FARMTALK magazine - December 2021/January 2022

DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022

Magazine

Fruit is the

hero

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Advertising & Editorial Deadlines February Edition: January 28, 2022 March Edition: February 25, 2022 April Edition: March 25, 2022 May Edition: April 29, 2022 June Edition: May 27, 2022

Plain and simple decision

August Edition: July 29, 2022

Conservation: Rhys McCulloch has signed on to the Biodiversity Conservation’s latest conservation project to provide and regenerate habitat for the endangered Plains-wander.

September Edition: August 26, 2022 October Edition: September 23, 2022 November Edition: October 28, 2022 December/January Edition: November 25, 2022

Leesa Muir

It’s one of the last habitats of one of Australia’s most endangered birds, and it’s right in the McCulloch family’s backyard.

L

ocated on the Hay Plains on the border of the Oolambeyan National Park, between Conargo and Hay — their 10,000 hectares have become a site of hopeful regeneration.

Rhys McCulloch was inspired to sign on to the Biodiversity Conservation Trust’s latest conservation program, offering a minimum 15 year term, to provide and regenerate habitat for the endangered Plainswanderer on his family property.

“I’ve always been interested in conservation, and my father Craig too. We’ve always sort of looked after

the land — we’ve never overgrazed it, in fact we’ve probably undergrazed it until now,” Rhys said.

“Because we understand the natural workings of ecosystems are that complex, we’ve got to look after native grasses, pastures, animals, trees.

“They live in synergy together and we’ve always been quite vigilant of that.

“When we’ve had the chance to jump on any conservation, we try to do that.”

Farmland which is best for grazing stock is also the original habitat of the Plains-wanderer.

Nicole Fraser

Ged Munro

Rebecca Flisher

GRAPHIC DESIGN

GRAPHIC DESIGN / SOCIAL MEDIA

Zoe McMaugh

Laura Green

John Thompson

Bryanna Rossow

Geoff Adams

Carly Marriott

GENERAL MANAGER & ADVERTISING

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SEE PAGE 7 FOR ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL CONTACT DETAILS 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.

DECEMBER 2021

FARMtalk • 3

“We rotate them (sheep) through the paddocks to maintain that ground cover for the Plains-wanderer, and it’s amazing how perfectly that suits grazing sheep too.”

RHYS MCCULLOCH The BCT hopes to reverse the damage of overgrazing stock, and co-locate habitat and farmland.

Through the program, farmers are being asked to help restore crucial habitats which have been lost due to incongruent land management and introduced species.

Rhys said the program will start from early next year, giving him a “kick up the bum” to develop a grazing map for his 5500 Merino ewes.

The grazing plan works as a guide for moving sheep to new paddocks every four to six weeks, to give the grazed grasses a chance to regenerate.

“We rotate them through the paddocks to maintain that ground cover for the Plains-wanderer, and it’s amazing how perfectly that suits grazing sheep too.”

The density of the regenerated grasses — some of them native — suits the foliage coverage the grounddwelling birds prefer, giving them places to hide from predators, sleep and nest. It also returns a vital food source to the nocturnal birds: seeds and leaves.

Once sheep are moved on, these grasses grow back to a medium density, letting Plains-wanderers move in.

“If you don’t move them (sheep), they’ll graze paddocks down to nothing. So we move them to the next paddock and let the grass come back to that 40 or 60 per cent coverage, and it’s a win:win.”

He said the consistent grazing pattern can also benefit the health of his sheep.

“It keeps their condition, fat, and growth at a steady incline.

“Changes in feed cause a lot of troubles with wool length and wool strength.

Breeding: A male Plains-wanderer with chicks.

“If you constantly change their paddocks and grasses, they increase in health, production, and then we get more lambs on the ground.

“And the Plains-wanderer wins, the environment wins and it’s our win too.”

As part of the deal, the BCT will visit participating properties one to two times a year to track the farmers’ progress.

The tenders offer between $13 and $419 per hectare per annum, which farmers applied for based on the importance of their land to conservation, and the funding they might need to meet conservation needs.

The McCullochs set aside about 3500ha of the property, including 800ha of primary habitat. The funds they receive will pay for fencing, baiting of predators, boxthorn weed removal, and act as a general incentive to continue the work.

With a minimum 15 year term on agreements, that land is secured in the hopes of seeing long term results.

It also benefits farmers’ drought resilience according to the BCT, by offering another form of income in the long run.

Rhys is part of a group of 25 landholders offering a total 50,000ha of land to three conservation tenders across NSW — one of which focuses on the Plainswanderer in the southern Riverina.

Of those landholders, 10 are Riverina-based, their properties comprising 21,000ha of land dedicated to regenerating and conserving Plains-wanderer habitats.

The tender area for the Plains-wanderer habitat comprises Hay, Carrathool, Edward River, Murrumbidgee, Narrandera and Federation local government areas.

Endangered: A female Plains-wanderer.

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Fruit is the hero Quincey Jones Jelly Preserves co-owner Tim Harley has a passion for everything quince — quince jelly, quince paste and famous jazz musician Quincy Jones.

H

is Moama family business started off as a single stall at the Echuca Farmers’ Markets six years ago, and his range has grown to a product line of more than 80 different jams, relishes, sauces and preserves.

Mr Harley is a perfect example of how you can turn your passion — no matter how “out there” they are — into a profitable business.

But he said it takes a lot of hard work, persistence and care.

“I was working as an economic statistician for the Department of Industry, Reserve Bank of Australia and Australian Bureau of Statistics before getting into preserves, but I always had such a passion for Australian produce and quince in particular.

“I was fascinated by how quince turns from this bright yellow colour to a deep red when cooked, and it’s the most difficult preserve to make, so I liked the challenge.”

A pivotal moment for the business was receiving a $60,000 federal grant last year, which assisted in the purchasing of two state of the art mixing kettles and a labelling machine, through the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund.

The 110 litre mixing kettles allow for more preserves to be made at the perfect heat, while still keeping the production scale small.

This ensures every jar of jam is individually cared for, something that is very important to Mr Harley.

“We take pride in the fact that we have a very hands on approach. We visit the farms, where we pick the freshest fruit for our jams ourselves,” he said.

“This is the best thing about being in the country.”

From there the fruit is taken to be prepared and cooked by the Quincey Jones team, creating the perfect jam every time.

Quincey Jones Jelly jams contain more than three quarters of fruit, and are 100 per cent natural.

“We believe in fruit driven products, the fruit is always the hero,” Mr Harley said.

“They may not be as sweet, but jams are not meant to be candy.”

Mr Harley said while he thought his business would suffer immensely during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said increased interest in his products has allowed him weather the storm reasonably well.

He said the cancellation of farmers markets and continual lockdowns did create some challenges, but like many other small businesses Mr Harley took this as an opportunity to focus his business online.

“There has been such a positive trend since COVID of buying local.

“People have been bypassing food that is overly processed and full of preservatives.

MOAMA, NSW

DECEMBER 2021

FARMtalk • 5

Family business: Tim, Lily and Natalie Harley at the Echuca Farmers’ Market.

“They are wanting to know where their food is coming from, and are realising that small businesses are doing it better.”

All ingredients in his preserves are sourced from the Goulburn Valley and surrounding areas, and each is made fresh from country to plate — another reason why Quincey Jones customers love the product.

Mr Harley knows his products wouldn’t be the high quality they are without the fresh Australian produce that goes into them.

“Australia has the best produce to offer. The produce is superior to everywhere else in the world,” he said.

And now with the online store, customers can get quality country preserves from wherever they are in Australia.

While you will still catch Quincey Jones Jelly at various farmers markets all over the region, the online store is where they now get the most sales.

They receive about 200 orders a day, which keeps the team incredibly busy.

Despite how successful Quincey Jones Jelly has become, it still remains a family business.

Mr Harley’s wife, Natalie Harley, is a school teacher during the day, but is still hands on with the business.

She attends farmer’s markets on weekends and helps out with labelling.

The introduction of the labelling machine — which labels 40 jars per minute — saves her a lot of time though.

Their daughter Lily also gets involved and is chief taste tester, ensuring no jam leaves the shop without her approval.

Other than the classics, Quincey Jones Jelly customers love the products that are innovative and unique and can’t be purchased from supermarket shelves.

Some favourites include the raspberry and licorice jam, and fig and earl grey.

“Our products are quite innovative,” Mr Harley said.

“We really like to experiment and stimulate the imagination.

“We like to play with interesting flavours and different types of alcohol, to keep things interesting.”

Above all else, Mr Harley credits the success of his business to his customers, especially those that come back again and again.

“We’ve got fantastic customers from all around Australia.

“We make sure we are always including them in the business, asking them what they want,” said Mr Harley.

“You take a hands on approach and get a good name for yourself, people will follow you.”

“I was fascinated by how quince turns from this bright yellow colour to a deep red when cooked, and it’s the most difficult preserve to make, so I liked the challenge.”

TIM HARLEY

“We believe in fruit driven products, the fruit is always the hero.”

TIM HARLEY

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

from Murray Local Land Services

Our offices will be closed from 12:00 pm, Friday, 24 December, 2021 for the Christmas break and will re-open at 8:30 am, Monday, 10 January, 2022.

For life threatening emergencies, please call 000 immediately.

If you suspect a significant animal pest, disease, or residue or experience a large number of unexplained livestock deaths, please contact the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

If you need to report an exotic plant pest or disease, please call the Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.

For assistance with non-emergency livestock health issues, please contact your nearest private vet.

Enjoy the Christmas break, stay safe and we look forward to seeing you in 2022!

Murray Local Land Services P: 03 5881 9900 (Deniliquin) 03 5886 2100 (Jerilderie 02 6051 2200 (Albury)

www.lls.nsw.gov.au/regions/murray

DECEMBER 2021

FARMtalk • 7

Agri-focus Should farmers in the southern Riverina be making the move to value-adding on their products? A report on Deniliquin and district’s agribusiness prospects says yes.

I

n a review of the Edward River Council’s economic and cultural outlook for the next 10 years, rural and regional communication experts Seftons explains the ways in which the district’s economy can grow ambitiously.

Author of the report, former Deniliquin woman Robbie Sefton, said the region has myriad opportunities in tourism, local education and training, and in its primary industry sector.

“Agriculture is key to the economic success of the region,” Ms Sefton’s report said.

“Agriculture in the region is a significant employer, income producer and has a world class reputation.

“There are several successful corporate and family operated businesses achieving amazing results in the region in sometimes challenging circumstances.”

During the community consultation period, Seftons surveyed the area’s strengths and challenges, and interviewed 450 locals about what is important to them in the region’s future.

Some respondents recommended value-adding to the established agriculture industry, which Edward River Council’s Agribusiness Master Plan 2019-24 estimates contributed $255 million to the economy in 2019 — about half of the area’s total economic value.

Fluctuating prices on meat, dairy, and wool have obviously affected those numbers, however council recognised those industries’ abilities to stabilise.

It also identified climate change, high water prices, geopolitics and market demand, technology, and social values are ongoing challenges the agriculture sector will continue to face.

In 2015-16, Edward River’s primary industries constituted 29 per cent livestock for slaughter, 24 per cent livestock products, 36 per cent broadacre cropping, three per cent vegetables, and fruit, nuts and grapes comprised of less than two per cent.

Council said these industries could be harnessed more effectively in its agribusiness plan.

“There is virtually no value-adding in the region aside from the rice mill, which is now operating undercapacity,” council says.

“Importantly, the (rice) mill still produces the most premium grades in the SunRice range.

“The abattoir has been inactive for some time. These assets could be reopened or repurposed, or refocused on smaller scale, premium production.”

Ms Sefton’s report recommends putting together a business case for Deniliquin to become a “hub” of the Riverina, offering processing and high quality goods similar to farm gates at Barham, such as the Bundarra Berkshires free range pig farm, local premium pork delicatessen/cafe, and delivery of product hampers to markets in Victoria.

One survey participant even noted the success of this small, sustainable farm, and its appeal to holidaymakers and those looking for premium or organic products.

“I think processing, even just small niche processing, could be an opportunity. Because I see every farmers’ market where I am down south (of the Riverina), and Barham’s really doing a lot of work in this area, like Berkshire Pork. But I’m not sure how they’ve gone. If we had an abattoir open here (at Deniliquin) I’d be doing it for small specialist breeds only.”

Ms Sefton’s recommendations support this, saying agribusiness could benefit with “a strong providence branding campaign and linkages to food and beverage entrepreneurs from Melbourne, and a connection directly with the consumer”.

Seven focus areas were included in her recommendations, including fostering a culture of new ideas, extracting more value from local outputs, maximising water assets, and supporting business transition.

Part of this included “extending beyond our boundaries” to neighbouring councils. The collaborative group known as the Riverina and Murray Joint

Organisation, of which Edward River Council is a part, recognises the importance of cooperating in planning for the future.

“With agriculture the main industry in our region, regional economic development strategies have recommended the importance of supporting a more diverse and resilient economy by attracting industries that are not impacted by seasonal conditions,” RAMJO’s industry, workforce and jobs summary states.

“The population and workforce participation statistics show growth areas for the RAMJO region in agriculture, manufacturing, health and aged care.”

In its Agribusiness Master Plan, council said employment in agribusiness and value-adding is likely to decline if the region does not rise to the challenge, however it acknowledged the food produced here has a strong history and is trusted globally by consumers.

“While new farming models would increase viability, they are not being widely adopted in the region,” the plan says.

Those models include collaborative farming, machinery sharing collectives, joint ownership models, collaborative marketing, group purchasing, co-investment in value-adding facilities, crop rotation specialisation, and new age cooperatives.

“The Edward River region produces a number of premium products including rice, high-protein grains, fine wools, higher quality milk,” the plan says.

“Through differentiation and value-adding, the returns from these commodities could be substantially improved.

This might look like increasing margins through direct-to-customer farmgate sales or delivery, or closedloop value chain marketing, particularly for grain.

“Most of the information and support mechanisms required to drive change already exist, this platform is therefore, mostly about promoting the need to change and connecting people with the resources to assist them,” council said.

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Floodplain harvesting inquiry concludes on 15 December

NSW Parliament is completing its inquiry into floodplain harvesting – the practice of diverting rainwater into private dams.

While farmers have the right to harvest some rainwater, excessive unlicensed floodplain harvesting in the Northern Basin has had a big negative impact on irrigators and communities on the Murray River and Lower Darling.

We fought hard for this inquiry, so I will be looking closely at the Committee’s recommendations, which will be handed down on 15 December.

The next step with be to make sure the NSW Government implements these recommendations – which will have a positive impact in our region.

Follow my Facebook page Helen Dalton MP for updates and next steps.

Regards, Helen Dalton MP for Murray Authorised by Helen Dalton MP, Funded using Parliamentary Entitlements. www.helendalton.com.au

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DECEMBER 2021

FARMtalk • 9

Leaders in rice

Twelve frontline leaders with SunRice have graduated with a Certificate IV in leadership and management from TAFE NSW.

A

graduation ceremony took place at the Leeton SunRice offices in late November, with senior leaders and fellow colleagues in attendance.

Delivered through a unique partnership with TAFE NSW, the course is specifically tailored to SunRice participants, aimed at helping frontline leaders enhance their leadership skills and better meet future workplace challenges, particularly in the Riverina.

The recipients satisfied the requirements of the certificate, including undertaking project work, leading a team and a diverse workforce effectively, and implementing continuous improvement strategies, a journey they started three years ago.

SunRice Group general manager global operations and agribusiness Tom Howard said the event not only celebrated the group’s successes, but also recognised the ‘‘tremendous effort, commitment, and determination they have demonstrated over this journey’’. ‘‘And what a journey it has been, during a period coming out of drought as well as the interruptions of a global pandemic,’’ he said.

Training opportunities like this course provide SunRice’s frontline leaders with the chance to develop confidence as they build their skill sets and professional responsibilities.

Mr Howard acknowledged the benefits that the rice industry brings to the region and noted the positive impact of the rise in this year’s production. ‘‘We’re welcoming more and more people back into the group and are actively recruiting across both of our milling footprints. ‘‘In preparation for harvest early next year, we’ll be bringing a significant number of casual employees through our operations across the Riverina as well as our AGS network.

2021 Graduates: (From left): Melissa Lyons, Christine Johnson, Sherry Davies, Lee Hopewell, Ben Heaslip, Paul Woods, Richard Fox, Jason Fletcher, Cosimo Salerno and Dominic Kelly.

Absent: Darren Rutter and Rohan Caniglia.

‘‘We’re pleased to welcome back a lot of people who previously worked with the group, allowing us to expand those key skills to help us run effectively. ‘‘The Certificate IV leadership and management program will provide our frontline leaders the foundations to be successful in their outward facing positions and role models for incoming and current staff. ‘‘Good communicators are key to building great teams and I know this course has helped our leaders grow in this area.’’

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DECEMBER 2021

FARMtalk • 11

Sheep study scholar A young Elmore farmer pursuing regenerative farming practices is among the newest cohort chosen for Australian Nuffield Scholarships.

T

he scholarship provides overseas travel up to the value of $30,000, and lamb producer Jessica Conlan intends to travel to the United States and China next year. She will use the scholarship to research better ways to finish lambs on grass.

Dr Conlan, 30, and her mother, Jo, sell about 2000 heavy lambs off their farm, Tumbywood at Runnymede, and are transitioning the property to regenerative agriculture to boosts its productivity and resilience.

Dr Conlan said when she decided to come back to the farm and leave her work as a research scientist in marine biology, she sat down with her mum to discuss what they would like to do differently.

“We both agreed that regenerative agriculture was something we would enjoy doing,” she said.

They have moved to a no-till approach, use a disc seeder to sow multiple species of grasses and try to reduce synthetic inputs.For example, last year they suffered an outbreak of redlegged earth mite and used a pesticide, but this year they applied a molasses foliar spray designed to raise the sugar level in plants and to make the plant less digestible to pests.

They hope the use of up to 14 different species of grasses will rejuvenate the soil. Early signs are promising, as a soil test in one trial paddock has shown improved levels of elements. The family has also fenced off part of Mt Pleasant Creek that runs through the property. They hope allowing this area to regenerate will have pay-offs for the remainder of the farm that will more than compensate for the area lost to grazing.

“We were amazed by the growth rate of the lambs on the multi-species crops,” Dr Conlan said.

“It was also a great learning experience to see the sheep choosing to graze different species throughout the season.”

With an increasing global appetite for grass-fed meat, she believes Australian lamb is well placed to take advantage of this trend.

“The MLA Global Consumer Tracker shows that Australia’s largest lamb importers, China and the US, will pay more for Australian lamb due to good animal welfare, safety, quality consistency and higher nutritional value.

Scholarship: Jessica Conlan was the recipient of a 2021 Nuffield Scholarship and will use the scholarship to research better ways to finish lambs on grass.

“So, global data backs grass-fed Australian lamb as an increasingly valuable commodity, making advanced grass-finishing systems an industry priority.”

Dr Conlan will travel throughout Australia, New Zealand, the US and China to explore methods to grow more, better quality grass for longer seasons. These methods include forage cropping, rotational grazing and summer-active grasses.

“My work will examine these methods’ true potential for finishing heavy lambs in Australia to futureproof our industry’s reputation,” she said.

“The Nuffield Scholarship will allow me to gather knowledge from across the globe and encourage farmers to weave this through their daily practices, cementing our industry as one of great innovation, quality and morality.”

Her scholarship is supported by the William Buckland Foundation.

What is the Nuffield Scholarship?

T

he Nuffield Scholarship is an Australian-based bursary program which allows those in farming and other agribusiness to drive their knowledge and business opportunities forward.

Benefits include access to a global network of agriculture and food systems researchers, knowledge on leading business practises and ideas, building agribusiness opportunities during COVID, and of course funding for travel and research into a chosen field.

Next year’s 12 scholarship recipients will travel throughout Australia and overseas “to research innovative concepts, techniques and systems that will make a positive impact on their businesses and the broader agricultural industry” according to Nuffield Australia.

A $30,000 bursary is provided to each scholar to spend on travel. They will visit, learn from and collaborate with some of the world’s leading agricultural businesses and research institutions. At the end of their time overseas, scholars will be able to share their work at the eight-day Contemporary Scholars Conference, and produce a research report.

“We love the passion and ideas our new 2022 Scholars showed in their applications. Among the cohort, there’s a strong focus on finding and sharing innovations that can make Australian agriculture and its associated value chains more resilient to changes in the environment, regulations, markets and consumer expectations,” Nuffield Australia CEO Jodie Redcliffe said.

Potential applicants must submit a written application, attend an in-person state-based interview, and attend a final national interview by video link. Applications for 2023 scholarships will open in mid-2022.

Visit https://www.nuffield.com.au/ or email enquiries@nuffield.com.au to find out more.

DECEMBER 2021

12 • FARMtalk

The Barooga site is one of the largest new horticultural developments in Australia.

Citrus is coming back to Barooga.

Andrew Mann on the horticulture site.

A total of 330,000 trees are on the Barooga site.

BAROOGA, NSW

DECEMBER 2021

FARMtalk • 13

Citrus on a

grand scale Standing on top of Glen’s Hill overlooking the Mulwala canal near Barooga, you can see as far south as Mt Major near Dookie, where Andrew Mann attended agricultural college as a sheep farmer’s son.

M

r Mann is now overseeing one of the biggest citrus developments currently under way in Australia, after spending 20 or so years working as an agribusiness banker.

The parcel of land at Glen’s Hill totals 420ha of citrus and is a combination of three traditional broadacre family farms that have been purchased by his employer, US capital fund Agricultural Capital (AC).

Mr Mann’s career move to general manager (Australian operations) has not only created a change of scenery for him, this development is also changing the farming landscape.

Citrus is by no means new to the region, with a long tradition of orange orchards being grown along the banks of the Murray River dating back to the 1940s.

Geoff Brentnall’s family operated the 100ha Murray Park orchard and went on to establish Brentwood Juices in the 1970s when orange growers experienced low demand for their fruit.

Mr Brentnall, now retired and at home tending to his crop of protea flowers, recalled “the local Barooga growers farmed along the country to the east of town and would then deliver produce to the Cobram Co-operative packing shed to be transported to the Melbourne markets.’’

In a way, AC has recreated this supply chain but on a much larger, more intensive scale.

This spring AC planted 330,000 trees at the Glen’s Hill property that will be ready to harvest in 2025.

AC also owns Mowbray Farm, a 210ha established citrus orchard at Berrigan producing Sumo Citrus, Navel oranges, lemons and mandarins and delivering to its Legacy Packing facility in Cobram.

The citrus development at Glen’s Hill on Back Barooga Rd has been a work in progress, with five spreader trucks busily spreading 7 - 8 tonne/ha of cow manure sourced from the nearby Peechelba feedlot to improve soil fertility.

Contractors have formed beds for planting, excavators have laid irrigation infrastructure and a team of electricians have had the job of wiring pumps so that 180km of underground pipe can water the newly planted trees.

The development includes 180ha of Sumo Citrus, 60ha of Navel oranges and 180ha of Afourer mandarins.

The location’s attractiveness includes its proximity to Mulwala Canal, the soil type, the fact it is counterseasonal to the Northern Hemisphere and that the climate is comparable to California.

As in California, water is highly sought after in the southern Riverina, meaning the demand for land and water is on the rise from family and corporate farmers alike.

“We need to get ahead of the curve and set up this operation, because of its location above the Barmah Choke and with access to packing and logistics to the Melbourne market,” Mr Mann said.

The trees require 7-8ML/ha using pulse irrigation and are watered year-round.

With a 240ML dam and a 50ML sump, AC can take 50ML/day from the canal using a combination of permanent and temporary water through Murray Irrigation Limited.

“The greatest threat to the business is labour and water, just like everyone else,” Mr Mann said.

The business relies on a community of fruit pickers and workers who have made Cobram their home because there is year-round work for them.

“It creates a community here, with stone fruit, citrus, pruning, a real cycle of work,” Mr Mann said.

“We also employ staff who are responsible for agronomic and irrigation duties who are local to the area and able to pursue training and upskilling on our farms.”

“It creates a community here, with stone fruit, citrus, pruning, a real cycle of work.”

ANDREW MANN The jewel in the AC crown is the Sumo Citrus brand, that is grown throughout the Riverina, Mildura and Riverland.

The business is focused on selling a premium fruit to the domestic and export market, with fruit sold to 30 countries worldwide.

AC has 7284ha of citrus in the ground in the United States and 647ha in Australia, and according to Mr Mann the company is looking to develop further in this region and elsewhere.

“There’s space for corporates, but they won’t take over the world,” he said.

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DECEMBER 2021

Is your farm fire ready?

FARMtalk • 15

It’s that time of year when we are all thinking about holidays and end of year catch ups with friends and family, but have you thought about if your farm is fire ready?

I

t is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to bushfires, so it is important to ask how fireproof your animal emergency or farm fire plans are. Being fully prepared for bushfires can help you protect yourself, your family, your pets and livestock, and your property.

There are a range of measures you can undertake to make sure you minimise the threats and impacts of fire on your property and your livestock. The first step is always to discuss what you will do in the event of a fire? The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) and NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) websites have a range of resources that can help you have this discussion. They also have resources that can help you develop your Animal Emergency Plan or Farm Fire Plans to be bushfire ready. You can access these resources by searching ‘get ready animals’ at www.ses.nsw.gov.au or ‘farm fire safety’ at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au.

Steps that you can take to prepare your property for the bushfire season include: •

Creating or reviewing your animal emergency plan and farm fire plan.

•

Preparing adequate low risk paddocks where stock can access water and where the potential bushfire fuel is minimal. These paddocks should be large enough to allow stock to move away from the fire and ideally be protected by a road or a 3-6 metre ploughed fire break.

•

Consider keeping hay stored at multiple locations to minimise risk of loss. Ensure sheds are protected with a fire break or that fuel levels around them are minimised.

•

Ensure all your livestock are identified with National Livestock Identification System ear tags, and that all your horses, cats and dogs are microchipped.

•

Creating an emergency kit for your animals that includes a list of emergency phone numbers, any medications, animal first aid supplies, wire cutters and a sharp knife.

In the event of a bushfire emergency, the Local Land Services works with the NSW Department of Primary Industries to coordinate rescue, evacuation, and emergency care for animals.

For further information and advice on how to prepare for bushfires, you can contact the Local Land Services on 1300 795 299 or drop into your Local Land Services office.

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

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DECEMBER 2021

FARMtalk • 17

Breeding insight Students of Finley High School’s Agricultural program participated in an annual excursion to Jerilderie in November, to witness the artificial insemination of the school’s 26 ewes.

C

onducted with the support of David and Rozy Kennett and Rayleigh Yelland of Genstock, the program allows Finley High School’s ag program to use genetically superior rams from Australia’s leading breeders. ‘‘For many years now we’ve had support from Genstock, which allows the students to see the whole process of progeny — from looking down the laparoscope to inspect the ovaries of the ewes, to viewing the donor semen under a microscope,’’ Finley High agriculture and primary industries teacher Robyn O’Leary said.

It is the first step in a comprehensive program that immerses students in the full lifecycle of their animals, and the agricultural industry generally.

The inseminated ewes will go to lamb in April of next year, prior to which a local volunteer will scan the ewes in a process similar to ultrasound.

Students will learn the different procedures and processes involved with birthing. ‘‘When you get to be there and see the process, it makes it that little bit more real, more so than just listening to a presentation or watching a video,’’ explained Mrs O’Leary.

After birthing students will work to prep and preen the lambs until they are ‘show ready’, come spring. ‘‘Our vision for the agricultural program at Finley is for the kids to have an understanding of where their food comes from, and the confidence to use that knowledge later in life,’’ Mrs O’Leary said.

“For many years now we’ve had support from Genstock, which allows the students to see the whole process of progeny — from looking down the laparoscope to inspect the ovaries of the ewes, to viewing the donor semen under a microscope.”

ROBYN O’LEARY

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DECEMBER 2021

FARMtalk • 19

Safely controlling Bathurst burrs Unfortunately, it looks like this season will be a bad one for Bathurst burrs. The hard seed that has remained dormant for the past few seasons will germinate soon, along with any of the soft seed from recent burrs.

T

he good news is this means controlling this season’s burrs could substantially reduce the population going forward. The challenge is to do it safely.

The issue is that 2,4-D, the chemical most used for broad acre burr control, has the highest drift hazard onto broadleaf crops, like cotton. So, if you are planning a Bathurst burr control program, there are several things you must keep in mind.

Proximity to cotton The first thing to consider is how far you are from sensitive crops, particularly cotton. You can do this by viewing the cotton plantings on satacrop (satacrop. com.au) which lets you know where the crops in your area are located (you can even measure the distance from your property to nearby cotton crops). If you are within 10km of a cotton crop, you should avoid any phenoxy herbicide, such as 2,4-D or MCPA. Instead, herbicides like glyphosate (e.g. Roundup®), fluroxypyr (e.g. Starane Advance®) and metsulfuron methyl (e.g.

Associate®) are much better options in these zones.

While using phenoxy herbicides is not advised within 10km of cotton, some can be used, but only after discussions with landholders with sensitive crops and by following strict safety procedures such as: •

Only amine chemical formulations can be used, not LV Ester formulations.

•

praying should only occur during the day, S preferably morning, when no temperature inversions are present.

•

praying should not occur if conditions are too S calm or too windy. Wind speeds need to be between 3km/h and 20km/h.

•

pply herbicides when the temperature is below A 28ºC, (definitely not above 32ºC) and when the Delta T is below 10. Weather conditions are best monitored on site with a reliable portable weather device.

•

pray droplets used to apply the herbicide need to S be very coarse. This means that only nozzles that produce minimal driftable fines, such as TTIs, can

Germination: A young Bathurst burr plant which germinated in early November.

be used. Traditional flat fan nozzles, and even some of the air-inducted nozzles, are not suitable.

•

oom height should be no more than 50cm above B the target weeds

•

Travel speed should not exceed 18km/h.

Less-sensitive zones Even if you are more than 10km from sensitive crops, controlling burrs still needs to be done carefully. All the safety steps for crops within 10km of cotton should still be followed, although there are potentially more herbicide options.

Within less-sensitive zones, phenoxy herbicides can be more readily used, but again it is still preferable to use amine formulations.

The weather conditions, droplet size, boom height and travel speed are basically the same as for spray areas closer to sensitive crops

Application records Application records are a legal requirement. They need to be made within 24 hours of application, written in legible English and kept for three years. Records require over 20 different observations or measurements to be recorded, including information on the: • property • applicator • times of application • herbicide • equipment • nozzles, and • weather Details of the records required can be found in NSW DPI spray guides such as ‘Weed control in winter crops 2021’, which you can find on the NSW DPI website.

You must also record any rainfall for the 24 hours before and after application (although some labels prescribe a different time after application.)

Damage: Tomatoes damaged by 2,4-D spray drift. to grow and set seed, but will be more difficult to control with herbicide. For the best results they should be sprayed within seven to 10 days of a significant rain event.

Remember, everyone has a legal (and moral) obligation to ensure chemicals do not drift from their property and cause damage to others. All landholders need to actively and consistently manage their spray operations to prevent any future problems. Failure to do so could have negative consequences for all involved.

The final challenge Burrs, like most weeds, are difficult to control when they are not actively growing. If we get hot, dry conditions after the burrs germinate, they will continue

John Fowler is senior lands services officer – extension agronomist with Murray Local Land Services.

DECEMBER 2021

20 • FARMtalk

Managing livestock nutrition in the rangelands The semi-arid rangelands of the west of the Murray region are vast areas predominately grazed by sheep – with cattle, goats and kangaroos also foraging on the fertile plains.

T

hese rangelands are a mix of native and introduced species, annuals and perennials, shrubs, grasses and forbs, and have a diversity of species only truly appreciated by those who live and work in these areas. They are highly variable, with pasture production being driven by rainfall – whenever that occurs!

Whilst this diversity is a great strength, it can also make managing these areas extremely challenging.

Just consider some of the challenges these rangelands offer-up, including managing a range of:

• Know the quality and quantity of feed that is available.

•

Annual and perennial grasses and native shrubs – all of which have different growth patterns and rates, are often productive and setting seed at different times of the year (and in response to rainfall).

Figure 1. Digestibility and Energy Declines with pasture maturity.

•

In some instances native invasive species.

•

nimal production needs (quantity and quality of pastures, supplementary feeding, A production or maintenance feeding).

•

Groundcover objectives (for production as well as to minimise erosion).

•

ater supplies which are often poor quality and not ideally located for grazing W livestock.

•

Seasonally high fuel loads.

•

Rabbits and goats.

These challenges in themselves are not uncommon to other graziers across our region – but when you combine it with generally low (and highly variable and unreliable) rainfall, extremes of temperature, additional grazing pressure from kangaroos and goats, highly variable and fragile soils, problems associated with grass seed contamination, (need I go on?), then you can start to get a sense of just how complex and challenging managing our semi-arid rangeland areas can be.

Let alone trying to make some money, and hopefully leaving the country in better condition for future generations. No easy ask at all!

In this highly variable and often challenging environment, managing livestock nutrition requires a combination of knowledge, skill, practice, good decision making, and a bit of help from mother nature!

Three critical factors graziers should be familiar with are explored following.

You should consider doing some assessments of the amount of dry matter in individual paddocks, and obtaining an analysis of the quality of the pasture through feed tests. This could and should be done during the different seasons. Key factors to measure are dry matter (DM), the digestibility of the feed (DMD), metabolisable energy (ME), crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF). Figure 1 below shows how digestibility and energy levels of temperature pastures change with advancing maturity.

Source: Prograze Manual, 2017.

• Understand the nutritional requirements of your various classes of livestock.

The nutritional needs of your livestock will vary considerably depending on whether they are growing, lactating, reproducing, their base body weight and/or pregnancy status.

DECEMBER 2021

FARMtalk • 21 For example, a dry ewe will need around eight megajoules of metabolizable energy/day (MJ ME/d), whereas a lactating ewe with twins will require over 26 MJ ME/d.

•

• Know the composition of your pastures

3. Scanning ewes

Rangeland pastures can be quite complex and comprised of a range of annual and perennial species, both introduced and natives. It is this diversity in composition which makes the rangelands so resilient, and productive under the right conditions. Knowing what you have ‘on ground’ is really important in understanding the quantity and quality of feed you have (and may have) available, and how then to manage the pasture.

For example, barley grass and ryegrass will be the major contributors to pastures production in the early spring, whereas the native perennial’s such as windmill grass, wallaby grass, copperburr and the saltbushes will contribute most to growth over the summer (especially in response to summer rainfall).

Understanding the pasture mix, and importantly managing to retain (and improve) the complex composition of rangelands pastures is one of the key management options producers have in meeting the nutritional requirements of their livestock. Within the rangelands environment, animal production over the entire year is driven (and indeed maximised) by the functional complexity of the pastures your livestock are grazing.

For young, growing animals, weight is a better indicator of nutritional status than condition score, so weigh young stock to determine growth rates.

•

Allows allocation of different (pasture) as required by the ewes pregnancy status – ie. allocating your best feed to ewes bearing multiples, lesser quality feeds to those with singles etc.

•

Can certainly lead to improved overall flock fertility.

•

Allows producers to cull dry ewes.

4. Containment feeding •

Containment feeding is a practical option when pasture conditions don’t adequately meet livestock nutritional requirements.

•

It is well documented that containment feeding can save supplementary feeding costs, labour costs, and enables you to provide better quality water to your livestock.

•

Helps in maintaining groundcover across the entire property.

•

Allows quicker pasture recovery in response to rain, and helps to maintain those more desirable species in your pastures.

Within the rangeland zone there is no single recipe that graziers should implement.

Rather, the approach should be both strategic and tactical, considering: •

Establishing some objective(s) for your overall property and individual paddocks (such as maximising (short-term) productivity, maintaining paddocks which are in good condition, or trying to restore or regenerate paddocks that are degraded.

•

Developing some strategies which allow you to capitalise on opportunities (such as a good season) or minimise problems (such as drought) when they arise.

•

Observing how plants (and the animals grazing them) are responding to grazing and the weather conditions, and alter your management (such as stocking rates, stock removal at seeding etc) in a timely response to what you observe (and in line with your overall strategy).

•

Monitoring the results of your management – determining what impacts certain decisions are having, and changing something if it is either not working or not meeting your overall objective(s).

•

Identifying key plant and shrub species, and what role they play.

Nutrition: A productive, diverse rangelands pasture, adequately meeting the nutritional requirements of the livestock.

•

The importance of maintaining groundcover.

•

Managing different species, understanding the productivity and nutritional value of different species, and the needs of your livestock.

What are some of the key management strategies producers can adopt?

•

Understanding the concept of total grazing pressure.

In order to meet the nutritional requirements of your livestock (both short and long term) from your rangelands pastures, there are a number of key strategies graziers should consider.

1. Manage your pastures to maintain (and improve) the diversity of species.

•

A diverse range of forbs, grasses and shrubs (both annual and perennial) will respond to rainfall at any time.

•

anage your pastures to encourage recruitment of desirable species. Sheep in M particular are fantastic at grazing out the most desirable species, so allowing paddocks to rest at critical times to allow for recruitment is critically important.

There are many great resources available to producers who seek to improve the condition of both their livestock and rangelands pastures. Apart from talking with other producers, there are workshops on tactical grazing management and life time ewe management, which can provide producers with a range of tools, information and ongoing support. A good place to start is to grab hold of a copy of the ‘Glovebox Guide to Tactical Grazing Management for the semi-arid woodlands’ – it is a really practical guide to help producers in making (and implementing) grazing management decisions.

If producers in the Murray LLS area are interested to find out more about managing their rangelands, or wish to take part in one of the workshops, they are encouraged to contact me at the Deniliquin office (03) 5881 9900.

2. Condition score your livestock •

Visually determining the condition of sheep with a reasonable fleece is impossible.

Manually condition scoring sheep to determine their body condition. This then allows you to allocate different feeds to different animals. Importantly, it allows you to see if-and-when there is a change in body condition, so that you can make any necessary changes.

•

It is well proven that ewes in a higher condition score at joining conceive more lambs, have heavier lambs which are more likely to survive, and which then perform better over their lifetime.

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

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DECEMBER 2021

FARMtalk • 23

Gifts to Give This Christmas!

Muster Dogs Aticia Grey An outback story of red dirt, kelpies and the future of a family farm. Aticia ‘Teesh’ Grey took on the manager’s role of her family’s West Pilbara cattle station a few years after picking up her first team of kelpies. Almost immediately she was faced with a severe and devastating drought that forced her to question everything she thought she knew about the fragile country of her home. This is a story of love, laughter, loss and hope as Teesh finds her feet in an ever-changing world with the help of the dogs who have stood by her side through it all.

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Learn with Rabobank With COVID restrictions loosening across the country, Rabobank has reintroduced its Farm Business Management programs following a two-year hiatus.

Tailored for farmers at different stages in their career, the two programs on offer — the Executive Development Program for farm business owners or senior managers and the Farm Managers Program for up-and-coming farmers — are designed to equip farmers with the latest in business management thinking.

While applications for the first round of the programs are closed, expressions of interest are being sought out for the second round of intakes, which will open early in 2022.

The Executive Development Program will cover topics such as strategic planning, financial management, communication, governance, negotiation, global trends, innovation and risk.

The Farm Managers Program will be a week-long course developed for primary producers in the earlier stages of their career, wanting to build management skills and increase their confidence and ability to influence business decisions.

Information for the second round of programs is as follows: ● Farm Managers Program – June 19-24, 2022 in Christchurch, New Zealand.

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Monitor for locusts Australian Plague Locusts are reported to be on the wing in the Riverina region, including in the FARMtalk readership area.

In the latest locus bulletin produced by the Australian Plague Locust Commission in November, it warns that the Riverina region could see undetected and uncontrolled bands form swarms from late November onwards.

It also said the region should expect a low to moderate probability of migration from and to adjacent regions in late spring and early summer, and low to moderate risk of a widespread infestation developing during late spring and early summer.

Monitoring leading up to the release of the report noted higher numbers of second and third instar nymphs up to banddensity in in the Four Corners area, between Jerilderie and Hay, with similarly aged nymphs in other parts.

All locust activity should be reported to your Local Land Services (1300 795 299) or the Department of Primary Industries.

A toll-free call to the APLC hotline can be made on 1800 635 962, and reports can also be emailed to aplc@agriculture. gov.au or sent through the web page at https://www.agriculture.gov.au/pests[1]diseases-weeds/locusts/landholders/ reporting_locusts.

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