuniTAFE Manager Primary Industries – SMART Farm, Warren Lloyd examining an iMETOS Weather Station; Citrus and dried fruit plantings at the SMART Farm; Agerris Digital Farmhand robotic platform being trialled at the SMART Farm.

FAST FACTS

1

The Sunraysia region is one of the most productive areas in Australia, and its horticultural industry is forecast to double within 10 years.

2

SuniTAFE SMART Farm has 450 Primary Industries students receiving vocational education and training in horticultural best practice methods, advanced technology, automation and innovation.

3

The catalyst for the SMART Farm project was $1.3 million in funding from the Victorian Government’s Workforce Training and Innovation Fund.

The appeal of innovation

Attracting new people to the industry through technology is an inspired move, given how integral it is in every facet of our lives. And the timing couldn’t be better: with the world on the cusp of a new order, we’ve been reminded of the importance of selfreliance. The need for Australia to be able to feed, clothe and resource itself is more critical now than it has been in recent decades.

SuniTAFE General Manager of Operations David Harris recognises this. “There’s a gap we can no longer fill with transient labour, we need to build our own capacity – and if we don’t act, the moment will be gone. The workforce shortage will translate into a food shortage for this country. The opportunity for growth, innovation and collaboration is now.”

Top to bottom: Data integrated tractor and weedicide unit working amongst the Farm’s vines; Cadetship students in class at SMART Farm.

Mildura has a diverse horticultural sector, which includes dried, table and wine grapes, olives, citrus, nuts, melons, vegetables and grains, and this has inevitably led to a siloed approach to knowledge and skill sharing. Part of the long-term vision for the SMART Farm is to encourage a collaborative mindset that enhances partnerships and strengthens the sector.

David says the ongoing success of the SMART Farm centres on offering a neutral place for tech developers, industry and students to connect and trial innovations and systems.

“Tech innovators need somewhere independent to trial their concept. We can put it out on our farm with no commercial agenda, and provide meaningful data on operations and outcomes, while also giving our students the opportunity to learn how to operate the tech, meaning we’re building a workforce with the skills and experience required for future farming.

It’s a win-win.”

The SMART Farm is all about continuous improvement and sustainability, with a focus on building regional capacity, to meet the increasing demand on Australian farmers to deliver more, while reducing their environmental impact.

Typically the TAFE sector has appealed more to people who have been in the workforce and are looking to upskill, but with the SMART Farm, SuniTAFE is reshaping its offering to broaden its appeal to school-aged youth. They’re strengthening existing relationships with secondary schools, and building new ones, to connect with young people thinking about their future, while promoting the diversity of and options for careers within horticulture.

SuniTAFE’s Manager of Primary Industries Warren Lloyd says anyone looking for a career in technology should consider the horticultural industry.

“The sector is constantly evolving and offers a great balance for someone who loves tech, problem solving and development, but also loves getting outside, making things happen.”

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Innovation

Warren points to a photograph of a SMART Farm drone flying over an orchard. “This was once science fiction: drones, robotics, automation. Now it’s the reality of our industry. It’s not a far-fetched idea, it’s here.

“When students are choosing subjects they may not automatically think of horticulture, but when they walk down a corridor and see a $40,000 drone, they want to know what subject it’s for and how to sign up.

“They’ve grown up with technology, they want to get amongst it, work and adapt it, and their interest and skills will have a vital role in the future of farming. We just have to connect them to it.”

Upskilling the SMART way

Reflecting the changing face of farming, technology trialled on the SMART Farm has included a virtual reality safety training program, robotics, automation systems, driverless tractors, precision seeding and planting, automated irrigation, automated harvesting, weed and crop maintenance, drones for on-farm operations and management and real-time monitoring and analysis.

Complementing the tech trials, the SMART Farm is also trialling different varieties of plantings and production methods. This has included a trial site of industrial hemp, a date plantation, high-density

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Top left then clockwise: Entrance to the SMART Farm in Cardross just outside Mildura; Aerial view – harvesting of high density almonds; Farm Manager Kevin Sharman, demonstrating irrigation monitoring equipment to a student; A ‘Farmbot’ robotic nursery bed undergoing trials.

almonds and olives, and a range of plantings adapted to better suit Mallee conditions. In 2019 the olive harvest attracted attention, when the fruit was successfully harvested using a wine grape harvester, significantly reducing labour and production costs. It yielded a promising crop which, courtesy of a partnership with a local olive producer, was processed into high-quality extra-virgin olive oil.

Changing the perception of how people think about farming goes hand in hand with revolutionising farming practices. As we move to a farming era supported by Internet of Things technology, there’s seemingly endless scope, limited only by imagination and workforce. The industry will need people with the skills to develop, adapt, maintain and use the technology – and with SuniTAFE’s vision and commitment, the future has already begun.

ADVERTORIAL

Farmers need to look up and live A spate of potentially serious incidents involving farm machinery and powerlines has led to a new safety push by electricity network operators and the state’s energy safety body, to better educate agricultural workers on the dangers of working near overhead wires.

With farms, machinery and equipment becoming larger, more automated and more sophisticated than ever, as well as the ongoing business pressures that come with running a farm, it’s easy to overlook some of the essential safety requirements that come with working on the land.

The ‘Look up and Live’ campaign from Energy Safe Victoria calls for operators of machinery – including on farms – to be aware of their surroundings and to adhere strictly to the ‘No Go Zone’ rules when working near powerlines.

The reminder comes as Victoria’s largest electricity distribution network, Powercor, has recorded a concerning number of recent incidents on farms, including tractors hitting poles and tip trucks, grain augers and even irrigation equipment striking wires.

In just the first six months of 2021, Powercor recorded 19 incidents of machinery and vehicles hitting poles and wires on rural properties.

Powercor’s Manager of Network Safety, Luke Farrugia, said in many of these cases the power pole has been knocked over completely.

“It’s important that anyone operating tractors, harvesters or other equipment, even within GPS and automatic steering enabled, needs to pay close attention around electricity infrastructure,” Mr Farrugia said.

“Unfortunately, we have seen some really serious incidents in the last six months and we’re asking for people who are working on the land to be aware of their surroundings and to mitigate the risks including contact with electricity infrastructure.”

“If you need to work under or in vicinity of powerlines, make sure you adhere to the No Go Zone rules and get in touch with us if you need any help.”

The No Go Zones rules in Victoria require all work to take place at least 6.4 metres away from overhead distribution powerlines, with a spotter required when working between 3 metres and 6.4 metres from lines. No work is permitted within 3 metres of powerlines without strict permission from the relevant electricity distribution business. A permit to work is required for this work to be undertaken safely.

Mr Farrugia said it was critical that farmers and all operators of machinery are aware of their surroundings and make site risk assessments before starting any work.

“It’s also really important to remember that you don’t even need to touch powerlines to be at risk,” Mr Farrugia said.

“When you’re dealing with high voltages, sometimes electricity can jump short distances onto machinery which puts you at risk even if you’re not touching any lines.”

“To put it really simply – if you’re using machinery, stay well away from overhead lines wherever you can.”

For more information on ways to stay safe, visit esv.vic.gov.au/campaigns/lookup-and-live or call Energy Safe Victoria on 1800 800 158. For farm safety advice visit vff.org.au, or call the ‘Making Our Farmers Safer’ team on 1300 882 833.

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The new frontline of dairy The Gardiner Dairy Foundation Victorian Study Tour continues to develop future Victorian dairy industry leaders.

Words: Sue Gough Henly Photography: Patrick MacDonald 32

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Industry

N

ine young Victorian dairy farmers have recently completed a Gardiner Dairy Foundation United Dairyfarmers Victoria (UDV) Study Tour of Victoria.

Normally held every year in New Zealand, restrictions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic meant that the 2021 tour pivoted to take advantage of the diversity of opportunities in the dairy heartland of Australia, which produces over 60 per cent of the country’s milk.

The study tour is one of the key people and community development projects of the Gardiner Foundation – a philanthropic organisation established in 2000 to increase the international competitiveness of the Victorian dairy industry.

The primary goal of the tour is to offer indepth insights into the cutting-edge science and innovative practices of the Victorian dairy industry to help participants implement new systems and technologies in their own dairy operations.

The tour offered opportunities to meet industry leaders and stakeholders, tour dairy research and processing facilities, visit dairy farms in Gippsland, Southwest Victoria and Northern Victoria, and network with other passionate young dairy farmers.

It showcased a range of diverse farming systems and offered practical advice on topics such as strategic planning, management of labour and finances, advocacy and developing leadership skills.

Starting in Melbourne, there were industry overviews by UDV and Gardiner Foundation, market insights by Dairy Australia and Rabobank, and a tour of the Port of Melbourne. In addition to cow’s milk dairies, the tour also visited other dairy operations such as Meredith Goat Dairy and The Camel Milk Co. Australia.

Left to right: Grant Williams in front of a farmbot; The Study Tour Group getting hands-on with pasture management in Northern Victoria; Northern Victoria dairy farmer Mark Coulson speaking with young Gippsland dairy farmer, Jake Seuren.

“This tour offered a wonderful opportunity for young Victorian dairy farmers to get off their own farms and learn about the broader industry,” says Mark Billing, newly elected UDV vice president and fourth-generation Western District dairy farmer.

“All the face-to-face experiences showed us all lots of different farming systems, and highlighted interesting pathways for new entrants to thrive in the dairy business.”

Staff and leadership

“As a family-run business with five staff in addition to my wife Sam and myself, we milk 400 cows on a pasture-based grazing system with home-grown feed,” explains Mark.

“We showcased how we manage our staff because finding a reliable labour force has become one of the key issues in the dairy industry, especially since COVID-19 has impacted the availability of international workers.

“We talked about team building, providing good leadership and communication, and offering staff traineeships as a way of providing pathways to different parts of the industry to make dairying more appealing to local employees.”

Robotics and technology

Grant Williams, the chair of Gippsland Dairy (one of Dairy Australia’s eight research, development and extension programs), showcased his robotic dairy, a Lely Netherlands automatic milking system he installed 11 years ago on one of his two adjoining dairy farms in Hallora.

“I explained its advantages in terms of reducing labour demands as well as disadvantages such as maintenance requirements.

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“It’s so helpful for aspiring dairy farmers to explore a range of technology options to build up their awareness of opportunities in the industry.”

Sustainable start-up

Sallie Jones, Co-founder and Director of Gippsland Jersey, told their story about transitioning from a small dairy farm to a crowd-funded milk processing business that provides milk and value-added dairy products (cultured butter, sour cream and pouring cream) to consumers across Victoria including major contracts with supermarket chains.

Sallie highlighted the importance of farmers being paid a fair price and Gippsland Jersey’s brand commitment to rural mental health and hoped their start-up story would inspire more young dairy farmers to look at other sustainable models into the future.

Learning from some leaders

Farmer Jane Mann (24) and her 34-year-old partner Michael Snell milk 400 cows on an 820-acre farm in Merrigum, outside of Shepparton in the State’s north. They were among the enthusiastic participants on the tour and they currently share farming with Michael’s parents with the goal of buying them out in ten years.

“We’re part of a generational change in the industry and while Michael is a fourth-generation dairy farmer, I’m relatively new to it all,” explains Jane, who until recently has been managing her family’s restaurant – The Plough at Trentham.

“I’m keen to learn and am really interested in the business side of dairying,” says Jane.

“I want to challenge the paradigms and ask why

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we’re doing things a certain way – such as why are we still milking like our grandfathers did.

“Farmers generally believe if it ain’t broke then don’t fix it, but there may be better ways to do things and I want to explore making improvements. We’re lucky as a couple as one is working on the farm and the other is doing the books and managing the budget. The business side is so important because if you don’t know how to run a successful business you can’t run a dairy.”

Jane says the tour was amazing, and a lot of fun.

“We both learned so much, and we have two different sets of notes based on our points of view, and so we’ve got a lot of analysing and reflecting to do!

“Kudos to all the farmers we met. Everyone was happy to be open and vulnerable and tell us when they made mistakes,” Jane says. “The good thing is that we’re all Victorian farmers. We’re a united front, not competitors. And we got on with all the other participants like a house on fire and exchanged tips about milking and rearing calves. I’ve made lifelong connections throughout the state from this trip.”

Jane says it was great to understand how important it is to make strategic decisions and for them to see how those strategic stepping stones could progress their business.

The couple agree that the absolute highlight was learning about Tom Acocks’ free-stall barn near Rochester, just down the road from them.

“In Northern Victoria, we deal with extreme weather. In winter it’s wet, muddy and cold, and in summer it’s really hot, which stresses the cows,” she explains.

“His spacious barn with a feed pad on one side allows the cows to move around freely as a herd

Industry “I’d never reared a calf before and now I have my hands on most jobs across the farm,” she says.

“The whole tour was fantastic. A massive thank you to UDV and the Gardiner Foundation. It was difficult to pull it off in COVID times, but they did it. It was a wonderful group and we learned a lot from each other. We’d debrief together in the bus after each farm tour, and that was so helpful,” she says.

“It was great to visit different-sized farms, with different dairy breeds and different calving patterns in a diversity of regions across the state,” she explains.

Melanie also enjoyed seeing a wide range of genetic practices on the farms they visited.

“Everyone doesn’t have to drive a Mercedes – a Commodore will do to get you from A to B,” she says. “It was also fascinating to study various farming models.”

In Gippsland they met Colin Wientjens from Nerrena – who is a young farmer building up a herd while leasing a farm. They also met share farmer Luke Zuidema from Pounds Creek who is adding lots of value to the farm in a good agreement with the owner to the benefit of both. They also enjoyed meeting share farmer Evan Campbell, who has an equity partnership in the herd and machinery with the farm owner in Yannathan.

“Overall, the tour was a great opportunity to meet other farmers and discuss changes they have made in their businesses and the shared challenges we face across all regions,” she says.

Young farmers on the rise

and when they’re not eating, they’re loafing and chewing on cud. They can go outside, but there’s no mud, and they don’t that. It’s all about making them comfortable so they make the most milk that their genetics allow. And Tom was so generous with what he learned along the way. It was all so relatable.”

The couple also learned a lot about genetic management on the tour. “We realised that we have more control than we thought about how we’d like our herd to be, which is great, as there’s so much in the industry that is beyond our control,” says Jane.

The bonus of branching out

Melanie Ackerley and her husband Paul milk 200 cows on their own 320-acre farm in Larpent, south of Colac. She comes from a stud-beef background in Barwon Heads and she worked as an occupational therapist up until last year alongside helping Paul build their farm business.

From top then clockwise: Farmer Mark Billing with his dog; The group getting an insight into farming in Northern Victoria; Alvie Dairy Farmer Peter Delahunty speaking with young dairy farmer Michael Snell; The Study Tour Group exploring a barn system and the process behind investing in such a system.

Jake Seuren, a 21 year-old took over his dad’s share-farming lease on a 275-acre dairy farm in Lang Lang in West Gippsland.

After originally planning to study engineering Jake chose to stay on the farm and has built up the herd to 180 cows in addition to running his own hay and silage contracting business.

“I really want to own a farm but it’s very expensive in Gippsland, so it was great to tour different regions to help me choose where I want to farm in the future,” he says.

“There aren’t many young people taking up dairy farming, and I’ve learned there are lots of options and that it’s a great time to be in the dairy industry.”

Some highlights for Jake was meeting so many new people, including industry leaders, and learning the fundamentals of running a successful farm business.

“I particularly enjoyed meeting UDV president Paul Mumford on his farm at Won Wron near Yarram.

He explained how he worked his way up and was very generous with information about his financials, which is really relevant to me,” says Jake.

“We also visited a camel farm that is really clever with its marketing, and the Meredith Goat Farm was so self-sufficient. They’ve figured out a use for everything,” he says.

“I also learned a lot from Colin Wientjens about how he’s gone about building up his herd. I might even trade some cows with him soon!”

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Making a L bee-line

ast August, a record-breaking 227,000 beehives, or about nine billion bees, were transported under the cover of night to perform the annual honeybee pollination of Australia’s billion-dollar almond crop.

They may be tiny, but bees are classified as livestock by the Australian Taxation Office. As such, this is the largest (and arguably the most important) movement of livestock in the country. Without bees, there are no almond crops or, for that matter, no apples, avocados, blueberries, pumpkins, watermelons, canola seeds and much, much more.

Third-generation Victorian beekeeper Trevor Monson has been a bee broker for 50 years. Last year, he contracted for about 130,000 of those hives to be brought from across Victoria, NSW, and Queensland into the almond groves in Sunraysia.

“I believe I’m the largest bee broker in the world. I was at a bee conference in California (the epicentre of the world’s almond industry) and the biggest broker there only handled 95,000 bees,” he says with a laugh.

Agriculture Victoria lists 12,792 registered beekeepers with 134,371 hives in the state. While no differentiation is made between hobbyists and commercial apiarists, there are currently 342 registered beekeepers with more than 50 hives.

Trevor estimates that 40 per cent of his almond-pollination beehive rentals come from Victoria. However, neither the government nor the industry itself has an accurate inventory of the total number of hives in Australia as many commercial beekeepers register their same hives in each state to make interstate transportation less bureaucratic.

Pollination services for the almond industry It’s no secret that without bees, agriculture and indeed the future of the planet is in trouble.

So what is being done to help our tiniest workers?

Words: Sue Gough Henly

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As Australia’s most valuable horticultural export, the almond industry is undergoing rapid expansion. With more than 7,500,000 trees across 27,762 hectares, the Sunraysia region is Australia’s biggest almond growing area, with 48 per cent of the country’s total area under almonds.

Victoria is Australia’s largest almond producer, supplying 62 per cent of the national output.

Trade

“The almond industry is the poster child for the importance of pollination services because it relies 100 per cent on bees for its yield,” says Peter McDonald, Castlemaine-based professional beekeeper and former Chair of the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council.

“The price the almond industry pays for hive rental has increased many fold in the past decade making it an important revenue source for beekeepers,” says Ross Skinner, CEO of the Almond Board of Australia.

These days, because of the high demand for their services, beekeepers average $130 but can make as much as $160 a hive.

As a result, pollination services have become an increasingly important element of beekeepers’ incomes.

“Almonds are the first horticultural crop to start flowering in August so they not only bring bees in Victoria out of dormancy early by waking them up to high quality pollen but they also provide beekeepers a dependable income early in the season. It fills a hole in the Victorian beekeeping industry and has allowed us to grow,” says Peter. “Afterwards, I go on to provide pollination services for plums, apples, cherries, and kiwis.”

Ross explains that since the industry heavily relies on bees for pollination, “almond growers follow best practice guidelines to ensure the bees are well looked after during the period they are on farm.”

This includes providing bee watering stations, increased focus on integrated pest management with

Top left then clockwise: A blooming almond grove; busy bees in the hive; A beekeeper inspects a bee colony. Photos by LJ Gervasoni

no pesticide use while bees are pollinating (or only spraying at night, when absolutely necessary) and the trialling of additional cover crops for nectar.

Almond trees offer bees excellent pollen proteins, which are ideal for breeding, but they are low in nectar, which bees need to convert into carbohydrates for energy.

Bees’ role in food security

In addition to almonds, other crops like apples, avocados, blueberries, cucumbers, pumpkins and rockmelons are also 100 per cent dependent on bees for their yield as does the seed production for hybridised canola, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, clover, Lucerne and cabbage.

In fact, about one third of the world’s food crops depend on insects for pollination and many other crops have higher yield and quality if visited by bees.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, pollinators affect 35 per cent of global agricultural land, supporting the production of 87 of the leading food crops worldwide.

About $100 million is made each year from honey products in Australia while the annual economic value of pollination services is $14.2 billion.

These figures are based on an exhaustive 2014–15 study of 53 horticulture crops by Curtin University economist John Karasiński to establish the economic valuation of Australian managed and wild honey bee pollinators.

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Trade

Top to bottom: Exposed larvae being attacked by varroa mite; Healthy bees are as important as clean water to Australia's ag sector.

She also explains that beekeepers tend to be “fiercely independent, rugged individualists who have exceptional observation skills to read the environment, but not necessarily a strong voice in the agricultural industry."

She also adds that “they are levied on their honey products, not on their pollination services, so the funds available for research and development are simply insufficient to support the needs of the industry.”

Victoria is the state with the most to lose if bee security is compromised because it has the largest volume and value of crops that are significantly dependent on bee pollination.

The biggest issues facing our bees

“This is why bees and pollination are as important as water is to Australia’s agricultural industries,” says Fiona Chambers, CEO of Australia’s only registered bee charity, the Wheen Bee Foundation.

“And yet there is no national registration of beekeepers, no base data on the total number of beehives across the country, no national pollination strategy, and a silo mentality in decision making leading to a lack of cohesion across the pollination sector.

“We really have no idea whether there are enough healthy bees for pollination services moving forward because there is so much duplication of beehive statistics across the states,” Fiona says.

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Australian honeybees face several threats from diseases as well as the impacts of pesticides and intensive agriculture when vast numbers of bees co-mingle on a massive scale. There are also issues related to an ageing population of professional beekeepers.

However, arguably, the two biggest problems are the Varroa destructor mite and the availability of floral resources.

Varroa destructor mite

Whilst Australia is currently the only continent in the world free of the Varroa mite, which is decimating honeybee populations in Europe and the United States, bee experts say it is not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’ it arrives on our shores.

To that end, Agriculture Victoria’s Apiary Program was honoured with the 2019 Australian Biosecurity Award in recognition of its training and accreditation of 150 local beekeepers to be deployed as field team members when exotic bee parasites are detected.

“When Varroa arrives, it will not only place pressure on beehives and pollination services but also on Australia’s capacity to breed good quality queen bees,” says David Briggs, treasurer of the Australian Queen Bee Breeders Association.

“Effectively, the local bee population will collapse within three to five years, so the only viable course to maintain Australia’s honey bee population is to breed queens that are Varroa resistant.”

David has been involved in a stringent biosecuritysafe pilot program to import Varroa-resistant queen bees at the new multi-million-dollar national Post Entry Quarantine Facility, which has consolidated quarantine facilities for all imported animals and plants at Mickleham, north of Melbourne.

“With the success of this program, Victoria will be able to offer the national bee industry Varroaresistant, ‘hygenic’ genetics to ensure the survival of the local honeybee population,” says Fiona Chambers, who was instrumental in facilitating multi-agency funding and collaboration.

Availability of floral resources

Australia has always been something of a bee utopia because beekeepers can rely on the remarkable floral resources of our eucalypt forests in between crop pollination services.

And thanks to the efforts of visionaries like Linton Briggs (David Briggs’ father) and Ian Cane, beekeepers in Victoria have the best access of any state in the country to Public Land Estate floral resources. In other words, conserved forests and national parks.

“The beekeeping industry is heavily dependent on the Public Land Estate floral resources for honey production, and most importantly, for beehive health, prior to and after servicing the many pollination-dependent food crops,” explains Ian Cane, adding that “without access to these honey and pollen-producing ecosystems, a high percentage of honeybee businesses, and pollination-dependent businesses, would fail.”

Floral resources are also seriously impacted by bushfires, drought and climate change.

“With so much public land damaged by multiple fire burns, many state governments don’t have adequate seed banks so seeds are being collected manually for aerial seed regeneration,” says Fiona.

“Without this there would be widespread ecosystem collapse.”

While beekeeping is a mobile industry, it can sometimes take years for fire-affected forests to produce trees with enough pollen and nectar. In the interim, beekeepers must focus on cover crops to provide adequate bee food. With global warming becoming an everyday reality, beekeepers will also become increasingly reliant on technology to monitor hive temperature and overall health.

“We are seeing how farming and the environment are intrinsically linked,” says Fiona. “Fifty-one per cent of Australia’s landmass is under agricultural management so it’s important to encourage farmers to incorporate holistic practices. Bees are a keystone species that play a vital role in preserving biodiversity.

Without them, our ecosystems are at risk,” she

Top to bottom: Honeybee hives (Photo by LJ Gervasoni); A close-up of man-made honeycomb from Flow Hive.

explains. “Holistic practices also make economic sense because the science is very clear that farmers get improved pollination outcomes with a diversity of pollinators, including honeybees and native bees.”

To that end, the Wheen Bee Foundation launched Bee Friendly Farming in Australia on May 20 – World Bee Day. It’s a certification program that provides guidelines to promote pollinator health via sustainable practices that include planting pollinator food resources, providing nesting habitat and incorporating integrated pest management strategies.

It’s worth stepping back to appreciate the unique relationship between bees and food. A healthy, wellmanaged honeybee industry is critical to the security and success of Australian agriculture. Given the importance of bee pollination to Victoria’s billiondollar almond industry, as well as other pollinationdependent agricultural crops in the state, an acrossthe-board commitment to bee friendly farming is not only better for bees and beekeepers but it’s also better for the environment and it just makes good business sense.

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The Last Word

Farmers rally against new controversial camping rules On May 27, Victorian farmers rallied in Melbourne to voice concern about the law change that will allow camping on licensed river frontage.

Words: Emma Germano, President Victorian Farmers Federation

I

t made me incredibly proud to see VFF members filing off buses and along Spring Street towards Parliament House carrying bags of firewood, chairs and signs.

Business people rushing between meetings stared in horror while some took the time to read the signs or ask – “What’s this about?” before nodding in agreement and moving on.

Rally organisers, Judy Caldwell and Belinda Pearce, did an excellent job getting farmers and props – including a dunny – down to Melbourne.

It’s not easy to take time away from your farm business or to find the time to paint signs and sew banners.

We, the VFF, can bang on MP”s doors, pester Ministers and brief the press, but it is nothing compared to the spectacle we saw of hundreds of farmers standing on the steps of Parliament, chatting to MPs and the media.

Landholders spoke of the bizarre nature of the rule change while Shadow Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh, Shadow Environment Minister Bridget Vallence and Greens MP Ellen Sandell all spoke at the rally in support of landholders.

The rally concluded with a dose of country

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hospitality with a trestle table set up and tea, coffee and cake offered to MPs, media, attendees and the odd passerby.

When we come together we are stronger. In that endeavour VFF has formed a loose coalition of other concerned groups. It is perhaps an unlikely coalition but on this issue our shared concerns are steadfast.

The group, led by VFF, includes Environment Victoria, Landcare Victoria Inc., Rural Councils Victoria, Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria and Victorian National Parks Association. The VFF has also consulted with the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations on the matter.

The group has written to the Government, expressing our joint concerns.

We have sought a 12-month stay on the commencement of the new rules to allow time to properly consult landholders and consider impacts.

I would prefer we didn’t have this law change in the first place however, we have to deal with the political environment in front of us.

This is about the little wins adding together to make something much bigger. If we keep up the fight I hope we can ensure that this bizarre rule change doesn’t impede on farmers' privacy, biosecurity integrity or the environmental condition of our rivers and streams.

Socials

Out & About

Here we showcase some of the best shots from our members all over the state.

If you have a great photo of your farm that you’d like us to publish, send your shots to: media@vff.org.au and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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7 1. Floodwater lapping at Ann from Seaspray’s farm after a June deluge 2. School kids from Melbourne learning about farm processes at Velisha Farms as part of the ‘Kids to Ag’ program 3. VFF Vice President Danyel Cucinotta in Werribee South at one of the state’s largest fresh produce farms 4. All hands on deck as the clearing of fallen trees continues after June’s wild winds 5. A spectacular winter sunset in Central Victoria 6. Freshly picked broccoli on its way to supermarket shelves 7. Celebrating World Milk Day near Terang WINTER 2021

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Don’t put your life on the line.

Chris, Powercor liney & gentleman farmer

It doesn’t matter how well you know the lay of the land.

Powerline safety changes day to day.

When working around powerlines remember to: Assess the risks. Be cautious of overhead powerlines when modifying or purchasing new machinery.

Keep your distance. Equipment and machinery can conduct electricity if they come too close to powerlines.

Check the weather. Hot and/or windy weather can cause powerlines to sag or sway.

Dial before you dig. Call 1100 to check for underground power cables in the area.

Apply for a permit. A No Go Zone permit from Powercor is essential before operating heavy machinery around powerlines.

For more information visit powercor.com.au/lookupandlive