Travis Maybery, a third-generation farmer on his family property between Mitre and Gymbowen, began the new season last week at Duffholme. He was hopeful of a good season, which would enable his first crop of balansa clover to be harvested and sold for seed, and his second of canola to be harvested for oil. Early predictions are for a warmer April to June quarter. Story, page 27.
Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
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Dry conditions forecast to continue
BY BRONWYN HASTINGS
Global models have forecast neutral to wetter rainfall and warmer weather nationally across the next six months, which may result in a disappointing season for many wheat, barley and canola producers.
Bendigo Bank Agribusiness agricultural analyst Joe Boyle said both South Australia and Victoria would fare worse than other states.
“Looking ahead, the three-month outlooks for April to June and May to July currently have large areas across the southern states at a greater than 50 per cent chance of having below median rainfall,” he said.
“However, the rainfall outlook is a bit more positive for northern New South Wales and Queensland and generally more favourable for Western Australia through May to July.
“The extremely dry conditions in South Australia have led to what is estimated to be the lowest production figure for the state since 2008.
“Victoria has also seen the lowest level of wheat production since extremely adverse conditions in 2018, with both states down around 40 per cent year-on-year.”
Mr Boyle said median rainfall had a lower chance of being met across the two states.
“Unfortunately, South Australia and
Victoria are forecast to have a well below 50 per cent chance of exceeding median rainfall in May at this stage, paired with a forecast for warmer than average weather, which is also likely to feed into drying conditions,” he said.
“Australian Crop Forecasters is projecting wheat, barley and canola production to be lower this year, reverting closer to the longer-term average levels.”
Agriculture Victoria seasonal risk agronomist Dale Grey said warm oceans to Australia’s north were providing moisture to Queensland and the eastern coast of New South Wales, while a positive southern annular
mode was pulling fronts further south, resulting in a late break for most of Victoria.
“Those things need to change, but when they do change, they normally have changed for the better,” he said.
“But the trouble is, we have zero predictability about when that might happen.
“Producers will start putting a fair bit in dry, because that’s what they always do when it doesn’t rain.”
Mr Grey said some soil moisture was not accessed last season.
“Soil moisture comes from a combination of what the crop was growing there last year, so people who grew things like hay, vetch and-or oats that
were terminated early, and people who had crops that were sown late and didn’t actually access all the moisture from two years ago,” he said.
“There’s what we call fossil soil, moisture underneath there in some of those Mallee paddocks that didn’t get used last year, and of course just before harvest last year we had some really heavy rain in parts of the state that put moisture into those profiles as well.
“The farmers have sprayed the weeds on those paddocks over summer and they’re just sitting there waiting, ready to go, waiting for a rain of almost any kind to kick things off.”
Pigeon Ponds lamb producer Tim
Leeming said the weekend saw about 18 millimetres of rain fall locally.
“When we put some of those little rainfalls on the previous weekend, it certainly germinated all our annuals and fired up the perennial grasses –the district’s starting to turn green, which is good,” he said.
“There’s been a lot of feed going out to livestock, a lot of people are sick of spending a lot of money and sick of the monotony of feeding stock, so it’s very nice to see green grass coming through, but we’ll need some followup rain very shortly.”
Mr Leeming said until significant, soaking rain falls, farmers would continue to cart water for stock.
“We’ve got a lot of stock water storage issues, a lot of farmers either run out of water or they’ve got very limited water, which causes pressure on parts of the farm,” he said.
“They might have to put all their livestock on certain areas of the farm, which can cause issues with overgrazing, and carting water to livestock is horrendously monotonous and expensive and time-consuming.
“We won’t really be out of jail until we get significant soaking rain during the winter, when we hopefully can fill up the soil profile and run a bit of water into catchments.
“Fingers crossed that happens.”
SOWING: Travis Maybery sowing balansa clover at Duffholme.
Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
OPEN TO PUBLIC
For those with long enough memories, the drought in Victoria’s south-west is the worst since 1967. Even I can’t remember that.
Just over the border, the South Australian government has well and truly come to the party, offering drought assistance now totalling $73million, while the Victorian government has committed only $13.53-million. Go figure.
The National Farmers Federation is calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to visit droughtstricken parts of Victoria this election campaign.
Unlike the Grampians fires, which did not occur during an election campaign, maybe some good old-fashioned pork-barreling might be in order for what is a now the marginal federal seat of Wannon.
I always get slightly annoyed when people say farmers are resilient. Indeed they are, but they have no choice.
The changing climate is only going to demand more resilience from farmers. Yet somehow, beef cattle producers navigating their way through the big dry have had their spirits lifted with the brighter prospects for the global beef market.
We’ve all been caught in the headlights of the Trump tariff mania.
Look a little closer as far as our $6-billion beef exports to the US go, things are on the up. US beef cattle prices are currently twice that of ours.
Editor of the US Cattle Buyers Weekly marketing and business newsletter, Steve Kay, told Country Today cattle are selling for the highest prices in decades, with the herd at its lowest since the 1950s due to drought.
“The live, fed steer price last week averaged,
Country Today
with Libby Price
and remember this is in $US, averaged $211.63 per hundred weight, and we’ve had record, or near record prices, all this year so far,” he said. Ok, so I’m not great at maths so I won’t attempt to calculate what that translates to in $A per kg.
The take-away point is – it is roughly double what Australian farmers are being paid for their grain fed cattle.
But wait, there’s more. Ranchers and feedlotters in the US are not in a hurry to rebuild their herds.
“Even though the prices from all classes of cattle, from calves to finished cattle, are at near record highs, it is not a sufficient incentive for ranchers to risk their finances to borrow money, because our interest rates are high … the last 10 to 20 years have made them as risk-averse as I’ve seen in my 35 years in covering the business,” Mr Kay said.
So all the signs, despite Trump threats of tariffs, are that Australia’s beef export market to the US look very promising.
“Australia’s beef, particularly lean manufacturing beef, is filling a critical shortage. Fifty ‘something’ of all our beef is in ground or what you call mince product, whether it’s hamburger beef patties to meat loaf … so Australia’s exports will be strong for the rest of the year and it is going to remain well into next year,” Mr Kay said.
Leaders release election wishlists
BY COLIN MacGILLIVRAY
Improved transport infrastruc-
ture and guidelines for a structured transition to renewable energy are among policy commitments sought by agricultural bodies ahead of this week’s federal election.
The Victorian Farmers Federation, VFF, National Farmers’ Federation, NFF, and grains industry body GrainGrowers have released election wishlists, with each sharing common themes.
NFF president David Jochinke, a Murra Warra farmer, said a lack of investment into regional infrastructure by successive governments needed to be redressed.
“The number one topic at any backyard barbecue is the state of regional roads,” he said.
“Potholes, blown tyres and detours aren’t just annoying, they’re slowing freight down and costing farmers time and money.
“This isn’t just about roads. It’s about investing in the entire supply
chain, from paddock to port, to keep Australian agriculture productive and competitive.”
Mr Jochinke said the NFF was calling for all political parties to commit an extra $1-billion annually to the Federal Government’s Roads to Recovery program and $4-billion to reinstate a Roads of Strategic Importance program targeting improvements to key freight corridors, as well as allocating one per cent of federal tax revenue to grants for local government road repair and maintenance.
Mr Jochinke also called on parties to back housing initiatives to facilitate regional worker migration, a $20-million on-farm telecommunications connectivity program, sustainable development of Australia’s water grid and $1-billion for new regional childcare centres.
GrainGrowers chair Rhys Turton also called for improvements to road and rail transport links.
“High supply-chain costs directly impact growers, and without improved road and rail infrastructure the
Smoke taint limits region’s vintages
Vineyards hit by smoke taint following the Grampians fires over summer have had their 2025 vintage affected.
Grampians Estate’s Mafeking vineyards was one of those to be struck by smoke taint, which is when vineyards and grapes are exposed to smoke resulting in wines tasting smoky, burnt, or ashy.
The grapevine growth stage, grape variety, smoke composition and the length of smoke exposure are factors determining whether smokeexposed grapes become tainted.
Grampians Estate owner Tom Guthrie said their Mafeking property, farming sheep and growing vineyards, was directly hit by the December 2024 fire, losing about 90 per cent of their grazing area and about 20 kilometres of fencing.
He has since spent 42 days with volunteer organisation BlazeAid to rebuild fences – about 90 per cent of his fencing is now restored.
Mr Guthrie said his attention then turned to vintage.
“I’ve spent the last five or six weeks full-on with vintage and getting all the wines under control,” he said.
One of Grampians Estate’s two vineyards is at the Guthries’ Mafeking property, producing just under half the winery’s total grapes.
Mr Guthrie said that vineyard was unusable this vintage due to testing positive to smoke taint – meaning the winery cannot produce its chardonnay or its premium Streeton Reserve Shiraz this year.
“We obviously didn’t have our own vineyard to pick because they tested positive to pretty high
Australian grain industry will struggle to compete in international markets,” he said.
“While we welcome the recent commitments for regional roads by both sides, this is a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed.
“Studies have shown that for every $1-million invested in our roadconstruction industry, $2.9-million in output is contributed to the economy, and $1.3-million of value is added to Australian GDP.
“While rail can effectively transport grain over long distances – producing 16 times less carbon pollution than road freight per tonne-kilometre travelled – a patchwork of track gauges, varied axle loads, and ageing infrastructure currently restricts capacity and addressing these issues must be a priority for the next Federal Government.”
Renewable transition
All three bodies listed a need to transition to renewable energy in a fair and orderly manner as crucial for the future of Australian agriculture.
VFF president Brett Hosking said the group supported a renewable energy transition but farmers and regional communities needed to be central to any discussions.
“Farmers aren’t opposed to progress, but we won’t accept a system where multinational energy companies dictate terms to local landholders,” he said.
“We want proper consultation, fair compensation, a fair go for our communities, and most of all we want Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton to listen.”
Mr Hosking called for the Federal Government to refrain from funding energy and transmission projects unless developers properly engaged with affected landholders and were governed by a mandatory code of conduct.
He also asked parties to commit to scrapping tax on compensation payments made to farmers hosting transmission infrastructure on their land.
“This isn’t a windfall, it’s compensa-
tion for lost productivity and ongoing disruption. Taxing these payments is giving with one hand and taking back with the other,” he said.
Mr Jochinke said the NFF also favoured a partnership-based approach to sustainability.
“Farmers manage more than half the country’s landscape and are at the forefront of emissions reduction, biodiversity protection, and land stewardship,” he said.
“Farmers need a collaborative approach that puts us at the centre of decision-making, not making us a victim of it.”
Mr Jochinke said clarity around emissions reporting, with standardised guidelines for measuring on-farm carbon, were important steps.
Mr Turton said GrainGrowers members wanted to see more proactive investment from the government to tackle climate change.
“Research shows that for every dollar invested in climate-resilient infrastructure, six dollars can be saved,” he said.
levels of smoke taint,” he said. “But our Great Western fruit was fine and we bought a bit from another Great Western vineyard, which we do normally anyway, so we had about 70 per cent of a normal vintage.
“That sort of fitted in pretty nicely given everyone’s selling a bit less after the fire.”
Visitation to all Grampians wineries has dropped since the fires, impacting wine sales.
The Grampians Estate cellar door, at Great Western, has noticed a significant drop in visitors this year with the downturn in tourists visiting the region.
Mr Guthrie said Fallen Giants Vineyard at Halls Gap and other vineyards in the Grampians region also had their vintage affected by smoke taint.
“It’s not been a good run. Of course, that’s on the production side, and then we’re struggling to get visitation back to the region, not just for us, but for accommodation and all the other things that happen in the area,” he said.
“It’s been a tough three to four months.”
– Lauren Henry
AFFECTED: Grampians
Estate owner Tom Guthrie said the business would produce about 70 per cent of a normal vintage due to one of his vineyards being unusable because of smoke taint from the Grampians fires over summer.
Passionate green collector
BY BRONWYN HASTINGS
John Deere enthusiast Ross Johns has added a ninth implement to his collection – an early tractor, manufactured within months of the company making the shift from horse-drawn to horsepower.
Mr Johns said he had been looking for the unique tractor for about five years when he was told of one to be auctioned at Michigan, in the USA.
“I bought it, fully restored, along with three other tractors and shipped them out,” he said.
“There was a bit of customs duty and taxes, but if you want it, you want it, and you have to pay the price.”
Mr Johns said he believed horsedrawn plough producer John Deere bought Waterloo Engine Company in 1918, and manufactured the tractor the following March.
“What I find really interesting about it, is it’s much easier to design a tractor once a tractor has been designed – this is very, very early, and has been made from imagination and creativity only,” he said.
A twin-cylinder, open-tappet engine that starts on petrol and runs on kerosene, the tractor is 25-horsepower on the belt and 12 on the drawbar – humble beginnings for the 500-odd-horsepower diesel tractors of today.
“My grandfather used to talk about driving horses and ploughing paddocks with horses,” Mr Johns said.
“It would have been amazingly tough back in those days, trying to feed the horses and keep them ready for operation.”
Mr Johns’ grandfather first purchased land in the Wimmera in 1873, but after losing it during the Great Depression in the 1930s, bought another property west of Warracknabeal in 1947, where the family still farms today.
“My son is taking over the opera-
tions of the farm,” Mr Johns said.
“I’m building myself into a bit of a retirement mode.”
Mr Johns shows the tractor at various events, including at Lake Goldsmith and Warracknabeal Agricultural Museum.
“It is quite a hit, quite a few people are very interested,” he said.
“It’s amazing the number of people who are interested in that sort of thing, but in agriculture, some
people are very passionately red, and I’m more than happy to be passionately green.”
Mr Johns houses his collection ‘tucked away’ in a shed and transports the 1919 to events.
“I’ve only had it going once,” he said.
“And it runs absolutely perfectly.”
Mr Johns won machine of the day at Wheatlands Agriculture Machinery Museum Easter rally.
Cross-border inequality
Farmers facing drought conditions across Victoria and South Australia can apply for financial assistance – up to $5000 for farm improvements and free financial counselling in Victoria, while cross-border counterparts could be eligible for up to $20,000 in waterrelated rebates.
Livestock South Australia chair Gillian Fennell said she had empathy for Victorian farmers, who had been granted $13-million compared with South Australia farmers’ $73-million in eligible funding.
“I have close relationships across the border, and I wish we could treat our farmers across Australia more equitably and fairly,” she said.
Ms Fennell said while the current drought did not affect the entire state, it did affect a significant number of South Australian producers.
“The biggest thing about this particular drought is that it’s affecting areas that are usually historically quite reliable for rainfall,” she said.
“The producers there are under an extra amount of pressure – I live up near the Northern Territory border in the desert and am quite used to the dry conditions, but some producers have never experienced those circumstances and it’s very distressing for them.”
Ms Fennell said she had been working closely with South Australia’s Agriculture Minister.
“She has been very supportive and very open to suggestions,” she said.
“South Australia is very Adelaide-centric, it takes a long time to convince the rest of the government that this is something that needs to be acted on with urgency, so I’m glad to see they have finally acknowledged that and have delivered a package that will bring relief.”
Ms Fennell said the eligibility-based $20,000 water storage and improvement rebates were helping producers with ongoing sustainability.
“It’s not a direct injection into producers’ pockets to help them manage the drought, but a commitment to help us be more sustainable in the future,” she said.
“They’ve got dams that are now dry, so they’re take the opportunity to clean them out, or installing tanks and troughs and pipe work.”
Producers can find out more about onfarm drought infrastructure grants at agriculture.vic.gov.au/support-andresources/funds-grants-programs/onfarm-drought-infrastructure-grants.
PROUD: Ross Johns with his 1919 John Deere tractor, the first model John Deere made, at Wheatlands Agricultural Machinery Museum where it won machine of the day during Warracknabeal Easter Festival.
DEMONSTRATION: Mark Hutchings and son Thomas at Wheatlands Agricultural Machinery Museum rally. Pictures: PAUL CARRACHER
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The right plan is crucial
Insurance o en gets a bad rap, with many people only thinking about it when things go wrong. But the true value of insurance comes to light when it works as it’s meant to—providing timely support and nancial relief when the unexpected happens.
Here are a few claim success stories that highlight how insurance can make a real di erence in people’s lives.
One of the most common and impactful scenarios involves home insurance. A homeowner in regional Victoria experienced signi cant water damage a er a burst pipe in their roof caused ooding throughout their home. anks to having the right level of coverage, the insurer was able to cover the repair costs and even provide temporary accommodation for the family while the damage was being xed.
Without insurance, this kind of sudden expense could have been nancially crippling. In the world
of business, insurance also plays a critical role. A small local café owner in Melbourne had her kitchen equipment destroyed in a re caused by an electrical fault. e damage was extensive, and the business was forced to close for several weeks.
However, with the proper business interruption and property insurance, she was able to replace her equipment and reopen without losing revenue, all while covering the cost of repairs and temporary closure.
Even in the case of car insurance, things can turn around thanks to the right policy. One driver in Sydney had her vehicle written o a er a collision with an uninsured motorist. While she initially feared her premiums would skyrocket or that her claim would be rejected, her comprehensive car insurance provided the necessary coverage, allowing her to replace her car and continue on without nancial strain. ese are just a few examples of how insurance can come to the rescue when disaster strikes.
“While it might seem like an unnecessary expense, the peace of mind and financial protection that comes with having the right insurance coverage is invaluable.
Whether it’s your home, business, or car, insurance ensures that you’re not left to deal with the consequences alone.”
Abbie Wilson, National Insurance Brokers NIBA VIC / TAS Broker Of The Year
Coalition makes a stand
BY LAUREN HENRY
Acoalition of agricultural groups concerned about Australia’s energy policy is growing across Victoria.
The groups believe the governments’ energy policies are ‘ripping up productive agricultural land, robbing rural communities of resources, and destroying large amounts of native habitat’.
The coalition includes many Wimmera groups – Dunmunkle Land Protection Group, Farm for Food, Firefighters Against Renewables Over Victoria, Mine Free Wimmera Farms, Southern Wimmera Renewables Research Association, Wimmera Mallee Alliance, Wimmera Mallee Environmental and Agricultural Protection Association, and Wallaloo and Gre Gre District Alliance.
Dunmunkle Land Protection Group chairman Andrew Weidemann hosted a meeting with representatives from more than 12 of the groups, who gathered to discuss the energy-related issues.
“It is time we challenged the very simplistic view that coal is a brown energy source and all other forms of energy are green,” Mr Weidemann said.
“Energy which rips through highly productive agricultural land and reduces our capacity to produce food is not green.
“While it is not the job of Australian farmers to determine
‘Your
“Victorian
food production is now under threat from energy projects spread across the entire state, including battery energy storage systems, mineral sand mines, wind turbines and solar panels”
– Andrew Weidemann, right
or fix Australia’s energy issues, as farmers we feel it is time to inform the broader community about what is really going on, and to seek to protect Australia’s food security.”
Mr Weidemann said the meeting did not capture all of the concerned entities across Victoria, but attracted a significant number of groups, each with a strong number of members and supporters, which materialised that there was a clear policy failure.
“Over the past 24 months, as a result of Australia and Victoria’s energy policies, hectares of agricultural land and native habitat have been placed under threat from energy providers seeking to reap the benefits of poorly thought-through policy,” he said.
“Globally, agriculture has to feed 8.2 billion people, a figure predicted to rise to 10 billion by 2050.
“Australian agriculture feeds our nation and provides 14 per cent of the country’s export revenue.
“Victorian farmers punch well above their weight by producing one quarter of Australia’s agricultural produce, on a tiny 1.5 per cent of the country’s land mass.
“Victorian food production is now under threat from energy projects spread across the entire state, including battery energy storage systems, mineral sand mines, wind turbines and solar panels.
“In addition to destroying farms, communities are concerned about the ability of energy and mining companies to manage fire risk, contain noise and dust, as well as demands on water, the removal of native habitat, and the toll these projects will have on already inadequate and unsafe rural roads, which councils will be left to fix
without any additional funding.”
Mr Weidemann said farmers were concerned that energy and mining companies showed a lack of respect for the farmers in the communities they sought to operate.
“Of grave concern is the stress that farmers are being placed under as a result of this situation, resulting in very poor mental health outcomes,” he said.
“Many of the farms identified in energy licences granted by the government, have been owned, operated and sustainability managed and improved by several generations of farmers.
“These families live in fear they will be forced to leave their farms, thereby denying one or possibly two future generations the opportunity to farm their land.”
Mr Weidemann said the coalition of groups was putting current and aspiring politicians, energy and mining companies, and the investment community on notice and questioning their values.
“We want to see a pledge to deliver and support sensible, sustainable and ethical energy and given the vast area of uninhabitable land across this country, we think this should be achievable without destroying farms and iconic landscapes,” he said.
“Victorian and federal politicians must ensure that Australia’s energy policy does not rob one industry to fix another.”
ticket to the table’ for AgXchange
Tickets are now on sale for the National Farmers’ Federation’s reimagined national conference AgXchange Australia 2025. Taking place on the Gold Coast on September 23 to 25, AgXchange will unite farmers, agribusinesses, policymakers, researchers and industry leaders to tackle the biggest issues facing agriculture.
NFF president and Murra Warra farmer David Jochinke said was not ‘just a talkfest’.
“It’s where practical ideas meet big-picture thinking to shape the future of Australian food and fibre production and distribution,” he said.
“Whether you’re working on the land, on the tools, in the lab, or at the policy table –AgXchange is your space to connect, collaborate and drive change.”
AgXchange is built around five themes: Innovation – from on-farm tech to productivity
breakthroughs; Sustainability – including carbon, water and circular economy challenges; Risk – tackling drought, biosecurity, succession and trade volatility; Farming Communities – covering workforce, safety and social license; and Supply Chain – from gate to global markets.
Over three days, attendees will hear from keynote speakers, take part in solution-focused panels, and get hands-on
in interactive sessions tailored for every part of the supply chain.
Mr Jochinke urged farmers and agricultural industry professionals to buy their tickets early.
“Don’t wait for change to happen to you. Be part of the conversation and help drive it. This is your seat at the table,” he said.
People can find more information at agxchange.com.au.
Ag workshops
Agriculture Victoria will host several workshops aimed at farmers in the coming months, with some planned for locations in the Wimmera and Grampians regions.
A roadshow presented by the BetterBeef and BestWool/ BestLamb networks will visit the Edenhope and District Community Centre at 76 Elizabeth Street, on May 28 – the first stop of a four-leg tour that will also take in Dunkeld, Warragul and Mansfield.
The four-and-a-half-hour workshop will comprise four sessions, with presenters including Nicon Rural Services’ Cam Nicholson, The Livestock Vet’s Jane Gaussen, Chiltern Park’s Ben Young and JT Agrisource’s Jason Trompf.
Morning tea is included. People can visit agriculture.vic. gov.au/support-and-resources/event-listing/betterbeef-andbestwoolbestlamb-networks-roadshow-edenhope for more information.
An event at Great Western Hall, 103 Main Street, on July 14 will see Mr Nicholson discuss low-carbon farming, with topics covered including productivity benefits to farm businesses; external factors driving a need to track farm emissions; carbon neutrality versus carbon intensity; the best calculators to determine farm emissions; farm data required to calculate emissions; and solutions available to the livestock and grains industry to help lower emissions in the future.
The workshop, from 2pm to 6pm, is free and people can register via agriculture.vic.gov.au/support-and-resources/ event-listing/great-western-low-emissions-farming-withcam-nicholson.
Mr Nicholson will present the same workshop on the following day, July 15, at Taylors Lake Hall, 2032 Horsham–Lubek Road, St Helens Plains, from 1pm to 5pm.
People can register for the Taylors Lake workshop via agriculture.vic.gov.au/support-and-resources/event-listing/ emissions-in-agriculture-opportunities-and-risks-with-camnicholson.
A workshop on farm business strategies will be at St Arnaud Sporting Club, 26 Dunstan Street, on July 23 and 24.
The two-day workshop will discuss and examine effective farm business strategies, covering financial tips, farm resources, human relationships, setting business goals, and tools and skills for farmers to use.
Agriculture Victoria’s Dale Grey will present a talk on climate risk and resource management, while Brendan Williams will lead a session on the latest agricultural technology.
The free workshop will be from 8.30am to 3pm both days. People can register via agriculture.vic.gov.au/support-andresources/event-listing/setting-strategies-for-farm-businesssuccess-st-arnaud.
Agriculture Victoria will also present an online farm business program starting on May 7.
The free five-module short course, presented on Wednesday evenings, will cover risk identification and management; strategic planning and setting business goals; financial management, budgeting and profitable decision making; managing people on farm, succession planning and farm safety; climate risk and natural-resource management; and business planning.
Each session will start at 7pm and will run for two hours.
As part of completing the course, participants will be offered a one-on-one session with Adam Jenkins from Rural People Co to review their business plan.
People can register via agriculture.vic.gov.au/support-andresources/event-listing/online-farm-business-program.
Make safety steps part of farm life
An awareness of community and devastation of work deaths prompted Rupanyup farmer Scott Arnold to share his story as part of WorkSafe’s ‘It’s never you, until it is’ campaign.
Mr Arnold’s family has farmed in the districts of Rupanyup North and Minyip for more than a century.
Instilled generationally, his world revolves around the land – growing crops, raising sheep and working alongside family and friends who share the same way of life.
In such a tight-knit community, he knows that when tragedy strikes, it rocks the whole region. That’s why he’s so passionate about farm safety –not just for his own family and workers, but for everyone around him.
That reality hit hard in February last year when a 61-year-old farmer was killed while loading grain from a silo into a truck at nearby Kellalac.
Just six days later, a 91-year-old farmer died after his quad bike struck a fence at Wallup.
“What put the spotlight on farm safety for me was seeing farm tragedies and the impact they have on the community,” Mr Arnold said.
“If something happened to me it’d be my wife Stacey and my two girls who are left behind.
“And our worker has a young family – the thought of making that phone
call and explaining what’s happened drove me to make changes.”
Since 2020, a further 77 workers in agriculture have been injured in the Wimmera. Of these, there were 18 vehicle and machinery injuries, 17 materials and substances injuries, and 14 caused by animals.
For Mr Arnold, the solution started with small but meaningful changes –simple steps like vehicle maintenance, personal protective equipment, and making sure everyone had the Vic-
Emergency App downloaded. The efforts grew Mr Arnold’s confidence, and he soon took on bigger tasks like improving the signage in his chemical storage shed and putting a formal induction process in place with the help of a WorkSafe inspector and other external services.
“The benefits I saw in the little things gave me more belief in what I was doing,” Mr Arnold said.
His advice to fellow farmers was to ask for help and take it one day at
ADVOCATE: Rupanyup farmer Scott Arnold hopes sharing his story encourages others to think about the small steps they can take to protect those around them.
into practice on your own farm – we can learn from each other.”
Mr Arnold shared his story as part of WorkSafe’s It’s never you, until it is campaign – which has returned to TV, radio, print, and online media to highlight the importance of farm safety.
WorkSafe executive director of health and safety Sam Jenkin said the campaign was about supporting farmers to take safety action in ways that worked for them.
“Farmers know their land, their vehicles and their teams better than anyone,” he said.
“We are here to give them the tools and confidence to make safety a routine part of farm life.”
As farmers across Victoria prepare for seeding, Mr Arnold hopes his story encourages others to think about the small steps they can take to protect those around them.
a time. “There is plenty to do, but as you fill in each piece of the puzzle, the next bit becomes easier. Don’t burden yourself with the whole thing and think it has to be done tomorrow,” he said.
“We need to get comfortable talking to each other about the way we do things on our farms.
“It might feel awkward to ask a mate how they handle safety on their farm, but once you start having these conversations it’s easier to put their ideas
“In my 20 years of farming, I’ve learned that unless you teach people the right way to approach tasks safely, they might not actually know something they do is unsafe,” he said.
“No job on the farm is important or urgent enough to skip safety steps and risk lives.
“When something happens on a farm it doesn’t just affect one person, it breaks an entire community.
“We can’t afford to wait until another mate, another parent, another worker doesn’t make it home.”
Family hooked on trials
BY BRONWYN HASTINGS
Edenhope’s Sarah Lee loves what she does – working alongside her husband and children, breeding and trialling working dogs across the country.
Originally from England, Mrs Lee said she met husband David on a cattle station in Queensland, where he bred Border Collies, before the couple moved further south after about eight years.
“We started to get into kelpies as well because the Collies weren’t ideal for working sheep, kelpies were more suited for the job,” she said.
“We saw a couple of yard dog trials and thought it looked like fun, so we gave it a go and have been hooked ever since.”
Mrs Lee said the trials had improved their stock-handling and dog training.
“You think you’ve got a good handle on your dog until you go to a dog trial, that’s when you see where the cracks are, but you go back and work on those bits,” she said.
The Lees have bred dogs for about 16 years, trialling across the country and gaining valuable experience in the process.
“We’re showing our kids that
trialling is more about the process than the prize,” Mrs Lee said.
“It’s great to win, but it’s even better to have fun, push ourselves to be better stockmen, and take every challenge as an opportunity to grow.”
The couple’s son Thomas, 10, also trains and trials his own dogs.
“He loves it – Jazz, one of his dogs, is such a great dog for him,” Mrs Lee said.
“She does everything he tells her to, and they have so much fun together. He does really well to remember the course and stay calm and cool in front of lots of people.
“He’s won an encourage with her, so now has to compete in the open with all the other adult handlers in the top class.”
Mrs Lee said the next generation of breeders were well-supported.
“It says a lot about the Victorian Yard Dog Association that they back the kids, and they want them there,” she said.
“You want the next generation coming through – and I also think it’s so much easier if you’ve done trials as a kid, you don’t get as nervous as when you’re an adult, it can be quite daunting.”
Mrs Lee said her daughter, seven-year-old Ivy, has her own dog but is a bit too little for trials yet.
“She loves it too, and when she’s
PASSIONATE:
Sarah Lee with Hank during Victorian yard dog championships at Natimuk. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
ready, I daresay you’ll see her out there.”
Mrs Lee said the business – The Lee’s Working Dogs – offers clinics and training sessions for people and their dogs.
“We’re very fortunate we get to
share our knowledge with other people and help them with their dogs,” she said.
“We get to do something for a business that we really enjoy and love and are passionate about it.”
Top sowing tips
Farmers can now run a germination test on seed retained from last year to assess viability and adjust sowing rates to give new crops the best possible start.
Many of last season’s crops in western Victoria were impacted by a dry finish and spring frosts last season, while in northern Victoria they were affected by rain during harvest.
Frost and drought can impact seedling vigour and germination, often by between 20 and 40 per cent. Ideally, rain-damaged seed should not be used for sowing; if seed contains shot grain from weather damage or poor storage, a germination test will help alter the sowing rate according to the seed viability, or determine if alternative seed is needed.
Seed kept for more than two seasons will generally have a lower germination percentage than fresh seed, as viability declines with age. In some cases, however, two-year-old seed that has been stored well may be a better option than fresh seed of poor quality.
Home germination testing methods for cereals, pulses and canola are available on Agriculture Victoria’s website.
Weather-damaged seed should ideally be tested in a laboratory for germination. Laboratories can also test for vigour, weed seeds and purity.
A range of accredited laboratories provide germination, vigour and weed seed testing.
For seed-borne disease testing, people can contact crop health services, Agriculture Victoria on 9032 7515 or email chs.reception@agriculture.vic.gov.au. Further information on retaining and testing crop seed for sowing can be found at agriculture.vic. gov.au/crops-and-horticulture/grains-pulses-andcereals.
Dry seasons support is available at agriculture.vic. gov.au/dryseasons or by calling 136 186. – Felicity Pritchard, Grains South West
Gene bank impresses trust head
Horsham SmartFarm show-
cased its Australian Grains Genebank to international visitors recently, including International Crop Trust head Stefan Schmitz.
The gene bank is one of 1750 worldwide that conserves and makes available plant material to assist in developing more resilient and productive crops.
Dr Schmitz said he was most impressed by the facility.
“The gene bank in Horsham is excellent,” he said.
“When looking at how many seeds from those gene banks, those genetic resources, are distributed every year to breeding companies, to researchers, to find their way from there to the farmers on the ground, you can imagine how important that is.
“The gene bank in Horsham alone is in constant contact with all the other gene banks around the world.
“There is a constant exchange of plant genetic resources to make sure that researchers and breeders are constantly able to find new genetic traits for better varieties that are better adapted to climate change, to higher temperature, to new pests and diseases, come up with varieties that are more resource efficient, or that have a higher nutritional value and the like.”
Dr Schmitz said a green revolution was needed to produce better,
and more food, to overcome world hunger.
“I think we need another green sustainability revolution that enables us to produce more and better food and food for all without exploiting the planet,” he said.
“To stay within the limits of the planet, make agriculture sustainable, and this is possible if we all are aware
of the great treasure trove of crop diversity, of genetic diversity.
“Using this as a starting point for modern breeding, for repatriation, for all kinds of agronomic innovation to make sure that we have a safe future with more sustainable, better food systems.
“It is possible, but we need a prerequisite for all of that, we need to
conserve the old varieties and use them as raw material for the future, for better varieties. That, I think, is a crucial point.”
Dr Schmitz said it was important gene banks worldwide were wellmaintained and functioning.
“In a country like Australia, this is no problem, however gene banks in Africa, in Southeast Asia and Latin
AGRIMAC IS YOUR TRUSTED KRONE DEALER IN THE WIMMERA-MALLEE
America are in a desperate state,” he said.
“That is where the work of the crop trust comes in. We support them in upgrading the gene banks, in trading, in building modern information systems and so on.”
Dr Schmitz said the crop trust had worked with other international organisations to ensure Ukraine’s gene bank was protected.
“We helped Ukrainian colleagues to safely duplicate all their seeds they have conserved, send those safety duplicates outside the country and also relocate the gene bank as such from the east part of Ukraine to the far west, where it’s regarded to be much safer,” he said.
“Global co-operation is more important than ever before; genetic resources are spread around the world.
“Agriculture started many years ago in many parts of the world. There is not one, except for the macadamia, not one crop that originated from Australia. We are all absolutely interdependent on food.”
Following the Horsham visit, Dr Schmitz travelled with genebank research leader and plant genetic resources leader Dr Sally Norton to Canberra to be part of panel discussion ‘Crop Diversity: A lifeline for resilience, peace, nutrition and food security’ with CSIRO scientist Dr Tony Fischer.
TOUR: Horsham research and plant genetic resources leader Sally Norton, International Crop Trust head Stefan Schmitz and The Crawford Fund board member Tony Gregson during a tour of the Australian Grains Genebank in Horsham.
VFF: Scrap the tax
The Victorian Farmers Federation, VFF, is encouraging people to contact their local Members of Parliament to demand they vote to scrap the State Government’s proposed new emergency services tax.
VFF president and Quambatook farmer Brett Hosking said the unfair proposed tax hike had sparked unity among farmers, firefighters, councils and the business community, who were all campaigning against the tax and calling for it to be dumped.
“This tax is unfair, unnecessary, and completely out of step with what Victorians expect from their government,” he said.
“It’s time for the community to raise their voice and let politicians know they won’t stand for yet another hit to the household and business bottom line.”
With the legislation yet to pass the Upper House after the Bill was deferred last month, the levy will come before Parliament again in the coming weeks.
The VFF is calling on concerned Victorians to contact MPs and crossbench representatives to voice their opposition and demand a vote against the bill.
The VFF had earlier called for the Bill to be referred to a parliamentary inquiry to ensure the community
had a voice in the process. “This tax has no support, not from the fire services, not from local councils, and not from the people who’ll be forced to pay it,” Mr Hosking said.
“The Upper House has the chance to stop it in its tracks, but they need to hear loud and clear from the people they represent.”
Rather than introducing a new layer of tax, the VFF is urging the State Government to focus on fixing the current Fire Services Property Levy system by introducing CPI caps, protecting households from levy shock due to inflated land values, and ensuring regional communities are not overcharged for the services they provide as volunteers.
“This is a moment for the Victorian community to stand up and say ‘enough is enough’. Don’t burn regional Victoria with more taxes,” Mr Hosking said.
Mr Hosking slammed the levy as ‘a blatant cash grab that unfairly punishes farmers’.
“The median fire services levy for primary producers will skyrocket by 109 per cent, from $621 to $1299 per assessment, with some landholders facing hikes in the tens of thousands of dollars,” he said.
Residential property owners will see a much lower increase of 32 per cent.
Ararat South farmer Bruce Mac-
kay said the increasing costs of the levy was a discouragement to enticing farmers to the industry.
“Last year we paid $6000 in our fire levy. This year we paid $17,000 and next year it is approaching $40,000,” he said.
“We’re getting bugger all for it and people have got to remember in the country, the farmers put out their own fire.
“In the Grampians, fighting the fires in the Grampians, when the fire came out of the mountain itself and entered grazing country, it was put out by volunteers, mainly with their own trucks and own equipment.
“It wasn’t government funded, it was volunteers who were using their own machinery, trucks, fire trucks, and graders – the whole shebang was donated and the government wasn’t even putting the bill for it.
“It’s an absolute disgrace. It’s just a money grab for this state that’s in diabolical trouble and hit the country people – they don’t even want to know the country people any other time of the year, but when there’s a new tax and they can get some money out of them, they’re all over them.”
For more information, including a letter template how to contact local MPs, can be found at bit. ly/4cGIASV.
Disease guides now available
Agriculture Victoria has released new disease guides for grain growers who are keen to review their management plans for winter crops this season.
Supported by Grains Research and Development Corporation, the updated guides rank varieties for disease susceptibility and provide advice on reducing disease risk.
The guides are relevant for both new and commonly grown grains such as wheat, barley, oats, lentil, field pea, faba bean and chickpea.
Agriculture Victoria plant pathology research leader Joshua Fanning said the guides would help growers make seasonally informed decisions around disease management.
“Despite less disease observed last year, any paddocks with stubble remaining that had disease previously, will increase the risk,” he said.
“Proactively managing disease will be important, as seasonal conditions will determine the severity of disease.
“Widespread use of susceptible varieties will increase the risk if conditions are favourable for disease development.
“Testing prior to sowing will identify paddocks at risk of soil-borne disease and help growers choose less susceptible varieties.”
Agriculture Victoria cereal pathologist Hari Dadu said fungicide resistance was an increasing issue.
“During last year’s season, net form net blotch showed widespread resistance to fungicide resistance,” he said.
“The disease guide will assist in selecting varieties with resistance to various diseases, reducing the need for fungicide applications and supporting better management.”
The new disease ratings are based on an understanding of diseases present in Victoria and on data collected from plant pathologists with GRDC support.
The 2025 Cereal Disease Guide and 2025 Pulse Disease Guide are available on website agriculture.vic.gov.au.
Agriculture Victoria plant pathology research leader
