FarmTalk Magazine - August 2022

AUGUST 2022

Magazine

Rutherglen savours

‘challenging’

vintage PAGES 4-5

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Finding the best

of both worlds

November Edition: October 28, 2022 December/January Edition: November 25, 2022 February Edition: January 27, 2023 March Edition: February 24, 2023 April Edition: March 24, 2023 May Edition: April 28, 2023 June Edition: May 26, 2023 July Edition: June 23, 2023 August Edition: July 28, 2023

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GENERAL MANAGER & ADVERTISING

Zoe McMaugh

SENIOR JOURNALIST

Mandy and Matt Fleming find their off-farm jobs help them to keep the farm going during the tough times.

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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 with their own advisors. FARMtalk can assume no responsibility for the contents.

FINLEY, NSW

JUNE 2022

FARMtalk • 3

Matt and Mandy Fleming believe they are working towards creating the best possible work/ life balance. Plenty of work onfarm, plenty of work off-farm.

W

ith 226 hectares south of Finley and a successful contract sowing and harvesting business, Matt splits his time 50-50 between farming his property and farming for others — and he’s reaping the rewards of both.

Mandy spends a fair slice of her time working as a nurse and when she’s off duty she is press-ganged as the driver on the chaser bin.

And then there are the children — Charlotte, 13, Savannah, 10, and Zander, 7 — who are clearly having the work ethic drilled into them as well.

How balanced can you get?

Matt says the current schedule does have some serious advantages.

“I can justify having up-to-date equipment and bigger gear because I go contracting with it,” he explained.

Matt and Mandy married during the millennium drought and purchased their property, an ex-dairy farm run-off block, which they have been improving ever since — undergoing a solid lime and gypsum program and addressing trace element deficiencies.

“We’ve done a lot of land-forming work in the past 13 years to make watering easier, allow for better machinery access and we’ve kept the crop rotation simple, with wheat and canola, so it works in with my contracting jobs,” Matt said.

The Flemings irrigate with permanent general allocation water and use off-allocation water when it’s available to water 100ha of their land.

They have grown rice seven times in the past but can only do so when water is cheap and allocation is good.

The family runs 80 to 100 trade cattle each year and grows grazing wheat to suit the cattle as well as making or buying in hay.

“We use Nathan Everingham in Finley as our stock agent and have a good working relationship with him,” Mandy said.

“We buy them in at three to four months and turn them around in 10 to 12 months for market. They grow up to be these beautiful beasts and we benefit from looking after them.”

Matt and Mandy Fleming both come from dairy farming backgrounds and were adamant they would raise their kids on a farm.

Matt and Mandy both come from dairy farming backgrounds and were adamant they would raise their kids on a farm.

Farm contracting has enabled them to pursue this dream but, as Matt explains, there are a lot of perks to contracting.

“Contracting work is good because it provides offfarm income in case of drought or no water allocation.

“But it’s also good for you to be off-farm and seeing different farming techniques, learning from other farmers — you have an open mind because you’re regularly talking to other farmers about what they’re doing and why.

“For instance, a client was growing some Scepter wheat and was having good luck with it, so I’ve sown it this year and it’s performing splendidly.”

Matt carries out contract work within a 50km radius of their farm, using a Case tractor, disc seeder and tyne seeder, Case big square baler and John Deere header.

But as most farmers know, this year has proved difficult finding people to operate the machinery.

The Flemings usually employ seasonal staff (mostly young agriculture students on holidays with short-term working visas and backpackers) between March and June to help with sowing.

They then rely on the home grown labour force to manage most of the harvest work — with Matt and his sidekick Zander in the header, Mandy in the chaser and her dad, Roger Modderkolk, driving the Stirling truck.

“We’ve had some great Argentinian and Estonian workers with us in the past — but I don’t like labelling them all as backpackers, because more often than not they’re skilled ag students from farms overseas,” Matt said.

“We also have a young, reliable and enthusiastic guy who joins us after hours and on weekends and that’s such a huge help during peak periods.”

In Matt’s experience, his clients — mostly cropping, sheep and dairy farmers — benefit from the fact he can get in, sow the cereals and the pastures and they can carry on with the demands of their day-to-day routines.

With such an emphasis on efficient work methods it is little wonder the Fleming family has achieved so much in such a short time.

“We’re striving to get the balance right — between commitments with the kids, spending time with family and friends,” Mandy said.

“We’re relatively young, we’re raising the kids on the farm — which is what we had always intended — and at the same time, we’ve been able to build up both the farm and our contracting business.”

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JUNE 2022

4 • FARMtalk

Rutherglen savours ‘challenging’ vintage

The Pfeiffer Wine team commenced harvest late as a result of the cooler season. Photo: Ann Killeen.

After a record-breaking year in 2021, the Rutherglen wine region has overcome the odds to record a 29 per cent increase in this year’s wine crush after a strong 2022 vintage.

W

ine Australia’s National Vintage Report revealed Rutherglen’s projected winegrape crush volume to be 3861 tonnes with an estimated worth of $4,811,798 ($1,208 per tonne). This is up from the region’s previous best year in 2021 which recorded a 2,997 tonne crush worth $3.7million.

The Shiraz grape variety accounted for 51 per cent of Rutherglen’s crush, followed by Durif (15 per cent), Cabernet Sauvignon (6 per cent) and Muscat Rouge à Petits Grains (6 per cent).

The high yield is a welcome relief after record rainfall and localised flooding over the summer season left many grape growers feeling anxious about the 2022 vintage.

Winemaker Jen Pfeiffer of Pfeiffer Wines Rutherglen said the 2022 growing season provided plenty of viticultural challenges, with above average rainfall figures experienced throughout the spring and summer.

“Flowering was very disjointed, with cold, windy and wet weather experienced throughout the very long three week flowering period, which created uneven fruit development, disease pressure, and which ultimately led to lower yields and some uneven ripening,” she said.

“Summer was mild and will be remembered for two major rainfall events in January – of 70mm and 121mm here at the winery – leaving Rutherglen with its wettest January in recorded history.

“These two rainfall events put a high level of disease pressure across all varieties, leading us to fruit thin and leaf pluck most of our blocks to improve airflow and reduce the risk of moulds developing.

“February and March were dotted with a couple of rain events, leaving certain varieties close to harvest

“Quality is high in our white varieties, showing great flavour and plenty of natural acidity, ensuring good longevity in the bottle.”

JEN PFEIFFER

susceptible to fruit breakdown. The timing of picking was critical to the overall wine quality.”

The 2022 vintage went against the trend with early bud burst, flowering and harvest with vintage starting later than average.

“Overall, the season was around three weeks later than usual, with the vintage starting on February 23 with Alpine Valleys Pinot Grigio,” Ms Pfeiffer said.

“The majority of the fruit was harvested in the second half of March and April, with the last fruit harvested on April 27, again picking before the next rain event.”

Despite the challenges of the season, this vintage still had high quality and improved yields.

“Quality is high in our white varieties, showing great flavour and plenty of natural acidity, ensuring good longevity in the bottle,” Ms Pfeiffer said.

“The red varieties are reflective of the cooler season, showing more elegance of style, with some highlights

across Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in particular.

“Our viticultural efforts with our fortified varieties paid off, and despite such a challenging year in the vineyard, we have excellent quality in our Muscats, Topaque and port style wines, with our Portuguese varieties shining through with delicious flavours.”

At All Saints Estate and St Leonards Vineyard, coowner and chief winemaker Nick Brown also confirmed that while the 2022 vintage had been challenging, quality and yields were surprisingly decent.

“The wonderful thing about wine is that it’s an expression of weather and soil rather than what the winemaker puts a stamp on. Like all farming, we are at the mercy of Mother Nature, but it’s exciting to deal with what each year throws at us,” Mr Brown said.

“Last year’s vintage was exceptionally breezy, probably the favourite child. This year’s vintage certainly had its challenges.

“In the beginning we had plenty of spring rainfall as well as abnormally big rains in summer. Like all the crew, I was pretty nervous and checking the radar regularly.

“All of the sudden, the big rainfall slowed down. We had smaller rainfalls while we were picking but nothing like the rain we had in spring and summer which was extremely fortunate.

“We also had cooler temperatures, and unlike previous years no 35 or 40 degree days, which is typical of our patch. That was a bit of a godsend.

“This resulted in long slow ripening, which is great for grapes to retain acidity and also slows down sugar accumulation.

RUTHERGLEN, VICTORIA

JUNE 2022

FARMtalk • 5

All Saints Estate and St Leonards Vineyard co-owner and chief winemaker Nick Brown is pleased with the 2022 vintage, with high quality across the board.

“We got the whites in and then the reds, followed by the fortified whites and that is when the weather started to change again. We missed one little block of muscadelle before the rain started again around Easter time. On the whole we consider ourselves incredibly lucky.”

Mr Brown said the quality of the grapes was great across the board.

“This year’s quality looks really, really good, especially when you compare the season to 2020 when we had bushfire smoke taint. Every year is different, of course, but we are pleased with where we are at,” he said.

“My pick of the bunch would be the reds which I’ve just finished putting into the barrels. They look really smart, and aren’t the bold, soupy red wines that can be produced from time to time in Rutherglen.

“Rather, they are really elegant and approachable wines.

“The standouts would be Shiraz, Durif and Cabernet Franc which all look amazing.”

Morris of Rutherglen chief winemaker David Morris said he was pleased to see higher yields at the winery after a deluge of rain over summer.

“This year we had higher yields and probably more fruit than we wanted,” the fifth-generation winemaker said.

“With all the rainfall, particularly in February, it required us to be out in the vineyard more, monitoring and checking bunches.

“There was a fair bit of work with disease pressure, which kept us busy with organic spraying, regular

checking of vine health with the added weight and inspecting the berries for mildew.”

Mr Morris said this year’s wines were more elegant, nuanced and fresh as a result of the cooler year.

“We are still in the process of creating the wines but from where we are at in the process, we can expect more fruity characters rather than the fuller body and flavours Rutherglen typically has,” he said.

“Our standouts will probably be Shiraz and Touriga.”

Mr Morris said Rutherglen wines really highlighted the process in the vineyard.

“Boutique wineries like Rutherglen reflect vintage variation, unlike what you would see at the big wineries,” he said.

“With the larger wineries, there’s a bit of sameness and not as much personality in the bottle. That’s what our consumers like about our region; each year is a bit different, and the wine reflects the journey in the vineyard.”

Across the country, the winegrape crush volume saw a 13.5 per cent drop from last year estimated to be 1.73 million tonnes, two per cent below the 10-year average.

The total estimated value of the 2022 crush at the weighbridge was $1.21 billion. The estimated value was a decrease of $335 million (22 per cent) compared with the record 2021 value, but $60 million more than in 2020 and $8 million higher than in 2018, a year when the crush was two per cent larger. The value reduction compared with 2021 was a result of the reduced crush, combined with a reduction in the overall average value.

Wine Australia Manager, Market Insights Peter Bailey said the reduction in volume was likely to be the result of a combination of seasonal influences and

adjustments made by winemakers to market conditions and winery production capacity limitations.

“After a record high vintage in 2021, a lower yield in general was expected due to reduced cropping potential.

This natural variation was compounded by a number of significant seasonal effects – in particular, heavy widespread spring and summer rainfall across much of the eastern half of Australia and a number of significant hailstorms,” Mr Bailey said.

Pfeiffer Wines in flood in January.

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JUNE 2022

FARMtalk • 7

Big things planned for Henty Planning well in hand for southern Australia’s largest agricultural event, with the Henty Machinery Field Days set for September 21-23. Online ticket sales for general admission opened on July 1, via the website at www.hmfd.com.au.

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ountry music singer and I’m a Celebrity star Brooke McClymont and her Golden Guitar winning husband Adam Eckersley will take to the stage in a new ticketed event to be held after the gates close at 5pm on Wednesday, September 21.

The couple will be supported by Walla Walla farmer, singer, songwriter and The Voice entrant Danny Phegan and his Longreach band.

The field days will have all the usual attractions including the prestigious Henty Machine of the Year Award, the working sheep and yard dog trials, Country Lifestyle pavilion, Farm Gate Produce Market, Baker Seeds agronomy trials, helicopter joy rides, live

entertainment, outdoor reptile show, the Natural Fibre Fashion Awards and vintage farm machinery display.

Entries have opened for the 2022 Henty Natural Fibre Fashion Awards, with prizes valued at around $5500 and a new award this year for the Business Development Award: Australian Made Fibre sponsored by JMP Developments, Wodonga, for $500.

The award aims to encourage designers with business aspirations to produce garments made with natural fibres.

Also back this year will be the exhibitor awards for Best Outdoor Large Commercial, Best Outdoor General, and Best Indoor (Country Lifestyle and Farm Gate).

Located in the heart of the nation’s food bowl in southern NSW, Henty Machinery Field Days is an agribusiness super event attracting more than 60,000 visitors each year.

It is now regarded as southern Australia’s single biggest agricultural event, showcasing the latest in machinery and farm equipment, outdoors and camping products, farm produce, agronomy, country lifestyle, government and health services, agribusiness and finance services.

The not-for-profit event is farmer driven and run by a board of agriculturalists from southern NSW, supported by 90-plus members of the field days co-operative.

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JUNE 2022

FARMtalk • 9

Foot and mouth Australia has been free of foot and mouth disease since 1872, but outbreaks in neighbouring countries are a cause for concern Should Australia be worried about FMD? The short answer is yes.

There’s currently a new, widespread outbreak in our neighbour, Indonesia, and it could spread to Australia.

FMD affects livestock, including cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, but also other clovenhoofed animals like camels and deer.

It’s caused by the foot and mouth disease virus — FMDV. This is a highly infectious virus that’s hardy in the environment.

While the disease is unpleasant - causing blisters on the tongue, around the mouth and on the hoofs, and affects livestock productivity - mortality is relatively low in adult animals.

The disease is a challenge from an animal health, animal welfare and food productivity point of view, but the economic consequences are also a major concern.

International trade laws prohibit the export of animals, meat and other animal products (for example, semen for breeding) from countries that have FMD to those that don’t.

Eliminating an outbreak might, if small, be accomplished by vaccination, but more frequently it requires the culling of infected animals — a so-called stamping-out of the infection.

An outbreak in the United Kingdom in 2001 resulted in the culling of several million animals at a cost of around AU$23 billion to the UK economy, with large pyres of burning and buried animals across the ordinarily bucolic British countryside.

Much of the cost was related to the disruption of rural economies, most notably tourism.

Australia has not had FMD since 1872 and one of the challenges may be ensuring veterinarians recognise the disease in a timely manner.

This was the problem in the UK in 2001, when animal movements spread the infection widely before it was clinically recognised.

There are vaccines, but vaccination also affects a nation’s ability to export livestock animals and their products.

So, while vaccination may be used to vaccinate animals in a small outbreak, with subsequent culling of the vaccinated animals, the utility of this decreases as the infection becomes more widespread.

The UK 2001 outbreak spread to neighbouring Europe, and the Dutch successfully controlled an outbreak by ring vaccination; that is, the vaccination of all susceptible farm animals in a wide geographical ring around the area of the outbreak.

The high socio-economic consequences and high infectivity of FMDV make researching the virus and its disease difficult — it’s mostly done in a relatively small number of highly specialised, high-containment laboratories across the globe.

One of the most notable is the Pirbright Institute in the UK, which houses the UN (Food and Agriculture Organization’s) World Reference Laboratory for Foot and Mouth Disease.

This laboratory confirms diagnoses made elsewhere, determines the strain of the virus and suggests appropriate vaccines — which are produced and stockpiled in an adjacent facility.

The Australian component of this international network is the CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong, recently renamed the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness.

This laboratory, as well as the state and national chief veterinary officers and their teams, have developed plans included in AUSVETPLAN for how Australia will respond if we do have an FMD outbreak.

Australia’s first defence is our international border As a continental island, the country can more readily control who and what comes here.

Arrivals by air from Indonesia currently receive biosecurity messages on the plane and are met by additional notices and sniffer dogs.

The sniffer dogs don’t detect the virus directly — they are trained to detect meat and meat products of which, unfortunately and illegally, a lot of material comes into Australia at all ports of entry.

Too frequently these materials test positive for signs of FMDV and other viruses like African swine fever, which authorities are working hard to contain.

Positive tests are not necessarily indicative of infectious material but can show that the material once was and may still be infectious.

It’s the illegal transport of animals and animal products into Australia that is probably our greatest risk.

Should we be worried?

Yes, but mostly about illegal imports of animals, meat and other animal products.

Hopefully, FMD won’t be our new news headlining virus of the next few years

So how does this virus spread?

It’s a small proteinaceous virus with an RNA genome. It doesn’t have a lipid envelope and it is relatively stable in the environment in soil, on surfaces and in the air.

Close contact between animals is the main route of transmission. For example, in a herd of cattle, transfer through infected faeces and respiratory exudates are important.

Longer distance airborne infection also occurs, and in this case infected pigs are particularly important as their respiratory exudates contain the highest levels of virus.

The virus does not infect humans and should not be confused with the rash and blisters of human hand-foot-and-mouth disease virus most commonly seen in young children.

The livestock virus, FMDV, can remain infectious for days on clothes and, most importantly, footwear. In fact, the virus has also been isolated from nasal swabs in people where studies suggest it remains viable for up to 24 hours.

.

~ Professor John Fazakerley studied botany and zoology for his BSc (Hons) and has an MBA and a PhD. He is a Fellow of the UK Royal College of Pathologists and the Royal Society of Biology. Before moving to Melbourne, he was director of the UK National Virology Institute, The Pirbright Institute.

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JUNE 2022

FARMtalk • 11

Farm biosecurity – do you know your risks?

Biosecurity is no doubt the word on every farmer’s lips at the moment.

A

simple, tailored biosecurity plan can protect your farm business. Preventing the introduction of animal and plant diseases and weeds by adhering to some simple rules may prevent disaster.

As primary producers, or as visitors to a farm, we all have a role in ensuring we are aware of the risks, implications and ways to manage farm biosecurity.

Biosecurity is simply the implementation of a series of basic management practices to prevent (or at least minimise the risk of) the introduction of contagious diseases and noxious weeds.

Preparing a farm biosecurity plan A biosecurity action plan will help you identify and prioritise the implementation of biosecurity practices relevant to your property and business.

When preparing a plan for your farm, the biosecurity essentials are a good place to start, which include: •

Farm inputs and outputs – such as feeds (particularly purchased), animals and seed, fertilisers, chemicals, water supplies and drainage waters.

•

People, vehicles and equipment – including appropriate signage, vehicle and equipment hygiene, movement of people to and from your farm.

•

Production practices – such as use of irrigation and drainage waters, fences (good fences make for good neighbours), vaccination and drenching programs, chemical applications, crop and animal health monitoring.

•

Ferals and weeds – wild and feral animals can mix with your own stock and spread disease and contaminate feed and waters, weeds in their own right can pose significant biosecurity risks.

•

Train, plan and record – have good systems in place, record stock movements, have staff and family members well-trained so they know what to look out for, be vigilant and report anything suspect.

Completing a self-assessment checklist will also help you to identify biosecurity strengths and weaknesses on your property.

It might be helpful to have a map of your property to consider the best places to locate biosecurity zones or ‘check points’.

This could include signs at entrances to the property, parking areas near the house or site office, where deliveries are picked up or dropped off in relation to storage facilities, vehicle wash down areas, existing roads or tracks for movement within the property.

Think about what you can do to minimise the risk of introducing diseases, pest and weed seeds at each of the checkpoints.

If you build your plan around daily, monthly or yearly farm routines, then biosecurity should become a habit.

The actual management practices you choose to use will vary from site to site, depending on the size of your property, or properties, the physical facilities available, climate and the day-to-day management of your operations.

preparing for and managing a biosecurity threat.

Your consultants and practitioners will also be valuable sources of advice to help you identify potential risks and strategies to mitigate those risks.

No matter what you do, biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility.

The threats to your individual farm business, not to mention Australia’s economic and social prosperity, are real but manageable.

Remember to check your properties regularly and if you see or suspect anything unusual, call the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888 or the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.

Remaining vigilant, understanding your risks and implementing good hygiene practices on your farm are relatively simple but highly effective strategies to help minimise the outbreak of a biosecurity threat on your farm.

Where can I get some more advice?

Many farm organisations and industry bodies have developed their own biosecurity plans and templates.

Simple things like having signage at your farm entrances will ensure biosecurity is kept ‘front of mind’ to any visitor or farm worker.

An excellent resource is the ‘Farm biosecurity’ website – www.farmbiosecurity.com.au.

Producers can access a range of advice and toolkits to help prepare your own biosecurity plan.

Local Land Services biosecurity and veterinary staff can provide a wealth of knowledge to assist you in

Adrian Smith (pictured) is senior lands services officer — mixed farming with Murray Local Land Services.

JUNE 2022

12 • FARMtalk

BURRABOI, NSW

‘Have a go’ attitude

Brooke and Neville Hollins.

Burraboi farmers Neville and Brooke Hollins are in the running to be the 2022 SunRice Grower of the Year recipients.

T

he pair, from Woorak Ag, have only one other challenger to contend with - Campbell Dalton from Wumbulgal Agriculture in Yenda.

The Hollins family - who were nominated by their agronomist, Shaun Krahnert from Elders - own and operate a 4115 hectare property at Burraboi, in the western part of the Murray Valley.

Primarily a family affair, the Hollins’ employ 2.5 full-time staff to assist with their farming operation, which includes 2150 Merino breeding ewes in addition to their irrigated and dryland cropping rotations.

Brooke and Neville, while both coming from different backgrounds, have been working the farm together for 22 years.

“Nev grew up on the farm and got his qualifications and worked as a diesel mechanic before making his way back,” said Brooke.

“I actually have a background in childhood education and grew up on 10 acres; so a little different, but I also grew up around stock.”

Brooke and Neville both made their way back to the farm in 2000, and since then have been continuing to run a thriving rice farming operation.

Their secret to success is their willingness to ‘have a go’.

“We are not afraid to get in and have a go at something new,” said Brooke.

“For us, it’s all about planning and making sure we are doing things on time and taking advice from all the resources we have at our disposal.

“We take advice from our excellent agronomist, bring on good financial advice and from close family members.”

The Hollins family are no strangers to rice, going back four generations of rice growers, something which Brooke and Neville hope continues long into the future.

“We farm to be here for a long time, not a short time,” Brooke said.

“We are ensuring we are looking after the soil as much as we can, as we want generations to come to be farming on this land.”

The pair take that same mentality into the way they deal with one of the biggest challenges irrigators face sustainable water allocation.

“We have tried to be innovative with putting in pivots and taking out any grounds that take a lot of water, to try and be as water efficient as we can.

“We find if through the good years we plan for the bad, we are prepared when they inevitably come.”

They said while being selected as finalists for this year’s Grower of the Year award is incredibly humbling, awards and recognition is not why they do what they do.

“It’s so nice to be recognised for our yields and farming practices,” said Brooke.

“It’s humbling to know that someone from the outside looking in thinks we are doing a good job, but at the end of the day we do what we do not for awards, but because we love it.”

The recipient of the industry’s top prize will be announced at the Rice Industry Awards, held as part of the Australian Rice Growers’ Conference in Yarrawonga on August 11.

YENDA, NSW

JUNE 2022

FARMtalk • 13

Continuing family’s rice

tradition

Campbell Dalton.

Campbell Dalton, from Wumbulgal Agriculture in Yenda, is in the running for one of the most prestigious awards in the rice industry.

N

ominated by his agronomist James Mann from Yenda Producers, Mr Dalton is one of two finalists for the 2022 SunRice Grower of the Year.

Mr Dalton operates a 5000 hectare, family owned property near Yenda in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. Earlier this year they harvested 900ha of rice.

Wumbulgal Ag employs 12 full-time staff to manage their irrigated and dryland cropping systems, 400 breeder crows and 1800 ewes.

Mr Dalton’s family have a long and successful history in the rice business, one which started in 1949.

Attending the University of New England, Mr Dalton acquired a Bachelor of Agribusiness. He then worked as a grain trader, before returning home to the family farm where he has been working for the last 11 years.

“I oversee everything on the farm, and focus more on the business side of things these days,” he said.

“But I still get out on the farm quite a bit and am hands on.”

Growing up on a rice farm, Mr Dalton has seen many changes in the industry. It has included the ever developing technology. Keeping up with the newest irrigation technology is something that Wumbulgal Agriculture prides itself on.

“A lot of people try to reinvent the wheel, we just try to make the wheel spin a bit faster,” said Mr Dalton.

“We focus on getting the basics right and improve on operations from there.

“It’s all about ensuring your crops are sown on time, spray is done on time and tweaking the smaller things.”

Mr Dalton said being selected as a finalist for the SunRice Grower of the Year is “obviously a very humbling feeling”.

“It is a highly respected title and pretty prestigious award.

“It has been such a team effort to even get to this stage, but to win would be a really good way to acknowledge the farm, the family and all the hard work that has been put into it over the years.”

Mr Dalton will have only one other challenger for the award - Burraboi farmers Neville and Brooke Hollins from Woorak Ag. The judging panel for the C22 SunRice Grower of the Year visited both properties on their tour of the Murray and Murrumbidgee Valleys in June. Rice Extension, which coordinated the awards, said the judges were “suitably impressed by the calibre of both finalists”.

The SunRice Grower of the Year Winner receives an impressive package of support to help them to develop their business even further, including $2500 to be spent on personal or business development. The winner is also nominated for the Australian Farmer of the Year Award (Kondinin Group).

ELDERS

ELDERS RIVERINA SHEEP SHEEP EXPO EXPO 2022 RIVERINA

DATE: Friday August 12,2022 2022, 10am DATE: Friday 12th August, 2022 | 10.00am

VENUE: Edward River VENUE: Edward River Oval, Oval, Deniliquin Deniliquin The day will consist of;

The day will consist of:

$1000 Elders Riverina Merino Ram of the Year, $1000 Elders Riverina Merino Ram of sponsored by Elders + $1000 the Year, sponsored by Elders + $1000 in Genetic Services, donated in Genetic Services, donated by Apiam

by Apiam $500 Elders Riverina Merino $500 Elders •Riverina Merino Ewe of Ewe of the Year, sponsored the Year, sponsored by Elders + $500

by Elders + $500 donated by donated by Elanco Elanco • $1000 Elders Riverina $1000 Elders Riverina Performance Performance Ram of the Ram of the Year, sponsored by Rivalea Year, sponsored by Rivalea • $500 Elders Riverina $500 Elders Riverina Performance Ewe Performance Ewe of the of the Year, sponsored

by Elanco Year, sponsored by Elanco Static Wool & Merchandise Static Wool •& Merchandise Displays Displays • Blade Shearing Blade Shearing • Animal Health Displays •

•

•

• • • •

• Animal Health Displays

JUNE 2022

FARMtalk • 15

Boonoke’s seeking eight in a row Some of the region’s best breeders will be showcased at the 12th annual Elders Riverina Sheep Expo in Deniliquin on Friday, August 12.

B

y the end of July, 20 studs had already registered to attend and compete for some of the event’s most coveted titles.

As is tradition, the 2022 event will feature sheep and wool judging, including the prestigious Elders Riverina Merino Ram of the year title which is worth $1000 to the winner, including $1000 in genetic services, donated by Apiam.

For the last seven events the title has been won

by Australian Food & Agriculture Company, more commonly referred to by its original name FS Falkiner & Sons.

The last five titles have been won by rams from Poll Boonoke. They started the run of success in 2013 with Wanganella 19.

AFA general manager Justin Campbell said Poll Boonoke and Wangenlla will be attempting to retain the coveted trophy.

“We’ll enter two Poll and two Wangenalla rams.

“While we have a bit of an idea of which we’ll put forward, it may come down to who looks best on the day.

“We won the dual purpose section at Bendigo’s Australian Wool and Sheep Show in July with a Poll Boonoke ram who we’ll likely put forward.

“The other Poll ram is likely to be the one we took to the Marra Field Day and beat all the other mid-state rams.”

Mr Campbell said while AFA is on a good run at the Deniliquin Elders Sheep Expo, he said they can never take the competition for granted.

“I think we’ve had success over the last six years because we breed our sheep to have the size for both meat and wool, length of body, correctness and softness of wool.

“There is always some stiff competition though.

“Willandra (a Jerilderie stud where Ross Wells is principal) is always knocking on our door.

“It will be tough, but we think our rams are looking good - particularly after Bendigo.”

Other judging categories are: •

Elders Riverina Merino Ewe of the year ($500 plus another $500 donated by Elanco)

Australian Food and Agriculture Company general manager Justin Campbell, Boonoke stud manager Angus Munro, judge John Roberts, Elders Southern Zone general manager Malcolm Hunt and Elders Deniliquin branch manager Clyde McKenzie with the 2016 Elders Merino Ram of the Year.

•

Elders Riverina Performance Ram of the Year ($1000, sponsored by Rivalea)

•

Elders Riverina Performance Ewe of the Year ($500, sponsored by Elanco)

The event will also include the presentation of the Northern Clip of the Year.

The first expo since before COVID-19, the action returns to the heart of Deniliquin at the Edward River Oval.

The expo will kick off at 10am and throughout the day there will also be static wool and merchandise displays, animal health displays, blade shearing and more.

The expo will run through to about 4pm.

The Deniliquin-based Riverina Sheep Expo was established when drought conditions forced the cancellation of the Riverina Field Days.

The event gives sheep studs the opportunity to show off what they have to offer to prospective ram buyers.

For more information contact Elders Deniliquin on (03) 5890 5100.

Australian Food & Agriculture Company general manager Justin Campbell, sponsor Annie Romanin, judge Ken Noakes, Elders Rural general manager southern zone Malcolm Hunt, Elders Deniliquin branch manager Clyde McKenzie and Poll Boonoke stud manager Shannon Mitchell with the 2019 Riverina Merino Ram of the Year.

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In conjunction with

JUNE 2022

FARMtalk • 17

A swag of awards That’s the best way to describe the outcome of Finley High School’s appearance at the Australian Wool and Sheep Show earlier this month.

O

n July 14, Finley High’s head of agriculture teacher Robyn O’Leary headed to the Bendigo show with eight students and a trailer load of soon to be award winning sheep.

With ten top three finishes, the Finley High School show team certainly had a successful outing.

Headlining the school’s list of achievements was the first place finish in the open sector Bare Shorn Ewe class - their first win with an adult sheep at the prestigious show.

“It was a really good achievement,” Mrs O’Leary said.

“We’ve been to the show for years now and every year we seem to able to do that bit better, so we were really thrilled to get first place with that ewe.

“We have never won an adult sheep class before, so that was very exciting.”

The first-place finish is also a great feat for a country school, Mrs O’Leary highlighted.

“You’re competing with the best of the best studs, so for a school from country New South Wales to be up there competing with the big players - we were very happy.”

Getting to show let alone being competitive is a long process.

“In order to represent the school in a good way, you need to be feeding your animals well.

“They need to have a good scale about them and the right fat coverage to be competitive.”

And the shorn events have an added layer of difficulty, which required preparedness.

“They have to be shorn correctly to fit into their class,” Mrs O’Leary said.

“The winning rams and ewes that were bare shorn need to be shorn fairly close to the event. If not, their wool is actually too long.”

The eight students who attended the show with Finley High - ranging from Year 7 to Year 11 - were also required to work hard during the event.

Each had strict responsibilities to ensure the animals are kept in top shape.

“The sheep needed feeding when we got there, so they have to go and give them some grain then water,” Mrs O’Leary explained.

“After they had finished their grain they gave them hay, then once finished eating the students clean their faces and their knees so that they look nice and presentable.

“The students also cleaned the manure out of the pens and tidy them regularly, top up with straw to help keep the sheep clean and keep them off the concrete floors.

“Also on first arrival the students are asked to set up their area. They have to put up signs and put up cards from the show society that need to be matched to specific sheep.

“There are also signs that display pedigree, so when people come along they can read them and get an idea of the background of the sheep.”

The students also take a hands on approach in the show ring, parading the sheep in front of the judges.

“It makes the incredible success not only a reflection of the sheep, but the students who handled them.”

Those who got out of their comfort zone and took part in the Junior Judging Competitions were rewarded with minor placings.

Finley High’s results from Bendigo were as follows: •

First in the Schools Interbreed Ram Challenge.

•

First in the Schools Interbreed Ewe Challenge.

•

Second in the Schools Interbreed Pair of Sheep Challenge.

•

First in Bare Shorn Ewe Class.

•

Third in Novice Ewe Lamb class.

•

First in Novice Ewe Lamb class.

•

First and second in Novice Ewe under 1.5 years.

•

First and second in Novice Ram under 1.5 years.

Next in the school’s showing schedule is the Finley

Show in September.

They will then compete at the Melbourne Show, giving the school another chance to prove themselves on another big stage.

JUNE 2022

18 • FARMtalk

Bovine Respiratory Disease Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is a common disease syndrome typically seen in feedlot cattle, but it can also be seen in extensively managed beef herds, particularly calves and weaners.

B

RD is a ‘disease complex’. It generally requires three things for it to occur, rather than just one bug to cause the disease.

These three things are stress, plus virus, plus bacteria.

The disease is usually triggered during or following a stressful period by a viral infection and a subsequent infection of the airways with opportunistic bacteria.

In extensive managed beef herds stress can be due to: •

Social stress (weaning and/or social disruption)

•

Comingling (transport, saleyards or mixing of new mobs)

•

Feed or water changes (changes in supplementary feed or increased green lush feed following a rain event)

•

Extreme weather (extended rain periods, sudden cold snaps, going from cold nights to warm days, dusty conditions).

BRD can present as pneumonia, but may also occasionally result in death in severely affected stock.

Your cattle may display nasal discharge and may stand with their head and neck extended to assist them with breathing.

Their breathing may be rapid and shallow or laboured.

Coughing can also be seen.

In the early stages of the disease, signs can be subtle but can rapidly progress in a couple of days.

Treatment of individual animals involves a consult with a private vet and a course of anti-inflammatories to reduce the fever and inflammation, and antibiotics to target the bacterial infection.

The key to preventing BRD is to use a combination of vaccination and management techniques to minimise stressful events, especially stressful events that occur at the same time such as weaning and transport.

With vaccination against BRD, there are several products available. The suitability of each product will depend on your operation.

If you are buying in young stock, ask if they have been vaccinated for BRD. Better still, you can request a cattle health declaration at the time of purchase.

To reduce stress on your herd you can: •

Use low stress stock handling

•

Minimise mixing of mobs and new introductions

•

Provide adequate rest, feed and water, especially after transport

•

Make sure your cattle received adequate nutrition

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•

Avoid sudden feed and water changes

•

Minimise exposure to environmental conditions that contribute to the disease such as dust.

For more information regarding Bovine Respiratory Disease, you can contact your district vet by calling 1300 795 299 or drop into a nearby Local Land Services office.

Katelyn Braine (pictured) is a district veterinarian with Murray Local Land Services.

Subscribe Home delivery to your letterbox from $5.50 per edition.

Contact us to find out more, phone 03 5881 2322 or email farmtalk@denipt.com.au

JUNE 2022

FARMtalk • 19

Sub clover: Still the best Four years ago, I was hopeful of finding an annual legume that would be more suited to irrigated pastures than sub clover.

I

was looking for something that would produce as well (or better) than sub in the years water was available, but persist better through the dry (i.e. nonirrigated) years.

The search involved growing 24 varieties of legumes across five sites in the Murray Irrigation Limited footprint. The trials were on both red and grey soils and their management varied from intensive (i.e. watered several times each autumn and spring) to extensive (i.e. watered in the first autumn only).

The conclusion from the first three and a half years of evaluation is similar for all the sites.

Quite a few pasture legumes did very well in the establishment year, including sub clovers, Persian clovers, arrowleaf clover, balansa clover, purple clover, gland clover, snail medic, spineless bur medic, biserrula, vetch, and some perennials including Haifa white clover, strawberry clover and lucerne.

However, the list of varieties that persisted into the second and third year was quite short.

The species (and varieties) that regenerated and grew well the second year were Antas sub clover, Trikkala sub clover, Yanco sub clover, Longhaul balansa clover, and lucerne (which survived as a perennial and not a regenerating annual).

A couple of other varieties that also did well but were only included in one trial each, were SARDI Persian clover (in an intensively managed site) and Tarlee sub clover (in an extensively managed site).

In terms of productivity, Antas was the standout variety in the second year.

Its seedling establishment counts were less than the other sub clovers (e.g. Trikkala) but its superior vigour led to higher growth rates.

However, by autumn the third (and fourth) year, Antas seedling populations were very low.

This was probably due to its weaker seed burying ability, compared to the other sub clovers, and that all sites were grazed by sheep and not cattle.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that it will regenerate better in cattle pastures.

The trials also indicated that sub clovers have several advantages when it comes to controlling broadleaf weeds, such as capeweed, in pastures.

Subs have a wider tolerance of broadleaf selective herbicides, including MCPA used as a spray-graze technique.

Additionally, they have a better ability to compete with the weeds in the absence of herbicides.

This was notable at one site where capeweed swamped all annual pasture legume plots except the sub clover plots.

One disappointment from the trials was the inability of the very hard seeded legumes to regenerate under irrigated conditions.

Biserrula and arrowleaf clover both grew exceptionally well on the loam soils in the first year and set good quantities of seed.

However, the biserrula did not regenerate at all in either the second, third or fourth season.

Arrowleaf clover did regenerate exceptionally well at one site, relatively well at another but not at all in the other sites.

The reason for the inconsistent and poor regeneration has not yet been determined.

Persian clovers (e.g. Shaftal and Laser Persian) are known to produce well in the first year but, due to a lack of hard seed, tend to not regenerate in subsequent years.

A trial established one year later than the others included SARDI Persian, which does have a degree of hard seed.

It has regenerated well in the two subsequent years, so may be worth including in pasture mixtures.

The trials have indicated that sub clover rightfully remains the best annual legume in irrigated (and partially irrigated) pastures.

Further work is needed to determine which sub clover variety is best depending on the soil type, irrigation intensity, class of livestock to be grazed and intended length of the pasture phase.

These trials would not have been possible without the excellent support of the cooperating landholders.

I want to thank Andrew Harding from Berrigan, Carson Thomas from Logie Brae, Rod Chalmers from Noorong, Clive Landale from Deniliquin and Peter McDonald from Caldwell for their ongoing support and for hosting the trials.

This project is supported by Murray Local Land Services, through funding from the Australian Government.

~ At the time of writing, John Fowler (pictured) was senior lands services officer - extension agronomist with Murray Local Land Servies. He retired in July.

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JUNE 2022

FARMtalk • 21

Selecting the best financing for your small business

Leigh Carter, Chantelle Shevels and Hannah Plant are your finance experts with Grass Roots Finance in Deniliquin.

With numerous amounts of finance options offered through multiple lenders across Australia, it can be a challenging exercise to find the best fit for your business.

W

hether you’re looking to grow your business by hiring more staff or adding a new storage facility, there is a range of finance options you can explore as a small business owner.

Let’s explore four of the most common types of financing options to guide you on which best suits your situation.

Each of these options allow you to access capital without losing a stake or equity in your company.

Business loan A business loan is an umbrella term to describe a sum of money lent to your business. The loan amount may vary, as can the term.

Other variables include fees, security, the interest rate, and whether it’s fixed or variable.

Business loans can be secured or unsecured.

You might use such a loan to invest in working capital, renovations, or staffing, for example.

Secured loans usually need a physical asset - such as inventory, accounts receivables, or property - as ‘security’.

Generally, secured loans have a lower interest rate as lenders see them as lower risk than an unsecured loan.

An unsecured loan is usually for a smaller amount and may be quicker to assess.

The lender would consider your business cash flow and strength as ‘security’.

Invoice finance Invoice financing lets you access funds by borrowing against your outstanding invoices.

These may include: •

Accounts receivable financing

•

Receivables financing

•

Invoice discounting

•

Cash flow finance.

Invoice financing can be convenient, as larger companies and government authorities can take time to pay their debts to small businesses.

Invoice financing means you’ll have near-instant cash for your business operations for a small interest fee.

Equipment financing for business If you’re looking to purchase high value equipment, then taking out equipment financing could be a good option.

Businesses owners can then pay off assets over time, rather than pay the total amount at the time of purchase.

Equipment finance options include: •

•

Specific Security Agreement (SSA): Previously known as a Chattel Mortgage, SSAs are similar to a home loan. An SSA is a secured loan – the asset acts as security for the lender, but is owned by the business owner. You can claim depreciation on the piece of equipment and interest costs on the loan, and both may be tax deductible.

Finance lease: The lender buys the asset and leases it back to you for a particular lease period. You will have the option to purchase it at the end of that period. Repayments may also be tax deductible.

•

Commercial hire purchase: You’ll pay the full asset price in instalments over a specific period. Once the final payment has been made, ownership is transferred to you. You can claim the depreciation deductions and the interest portion of the repayments on your tax.

Lines of credit Through a line of credit, your business can access funds up to a limit, similar to a credit card. However, interest is only paid on the sum withdrawn rather than the total amount.

You can choose between a line of credit that expires, or is ongoing.

For the latter, all funds must be repaid before it gets topped up, and you draw it down again.

That saves you from having to reapply.

Lines of credit are convenient for buying inventory and paying for day-to-day expenses when cash flow falls short.

Keep in mind that the interest rate tends to be higher than a business term loan.

Your broker can help As your local finance brokers, we have the tools and expertise to guide you through the types of business finance options and which solution might be the best fit for you. Contact the team at Grass Roots Finance today.

Chantelle Shevels (pictured) is an authorised finance broker and owner of Grass Roots Finance.

This information is for general information purposes only. The information contained herein does not constitute financial or professional advice or a recommendation. It has not been prepared with reference to your financial circumstances or business and should not be relied on as such.

You should seek your own independent financial, legal and taxation advice as to whether or not this information is appropriate for you.

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Helen Dalton MP INDEPENDENT MEMBER FOR MURRAY

Protect Our Country From Foot and Mouth Disease As the world opens up to travel, we must continue to invest in Australian bio-security measures to protect our country.

The recent Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in Indonesia and consequent spread to Bali is a perfect example.

Australia has successfully kept FMD out of the country for over 130 years, however an outbreak would decimate our strong livestock industry and have a potential economic impact of $80 billion.

I am a livestock farmer and like everyone else in the industry, I do not want to see this disease enter our country.

In the event of an outbreak, Australia’s agreed policy is to contain, control and eradicate the disease through movement control and destruction of infected animals. Vaccination is also an important tool, but its use does have trade implications.

FMD is a highly contagious disease and we need tight control to mitigate this risk.

We must educate Australian travellers to ensure they know how to reduce travel risks including disinfecting shoes or clothing upon arrival home and staying away from livestock while overseas.

FMD could also be introduced via imports of live animals, semen, uncooked meats or unprocessed dairy products from FMD affected countries.

Infected animals exhibit blisters around the mouth area, drooling and limping.

Any animal experiencing these signs should be reported urgently to your local vet or the emergency animal disease watch hotline on 1800 675 888.

Helen Dalton MP for Murray Authorised by Helen Dalton MP, Funded using Parliamentary Entitlements.

www.helendalton.com.au

HelenDaltonMP

helendalton22

helendalton.mp

P 03 5881 7034 • E murray@parliment.nsw.gov.au • 228 Cressy Street, Deniliquin NSW 2710

Making Up Good Ground

JUNE 2022

FARMtalk • 23

THE WOMEN WHO CHANGED COUNTRY AUSTRALIA

Celebrating 100 years of the Country Women’s Association of New South Wales

Liz Harfull

One hundred years on, the iconic Country Women’s Association is famous for making scones, stitching handicrafts and raising money for worthy causes. But there is so much more to this national treasure.

In the Women Who Changed Country Australia best-selling author Liz Harfull reveals how the CWA struggled into existence, beset by clashing personalities and moments of high drama. In fitting tribute, it celebrates the CWA’s astonishing achievements and the remarkable women who have led it, while coping with their own personal tragedies.

$49.99

FROM OUR KITCHEN TO YOURS

185 Favourite recipes from the Country Women’s Association of Victoria inc.

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The Country Women’s Association of Victoria Inc. has been at the heart of the community for almost 100 years. These 185 tried and tested recipes from our Members have been shared countless times between friends, and now we are pleased to share them with you, from our kitchen to yours.

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AROUND THE KITCHEN TABLE Good things to cook, create and do – the whole year through

Sophie Hansen & Annie Herron

Around the Kitchen is an invitation to pause our busy lives – even for half an hour – and cook, create or make something good everyday.

Written by food writer Sophie Hansen and her mum, art teacher Annie Herron, it celebrates the joy sense of satisfaction that comes with preparing a simple meal to share, pencilling a sketch or making a jar of jam to give as a gift.

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These great titles and more available instore.

We post direct to you, contact us today to discuss getting your copies posted* *Postage and Handling fees apply.

Deniliquin Newsagency Office Choice 249 Cressy Street, Deniliquin.

Phone 5881 2080. www.deni.com.au

Agistment made easier Agist It is the answer to the growing need for a national agistment network.

I

t connects graziers and land owners with each other in a modern, easy and effective way.

This network breaks down the traditional social, time and distance barriers that limit successful agistment connections.

The team behind Agist It - CEO Stuart Sutton and operations manager Alex Gough - observed that the increasing fragmentation of productive working farms into smaller parcels often meant land was left idle or under-utilised.

They realised an opportunity to provide additional support for property owners who would like to utilise their land but might not have the contacts, know-how or time to do so.

Through the Agist It website - and soon the mobile app - you can list your property for agistment or search for properties to agist your own stock.

You can search by location, livestock type, acreage available and even by how many months you need agistment for.

Go to agistit.com.au to search or register a listing.

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Economy $5260

2 Tonne Lick Feeder

Budget Sheep/Goat Panels

3-Way Adjustable Sheep Race

2,365each

Square Bale Feeder

• 2100 Wide x 1800 High • Galvanised • 6 Rail 80 x 40 Oval Rail

134each

$

$4230 $5960

$

Premium Heavy 80x40 Rail

• 2100 Wide x 1800 High • Galvanised • 6 Rail 60 x 30 Oval Rail

$

Budget Vet

2,950each

$

3,120

$

• 2100 Wide x 1650 High • Galvanised • 5 Rail 60 x 30 Oval Rail

Cattle Crush

Access Grid Engineered

2,365

Adjustable

Budget Cattle/Horse Panels

2,670each

$

• 4m x 2m • Engineered 20T per axle • Heavy Duty Construction

• 3.25mm x 2m • Heavy Duty Construction

• All Galvanised Construction • Mesh Floor Non Adjustable • Australian $ Made

Crazy Price

$

117each

$

• 1100 x 2900 • 60 x 30 Rail • 6 Rail • With Pins

Round Bale Cradle Feeder

Square Bale Cradle Feeder • Fully Galvanised • Australian Made

• Fully Galvanised • Heavy Duty Construction • Australian Made • Suits Round Bales

800each

680each

$

$

Top Hats

157each

$

• Heavy Duty Construction • Suits Big Square Bales

800each

$

Roofing Iron ALUZINC CORRUGATED STOCK LENGTHS

C/Z100 - 15 $9.90 L/M C/Z150 - 15 $13.35 L/M C/Z200 - 15 $16.50 L/M Ordered cut to Length and Punched, No extra cost or we keep Standard Lengths of C-Purlin in Stock at 6.1m, 7.62m, 9.14m

40mm x .48 - 7.5m 50mm x .75 - 7.5m 64mm x .75 - 7.5m 75mm x .75 - 7.5m 96mm x .75 - 7.5m 120mm x .75 - 7.5m

$24.30 $43.35 $49.05 $55.05 $68.80 $86.30

Stock Lengths as Listed or Order cut to your Length

2440m (8 foot) 3050m (10 foot) 3660m (12 foot) 4270m (14 foot)

$29.75ea $37.20ea $44.65ea $52.10ea

4880m (16 foot) 5500m (18 foot) 6400m (21 foot) 7620m (25 foot)

$59.50ea $67.10ea $78.08ea $91.45ea

COLORBOND $16.50 L/M Ordered cut to Length in your colour ZINCALUME $12.50 L/M Ordered Cut to Length

Cnr Wakool Road & Kelly Street

DENILIQUIN

Ph: (03) 5881 5541 Mobile: 0427 203 334 Fax: (03) 5881 6146