AgLife – May 27 2020 edition

May 27, 2020

Milestone A $2.54-million Wimmera project designed to take the latest in cutting-edge data analysis to broadacre farming has reached another major milestone.

Story, page 53.

Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

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Milestone for DATA Farm

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$2.54-million Wimmera project designed to take the latest in cutting-edge data analysis to broadacre farming has reached another major milestone.

Longerenong College has started sowing the cereal, pulse and oilseed crops that will go under the microscope as part of an AgTIDE Demonstration of Agricultural Technology Applications, DATA, Farm project.

The crops going into the 1000-hectare DATA Farm are already under the microscope, with project leaders using new airseeder, self-propelled boomspray, variable-rate fertiliser spreader and remote-sensing equipment in a controlled-traffic planting program.

The project’s next phase will involve establishing data-gathering sensors and other infrastructure across paddocks, that will feed information back to a new innovation centre at the college.

The college is in partnership with technology specialist LX Group in creating the data-gathering system.

The information will allow Longerenong students and farmers to see first-hand how to use the technology to make critical seasonal decisions.

One example is a top-soil mapper, which measures soil fertility across paddocks and shares this information.

This allows a farmers to be able to decide where best to allocate extra nutrition to paddock zones and cut fertiliser costs.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

College general manager John Goldsmith said the crops would be subject to broad analysis.

“There are going to be sensors across the paddocks, soil-moisture probes, weather stations – all sorts of equipment,” he said.

An innovation centre, under development at the college library and due for completion by the start of August, will provide a base for students and college visitors to clearly see how agtech is driving improved farm performance.

Mr Goldsmith said crops going into the ground represented a great milestone in the development of the DATA Farm.

“There’s been a lot of planning, a lot of partners and it’s great to see it all coming together,” he said.

“Ultimately, this is going to be fantastic for students studying broadcare agriculture and for farmers in developing a greater understanding of technology adaptation in growing food.

“The DATA Farm is a fantastic development for not only Longerenong College, but the entire Australian grains industry.

“The project is really gathering momentum and it’s exciting watching the transformation of the college farm and the overall college.”

The State Government has provided all money for the project.

Victorian Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes said digital agriculture had

GOING IN: Farmer Steve Ruwoldt, left, and farm manager Brian Matuschka prepare for sowing as part of Longerenong College’s DATA Farm project.

Picture: PAUL CARRACHER been identified as an area of significant growth and value.

“We’re making sure Victoria is at the forefront of the latest in agtech,” she said.

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“By investing in the next generation of agriculture, we’re backing our agriculture industry’s future and helping make farming more safe, productive and profitable.”

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As the 2020 cropping season gets underway, Agriculture Victoria is advising farmers to arm themselves with as much information about their paddocks as they can to increase their chances of a productive and profitable year.

Agriculture Victoria’s grains industry biosecurity officer Jim Moran said rain had provided perfect conditions in most cropping districts.

He said to ensure successful sowing and emergence and to maintain excellent crop growth without pest, disease or weed pressures, grain growers should keenly monitor for, and act on, facts.

“Check what is going on and into paddocks. Collect evidence and act on fact,” he said.

Mr Moran advised growers to test soil before they sowed crops to save time, money and effort.

“These tests will identify any nutrient deficiencies and will result in grain growers only applying what is needed to produce healthy crops,” he said.

“If you notice anything unusual, contact an agronomist and have samples tested by the CROPSAFE laboratory at Agriculture Victoria in Horsham.”

He said people could request a kit by emailing croppathology. horsham@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

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VFF: Be barley aware T

BY DEAN LAWSON

he leader of Victoria’s peak farming body has appealed to growers across the region to stay informed about developments surrounding severe Chinese tariffs on Australian barley.

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Victorian Farmers Federation president and Wimmera farmer David Jochinke said barley growers would be in the firing line and it was important they understood what was happening.

“Our message is that everyone needs to keep their eyes wide open,” he said.

“China has been our largest trading partner in barley in recent history and this restriction in trade has been coming at us for the past 18 months.

“It will have an effect on farmers’ bottom line and farmers need to be acutely aware of that.”

Mr Jochinke said Australia had many trading partners where it could redirect its barley harvest, but the China market had been a large and profitable avenue for the product.

He said the VFF, through many discussions and meetings with trade and industry leaders, was strongly advocating state and federal governments use any political capital they had to navigate out of the situation.

“We’re asking them to calmly negotiate a way forward from this position with China, but also double efforts with other trading groups to extract as much

potential out of these agreements as possible,” he said.

“I’m telling farmers that they are allowed to get angry about what has happened.

“But everyone also has to remember that any customer has the ability to choose how they trade with us.

“The way we act now has ramifications, not only for the future, but also other products going to China.

“One positive aspect is that barley has a relatively high shelf-life and is not as perishable as other goods, unlike for example, seafood, which is extremely exposed.”

Import tax

Last week China imposed an 80 percent tax on all barley imported from Australia, claiming it was based on a 2018 probe into whether Australia was unfairly subsidising barley producers or ‘dumping’ barley exports to gain an unfair advantage against domestic producers.

Australia shipped more than 2.5-million tonnes of barley, both for beer production and animal feed, to China in 2018-19.

It also exported the product to Japan, 700,000 tonnes; Thailand, 370,000; Vietnam, 350,000; and South Korea, 100,000. Other lesser but important markets included the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabi, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

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Warning on aphids Agricultural departmental officials are urging western Victorian canola growers to look out for green peach aphids in crops favourable to turnip yellows viris.

Agriculture Victoria research scientist Piotr Trebicki issued the warning after observing green peach aphids and the virus, previously known as beet western yellows virus, in paddocks south of Horsham.

“The volunteer plants and weeds that sprung up following late summer and early autumn rain provided good conditions for aphid populations to increase,” he said.

The virus, spread by the green peach aphid, can cause significant yield losses in canola and pulse crops.

“If transmitted to canola or other crop species at an early growth stage it can cause total crop losses,” Dr Trebicki said.

“Infection at a later growth stage has a less severe impact on canola and most pulses, however chickpeas are very vulnerable to infection at any growth stage.”

Typical symptoms of turnip yellows virus include stunted plant growth and leaves showing a yellow or purple discolouration.

A recent Agriculture Victoria virus survey showed an increase in turnip yellows virus, particularly in paddocks where summer weeds, self-sown canola and spring-sown canola were growing.

Dr Trebicki said the risk of infection increased when crops were sown in, or next to, paddocks that hosted large aphid populations or where the virus was already present.

Farmers seeking more information can visit website agriculture. vic.gov.au.

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Mr Jochinke said the issue dramatically highlighted problems associated with over-reliance on sole markets.

“This clearly shows a need for diversity in marketplaces as well as farming produce. And we have to take action to protect our farming businesses,” he said.

Despite anxiety surrounding China’s response to Australian barley exports, Mr Jochinke said he remained confident Victoria’s broadacre agricultural industry would be paramount in helping the state and region recover from the economic impact of COVID-19.

“We’re seeing agriculture ride out COVID-19 and we will also ride out this barley wave of uncertainly,” he said.

“The thing that makes agriculture resilient is our equity and stability and the growing diversity we have within our farming enterprises.

“The most robust of farm businesses have built diversity into their operations.”

Mr Jochinke added consistent autumn rain, in providing an outstanding start to sowing and growing seasons across the region, was helping offset many other issues.

“The rain has been absolutely fantastic,” he said.

“To be able to get the regular showers we have has given everyone extreme confidence looking forward to the year ahead.”

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Victorian Farmers Federation president David Jochinke said COVID-19 had highlighted the need for Australians to rebalance investment plans, including for foreign interest in the industry.

“VFF, government and super funds should work together on an agricultural investment strategy that turbocharges super-fund investment in Victorian farms and the agriculture supply chain more broadly,” he said.

Colliers International Agribusiness Research and Forecast Report for 2020 found the agricultural sector to be a strong option for investors seeking long-term returns and portfolio diversification.

The report detailed: “We know demand for food will never cease, which provides a bullet-proof scenario for the agribusiness sector, supports its long-term financial sustainability, and positions the sector as a key driver of the recovery process for society and the economy.”

Victoria is the second-largest farmland investment market in Australia.

Sales volumes last year reached $1.2-billion.

The Colliers International report showed a surge in global investment players into Australian agribusiness, particularly American and Canadian investment funds.

Mr Jochinke said a Federal Parliamentary Inquiry estimated Australian superfunds had invested about $1.8-billion, or 0.2 percent, in agriculture.

“There is a real investment opportunity, with the right policy settings, to build and secure the supply chains, grow the markets that we distribute produce to and support farm businesses through strategic investments in technology, capital, research and development and education,” Mr Jochinke said.

“The time to do this is now. Government is looking at tax reform and economic reform more broadly.

“Let’s work together to develop the compelling business case that sees Australian superannuation funds investing in agriculture and ensures we are not left behind.

“Victorian agriculture is uniquely positioned as a national and global leader in food and fibre.

“In the current environment, we must look to opportunities to further leverage our reputation for producing and exporting the world’s cleanest, greenest and safest food and fibre products.”

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Dams failing to meet demand Piped water supply has replaced farmer reliance of farm dams across the region and latest observations are confirming how small, private impoundments across the state are failing to meet stock and domestic demands.

Agriculture Victoria farm-water supply specialist Clem Sturmfels said dams had become less reliable in recent years due to a hotter and drier climate, more severe droughts and increasing areas of the state being sown to crops or improved pastures.

“A small reduction in rain or change in land use can significantly reduce the amount of runoff available for farm dams,” he said.

Mr Sturmfels discussed solutions and other farm water-related problems during a webinar last week.

“Farmers need to consider all available options before spending money sinking a bore, building

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a larger dam or installing a reticulated water supply system,” he said.

“They should start with a thorough stocktake of their existing system and calculate the water needs of their grazing enterprise, while also taking into account the strategies they will implement during the next dry season or drought.”

Mr Sturmfels, whose background is in soil conservation, whole-farm planning and on-farm water-reticulation systems, said small dams often went dry during summer due to limited storage capacity and high evaporation losses.

“Large dams, on the other hand, are becoming less popular due to the lack of suitable sites, planning-permit requirements and the impact these dams have on downstream flows,” he said.

Inefficiencies and unreliability of channel-fed farm dams were among incentives to develop the Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline.

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Society explores alternatives A

decision to explore how to run individual livestock competitions to complement a Virtual Horsham Show was the focus of a Horsham Agricultural Society special meeting.

The society acknowledged its traditional annual show was impossible this year based on COVID-19 restrictions, but members were confident some show competitions could run under exhibitor-only formats.

It confirmed earlier this month plans to present a ‘virtual show’ in an effort to retain community connections and had started plans to run online competitions and challenges via its website and social media channels.

Almost 20 members attended a virtual meeting where robust conversation revolved around what could occur despite regional and national shows cancelling across the nation.

Society executive administrator Andrea Cross said it had always been the organisation’s intent, from the onset of the bans, to provide something for the show community.

She said circumstances also provided an opportunity to engage people in what had become popular for many families enduring isolation, including life-essential activities such as cooking, craft making and vegetable growing – ‘but at the next level’.

“Chief stewards of various competi-

SHOW CHALLENGE: The Wimmera community has responded to a series of ‘Virtual Horsham Show’ Facebook challenges.

Horsham Agricultural Society leaders are running the challenges on the Horsham Show Facebook page this month. To enter, people need to post photos on the appropriate Facebook status.

The society will repeat the challenges next month. Pictured in the #farmkids challenge are, above, Sadie Molineaux and Avery Bruce and right, Freddie Matthews with his father, Gerard. tions are looking outside the square to investigate possibilities to cater to all stages of restrictions, ensuring what could be delivered would meet the criteria of the day’s bans and insurance,” she said.

“We’ve deliberated over the past few weeks and have identified the potential risks in an evolving strategic plan and we believe there is the potential to deliver some competitions in varying degrees with significant changes to how we’ve traditionally run them, including

organising them on different days to maintain social distancing and without the public attending, for example.”

Mrs Cross said the society would make a firm decision to determine whether these individual competitions would proceed in spring.

Society president Zack Currie said ‘managing effort for reward’ would be the greatest challenge.

“But there are competitors who are keen to return to the competition circuit,” he said.

The society will announce competition dates depending on the easing of restrictions, providing an approximate four-week window from announcement to competition date.

“There are no guarantees this will go ahead until all options have been explored in their entirety,” Mr Currie said.

The Horsham event, scheduled for September 27, is the Wimmera’s largest agricultural show and traditionally kick-starts a month-long show season.

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Graingrowers are better equipped to access and manage their disease risk this season after the release of Agriculture Victoria’s cereal and pulse disease guides.

The annual crop disease guides, which are produced with support from Grains Research and Development Corporation, detail how susceptible new and commonly grown wheat, barley, oats, triticale, lentil, chickpea, field pea, faba bean, lupin and vetch varieties are to a range of crop diseases.

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Agriculture Victoria research scientist Joshua Fanning said pulse-disease rating definitions had been revised nationally.

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“Growers should consult the disease guide for the latest ratings and definitions to plan disease management.”

Dr Fanning said this season, a proactive disease-management strategy would reduce the risk of pulse diseases and subsequent yield losses.

The 2020 pulse and cereal disease guides are available on the Agriculture Victoria website, agriculture.vic.gov.au.

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Accolades for pipeline project P

roducers across northwest Victoria now have a reliable water supply after the completion of the four-year, South West Loddon Pipeline project.

Member for Mallee Anne Webster said the pipeline would provide a significant boost to the agricultural sector, which underpinned the area’s economic growth.

“Providing this critical secure water supply to our farmers will unlock opportunities for local agricultural businesses to expand and invest in higher-value enterprises,” she said.

“The project is expected to generate about $35-million a year in increased agricultural production for the Australian economy and create up to 134 jobs in the region.”

Deputy Prime Minister, Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development minister Michael McCormack said the project’s completion was fantastic news for the region’s farmers, agricultural industries and economic prosperity.

“The project installed almost 1300 kilometres of pipeline to provide a better, more reliable water supply to the farm gates of more than 600 rural properties in the Inglewood, Newbridge, St Arnaud and Wedderburn regions,” he said.

“This will help build drought resilience

by reducing reliance on water carting during dry periods.

“By funding water infrastructure such as the South West Loddon Pipeline, we are doing more than just investing in our most valuable resource; we are backing our regions, supporting our primary industries, strengthening our national economy and ultimately investing in our future.

“Continuing to deliver on critical projects is important now more than ever to help pave the path to economic recovery on the other side of the current COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for our regional communities.”

GWMWater is overseeing the pipeline, which managing director Mark Williams said was already supplying farms, homeowners and businesses across Victoria.

“Until now, most farmers in South West Loddon have relied on catchment dams and water carting during drought,” he said.

“The South West Loddon Pipeline will sustain the agriculture sector that underpins the viability of the region by creating new opportunities for employment in the farming and intensive livestock sectors.”

The Federal Government has provided $20-million for the project, the State Government $40-million and GWMWater and landowners the balance.

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Rain, pasture and lamb risk Rain across the region has prompted Agriculture Victoria to remind sheep producers about the potential for trace-mineral deficiency diseases in lambs this year.

Agriculture Victoria senior veterinary officer Robert Suter said early-season rain welcomed by producers across the state should result in good pasture growth throughout the winter.

But he added that the flush of new pasture increased the likelihood of trace-mineral deficiency diseases in lambs born in winter and early spring.

Dr Suter said trace-mineral deficiencies could result from ewes grazing lush green feed during the last half of their pregnancy.

“These ewes are likely to have lambs with low or deficient levels

Dr Suter said sheep producers in known deficient areas should review their trace mineral supplement strategies to ensure ewes had adequate levels to produce healthy lambs.

“Most of Victoria is iodine deficient and an appropriate time to supplement ewes is mid-pregnancy,” he said.

“A good time to do this is at pregnancy scanning.

“Special care must be taken with supplementing ewes with copper, as sheep can be easily killed with relatively small amounts of copper.”

More information and advice is available from veterinarians or Agriculture Victoria animal health and welfare staff.

of trace minerals selenium, copper, iodine and cobalt,” he said.

“Sheep ingest several essential trace minerals from soil intake.

This usually occurs when ewes graze short pastures after a dry summer and before the autumn break.

“When there is a lot of early-season pasture growth, the intake of trace minerals via the soil is less likely to occur.”

Dr Suter said growing animals, such as lambs, also had a higher demand for trace minerals than adult sheep and were likely to suffer a dietary deficiency sooner.

He said trace minerals such as copper, cobalt, selenium and iodine were only required in small amounts but were still essential for optimal production, and for life.

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China trading... here we go again 95 Nelson Street, Nhill CALL 03 5391 2106

I

f something seems too good to be true, it more than likely is.

That is how I see China as a trading partner.

And before you think I’m about to go on a xenophobic rant, it’s not just ‘China beware!’. It’s more a case of putting all our trading eggs in one basket, an inherently dangerous practice.

Let’s go back a decade or four. It was the late 1980s and wool was booming.

The Australian Wool Corporation as it was then, was banking on China growing to be our largest wool customer.

“Imagine if every man in China bought a pair of woollen socks,” they said. Yes, they did.

While that hasn’t happened, China has emerged as the super power it is today and by far the largest buyer of our wool, which incidentally fell to its lowest price in five years last week.

But because they are the major buyer, they call the market shots.

Being the largest supplier of wool in the world doesn’t seem to give Australia much power.

Fast forward 20 years or so, and the struggling Murray Goulburn Milk Co-operative, dogged by poor performance and allegations of nepotism, appointed a new young gun as chief executive – former SunRice CEO Gary Helou.

He was a man of bold visions, thinking Australia could corner the new-

Country Today with Libby Price

comer in the global dairy market – you guessed it, China.

Not traditionally big consumers of dairy products, the growing middle class in China was developing a taste for Australian wine and for our milk.

Helou saw China as the key to MG success. He was also responsible for the first discounted milk contract with the supermarkets.

He might be gone, but the contract

isn’t and dairy farmers continue to rue the day that was signed. Thanks for that, Mr Helou.

Now, there is the barley disaster, with China supposedly suddenly putting a massive 80 percent tariff on Australian barley imports.

Well, firstly, it wasn’t sudden. China had taken 18 months to investigate the alleged dumping of barley by Australia. Conveniently procrastinating on a determination until an opportune moment more like it.

Secondly, the recent US-China trade deal means China has to import $200-billion of produce from the US, including dairy infant formula, barley and corn. The US gain is more than likely much to do with our loss.

Already I’ve heard some commentators suggesting we instead look to that other mega-economy, India.

Lest we forget, India still has tariffs of 60 percent on our chickpeas and just as China was our largest barley market, India was our largest chickpea market.

So what do we conclude? There is no such thing as an open global market.

Not even with the champion of the free market, the US. If we want to trade globally, we do so in the knowledge that another black swan event might turn our trade into another ugly duckling.

It has, and always will, be thus.

2020 Mallee field days cancelled The cancellation of a primary agricultural event in the Wimmera-Mallee will extend far beyond the farming community it supports.

A primary feature in Speed’s event calendar, the Mallee Machinery Field Days serves as the biggest fundraising opportunity for the town of less than 100 and its neighbouring communities.

And after a strong 2019-2020 harvest, the two-day agriculture showcase in early August was shaping up to be a big event.

Field days committee president and Speed Lions Club member Terry Kiley said the committee held off for as long as possible before deciding to cancel what would be the 42nd annual event.

“With only 10 weeks left until the event we thought we’d try to hang on as long as possible to see what eventuated with the virus, but to no avail,” he said.

“We had a lot of inquiries from exhibitors, so we had to make the call – to have three or four thousand people there each day would not be possible.”

Mr Kiley said although Speed Lions Club members were disappointed, they looked forward to a stronger 2021.

“We hope this virus is under control and we can just proceed on as we do every other year,” he said.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

“Hopefully the event can go back to what it was and we get good support from the community with great exhibitor interest.”

Mallee Machinery Field Days attracts more than 8000 interstate and regional visitors to the site off the Sunraysia Highway near Speed township each year to explore a range of machinery and equipment on display at up to 350 exhibits.

Providing a chance for farmers and industry members to learn about and evaluate what is on offer, the event also serves as a valuable social opportunity for the tiny farming communities.

Organisers estimate the event generates between $50,000 and $100,000 each year.

From its beginnings, the field days was, and continues to be, a way to raise money for the Speed Lions Club so it can provide a ‘helping hand to those in need’.

Mr Kiley said without the massive fundraising efforts this year, the club’s capacity to donate money was limited.

“As a charitable organisation, we won’t have the funds to distribute that we normally would,” he said.

“We normally inject money into the local sporting clubs, schools and Men’s Shed in the area.”

He said he hoped the club could still distribute what money was available.

“We’re still going to try to support our local hospitals and those in need,” he said.

“This includes three hospitals – Hopetoun, Ouyen and Sea Lake – we do hope to continue that.

“A lot of support also goes into cancer research and medical research too.”

Mr Kiley said the community groups and organisations returned the support, working alongside the club each year to assist with the running and catering of the event.

Yarriambiack Shire Council deputy mayor and Hopetoun Ward councillor Shane Roberts is a continued supporter of the field days.

He said it was ashame to lose an event that positively affected so many people.

“It’s a major fundraiser for so many community groups and the broader area outside of Speed,” Cr Roberts said.

“When it is able to get up and running again, I certainly hope people come and support it, everyone benefits from it.”

Cr Roberts said the event was also a massive boost to the tourism economy for the small towns.

“It surely does put Speed on the map,” he said.

“For a lot of these smaller towns, people typically would just drive

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DISAPPOINTED: Patrons will have to wait another year to attend the Mallee Machinery Field Days. through, but for the Mallee Machinery Field Days people are spending money and staying there.

“That extends to Patchewollock, Sea Lake, Ouyen and Hopetoun.

“It’s probably going to hurt a lot of people.

“Not being able benefit from the tourism will takes its toll.”

– Dylan De Jong

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