Victorian Farmer Summer 2021

Victorian Farmer SUMMER 2021

The great quad debate What’s in store for 2021

THE TOWN OF RUPANYUP

FIGHT FOR FARM RATES

PILOTS IN AGRICULTURE

A tenacious community ensuring their town thrives

How much is too much, and what you can do

How COVID-19 led to pilots changing their careers

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Victorian Farmer PUBLISHER James Wells EDITOR Michelle Hespe ART DIRECTOR Ryan Vizcarra

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From the Editor

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Michelle Hespe: mhespe@intermedia.com.au

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CONTRIBUTORS Darren Baguley Charles Everist Charlie Kinross Kirsten Lloyd Steve Madgwick Gina Milicia Jocelyn Pride Darren Seiler Jeanette Severs

THE INTERMEDIA GROUP

MANAGING DIRECTOR Simon Grover GM OF OPERATIONS Chris Baker FINANCE MANAGER Mina Vranistas PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper HEAD OF DIGITAL Pauline Grech HEAD OF EVENTS Beth Tobin Victorian Farmer is published for the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) (ABN: 67 079 980 304) by The Intermedia Group (ABN: 94 002 583 682) 41 Bridge Rd, Glebe NSW 2037. @2021. All rights reserved. Printed by IVE Group.

Getty Images were used throughout the magazine.

VICTORIAN FARMERS FEDERATION

CEO Jane Lovell STAKEHOLDER POLICY AND ADVOCACY MANAGER Luke Hooke STAKEHOLDER MEDIA & COMMS ADVISOR Ryan Moloney MAGAZINE WORKING GROUP Annabel Mactier Gary Beck Charles Everist

Victorian Farmer SUMMER 2021

Welcome to the Summer issue of Victorian Farmer. It’s been a challenging year for so many recovering from last year’s bushfires and dealing with the ramificaitons of the global pandemic, but as you will see in these pages, there are also plenty of inspiring and positive stories out there, and also so much support in the tightknit farming community to which we belong.

We all love a story of resilience, and so in this issue we go behind the scenes of the wheatbelt town of Rupanyup and look at how the town’s people have not only pulled their town through some tough times, but have managed to create a place and a sense of community that has the town thriving. The silo artwork and the heartfelt preservation of history alone has put Rupanyup on my must-visit list.

On a more serious note, we’ve covered two issues being hotly debated across Australia: the rise of farm rates, and the quad bike debate.

Both involve issues that directly affect people’s lives and their businesses, and VFF will continue to work with members to ensure that a fair outcome is achieved.

Another positive story that shows how much dedication, passion and forethought goes into farming operations intent on preserving the environment is our feature on three environmental stewards across Victoria who are focussing on innovation and diversification in order to achieve the best results not just for their business, but for the land.

I'm sure you’ll also enjoy our business profile on Sunraysia. Again, this family shows that coming together as a community to support one another is always the best way forward.

Farmer Dominic Sergi understands that shared knowledge and advocacy are critical to the ongoing success of the table grape industry in which he operates, and he and his family are intent on helping others to get ahead by sharing their own experiences.

Enjoy the read and we look forward to working with you again this year.

Michelle Hespe

The Intermedia Group takes its corporate and social responsibilities seriously and is committed to reducing its impact on the environment. We continuously strive to improve our environmental performance and to initiate additional CSR based projects and activities.

As part of our company policy we ensure that the products and services used in the manufacture of this magazine are sourced from environmentally responsible suppliers.

This magazine has been printed on paper produced from sustainably sourced wood and pulp fibre and is accredited under PEFC chain of custody.

PEFC certified wood and paper products come from environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of forests.

The wrapping used in the delivery process of this magazine is 100 per cent biodegradable.

The great quad debate What’s in store for 2021

THE TOWN OF RUPANYUP

FIGHT FOR FARM RATES

PILOTS IN AGRICULTURE

A tenacious community ensuring their town thrives

How much is too much, and what you can do

How COVID-19 led to pilots changing their careers

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VICTORIAN FARMER

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SUMMER 2021

DISCLAIMER: This publication is published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by New Zealand and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information.

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Copyright © 2021 – The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd

Contents 4 President's Vision

President Emma Germano shares her vision for VFF.

7 News

VFF's new CEO Jane Lovell; Vale life member Bob McDonald; VFF's Kids to Ag project; ODL permits, and National Ag Day.

10 Election Report

The 2020 VFF election resulted in new and well-known faces being appointed and re-apppointed across the organisation.

34 Environment

We meet three VFF members using innovation and diversification to preserve the land for future generations.

38 Business

The fall-out from COVID-19 led to many unemployed pilots seeking work on farms across Victoria.

42 Weather Report

Looking ahead at the predicted weather across Victoria this year.

14 Farming Town

46 Meet a Farmer

22 Big Issue

50 Socials

28 Great Debate

51 The Last Word

Rupanyup in Victoria's wheatbelt has not only overcome many harsh challenges – it is thriving thanks to the locals.

Farmers across Victoria are standing up against big hikes in land rates. What is fair and what can you do?

The quad bike debate continues amid concerns about mandatory modifications that will create more costs for farmers.

We meet the members behind the thriving business of Sunraysia, who are keen to advance other growers and their industry.

What’s being said by our members online, along with some top photographs from across the state.

The hot debate continues over the introduction of dingoes in the Grampians National Park.

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to directly target more than

12,000 Victorian farmers

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SUMMER 2021

VICTORIAN FARMER

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President’s Vision Newly elected VFF President Emma Germano talks about her vision for the VFF and where she would like to focus her time as President.

A

fter being elected in December, I’ve really spent the last few weeks finding my feet. I thought the Christmas period might give me some time to ease into it, but the constant barrage of media enquiries, meetings with government and their agencies, farmer phone calls and stakeholder requests didn’t let up for a minute. It can feel completely overwhelming as every issue that we face has at least one impacted farmer at its core, so prioritising what is important is by far the most difficult part of the job!

What is abundantly clear is that advocacy for Victorian agriculture is not a one man (or woman) band. It’s just not possible for me to personally be across every issue, let alone address all the enquiries coming in. During the election campaign I found it a bit perplexing that I was being asked my personal position on issues that we face as farmers, as well as being asked how I would utilise the organisation’s assets and what I believed was the best structure for the VFF. I understand that members wanted to see the cut of my jib, and that we are all looking for leaders who can inspire us to a vision and rally us around a common cause. We must be careful however that we don’t expect that the President is the be all and the end all of the organisation. It is the organisation itself that must be strong and robust. It is the organisation that serves the members. It is the organisation that drives outcomes for farmers.

It is the organisation itself, the staff, the members and the systems by which we advocate for farmers that is our most important asset. Everything else is irrelevant.

The number one thing that drives any organisation is its culture. Although it may be difficult to define, culture is said to be the ‘pattern of basic assumptions, which group members have acquired over time’.

What have we come to assume about the organisation that needs questioning? What ways do we behave towards each other to drive outcomes? How do we talk about ourselves? What rituals and routines do we share? What power structures, control systems and symbols do we identify with?

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This is the stuff we need to be taking a long hard look at.

And we’re going to have to be courageous if we want to make some changes. The members have said that’s what they want.

You told us overwhelmingly in the survey that we undertook last year what you think our core purpose is how well you think we are going about it. I heard you, loud and clear.

The Board has acted quickly to ensure the VFF has the leadership necessary to ensure the organisation remains contemporary. We have appointed a new CEO, Jane Lovell, who joins the VFF from AgriFutures Australia and Seafood Industry Australia prior to that. Jane will bring external expertise and organisational experience into the VFF that will support our growth potential. We will finalise our plans for the next five years, and set about making the changes.

What we are going to need is your support and your enthusiasm. We need you, the members, to have your input and get involved with the organisation, after all it does in fact belong to you. It’s our collective asset to make our businesses better. Our communities better and our industry better. Your engagement will be necessary to make progression.

It has long been noted that many farmers don’t want to spend their time at branch meetings and that the VFF needs to change to attract more young farmers into our fold.

The problem is we haven’t yet come up with a successful alternative. It’s not an easy problem to solve but I believe that with interactive online tools and the ability to conduct meetings remotely via Zoom we should be able to greatly improve the way we consult members and develop policy.

Back to culture though, we don’t want to meet to just talk policy. We also want to meet to drive relationships and community, to feel like we are supported, to have a sense of belonging. We will find the way forward.

Ultimately better engagement will improve member satisfaction and help to grow our membership. Our job is to be a reflection of our membership base and the best way to do that is to speak directly to you, our members.

Emma Germano

News VFF announces Jane Lovell as new CEO After an extensive process concluded earlier this year, Jane Lovell has been announced as the VFF’s new CEO. Jane brings significant industry experience as the previous Manager of National Rural Issues at AgriFutures and the CEO at Seafood Industry Australia, and is looking forward to promoting and helping to secure our farming future and getting out to connect with members. She will begin the role in mid-February.

Vale life member Bob McDonald The VFF would like to extend its sympathies following the passing of VFF life member Bob McDonald. Bob was a significant figure in the Victorian beekeeping industry and dedicated 72 years to his craft, including work with the VFF to improve access for apiarists to public land throughout Victoria and campaigning for improved biosecurity and pollination services.

His enormous legacy will continue to be felt throughout the Victorian farming community.

Our thoughts are with the McDonald family, particularly his wife Eileen.

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VFF launches ‘Kids to Ag’ project In December we launched the Kids to Ag project, which aims to increase primary school student’s understanding of where their food and fibre comes from, and to raise awareness of the career opportunities within the agriculture sector.

The project is a grant initiative that awards grants of up to $2,000 to facilitate primary school students visiting primary production sites across Victoria to provide students with a hands on, practical experience in agriculture. It is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, through funding from the Australian Government’s Educating Kids About Agriculture initiative.

Applications are now open and further information is available on the VFF website at www.vff.org.au/kidstoag. Or you can call VFF Project Coordinator Kath Dunn on 03 9207 5524 or email kidstoag@vff.org.au

Ag machinery and heavy vehicles up to 5m wide now exempt from ODL permits to cross rail crossings Ag machinery and heavy vehicles up to 5 metres wide are now exempt from requiring a permit to cross rail crossings. Previously, all machinery and heavy vehicles over 3.5 metres were required to apply for a permit to cross rail lines placing significant regulatory burden on farmers, many of whom are required to regularly cross rail lines with oversize agricultural machinery as part of their standard business operations.

Whilst the VFF recognises the importance of ensuring the safe movement of vehicles, freight and large loads over railways, we believe that the administrative burden imposed on farmers is disproportionate to the low risk posed by agricultural machinery movements.

The VFF is continuing to work with VicRoads and NHVR to allow farmers to safely and efficiently move ag machinery.

Please contact the VFF on 1300 882 833 for further information.

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News Victorian farmers shine on National Ag Day November 20 last year was National Ag Day, and it was a perfect time to celebrate the huge contribution that Victorian farmers make to Australian agriculture. At last count, Victorian agriculture contributed 23 per cent of Australia’s total gross ag value, 42 per cent of our sheep and lamb meat, 62 per cent of our milk and more than 30 per cent of our total horticulture produce.

Across the VFF’s social media channels we featured some of you doing what you do best to help show Australian the faces behind Victorian farming, take a look below.

Clockwise from top left: Nathan Free and Charlotte Lawler at Wattle Organic Farms; All hands are on deck in this dairy; Fresh flowers coming into season; Rowena Doyle on her goat farm; Chris Shaw in his chicken sheds at Ballywarra farms.

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Bec and Angus Macdougall on their 150-acre property, Dunmore, which now has an additional revenue stream through it’s Airbnb farm stay.

Photo by @marniehawson

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ADVERTORIAL

AUTHENTICITY AT HEART For Bec and Angus Macdougall, authenticity has been at the very heart of their farm stay success story from the beginning.

H

aving bought their 150-acre property, Dunmore, in late 2017, Bec and Angus have thoughtfully crafted a unique experience that allows travellers from the city to reconnect with the great outdoors and make the most of all that regional Victoria has to offer.

Like many landowners across the state, they are now not only enjoying a diversified income stream by listing their property as a farm stay on Airbnb - they’re also making a big contribution to the local economy in their region. Their farm stay helps bring valuable tourist dollars to nearby towns, supporting local jobs and businesses, as well as the Victorian Government’s positive economic recovery efforts.

“Guests can choose to relax and spend their stay at the farm or alternatively use the farm as a base for exploring the region, with its beautiful walks, hikes, wineries and food,” Bec says.

As part of a broader, ongoing effort to boost regional economies across the state, Airbnb has partnered with the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) to help more farmers become part of Airbnb’s community of hosts and make extra income through agritourism.

“Our guests are always looking for unique, authentic experiences that take them off the well-beaten path and allow them to immerse themselves in regional communities,” says Derek Nolan, Airbnb’s Head of Public Policy for Australia.

“Farm stays are a terrific way to both help farmers diversify their income, as well as put their communities on the tourism map. Farmers can also develop unique

Experiences on Airbnb, which is an exciting way to further grow their tourism business alongside the accommodation they offer.

Experiences are one-of-a-kind activities hosted by experts and a great way to creatively give visitors another way to connect with rural life.

“Importantly, each single farm stay plays a vital role in growing tourism in their region and helping local businesses thrive.”

Airbnb will run an interactive webinar designed to help farmers become farm stay or Experience hosts on Airbnb.

Additionally, Airbnb will make available to VFF members Airbnb's Great Aussie Farm Stay resource, a bespoke guide to help farmers across Australia understand the benefits of hosting with Airbnb and a useful resource for new hosts.

These resources will help farmers across Victoria learn more about how they can earn additional income through hosting on Airbnb, as well as help boost local tourism.

Through farm stays, farmers across Victoria have an opportunity to make a contribution to growing their state’s tourism economy. Oxford Economics research, commissioned by Airbnb, recently found that Airbnb supported 26,000 jobs for Victorians in 2019 alone.

Hosting a farm stay is also in itself a rewarding experience that allows hosts to meet people, be proud advocates for their local area and earn extra income.

“Most of our guests are travelling from the city and looking for that unique, memorable and authentic farm experience - something that removes them from their day-to-day existence,” Bec says.

“Our property was a former working dairy farm comprising a small plot of 150 acres, a 1950s bungalow and a rundown historic cottage dating back to 1870.

The cottage felt very loved and had an old world charm that we felt was an opportunity to create an authentic yet luxurious farm stay.

“After moving from the city, the cottage restoration was one of our first priorities and very soon after listing it we started to realise its potential and the valuable contribution it could make to our farming business.”

Bec has found that guests particularly love spending time in the cottage, which she explains is one of the oldest buildings in the district.

“As part of the restoration we wanted to ensure we preserved the original beauty and the old world charm while combining it with modern luxuries - both of which our guests really love,” she says.

“When you approach the property it immediately feels welcoming and relaxed: there is a remote, calming energy here, yet we are only 15 kilometres from the nearest town. So guests feel very connected whilst being in a rural setting.

“Being situated in the foothills of the Victorian ski fields and a 2.5 hour drive from Melbourne is also attractive.”

Bec has found that hosting a farm stay has “helped a lot, and complements other aspects of our farming interests.”

Her advice to those who are looking to transform their farm into a unique and successful tourism business is – “Be authentic, make it comfortable and provide a friendly, memorable experience.”

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VFF’s new leadership The 2020 VFF elections resulted in a number of new and well-known faces being appointed and re-appointed to various positions across the organisation. Here we provide some background about those that have taken up new leadership positions at the VFF.

Clockwise from top left:Â Emma Germano, Danyel Cucinotta, Scott Young and Steve Harrison.

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Election Report

VFF President:

Emma Germano Emma is Managing Director of her mixed-farming operation at Mirboo North in Victoria’s Gippsland region, growing premium quality fresh vegetables for local and export markets, as well as running sheep and beef cattle.

She previously held the role of VFF Vice President and President of the VFF Horticulture Group, and was also acknowledged as a Nuffield Scholar in 2014 for her research examining global export opportunities for Australian primary producers.

Emma is passionate about building on the legacy of the VFF by evolving and modernising the organisation, utilising assets responsibly and effectively, and fostering a connected and engaged regional and rural farming community.

VFF Vice President:

Danyel Cucinotta Danyel is a third-generation Victorian caged-egg farmer helping to operate her family’s egg farm, onsite café and deli in Werribee on Melbourne’s western outskirts.

She is a current Committee Member of the VFF Egg Group and holds both an Agriculture Diploma and Bachelor of Business and is an Egg Farmers Australia media representative.

Danyel understands the dedication, hard work and sacrifice needed to run a successful farm and is committed to ensuring farmers receive the strong government policy needed to make sure Victorian farms and agriculture thrive into the future.

VFF Livestock Group President:

Steve Harrison

Steve lives at Giffard West in Victoria’s Gippsland region with his family where he owns and operates Bindawarra Merino Stud. His farm runs a commercial sheep flock of 4,000 ewes. He has previous experience as a VFF Livestock Councillor and is passionate about farming advocacy, particularly in the topics of drought relief, mulesing and the progression of the Victorian livestock industry into the future.

VFF Livestock Group Vice President:

Scott Young

Scott runs a sheep farm at Ballan in Central Victoria, around 30 minutes from Ballarat. He has previous experience as a VFF Livestock Councillor and is constantly looking at ways to improve current farming practises and diversification opportunities on his farm and enhance community understanding of Victoria’s livestock industry.

ELECTION WRAP Uncontested representative positions United Dairyfarmers of Victoria (UDV) President – Paul Mumford Region 8 – Colac & District – Mark Billing Region 6 – South Gippsland – Ben Vagg Region 2 – West Goulburn – David Glass

VFF Water Council Wimmera/Mallee – Graham Nesbit Sunraysia – Peter Middleton

VFF Egg Group President – Brian Ahmed Vice-President – Tony Nesci Executive Committee – Andrew Postregna

VFF Livestock Group President – Steve Harrison Vice-President – Scott Young Region – North East – Peter Star Region – Corangamite – Kaylene Baird Region – Additional 2 – Bradley Venning Region – Wimmera – Graeme Maher Region – East Gippsland – Allister Morris

VFF Horticulture Group Pome Fruit – Nathan Barolli Stone Fruit – Tony Sicilano

Contested representative positions United Dairyfarmers of Victoria (UDV) Region 10 – Wannon – Bruce Knowles

Water Council South West – Peter Delahunty Central – Kain Richardson North West – Garner Smith

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BUSHFIRE AWARENESS

FIRE FACTS

The way a fire starts and burns is influenced by various factors including the season, vegetation and local weather conditions.

WHEN AND WHERE DO THE WORST FIRES OCCUR? SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA Summer and Autumn

NEW SOUTH WALES AND SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Spring and early Summer

NORTHERN AUSTRALIA Winter and Spring

FIRE PRONE SEASONS

Clean up and rebuilding costs can be affected by a number of factors including location, building codes, BAL and the presence of hazardous materials.

HOW TO ENSURE YOU ARE COVERED FOR A BUSHFIRE

Winter & Spring Spring

❒ Make a Bushfire Survival Plan (check with your local fire service authority).

Spring & Summer

❒ Check that you have home buildings and contents insurance and that your policy is up to date. ❒ Check that you have appropriate insurances in place for any vehicles, boats or caravans that may be on your property.

Summer Summer & Autumn

❒ Use an online insurance calculator as a guide to help you decide how much to insure your house for.

Autumn

❒ Check your bushfire risk. You don’t have to live right near the bush to be at risk. Even if your home is a few streets away, you may be at risk.

Winter

❒ It’s recommended that you check your BAL and the relevant rebuilding requirements with your local fire authority or local government body, as these ratings can change without notice.

Source: National Environmental Science Program

STAGES OF A BUSHFIRE ATTACK

❒ Check whether you are adequately covered for ‘removal of debris’ (clean up costs after a fire).

STAGE 1 • Fire front approaches • Ember attack

30

60

5

15

MINS

MINS

STAGE 2 • Fire front arrives • Ember attack

• Direct flame contact • Radiant heat

MINS

MINS

STAGE 3 • Fire front passes

• Ember attack

3

HOURS

5

HOURS

❒ Check that your insurance policy covers you for temporary accommodation in case your home is unlivable due to a bushfire. ❒ Make sure the final amount you decide to cover your home for includes clean-up and rebuild costs. ❒ If you’re a small business, check if you are covered for the costs of interruption to your business if there is a bushfire.

BUSHFIRE ATTACK LEVEL (BAL) Bushfire Attack Level

Description

BAL–FZ

Direct exposure to flames from fire, in addition to heat flux and ember attack.

BAL–40

Increasing levels of ember attack and burning debris ignited by windborne embers together with increasing heat flux with the increased likelihood of exposure to flames

BAL–29

Increasing levels of ember attack and burning debris ignited by windborne embers together with increasing heat flux

BAL–19

Increasing levels of ember attack and burning debris ignited by windborne embers together with increasing heat flux

BAL–12.5

Ember attack

BAL– Low

There is insufficient risk to warrant specific construction requirements

WHAT IS A BUSHFIRE ATTACK LEVEL (BAL) A Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) is a measure of the severity of the potential exposure to ember attack, radiant heat and direct flame contact by a building.

BAL establishes the requirements to construct a bushfire resilient building and influences the types of materials that need to be used to increase the protection of the building from bushfire attack.

BAL takes into consideration: • type of surrounding vegetation; • how close the building is to the vegetation; • slope of the land (ie. fire runs more readily and with greater intensity uphill; and • the Fire Danger Index applicable to the region.

BUILDING CODES & BAL Following the 2009 Victorian bushfires, the Australian Building Codes Board adopted a national bushfire standard for residential buildings. The new Standard, ‘A53959-2009 Construction in bushfire-prone areas’, aims to improve the ability of a building to withstand bushfire attack.

The standard sets out the building requirements for house design and construction according to the BAL that it falls into.

POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL COST TO REBUILD*

The costs of demolition and clean up should be included in your sum insured, or the terms of your policy.

It is important to consider these costs when deciding how much it will cost to rebuild after a bushfire.

$273,000

$86,000

$78,000 $53,000

Extreme BAL FZ

CLEAN UP COSTS

Very High BAL 40

High BAL 29-40

Low to Moderate BAL 12.5-1

(Additional Costs per m2 by House Type 200m2 Average House) *Costs provided by Pi based on IAG data

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO REBUILD AFTER A BUSHFIRE?

If asbestos is likely to be present on your property, a licensed asbestos removalist should be engaged to do the cleanup work. If you are insured, your home insurer may organise and assist in cleaning up, securing your home and removal of debris.

Hazardous materials that may be present after the fire include: • LP gas cylinders; • ashes, especially from burnt treated timbers (such as copper chrome arsenate or ‘CCA’); • garden or farm chemicals; • medicines; and • metal and other residues from burnt household appliances.

The chart above outlines the potential additional rebuild costs according to BAL.

HOW MUCH DO CLEAN-UPS COST?

The requirements for house design and construction vary according to the BAL.

Where there is significant damage to a home or a home is destroyed completely, clean-up costs can reach the tens of thousands of dollars.

Importantly, the majority of buildings in bushfire-prone areas may predate current bushfire regulations. Therefore, if you live in a bushfire prone area it may now cost significantly more to rebuild your home under the new Standards.

A typical four bedroom home in a high risk bushfire area (BAL code FZ) can cost more than $100,000 extra to rebuild and meet the new Standard to fire proof homes.

$46,000

is the average cost for debris removal

$68,000

is the average cost for debris removal for asbestos properties Source: IAG data from current debris removals after the 2019-2020 Christmas period fires.

Contact your local fire authority for assistance with working out the BAL level of your property. Your local government body can advise about the specific requirements of a BAL certificate by a qualified assessor.

To speak with your local WFI Area Manager contact WFI on 1300 934 934 or simply visit wfi.com.au.

Information

For more practical information on how to prepare and act when your home is threatened by a bushfire, contact the relevant fire services authority in your state or territory: Victoria Country Fire Authority www.cfa.vic.gov.au

wfi.com.au

Metropolitan Fire Brigade www.mfb.vic.gov.au

Insurance Australia Limited ABN 11 000 016 722 AFSL 227681 trading as WFI (WFI) issues WFI Insurance policies. This flyer doesn’t take in account your objectives, financial situation and needs. To see if a product is right for you, always consider these matters and the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). You can get a copy of our PDS’ from our website at www.wfi.com.au or by calling1300 934 934. If you purchase any WFI product, we will charge you a premium, plus any taxes and charges, based on your risk profile and circumstances. The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) is an alliance partner of WFI and does not make any recommendations or provide an opinion about WFI’s products. If you take out a policy with WFI, The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) receives a commission from WFI of between 5% and 10% of the value of the premium payment (excluding taxes and charges).

Farming Town

Rupanyup resident Samantha Matthews says her town’s robust backbone managed to stand tall against more than a decade of environmental onslaught.

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Growing in confidence Stories of courageous survival are a staple of regional Australia, but that is only half of the story of Rupanyup.

Words: Steve Madgwick Photography: Charlie Kinross

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T

he second act in this Victorian wheatbelt town’s tale shows how a tenacious community can do much more than just survive, and thrive against the odds.

Like many rural towns, the Millennium Drought gripped Rupanyup tightly by the throat.

Claire and David Morgan moved to the Wimmera region 11 years ago, just as that grip was loosening.

But the brutal Wide Brown Land was not finished with Rupanyup yet, unleashing one of her trademark floods that swamped the town centre and surrounding farms, barely a year after the cropping family settled in.

“Livelihoods for the year were simply swept away,” says Claire. “I remember my husband going into town and sandbagging houses for people that he’d never met before. Rupanyup was in a pretty sad situation.

Farmers were leaving and selling to the neighbours. It was tough, emotionally, for a lot of people.”

With its services in peril from a stagnating population, lesser towns would have faltered. Yet, Rupanyup’s robust backbone stood tall against more than a decade of environmental onslaught, according to local accountant and farmer Samantha Matthews.

“The critical thing through that decade was that Rupanyup managed to cling on, maintain itself, and not fall below that critical-mass point where everything starts to unravel, when you lose your school, your health services, your sporting clubs,” says Samantha. She is definitive about why Rupanyup “didn’t go backwards”.

“There were some very well-run businesses in town such as Tyler's Hardware and Rural Supplies and Wimmera Grain Company – a packing and export company she started with partner David Matthews in 1993.

“The businesses were locally owned, so it wasn’t like multinationals coming in and then closing up shop when things turned a bit sour. There were strong, experienced leaders who were fiercely loyal to the town,” Samantha says proudly.

“Also, we had great, progressive farmers who were adaptive with land management practices, water conservation and accepting of new grain varieties coming out. They were constantly thinking, if climate change is here, how can we get through this?

“Once the drought was over, the businesses and farmers kept tweaking, getting better and better at what they did. When smoother seas arrived, we had gone from strength to strength.”

David and Samantha were pivotal figures in establishing a true community banking model in Rupanyup in late 1997, which sowed the seeds of the town’s financial resilience today. In part, it was a solution to three of the ‘Big 4’ banks closing local branches in the space of a few years.

David was the inaugural chairman of the Rupanyup and (nearby) Minyip community finance group which partnered with Bendigo Bank for an Australian first that has since been rolled out into hundreds of towns across the nation.

“It’s been very successful,” says Samantha. “The profit has gone back into the community, supporting things such as sporting groups.”

But the bank’s success transcends dollars and

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Clockwise from top left: If only the walls of The Commerical Hotel could talk; Buildings such has the Memorial Hall add to Rupanyup's charm; Silo art on the Wimmera and Mallee Silo Art Trail lures visitors; vintage signs and displays in the shops and museums make for interesting tours; Local accountant Samantha Matthews; Claire Morgan owns Rupanyup Living – which is a homewares and gift store as well as a café and a place for regional women to gather and support one another.

Farming Town

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cents. The project showcased Rupanyup as a town that is nimble on its feet, ready and willing to innovate. Significantly, it also instilled a quiet confidence into the population.

“Rupanyup has received a lot of acknowledgment nationwide because of the bank and I think that has given us a can-do attitude. That recognition of our adaptiveness has become a hallmark of the town and people are proud of it,” says Samantha.

“From then on, we were saying ‘well, we did this, so we can do that’. That attitude and our adaptiveness is attractive to people. It starts to feed on itself.”

This confidence soon began to manifest on the main drag. Eight years ago, Claire Morgan opened Rupanyup Living in a little cottage on Cromie Street; both a canny business idea and a public-service-byproxy for the region’s women.

“Being a rural girl, I know how hard it is for women on farms during those stressful periods,” says the mother-of-three who grew up on the family farm in Gippsland. “We support our husbands, run the house and look out for each other.

“Back then, it was really tough. I was seeing more people feeling isolated, disconnected and needing a place to gather, come together and chat, shop locally and support each other. I think Rupanyup has that ‘righty-o, we’ll all pitch in and make it work’ energy and attitude.”

Initially Rupanyup Living focussed on Australiandesigned and locally-made homewares, fashion and gifts, such as small-batch art and artesian candles, sourced from local producers where possible.

Claire broadened the store’s scope to include local fare and coffee to cater for tourists that began to flow in on the Wimmera and Mallee Silo Art Trail, bolstering Rupanyup’s limited food options. Her customers’ favourite, the decadent chickpea-flower brownie, has its roots on the Morgan farm.

“We grow chickpeas and I wanted to add value to that,” Claire says. “I thought, how could I help promote the town and share our story? So, this is my taste of Rupanyup.”

Being the southern-most (and therefore first stop

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for most) on the Silo Art Trail has injected new energy into the 536 locals (2016 census).

“I’ve really seen a buzz in people,” says Claire. “At the start, you’d see some of the oldies just hanging out down near the post office. One guy would drive in from the farm, then really slowly past the silos. When he saw someone, he’d pull up, wind his window down, and just start telling them everything about the town. It was not only cute, but showed how welcome and supportive our community is.”

Rupanyup’s upswing was buoyed by the completion of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline in 2010, which established a reliable water supply and revived the area’s lakes and rivers for recreation. It was a dramatic change from the depths of drought, when water had to be trucked in at one stage.

Clockwise from top left: Grain silos on the outskirts of Rupanyup; Quaint old buildings and homes line the town's streets; Samantha takes a sunset stroll; old signage at the local museum; Even the post office is old-worldly; The pub is a buzzing social hotspot once more, where you can get a cool one after doing the Silo Art Trail.

Farming Town

A ‘retail hub’ centred around a communityowned, commercially-run supermarket – funded partly by the State Government, Yarriambiack Shire Council and the community bank – is in the works.

Other pieces of the service-and-infrastructure puzzle have been falling into place over the past decade.

The town’s pub, the Commercial Hotel, is back in action again after closing in 2018. The well-patroned Rupanyup Men’s Shed has been up-and-running since 2014. Woods’ Farming and Heritage Museum is a magnet for regional tourists but also a place where the community’s older residents can utilise their wealth of knowledge as volunteers.

Of course, Rupanyup faces the usual chickenand-egg regional challenges. If the town is to grow it needs more people but to attract people it needs

more services, retail space and, eventually, housing.

Any local will tell you that high on the list of wants is that essential country-town culinary cathedral: a bakery.

The town’s cultural demographics are gradually beginning to widen, too. Rupanyup has so far welcomed new residents hailing from cultures as diverse as Sri Lanka and Columbia.

“In small rural communities you don’t always have the opportunity to meet people from different cultures and countries,” says Claire. “It is wonderful that it’s happening in our town.”

Perhaps, in a post-COVID world, Rupanyup represents the ideal tree change for post-lockdown city folk looking for a breath of fresh air in a “town with a pulse” (the town’s actual slogan, a pun on what they grow naturally). Especially now that the new definition of an office is any place with a decent internet connection.

Unmistakably though, Rupanyup’s future still lies in the hands of its grain farmers. “Our fortunes and the fabric of the town are intrinsically linked to agriculture,” says Samantha. “But we’ve got to remain adaptive and keep ahead of the curve – otherwise we’ll perish.”

With resilience and tenacity in their DNA, the future looks bright for this spirited town.

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Big Issue

farm rates FIGHTING FOR

As property prices go up in rural Australia, so do farm rates. But where is the fair middle ground? We take a look at people making the voices of their communities heard.

Words: Charles Everist

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A Clockwise from left: John Buxton has been leading the charge against Wellingon Shire regarding high rate rises for farmers, and discussing the cause in the local press while lobbying candidates at the 2020 local governmet elections.

t the Bundalaguah Hall, just a stone’s throw from his Gippsland farm, John Buxton is explaining the problems of Victoria’s rating system to one of Wellington Shire’s newly elected councilors.

Over the past year John has been leading what looks at times to be a one-man charge against the Wellington Shire.

Writing letters to the councilors and appearing in the local press, as well as actively lobbying candidates at the 2020 local government elections.

“Over the last two years farmers have been opening their rate notices and some massive increases are generating despair, shock and anger,” John says.

“This year local farmers were hit with an average 10 per cent rate rise, while the average rates for residential ratepayers was cut.”

Although he prefers to use

a more colourful expression, describing Victoria’s rating system as a “legalised, leveraged Ponzi rip-off scheme”, John has a strong understanding of how the system works and what can be done to help fix it. As a member of a working group established by the VFF to address the rating issue, John helped develop the VFF’s response to the Victorian Government’s recent Local Government Rating System Review.

“First you have the rating system. That’s the system set out by the State Government and establishes the rules that councils can work within,” he explains.

“Then there’s the local rating strategy. That’s where the council sets its budget and determines how much the rates go up by, and the difference in rates that is applied to each class of property such as residential or commercial land.”

John says that he and others are constantly being told by the council that their “hands are tied and they won’t change their rating strategy because the system is set by the state and they have no say over the valuations”.

He claims that this is a totally dishonest proposition. “The reason why differential rates were brought in was to allow the council to adjust the rate in the dollar for each separate class of property.

That means if the farm property values go up by 10 per cent, you

adjust the rate in the dollar down by 10 per cent to compensate for the value increase.”

John knows just how hard it is for farmers to lobby their local councils, particularly on the need for equitable rates. “The hardest thing is we don’t have enough farmers who think they can win the fight. When the council just keeps saying ‘no’, it’s easy to feel that you are banging your head against a brick wall,” he says.

“But we’ve seen in other parts of the state where farmers have united and have been able to fight back against proposed rate increases. In some instances, the advocacy of the farming community has seen new councilors and council CEOs coming into the job.”

In the High Country

Another member of that VFF rates working group is James Tehan from Maindample, just outside Mansfield. Recognising the need for something to be done about the rates they were paying and the lack of value received by the community, James and other local farmers took the plunge into local politics running for election to the Mansfield Shire Council in October.

“We had seen infrastructure projects fall down around council’s feet for the last six years,” he says.

“People were sick of it as they hate seeing their rates wasted.”

Amongst a field of 14 candidates, James was easily

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Big Issue elected, topping the poll with 26 per cent of the vote.

Soon after he was sworn in, he was elected to the position of Deputy Mayor with fellow farmer Mark Holcombe serving as the shire’s new Mayor.

“Our shire was ready for change. We had eight years of a certain type of governance – councilors being reactive rather than proactive,” he explains. “At the 2016 election all positions in the council were uncontested so the community didn’t get a choice.

This year we were able to offer a choice and the community saw the need for change.”

James credits his successful election on a number of factors including the issues that he ran on.

“In my campaign I highlighted three basic points; rates, infrastructure and transparency. It was a difficult campaign because you could not get out there with the Coronavirus. But the local community certainly engaged with these issues.”

James says farmers need to work together and keep the pressure on local government if they wanted to see action on their council’s rating strategy.

“In Mansfield the VFF branch have been strong advocates for the whole rate payer base not just farmers over the last eight years. We have been the only ratepayer representative group.

“You’ve got be active just as we were, and be prepared to lobby the council on rates. With three of the five councilors in Mansfield being farmers, we are in a strong position to advocate for our farming community. But we also need a strong VFF to keep advocating.”

In the Western District

At the edge of the ancient volcanic plains that sweep through Victoria’s Western District, farmers are particularly sensitive when rates notices are delivered in the mail. Throughout the region, prized farmland has doubled in value in as little as three years and in just the past year, values have increased by 20 percent across the Southern Grampians, Northern Grampians, Ararat and Pyrenees Shires.

In September a group of farmers in the Southern Grampians Shire hurriedly organised an online meeting to discuss ways they could convince election candidates of the need for rating reform. One farmer joining that meeting was Coleraine sheep and wool producer David Robertson, who like James Tehan in Mansfield, would receive the highest amount of votes at the election a few weeks later.

Reflecting on his success David suggests his election was probably more attributed to his strong local profile, rather than any particular issue.

“I think people knew me best because of my community activity in Coleraine and in Hamilton where I was President of the golf club. I also served as a pastoral councilor with the VFF, served on the Wool Council of Australia and on the board of Rural Industries Skill Training (RIST). If you are seen as level-headed, people in town respect what you do.”

Now that he's a councilor, David is committed to finding ways to ease the rating burden on the farming community and is working on a proposal to reduce the farm differential further. “If we have the ability to change the differential, let’s do it.”

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Clockwise from above: Coleraine sheep and wool farmer David Robertson, Horsham's Mayor Robyn Gulline, Werrimull grain and livestock producer Ian Arney, and member of the VFF rates working group James Tehan from Maindample all weigh in on the rate debate.

However, he says farmers should focus on working with the whole community to ensure everyone better understands the reality behind the unfair amount of rates farmers pay compared to other businesses and residents.

“We have a job to educate people living in the towns and show them what the struggling farmer actually goes through,” he says. “There's always a lot of goodwill towards farmers when people understand the difficulties we face.”

Fair rates for the community

For Werrimull grain and livestock producer Ian Arney, the fight for fair rates isn’t something that only farmers should have an interest in. Ian who was elected to Mildura Regional City Council in October is passionate about ensuring all ratepayers in rural communities are treated fairly.

“I believe the rating system is broken. Rates are not based on capacity to pay. In areas like Mildura where there is an older population, people are relying on super and their pensions.”

“Property values go up and people say, ‘I cannot pay, for example, $4,000 a year because it eats into the funds I need to survive day to day’. There’s a potential concern that people in country Victoria

could be rated out of their home. That shouldn’t be allowed to happen.”

It’s an issue that the VFF rates working group was and is acutely aware of. As part of its submission to Victoria’s Local Government Rating System Review, the VFF advocated for a complete overhaul to the rating system based on a government-funding model where the state sets a general rate for all property, then redistributes funds collected from rates on the basis of equity and need. It is suggested this will provide a more sustainable funding base for all local government and will ensure all Victorians, no matter where they live, receive quality and reliable infrastructure and services.

But Ian believes the ideal system for funding local government should look beyond simply being a property based tax. Instead we would like to see a system that better took into account people’s ability to pay.

“In the Mildura municipality there is a significant proportion of people who survive on less than $650 a week. Can you imagine supporting a family, paying rego, fees, paying for the kids’ school uniforms, and on top of that you’ve got to pay a huge rates bill?”

“A funding system that focused on what you earn, not what you own makes more sense. The current system is inequitable and it’s not fair. It can’t survive and it won’t survive, so we can’t keep putting off changing it.”

Keeping connected

Another farmer newly elected to their local council is Horsham’s Mayor Robyn Gulline. She says farmers can take action by seizing the opportunity to communicate with their councils, particularly when they are developing their rating strategies and council plans.

“Now is the perfect opportunity to talk to councils because the new Local Government Act specifies that there must be deliberative community engagement.

In Horsham, we will start engagement on our 10-year Community Vision and four-year Council Plan and embark on a consultation process about rural roads in the New Year. When council seeks to engage and asks for feedback, I encourage rural residents and ratepayers to participate.”

Ian Arney recommends farmers make use of technology in communicating with their local councilors, saying email is often the simplest and best means of communication.

“It makes it so much easier if I have something written that I can provide to a council meeting or a forum,” he says. “Putting things into an email makes your concerns legitimate and there is a paper trail that can be followed. Otherwise, we’re relying on people’s conversations and hearsay to make decisions.”

Back in Gippsland

At the Bundaluguah Hall – known affectionately to the locals as the Bundy Hall ¬– John Buxton organises a follow-up event with all the local councilors to be invited.

“Years ago when I was the VFF Branch President we would host a dinner for the local councilors

so they could better get to know the farming community,” he says. “It’s something I’ll look to set up again in the New Year and we’ll get some of the team down from VFF headquarters to give the councilors a presentation.”

“Our plan is to engage with new councilors.

We have made a request to set up a rating review group between farmers and the council to get real change. While the process of lobbying council is very frustrating it’s necessary to pursue the issue and if you don’t, the net result will be farmers being rated out of their businesses,” John says.

Although he is comforted to know farmers in other districts have been successful in lobbying or ultimately running their local councils, he knows there is a long battle to be waged to make change in Gippsland. It’s a task he and others are up to because as John puts it – “You won’t win if you don’t fight!”

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See inset

Many dairy farmers who rely on quad bikes on a daily basis are concerned about how they will operate their businesses when they cannot purchase their preferred model.

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Great Debate

quad The great

debate

Say the words ‘quad bike’ in rural Australia, and you’re likely to send a shiver down many a farmer’s spine. As the debate continues, more people on both sides of the fence are making their voices heard.

Words and Photography: Jeanette Severs

V

ictorian dairy farmers are stuck in a quad bike related quandary. On one hand, many have concerns about modifications that will create a greater cost imposed on their farm businesses.

On the other hand, there are the very real safety risks of operating a quad bike without soon-to-berequired safety modifications.

In recent years quad bike related accidents have been a major – if not leading – cause of farm trauma and death. There are also concerns about recommendations from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, accepted by the Federal Government and endorsed by the National Farmers’ Federation. These include modifications that could impose increased litigious risk upon manufacturers – a risk that some manufacturers are clearly not prepared to carry.

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The new safety standards – effective against all new and second-hand quad bikes imported after October 2021 – include a wider wheelbase than is currently available on quad bikes imported into Australia, safety warnings, and fitting rollover protection structures (OPDs) in the factory or at point of sale.

Of chief concern is the rider-active method required by operators of quad bikes, similar to that of motorcyclists, hence the recommendation for a wider wheelbase.

The same safety standards and recommendations don’t apply to junior-sized and sports style (for example, motocross) quad bikes. It is not an oversight – safety standards are still to be developed for quad bikes used by children and in competition.

Farmsafe Australia’s chair, Charles Armstrong, has been scathing about criticism of the ACCC recommendations for quad bike safety modifications, citing that quad bikes have been the leading cause of injury on farms since 2010.

Farmsafe Australia, with representation from the State farmer groups, while recommending helmets and Operator Protection Devices (OPDs) as part of mandatory safety equipment for riding quad bikes, also questions if side-by-side vehicles (SSVs), utes, tractors and two-wheel motorbikes are a better choice of mechanical workhorse on the farm.

Critics of the new legislation want a greater emphasis on training and education programs about the safe use of quad bikes, rather than change point of sale requirements for manufacturers.

Robert Toscano, the Managing Director of Honda

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Clockwise from above: All new and second-hand quad bikes imported after October 2021 have to have Rollover protection structures (ROPS), as pictured above; Many farmers don't have ROPS fitted to their quads and can't afford to add them to all of their fleets.

Australia Motorcycles, recommends the compulsory wearing of helmets, banning children under 16-years-old from using adult-sized quad bikes; and comprehensive education and training programs about how to use quad bikes and who should be using them. This view is in step with Farmsafe Australia’s recommendations, that include not carrying equipment or a passenger on the quad bike, nor using it to tow trailers and spray units.

In the meantime, many dairy farmers who rely on quad bikes on a daily basis are concerned about how they will operate their businesses when they cannot purchase their preferred model.

Doug Francis, who owns the largest retailer of new and second-hand quad bikes in the southern hemisphere, said some of his customers ordered up to 10 quad bikes from their preferred manufacturer, for delivery prior to October 2021.

“They're putting them in a shed until they need to replace the units they’re already using on the farm,” Doug says.

VFF Senior Farm Safety Advisor John Darcy said farmers need to be aware of their obligations when using quad bikes.

“All farmers are urged to consider their decision making, not in the context of the rules that will apply to manufacturers and dealers from this year, but how the OHS laws could possibly be applied to themselves from 1 July 2020 onwards.

“It can be a tricky thing to get your head around, so I’d encourage any farmer to get in contact with the VFF’s Farm Safety Team to access our free advice,” he says.

Great Debate

The VFF Policy Council recently decided to seek more input about members’ views on the issue and aim to be a peace-broker between users, manufacturers, regulators and government (see breakout box on page 32).

Fish Creek dairy farmers, Graeme and Jenny Cope, employ nine people on their farm, and are conscious of the need to be responsible about quad bike use. All quad bikes are fitted with OPDs, riders are required to wear helmets, and paint and tape are used on pipes and other low-hanging items to remind people about clearance heights. There is a formal induction process before anyone is allowed to ride a quad bike.

But even the best laid plans for safe use of quad bikes can go wrong, as many dairy farmers in Victoria know after accidents on their farms.

Trudi Hammond of Buln Buln said she was already conscious of safety given the steep country their dairy farm is located on. OPDs, frames and helmets are standard additions to quad bikes, which are used to check fences, pumps and shift cattle. She is disappointed she won’t be able to get the model she wants early this year, as manufacturers begin winding back their supplies.

“The quad bikes tend to go really well for two years here, then they need replacing. We’ve been using Suzuki and we had to order a Yamaha for delivery in April,” Trudi says. “Hopefully we can transfer the OPDs and frame across to it, but we won’t know until it gets here.”

With the best intentions around safety, her son, Finn Hammond, recently avoided a serious accident SUMMER 2021

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Great Debate

on a quad bike. He felt it tipping and stepped off, and the quad bike rolled about 10 metres downhill.

For Anne McGrath of Terang, a farm accident meant the loss of the principal dairy farm, whereas Glenn Allan of Milawa had to reset his business and part of his conviction penance is to be an advocate about farm safety. Each has experienced a court case, financial losses and the ongoing stress from being held responsible for accidents to other people who should never have been riding quad bikes.

“I don’t blame the manufacturers for not wanting to import into Australia, when the risk of human error is so great,” Anne says. “I need to use the quad bike to get around the farm, and it’s very useful for cattle work. The ute can’t get around the rocks on our farm.”

Glenn says he would use an SSV if someone would design a hook to shift the lateral irrigation sprays. Until that happens, the best vehicle was a quad bike.

“I ride the quad because it’s a lot more convenient.

I have a hook on the quad for moving the irrigation sprays and three-quarters of the work I do is shifting the lateral sprays. Without the hook, I’d have to drag the sprays by hand and that wouldn’t be a good OH&S thing to do,” he says. “But no one apart from me is allowed to ride the quad bikes.”

Craig Dwyer’s sister was using a quad bike to herd her cattle. When something went wrong, she was thrown off her bike and collided with a strainer post and ended up in hospital, in a coma with broken bones and organ damage.

That close reality of risk means nobody apart from Craig is allowed to use a quad bike not fitted with an OPD on his dairy farm at Bullaharre because of new industrial manslaughter laws.

He is concerned about being able to purchase a quad bike of his choice, imported by a reputable manufacturer.

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Above: Quad bikes are an essential part of many farm businesses; and many farmers are concerned the new regulations will limit their access to the type of quad bikes they want and/or need.

“The quad bike is an integral part of our farming operation,” Craig says. “The rollbar needs to be clear of the towball, so it doesn’t create a problem for towing implements. Replacing the quad bike with an SSV or ute won’t work on our farm. If you have an underpass, you’ll have a problem getting an SSV or ute through. I'm six foot six and I won't fit into an SSV.” He relies on Honda quad bikes – which is one of the major manufacturers pulling out of the Australian marketplace because of the new manufacturing standards.

“If the quality, reliable manufacturers leave the Australian market, people will rely on second-hand quad bikes or likely continue to hold on to existing ones that create further safety issues as they age,” Craig says.

The VFF’s Farm Safety Team can be contacted on 1300 882 833 for free farm safety advice.

VFF POLICY COUNCIL With safety and access in mind, the VFF Policy Council concluded last September to develop a proposal that: 1. Seeks to resolve the current situation by working collaboratively with major quad bike manufacturers to prevent their withdrawal from the marketplace 2. Proposes amendment of the new safety standard to allow the fitting of OPDs after-market, in response to the major manufacturers’ unwillingness to fit OPDs before the point of sale 3. Requests a national or joint national-state OPD rebate program to assist industry to adhere to the safety standard 4. Supports work towards a permanent resolution between the regulator and the major manufacturers, including engineering modifications to make quad bikes safer 5. Ensures that end-users do not adopt liability for the performance of after-market fitted OPDs

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*Note current reliability data is for the period of 1 January to 31 December 2020.

*Note current reliability data is for the period of 1 January to 31 December 2020.

There are simple things you can do to prepare as well: There are simple things you can do to prepare as well: • Prevent bill shock - by looking at ways to use power more efficiently • Prevent looking ways to use power more efficiently or off-peak,bill or shock getting -aby better retailatplan. or off-peak, or getting a better retail plan.

• Keep working and stay connected - by having phones, batteries and other • Keep energy working and stay connected by having batteries and other backup devices charged, fuelled -and ready ifphones, the power goes out. backup energy devices charged, fuelled and ready if the power goes out.

• Keep up to date with the conditions - via the VicEmergency app, • Keep up to date the notifications conditions -about via the VicEmergency and register with us with for SMS power outages. app, and register with us for SMS notifications about power outages.

Throughout 2020, Powercor supplied electricity to customers across western Throughout 2020, Powercor to customers were across western Victoria with more than 99.97%supplied reliability.electricity That means * Victoria with more than 149 99.97% reliability.

That means were on average.

That’scustomers less time than it without power for around minutes takes to watch a movie on your without power for around 149iPad. minutes* on average. That’s less time than it takes to watch a movie on your iPad. For more tips on how you can prepare for summer, check out the #LineyLessons page at www.powercor.com.au/lineylessons.

For more tips on how you can prepare for summer, check out the #LineyLessons page at www.powercor.com.au/lineylessons.

Environment

Stewards

Earth of the

Meet three award-winning VFF members who are using innovation and diversification to help preserve the land for future generations.

Words: Jocelyn Pride Photography: Gina Milicia

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F

armers are the ultimate environmental stewards.

They feel the earth on a daily basis and nurture what nature provides. They endeavour to sustain and improve the quality of soil, water and air in order to put food on their own table and that of others.

But in an age where the population is increasing and available land for agriculture is shrinking, how do our farmers stay viable while finding ways to be sustainable?

Land of milk and honey

As one of the last two remaining dairy farmers in the Hepburn Shire, Rob Morrison has a strong connection to the 150-hectare farm in Yandoit that his great, great grandfather established in 1856.

“This land, of which I was given custodianship, is vitally important.

Its longevity for future generations revolves around how we look after it now,” he says.

With his parents (in their late 80s) still having a keen interest, and his son, Nick, working by his side, Rob’s philosophy is to know the land, keep an open mind and fit the farm within the environment.

“Building better soil health was a big game changer for us. We got involved in agronomy and trace elements through working with Debenham Australia. From there we kept improving our soil to utilise every space to its best ability.”

Rob is also exploring other ways to future proof the farm. He has implemented extensive use of solar panels, begun capturing and recycling water from the dairy onto the paddocks, and established a connection with the local community by offering farmgate honey and eggs.

Diversification is key to Rob’s business model. In 2018, he won the Natural Resource and Sustainability Award in the annual Great Southwest Dairy Awards.

“I was 12 when my father bought me my first two beehives. He said I could spend the money I made from the bees how I liked, so I reinvested in more bees,” he says.

Rob sees a lot of parallels between breeding cows and bees.

“When it comes to genetics, I’m looking for performance and temperament. A good queen bee is placid and sets high expectations for the production of honey,” says Rob.

Left to right: Nick Morrison, Rob’s father Don on their farm in Yandoit; When Rob was 12 his father gave him two beehives and told him he could spend the money he made from the bees however he liked. Thinking ahead, he spent the money on more bees.

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Environment Although honey plays second fiddle to milk production, he feels it provides a great balance for the farm.

“It takes advantage of the bushland we’ve locked up for revegetation. We’re getting a return and the bees are also pollinating clover and other crops we grow.”

Rob’s son has also introduced another element to the farm – calf-raising, of which he is extremely proud.

“This is something I really didn’t think would be possible, but I’m happy to say, Nick proved me wrong.”

And with an annual 70 head of first X Angus cattle growing out to 350kgs before selling on, it’s a handy supplement to a 165-year-old dairy farm.

“I’ve always felt so long as I remained on the land and cared for the farm, it would care for us,” Rob says.

Full circle

When Brian Ahmed was President of the VFF Egg Group eight years ago, he discovered he wasn’t alone with waste escalating out of control on his third generation 30,000-bird enterprise, LT’s Egg Farm in Werribee South.

“The more I talked to other egg farmers, I realised my problem was something we all faced.”

This was the turning point for Brian. He asked other egg farmers to join him in finding a solution.

Eight stepped up and formed AusNovus Pty Ltd. “If we wanted to pay our farms forward to the next generation, I knew we had to find a way to deal with our waste.

“The egg industry is growing; we’re running far more chickens than we were 10 years ago. Nationally we have around 24 million chickens.”

Brian explains it’s not only the manure that causes a waste problem, but also the spent hens.

“There used to be a market for ‘old boilers’, but with chicken meat so cheap, there’s nowhere for hens to go after their 18-month laying cycle.”

Brian is no stranger to innovation. In 2014 he was awarded Australian Diversification Farmer of the Year.

He also realised finding a solution wasn’t a shortterm project.

Investment from the AusNovus group members, state government grants, collaborating with an engineering group, and years of hard yakka, have finally turned the seed of an idea into reality – a totally sustainable system that safely returns waste to the earth.

Due to roll out in 2021 under the umbrella of Australian Bio Fert, the system has gone through rigorous EPA testing. Based on the torrefaction process, the waste is heated to a high temperature killing all the pathogens. Once treated, it’s put through a process to produce granules small enough to be placed in the soil as slow-release fertiliser.

“We believe this isn’t a solution just for egg farmers. It’s a solution for the whole agricultural industry,” Brian says.

The pilot plant has been operating in Bacchus Marsh for the past five years. It will continue to operate as a trialling ground for different types

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Top, then clockwise: Rob Morrison collecting honeycomb from his property’s beehives; Rob’s wife Belinda feeding their chickens; Honeycomb from the couple’s hives; Brian Ahmed inspects his chickens.

FAST FACTS • Victorian farmers are responsible for around 25 per cent of the total gross value of agricultural production in Australia • Around 40 per cent of the world population works in agriculture making it the largest single employment sector

of waste. Lethbridge is the site for the first of four proposed plants in Australia, with a vision to extend overseas.

Recently taking up the reins again as President of the Egg Group, Brian has come full circle.

He’s also thrilled his daughters have inherited his passion for agriculture. They both work on the family farm and the eldest, Danyel Cucinotta, was recently elected as VFF Vice President.

Back to the future

After leaving the family broadacre grain farm in Kaniva, to pursue an IT career, Jonathon Dyer didn’t think his heart would lead him back to his roots in 2010 to combine his tech skills with farming.

“When I was in the corporate world, I started to realise data collection could be a powerful tool for farming,” Jonathon says. “I wanted to see how it could help our farm be more efficient and sustainable.”

In 2015, as a recipient of a Nuffield scholarship, Jonathon broadened his knowledge on a 16-week travel grant to observe the use of technology on farms in NZ, France, the UK, the US and Brazil. A saying he heard on his travels stuck in his mind – ‘what gets measured, gets improved’.

Working beside his father and brother, Jonathon uses a range of data collection systems to cover a broad range of variables such as yield, weather, soil moisture, fertilising, machinery performance and crop rotation.

“As dry land crop farmers, we live and die on rainfall,” Jonathon says. “We can’t control nature, but we can use data to ensure we have everything in place to make the most of any rainfall.”

One of his focal points is the way fertiliser is used.

“Instead of applying fertiliser across large paddocks, we look at specific production zones or soil type zones to treat smaller areas as individual units using our yield markers,” Jonathon explains. “We’re getting better crop yields with consistent protein levels than we’ve ever had, with probably even more variable rainfall.”

Without data collection, Jonathon believes he’d only have a vague idea of yield variation.

“In drought we can have yields varying by 50 per cent across a paddock.” As a broadacre farmer, that paddock could be 40 hectares, however, Jonathon can find the exact location for future reference using the recorded data.

“Yields are recorded in the header while we harvest, and GPS tracking can pinpoint any spot on the farm,” he says.

Additionally, Jonathon can show suppliers the ‘paddock to plate’ process of all their products.

“They’re paying a premium for our grain, so they can identify exactly where the product has been – from when the crop was planted all the way through to it being stored in their mills,” he says. “It’s important to strike a balance between what’s good for the environment and what’s good for your end users.”

Maintaining continuous improvement is important to Jonathon.

“I want to give my kids the chance to be on the farm if they choose. We’re always trying to look for ways to improve productivity and live sustainably.

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Business

Pilots

in agriculture

Airline pilots are helping out grain producers hit by backpacker shortages by retraining them as harvest machinery operators, but red tape is putting barriers in the way.

Words: Darren Baguley

Photo by Georgie Mann Photography

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D

omestic and international border closures put hundreds of pilots out of work, but some found a new lease on life as they retrained to operate harvest machinery.

Victoria may not have had as desirable winter rains as NSW, but in late 2020, harvest was looking promising for grain growers. The real problem was that some of the more remote grain growing regions have been reliant on young farmers travelling the world to get their harvest in.

“Over the years, farms all over the world have been working together in an informal sort of network where farmers’ sons and daughters in Australia would go travelling in the US, Canada and Europe, working on farms at harvest time, and vice versa,” explains VFF Grains’ President, Ashley Fraser. “Just on our own farm, we’ve hosted the children of farmers from France and Germany, and so many other places.”

He says that this is especially the case among farming families whose kids have grown up and moved away from the property.

“They are reliant on that transient population.

With COVID where normally there would be a lot of people heading away for work, they are staying put,” Ashley explains. “The backpackers who are already here cannot travel because of the restrictions in place. It played a huge part with labour shortages in the Sunraysia district for fruit picking and it is flowing through to the grain harvest.”

Left to right: Summer harvest in full swing; Qantas Captain Alistair Frost (aka Frosty) working the header in Werrimul.

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Business With grain producers facing such shortages, the idea of retraining pilots to operate harvest machinery seemed to arise spontaneously across Australia.

Macquarie Valley farmer, Amanda Thomas, set up the Pilots4Harvest2020 Facebook Group which helps to connect farmers and aviation staff in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia. There have also been training programs and other initiatives across Australia seeking to achieve the same outcome.

VFF Grains’ Group Vice-President, Craig Henderson and his son, Mitch, farm 10,000 hectares near Berriwillock in the Mallee. Craig has two pilots driving headers as he works to get his wheat, barley, pea, canola and lentil crops off.

“Last year we had three Kiwis and an Estonian, and the year before that we had two Canadians and three Kiwis who all had come from farming families, but with COVID, that just wasn’t happening. Instead, we have two Qantas domestic pilots, Alistair (Frosty) and his son, Quinn,” says Craig.

After he ran into trouble finding harvest staff the usual way, Mitch made contact with a recruitment agency that advertised and assessed the candidates.

“Frosty and Quinn were a good fit for our harvest, and they were keen to come onboard,” he says. “They had originally applied for chaser bin driver positions but due to the shortage of header drivers, we gave them the chance to drive a header.”

Craig says that it’s been a great experience on both sides.

“They’re skilled operators in their field and this is just a different field. And they are careful.

Incredibly careful,” he says. “They are used to flying an aeroplane with an autopilot, so they’ve had no trouble adjusting to driving headers with full GPS guidance, yield mapping and monitoring. One thing we did find on the first day is that they wanted to pull up at midday for lunch and we said – ‘No way, keep going, it’s an autosteer header, so you eat on the run at harvest!’.”

While Craig and Mitch Henderson have had an overwhelmingly positive experience with substituting pilots for backpackers, Lee Fox, who operates a 7,500acre cropping and sheep farm near Edenhope in the Wimmera, describes her experience as a nightmare.

For weeks she battled bureaucratic inertia and red tape in an attempt to employ aviation workers to help harvest her crop of barley, wheat, canola, lupins, fava beans and chickpeas.

“In normal years we do not have an issue; we have backpackers and a grey nomad who comes down from Queensland,” she says. “This year, barley and other commodity prices were down because of Chinese tariffs and we were looking at a bumper harvest but there were no backpackers, and the grey nomads didn’t want to leave Queensland. We are 80 kilometres from the South Australian border, so we also faced that border closure.”

As a result, Lee sought assistance in sourcing harvest workers from the various state and Federal Government agencies and programs set up in response to the pandemic.

“There were issues with the Federal Government’s jobactive initiative, such as unclear definitions

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Photo by Georgie Mann Photography

Above: The great harvest continues under the hot summer sun with the help of airline pilots.

of eligibility, no claim forms, nor a clear process description of claiming benefits, so potential employees had to front all the costs and therefore bear all the risk,” she says.

Workforce Victoria was offering a grant towards relocation and accommodation costs for harvest workers, however, Lee found actually accessing that grant was easier said than done.

“Workforce Victoria was slow and unresponsive and wouldn’t allow employers to proceed with employing workers early for fear that if approved they will then find themselves ineligible for usage of the grant funding,” she explains. “It also encouraged employers to book accommodation but that meant

FAST FACTS • The Australian border was closed to all non-citizens and residents on 20 March 2020 followed by state border closures • Consulting firm EY estimates there was a shortfall of 26,000 harvest workers for 2020 due to international and state border closures • Grain and fruit harvests are very reliant on young overseas travellers on ‘working holiday’ type visas as well as ‘grey nomads’ to fill labour shortages

The VFF Grains Group thanks our major sponsors

Top to bottom: Alistair Frost watching grain leaving Werrimul; Qantas Captain Alistair Frost and his son Quinn.

we could face costs in excess of $24,000 for harvest workers but have no suitable workers turn up.”

Another program, Sidekicker, offered Lee a case manager who linked her to the program but had no additional knowledge or awareness of how funding for any applicants through this scheme worked or even if there was funding available.

According to Lee, “Sidekicker found five applicants in total but four of those did not hold a truck licence which is a key criterium for the job.”

After a variety of issues including being referred to agencies that didn’t have offices where they were supposed to be, being told several times ‘you’re outside our catchment’ and problems with registering with jobactive to try and directly link up

with workers through the MyGov portal, Lee found out about the Pilots for Harvest Facebook page.

After placing an advertisement, she quickly received responses from some very willing applicants and interviewed several over the phone including a Qantas International A380 pilot, a Jetstar domestic pilot and two Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (LAMEs).

“None of them had any experience but we felt they were very trainable,” Lee says. “These are very intelligent pilots who have transferable skills.”

Even though Lee had located four potential employees through her own efforts, none of the aviation workers could be given any guarantees or support with accommodation or meals before commencing induction between the week of 16 November and 23 November.

“These guys were incredibly proactive. They were also coming to dead ends with the jobactive program and employment service providers,” says Lee. “In the end the two pilots started work as contractors while we waited for the government programs and agencies such as Harvest Trail, jobactive, Workforce Victoria, Sidekicker and Victoria Jobs, Precincts and Regions to provide any glimpse of clarity or certainty.

“I spent more than a month almost full time getting bounced around the various agencies,” says Lee in closing. “But in the end, we managed to get relocation assistance for one person, a Qantas A380 pilot. It was quite frustrating, but I am now the person that other people in the district come to for help. We were looking at a bumper harvest and we had people who want to work but none of the agencies or schemes seemed to have a policy that was clear and transparent.”

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2020

AVERAGE RAINFALL FOR MUCH OF VICTORIA, AND HIGHER TEMPERATURES IN THE EAST

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020 was Australia’s fourthwarmest year on record since 1900, with an area-averaged mean temperature 1.15 °C above the 1961–1990 average. Temperatures were not as extreme across Victoria as they were for parts of northern and western Australia during the year (Victoria's annual mean temperature was 0.47 °C above average).

The area averaged annual rainfall for Australia and Victoria was close to normal (4% and 1% above the 1961–1990 average, respectively). In Victoria, there were scattered areas of above average rainfall across the centre and south. Elsewhere, 2020 totals were mostly close to average for the state.

Following Australia’s driest year on record in 2019, a very dry 2018 for the south-east mainland, and a dry 2017 for the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB), there were significant rainfall deficiencies in place across much of Australia at the start of 2020. While water storages in the southern MDB saw significant increases during 2020, storage levels in the northern Basin remained low at the end of the year.

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2020 had its share of severe weather. It began with much of the country, including northern and eastern Victoria, in drought.

Fires in eastern Australia produced widespread thick smoke, leading to poor air quality during January. On 14 January,

Victoria had the worst air quality in the world as smoke from the East Gippsland fires spread. Widespread rainfall on 20 and 22 January helped reduce the number of uncontained bushfires. Following further rainfall around mid-February, all fires in

Weather Report

New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania were declared contained by the end of February.

Extreme heat in January and again in November set new highest daily temperature records at some Victorian sites for those months.

Victoria had damaging storms at times.

Flooding occurred in Melbourne during March, across the east in April, and in the south-west during October. There was a tornado in Horsham on 7 December. Cool season tornadoes are typically observed once or twice a year, but it is rare that they move through populated areas — many may go unnoticed.

Sea surface temperatures were equalfourth-warmest on record for the Australian region as a whole in 2020, and the warmest since 2016 (the warmest year on record).

Why was it so?

Australia’s and Victoria’s 2020 rainfall and temperature patterns were consistent with the long-term warming trend (climate change) and the impact of

the natural climate drivers around us (natural variability).

The El Niño–Southern Oscillation in the Pacific moved to La Niña by September and reached moderate strength towards the end of the year. This contributed to above-average rainfall over large parts of Australia, and parts of Victoria at times, during August, September, October, and December.

The Southern Annular Mode favoured reduced rainfall over southern Victoria during May and June. But it enhanced rainfall across parts of eastern Victoria and

southern New South Wales at times in August. It also reinforced the wet La Niña signal in early November and for much of December.

A negative Indian Ocean Dipole-like pattern in the Indian Ocean peaked around August, however the pattern didn’t last long enough to be declared a negative Indian Ocean Dipole event.

In addition to natural drivers, Australia’s climate is increasingly affected by global warming. Our annual mean temperature warmed by around 1.44 °C between 1910 and 2019. Most of the warming has happened since 1950.

Average sea surface temperature in the Australian region has warmed by more than 1°C since 1900. Globally, eight of the ten warmest years on record for sea surface temperature have occurred since 2010.

There has been a significant decline in April to October rainfall over southeast Australia in recent decades; April–October rainfall has declined by around 12% since the late 1990s.

Concentrations of all the major longlived greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continued to rise in 2020 despite a temporary slow-down in global fossil fuel emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) during early 2020 associated with the COVID–19 pandemic.

The atmospheric CO2 level, measured at Cape Grim, Tasmania, was 410.6 parts per million (ppm) by the end of 2020, an increase of 2.1 ppm for the year. This marks a 47% increase from the pre-industrial concentration of 278 ppm in 1750.

The background warming trend can only be explained by human influence on the global climate. The role of climate change is further discussed in the State of the Climate 2020 report, available on the Bureau of Meteorology website.

Use of the 1961–1990 base period for reporting anomalies follows international conventions set by the World Meteorological Organization.

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WORKPLACE RELATIONS ADVICE

SECURING YOUR BUSINESS The Workplace Relations Team at the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) provides tailored and up-to-date advice on workplace related matters.

The team delivers updates for members on key issues pertaining to employment, clarifying information from the Fair Work Commission, and explaining the information in clear terms to help members understand their employment obligations.

The Workplace Relations Team’s services are available to full commodity members of the VFF, either by a subscription to the Workplace Relations Handbook or an hourly fee-for-service arrangement.

Critical advice and expertise Areas of advice the Team can assist with includes: Ü Federal and State employment legislation Ü The National Employment Standards (NES) Ü Interpretation of modern awards Ü Wage rate information Ü Employment contracts Ü Performance counselling Ü Warning letters Ü Abandonment of employment Ü Termination of employment Ü Redundancy Ü The Fair Work Information Statement Ü Workplace policies and procedures Ü Workers compensation Ü Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Ü Legislative developments Ü Court & tribunal rulings Ü Enterprise Agreements and bargaining

Ü Ü Ü Ü Ü Ü Ü Ü Ü Ü

Union entry Union rule interpretation Workplace bullying Discrimination Adverse action cases General protections Flexible work arrangements Pay and remuneration Equal opportunity Underpayment of wages

The Team also offers individual consultations for VFF members on a fee-for-service basis, providing professional and comprehensive advice on the following: Ü Agreement making Ü Mediations with agencies such as Fair Work Commission and the Fair Work Ombudsman Ü Workplace audits Ü Representation (Fair Work Commission)

WORKPLACE RELATIONS ADVICE

SECURING YOUR BUSINESS Reducing your risk By utilising the fee-for-service option, members greatly reduce the following financial risks to their business, including: Ü Underpayment Ü Unfair dismissals Ü Safe working conditions Ü Correct documentation Ü Equal Employment Opportunity Ü Anti-Discrimination As an example, the VFF service reduces the risk of an infringement notice being issued by a Fair Work Inspector (FWI) to an employer who fails to follow the required record-keeping and pay slip workplace obligations. This includes: Ü Not making or keeping time and wage records Ü Not including the right information on a pay slip or employee record Ü Not issuing pay slips within the required time limits

Timely information and peace of mind Workplace Relations is a necessity for businesses small and large in today’s climate, due to the ever changing legislation, rules and regulations, and entitlements to employees. Workplace entitlements that are being regularly updated include: Ü Ü Ü Ü

Your investment Full commodity members of the VFF who subscribe to the VFF Workplace Relations Handbook can call for advice anytime on workplace relations matters and the advice, in many instances, could reduce your business risks. Financial penalties can be applied to the individual business owner who is deemed at fault, or they could be applied to the entire business.

The VFF Workplace Relations Handbook, which contains all your workplace relations needs, is available to commodity members of the VFF for $204 (including GST, postage and handling). The subsequent annual subscription fee, which provides regular Handbook updates, is $165 per year (plus GST).

In addition, the VFF Workplace Relations Team, is available on a fee-for-service basis to provide assistance at $200 per hour (plus GST).

JOIN NOW For all your workplace relations needs, please contact us 1300 882 833 wr@vff.org.au

Casual rights per all modern awards Family violence and domestic unpaid leave Overtime for casuals (horticulture) Labour Hire Licensing Act (all industries)

With access to the VFF Workplace Relations Team you, as a member and employer, can make sure you are doing the right thing by your employees, keeping up-to-date with changes and minimising your chance of any infringement or claims. Infringement notices can be quite expensive at a cost of: Ü Up to $1260 per breach for an individual Ü Up to $6300 per breach for a corporation

September 2019

grapevine On the

Sunraysia producer Dominic Sergi inspects the buds along the neat rows of his vines with an eye on the future of his business, and on the Australian table grape industry as a whole.

Words: Kirsten Lloyd Photography: Darren Seiler

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Meet a Farmer

I

n the early 1950s Dominic Sergi’s grandparents packed up their life in the Calabrian region of Italy and moved halfway across the world to Australia in search of a better life. Like many before them, from the city streets of Melbourne, they eventually found their way to Sunraysia – a place often likened to their homeland due to its Mediterranean climate.

Fast forward 70 years and the Sergi’s Australian roots have blossomed into a large table grape business – undoubtedly exceeding any vision Dominic’s grandparents had for a better life.

The family business – Sergi Fresh – is now in the hands of Dominic and his younger brother, Michael. Together they’ve successfully overcome challenges to expand the enterprise into a 120-acre farm that produces a range of grape varieties, the bulk of which is in great demand from overseas markets.

Way back then

The first parcel of land owned by the Sergi family was in Red Cliffs. It was farmed by Dominic’s grandparents and when his father married, he purchased his own farming block, also in Red Cliffs.

This land remains the cornerstone of Sergi Fresh today.

Left: Aerial shot of Dominic Sergi's vineyards in Sunraysia; Above: Dominic (left) and his brother Michael inspect the thriving Sergi Fresh vines.

“Dad and mum started with 18 acres and it was all dried fruit.” Dominic explains. “Now we have 120 acres planted with another 30 to be planted next year.”

The image of a vine-fruit grower has long been romanticised, but the reality of managing a business like Sergi Fresh is somewhat different.

“Everyone talks about the lifestyle but it isn’t what it used to be,” Dominic says, shaking his head. “You don’t get time off during the year any more, there’s no breaks between picking and pruning, and we haven’t had a week off this year. It’s been ridiculous!”

There is reward for that though – when it’s all looking good. “You work hard for it, so when it’s on bud-burst and everything starts to shoot, it’s a good feeling,” he says.

Looking ahead

With the weather warming up across the Mildura region, a sea of green has erupted across the patchwork of vines that dominate the landscape and Dominic’s rows, neatly pruned and soaking up the late afternoon sun, hint of promise.

“Walking down the rows, it looks like we have a really nice crop, and it’s looking really good across all the varieties,” Dominic says. “We just have to hope it all works for us – that the demand is there, the labour is there, that the weather is good.”

Since Dominic and Michael came together to drive the future of Sergi Fresh, they’ve had to be SUMMER 2021

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Meet a Farmer

Challenging times

In 2016, the Sunraysia region experienced a weather event that saw hundreds of acres of productive land hit by a freak hailstorm. Red Cliffs was one of the areas impacted. Many growers were left in a position they couldn’t recover from; the Sergi properties didn’t escape the onslaught and it gave Dominic an enduring understanding of the importance of community among farmers.

“We lost about 20 per cent of our crops that year but it wasn’t until the second year that we realised the full extent of the damage,” he says. “All the canes were so battered that when we went to roll-on, they kept breaking every time we went to move them. We lost 20 per cent the year of the storm and the year after it was closer to 40 or 50 per cent. Some vines we got one or two canes where we’d normally get 12.

Some blocks had been completely wiped out.”

resourceful and adapt to changing conditions and Dominic says any successful farming enterprise has to embrace flexibility and adaptation as part of their business model.

“Last year was a good example of the importance of being able to change. We really picked up on different things, going through a year like that. The markets we had for a certain type of fruit just weren’t there anymore and of course, we couldn’t adapt to everything in the space of one season, but we did our best to weather it. It was a valuable lesson in trying to avoid having all your eggs in one basket, all the time.

“You’ll always get caught out on some things, it’s about trying to reduce that risk, where and how you can,” he says.

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Top left then clockwise: Dominic with his wife Kylie and twin girls (Isla and Olivia), and son Sebastian; Dominic at work; Dominic and Michael surveying the vineyards; The sprawling vineyards of Sergi Fresh; (L-R) Brothers Michael and Dominic proudly showing off their branded produce.

FAST FACTS • The 2016 storm was the worst to hit Mildura in decades, wiping out 1489 hectares of table grapes – a loss worth approximately $100 million • For Sergi Fresh, the table grape harvest begins in early to mid-January and continues through to the end of May • During the harvest period, Dominic and Michael employ between 40 and 50 workers to pick their fruit

After two hard years, Sergi Fresh was back at full production but it left Dominic acutely aware that it doesn’t take much to totally change a season and that resources, shared knowledge and advocacy are critical to the ongoing success of the table grape industry.

With that in mind, when he was asked to join the board of the Sunraysia Table Grape Growers Association, he didn’t think twice. “I thought it was time to step up,” he says.

Within 18 months of joining the Board, Dominic was elected President and as such, he has been committed to ensuring growers across the region have access to the latest information to best inform their practices in order for them to deliver industryleading outcomes.

“I want to grow the industry knowledge base and build connections,” he says. “There’s a lot out there that growers don’t know about – unless they’re on mailing lists, including grants and workshops – that can help them.”

As a father to three young children with partner Kylie – four-year-old twins, Isla and Olivia, and twoyear son Sebastian – and a demanding business to manage, it would be understandable if Dominic thought he had enough on his plate. However, his determination to support other farmers and to drive the expansion of the industry as whole, is unmistakable. Not to mention commendable.

“I’m not trying to change the world but I want to advance our growers, our industry and our region,” he says.

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Socials

Out & About

Here we showcase some of the best shots from our members all over the state. If you have a great photo of your farm that you’d like us to publish, send your shots to: media@vff.org.au and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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1. Here’s looking at you. What a shot! Taken during yarding in Yangery in Victoria’s South West.

2. VFF Farm Safety Officer Richard Versteegen with Martin Dunlop and Barry Hutton from Burgess Rural delivering safety audits at four of their properties between Kalkallo and Broadford.

3. Summer spuds loving the summer sun after an overnight drenching in Killarney.

4. The man in red swinging by country Victoria on Christmas Eve. 5. Harvest well underway before the rains come to the Wimmera.

6. National Ag Day baking taken to the next level.

7. Clearing the header whilst getting through harvest 2020 near Horsham.

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VICTORIAN FARMER

SUMMER 2021

Last Word

The dingo dilemma Farmers must not be ignored in the plan to introduce dingoes into the Grampians National Park. Words Peter Star, VFF Livestock Councillor

D

ingoes and livestock just don’t mix, it’s been that way for as long as any of us can remember and far too often we’ve seen the disastrous consequences when things go wrong.

That’s why the ambitious proposal to introduce dingoes into the Grampians National Park as part of a draft plan for the area by Parks Victoria is concerning to many farmers and the VFF. While the VFF respects the cultural views and values of the traditional land owners of the area, introducing dingoes without a robust plan to protect local communities, livestock and vulnerable native species from attack will end in disaster.

Dingoes are naturally inquisitive animals and it’s in their nature to roam large distances – in some cases up to 60km from bushland and out into farm land.

This would be disastrous around the nearby Wartook and Victoria Valley areas. Many of you will know this is prime livestock grazing country, and some of you farm in these areas.

By the time this goes to print, the submission for public comment on this proposal will have closed, but rest assured before this we have ensured Victorian farmers and our legitimate concerns on this issue have been heard.

We’ve been lobbying the decision makers to ensure our very real concerns are noted, circulated an e-petition and launched a sustained media campaign.

This effort, at the very least has highlighted the risks associated to livestock from dingoes and will ultimately help sway the direction of the plan to ensure our voice as farmers is heard and listened to.

Australia built the Dingo Fence in the late 1800s to keep dingoes out of the productive south eastern parts of the country. Those men who put blood, sweat and tears into building that fence through some of Australia’s most unforgiving country would be rolling over in their graves at this proposal.

While I can’t predict what the outcome of the plan will be (to be announced in 2021), we’ll continue to advocate for what’s best for Victorian farmers.

What do you want to hear about in The Last Word?

Let us know at media@vff.org.au

SUMMER 2021

VICTORIAN FARMER

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