FarmTalk Magazine June 2024

Advertising and Editorial Deadlines

July Edition: June 21, 2024

August Edition: July 26, 2024

September Edition: August 23, 2024

October Edition: September 20, 2024

November Edition: October 25, 2024

December Edition: November 22, 2024

February Edition: January 24, 2025

March Edition: February 21, 2025

April Edition: March 21, 2025

May Edition: April 19, 2025

June Edition: May 24, 2025

No fish in these pumps

Fish screens have been installed in two sections of the Murray River to protect native fish from being removed from the river as a result of pumping.

Geoff Adams COUNTRY NEWS EDITOR

Leesa Muir GENERAL MANAGER AND ADVERTISING

Rebecca Flisher CREATIVE MANAGER

Zoe McMaugh CONTENT MANAGER

Sam Wake ADVERTISING

Amber King SALES SUPPORT

Jennifer Ho TRAINEE GRAPHIC DESIGN

Kimberly Grabham RIVERINE GRAZIER JOURNALIST

Andy Wilson COUNTRY NEWS JOURNALIST

TheWestern Murray Land Improvement Group coordinated the installation of the two screens as demonstration sites for increasing awareness and fish screen technology.

Engineered by AWMA Water Control Solutions and installed by Gleeson Excavations, the screens act as barriers to prevent fish, fish eggs, and other objects from being drawn into water pumps. This protection extends to turtles, platypus, and other aquatic species while isolating weed and debris.

The first demonstration took place in Barham in May, with more to come later in the year.

The vision of WMLIG is the exclusion of invasive adult pest fish species such as carp, weather loach, and redfin, which pose a threat to native fish populations and disrupt natural ecosystems.

“Additionally, the modern screens aim to protect native fish by keeping them within their primary habitats, in this case the Murray River,” a WMLIG spokesperson said.

“Modern fish screens offer multifaceted benefits, including biodiversity conservation and improved operational efficiency in water management systems.

“The demonstration session provided attendees with insights into the technology’s advantages and its impact on local ecosystems with presentations from speakers, including local fish ecologist Dr John Conallin, NSW DPI Fisheries Manager Anthony Moore at and AWMA Water Control Solutions CEO Leigh Scoullar.”

Key benefits highlighted included:

• Improved pumping efficiency;

• Reduced damage and blockages from debris; and,

• Lower back-flushing needs, resulting in labour, power, and water savings.

The session also covered the significant role of fish screens in alleviating pressures on native fish populations, the history of fish screening in NSW, and ongoing screening activities across the state.

The Western Murray Land Improvement Group’s purpose is to enrich the community through the power of innovative thinking and knowledge sharing.

Based in Barham, on Barapa Barapa land, it’s a registered not-for-profit charity and Landcare host organisation. It works with four other groups to form the Murray Landcare Collective.

WMLIP’s area of operation and membership base spans 7,500km2 within the Murray River Council local government footprint across diverse bushland, agricultural and floodplain landscape.

Formed in 2003 by a group of passionate regional producers and community members, the group works

across the pillars of industry diversification, Landcare, environmental services, environmental markets and ag research, development and extension.

“We engage in projects that build on our community’s resilience, and their capacity to harness and utilise their skills and knowledge,” the group said.

“We facilitate engagement by bringing together community members with other stakeholders such as government agencies, elected representatives and industry groups and act as a conduit between parties for information exchange and project development where common interests converge. ”

FUELLING RURAL AUSTRALIA SINCE 1974

Anthony Moore from DPI Fisheries and Leigh Fletcher from WMLIG at the Barham fish screening demonstration workshop.

Delicious, nutritious and always growing

When the Barham property now farmed by Tim and Katrina Myers was under the care of Katrina’s parents Deb and Sandy, avocados were a fun little project on the side.

In the years since, the whole focus of the family farming enterprise has changed to now become Barham Avocados.

The property’s first 100 avocado trees were gifted to Deb and Sandy by Katrina’s grandmother Gwen Heinz.

Today, Tim and Katrina have 6000 Hass avocado trees and 1500 Reed avocado trees.

“Nen thought they were delicious and a bit of a luxury thing back then,” Katrina said.

“In those days barely anyone ate avocados in Australia.

“Fast forward to now and Nen’s little idea has blossomed into the main product on our farm.

“We absolutely love that it was all Nen’s idea and we think she would love that we are now here with our family of four kids carrying on her idea.”

Hass avocados are the most well known and commercially desired of the avocados grown in Australia.

Barham Avocados’ Hass trees cover an area of 26 hectares on the farm and produce an average of 15 tonnes per hectare.

Through an agent, these avocados are sold to Coles stores all over the country.

The Reed variety is not as desired commerciallyattracting prices at least 25 per cent less than Hass - but Katrina says it is their favourite to grow ... and eat.

“Reeds are harder to get in good quality and are usually rounder, but because of our cooler climate we can usually get some really great produce,” she said.

“The Haas still has a great taste, a robust skin and changes colour as it ripens, but there are slight differences between it and the Reed.

“The Reed has a higher oil content, so it is creamier.

“These avocados are sold through a wholesaler in Melbourne.”

The property’s Reed trees span about six hectares, with yield averaging 12 tonnes per hectare.

With consumer demand for avocados continuing to trend upwards domestically and overseas, Barham Avocados is exploring its export options.

They have dabbled in Singaporean markets, but say a free trade agreement with India markets could provide fruitful export opportunities.

Katrina said this new market should ease the oversupply of avocados in the domestic market spurred on by an interest in the industry five years ago.

As a result it would also make avocados more profitable for producers.

“Consumer demand is going up, but the market is flooded,” she said.

In the Riverina climate, it takes a full year for avocados to ripen.

The Hass variety are usually harvested in August, September and October, and the Reed in January and February.

And a lot of love and time goes into the trees and their produce in the meantime.

One of the key things is water management, which Tim said is an area that is ever evolving.

New technology recently introduced to the farm allows him to monitor trunk diameter and the amount of water each individual tree is (or isn’t) getting.

“Reeds are harder to get in good quality and are usually rounder, but because of our cooler climate we can usually get some really great produce.”

KATRINA MYERS

That information is delivered straight to Tim’s mobile phone.

“And then there is fertilizer management, canopy management, pruning, weeds and soil health management,” Tim said.

“Good nutrition and calcium is key.

“We also have overhead misters so it does not get too hot in summer, and frost control too.”

While the avocados are a full time job in themselves, that’s not all the Myers’ do.

They also run 1000 Merino ewes and, depending on water availability and other factors, are opportunistic crop farmers. This includes broadacre cropping, rice, lucerne and teff.

Agritourism is another area that is being expanded at Barham Avocados, where the motto is “The best avocados you’ll ever eat, farm events and a farm retreat!”.

A bed and breakfast - called Lost & Found - was opened on the property in June last year, and is also used for meditation retreats hosted by Katrina.

In October last year, the Myers’ then introduced Avocado Fiesta.

They partnered with other local businesses to provide a long table-style feast in the orchards.

There was delicious food featuring their avocados, perfectly complimented by local wines.

Guests were also treated to live music and tours of the orchards.

While it may seem like a lot of work, the Myers’ say they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We pride ourselves on growing the absolute best quality avocados in a conscious and loving way that serves our family and yours.

“We love growing a product that we know is so bloomin’ good for people.”

Do your livestock have access to lead?

Before giving livestock access to an area, you need to check for sources of lead. This is particularly important around areas such as sheds, dumps and pumps as well as checking you haven’t left behind any batteries which have been used to power an electric fence.

Lead can be found in many places such as batteries, old lead paint, sump oil, lead shot and fishing sinkers.

Livestock find lead sweet and, particularly cattle, are known to actively search for it.

Too much lead can be deadly to stock.

Sometimes the first sign of an issue is finding stock dead.

Other symptoms of lead poisoning in stock include blindness, muscle twitching and other neurological signs.

Some of these symptoms can be caused by other conditions such as plant toxicity or grass tetany, which is why getting a veterinary diagnosis of the cause is important.

Often in a herd situation with access to a lead source you will have varying amounts of lead eaten by different individuals.

This often leads to some animals having ingested small amounts of lead, not enough to be causing symptoms, but enough to cause a lead residue in the animal.

Lead contamination of food producing animals is potentially harmful to the health of humans and animals.

It can also have negative impacts on domestic and international trade.

This is why livestock with unacceptable lead residues are prevented from entering the food chain.

For more information you can look up the primefact ‘Lead affected cattle’ on the DPI website https:// www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/beefcattle/health-and-disease/general/lead-poisoningin-livestock or speak to your local district vet at your nearest Local Land Services office.

Linda Searle is a district veterinarian with Murray Local Land Services.

JERILDERIE

EARTHMOVING

Scrapers: Caterpillar 623G, 623B, and 2 x 623F

Excavator: 1 x Komatsu PC200-8, 1 x Hidromek 310LC, 1 x Hidromek 230LC

Longreaches: Komatsu 300-8, 18 Meter & Komatsu 220-5, 14 Metre Boom

Graders: Caterpillar 160M AWD, 2 x Caterpillar 140H

Bulldozers: Caterpillar D7H & Caterpillar D6T with Rake

Tractors: Steiger 450 With Laser Buckets - 14 & 16. Case IH Steiger 535 & 600

Loaders: Cat IT 28B Cat 960F

Low Loaders: 2015 Quad Axel (with Tandem Dolly), SES Tri-Axel

Water Tanker: 45,000 Litres

Roller: Dynapac CA602D (smooth drum & pad foot)

Helen Dalton MP

I travelled to South Australia earlier this year to see for myself where all our water is being wasted. I made a documentary called “Fake Lakes”, exposing the truth about South Australia’s Lower Lakes, which were artificially turned into freshwater lakes 80 years ago by blocking seawater with barrages. This action has led to environmental and economic disasters, with politicians misleading the public.

The lakes rely on constant river water diversion, impacting farming communities. Additionally, socalled environmental flows are damaging ecosystems, causing erosion, and promoting invasive species like Carp.

There is a solution to this unjust problem. It lies in restoring the natural estuarine system by allowing seawater back into the lakes.

The documentary highlights the urgent need to address these issues for the sake of communities, the environment and indigenous heritage and it was screened to a room full of interested MP’s.

I’m continuing our fight against water buybacks and demanding Premier Chris Minns and Water Minister Rose Jackson stand up to the Feds and refuse the transfer of our water to the Commonwealth. The loss in productivity to not just our region, but the state and our nation is on the line.

We cannot allow these buybacks.

Keeping fire ants at bay

The threat of fire ants is under control in NSW, thanks to the efforts of Dean Whitehead and Industry and Investment NSW.

Speaking at a recent Hay NSW forum on the Fire Ant Eradication Program, Mr Whitehead said a stringent process is followed to achieve the goal of eradication.

Fire ants were first detected in Australia in Brisbane in 2001.

They are native to South America, but have established globally and are one of the world’s worst invasive species.

They displace native ant species, preying on any other insect and invertebrates unable to defend themselves.

They can attack and sometimes kill ground inhabiting vertebrate species such as birds, reptiles and small mammals.

Fire ants are currently absent from NSW but infest about 600,000 hectares in south east Queensland, close to the NSW border.

This means there is always a risk of new infestations in NSW.

“Recent infestations in South Murwillumbah and Wardell are currently being treated with the goal of eradication,” said Mr Whitehead.

“The estimated cost for Australia if eradication fails is $1.65 billion a year.

“In 2014 one nest was found at Port Botany in New South Wales and were declared successfully eradicated in that area in 2016.”

Genetic testing of the first detection in northern NSW indicated it was related to the most southern report of fire ants from the Queensland infestation.

“The habitat of a fire ant is open disturbed areas, such as lawns, schools, parks, roadsides, golf courses and sports fields,” Mr Whitehead said.

“However, the species is not found in shaded and undisturbed areas such as bushland and forests.

“When natural spread of fire ants occurs, 99 per cent of new queens fly less than two kilometres, and 90 per cent of queens fly less than 500m.

“A queen can fly up to 5km. Importantly, it takes just a single queen to start a new nest.

“New nests can sometimes be established by queens walking.”

When fire ants spread via human assisted movement, it is via transport of an existing nest or new queen following mating flight.

New queens choose where to land, and do so in baled material (hay, sugarcane mulch), mining and quarrying materials, potted plants, organic mulch, turf, agricultural and earthmoving equipment, and soil and anything with soil in it.

Fire ants will swarm aggressively to attack when disturbed.

Mr Whitehead went on to detail highly visible operations the NSW Department of Primary Industries compliance staff have undertaken.

These operations are to enforce requirements in emergency orders that are issued in areas where the fire ants are detected.

“The proximity of the detection to the New South Wales border indicates an increased likelihood that fire ants could spread into New South Wales through human assisted movement of carrier materials and natural spread,” he said.

“The high number of nests detected in parts of the fire ant infested area in Queensland increases the likelihood of flying mated female fire ants (new queens)

contaminating fire ant carrier material being moved into New South Wales.

“During these operations and emergency orders, 99 vehicles were stopped, with 36 from fire ant infested areas, seven vehicles were returned to Queensland under biosecurity direction due to lacking documentation, three formal warnings issued, and two penalties notice were issued.”

Dean Whitehead.

Fonterra cheese wins on consistency

Fonterra has taken home 45 medals and three trophies from the 2024 Dairy Industry Association of Australia dairy product awards.

Fonterra’s Stanhope site won two gold and five silver awards for its products, including mozzarella, ricotta and cheddar cheese.

The Stanhope processor is home to the brand Perfect Italiano, which also had its parmesan recognised.

Fonterra’s northern regional operations manager Steve Taylor said the company was honoured that its cheese had again be recognised.

“At Stanhope, we’ve been making cheese for more than 100 years,” Mr Taylor said.

“It’s an honour to continue this great legacy and be recognised again for our expert craft and quality milk thanks to our northern Victorian farmers.

“These awards are a fantastic recognition of our dairy know-how, our dedicated farmers and our entire team at Stanhope.”

Shayna Street is the quality manager at the Stanhope site whose key task is to ensure the company’s products are at their highest quality when they reach customers.

Dr Street has brought her biological expertise over from a former career in immunology to work in the

cheese industry and said consistency was the key to her role.

“For me it is around the customers knowing what they are getting, that the cheese will work and taste just the same every single time,” Dr Street said.

“For mozzarella, we test for several attributes before selling it, including making pizzas nearly every day to make sure it looks the right colour, it melts well and most importantly that it tastes right.

“We take pride in wanting to give the customer what they are looking for.”

Questions hang over Fonterra’s long-term game

The withdrawal of Fonterra from processing in Australia’s dairy industry could open the gates to a flood of imported dairy products, several dairy leaders have speculated.

Fonterra has announced it is putting its Australian business up for sale.

While Australia has had limited exposure to competition from New Zealand, two dairy leaders have questioned whether the exit could lead New Zealand to send more of its product into the Australian market.

There are a number of theories swirling around the industry about Fonterra’s strategy, the timing of the sale, and the announcement of the departure of a senior executive, on the same day as Fonterra announced its restructure.

Global markets chief executive officer Judith Swales, who was Australian Fonterra CEO at the time of the controversial cut to milk prices in 2016, is leaving the company.

Current Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell said the change in the co-operative’s strategic direction presented a natural juncture at which Ms Swales had considered her future.

“Judith has been an important part of Fonterra since 2013, having started her time in our Australian business,” Mr Hurrell said.

“She has held a variety of significant leadership roles across the co-op and has been a critical part of the Fonterra management team.”

Ms Swales will leave Fonterra on July 31.

Fonterra has given limited information about the sale of its Australian arm.

Dairy Farmers Victoria president Mark Billings noted the announcement of the sale was only a couple of weeks out from the deadline for factories to announce their new season’s milk price, although he doubted Fonterra would jeopardise its prospects of a good sale price by forcing down prices.

Mr Billings didn’t think it was a surprise, as over the past two years the company had discussed divesting its Australian arm.

He said Fonterra New Zealand, which paid a lower price for milk, might look at Australia as a new market for its product

“At the moment, New Zealand dairy farmers are some of the lowest paid globally, and New Zealand might like to take advantage of that.”

Mr Billings said the Fonterra factory network across the three main dairy areas in Gippsland, western Victoria and northern Victoria made an attractive opportunity.

But he didn’t believe there was a single buyer who could be well positioned to buy all of the businesses, including the factories.

“It would be nice if we retain some brand names like Western Star, which was developed in south-west Victoria. It would be nice to have it back in Australian hands.”

While some of the reasoning behind the strategy was difficult to fathom, Mr Billings said it was clear Fonterra was exiting milk pools around the globe, as their decisions in China, Argentina and Sri Lanka indicated.

VFF UDV president Bernie Free said the best outcome from the sale would be the breaking up of the Australian factory network and the introduction of new players, which would add to competition in the dairy processing sector.

He said less desirable would be the purchase of the whole company by existing processors, or the sale to Coles or Woolworths seeking vertical integration.

Mr Free said one outcome could see Fonterra New Zealand importing more dairy products into Australia.

Fonterra Oceania managing director René Dedoncker has reassured suppliers that a new owner would have to honour existing milk supply agreements.

Dairy Farmers Victoria president Mark Billings.

Free workshops with Murray LLS

Two great workshop opportunities are available to landholders in the Murray region for free in June.

Hosted by Murray Local Land Services will be a ‘Discussing sustainability frameworks’ workshop on June 18 and a ‘Technology and innovation is agriculture’ workshop on June 25.

Discussing sustainability frameworks

The sustainability frameworks workshop will be held at a property on Millewa Rd, Bullatale from 9am to noon.

The session will cover where to start with understanding frameworks and recognising work already occurring on farm which meets various aspects.

Hear from technical experts and industry representatives about common themes across industry frameworks, and industry programs available to you.

Guest speakers will include Rhiannon Heath from the NSW Farmers Association, Cassandra Schefe from Cool Soils Initiative and Mel Swift from Cotton Australia. Lunch is included.

Technology and innovation is agriculture

The technology and innovation session is ideal for anyone interested in discussing the latest advancements in agriculture, or wanting to understand how tech and innovation can drive production and profitability?

X-Ag Australia will lead a drone discussion and demonstration, and BreedElite will cover livestock data collection with an equipment demonstration.

Anthony Rudd from I-Ag will also attend to present on driving production and profitability, sharing details of innovations and efficiencies and insights for what is on the horizon.

This session will be hosted at the Bunnaloo Recreation Reserve frm 2pm to 5pm, and will be followed by a barbecue dinner.

Over dinner you will be afforded the opportunity to speak with the presenters and other landholders.

For more information about either event, contact Murray LLS senior land services officer – mixed farming systems Rebecca Stacey on 0436 342 086 or rebecca.stacey@ lls.nsw.gov.au.

While free to attend, registrations are required.

Go to the www.lls.nsw.gov.au/regions/murray/events and follow the prompts or use the QR codes provided below.

Contributed by Rebecca Stacey (pictured), senior local lands officer - mixed farming with Murray Local Land Services.

Books for June

CLIVE CUSSLER’S THE HEIST

Jack Du Brul

A MASTER THIEF AN ASSASSIN ACCOMPLICE THE MOST FIENDISH HEIST IN AMERICA’S HISTORY

Washington D.C., 1914: President Woodrow Wilson is celebrating aboard his yacht, Mayflower, with the branch leaders of the newly created Federal Reserve. For Van Dorn agent, Detective Isaac Bell, few events could be duller. Until he notices the aeroplane flying dangerously low . . . Thwarting this aerial attack on the President and financial leaders, Bell soon learns that the strike was just the opening of an even deadlier gambit. It’s up to Bell to find the link between the attack, the mysterious death of a Newport heiress, and growing evidence of an unimaginably audacious heist: to steal a billion dollars from the country’s new and most secure banking system. Double-cross and betrayal are Bell’s stock and trade, but this time, the deeper he delves into the puzzle, the less he seems to understand. He is in a race against his most ruthless opponents yet, to prevent a financial panic that would bring the United States to its knees. $34.99

WARRIOR KING

Wilbur Smith

South Africa, 1820. When Ann Waite discovers a shipwreck in Algoa Bay she is stunned to find survivors: a scarred sailor and a little boy. As the man walks away into the distance alone, Ann is left to raise the young child, Harry, in place of the baby she tragically lost at sea. Disaster and hardship befall Ann and Harry, and desperation drives them into the path of the mysterious shipwrecked man once more. Ralph Courtney has recently escaped Robben Island with two fellow prisoners and is destined to seek his fortune at Nativity Bay, the fabled place about which his father told him stories. But far from being a land of paradise, Ralph, Ann and their fellow settlers find themselves facing unfamiliar challenges. It isn’t long before they learn their new home borders the Zulu kingdom, where the warrior king Shaka’s empire spans the continent.

$39.99

THE WIMMERA: A JOURNEY THROUGH WESTERN VICTORIA

Adam Nicol, Andrew Chapman, Jamie Murcia, Melanie Dove, Erin Jonasson & Phil Campbell

Another stunning written and photographic documentary, focusing on the small towns that dot the Wimmera. The book follows the various used and disused railway lines through the Wimmera, stopping at places like Glenorchy, Dimboola, Nhill, Serviceton, Jeparit, Harrow, Apsley and just about everywhere else in between.

$59.99

THE MALLEE: A JOURNEY THROUGH NORTH-WEST VICTORIA

Adam Nicol, Andrew Chapman, Jamie Murcia, Melanie Dove, Noel Butcher, Erin Jonasson and Phil Campbell

Between 1880 and 1930, a series of schemes brought thousands of settlers to Victoria’s Mallee region. At the same time, a number of railway lines were constructed through the area, with towns constructed approximately every 10 miles. Now, almost a century after the settlement schemes ended and the depopulation of the Mallee began, a team of Australia’s best rural documentary photographers, along with writer Adam McNicol, who grew up in the Mallee town of Manangatang, retrace the railway lines to see what remains. $59.99

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.

Put on the brakes and take a break

Need a break from the day-to-day running of the farm? Need to relax and unwind so you’re capable of continuing with the work ahead?

Mental health organisation Are You Bogged Mate? has received support from sponsors to run a series of Bogged Brakes getaways for rural men, with the next trips to Queensland’s Fraser Coast to take place in August and October this year.

To attend either of these events, all you need to do is fill out a form explaining why you (or you and a mate) need a blokes-only break.

Applications close July 1, 2024. With a Bogged Brakes break, you and a mate can enjoy accommodation, food and a range of fun activities and adventures on the house.

It’s an opportunity for you to get away, relax, make friends, build connections, and develop skills to un-bog yourself and others.

The mini breaks are available to men over 18 living and or working in rural Australia. It includes truckies, fly-in-fly-out and drivein-drive-out workers.

The only other criteria is that you should be fit enough to walk a couple of kilometres and climb a couple of stairs.

Because the chores don’t magically stop when you do, Farm

(and let them know

sent you!):

while you’re away.

If you need a mate to help you take a break, check out Farm Sitters

For more information, and to apply, go to www. areyouboggedmate.com.au/ bogged-brakes

Cressy Street, Deniliquin. Phone 03 5881 2080. info@deninews.com.au

FARMtalk welcomes community contributions from farmers, experts and professionals who make their living and life on the land. If you would like to contribute, there are several ways to do so.

• Get in touch and give us a tip of a great story idea.

• Contribute an article: If you are an expert in your field then contributing once off, or regularly, is a great way to get started in our FARMtalk magazine. Contact Zoe McMaugh at farmtalk@denipt.com.au or 03 5881 2322.

• Become an author: FARMtalk is open to occasional contributors who are experts in their field or authorities on a subject or area. Once you have contributed an article, and the editorial team have approved you, we can set you up with a regular column to contribute. We would love to hear from you. Contact Zoe McMaugh at farmtalk@denipt.com.au or 03 5881 2322.

• Have a fascinating farm in mind for us to showcase? Tell us! We would love to hear from you. Contact Zoe McMaugh at farmtalk@denipt.com.au or 03 5881 2322.

Sitters Australia help connect rural blokes with reliable folks who can keep things running

Bogged Brakes