Farm Talk March

SOUTHERN RIVERINA & MID MURRAY MONTHLY RURAL MAGAZINE

MARCH 2020

Inherited love of dairy PAGE 3

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’Farm Talk’, March 2020 — Page 1

SOUTHERN RIVERINA & MID MURRAY MONTHLY RURAL MAGAZINE

MARCH 2020

Inherited love of dairy PAGE 3

The Fire Service Levy, farmers and fairness

By JUSTINE KEECH

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PUBLISHED BY DENILIQUIN PASTORAL TIMES 230 Cressy Street, Deniliquin NSW 2710 Phone (03) 5881 2322

Advertising Leesa Muir

Sarah Bain

Production Alex Paul

Editorial Zoe McMaugh Daniel Hughes

Front Cover Kristen Clark gave up an engineering career in Sydney to pursue her real life’s passion, dairy farming and agriculture.

Three generations of women in her family are now involved in dairying at their Finley farm.

April 2020 issue To be published April 14, 2020.

Advertising booking deadline March 13, 2020.

Contact your local advertising representative: Deniliquin Leesa Muir (03) 5881 2322 leesa.muir@denipt.com.au Finley Sarah Bain (03) 5883 1033 sarah.bain@ southernriverinanews.com.au

Information contained in this magazine is presented only after being carefully researched.

However, there are differences in state and regional regulations and conditions. Farmers are asked to check their own advisors. FARMtalk can assume no responsibility for the contents.

Driving the Snowy Mountains Highway to the South Coast bears witness to the ferocity and scale of the recent bushfires.

It is difficult to comprehend the sheer magnitude of destruction until you see it.

The impact on the coastal towns is no less terrible — with shops full of stock and no customers.

It also gives plenty of time to contemplate how best to assist those rural and regional communities that have been affected.

Complaints are starting to pour in regarding the distribution of charitable funds to those affected by bushfires.

Most of these people are uninsured or underinsured and are in the dreadful situation of being dependent on charitable donations.

What many people are unaware of is that currently in NSW there is a fire service levy (FSL) which is applied to those insuring their property and forms a significant portion of insurance premiums.

This levy goes to the running of the NSW fire brigades including the RFS. The levy fluctuates be-

tween 30 per cent and 40 per cent for commercial property and approximately 20 per cent for domestic property insured for fire.

This bumps up insurance premiums considerably and, for some, makes insurance too expensive.

From an agricultural perspective it also creates a disparity between farming sectors.

For example, say it costs $1000 for a dairy farmer who insures his infrastructure for $500,000. He will pay an extra $300 plus for the FSL on the dairy.

A cereal grower with a $500,000 tractor which is comprehensively insured for $1000 will pay nothing extra.

Worse still, if both farmers qualify for the NSW stamp

duty exemption the dairy insurance still attracts nine per cent stamp duty while the tractor is exempt.

So the dairy costs $1417 to insure while the tractor costs $1000.

The application of FSL on insurance also leads to an inequitable situation whereby only those insured contribute to the running of our fire brigades.

NSW is the only state in Australia still levying insurance while all others apply it to rates which is far more equitable to all and would make insurance more affordable.

Perhaps a very proactive way to assist rural and regional communities in the future is the removal of FSL from insurance and it’s something we can all lobby for.

In the short term holidaying or taking a short break in towns affected by the bushfires is a great way to buoy both spirits and empty cash registers and you will feel great for it!

■ Justine Keech (pictured) is managing director of Peppin Insurance, a Deniliquin-based general insurance broker specialising in rural and regional insurance.

Permits still needed in March Permits are still required for all agricultural burns until the end of March, the Rural Fire Service has reminded all landholders.

The Bush Fire Danger Period which runs from the October 1 to March 31 each year, which Mid Murray Zone district officer Inspector Doug Adamson said is about safety for all.

He said the key to the safety both in the danger period at at other times of the year is communication. ‘‘One of the most important things to remember is notifying neighbours and your nearest Fire Control Centre

Page 2 — ’Farm Talk’, March 2020

of you intention to burn,’’ he said.

Permits can be obtained from your local Rural Fire Service brigade, and will be issued for agricultural burning of grass and stubble. The permits to not extend to timber. ‘‘We have just come out of our December and January no burn period, when no permits are issued,’’ Insp Adamson said. ‘‘It is reaching the end of the permit season when they are no longer required required from April 1 until September 30, when timber

can be freely burnt during this time. ‘‘Although permits are not required from April to September, standard permit conditions still apply.’’

Insp Adamson said these conditions include: ● Installing fire breaks around the area to be burnt; ● Notifying neighbours and Fire Control Centre of your burn; ● Having firefighting equipment in working order with an adequate water supply on site; and ● Having a responsible person on site.

Inherited love of dairy Three generations of women from the same family are now working at the Finley dairy farm ‘Glenbank’.

Helen Clark has fostered a love of the industry in her daughters Kristen Clark and Donna Lucas, and now Donna’s daughter Eliza is working at the dairy to earn a little extra money.

Kristen has worked on the family farm for the last 11 years, and said their story helps highlight that there are ‘‘plenty of opportunity for women in the dairy industry’’.

The produce from their Tuppal Rd dairy is supplied to Riverina Fresh.

Family succession is actively in play at the farm, with Kristen and Donna slowly taking over ‘front of house’ duties from their mother.

Helen has run the dairy for more than 40 years and has acted as a mentor for her daughters. ‘‘Donna and I share the management and our mum oversees the whole thing,’’ Kristina said. ‘‘The dynamics work well. ‘‘There are some things I’m better at and there’s some things Donna’s better at, so by sticking to our strengths we compliment each other well.’’

The sisters also have help from seven full-time employees on the farm, and have 900 cows and 1000 hectares of land to manage.

Over the last few years they have faced their fair share of challenges, including reducing the herd size and changing feeding methods due to the ongoing drought and water availability issues. ‘‘We currently produce

■ Eliza and Kristen Clark on the family dairy farm at Finley. about eight million litres of milk a year under drought conditions,’’ Kristen said. ‘‘Before the drought we were increasing our production, with plans to reach nine million litres plus, but because of the drought we’ve cut back. ‘‘We had to reduce our herd size because of the cost of feed. ‘‘We feed our cows conserved sodder on the feed pad. ‘‘We can’t grow any grass because of the zero general water security allocations (in the NSW Murray Valley) and it’s too expensive. ‘‘In spring we harvested some of our crops and bought a lot of the neighbours failed crops, and we just feed that to the cows.’’

Kristen said while she was always drawn to dairying because of the passion shown by her mother, it was not the first career path she followed.

She returned to the family farm 11 years ago after mov-

ing to Sydney straight out of high school,.

She said it made her realise where her true passion lay. ‘‘I used to work as an engineer in Sydney, but an office job wasn’t for me,’’ she said. ‘‘I decided to come back to this because I like the variety of the job. ‘‘The city life just wasn’t for me.’’

Kristen said she enjoys the culture of the industry, and has watched it evolve to offer more prominent roles for females in the industry. ‘‘My favourite part of the dairy industry is perhaps the community and the support within the dairy industry. If you’ve got a problem you can just go to another dairy farmer and they’ll help you out. ‘‘There’s a network of dairy farmers and we all support one another. ‘‘There’s a lot of couples that run dairy farms out there and the wives are pretty hands on. ‘‘There are a few like ours

too — female only enterprises. ‘‘It’s probably changed a bit over the years that women are more actively involved in the management. ‘‘To all the young women who are looking at dairy farming as a career path, I’d say it’s hard work but there’s a good career path in it if you’re willing to get in and have a go. There’s a lot of opportunities for the right people.’’

Eliza graduated from Finley High School last year, and while she cannot see a full-time career in dairying in her immediate future, she won’t discount it altogether. ‘‘I watch aunty Kris and mum and they work really hard; it’s inspiring to see them,’’ Eliza said. ‘‘It’s a little bit hard at the moment to see a future in dairy especially with the drought, but hopefully things will improve. ‘‘Maybe somewhere along the line I’d like to come back to the farm.’’

’Farm Talk’, March 2020 — Page 3

Keys to pasture establishment

By ADRIAN SMITH Fire and ongoing drought, coupled with increased grazing pressure, may see the need for some producers to consider (re) establishing new pastures this year.

Establishment costs of new pastures can be quite high.

We need to ensure we get good establishment in the first year, to ensure the pasture is productive over the medium to long term.

What are the keys to successful pasture establishment?

1. Planning.

Establishing new pastures can cost well over $200 to $300 per hectare, so it is important to ensure you get a good result!

Plan well in advance of sowing — considering factors such as soil limitations and weed and pest control.

2. Soil fertility.

A soil test will identify any soil issues which need correcting.

Issues to be particularly aware of are soil acidity, nutrient status and potential imbalances or toxicities (such as high aluminium levels).

3. Choose the right variety.

Choose your pasture species based on soil type, rainfall (or irrigation) requirements, maturity, and disease and waterlogging tolerance.

A mix of legumes and grasses will provide high quality pastures for your livestock.

Always use high-quality, certified seed.

Seed cost is a relatively small component of the overall budget, and certified seed will ensure high germination rates and minimise impurities — especially weed seeds.

Seed treatment is also an important consideration.

If sowing legumes, inoculation with the correct strain of rhizobia is essential — particularly where there is no recent history of legumes in the paddock.

Local testing of rhizobia strains in pasture legumes (e.g. sub clover) has shown relying on pre-inoculated (coated) seed to be unreliable.

If using preinoculated seed, ensure it is sown within six weeks of the inoculation date. Consider other seed treatments to minimise problems caused by pests and diseases.

4. Correct seeding rate.

Lowering seeding rates will result in lower production, whilst providing greater opportunity for weeds to germinate and establish.

Always take note of the recommended seeding rate — and if conditions are less than ideal, consider increasing the rate.

5. Sow with good soil moisture.

Favourable conditions are desirable for at least a couple of weeks after sowing.

When sowing dryland pastures, aim to sow with a good profile of moisture. Sowing into the late autumn-winter

out before the root enters the soil. ● Aim to sow to a depth of 1-2cm, cover lightly with soil, and get good seed-soil contact (use a rubber tyred roller or similar).

will reduce pasture establishment, growth and production.

6. Soil temperature.

Apart from the obvious issues around increased water requirements, high soil temperatures will inhibit germination of many annual pasture species.

The ideal soil temperature (at sowing depth) for ryegrass is 15-25°C. The most practical indicator is to use average daily air temperature over a period of 7-10 days.

7. Seedbed preparation.

Everyone has their own ideas of what works best for them — a prepared seedbed, direct drilling, broadcasting etc.

Whatever method you choose, critical things to remember are: ● Sow seed shallow.

Sowing too deep will significantly reduce germination and establishment, whilst dropping seed on the surface can often lead to ‘harvesting’ by ants, or the seed drying

8. Monitor.

Once your newly established pasture is on its way, keep an eye out for weed germinations and any pests — in particular red-legged earth mites and aphids.

Get on top of these early, to minimise costs and any impacts on pasture productivity.

9. Grazing management.

Successful pastures, once established, are very dependent on suitable grazing management in their first year: ● Do not graze too early – plants must resist being ‘pulled out’; ● Graze lightly to encourage tillering and good root development; and ● Ensure good seedset by minimising grazing during the flowering and seed production period.

Landholders wanting further advice on their pasture management should contact their consultants, advisors or resellers, or a member of the Agricultural Extension team at Murray Local Land Services.

■ Adrian Smith is senior lands services officer – mixed farming with Murray Local Land Services.

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Page 4 — ’Farm Talk’, March 2020

Family success story The Rorato name has been synonymous with good quality produce in the Southern Riverina for almost three decades, when Sergio Rorato planted his first tomato crop at their Jerilderie property.

With his children joining him in business, the Roratos have built an envious enterprise.

Their juicy tomatoes are supplied to consumers under the name of Billabong Produce, and in recent years Sergio’s children have helped expand the business to also produce quality grains and other food and fibre products.

Sergio’s sons Glen and Allan have turned to growing barley, wheat, corn and cotton in recent years to supplement the business, and another son Luciano produces olive oil.

But not even a long standing tradition of quality produce could help the family escape the impacts of drought and zero water allocations plaguing the NSW Murray Valley.

The tomato crop harvested in February represented just over three per cent of the capacity for the farming business.

And the lack of water has prevented the family from grow-

ing any other crop this season. ‘‘We’ve got some good guys and girls around us and some good land, but the biggest problem is water,’’ Glen said. ‘‘We’re irrigation farmers, so that’s one resource that we need to operate no matter what. ‘‘When the water’s going good we can grow a lot, the maximum we’ve grown on a summer crop has been 3,500 hectares. ‘‘This year we’ve only got tomatoes in, and only 120 hectares of tomatoes, because we simply did not have enough water to grow anything else. ‘‘In previous years we’d have another 1000ha of corn and 1000ha of cotton, but this year we’ve only got the tomatoes in. ‘‘In a season like this we might only just break even, but that won’t stop us from trying again next year.’’ The Roratos have spent the last few years improving farming techniques to better adjust to a future of less water, which Glen said has been a saving grace for the family during these no allocation years. ‘‘We’ve changed some of our irrigation techniques from scythe to high flow outlets, to be more efficient with our water,’’ Glen said.

■Allan, Sergio, Sandra, Glenn Rorato work together harmoniously at the Billabong Produce farm. ‘‘Between that and drip irrigation we’re probably as efficient as we can be with water. ‘‘We’re always changing our farming systems to be more efficient as well as changing our farm layout so we can automate it. ‘‘The automation means instead of running long 12 hour irrigation shifts, we can run six and seven hours, so it’s more efficient and the crop grows better for it.’’ The tomato season starts at the end of September and harvest begins in late February, and usually takes about six weeks.

Tomato crops take an average of 5.5 megalitres of water per hectare, and can yield between 8,000 to 15,000 tonnes of tom-

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atoes depending on water availability.

The business has the capacity to package more than 120,000 bottles and 60,000 cans of tomato sauce in a 24 hour working day. It employs more than 50 people, and up to 60 to 70 people in peak harvest season. ‘‘We originally harvest into 13 tonne bins then on to a flume to be washed through a water channel, up through a conveyer, into final tubs for another wash before they go inside the factory into the electronic sorter,’’ Glen explained. ‘‘The sorter then separates any green tomatoes which get transported back out on to the belt which will be taken for stock feed. ‘‘Along the table we

have manual sorters for the ripe tomatoes, after which they get crushed and heated then pealed. From there they move to the fillers to both cans and bottle fillers. ‘‘I think what our staff appreciate is that we work beside them every day; we’re part of the team and they appreciate that and we appreciate the hard work the team does for us.’’ Sergio migrated to Australia and then Jerilderie in 1965. He originated from a small town about 30km from Venice.

Before launching in to tomatoes 27 years ago, Sergio had rockmelons, onions, grapes and carrots on the family farm, but primarily Merino sheep.

Re-Gen Farming can assist and support you with extensive knowledge and products to improve your soil health.

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Contact Luke Harrington, Soil Health Coach 0427 138 100 Email: luke@re-genfarming.com.au ’Farm Talk’, March 2020 — Page 5

Lead: A risk to livestock and people

By LINDA SEARLE Have you ever stopped to think about what dangers lurk in your paddocks?

While you might not think of an old battery as being particularly dangerous, they can cause issues for both you and your stock.

Lead is sweet and can actively be sought by livestock, particularly cattle.

This risk increases when feed is light as animals will go wondering for a pick, especially around sheds and dumps.

Less ground cover can unearth hidden batteries, particularly by pumps, fences or old cars.

Batteries are particularly problematic as the acid conditions alters the lead, making it easier to absorb when eaten.

While old batteries are the most common issue lead can also be found in: ● old lead paint, either on old buildings or paint cans ● linoleum ● sump oil

Rob Brown

and walk with a high stepping gate.

Sometimes livestock show muscle twitches, especially around the face. They can also have a paralysed tongue, circling and star gazing.

These symptoms can look the same as other diseases such as plant toxicity, Polioencephalomalacia (PEM) or grass tetany, so a vet should be called to diagnose the illness. Some animals may not show signs but still have a residue issue.

Lead will accumulate in the ● silage contaminated by liver and kidneys and can remain elevated for months. lead shot This makes them unable to ● caulking putty ● leadlight windows ● lead pipe joins ● lead weights ● sinkers.

Regional and rural comToo much lead can be munities across NSW are deadly to stock.

Sometimes the first sign of being encouraged to nomian issue is dead stock. This is nate to host the 2021 NSW often the case with young, Rural Women’s Gathering. inquisitive cattle that explore Women’s Gathering weekthe environment by tasting it. ends are organised by the Other symptoms of lead host community for all rural poisoning include blindness, women across the state, supwhich is often noticed when ported by guidance and trainlivestock bump into things ing from the NSW Depart-

Paul Marshall

enter the food chain, until the lead has reduced to a safe level.

This takes a minimum of one year, potentially longer.

Cases of lead toxicity are followed up by district vets in NSW, usually resulting in all the stock with possible exposure being tested.

More information can be found on the Primefact ‘Lead affected cattle’, or by calling your local district vet.

■ Linda Searle (pictured) is a district veterinarian with Murray Local Land Services.

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Research can now begin A four year research project that may change the face of food and fibre production in the Southern Riverina is expected to start in Finley this April.

Federal Government funding committed during the May 2019 election has played a large role is securing the project.

The $368,000 was awarded to Southern Growers Inc to improve the Finley Irrigated Research and Extension site.

It will specifically contribute to the purchase of an overhead irrigation system which is due to be fully operational by April 8.

Part of the funding will also be used to develop complementary irrigation infrastructure, road construction on site, a small shed for tools and machinery and to host workshops.

The facility itself will comprise about 80 hectares of experimental crops, sheds and research facilities.

Southern Growers Inc

chair Geoff McLeod said the funding commitment, for which contracts with the Australian Government were recently finalised, has helped secure projects with two major research companies — Grains Research and Development Corporation and the Smarter Irrigation for Profit Program. ‘‘Researchers on behalf of GRDC will be undertaking experimentation on growing higher yielding chick peas, faba beans, durum wheat and canola in our Riverina climate,’’ Mr McLeod said. ‘‘The four year project will start in April 2020 in time to utilise the installed irrigation systems. ‘‘Of course any grain yield returns that we get back from the projects will be directly funded back in to the projects to increase self sufficiency. ‘‘What we’re looking at doing is trialling things that people aren’t necessarily trying on their own farm now, to see whether moving towards

■ Member for Farrar Sussan Ley looks over the facility plans with Southern Growers Inc volunteers (from left) Ian Mason, Andrew Harding and Geoff McLeod. other crops may improve business profitability. ‘‘People don’t have the spare cash to take risks associated with trying different crop management, and it often takes three to four years to understand if something’s going to be feasible. ‘‘The need to improve what we’re doing on the farm has been highlighted more so in these dryer years. We need to be able to generate as much production as we can from the water that we have available to use.’’

Double cropping will also be actively investigated at the facility.

‘‘We have two projects about to start, and for both projects there is an allowance to purchase water for the research,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s important that our region is achieving a return on the growers’ levy that’s provided to GRDC from our crops. We now have the facilities to support research that can benefit our region.’’

Mr McLeod said any research data collected at the facility would be used as an education tool, and guide local farmer group discussions.

He said there would be field days, farm walks and discussion groups planned.

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■ The winning team (from left) Craig Lowe, Albert Libenberg, Albert Schoeman, Robert Matthews, Ron Kopanica and Wilhelm Greve with the salamis they made in 2018.

Second trophy for connoisseurs There is an art to making a good salami, and a group of six men from Deniliquin found the right technique going in to the Salami Competition judging at Pretty Pine in February.

Representing a melting pot

of nationalities, their unique palettes combined well to develop the best salami of the year.

Winning team members include Wilhelm Greve who is originally from Germany, South Africans Albert

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Liebenberg and Albert Schoeman, Czechoslovakian Ron Kopanica and homegrown Aussies Robert Matthews and Craig Lowe.

The group has been working together to make salami for more than 10 years, and once perfected took their products to the salami competition. ‘‘We first entered in the Pretty Pine competition in 2014 and won the event that year,’’ Mr Greve said. ‘‘We then came third and then second in the following years, and then this year we’ve won again. ‘‘I’m not too sure how it all started. We just wanted to try something new and we couldn’t get our hands on what we wanted locally, so we thought why not make it ourselves. ‘‘We give quite a bit away to friends and family but every now and then we’ll have a weekend barbecue, have some drinks, catch up and enjoy the food; that’s what it’s all about, just having a bit of fun.’’

Mr Greve said the key to winning the competition is consistency, good produce, having a good ‘‘spice man’’ and constantly monitoring the long ageing process. ‘‘The competition differs based on the herbs and spices that are used,’’ he said. ‘‘Every year is different, we adjust certain things slightly to get a different taste. ‘‘We use good lean pork meat from local producer Tristan Donaldson. We strip away any fat, then we mince

it and mix in our secret herbs and spices. ‘‘We pump it into the skin and tie them up and hang them up in my shed. ‘‘We start doing this either the weekend before or after the June long weekend. ‘‘The most important thing in the ageing process is that the meat needs to stay in cool weather. ‘‘If we get a dry winter then there isn’t too much moisture in the air and the salami can dry out, so we have to monitor it quite regularly and add additional things like cable ties or shrink netting to try and keep the meat from drying out.’’ ‘‘Craig is our herb and spices man, he does a good job each year.’’

Taste is only one part of the judging process each year, with appearance and presentation also key factors. ‘‘We keep more or less the same recipe each year, and we pay extra detail to the ingredients we use,’’ Mr Greve said. ‘‘The main thing we have learned over the years to measure everything in grams per kilo of meat to get everything right.’’

Judges for the 2020 awards ceremony were Dan Salmon, Belinda Lambert and Rachael James.

There was also a presentation for the People’s Choice Award for Best Home Brew, which went to Glenn Waterfall for his Limoncillo.

Drought initiative drives demand There is a goat dairy outside Cohuna going from strength to strength, struggling to keep up with Australia’s demand for its soaps.

Sarah Mostyn (pictured) runs Windella Farm and said the business took off almost overnight in November after she posted her products to a page highlighting goods in drought affected areas. ‘‘It was overwhelming, there were huge numbers of orders from all these new customers which was amazing,’’ Sarah said. ‘‘It also cleaned me out of all my Christmas stock so there was a mad rush to make more in time for December markets.’’ Sarah believes the future for Cohuna and other rural areas lies in diversifying and adopting value-add products. ‘‘We started with the dairy goats and now unexpectedly the soap and other value-add products are a much bigger parts of our business than what we’d intended,’’ she said. ‘‘I hope our agriculture can recoup from the situation we are in at the moment and I

hope that change happens because we are so well positioned to be a food bowl.’’ In addition to going from a full time accounting job to a full time goat farmer, Sarah also runs Cohuna’s monthly farmers markets and will oversee the 2020 Big Cohuna Festival. ‘‘Time is always short but they say ask a busy person if you want to get something done,’’ she laughed.

Sarah and her husband Shayne own and operate Windella Farm, which produces soaps, bath and body products with goat milk. ‘‘Our journey began in 2012 when we left our lifetime of city living for a tree change to Cohuna,’’ Sarah said. ‘‘We quickly fell in love with the rural lifestyle and the vibrant community spirit.

‘‘While Cohuna is prime dairy cattle country, we had something different in mind. ‘‘Along our journey to building our boutique dairy goat herd we have found goats to be inquisitive, friendly and loveable creatures. ‘‘We now produce a wide range of luxury handmade soaps, bath and body products all made on-farm based on the philosophy that ‘natural is best’.’’

Ending water secrecy ,Q $XWXPQ ,¡P LQWURGXFLQJ D QHZ ELOO LQWR SDUOLDPHQW WR HQG WKH VHFUHF\ RQ ZDWHU RZQHUVKLS 7KHUH DUH SROLWLFLDQV IRUHLJQ FRPSDQLHV 6\GQH\ WUDGHUV DQG FHOHEULWLHV ZKR RZQ DQG WUDGH ZDWHU %XW ULJKW QRZ LW¡V LPSRVVLEOH WR À QG RXW WKHLU QDPHV 16: 3ROLWLFLDQV DUH DOORZHG WR RZQ DQG WUDGH PLOOLRQV RI GROODUV ZRUWK RI ZDWHU %XW WKHUH¡V QR REOLJDWLRQ RQ WKHP WR WHOO WKHP SXEOLF DERXW LW 7KH À UVW VWHS WR À [LQJ RXU ZDWHU LV WR À QGLQJ RXW ZKR RZQV LW 0\ ELOO ZLOO GR WKUHH WKLQJV @ &KDQJHV WKH FRQà LFW RI LQWHUHVW IRUP IRU 16: SROLWLFLDQV VR WKH\ KDYH WR GHFODUH WKHLU ZDWHU RZQHUVKLS @ &KDQJHV WKH DSSOLFDWLRQ SURFHVV IRU JHWWLQJ D ZDWHU OLFHQFH VR SHRSOH FDQ¡W KLGH WKHLU LGHQWLW\ @ &KDQJH WKH RQOLQH 16: ZDWHU UHJLVWHU WR DOORZ SHRSOH WR VHDUFK IRU ZDWHU KROGLQJV RI SHRSOH FRPSDQLHV DQG JRYHUQPHQW GHSDUWPHQWV )RU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ ORJ RQ WR P\ ZHEVLWH KHOHQGDOWRQ FRP DX RU P\ )DFHERRN SDJH +HOHQ 'DOWRQ 03 Helen Dalton MP for Murray

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Virus creates a wool slump, but bounce back chance is high The Coronavirus has had a sharp impact on the Australian wool market in the start of 2020, but it is not expected to last.

Deniliquin based wool expert and Seig Sheep and Wool owner Amelia Seignior (pictured) said the market is currently lower at the start of 2020 than in the same period of 2019.

But she said the upward trajectory of last year’s market levels has the potential to continue to improve this year. ‘‘The current market is approximately 20 per cent down on this time last year for Merino wool, but last year was a phenomenal year for wool growers with levels reaching all time highs,’’ Mrs Seignior said. ‘‘The current markets are still offering a great return per head, however. ‘‘In my opinion the wool market will hold, or improve

slightly, over the coming months.’’ Mrs Seignior said she is sure the slow start to the year is linked to the number of affected facilities in China

because of the Coronavirus outbreak. ‘‘The Coronavirus had an immediate affect on the wool market with processing plants in some Chinese

provenances having to be shut down as the workers are in lockdown,’’ Mrs Seignior said. ‘‘The market bounced back quite quickly as there is low supply of wool in the system, with Australian flock numbers being the lowest in 100 years.’’ Mrs Seignior believes there are too many variables to predict what the 2020 market will become, but is hoping rain will play a vital part in the upwards growth of the industry. ‘‘You can’t predict what’s going to happen in 2020 because of all the outside influences that affect the wool market, but I do believe the agricultural industry as a whole is going to improve moving forward,’’ Mrs Seignior said. ‘‘Rain is the obvious main contributor to help increase production and the quality of wool from our growers.’’

Mid Murray Zone 2019-2020 Bush Fire Season Permit Conditions Permits to burn are again available in the Mid Murray Zone. A permit to burn will be required until the 31st of March.

Permit burns can only be conducted on week days, not weekends or Public Holidays 3HUPLWV DUH UHTXLUHG IRU DOO DJULFXOWXUDO ÀUHV GXULQJ the Bush Fire Danger Period.

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FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH PERMIT CONDITIONS MAY LEAD TO A SUBSTANTIAL FINE AND PERMIT REFUSAL. ’Farm Talk’, March 2020 — Page 11

Hay Inc takes on another eagre group of trainees Hay Inc has rolled out its new 2020 trainee program, taking on 15 new recruits in February this year.

Program coordinator and committee secretary Sandra Ireson says the 2020 program began with a strong start for the trainees who have travelled far and wide to attend the vigorous, 15 day training program. ‘‘The participants are from the local area, but with some travelling from South Australia, Victoria and Northern New South Wales,’’ Mrs Ireson said. ‘‘Some of the young people are now working as jackaroos and jillaroos in the Hay district. ‘‘Australian Wool Innovation is a key partner of the program and Tocal College is also assisting with training, along with Western Riverina Community College for First Aid Training. ‘‘The Hay Inc committee and volunteers coordinate the program and also assist with training and mentoring.’’

The training in the first block for 2020 was delivered on Hay district properties, including ‘Croidon’ owned by the Gibson family and the TA Field property ‘Wyvern’.

Hay Inc celebrated its fifth birthday in 2019 with the inaugural Hay Inc Rural Education Program Alumni Networking Event.

A large contingent of graduates of the Hay Inc Rural Education Program attended the event, at which Hay Inc chair Chris Bowman highlighted the need of a hands on training program such as this for the industry. ‘‘We have come along in leaps and bounds since 2013 and there are so many people and organisations to thank most sincerely for their support,’’ he said. ‘‘Australian Wool Innovation has been the major sponsor and supporter from the very beginning and has done so much to promote and recognise our work with training young people. ‘‘Michael Field from TA Field has been a champion supporter and sponsor from the outset. ‘‘We also thank Hay’s generous station owners, managers and business proprietors who have given so freely of their time and resources to enable Hay Inc to operate each and every year, and to those who employ graduates and give them the invaluable opportunity to experience life on the land.’’

The next session of Hay Inc for 2020 will run from March 9, with the final block held from June 9.

As is tradition, graduation for this year’s trainees will be held at the Hay Merino Sheep Show on Saturday, June 13.

■ (Clockwise, from top left) Glen Walker, Charles Ness, Nigel Gosse, Chris Bowman, Molly Thompsom, Sophie Hamilton and Brooke Goldsworthy inspect some sheep as part of the Hay Inc program.

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Whole of industry approach The formation of a single, new whole of industry national dairy organisation is the key recommendation from the the Joint Transition Team (JTT) of the Australian Dairy Plan.

The proposed national body (referred to as ‘NewCo B’ in the report) would see the current range of national and regional dairy organisations brought together as a one stop shop for all industry services including policy, advocacy, R&D and marketing for dairy businesses across the entire supply chain.

It would operate through one national brand and a network of regional offices providing tailored local services.

The proposed new organisation would be member owned and overseen by a skills-based board.

Farmers would contribute a single levy payment for all services (through the existing Dairy Service Levy) and processing companies would also provide funding.

Eligible expenditure on research and development would continue to attract

matched funding from the Commonwealth Government.

JTT chair and dairy farmer Shirley Harlock said the analysis confirmed a widespread view that current industry institutional arrangements were no longer fit for purpose. ‘‘Our report recommends the creation of a dynamic new national organisation to provide leadership and services for the Australian dairy industry,’’ she said. ‘‘Although we present three different strategic options in our report, we believe a fully integrated services model is best placed to achieve the transformational change sought by dairy businesses — out of the patchwork of different national, state and local industry representative organisations which currently exist.’’

Local dairy farmer and JTT member Malcolm Holm said on the whole, dairy farmers would not see too much change if the new model is implemented.

While it would be a national body, Mr Holm said there

would be opportunities to have a state or region specific focus under the one umbrella.

He said the new model would also incorporate processors under that umbrella for the first time, and would require processors to financially contribute like farmers do through the levy. ‘‘The main benefit is that we get rid of duplication,’’ he said. ‘‘Locally, at the moment, we have four different organisations — Murray Dairy, NSW Farmers’ dairy committee, Dairy Connect and UDV — and under this model we’ll have one organisation that would be very well resourced. ‘‘Groups that feed in to Murray Dairy, for example, will still remain. ‘‘Right now we have about 16 different regional and state organisations, and the model proposed would reduce that to about six. ‘‘The new structure is about having less organisations, greater accountability, and cost savings. ‘‘It’s about having a model

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‘‘It is similar to the port model which has worked quite successfully for a number of years, and if the industry embraces it we see it has the potential to maintain the strength we have while delivering better outcomes.’’

The JTT was formed as part of the Australian Dairy Plan, in response to overwhelming feedback from across the dairy industry about the need for transformational change to industry structures and advocacy arrangements.

Independent chair of the Australian Dairy Plan Committee John Brumby said further consultation will be needed to shape and refine the preferred model, particularly in relation to governance matters. When complete, which he anticipated might be mid this year, the model will be tabled for a vote.

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’Farm Talk’, March 2020 — Page 13

Massive farming expo The Seymour Alternative Farming Expo has again hit the success button with the three-day event in February proving popular with thousands streaming through the gate.

Attendees were treated to non-stop entertainment and information sessions from one of the 400 exhibitors.

Events manager Jamie Gilbert said 2020 had proven to be an exceptional year for the expo. ‘‘Every year we have new exhibitors and innovative products as well as many returning favourites,’’ Mr Gilbert said. ‘‘It was a great weekend out for the 400 exhibitors, their animals and the visitors.’’

With the event putting a spotlight on modern farming methods, ag-tech solutions and sustainability, Mr Gilbert said for seasoned farmers and those considering a tree

change alike, there was no leaving the expo without learning something new. ‘‘The Small Farms Learning Hub and Farm Lectures programs were packed with informative talks and handson sessions covering everything from how to train working dogs and backyard beekeeping to cattle basics and sheep secrets to an introduction to Boer goats,’’ he said. ‘‘Over the years the event has grown to incorporate sustainability — including offthe-grid, renewable resources and low-impact living — and Southern Hemp’s hemp doghouse building sessions were a highlight.’’

Mr Gilbert said it was hard to pick just one standout attraction. ‘‘The HRV Hero Horses were a very popular addition to the expo with many visitors keen to learn more about the program that gives pacers

■ Gavin Fletcher, from Seaview Highlands, introduces Jock the Highland bull to Brian Dehne, 2, from Koondrook.

Despite his formidable size and massive horns, he proved to be popular with visitors. and trotters a chance to enjoy distillers and winemakers an a second chance beyond the opportunity to showcase their goods during happy half track,’’ he said. hour sessions. ‘‘The Country Kitchen and ‘‘Every visitor saw someButcher’s Shop are also thing to interest and entercrowd-pleasers and this year tain them and we look forthe Meet the Makers segment ward to doing it all again next gave a number of brewers, year, even better.’’

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Is soil biology the missing link?

By LUKE HARRINGTON I talk to many farmers about their soil health, and it does concern me the number of people who don’t realise the importance of their soil life.

In every teaspoon of healthy soil there is about six million life forms, which all play a part in growing healthy crops and pastures.

For more than 40 million years, nature has been doing research and development on the best way to support life on the planet. Nature had come up with an almost flawless plan until we came along.

Soil biology is one of the most important parts of that plan.

Biology plays a major role in agriculture, providing more benefits than we could ever imagine. The life in the soil is what builds good, well aggregated soil structure.

It allows air and water to flow freely through the soil, it is the first line of defence from disease and insect attacks for our crops and pastures, it is the thing that builds humus and it is also what makes nutrients available to our plants.

The list is endless in how it helps us out, free of charge every day in our farming enterprise.

Soil biology is the perfect workforce for the farmer.

You don’t need to pay wages; it turns up every day regardless of the weather to improve your soil health and grow your crops and pastures.

All we need to do is make decisions that will create the right environment for them to thrive.

I would like to concentrate on two particular forms of life in our soil — Mycorrhizal Fungi and nitrogen fixing bacteria.

With sowing of our winter crops approaching fast, these are the two that can really help us lower our fertiliser inputs because they help with supplying important nutrients to our plants.

With our current and past farming practices of overusing tillage, fungicides, pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilisers we have all but destroyed the fungi populations and pushed our

bacteria population towards anaerobic loving ones, and by doing this it has led to many of today’s agricultural problems.

Mycorrhizal Fungi: Mycorrhizal Fungi, or VAM, is the one that if populations are brought back it can make the biggest difference.

VAM attaches itself to the root of a host plant and forms a beneficial partnership, where the plant and fungi have a barter system in place.

Fungi will go out and gather minerals such as phosphate and calcium and return them to the plant, and in exchange the plant will feed the fungi.

This not only brings back nutrients, it will also provide water and protection to the plant.

One of the great things about VAM is it acts as an extension of the plant’s root system it can extend the reach of the plant by up to 10,000 times giving it a much greater chance to pick up nutrients and moisture.

The advantage to the farmer is the ability to mine phosphorus and calcium from the tied-up reserves in the soil.

I was watching a talk given

by Dr Christine Jones from Amazing Carbon, who said if you have been putting out the recommended rates of P for the last ten years you should have enough to last for the next 100 years.

Imagine the savings to Australian farmers if they could even half their phosphorus inputs.

It has now been discovered that calcium is actually held in the soil by fungi, so by destroying the fungi population we have created another cost for ourselves by needing to add lime.

Currently I can get ag lime delivered to the Deniliquin area for about $70 a tonne but wouldn’t we be much better off just holding it in our soils in the first place.

And this is only the tip of the iceberg as far as the benefits of fungi go.

Nitrogen fixing bacteria: With 78,000 tonnes of nitrogen above every hectare of land, I think it is madness that we spend millions on applying urea or some other form of nitrogen every year.

According to the Austra-

lian Bureau of Statistics, urea was spread over 50 million hectares across Australia in 2016-17. Why would we do this when we can easily draw it from the atmosphere, just with a few changes to our management practices?

There are two simple ways of drawing nitrogen out of the atmosphere and into the soil, the first which is to grow a legume.

It is not the legume that fixes the N, but the bacteria the plant hosts in the nodule for its own benefit.

There are progressive farmers all around the world now growing a legume prior to, or with, their wheat and barley to meet there nitrogen needs. This is something we need to do more work on in Australia.

The second, which is not as well known, are free living bacteria that live in and around the roots of the plant,.

It is understood they can actually fix more N than legumes. They also rely on the plant for feeding of the exudates produced by the plant.

The plant is happy to do this because it knows that when that bacteria dies it will

release the nitrogen it has taken out of the air, which will be freely available for it to use.

So now we know the life in our soil is so important, how do we look after it and how can we get it working for us?

The first thing we need to do is stop using things in excess. Only use fungicides and pesticides if it is necessary. Don’t put them out just in case.

The majority of soil life is there to protect the plant and help it grow. It is to the soil’s benefit if the plant grow healthy and strong so it can also grow strong and reproduce, and keep the cycle of life going.

We then need to keep soil disturbance to minimum. Not just tillage, but also the overuse of herbicides and burning of stubbles.

We need to slowly wean ourselves of the drug of synthetic fertilisers and start to use products that promote soil biology and fertilisers that don’t harm soil life.

Examples are Guano, Soft Rock Phosphate or wellbalanced foliar fertilisers.

All of these things can easily be incorporated into any farming system.

If you only do one thing this year, put a bio stimulant on your seed to create the right environment for your plants to thrive.

You need to ask yourself, is the decision I make today going to improve my soil for tomorrow?

■ Luke Harrington is a soil health coach and is the owner and operator of Re-Gen Farming.

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