Published since 1986
JULY, 2020
Webinar for Grasslands conference
www.farmernews.com.au
Forest company wins awards PAGE 6
Bees are Liz’s business PAGE 12
PAGE 17
That Eureka moment The Smoked Egg Company revolutionises the food industry
By EMMA OLIVER
STILL DETERMINED: Leigh Woodgate has come back from a horrific horse accident, a coma and 26 years of rehab to find herself back in the saddle – the one place she has always belonged. To this day Leigh remains the only woman to have ever won the Great Mountain Race, and is regarded as a bush-racing legend. Turn to pages 14 and 15 for Leigh’s story.
THIS is a story about Julie and Paul Kos, born and bred Geelong locals, who started a free range egg business fifteen years ago and did incredibly well with their enterprise, and thought quite contentedly that this was it, this was the change from their day jobs that they had been seeking. Kossies Free Range Eggs are premium quality, pasture raised produce, renowned for their creamy texture, and highly sought after throughout Geelong and Melbourne, appearing repeatedly on Master Chef as egg of choice. Situated on 36 acres on the Barwon River in Stonehaven, 10 kilometres west of Geelong, the Kos’s were told they wouldn’t be able to make a living from their small acreage farm, but Julie and Paul aren’t the type to listen to naysayers. Accommodating 750 chickens comfortably to each hectare, Julie and Paul embarked on their business, setting up mobile shedding for their flock that numbered 5000 in total and they began egg production. Labour intensive, it was a shock to the system at first, but they worked together and worked hard, and would have been quite happy to just continue
with the farm, if it hadn’t been for an experiment in smoking food that would have massive implications for the future of the food industry. Now Julie is a caterer by trade, she likes to cook and she’s very good at it. The smoker was ostensibly a gift to her husband, and as all good chefs have a penchant for experimenting with flavours and techniques, a chef who is also a chicken farmer has an inclination to experiment with eggs. It was a bit of fun at first for Julie and Paul trying to smoke eggs without effectively cooking them in their shells. There was a fair bit of trial and error, and numerous eggs that came out of the smoker without the smoke permeating the shell, but then there was success - a batch of eggs that held the smoky flavour. “It was a marriage made in heaven,” Julie said. “It was this absolutely incredible flavour, and the first thing I did with those eggs was make a quiche. “Now my husband hates quiche, but as soon as he tasted it, he was gobsmacked. “’Look what I’ve created,’ he said. “But I made the quiche was my reply.” ■ Continued pages 2-3
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Page 2 - Southern Farmer
JULY 2020
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ON THE
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WINNING THING: Until recently the chickens of Kossie’s Free Range Eggs have been subsidising The Smoked Egg Company. However following a hugely successful media campaign Paul and Julie Kos are beginning to see the fruits of their labour with demand for smoked eggs rapidly growing.
Fron page 1 Aiming primarily for flavour, it wasn’t until a year after the first successful smoked egg that the couple realised the potential of what they had created. Julie was trialling how the flavour might develop over time - over a week, over two weeks, over three. It was then that she realised the structure and composition of the egg was not breaking down, the egg was remaining as fresh as the day it was laid. Along with the extended shelf life, came the astounding discovery that the surface of the shell harboured absolutely no bacteria. “In trials, we’ve managed to get the eggs to 35 weeks with absolutely no breakdown in composition or quality and completely free of bacterial growth, and they’ve been stored at ambient temperature,” Julie said. It was Food Innovation Australia, an industry-led, not-for-profit organisation that realised what a major discovery Julie and Paul had made. “’Do you realise what you’ve done?’ they said to me, holding up an egg,” Julie said. It was their belief and phenomenal support,
CURED NOT COOKED: The patented technology uses a chill system, introducing smoke to the eggs at a temperature below five degrees resulting in eggs that have a warm, resinous appearance, each egg unique in its patination.
JULY 2020
Southern Farmer - Page 3
People are buying it for taste at the moment, and as yet are not entirely aware of the extended shelf life and health benefits that a bacteriafree egg offer. - JULIE KOS along with a grant, that encouraged Julie and Paul to press forward with their smoked eggs and invest extensively in research and development as well as generating an export market. “It’s been incredibly stressful with our business Kossies Free Range Eggs effectively supporting this start-up, but it all will be worth it,” Julie said. “We’ve proven that salmonella cannot exist on the shell, and with the ability to effectively preserve an egg we have suddenly become incredibly competitive in the export market. “With a long shelf life, eggs can now be sent by ship rather than air freight making them an even more viable option.” The potential of their discovery is not limited solely to eggs, however, and the magical combination of humidity, volume of smoke, volume of product, along with an incredibly
low processing temperature have all been patented by the Kos’s. With the technology patented, Julie and Paul have sold licences into both the Netherlands and the United States, with strong international interest in the technology and its potential. The domestic market in Australia, however, initially struggled to grasp the concept of smoked eggs. But after launching their national advertising campaign to effectively educate the public, Julie and Paul are beginning to see sales and a shift in perception. “People are buying it for taste at the moment, and as yet are not entirely aware of the extended shelf life and health benefits that a bacteria-free egg offer,” Julie said. “For the immunocompromised, for pregnant women and young children, to be able to eat eggs which are so nutrient dense and
have their freshness sealed into them and are devoid of bacteria, is an absolute game-changer.” The significance of their discovery was also largely unrecognised by local industry groups and retailers, whose response when approached with the technology was predominantly dismissive. “It’s been a hard road,” Julie said. “I’ve struggled immensely with the financial pressure I’ve put Paul and me under, and if I didn’t believe so inherently that what we were doing was making a difference we could have easily crumbled. “But Paul has backed me 110 per cent despite all the hurdles, all the setbacks and dismissals. “When I was just hoping that somebody would realise what we were doing - that this was more than farming, more than a flavour, more even than just eggs. “This was about food preservation and a major shift in the agri-food industry. “I used to hope that in life if I could touch one or two lives and make a difference I would be satisfied. “That’s not enough anymore. “I have aspirations now to combat malnutrition and rectify global food shortages. “This technology will revolutionise and change the world.”
VALUE ADDING: With all the goodness of a freshly laid egg, the smoking doesn’t interfere with the essential taste of the egg, it more adds an extension of flavour and depth.
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JULY 2020
Lamb production to fall as re-stocker demand lifts
A RECOVERY in the national flock is unde rway, with sheep producers in key regions now in a position to consider increasing flock numbers, buoyed by improved seasonal conditions, according to Meat and Livestock Australia’s (MLA) 2020 Sheep Industry Projections June update. Despite the positive outlook for above-average rainfall between June and September for most of the country, the impact and severity of consecutive drought years will impact overall sheep and lamb supply in 2020, especially during winter. MLA senior market analyst, Adam Cheetham, said as producers look to rebuild flocks and ewe lambs are retained, lamb slaughter is anticipated to decline to 20.6 million head, back five per cent on 2019 levels. “Similar to 2018 and 2019, supply is expected to be particularly tight during the winter months, given the depleted breeding ewe flock and fewer lambs on the ground,” Mr Cheetham said. “Lamb carcase weights are forecast to increase 0.6kg/head on 2019 levels
LAMB SHORTAGE: With farmers rebuilding their flocks buoyed by the current market and favourable weather conditions, lamb production is set to decline in 2020. to 23.9kg/head, assisted by improved feed availability, a greater number of lambs in lot feeding programs and strong price incentives to finish lambs to heavier weights. “However, increasing weights will not be sufficient to offset the fall in slaughter. “As a result, lamb production in 2020 is forecast to decline two per cent year-
on-year, to 492,000 tonnes carcase weight (cwt). “Following back-to-back years of excessive turnoff, sheep slaughter is forecast to decline by 30 per cent to 6.5 million head in 2020. “Underpinned by the substantial decline in sheep slaughter, mutton production is forecast to fall sharply to 161,000 tonnes cwt, back 29 per cent year-on-year.”
Export forecasts for the year have been revised lower, due to the softening global economy and tightening domestic supply. “Lamb exports in 2020 are forecast to reach 282,000 tonnes shipped weight (swt), down one per cent on 2019 volumes, while mutton exports are forecast to decline 31 per cent to 129,000 tonnes swt,” Mr Cheetham said.
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“Global market conditions have been particularly volatile in the past few months, as the spread of COVID-19 has fostered instability, created logistical hurdles for trade and slowed food service industries around the world. “A global recession looms, and with over two thirds of Australian exports destined for heavily impacted food ser-
vice channels, how this sector recovers as markets ease COVID-19 restrictions will be critical for Australian sheep meat demand prospects. “However, sheep meat remains a niche, premium component of many diets, and so the impact of COVID-19 on Australian sheep meat demand may be more sheltered than many sectors, given that lamb and mutton play a central role in a broad mix of cultures and cuisines. “Encouragingly, growing retail demand, a soft Australian dollar and the African Swine Fever-induced protein deficit continue to drive export prices for sheep meat, particularly as key markets such as China and the United States compete for shorter supplies.” Mr Cheetham said sheep and lamb prices are expected to remain at historically high levels for the remainder of the year. “The expectation for fewer lambs available for slaughter, strong re-stocker demand for ewe lambs, limited competition from New Zealand and a low Australian dollar, are all factors contributing to strong price prospects.”
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Southern Farmer - Page 5
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Page 6 - Southern Farmer
JULY 2020
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Webinars planned for 61st conference
A SERIES of weekly webinars, including a virtual farm tour, are being planned for the Grassland Society of Southern Australia’s 61st annual conference. Starting July 22, the webinar sessions will follow the theme ‘Growing with Grasslands’ and will be held every Wednesday evening for five weeks. It was originally intended to Concrete hold the conference in GippsTanks & land but the plans were shelved Troughs. because of COVID-19 restricCattle ramps, grids, tions. It will be the first time in the troughs. society’s 61-year history that it Industrial interceptors, hasn’t held a face-to-face annual silt traps, conference. stormwater The weekly online sessions pits. from 7.30pm-9.30pm will look at Domestic projects in pastures, what lies beseptics, low the ground, legumes, pastures treatment abroad and a virtual farm tour. plants, Society president Meg Bell pump wells, said that this was a great oppordistribution tunity to take advantage of the In Business pits. current situation by using a new 30 years mode of delivery for the society. Formerly Munckhof “While we won’t be able to Concrete Products get together in person this year, info@statewideconcreteproducts.com.au people who join the conference www.statewideconcreteproducts.com.au will get the same valuable inforthat will help them to STATEWIDE CONCRETE mation improve understanding of grassPRODUCTS lands farming,” Ms Bell said. 22 Kanowna St, Hastings 3915. “Having a virtual conference Ph.(03) 5979 3349. Fax (03) 5979 1504 allows us to look further afield
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LET IT GROW: Making grasslands work alongside conventional crops is the direction that the online seminars will take. for international speakers and different subjects, so we’re confident it will be a fascinating program,” she said. At this stage speakers from New Zealand and Argentina are expected to be on the program, which will be fi-
nalised in the coming weeks. People will be able to register to livestream the webinars, which will include opportunities for questions. Recordings will also be available at a later date, along with a publication of the proceedings.
The online sessions will continue until August 19. The society is planning to revive an in-person event in 2021 in Gippsland. Registrations for the 2020 virtual conference are now open at www.grasslands.org.au.
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Southern Farmer - Page 7
Workplace manslaughter is now a jailable offence.
Tougher laws As an employer, if a workplace death is caused by criminal negligence, you could face up to 25 years in jail, and fines up to $16.5 million. If you don’t take care of your employees at work, and make sure they can return home safe every day, we’ll make sure that you face the consequences.
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JULY 2020
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Seville Tractors is a Deutz-Fahr Platinum Dealer
SITUATED east of Melbourne in the picturesque Yarra Ranges, Seville Tractors is very much a family concern. Peter Giordano, a fifth generation mechanic born in Italy and raised in Argentina, established the business at the family’s property in Seville back in 1989. Peter’s wife Silvi still lives next door and the thriving dealership and workshop have now passed to son, Matthew Giordano. Fast forward to 2020 and he and the team are proud recent recipients of Platinum Status from DeutzFahr’s Dealer Standards program. “The guys at PFG rang us to send their congratulations,� said Matthew. “We were rapt - it’s a great incentive and it keeps your standards high. “By the same token, the support from PFG is phenomenal. “It’s about give and get. “They make you earn it, the platinum status.
“It’s not just about sales. “Twice a year everyone in the workshop goes in for schooling, the presentation and layout in the shop and yard must be first class and we have to keep up to date with the tech. “It means dealers are providing the right product knowledge for customers.� The relationship with Deutz-Fahr tractors has extended for a quarter of a century, via parent companies SAME or later SAME Deutz-Fahr. As Matthew tells it, the colours might have changed but the products were all coming from the same factory. Being in a region famous for its fruit and vegetable growers - not to mention a healthy number of renowned winemakers Deutz-Fahr models such as the 420 Profiline, the Agroplus F 430 and the new DF 5115 TTV vineyard tractor are proving popular. “Sales have really taken off,� said product manager
Gerard Darveniza. “There’s a lot more brand awareness; farmers are seeing Deutz tractors in their neighbours’ paddocks. “Plus they’re affordable. “Given the COVID-19 crisis we expect 2020 to be different, but across 2018 and 2019 we were selling six Deutz models per month.� But it’s not all about retail. Right from the get-go, customers were loyal to Seville Tractors because of outstanding service. The team operates an after hours number and the business was forged in the spirit of keeping machinery working in all seasons, all conditions. “It’s about going the extra mile,� said Matthew. “We began as a repair and service workshop and it remains the heart of the place. “We still have many of the same customers that Dad looked after, or the next generation. “It’s that old-fashioned service backed by modern tech and know how.�
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Southern Farmer - Page 9
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE CROSSWORD
Find the following words in the grid. They may be read in any direction, even diagonally. Some letters are used more than once.
Age Any Ash Awe Cot
4 What does a cartographer
BIYWORD
SUDOKU
R
9
CLUES: Collection manager (7) Forelimb (3) Idealist (7) Imitate (5) Local exchange node (3) Minor role: ...-carrier (5) Month (5) Morning prayer (5) Mythical bird (3) Total (3)
18 19
136
QUICK THINK
1
2
DOWN 1 Moistens 2 Response to a joke 3 Symbol 4 Sound of impact 3
A A A C C D
E E I I L M
M M N O P R
R R R S T U
SOLUTIONS
136
Solve the crossword. Each answer has four letters. ACROSS 1 Fragment 5 Apiece 6 A grand (coll) 7 Hourglass contents
136
Build it yourself using the clues and each of the twenty-four letters once only to form ten words: ďŹ ve across and ďŹ ve down. A key word (bold clue) builds on the letter set in the grid.
4
5 6 7 SUDOKU
O×O S-C W-O CáO H+C O+H N+O
For 60,000 generations there was no improvement in the design of stone handaxes. Palaeoanthropologists call this the ‘1.4 million years of boredom’. Perhaps there were some changes during this period, but as wood and bone decay over time, no evidence has been found to the contrary.
146
Letters A to Z have a number value. Some are shown in the right-hand cells. Create remaining values using clues in centre cells.
C H N O S T W
136
CROSSWORD
E-QUATIONS
Row Sew Sock Way
CURIO
S H I N G E R I N S P O R T E Y U R Y S M I E L E M A R K E Y A R R O W G A H E R R Y
13
Owe Paws Peep Rained Rat
M B L E M R G R A G O N G P N P A S A Z I L E A N E N P R O T T L E B R A L A W A G O H N W N S I Z E G G S
12
slain by Achilles (6) 16 To be rectangular, is to be what (6) 17 To come forth into view, is to do what (6) 20 What, in 17th-century Scotland, was an adherent of the Presbyterian cause (4)
BIYWORD
6
End Eye Hem Led New
15 Which Trojan warrior was
produce (4) Which term describes a concealed marksman (6) What are units of electrical inductance (6) Which ornamental pieces are for the centre of a dinner table (8) Name the Earth’s own galaxy (5,3)
D Y D W P M
MINI WORD FIND
essentially of copper and tin (6) 3 Name an alternative term for an aubergine (8)
QUICK THINK ACROSS: 1 Whit, 5 Each, 6 Thou, 7 Sand.
a restless person (8) 2 Which alloy consists
5 DOWN 1 What, colloquially, is
E A N E Y E
GS
N W E N L H
G A A D U A B R O U T H E S C T D O R
I P A W S T
350 -136
22 23
M I L M E R I N C
21
C U R A T O R
19
A G E A O A
S DOWN: 1 Wets, 2 Ha-ha, A P Š 3 Icon, 4 Thud. D R E M A R
18
R S O C K R
E-QUATIONS C:9, H:10, N:18, O:3, S:19, T:13, W:21
14
D Y D W P M
11
E A N E Y E
10
N W E N L H
9
I P A W S T
8
136
A G E A O A
7
to do what (6) Name an Australian pianist and composer, Percy ... (8) Name an aquatic mammal found in tropical coastal areas of the Indian Ocean (6) Which document grants a person entry into a foreign country (8) What is a hard East Indian wood, yielding a red colour (6) Name a permanent cardiac dilation (8) Which device controls the amount of fuel being fed to an engine (8) What is a brief expression of thought, or opinion (6) Name another term for a scamp, or rascal (8) To be of little width, is to be what (6) To reduce, is to do what (8) Name a fortiďŹ ed and blended wine of southern Spain (6)
MINI WORD FIND
R S O C K R
ACROSS 1 To have a wager, is
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Page 10 - Southern Farmer
JULY 2020
Open letter to quad bike manufacturers David Jochinke, president of the Victorian Farmers Federation, outlines their stance
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THE VFF is disappointed by the announced withdrawal of a number of quad bike manufacturers from the Australian market. We cannot, and will not, back away from our stance that there is nothing more important than the safety of our farmers, our families and our farm workers. The decision to withdraw products from the Australian market, rather than adhere to Australia’s new safety regulations, has caused significant angst in the farming community. Victorian farmers have enjoyed mutually beneficial relationships with manufacturers and their dealers for decades. The new safety regulations, including the mandatory fitting of Operator Protection Devices (OPDs) from October 2021, are designed to address the 15 deaths and 650 hospitalisations per year caused by quad bike accidents, accord-
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ing to Safe Work Australia. More than 5000 Victorian farmers have participated in Victoria’s quad bike rebate scheme, demonstrating their commitment to farm safety. We may be a small portion of the international quad bike market, but we also understand that we are not the first country to mandate roll over protection, and that we will not be the last. Rollover protection has been mandatory in Israel since the early 1990s, yet Israel still enjoys a competitive market for safe,
Commitment the first step to fix farm trespass laws VICTORIAN farmers have had a win with the Andrews Labor Government agreeing to take the first steps to fix farm trespass laws. The commitment comes in response to the final report of the Inquiry into the Impact of Animal Rights Activism on Victorian Agriculture, which was established by the Liberal Nationals to better protect our farmers. Shadow Minister for Agriculture Peter Walsh said our farmers have long called for stronger protections from the impact of animal activists caught trespassing on Victorian farms, but just needed a commitment from Daniel Andrews to act. “Trespass is trespass,” Mr Walsh said.
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“It’s illegal and anyone found guilty should feel the full force of the law. “Establishing and enforcing on-the-spot fines will go a long way to restoring farmers’ confidence and fixing Victoria’s broken farm trespass laws. “We know from evidence given to this inquiry, established by the hard work of Nationals MP Melina Bath, that current laws aren’t protecting our farmers.” Recommendation 1, which has now been rejected by the Victorian Government, called for a “public interest exemption” to protect activists who illegally entered private properties and installed secret surveillance. Farmers feared the An-
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drews Government might cave to pressure from animal activists when Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes refused to immediately reject the recommendation. “The Andrews Government must not delay implementing on-the-spot fines for biosecurity breaches,” Mr Walsh said. New South Wales moved last year to beef up its Biosecurity Act with $1000 onthe-spot fines for activists caught illegally entering properties and fines of up to $440,000 for groups or corporations. Implementation of a similar measure in Victoria has been supported by the Victorian Farmers Federation.
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JULY 2020
Southern Farmer - Page 11
Page 12 - Southern Farmer
JULY 2020
Reframing forestry in the eyes of the public stands that wood stores carbon, and that using wood can help to reduce carbon emissions. “However, we need to improve people’s understanding that harvested trees are actually replaced and grow into a resource for use by future generations,â€? Mr Sinclair said. “By providing education and challenging misconceptions, the goal is to encourage the wider community to embrace forest and wood products across the supply chain, increasing acceptance of and demand for timber in Australia.â€? Following rigorous industry and consumer consultation, The Ultimate Renewableâ„¢ brand was developed to reinforce the association between wood and the word ‘renewable’, while simultaneously promoting benefits of timber as a material. Benefits including timber’s ability to store carbon for the lifetime of the timber, beyond harvest and processing, flexibility and ease of use, affordability, and the improved wellbeing researchers suggest results from incorporating natural materials like wood into the
built environment. The Ultimate Renewable™ promotional campaign comprised several communication tactics designed to engage industry and consumers, including face-toface events, and advertising across social media, TV, outdoor displays, EDMs, and trade and consumer magazines. As well as providing an all-encompassing consumer campaign the brand also offers a universal, positive communications message for members of the forestry sector to share and incorporate into their own marketing collateral, further spreading the campaign details and amplifying the messages. “FWPA operates in an incredibly diverse sector,â€? Mr Sinclair said. “But no matter where our stakeholders sit across the supply chain, the reality is we all share a common resource, which is renewable.â€? The consumer campaign led to 24 per cent of Australians claiming they recalled seeing the campaign, with 67 per cent of those asserting it had made them more supportive of forestry.
Meanwhile, 155 companies have downloaded the logo, banner ads and videos so far, which have appeared on letterheads, invoices, websites, truck signage, packaging and more. Mr Sinclair said the industry was highly supportive of a collaborative marketing initiative which was the key to its tremendous success. “By working together we are much stronger than the sum of our individual parts,â€? Mr Sinclair said. “The Gold Quill Awards are globally renowned and it is wonderful to see our work recognised in this way. “It’s heartening to be acknowledged, particularly as part of such a strong field of entries. “While the campaign itself continues to generate positive outcomes for the forestry industry, receiving this recognition serves to validate the effectiveness of our approach with The Ultimate Renewable™.â€?
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THE ULTIMATE RENEWABLE : Ric Sinclair, FWPA managing director, champions the campaign that improves community acceptance of wood products.
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FOREST and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) has announced its brand The Ultimate Renewable™ has been named twice on the winners’ list for the 2020 International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Gold Quill Awards. For more than 40 years, the IABC’s Gold Quill Awards has recognised excellence in strategic communication worldwide, and is acknowledged as one of the most prestigious awards programs in the communications and marketing industries. The organisers recognised FWPA’s entry ‘The Ultimate Renewable™ - Reframing Forestry in the Eyes of the Public’ in the Marketing, Advertising, and Brand Communication Category, with quills awarded by both IABC Victoria and IABC Asia-Pacific. Ric Sinclair, FWPA managing director, said the industry around the world has long struggled with the conundrum of broad community acceptance of wood products alongside a persistent underlying concern about sustainable forest management. “Our research shows the community largely under-
JULY 2020
Southern Farmer - Page 13
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Page 14 - Southern Farmer
JULY 2020
Get to know a grazier
WINNER THEN, WINNER STILL: Leigh Woodgate is the woman from Snowy River, beating the men at their own game. She is pictured here with one of the horses she rode on the Bush Mountain Racing circuit, Monkey.
Leigh Woodgate is the woman from Snowy River By RHYLL McCORMACK
Y
OU could make a hundred movies about Leigh Woodgate and still not have begun her story. She is everything you would expect to find in a John Wayne cowboy - tough, gritty, pig-headed and determined to defy the odds. Agile in the saddle, quick on foot and renowned for her patience with animals. Like an old bushy, she can survive for days roaming the mountains with nothing but her horse and her dog for company. Or at least, the old Leigh could. A horrific horse accident, broadcast on national televi-
sion, has changed the course of Leigh’s life. In a coma for 17 days, barely a bone was left intact. Even now, 26 years later, she still battles daily with the challenges that have become her routine. But despite this, Leigh is as determined as ever. The cowboy in her has simply gritted her teeth and continued on, one slow step at a time. Leigh was born and bred in the mountains around Buchan, a bush girl chasing the approval of her you-shouldhave-been-a-boy father. Her Dad, John Robert - affectionately known as Grub - ran cattle on the Bald Hill Plains - heading out with legendary bushmen such as
Buff Rogers and Froggy McMahon. From the moment she could walk, Leigh was always one step behind her father. In the cattle yards pulling at the hem of his oilskin, in the back of the ute helping slice open bales of hay and in the High Country, calling the cattle home each winter. “We were always Mountain Cattlemen, and it was just a part of Dad and who he was,” Leigh said. “Back then we would head out for weeks at a time when
we were taking them up or bringing them home from grazing - and all I wanted was to be a part of that life with Dad.” From an early age riding was Leigh’s life, and as proud Mountain Cattlemen the family always travelled to the annual Get Together. “One-year Ken Connley made a bet with Dad that a woman would never win the Great Mountain Race, which was the race that started the Cattlemen’s Cup,” Leigh said. “I must have been in my early 20s or maybe younger,
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and it was all men on the mountain racing circuit at that time - but I was riding local trackwork so I knew I had it in me. “Dad told Ken if there was anyone who was going to do it, it would be me - so I knew I had to win for him.” Leigh began training for the Cup, and even now can rattle off the names of the horses she rode in preparation. There was MitchMac, a horse of Rita McMahon’s, and a thoroughbred called Monkey owned by Ian Webb.
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ike all country kids, Leigh never shied away from hard work. After finishing her racing each weekend she would jump into her car and head off, ready to be back in the saddle at 4am the following day. “I just loved riding, it was my whole life,” Leigh said. “I was riding track six mornings a week, and competing at mountain races when they were nearby. “Then, when I was ready, I decided to have a go at the Great Mountain Race - that was the one we all wanted to win.” Mountain racing is not like a picnic meet. There are no manicured home-straights and crowds tittering behind white bollards. Instead, there are banners holding back delighted children and dogs straining at leashes, crowds in their thousands screaming enthusiastically and a course that would wind itself up mountains, between trees and across rivers.
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“I started travelling to a few mountain races,” Leigh recalled. “My first race my horse slipped coming down a hill and we (hosre and rider) both fell - but I jumped back on and still managed to finish third. “That’s when I think Ken Connley knew Dad was in with a chance to win the bet.”
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JULY 2020 “The Great Mountain Race was the pinnacle,” Leigh said. “It’s the one you wanted to win, especially if you were from a Mountain Cattlemen family like we were.” Leigh remains to this day the only woman to ever win the Great Mountain Race, which she did in 1990. By that stage, the bet between her father and Ken Connley no longer mattered - because the prestige of coming first meant far more than any trophy or bet. “I just couldn’t believe it when I won,” Leigh said. “I was racing against all the men, and these men were the best riders out there.
Southern Farmer - Page 15 “It was the most incredible moment of my life.” Leigh and the Woodgate family continued to be a part of the Mountain Cattlemen’s Association of Victoria - travelling to events, supporting the cause and grazing their cattle in the High Country. Leigh moved to Melbourne and continued riding, moving into jumps racing.
B
ut in 1994 Leigh was riding at Hamilton when her horse knuckled on landing at the second last jump. The horses travelling behind thundered over Leigh’s unconscious body, tearing apart her bones, muscles
and leaving behind a body that would never fully recover. “It took me 15 years to repair my shattered body and mind - 15 years of perseverance and dedication - to get back on the horse,” Leigh said. “I would set an alarm and get up five times a night to stretch, to work out, to do whatever the physios told me I needed to do. “But there was never an option to give up.” Although Leigh no longer lives on the family property at Buchan, the Bald Hill grazing run still has Angus cows on it each summer. “I’m still a Mountain Cattlemen, and I’m still proud
to be that,” she said. “It’s something that my family have done for more than 100 years, and it’s been built into us to be proud of our heritage.” Unbelievably, Leigh also still rides trackwork. She is a little slower than she was 20 years ago, but that same delighted grin never leaves her face. When her body aches and it does ache - she thinks about the times gone by and pushes down the pain. Focusing on all she has achieved, the triumphs, setbacks and eventual return to the saddle has helped Leigh begin a second career as a public speaker. “The story of the only woman ever to win the
Great Mountain Race at Mansfield, as well as countless other awards and accolades as a professional rider, is one of determination - the accident changed the course of my life forever,” Leigh said. “I had to learn how to eat, think, breathe, talk and walk again. Step by step, I strengthened my body and my resolve. “My will and determination to get back on the horse have got me through daunting adversity, and I believe I can inspire others to overcome the obstacles they come up against in their own lives.” Leigh was nominated as a National Jockeys’ Celebration Day Ambassador and
has an Australian Story episode dedicated to her experiences. Today, at home in Melbourne, Leigh still battles the odds. She rides two mornings a week and has countless rehab sessions afterwards to ease her jaded muscles. There are speaking engagements, phone calls with family and hours spent at the local racing stable and gym. Her inner cowboy has aged a lot in two decades, but is still as pig headed as ever. “A bad fall isn’t going to change my life,” Leigh said. “It might make some things a little harder, but it doesn’t change who I am.”
A CRISIS OUT THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR VIOLENCE IN HERE. DAYS GONE BY: Leigh Woodgate with one of her many mountain racing trophies.
THERE'S NO PLACE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Pain relief for sheep mulesing mandatory from July 1 THE Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) is encouraging all sheep farmers to be aware of mandatory pain relief regulations for sheep mulesing which come into effect from July 1, 2020. VFF Livestock Group president Leonard Vallance said the VFF has been advocating strongly for the regulations to be introduced to deliver the best possible animal welfare outcomes and cost benefits for farmers. “The VFF has been pushing for mandatory pain relief when mulesing and sees it as a positive step towards strengthening Victoria’s best-practice animal welfare regulations,” Mr Vallance said. “Mulesing with pain relief continues to be an acceptable method of mitigating the effects of fly strike while the industry funds research into alternate tools that can be used to achieve a similar result,” The impending regulations will mean a pain relief product registered for use by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority must be administered to sheep from next month. “From July 1 Victorian sheep farmers must ensure they administer pain relief when mulesing sheep,” Mr Vallance said. “Over ninety per cent of Victorian sheep farmers are already using pain relief when mulesing, but these new regulations mean it will be mandatory for all farmers from next month.”
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Page 16 - Southern Farmer
JULY 2020 DISCUSSING SAFETY: Honda withdraws from the Australian ATV market, citing safety is better addressed with consumer education, age restrictions on drivers and mandatory helmet wearing.
The rules have changed Honda will no longer sell All Terrain Vehicles in Australia after 2021
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DUE to the new standard passed by the Australian government in October 2019, Honda will no longer sell ATVs in Australia after October 10, 2021. The standard represents a set of regulations that cannot be entirely met by any ATV (Quad) bike in the market today, and is unlikely to be met by anything in the future and forces Honda to exit the ATV category. “The new standard is extremely disappointing for farm safety and the countless farmers who rely on quad bikes every day,” managing director of Honda Australia Motorcycle and Power Equipment Robert Toscano said. “The safety of our custom-
ers is paramount, we will never compromise on this. “Now that the rules have changed, it means we have to say goodbye to our ATV line up down under. “Safety standards must be evidence-based, in both criteria and testing methods, to internationally accepted standards. “Honda has provided research to show the negative outcomes of the government’s proposal but unfortunately it was not considered and we are here in this position today.” Honda will continue to advocate for the known and proven safety measures, accepted and agreed by safety experts, coronial inquests
and the manufacturers which are mandating helmets for all quad bike riders, support for mandating rider training and stopping children under 16 years of age from riding adult size quad bikes. This advocacy also remains critical for most forms of farm vehicles including motorcycles and SSV. “In light of this, we want to assure customers that Honda will continue to support ATV parts and servicing for the next decade at a minimum,” Mr Toscano said. “We also offer a range of purpose built SXS (Side by Sides) in our Pioneer line up and our ever-popular Honda AG bikes.”
JULY 2020
Southern Farmer - Page 17
When bees are your ‘buzzness’ By EMMA OLIVER STARTING a business during COVID-19 is a gutsy move, and when that business is a specialist shop for hobby beekeepers and the season is winter, then you realise that this enterprise is not just a shop, it is a labour of love and conviction. With hives quiet throughout winter and bees relatively inactive - more intent on keeping the queen healthy and protected from the elements - opening a beekeeping supply shop might be best left to the warmer months. However, not for Liz Baker, owner of the newly opened Dindi Bee Supplies in Alexandra, whose first hive of bees was a swarm extricated from behind the wall in her brother’s lounge room after completing an introductory beekeeping course. “The beekeeping course was great for theory but cutting out a hive was a steep learning curve, and I found myself battling it out alone managing the bees on my property in Eildon,” Liz said. Having expanded her own apiary, Liz became weary of constantly travelling to Melbourne whenever she needed tools and supplies, and this became the initial impetus to open her own shop. “Before I opened the
So currently I’m gauging demand and working to build the network and possibly a local bee club or group. - LIZ BAKER
HIVE OF IDEAS: Cosy and compact, Dindi Bee Supplies on Grant Street, Alexandra is much more than a retail space for all things bee, it is a hub for all those interested in the art of beekeeping. doors I was pretty sure there were other ‘beeks’ (that’s slang for beekeepers) in the same boat, but didn’t know many,” Liz said. “However, I’ve since found out how many people in the area are either currently beekeeping or interested in doing so, which has led to me starting to build a local beekeeping network.”
So as well as setting up her cosy little retail space, Liz is in discussions with the Embassy of Ideas, a local, not-for-profit, volunteer powered organisation to assist her to run introductory courses and hands-on workshops. She is also compiling lists of established beekeepers who are happy to mentor
novices, along with details of those who would be keen to host a hive that somebody else maintains on their property. “I did think courses might happen down the track, but I’ve been fielding requests since I opened,” Liz said. “So currently I’m gauging demand and working to build the network and
possibly a local bee club or group.” “It’s been a big project, and it’s getting bigger all the time.” From a course in beekeeping to beginning her own hives, then opening a beekeeping shop and now developing a hub for her community, this is a true passion project.
The shop in part is a reflection of this, galvanising and uniting the local beekeeping community while providing a boutique service that is missing in the region. “Dindi Bee Supplies is focused on supporting beekeepers and providing an Australian Made product wherever possible,” Liz said.
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Page 18 - Southern Farmer
JULY 2020
IN THE PLANNING: Agriculture Victoria is urging farmers to re-evaluate on-farm dams to ensure water security for future needs.
Small dams not cutting it for stock water MANY Victorian farmers rely on small farm dams to provide water for stock and domestic use but according to Agriculture Victoria farm water supply specialist Clem Sturmfels, these dams are increasingly unable to meet stock and domestic water demands. “Over recent years dams have become less reliable due to a hotter and drier climate, more severe droughts and increasing areas of the state being sown to crops or improved pastures,� Mr Sturmfels said. “A small reduction in rainfall or change in land use can significantly reduce the amount of runoff available
for farm dams. “However, farmers need to consider all available options before spending money sinking a bore, building a larger dam or installing a reticulated water supply system. “They should start with a thorough stocktake of their existing system and calculate the water needs of their grazing enterprise, while also taking into account the strategies they will implement during the next dry season or drought.� Mr Sturmfels, whose background is in soil conservation, whole farm planning and on-farm water reticulation systems, said
small dams often go dry over summer due to their limited storage capacity and very high evaporation losses. “Large dams, on the other hand, are becoming less popular due to the lack of suitable sites, planning permit requirements and the impact these dams have on downstream flows.� Agriculture Victoria is encouraging farmers to thoroughly plan, design, map and determine the implementation of water supply systems going forward to combat challenging weather conditions.
MONITORING MOISTURE: Explore Agriculture Victoria’s new Soil Moisture Monitoring website.
Discover a new soil moisture monitoring platform FARMERS, advisors and researchers are invited to explore the new Agriculture Victoria Soil Moisture Monitoring website with a recorded ‘walk-through webinar’. The new Soil Moisture Monitoring website - launched by Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes at the start of June - showcases Agriculture Victoria’s highly regarded soil moisture probe network. The new website replaces the previous soil moisture data dashboard with a detailed page dedicated to each of the 36 soil moisture monitoring sites across the state. New tools featured on the website can translate soil moisture data into meaningful, real time, local information. “My favourite tool is the ‘speedo’ graph showing
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change in overall soil moisture at a particular site,� Agriculture Victoria seasonal risk agronomist, and project co-ordinator, Dale Boyd said. “It’s a simple way to represent how the soil moisture profile has changed over the last year, in other words how full the ‘tank’ is.� The overall soil moisture ‘speedo’ tool is just one of the innovative features of the new website that will be explored during the walkthrough webinar. “Previously, we could only show soil moisture data, without any real interpretation. “The new website takes this data and adds value to it, with tools that are easy to use such as a temperature gauge, current soil moisture profile and a one to threemonth rainfall outlook for
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the state,� Mr Boyd said. The webinar which was scheduled for Wednesday, June 17 at 12pm was recorded and is now available on the Agriculture Victoria website. For more information about Agriculture Victoria’s soil probe network and the new Soil Moisture Monitoring website, email soil.moisture@agriculture.vic.gov.au or contact Dale Boyd on dale. boyd@agriculture.vic.gov.au. For more information about joining future webinars email climate.webinars@agriculture.vic.gov.au or contact Alice Ritchie on alice.ritchie@agriculture. vic.gov.au. The webinar was delivered by Agriculture Victoria and funded by the Victorian Government’s 2019-20 Drought Support Package.
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Southern Farmer - Page 19
BEE SURVEILLANCE: Supporting the health of Australian bees is paramount to our agricultural industry.
Enhancing Australia’s bee pest surveillance
AIMING FOR MORE: Consumers are still not meeting their daily requirements of fruit and vegetabls, and Hort Innovation is looking to change this and in doing so bolster the domestic agricultural market.
Hort Innovation launches fruit, veg and nuts campaign IN AUSTRALIA, over the last few years growers have faced numerous challenges including drought, floods and bushfires. Now in 2020 COVID-19 has thrown challenges to the nation impacting mental wellbeing and mood through isolation. It has affected Australian growers with immediate changes to the export market and food service closures, as well as consumer behaviour in consumption and purchasing. To support growers, Hort Innovation is launching a campaign called The Good Mood Food Campaign. The aim is to motivate Australian consumers to eat more fruit, veg and nuts. The campaign is designed to evolve and grow including the ability to introduce pro-
duce due to seasonality and occasionality. The campaign began with the introduction of a new TV ad supported by advertising, public relations, increased social media and a range of partnerships that will see the campaign reach up to 98 per cent of Australians. Consumer behavioural data available through the Hort Innovation levy funded Harvest to Home initiative highlighted that overall fresh produce volumes were up five per cent compared to March last year. However, performance at the category level has been mixed with consumers responding to competing influences concerning price, perishability and discretion. Growth in fresh produce sales have been widely outpaced by frozen and canned
products of which a greater share is imported. Only 5.4 per cent of the Australian adult population are meeting their fruit and vegetable requirements. Australians will be educated and inspired on how Aussie produce can promote good mood alongside overall health and wellbeing. Importantly, they will also be driven to purchase and repurchase a variety of produce. The campaign is encouraging people to look after themselves mentally to boost their mood as well as promote good physical health. “The campaign grew out of the need to support growers across Australia and stimulate demand for fruit, vegetables and nuts as we go through and beyond COVID-19,” Hort Innovation chief executive officer Matt Brand said.
“It’s extremely important that we promote the importance of eating fresh Australian produce to all Australians which in turn supports growers. “The campaign is developed so it can be extended and focus on seasonality or moments where Australians will be looking for increased health and wellbeing or eating options. “We want to support growers with what they are facing now, and with whatever happens next. “This campaign provides the flexible platform to do that. “The design of this campaign provides opportunities for other, individual industries to benefit from using its content to amplify their own unique consumer positioning.”
ENHANCEMENTS to the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program have delivered a range of valuable outcomes to support the health of Australia’s bees. Head of biosecurity at the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Lyn O’Connell, said the enhancements will help prevent incursions of exotic bee pests and pest bees. “Bee pollination supports our crop industries and food security, so we need to have strong biosecurity measures in place to protect the health of our bees,” Ms O’Connell said. “These enhancements will improve our surveillance, diagnostics, preparedness and response arrangements for key bee pests and viruses. “Forty upgraded catchboxes are being deployed in remote and restricted high-risk areas for pest bees, to allow us to capture and inspect bee swarms and expand our surveillance capacity. “We are also investigating better options for Asian honeybee specific catchboxes to improve our targeted surveillance for this significant pest bee. “Targeted floral sweep netting will be implemented at highrisk ports for Asian honeybees and other pest bees.
“This is another valuable tool to catch exotic bees and detect potential incursions. “Extensive surveillance has been undertaken for bee viruses of significance for Australia, including Acute Bee Paralysis Virus, Deformed Wing Virus and Slow Paralysis Virus. “No exotic viruses were found, demonstrating the health of Australia’s bees. “Ongoing surveillance will be undertaken to support evidence-based proof of absence for these viruses. “We are building national diagnostic skills across laboratories to support our preparedness and response activities for these key bee viruses. “Our response to potential incursions will also be boosted through a new electronic portal that will allow surveillance data to be captured and shared in real-time. “Biosecurity plays a vital role in supporting the health of Australia’s bees and these enhancements will help ensure the measures we have in place protect our bees now and into the future.” The National Bee Pest Surveillance Program is jointly funded by the department, Australian Honeybee Industry Council, Hort Innovation and Grain Producers Australia.
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