AgLife – January 26, 2022 edition

January 26, 2022

A job to do Wimmera farmer Ryan Milgate wants to take a stance on road maintenance, the high price of fertiliser and supply-chain problems through his role on Victorian Farmers Federation Grains Council. He is pictured with his son Beau, 8.

Story, page 37 Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

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Farmers: Work to do, but no staff 95 Nelson Street, Nhill CALL 03 5391 2106

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farming leader in the Wimmera has vented his anger and frustration at the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on agricultural industries in the region.

Government and bureaucrats were the target of his frustration, as labour and supply-chain issues have strangled the productivity of agricultural work across the transport, farming and wholesale industries.

Victorian Farmers Federation Wimmera branch president Graeme Maher took a break from shearing on his Lubeck property to talk to The Weekly Advertiser about the situation.

Mr Maher said a shortage of agricultural workers in the Wimmera, partly caused by a lack of available rapid antigen tests and supply-chain blockages, had left businesses with work to do but no staff.

“As farmers we have worked hard to have produce available, but we cannot get it processed,” he said.

“Whether that is fruit, meat, vegetables or whatever, the farmers have got the goods but no ability to process it.

“Rapid antigen tests are a part of the solution, but it is a big-picture issue not being addressed by people who should be addressing it.”

As staff and supply issues persist, Mr Maher said the focus for government should be on how to navigate

Graeme Maher the consequences of these shortages.

“What do these processing failures mean for everybody? It is out of farmers’ hands now – we are already dealing with the medium term, not the short-term impacts of these problems,” he said.

On his own property last week, Mr Maher said one worker was forced to turn down three offers to shear 1000 sheep because of the lack of available shearers.

“It just means the sheep do not get shorn. Across agricultural industries, the work is just not getting done and that has been the case for a while – it is not like people do not want to work,” he said.

“Even when it comes to farming machinery, you might be able to purchase new equipment, but you cannot use it because there are a shortage or parts or tyres. These shortages then have a flow-on effect.”

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Mr Maher said he was furious about a ‘lack of state and federal government guidance’ for producers and wholesalers to deal with these issues and was unsure when these problems would begin to reside.

“I would love to know when it is all going to stop, but I think it is just getting started. Hold onto your hat,” he said.

“We are not getting any guidance or any help from state or federal gov-

ernments, which should have a better idea about how long the current crisis will last.”

Mr Maher said the shortage of rapid antigen tests was contributing to the confusion, but was only one part of a wider impracticality of COVID-19 policies unsuitable for regional industries.

“Obviously truck drivers have been hit pretty hard and they are over it,’ he said.

“There is a never-ending demand for drivers and they are working as hard as they can, but procedures and policies are changing so fast you cannot plan your work to a reliable schedule.

“These issues have been ongoing for a while, but their results are more visible now because of wide-spread food shortages.”

Mr Maher said VFF Wimmera branch had not yet formalised its grievances about these issues, partly because bureaucratic regulation and procedures were constantly changing.

“We have not had a chance to really work it all out yet. We are after some direction from all governments on what happens next,” he said.

“I really think the whole system is about to collapse, but for the moment we are trying to stay in business and do the best we can.

“As farmers we are used to it.”

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600 concepts. Mud Mud slurry slurry testing involves concepts. involves significantly extendtheir theirlife. life. end. each immersing bearings intesting anabrasive abrasive 500 significantly extend agricultural environment break down immersing bearings in an 500 Features 6 seals at each end, immersing bearings in an abrasive • Fits most gauge wheels and closing 500 • Features 6 seals eachend, end, because the sealsofdeteriorate, which liquid and counting the number number Features 6to seals atat each liquid and counting countingallows the ofof to enter the 400 400 compared most competitive wheels that use a 5/8” or 16mm liquid and the number contaminants compared mostcompetitive competitive hours fail under underaaconsistent consistent 400 compared toto most hours before before they they fail mounting bearing andadry the lubricants, rather bearings only having 300 before they fail under consistent bearings only having2-3 2-3seals sealsatat bolt. hours 300 load.

Most bearings within the load.

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Mud slurry testsdown are performed to 200 agricultural environment break Fits most gauge closing • Fits most gaugewheels wheelsand closing because deteriorate, which • and Width 1.737” (44.12mm) because the the seals seals deteriorate, which compare the life of different brands of 100 Fits most gauge wheels and closing 100 because the seals deteriorate, which wheels that use a 5/8” or 16mm wheels that use a 5/8” or 16mm allows to enter enter the bearings within the same environment.

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Inside diameter • Inside diameter 0.64”(16.256mm) (16.256mm) than bearings bearings failing directly. bearing at 500 rpm in the mud slurry than bearings failing directly.

Inside diameter 0.64” (16.256mm) • Outside diameter 1.574” (40mm) Outside diameter 1.574” (40mm) Mud slurry slurry tests are performed Mud are performed to tank.

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800

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of three at different brands 5203 bearing at 500 500 rpm in slurry bearing rpm in the theofmud mud slurry bearing atone 500on rpm theisis mud slurry tank.The The one on the the tank. theinright right thePEER PEER SEEDXTREME, lasted than tank.

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HIGHLAND-XT LENTILS REPRESENTATIVE: Minyip farmer Ryan Milgate will represent grower interests on VFF’s Grains Council.

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W

immera farmer Ryan Milgate and northern Mallee’s Christine Plant will represent regional growers after Victorian Farmers Federation Grains Council elections.

VFF returning officer Jane Lovell said it was pleasing the pair would continue to promote farmers’ interests in their respective areas.

“The impact both Ryan and Christine have had during their time already on the council has been enormously positive,” she said.

“They have both done so much to represent growers from their respective regions, and I am sure will continue to do so.

“We congratulate our returning council members and look forward to working with them to achieve better outcomes for grain growers across Victoria.”

Mr Milgate has been on the grains council for four years and said he was eager to start a

new year with the council. “I am enjoying the role because it gets you out and about and it’s rewarding,” he said.

Mr Milgate said he wanted to take a stance on road maintenance, the high price of fertilisers and supply-chain problems.

“Transport issues are big. We need our roads to be maintained and a lot of our regional roads are in a bad state,” he said.

“There are a lot of roads in Minyip and Donald district where there are speed signs of 80kmh to deal with badly maintained roads – we need better-quality roads.”

Mr Milgate said he would gladly speak to any farmers who had any issues and encouraged them to contact the VFF online at www.vff. org.au.

“If people have any concerns, please contact me or the VFF and we can sit down and have a chat,” he said.

Invitation for ‘farmers and blokes’ Warracknabeal Active Farmers group is inviting all men to a social night next month to chat farming and mental-health.

Warren Davies, ‘The Unbreakable Farmer’, is a guest speaker at the Warracknabeal Showground event, on February 26.

He will talk about mental health and his farming journey from an eastern suburbs Melbourne boy to farm owner, commercial-scale farm operator and beyond.

The event is being promoted as a night for ‘farmers and blokes’ to socialise, relax, enjoy a barbecue tea and listen to some quality guest speakers.

The night starts at 7pm, entry is free and guests are encouraged to ‘bring a swag and stay the night’.

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ACCOLADE: Horsham scientist Joe Panozzo is the recipient of Australasian Grain Science Association’s FB Guthrie Medal.

The award complements his 2015 William Farrer Memorial Medal for his contribution to the Australian wheat industry.

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ou’ve probably heard it all before: Australia is one of the most bushfire-prone countries in the world and all the scientific research points to an exponential increase in major, catastrophic fires.

The CSIRO released a report late last year which concluded climate change was the dominant factor causing the increase in fires, with the average annual area burned growing by 800 percent in just three decades.

The fire seasons are also getting longer, with some of the 2019 fires, which killed 33 people, starting as early as September.

We even have a change in vocabulary from bushfire, to wildfire, to megafire.

However you want to describe it, it’s deadly and we should be well informed and prepared.

So, you of course have a plan, don’t you? It’s written down and everyone in the family has read it and knows what to do? I’m going to take a stab in the dark here. I reckon if you haven’t been near a large bushfire and seen just how frightening it is and how helpless you feel, you haven’t really got a properly thought-out, written-down plan and you haven’t done any research on what will determine if you stay or leave.

The University of South Australia decided to put people to the test. It developed a simple virtual-reality program that gave the 400 participants a 3D experience of a raging bushfire.

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First though, they were all asked what their fire plan was and 55 percent said they would, ‘wait and see’, rather than commit to the recommended ‘stay and defend or leave’.

That could be a deadly choice, because many people killed in fires are those who make a last-minute decision to leave and either can’t out-drive the fire, get caught by fallen trees across roads, or have to turn back because of traffic jams caused by others trying to do the same.

The study concluded the majority of participants were ‘woefully unprepared’.

The other big mistake was 68 percent thought the bathroom was the safest place to seek refuge. I’m not going to give you the correct answer. You can do your own research.

I’ve reported on the deadliest fires in the past 30 years including Linton, Black Saturday and the Black Summer.

Just about every single person I’ve asked, ‘having been through it, would you stay and defend?’, have answered, ‘no. It’s too traumatic. I’d leave early’.

It’s not a case of better late than never, it’s a case of have a plan and live.

Award for commitment to research Horsham scientist Joe Panozzo has won national acknowledgement for his commitment to Victorian grains research.

Dr Panozzo is the recipient of Australasian Grain Science Association’s FB Guthrie Medal.

Dr Panozzo, who works at Agriculture Victoria’s Grains Innovation Park in Horsham, and University of Sydney emeritus professor Les Copeland, were awarded medals.

Dr Panozzo started his career at Grains Innovation Park as a wheat scientist.

He has worked on breeding programs and quickly developed an interest in creating high-throughput tests determining quality traits

in wheat. “Initial research into the field of near infrared spectroscopy was very basic compared with current technologies,” he said.

“I realised by applying non-destructive testing, plant-breeding efficiencies could be achieved and we could test thousands of samples each week.”

Dr Panozzo applied these techniques to test malting barley, oilseeds and pulses.

He has maintained the application of multi-spectral image analysis research and more recently NIRhyperspectral imaging.

“The development of image analysis and advancements in machine-learning languages has re-

sulted in the ability to rapidly test seed for quality traits and defects,” Dr Panozzo said.

He said his laboratory research was on applying sensors to measure crop health and grain quality in fields, within grain-auger and storage systems.

“We now have a team of talented scientists, technicians and PhD students all working in this field,” he said.

“What was once a rudimentary instrument sitting on a bench in the lab is now a portable device that can be used in the field by scientists and growers.”

The association presents the award every three years.

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major Federal Government pest-control funding announcement has attracted a mixed response from a leading Wimmera Landcare figure.

Hindmarsh Landcare Network facilitator Jonathan Starks said he welcomed the funding, but the vastness of the issue needed a greater financial response.

Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud, during a visit to the Wimmera, announced a $20-million package to deal with pests and weeds across Australia.

State and territory governments will match the funding.

Mr Starks said the Wimmera would benefit from funding to help control pest animals, but 32 weed species listed as a priority in the program were irrelevant for the region.

He said farmers were in a constant battle with many other varieties.

Mr Starks listed African love grass as an example.

“All farmers deal with agricultural weeds, it is a constant battle to exclude them from crops and to have healthy pastures,” he said.

Mr Starks questioned the Federal Government’s stand about feral cats being a serious agricultural

“There is a great opportunity for Landcare groups to help deliver the aims of this project. There are a lot of active groups and members, many who are farmers who understand the issues.

It would be great to have Landcare working alongside the State Government” – Jonathan Starks, left

issue, but welcomed fox control as critical in Wimmera-Mallee agriculture.

He said feral cats were more a biodiversity than agricultural issue.

“Targeting foxes and wild dogs in this region will help – particularly in areas where livestock farmers are running sheep,” he said.

Mr Starks said he also heard reports of increased rabbit populations affecting farmland.

“Rabbits are returning because

of winter rain, you don’t want too many of them,” he said.

“There is also growing rabbit resistance to biological control with calicivirus.

“The virus has various levels of effects.

“There are always issues with resistance with these viruses.

Mr Starks said funding for the program needed clarity.

“There is a great opportunity for Landcare groups to help deliver the aims of this project,” he said.

“There are a lot of active groups and members, many who are farmers who understand the issues.

“It would be great to have Landcare working alongside the State Government.”

The latest funding expands on the Federal Government’s $29.1million Supporting Communities Manage Pest Animals and Weeds Program from 2021-22 to 202425 to deal with pest animals and weeds.

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Agriculture Victoria and Victorian Rabbit Action Network are encouraging landowners to work with neighbours to plan a rabbit-control program.

Agriculture Victoria biosecurity manager Jason Wishart said summer and early autumn were the best times to reduce rabbit populations.

He said best rabbit-control results also came when landowners worked together and implemented management programs when rabbit populations were at their lowest.

“With food scarcer during summer, there is a natural pause in the breeding cycle, so the time to act is now,” he said.

Mr Wishart said control techniques such as baiting and ripping also become more effective at this time of year because rabbits were more likely to eat bait and the soils were more friable and better for ripping.

“While there are a number of biological control agents in the environment such as myxomatosis and RHDV, calicivirus, they are not effective for managing rabbit populations on their own,” he said.

“The most effective programs are those that adopt the ‘rabbit recipe’, which is an integrated approach using a combination of baiting, ripping and fumigation.

“It is also critical to monitor rabbit numbers before and after your program to confirm that you are having the desired impact on the rabbit population.”

People seeking more information about best-practice rabbit management can visit Agriculture Victoria website agriculture.vic.gov.au/ biosecurity/pest-animals/invasive-animal-man agement/integrated-rabbit-control or vran.com.au.

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Ah, the lifestyle

W

hatever happened to the after-harvest lull? Finish harvest between Christmas and New Year. A few big nights at the local pub catching up with friends and telling harvest stories… yields increasing by the hour.

Maybe get the grain cleaner out, put it under a shady buloke tree and start preparing seed for sowing… in five months’ time. Then off to the beach for two weeks.

February was pretty cruisy – you could even watch a mid-week movie or two. The main task was planning what to buy at the Longy field days. Depending on how good harvest was, there’d usually be one large item. Hadn’t heard of a chattel mortgage or HP, just bought what you could pay for.

At the field days you would go around the tents looking for the best fertiliser deal and behave like an eight-year-old in a lolly shop when you found the big tool marquee. Then, hang out until Thursday afternoon, waiting for the ‘field day specials’.

This year, the dust of harvest was still settling on the paddocks when in pulled the boomspray.

We’ve all learnt how critical those few millilitres of preserved moisture can be in a tough spring.

The trucks are rolling their way toward Lake Albacutya and bringing back loads of gypsum.

But next week they’ll be going in the opposite direction, off to Geelong with grain to fill delivery slots for that contract.

Second planning meeting scheduled with the agronomist and watching grain markets daily.

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95 Nelson Street, Nhill CALL 03 5391 2106

From left field with David Matthews

tures, Russian export tax, shipping availability… all impacting the price we’ll receive for our stored grain.

The work I do with the community bank network has led me to have many meetings with our city cousins during the past 20 years or so. I always introduce myself as a farmer from Rupanyup.

Quite often the response is ‘that must be a nice lifestyle’.

I used to go into a long explanation about how agriculture was evolving, the cool technology we applied every day and our awareness of the impact global events had on our business.

Now I just smile and agree. Anyone who doesn’t now realise farming is a complex, demanding business being run by skilled professionals has no interest in what we do anyway.

There’s not much time left for nostalgia in a modern farming business. But occasionally I do let my mind wander back to the shade of the buloke tree in January. The Wimmera wind whistling gently through it’s branches. The galahs making that distinctive sound as they try to stay cool on a hot summer’s day. The Hannaford seed cleaner doing its thing as we get ready for the next crop.

Yep, that was hard work…

PLANNING: Back to Natimuk committee members, from left, Michael Sudholz, Elayne Uebergang, Ewan Hateley, Keith Lockwood and Graeme Hateley discuss celebrations.

Rainbow theme for ag show, back-to ‘Rainbow over Natimuk’ will be the theme for 150th Back to Natimuk celebrations that coincide with Natimuk Agricultural and Pastoral Society’s 13th grand annual show.

The theme refers to Natimuk as a ‘pot of gold’.

The Back to Natimuk event is on March 25, 26 and 27 and occurs every 25 years as a combined celebration with the show.

Show secretary Judith Bysouth said the event was all-inclusive.

“It encourages people to reconnect to build a brighter and stronger community that fosters resilience and community health,” she said.

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and a mystery prize for lucky early-bird ticket holders.

“People can get an early ticket or have show-related questions answered by calling 0429 328 600.”

Mrs Bysouth said people could call Back to Natimuk committee trustee Keith Lockwood on 5387 1457 if they had any queries relating to the back-to celebration.

She added the society continued to raise money in an effort to buy Victrack land on the south side of Natimuk Showground.

Mrs Bysouth said the society was $20,000 short of money needed and had launched an online GoFundMe page.

“Combined celebrations are shaping up nicely. A Saturday street parade on March 26 will assemble at the old railway yards at 9am and move off at 10am to music and finish at the end of Jory Street.”

Mrs Bysouth said groups or individuals had invitations to register interest with parade organiser Katie Little on 0457 569 115 or email katie.little@ iluka.com.

“Be sure to register for the parade if you are intending to participate. We’re encouraging anyone planning to attend the show to make it a diary date now,” she said.

“There will be early-bird ‘Rainbow’ tickets available

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