PAGE 2 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, February 26, 2008
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Here’s a WET way to save water By Jane Ross
LINDSAY Pulham’s cows have a big collective thirst. Between the 400 head, they consume nearly 3000 litres of water a day, or up to 21,000 litres a week. That’s fine in the normal scheme of things, but when the area was last year and the year before, suffering the worst drought South Gippsland had experienced since records began, the consumption had a big impact on the Fish Creek town supply on which Lindsay’s farm drew. He had taken over the farm from his father Neville and the two had often discussed improving the efficiency of a big dam on their property. Enter South Gippsland Water with a brilliant idea: provide some incentive for farmers to take up long-term water conservation straight away, rather than some time in the future. Water reticulation analyst Neil McArthur, was working flat out during
the drought, to help businesses and farmers monitor their water use. He was also charged with giving advice on options to help solve water efficiency problems. One result was the WET scheme, offering an interest-free loan of $5000 or more, to commercial and rural enterprises to help with their water conservation. South Gippsland Water representatives went to a number of Fish Creek farms, which had been identified as big users of town water. The Pulhams were among those. Lindsay had already dug a new dam, closer to the power supply than the existing large one. The idea was to pump water down from the big dam and use it for stock water. The WET scheme was just the impetus he needed. With the money provided, he was able to buy an electrical pump and associated control gear to distribute water to all stock troughs on the property, poly pipe and fittings to pump to troughs, a weatherproof shed with cement base to house the pump and
associated equipment and an electrical contractor lay cable to connect power from mains to the pump. “That got us off town water,” Lindsay told The South Coast Farmer, at least as far as stock needs were concerned. “We were one of the biggest users and with our 400 cows drinking about 70 litres of water per day, plus the water leaks you get, that meant a win-win situation all round.” The fact that the farm’s water bills were much reduced was an added bonus. Town water is still used in the shed because it’s cleaner than the dam water, but the cows don’t notice the difference when they’re thirsty. Lindsay was happy. South Gippsland Water was pleased because other farmers in the town worked on water conservation methods too. Several took advantage of the WET scheme. “That helped bring the whole community through the worst drought in South Gippsland,” said South
Great idea: Fish Creek farmer Lindsay Pulham, was happy to take part in a South Gippsland Water scheme to encourage big water users to reduce their reliance on town water. His 400 cows now have ready access to dam water, pumped to all water troughs on his property. Gippsland Water managing director Steve Evans. Domestic water users are able to apply for State Government water smart
rebates when buying water-saving products and appliances. You can find out more at www. savewater.com
Positive expectations despite high input costs By Max Jelbart
DROUGHT conditions have eased off for the most part but the effects are lasting, particularly in our input costs, requiring ongoing and intelligent farm management decisions to get back to pre-drought viability. South Gippsland is a great place to live; many people want to live
here and the growing popularity of the area is driving land prices up. Fertiliser costs remain high; the UDV Central Council discussed this issue with an Incitec Pivot representative late last year. These high fertiliser prices are a result of the growing strength of agriculture and we can expect to be paying top dollar for some time. While good quality hay is starting to become available as the conditions improve, grain is still a challenge. The same world demand that is driving our farm gate milk price up is driving up the price of grain; the world wants Aussie grain not just for food but also for the production of ethanol. My concern is that these factors may be putting off young farmers wanting to get started in the dairy industry, or
eroding the confidence of older farmers. But there are many positives acting as incentives for dairy farmers to be part of this industry; an industry that is responsible for the economic and social fabric of our dairy communities. Rabobank has just released its latest agriculture report with economists predicting good news for dairy farmers. “ . . . expectations are for prices to remain high in 2008, which will provide hope that losses in recent years can be recovered quickly should the season allow. If the positive La Nina climatic cycle continues to emerge and the rains come, 2008 could be a year to remember for Australian agriculture.” (Australian Agriculture in Focus report, February 2008) In its report Rabobank
cited dairy as one of the key commodities to benefit from these two factors. We have seen the farm gate price come up and the UDV keeps in regular communication with factories, reinforcing the importance of milk prices to sustain our industry and the milk flow. The UDV and the dairy industry are working together to ensure young farmers are supported and encouraged as they grow in the dairy industry. The past year or so has seen incredible growth of the cross-industry partnership, Developing Dairy Communities, which is supported by the Gardiner Foundation and DAFF and links in with Gippsland’s Young Dairyfarmer Development Program. These projects are about building the capacity of younger farmers, increasing their
skills and knowledge and providing them with networking opportunities to create liaisons that will last throughout their career. Another aspect that can be overlooked in times of trouble is the power of you as a farmer to instigate change. The UDV is founded by grass roots dairy farmers and its activities are driven by grass roots dairy farmers. As members of our lobbying organisation, if we want to see changes
and improvements in our industry, we must band together to make that happen. You as an individual member have the power to lobby for change, by joining in your branch meetings and having your opinion heard. Decisions made at branch meetings drive the work of the head office, the central council and your district councils. Our UDV/VFF branches in South Gippsland are encouraging current
members to be more involved in their branch. Come along to a meeting or dinner and get to know your neighbours. If you’re not a member, find out how to become one by calling VFF Regional Manager Ken Bailey on 0427 587 311. Without your voice and participation the organisation can’t develop and strengthen. I hope to see you at a branch meeting or dinner some time soon.
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Cow flow helps milking SIMPLE changes can improve cow flow through the dairy and make milking easier, quicker and more enjoyable. CowTime’s Darold Klindworth said smooth cow flow is achieved when the cows, people and facilities work together to achieve a calm, quiet and consistent milking routine. Cows should enter the milking shed in a relaxed and voluntary manner. Good stockmanship and consistent practices by milking staff will make a big difference to this. “It sounds obvious, but it actually involves challenging conventional wisdom and changing practices that have been everyday habits for many years,” said Darold. For example, it’s been a standard practice for decades to go out into the yard and use polypipe to chase the cows into the dairy, but CowTime has proven that this actually disrupts cowflow into the dairy and slows down the milking process. Some simple tips to help cows enter the dairy on their own and in a relaxed manner include: • Reduce excessive noise such as banging gates. • Reduce negative interactions such as shouting and hitting or prodding with polypipe; replace with calm stockhandling practices. • Examine routine habits when handling cows and remove actions that could induce fear. • Minimise or remove negative or painful procedures from the dairy
shed. Do these elsewhere. • Keep the dairy routine consistent. • Allow cows time to learn a new change on the farm. • Move cattle as a group rather than individually. Darold said a golden rule is that all staff involved in milking should follow the same routine day-in-day-out so that cows know exactly what to expect and what is expected of them. Good stockmanship practices are based on understanding cows’ natural behaviour. They are herd animals and therefore have their own ‘pecking order.’ Trying to get the cows to move faster in the laneway or into the dairy will mix up the pecking order and actually slow things down. The cows will mill until they can enter the dairy in their pecking order. So it can actually be faster and less frustrating to simply stop some practices and do nothing instead. For example, instead of following the cows up the laneway on a motor bike, open the gate, go and do something else and let the cows come up to the dairy at their own pace. Some farmers have saved up to an hour a day this way. Minor changes to dairy facilities can make a big difference to cow flow and many involve little or no cost. For example cows hesitate before moving to a dark area. Often, cow flow can be improved by turning on a light or adjusting its angle. Cow movement slows if animals need to turn a corner, walk up steps or a steep ramp. Improved cow flow can be
achieved by having cows enter the yard at the end furthest away from the dairy. Sometimes this is as simple as closing a second gate. If feeding in the dairy, cow flow onto the milking platform itself can be improved by installing bale dividers to reduce competition, crowding and bullying. In some cases, these can be installed using materials already on the farm and on-farm labour. These are just a few of CowTime’s ideas. If you’d like to know more, come along to Go with the Flow, CowTime’s 2008 Shed Shake-up and find out how to use the cow’s natural instincts to do the work for you. We’ll take you to a local dairy and show you how to look at it from the cows’ perspective to identify ways to improve cow flow. CowTime is a national extension project for the Australian dairy industry, aimed at helping farmers make milking easier. CowTime is proudly supported by Dairy Australia and DPI Vic. Diary Dates 10:30am (sharp) to 3:00 pm starting at the following venues and visiting a dairy nearby. RSVP: contact: Gillian Hayman 0428 345 493 or email: ghayman@dcsi.net.au. Poowong: Tuesday, March 11 (Football Club Rooms). Leongatha: Thursday, March 13 (RSL). Tinamba: Monday, March 17 (Tinamba Hotel). Glen Alvie: Tuesday, March 18 (Glen Alvie Hall). Toora: Thursday, March 20 (Royal Standard Hotel).
Flow easy: improved cow flow through the dairy should make milking easier and quicker.
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, February 26, 2008 - PAGE 5
Feed prices drive exodus By Matt Dunn
FAIRBANK dairy farmers Kevin and Leisa Beecroft are pulling up stumps and selling their 320 acre property for an easier life. Although milk prices are high, Mr Beecroft said his profit had shrunk due to higher feed prices. The squeeze had become too much and the couple were sick of being asset rich and money poor. “There’s a point in time when you’ve got to say, well OK, as much as the time and effort you put into the farm is worth it, there’s other priorities,” Mr Beecroft said. “There’s a lot of people who are hemmed into what they’re doing. They’ve got to plug away. “Just when people think they’re about to progress
on they get slugged with higher feed prices.” Mr Beecroft, a feed nutritionalist who travels around the state, said the level of debt in the farming community was escalating. “Most of the people I visited last year took on feed debts of at least $100, 000,” he said. “That’s $100,000 on top of their own mortgage. A lot of people put it on Murray Goulburn bills, which is a fantastic thing, but how do you pay that off with all these other input costs being a hell of a lot more than they were last year?” Grain prices have soared from between $250 to $300 a tonne to between $400 and $450 a tonne, Mr Beecroft said. With somewhere between a tonne and two ton of feed purchased for each cow annually, it is a financial burden that begins to
add up. “We had a cracking year early, but there’s a fair amount of pressure on at the moment,” he said. “I’m optimistic, I’m always optimistic. But there’s a lot of pressure on farmers.” Debt was the big impediment to growth, Mr Beecroft said, and the higher milk prices had “made no difference” to profits. “Someone said to me two weeks ago, if milk was at 30 cents a litre and prices were back to normal from a feed price point of view, we’d be a hell of a lot better off,” he said. “It’s crazy.” Mr Beecroft believes if milk prices went down there would be “a choca-block mass exodus out again. “A lot of people dropped off the perch over the last two or three years,” he said. “If prices dropped there’d be a hell of a lot more.” It was an opinion backed up by district councillor of the central council of the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria (UDV) Max Jelbart. “We were better off two years ago,” he said. Mr Jelbart said the grain prices would have to be about $260 a ton for
farmers to be making the same profits they were making back then. “On top of that, fertiliser prices have nearly doubled and fuel prices keep going up,” he said. “A lot of farmers still have a fair bit of debt from the drought and now interest rates are about to go up. “We may need to rethink how we will farm in the future.” Asked what sort of financial situation he thought local dairy farmers would be in this time next year, Mr Jelbart said: “I’d be given a million dollars if I could answer that question.” UDV president Doug Chant said grain prices were “staying up due to the world demand for grain both for feed and for ethanol production in some countries. “This is creating some difficulties for dairy farmers,” he said. “Milk prices have improved substantially and the UDV has initiated a round of talks with the factories, sending the signal that we don’t want to see the farmgate price fall back further. “The UDV is lobbying harder to try and get a better farmgate price.”
Saying goodbye: Kevin and Leisa Beecroft will sell their farm with hopes of living a less stressful life.
PAGE 6 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, February 26, 2008
Educating to a better dairy future By Chris Brown
THE number of National Centre for Dairy Education (NCDEA) trainees and apprentices in Gippsland has increased to 60 this year. NCDEA Gippsland program manager, Tony Seymour said about half of these students are from South Gippsland. “We’re excited that despite all the negativity about the dairy industry and drought these numbers have continued to grow and we believe this is because of the quality of the courses,” he said. These students are mainly between 16 to 19-years-old, but the NCDEA also offers short courses that may appeal to mature age students on topics such as public speaking, safe tractor operation, managing staff and first aid.
Tony Seymour
NCDEA hopes to offer an improved range of dairy training programs in South Gippsland following an initiative to make courses available from the GippsTAFE Leongatha campus. “It’s a strategic move and as we progress we can share resources and offer a broader range of courses,” Mr Seymour said. “It means someone wanting to do a course in riding ATVs might find some agriculture students sitting in with the dairy students, but where it’s more dairy specific they might not be together.” NCDEA was formed in late 2005 by Dairy Australia and Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE to provide vocational education and training for the dairy industry. The organisation seeks to improve the industry’s competitiveness and profitability through education. Mr Seymour said that today’s students will “absolutely” be better farmers then older farmers without formal education. “With the changing face of the dairy industry, in areas like climate change, variability in feed and milk prices, more involvement from our colleagues in town, increasing competition from other rural industries, rural land prices and changing expectations of our customers and people that consume dairy produce to name a few, there’s a growing need for people to have recognised qualifications as well as skills behind them,” he said. “We believe we can provide education and training that would benefit most farmers, but there will be some
people who want to move on to degree and beyond.” Mr Seymour, who’s been in the job for 12 months, began as a dairy farmer before moving into industry support roles at a dairy company, a bank and as a rural financial officer. “We are the dairy industry’s own training arm and that is quite rare in the world so this is quite a mind shift for a lot of people,” he said.
“A lot of people don’t yet understand that, so the natural mindset is to be a bit wary of a new way of operating, but we are gaining more understanding and the community is more willing to work with us and contribute and we’re getting more and more industry support and recognition.” The acknowledgment of skills dairy farmers already have is a new offering
from the NCDEA. “Most farmers are very skilled people, but not many of them have official recognition so we are launching a program soon that will give them the opportunity to have their skills recognised,” Mr Seymour said. “So a farmer who has been farming for 20 years might be eligible for a diploma or advanced diploma qualifications.” The Diploma of Agriculture
Nicole WORKING with animals, operating machinery and talking with other farmers and industry reps are the things that 20-yearold, Nicole Harvey likes about the dairy industry. The Poowong resident has almost finished an Advanced Diploma of Agriculture Dairy at Warragul. “The course is designed to be 50 per cent practical and 50 per cent theory so we are out on the farm for a fair bit of time,” Nicole said. “This includes being placed on farms for work experience. I was placed at Ellinbank, Athlone and my last one was at Narringal near Warrnambool for six weeks. “It was a great opportunity to experience different milking dairies and larger farms.” At Narringal Nicole was given an insight into farm management responsibilities and occasionally pulled out of bed early in the morning to help with a calf. A visit to a rotary goat dairy during 10 days in New Zealand as part of a yearly study tour was another experience from the course. Nicole’s favourite subjects included breeding, animal health and pastures for profit. Other subjects include farm planning, chemicals, first aid, human resources and occupational health and safety. She moved to Leongatha Secondary College in 2004 so she could do agriculture and chose to do the diploma at the end of Year 12. “Growing up on the family farm, I always loved helping dad and being outside with the cattle,” Nicole said. There are three students completing the diploma at the same time as Nicole.
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, February 26, 2008 - PAGE 7
in South Gippsland is designed to prepare a person for an on-farm production management role and would take about 1490 hours to complete over two years normally. Mr Seymour said NCDEA is always learning lessons that are changing the way dairy is taught. “We work for continuous improvement and innovation; we incorporate other people’s wisdom and every day
we learn something and we try to incorporate it into the way we operate,” he said. Trainees and apprentices usually spend 20 per cent of their time in the classroom and 80 per cent on the farm. “That’s been a really successful model that has been beneficial to students in the past and we’re continuing with that model,” he said. “The huge benefit of vocational
education and training is that we provide access to the theory and then demonstrate the practice and then support people who take part in the course to implement those skills on their farm and in their workplaces.” Mr Seymour said the NCDEA did not see education pathways as trapping people in careers, but broadening their career opportunities.”
Harvey “The teachers seem to know what they’re talking about. The one who took us for pastures is an actual farmer and he took us out to his farm at Ellinbank to show us stuff,” she said. “While we’re on placement we also get accessed on farm and we have set things to do while we’re on placement.” A bursary from the Lions Club of Strzelecki and a part-time job at Paws & More dog and cat boarding kennels at Poowong have helped financially. When Nicole finishes her course in July she’d prefer to find a job on farm, but would also give careful consideration to opportunities in the cattle genetics field. She’s already had first-hand experience in farm management when an accident and travel meant she was running the family farm for five weeks in October. During this time she milked, fed calves, and even cut and baled a paddock of hay. Nicole’s father, Neil said share farming should be the first step into the industry. “Some of the comments Nicole comes home with and her assignments show they’re certainly covering a wide range of topics,” he said. “These courses weren’t available when I was starting out. We’d have ag
science and stuff and then learning would be all out in the field.” Before Nicole embarks on the next part of her career, she and the two other students must plan the yearly study trip, which is the responsibility of third year students. “This year the three of us are planning on organising a trip to Western Australia to see the dairy industry over there,” Nicole said.
Mat Waller NINETEEN-year-old, Mat Waller grew up in Korumburra before being tempted by life on the land. He’s now into the third year of his apprenticeship on Colin and Jenny Dowel’s Inverell Jersey farm just outside Korumburra. “My pop’s a beef farmer in the Strzelecki area, which is how I became interested in farming,” Mat said. “I would go and see him most weekends, then I decided I would
like to do it full-time after I finished at school.” It was the farm lifestyle that attracted Mat. “There’s always something different to do so you’re not just doing the same thing every day. I also like working with tractors and machinery,” he said. Mat has finished his Certificate III subjects and is considering taking on Certificate IV. “Certificate I is just basic skills, then you’ve got two, which is sort of pre-apprenticeship in your first year,” he said. “Then there’s Certificate III, which is a bit higher again and that’s a full time apprenticeship. The Certificate IV would involve teaching on farm management.” Mat started his Certificate II while he was at high school in Year 10 and he finished it by the end of Year 11. He began his apprenticeship at the beginning of 2006. The full-time apprenticeship includes plenty of on-farm time as well as homework projects on various subjects. As for the future, Mat plans to stay in the dairy industry, but is keeping his options open as to which area.
PAGE 8 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, February 26, 2008
Organics is money in By Danny Buttler
GREEN is the colour most people associate with organic farming. For Ron and Bev Smith, however, brown has been the key to their organic dream. The rich chocolate coloured soil they have created on their Boys Rd, Fish Creek farm is the cornerstone of a farming enterprise that is a showpiece for the organic industry. Whatever aspect of the farm they talk about, the conversation always seems to return to the soil – its colour, texture or even smell. “When we got here, there was about an inch of topsoil, now there’s between 12 and 18 inches,’’ Ron said. “The whole farm is like a well developed vegie garden.’’ That depth of soil allows a lush pasture to grow in the most severe of weather conditions, keeping costs down
and cows healthy and happy. A wide variety of plants give their pastures a Disney-esque quality – flowers blooming, insects buzzing and a sweet smell in the air. Rye grass, plantain, chicory and red clover mix with native grasses to create a potpourri that the cows devour with glee. Ron reckons unwrapping this year’s silage bales will be a like opening Christmas presents for his lucky ladies. Unusually in this age of industrial mega-farms, Ron and Bev know each of their 90 cows on a first name basis. The reason for the familiarity is the longevity of the milkers – each remaining a productive cow for an average of 10 years, a much longer working life compared to conventional dairy farms. While his cows produce less milk than their non-organic neighbours, Ron said his accountant is more than happy with the situation.
Happy hens: Bev Smith’s chooks enjoy life on the farm.
Brown gold: Ron Smith with his rich soil that he has built up over decades.
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, February 26, 2008 - PAGE 9
the bank “I’d rather milk a cow that produces 6000 litres per year for 10 years than one that produces 10,000 litres for only two years,’’ he said. “It costs a lot of money to rear a calf.’’ Having raised 11 children – with three still at home – the Smith farm has always needed to be a profitable exercise and was never going to be a theoretical experiment in alternative farming. Even when they bought the property in the early ’80s, the couple knew there was a growing demand for organic produce, although it’s doubtful they would have envisaged just how widespread the sale of clean and green food has become. As the first certified organic dairy in Australia, Ron and Bev are something
of pioneers in the industry. But even after a quarter of a century of building their property into some of the best dairy farming land in Australia, the couple have not lost their passion for the organic industry. With their property on the market, they plan to move to a smaller holding and start spreading the word about organic dairying. “We’ve been invited all over the world to speak,’’ Ron said. “I’ve been milking for 42 years … it’s time we did something a bit different.’’ They will also keep a hand in the Organic Dairy Farmers Co-operative – under the brand name True Organic - which they helped to establish and which has become the leading brand in natural dairy produce in Australia.
Lovely ladies: Ron Smith is proud of his happy herd and they seem happy with him.
Bloomin’ marvellous: the Smith’s pastures are a vibrant mix of grasses and other plants.
PAGE 10 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, February 26, 2008
Beef farmer thinks By Brad Lester
THE benefits of growing beef organically are many, but in the eyes of Tarwin Lower farmers Shane and Ann Blundy there is perhaps one lesser known bonus of taking a natural approach.
Less stress: the Blundys run cattle in mobs of up to 365 on sandy loam soils, rotating no more than 122 days.
Organic meat is typically promoted as being healthier than conventionally produced beef, and it’s often said that organic farming is kinder to the environment and the land. But according to Shane,
farming organically also offers farmers a more comfortable lifestyle. “We’ve tried to make farming as easy as possible. That’s what farming is supposed to be about. It does not have to be a chore,” he said. “But at the same time, while we own the joint, we’re only caretakers until someone else looks after it, so we’ve got to care for the land.” To save time and money, the Blundys don’t harvest hay but rather graze cattle on 120 acres of standing
hay come autumn. “There is no wear and tear on the tractor, and we’re saving time and costs in harvesting and also feeding in winter,” Shane said. “The hay covers seed heads and acts like a mulch, so that if we get a lot of rain, then we get lot of green pick coming through too. “And in the mean time, the rest of the farm is growing so we have lush winter grass.” The extra time Shane has up his sleeve has en-
abled him to oversee the preparing and marketing of his beef, from transporting to slaughter and selling to 32 outlets in Melbourne and as far as Anglesea, Swan Hill and even into New South Wales. The beef, sold under the label “Cherry Tree Organics”, is also available locally at The Organic Fix at Koonwarra and the Inverloch Farmers Market. Sausages, stir fry beef, eye fillet, roasts – any beef product – are all created from organic beef
Fine animals: seven per cent of the total fat content of grass-fed beef are omega 3 fats, rich in health benefits.
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, February 26, 2008 - PAGE 11
it’s easier being green certified as such by the peak body, the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA). “You used to get all your copper and zinc out of beef because it was in the soil and now by eating organic beef, people can do that again,” Shane said. Such is the quality of the Blundys’ organic product, random toxin tests by NASAA have indicated their meat is pristine and unlike other beef, 95 per cent of offal from organic beef is of an adequate standard to be used. The Blundys run about 1080 animals in 3 mobs of 360-365 on 1183 acres of sandy loam soil. Younger cattle are given the pick of the pasture, while older stock are moved behind to clean up rank grass. An additional 100 acres of bush is spread around the property. Electric fencing divides eight large paddocks into 122 smaller paddocks of six to seven acres. Mobs are simply moved by opening a gate and allowing them to wander through at their own pace. Less handling results in
less stress and better meat quality. The Blundys had the advantage that when they came to their Tarwin Lower property, “Cherry Tree Downs”, from the Five Ways area 19 years ago, the farm was rundown and so gave them a “blank canvas” on which to do their own thing. “When we first came here, we farmed conventionally, using NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium) fertilisers, but it seemed the ground was becoming more compact,” Shane said. He recalled as a child on his family’s market garden at Clyde North how birds would follow a tractor as paddocks were ploughed, eating the insects revealed when the soil was cultivated. When Shane ploughed his paddocks at Tarwin Lower, there was not a bird in sight. “That was because there was nothing for them to eat,” he said. “It dawned on me that the soil was dead and it seemed that we had a lot of animal health problems like pink eye, bloat, footrot, grass tetany and
worm troubles. A lot had to do with what we were doing. “We had finally got a bigger place but did not have the lifestyle we were looking for. We always had to call the vet and cows were not giving calves.” And there was not a frog to be heard. “We made the decision that we would stop the chemical farming and go organic. Ever since, we’ve had no vet bills, no grass tetany, no milk fever. Now we have worms in the soil. We said to the kids that we had made it because we had frogs again,” Shane said. Despite common belief, transforming into an organic operation does not mean doing away with fertilisers. Instead, only a variety of natural (and cheaper) fertilisers are applied, such as coal dust, rock dust, cobalt, zinc, fish emulsion and kelp, which is very high in trace elements. “We have healthy soils and all the microorganisms break down the trace elements and disperse them as the soil needs
them,” Shane said. “You can buy rock dust for about $30 a tonne and it’s slow release, so it’s not doing any damage to the soil.” The Blundys also apply the theory of diversity to growing pasture: the more types of pasture in a paddock, the longer the overall growing season, as when one pasture dies off, other varieties keep growing. Ryegrasses, white and strawberry clovers, plantains and fog grass are among the varieties in the Blundy’s paddocks. On average, mobs of 300 head are rotated every 122 days, giving pasture about three months to recover from grazing. During faster growing periods, such as spring, the herd operates on a 20-30 day rotation. Weeds are few and far between. Maintaining a balance of trace elements in the soil results in soils that are unsuitable for weeds. Shane simply carries a hoe with him on the motorbike and after moving a mob on to another paddock, chops the odd thistle. “One weekend, I only
got 10 thistles in 40 paddocks and because the cows have grazed the paddock down, the weeds are easier to see,” he said. Adopting an organic approach has resulted in higher pasture growth, so cattle are putting on more weight for less cost. The general stocking rate is one animal per acre. “The cattle are content because the soil is balanced and they don’t have to eat as much grass because every mouthful is nutritious,” Shane said. Organic farming is typically more common in northern Australia where the humid conditions are conducive to faster pasture growth. But farmers in the tropics tend to use cattle breeds that have adapted to the northern climate, such as Brahmans, that are of lesser eating quality. The Blundys produce cattle of the British breeds (Black Baldy and Angus predominantly) that are more appealing to southern palates. “They have a finer grain and higher fat cover, so they’re better eating,” Shane said.
Environmental benefits: organic farming keeps soils loose, allowing pasture to grow more readily whereas conventional farming techniques can compact the soil, according to Shane Blundy.
PAGE 12 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, February 26, 2008
Kiwis fly into South Gippsland By Matt Dunn
NEW Zealanders are moving into South Gippsland and buying farms because of a massive farm price hike in the Land of the Long White Cloud. The cashed-up Kiwis are able to buy farms outright after making huge profits selling up in their native New Zealand. Fairbank farmer Kevin Beecroft said South Gippsland was one of the “safer areas for dairy” – a significant factor driving the influx. “They’re moving for the infrastructure and the climate,” he said. “Most of those people are able to buy in pretty easily, because of what they’re selling.” One New Zealander who has come to South Gippsland and bought into a dairy farm is Arawata’s Campbell Greg, who said you could no longer run a viable dairy farm in New Zealand with 200 to 300 cows. “I think many New Zealanders are looking at doing it (moving to Australia),” he said. “In New Zealand you have to have shares in the milk factories, whereas here that’s not the case.” Mr Greg said the astronomical cost of operating a farm in his native land had made the prospect of farming in Australia very attractive. New Zealand-based company PGG Wrightson presently has four local properties listed, and, accord-
ing to its website, has “more than 90,000 clients across New Zealand. “We also have growing operations in Australia and South America. Assets and annual turnover each exceed $1 billion dollars,” the website said. The real estate arm of PGG Wrightson sells properties in New Zealand, Australia and across the Pacific. PGG Wrightson Australian real estate and livestock director and state manager Andrew Gilmore said the company had sold “maybe four” properties in South Gippsland in the past six months to New Zealanders. Some were corporate clients, but most were “family based” groups. “We’ve had some success (attracting people) but the company is not an overnight wonder,” he said. “Inquiries are always solid.
These are not quantum numbers but the response has been very good and I do see it growing. “It’s a growing trend.” Mr Gilmore described the land prices in New Zealand as “stratospheric”, the main reason Kiwi farmers were choosing to make the exodus to Australia. “Young New Zealand farmers cannot afford to buy,” he said. Mr Gilmore said the attraction of South Gippsland for Kiwis was an environment similar to their native land. “South Gippsland is traditionally a lot like New Zealand, with a good rainfall base, undulating land and a good infrastructure,” he said. The influx of New Zealand farmers is not isolated to South Gippsland and many Australian farming properties are listed on the PGG Wrightson website. In recognition of the trend United Dairyfarmers of Victoria (UDV) last year began working with New Zealand citizens farming in Victoria, to help them negotiate the requirements of Australian Permanent Residency and Citizenship. In 2007 UDV hosted three immigration forums across Victoria with the help of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. “More than 150 farmers have directly benefited from these forums, while even more were put in touch with the correct department staff through our liaison,” a UDV spokesperson said.
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, February 26, 2008 - PAGE 13
Now’s the time for those needing seed By Lauren Malone
THE Leongatha seed bank is bursting at the seams at present, with a wide range of seed collections for the new season, collected from local remnant bushland. The seed bank’s busy group of collectors is continuing to access seed from a large variety of plant species classed as locally indigenous to the South Gippsland area.
Geoff Trease, from the seed bank, says farmers are encouraged to talk to himself, or somebody from their local branch about ordering seed for the 2008 season. “A large proportion of the seed from the local seed bank is provided for direct seeding projects on rural properties,” Mr Trease said. “Direct seeding is a method of revegetating plant species. “Landholders prepare their site, plough or scalp
Wattle seed: many hands make light work at the Leongatha Seedbank.
Gahnia seed: ripe seed from the Red Fruited Saw Sedge, known as Gahnia sieberiana.
the ground to make an appropriate seed bed for the seed, after which seed is then scattered over the prepared soil.” Mr Trease said people undertake direct seeding for a variety of reasons including shelterbelts for stock, wildlife corridors for native animals, linking existing remnant bushland areas or protection of creeks and waterways. “Spring is normally the best time for direct seeding,” he suggested. “Early preparation is essential to obtain the best results, and a part of this early preparation includes working out the amount of seed required for the site. “Quantities of seed used will depend on the area of the site to be revegetated.” Mr Trease says he, along with employees of seed banks throughout Gippsland would be happy to assist landholders in developing their plans for this type of revegetation. “Good planning is an essential component for successful direct seeding activities,” he said. “It is important to order the seed early in the year, to ensure there are adequate supplies of the
Seedbank action: volunteers, pictured cleaning and sorting seed, make a valuable contribution to the local seed bank. particular seed variety you require”. One very important issue one should consider in regards to direct seeding is the appropriate selection of species. “Species need to be suited to the area you plan to revegetate,” he said. “Weed growth needs to be minimised on direct seeded sites to assist in the successful promo-
tion of native plant species growth and, in this case, we don’t just refer to the usual ‘weedy’ species, but also to pasture grasses.” Any landholder interested in finding out more about direct seeding on their property, can call Geoff Trease from the Leongatha Seedbank on 5662 2453 or 0400 746 828.
Muttonwood seed: purple fruit from the Muttonwood, known as Rapanea howittiana.
PAGE 14 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, February 26, 2008
Developing a successful succession plan By Warrick Wilson, Rural Finance Regional Agribusiness Manager – Gippsland
PLANNING for succession is an important part of managing your farm business as it allows you to anticipate and organise for future events on the farm. Succession can mean transferring the management of the business or the assets of the business, or both. A good succession plan should be regarded as a living document and updated whenever new and relevant information comes to hand. In organising a succession plan you must ensure that there is enough time to develop the farm to support incoming generations and provide an income for the retirees. It also must consider off-farm alternatives for children who do not wish to continue farming. You need to set goals for the business, the individuals and family as a whole.
Valuable advice: Noel Hender with Warrick Wilson, Rural Finance Traralgon, who says communication is the key to succession planning. It is very important to involve all the parties in the succession plan discussion. This includes mum, dad, sons, daughters and respective spouses, whether they are on the farm or not. If you have been thinking about when to begin planning for succession the answer is now. It is never too early to start planning. Some farmers think they can wait until the day they are ready to retire, however this is almost certainly too late. It takes time to develop and plan for succession to ensure that it meets the objectives of all parties involved. Some people find that transferring management of the farm, then the live-
stock and plant to the younger generation is a good first step. Very good communications between all parties will go a long way to making the transition a success. The next logical stage could involve a formal lease of the land to the young generation, or a terms of contract sale where the deposit paid to the parents enables them to buy a retirement house away from the farm. This is only one scenario amongst many. You need to consider the goals and aspirations of each family member. To establish these I suggest a family conference is held. A third party removed from the business may assist with this to ensure that
everybody is considered. Following this you should seek professional advice from your legal and financial advisers. The next step is to implement the plan and ensure ongoing revision and discussion. Rural Finance can assist with developing your succession plans, particularly with the restructuring of debt. Don’t feel that you can’t do anything because of the way existing borrowings are structured over land assets. Loans can be restructured. It is just a matter of talking to us at Rural Finance. Communication is the key to the whole process. Communicate with all stakeholders, including your financier, to ensure the desired outcome is achieved for everyone. Farmers wanting more information on how Rural Finance can assist them with developing their succession plan can phone Rural Finance Traralgon on 5176 1761 or Leongatha 5662 5910 or visit us in the Baw Baw Pavilion at the Farmworld Field Days.
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, February 26, 2008 - PAGE 15
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There’s a promising future in dairying By Bert van Bedaf
DESPITE the recent drought problems and continuing concerns over climate change, dairy farming in South Gippsland can look forward to a sound future, according to Leongatha South farmer Paul Zuidema. However, it is important to have clear structures in place to deal with the changes and maintain a sound return in investments. Paul, together with brothers Andrew and Hilco, migrated to South Gippsland in 1987 with their parents Albert and Tryntje Zuidema, who are now retired and live in Leongatha. The Zuidema family owned a dairy farm in Zuidwolde, in the province of Drenthe, but no longer believed in a dairy future in The Netherlands and decided to move to Australia. Taking over from their parents, the three brothers run a sizable dairy operation, called Schottersveld (named after a Drenthe district) on Hillgroves Road, and Karingal Park on the Bass Highway,
where they keep about 300 young stock, including calves and heifers. The business sustains three families. There’s Paul and Kerry with two daughters and a son, Andrew and Annette and two sons and daughter, and Hilco and Kate with one son. Migration was a wrench for the Zuidema family, leaving behind relatives and friends. Paul was 21 at the time. “We had a farm with a herd of 130 cows, but there was no future in it for us and we moved on to Australia,” Paul said. Legislation under the then European Community, now European Union, made farming difficult with quotas imposed on rural produce, manure spraying restricted to certain times of the year and other regulations bearing on the industry. Land shortage also worked against productive farming. “We were doing four cows to a hectare. Here we’re doing 1.8 cows to a hectare,” Paul said. The Zuidema brothers extended the original farm from 480 acres to 1245 acres. They run a herd of 800 cows, but dried some of them off, milking 580 at
the moment. “We had high stock rates in Holland and we said we would never do that here. We have bought more land and not necessarily more cows. We could easily run 1000 cows, but we won’t do that,” Paul said. Also, because they have sufficient land, they have not needed to buy hay for the nine years. They also have a bore, ensuring a water supply in drought times. It all means that the Zuidema operation is largely self-sufficient. Although milk prices have risen and are expected to rise again, “The costs of running a dairy farm are astronomical,” Paul said. He said the business had managed more income during the drought season than this financial year because of increased costs. Paul said the farm used about $5000 in petrol and diesel fuel a month. South Gippsland shire council rates amount to $1200 a month, which is almost $15,000 a year. The costs of grain, fertiliser and fuel have bitten considerably into the profit margin and costs
Future’s bright: Paul Zuidema said the long term looks good for dairying. continue to go up. Paul said the recommended return on investment was around 10 per cent, however, the average farming return over a five-year period on million-dollar-plus investment would amount to five or six per cent. Rising costs, inflation and interest rates were the danger factors, he said. Nonetheless, Paul said,
“The long-term future of dairying is very good”, with exports to China and India “the way to go”. Outside dairying, Paul said there’s more to life, and the family camps yearly at Waratah to refresh. “We take the caravan and stay for a fortnight. We all need time off the farm and South Gippsland is a beautiful part of the world to relax in.”