AgLife – October 27, 2021 edition by The Weekly Advertiser

October 27, 2021

Historic find Community vintage-machinery restoration club Dunmunkle Sumpoilers plans to restore a piece of historic Wimmera machinery, unearthed in one of the region’s largest private collections set to go to auction. Elders Horsham manager Mat Taylor, left, and club president Graeme Gellatly, admire the fly wheel. Story, pages 34 and 35 Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

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Wimmera wool-industry milestone 95 Nelson Street, Nhill CALL 03 5391 2106

ool has played an integral role in the agricultural history of western Victoria and the people involved in the industry remain part of the fabric of regional society.

Wool classers are responsible for quality assurance of the Australian woolclip and are part of the story of Australian wool. This year represents a 50-year milestone for a Wimmera group of wool classers who have spent lifetimes working with wool and agriculture in general. Peter Sudholz of Horsham, Tim Sudholz, Natimuk, Peter McGennisken, Brimpaen, John Ferrier, Birchip and Chris Bibby, Navarre, have joined an elite group in reaching 50-year Australian Wool Exchange, AWEX, recognition. The AWEX manages a national wool-classer registration scheme, underpinned by the Industry Code of Practice for the Preparation of Australian Woolclips. People with Australian Wool-classer registrations, updated every three years, can class wool anywhere in Australia and AWEX formally recognises wool classers with 50 years of continuous registration. Peter and Tim Sudholz, distant relatives, started their wool-classer training in a group of about a dozen in a

ELITE GROUP: Tim Sudholz, left, and Peter Sudholz have clocked up 50 years as registered wool classers. Peter McGennisken, John Ferrier, and Chris Bibby have also joined the elite group in reaching the 50-year milestone. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER process that involved four years of part-time night classes. Peter Sudholz said during his five decades in wool and agriculture, which had also involved considerable wool-classer training, education and leadership roles, he had seen and experienced many changes in the industry. “When we started in the early 1970s there were more than 180-million sheep in Australia and nearly every farm in the Wimmera had sheep as

well as crops. Now there are about 68-million sheep,” he said. “A key driver of the reduction was the suspension of the reserve price scheme in 1991 that resulted in a market crash and an exodus of people out of wool. “Then of course there have also been droughts and other factors, but the Australian wool industry, along with sheep in general, is now very strong in the current climate. “There is always a lot of price vol-

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atility in wool because it is a global commodity.” Mr Sudholz said the industry itself had evolved and this had included advances in sheep breeding and genetics, this being evident in merino sheep with their large frame, plainer body and heavier-cutting, finer-fleece wool. “There’s been improvements and advancements in shearing-shed, sheep-handling facilities, sheep-yard design and workplace safety environments. With improved returns to

growers from both sheep and wool there has been a noticeable investment back into infrastructure,” he said. “There is plenty to consider as the industry keeps evolving. Speaking as a wool classer, one of the variables now has been the introduction of shedding breeds, which can potentially raise the risk of contamination by medullated fibres and cause problem in the dyeing process of wool.” Mr Sudholz said he remained confident wool would continue to have a strong role in Australian agriculture and looked back fondly on his career. “It’s been 50 years of industry involvement, not only dealing with sheep and wool, but also providing leadership for and educating and training others in the industry,” he said. “It has also been a great experience working with and meeting so many different people across such a broad industry.” Tim Sudholz, who farms near Mt Arapiles and runs 1400 merinos despite having a greater cropping regime than in the past, agreed the wool industry had experienced considerable buoyancy and had undergone many changes. He said the rise in value of sheep meat had broadened the potential value of running flocks. “The wool is reasonably good at the moment, but the meat side is now so good,” he said.

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BY DEAN LAWSON

estoration of a piece of historic Wimmera machinery is underway as one of the region’s largest private collections continues to unearth treasures of the past.

A diesel engine that powered the 3LK radio transmitter at Lubeck from 1936 is now in the hands of Dunmunkle Sumpoilers, who plan to return the machine to its operating condition. The district historical significance of the engine prompted Pipkorn clearing sale vendors to separate the item from a huge online auction planned for November 13 and 14. The auction, involving an expansive collection of farm machinery and vehicles, is the second involving items collected by former Banyena farmer Ken Pipkorn. Dunmunkle Sumpoilers is a community vintage-machinery restoration club. President Graham Gellatly of Lubeck said he was delighted the group had secured the 1934 Ruston Hornsby 9HRC diesel twin-cylinder horizontal engine. “It’s certainly part of local history and we didn’t want to lose the opportunity to keep it here,” he said. “We’ve moved the main parts of the motor back to Murtoa and are

BACK IN THE DAY: Above, radio technician Eric Bellman works the 3LK generator at Lubeck in 1962, and right, the old 3LK site at Lubeck.

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“It’s certainly part of local history and we didn’t want to lose the opportunity to keep it here. We’ve moved the main parts of the motor back to Murtoa and are now working on picking up its big fly wheel”

– Graham Gellatly

now working on picking up its big fly wheel. “It’s missing some pieces, including a piston and inlet, exhaust valves and fuel and oil pumps. If anyone can help with these parts we’d love to hear from them. “We want to get it going again. It’s a great project for us and the region and what we enjoy doing.” The powerful engine, which developers in the 1930s had believed might help provide electricity for Lubeck households and streets as well as the radio-transmission role, fell short of expectations. But it needed only one of its cylinders in generating enough power for the transmission. While the engine has a broad historical significance in the region as part of the original 3LK radio station, the ancestor of 3WM, it also has strong ties with Mr Gellatly’s family.

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“My wife Kathryn’s father, Eric Bellman, was one of the engine operators as one the 3LK technicians in 1959,” he said. “When 3WM took over running of 3LK, I sold them the land the transmitter’s on now – 24 acres – and it was about that time, in 1979, that the engine was replaced because they didn’t need it any more. “It was sold to Ken Pipkorn who has had it ever since. “We have about seven regular enthusiasts and we will be working on the engine. “Much will depend on parts we can secure to help with the restoration. “Our aim is to work on things that aren’t plastic and get them going again.” Elders Horsham, working with AuctionsPlus, is in charge of the online sale and branch manager Mat Taylor said the engine reflected the vast, eclectic range of items that would go under the hammer. “The auction will be spread across four sales with each item auctioned individually,” he said. “We’ve continued to be amazed. There are probably up to 40 items that are most likely one of a kind or extremely rare. For example there is an historic Jelbart tractor and a 1912 Fowler traction engine. “There are more than 300 tractors, the same again in stationary engines

PART OF HISTORY: Dunmunkle Sumpoilers president Graham Gellatly is pictured with a 3LK generator block he and other vintagemachinery enthusiasts hope to restore. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

and motors and well over 200 tractor wheels, and a collection of vintage cars, trucks and general farm machinery. There are close to a dozen steam engines. “It is an historic-collection goldmine and the clearing sale has attracted

global interest. We know of people who have been minimising their own collections to get enough finances to place strong bids for specific items. “In the first 24 hours of putting up details on Facebook, 25,000 people had viewed them.

“It’s been an absolute magnet.” Mr Taylor said everything listed for sale was only available in the exclusive online auction. “Items vary in condition and will be all sold as is,” he said. “Some could have been sitting

where they have laid for more than 50 years, but collectors will quickly spot potential.” People can only bid in the auction by registering interest with AuctionsPlus before the event via website auctions plus.com.au.

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Biogas future for oats manufacturer “Like” Us On Facebook

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Bordertown food manufacturer with a major operation at Dimboola is set to convert oat husks into electricity to offset almost all of its monthly energy costs.

Cereal oat supplier Blue Lake Milling has completed construction of its $8.1-million Bordertown biogas plant, which will generate enough electricity to power both the plant and nearby homes. The company will use the 24,000plus tonnes of by-product oat husks it produces each year to create a mix of methane and carbon dioxide through ‘anaerobic digestion’. The gas will then fuel an onsite generator to power the mill. The company has previously sold the husks as stock feed, used it as packing material or thrown it away. The company’s commercial projects manager Jeremy Neale said two-thirds of the power generated would go to the mill, and the remaining third into the electricity grid. “It’ll go a fair way to eliminating our electricity bill,” he said. Mr Neale said there were no plans to pursue a similar concept at the firm’s manufacturing plant at Dimboola, which has an oat-rolling instead of de-husking function. But he said there would be overall flow-on benefits.

As a 24-hour, five-day-a-week operation, the Bordertown mill’s monthly electricity bill is about $80,000. Mr Neale said issues with power reliability first sparked the need for an alternate source more than a decade ago. “Every time we’ve looked at doing an expansion, power was a limiting factor,” he said. “So the way around that is to obviously generate your own.” Mr Neale said the biogas plant would allow manufacturing to continue in the event of a power outage. “Being at the end of the power line we have a lot of brownouts,” he said. “So being able to stay powered up and continue operations is a big factor for us – it mitigates against all those risks.” Blue Lake Milling has completed the project, which started with planning in 2017, with help from South Australian government study and implementation program grants.

lifts to electric models and is exploring further opportunities to reduce its waste impact. “We’ll be looking at ways to redirect our landfill to other methods of disposing of waste, so more recycling and anything we can do in that space,” Mr Neale said.

Potential

MOVING FORWARD: Biogass Renewables project manager Ross Merchant, left, and Blue Lake Milling commercial projects manager Jeremy Neale in front of a new $8.1-million biogas plant at Bordertown. Neale spent two weeks at a workshop in Germany. He said Blue Lake Milling’s ambitious plan attracted scepticism. “They all told us we were crazy,” Neale said. “There’s existing plants with oat husks being fed in but none with it as a straight diet. So it was obviously a bit of a risk.” Mr Neale said Blue Lake Milling

One of five

Energy firm Biogass Renewables designed and will operate and maintain the facility. The concept of generating gas from anaerobic digestion is common in Europe, but the Bordertown plant is just one of five in Australia. To gain a deeper understanding of how to operate a biogas plant, Mr

was also drawn to the idea of a biogas plant due to its value as a renewable and clean energy source. “As well as being a more safe and reliable method of generating power, improving our environmental footprint and sustainability are things the company is really delving into,” he said. The branch is in the process of transitioning from gas-powered fork-

CBH, the parent company of Blue Lake Milling, will also use the new project to gauge the potential of implementing similar systems at other grain operations throughout the country. However, Mr Neale said pioneering such a large-scale project had come with its share of complications. “The EPA approvals took more than a year in themselves,” he said. “There was just no legislative process in place for something like this.” Blue Lake Milling chief executive Kevin Boyle said while the new plant would lead to some business savings, improvements to sustainability were what got the project over the line. “The return on investment in financial terms actually remains very low,” he said. “For businesses like ours if it was only a financial decision we would likely not commit to it. “This is a representation of the values of our whole organisation, this is real leadership in industry and planning for a better future.”

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What’s it worth?

oes the market know best? To be honest, there’s much about the new economy I don’t understand.

I don’t understand how a virtual currency can attract such frenzied investment and now be ‘valued’ at six times its price of about a year ago. I don’t understand how a buy-now-pay-later company, that loses in excess of $100-million a year, can have a market value of circa $30-billion – twice as much as the Coles Group and more than three times more valuable than Qantas. I guess it’s just a function of demand. If people want something badly enough, the price goes up. I wonder if the people investing in crypto or BNPL understand these markets better than I do? I hope so. Lately, there’s a bit about the old economy I’m having trouble understanding – the extraordinary escalation in the price of farmland. Earlier this month, a good sized parcel of land in east Wimmera changed hands for about $20,000 per hectare, or in the old language, $8000 per acre. That means it at least doubled in three years. On the face of it this is good news. With a couple of clicks of the calculator the net worth of average Wimmera farms has gone up several million dollars. But what else has changed? Has the productive value of that land suddenly improved? Has the price of grain commodities reached a new high that will remain forever? Is it true we will never see a drought again? I think the answer to these questions is no. So what’s driving this rapid increase in land

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price? It’s easy to shrug and point to market fundamentals – good old supply and demand. And that’s true. A couple of good seasons, strong commodity prices and cheap debt are all fuelling the demand. But I can’t help wondering if the market is getting this right. I’ve always felt we have elements in farming for many where ‘size’ does matter. We want a big farm, big header, the biggest tractor. But is size the only game in town? Is this syndrome leading to decision-making based on emotion rather than logic? I don’t think there are clear answers to this, but we should at least ask ourselves these questions before heading to the next land auction. Perhaps this is a good time to consider investing in assets outside agriculture; create an alternate income source as a hedge against the tough times that will come. Perhaps we should consider moving along the value curve by investing in another enterprise within our farm business. Perhaps though, with farmland we’re happy to play the long game. When the music stops at least we’ll know where to find the farmland. Might be harder to find the crypto.

MARKET SWEET: Sunday’s Natimuk Farmers Market Plus remains on track with Wimmera people keen to seize opportunities as society takes tentative steps out from the COVID-19 pandemic. Marion and Steve Sostheim, pictured, will be selling their Grampians Honey at the market. Market organisers have stressed that strict COVID-19 rules will apply on the day. They said people needed to wear masks if unable to observe social distancing, all stall holders would have QR codes, all workers and volunteers needed to be vaccinated and all patrons had to be double-vaccinated. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

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gional communities in Australia and New Zealand identified by the bank’s ‘client councils’, who work with the bank to address industry and community challenges in farming and agribusiness. People can find more information about the fund online at rabo bank.com.au/about-rabobank/ rabo-community-fund.

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Business distress call

very now and then, emerging loud and clear from the smog of political pontificating, you think, did they really say that? When did that ideological back flip happen?

Last week, the voice of business, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry sent out a distress call with the prime target for its message being the Morrison government. It released its Better Australia for Our Future strategy. These sorts of visionary statements are usually puff pieces preaching to the converted and making an ambit claim for tax policy reform. Tax was but a minor mention compared with the plea for urgent action to drag Australia out of this pandemic. ACCI chief executive Andrew McKellar warned to, ‘not become waylaid in short-termism and political opportunism. Now more than ever we need more policy change that can persist longer than a single term of government’. Aha! I just heard you say, ‘here, here! Couldn’t have said it better myself’. So what else has this ACCI dude got to say? Speaking to Country Today, Mr KcKellar said the government needed to double the skilled

Country Today with Libby Price

migrant intake to 200,000 during the next five years. When I pointed out to him that agriculture needed migrant workers now, he lamented the inability of state and federal governments to come up with a unified plan to bring in migrant workers. The time for quarantining it would seem has passed. “We are not going to be able to provide an adequate number of quarantine places to address the shortage, that’s just not going to be possible,” he said. “If you’ve got fully vaccinated workers who are ready to come in, we need to know at what point we will be able to bring those workers in without having to go through the constraints of quarantine. Now that can be safely done. “It’s been safely done in other countries… If you look now in Western Europe there’s almost no quarantine arrangements.” If that wasn’t enough to make the government break out into a cold sweat, wait, there’s more. The strategy also called for,

‘multi-partisan consensus on clear goals to decarbonise the Australian economy, ending the ‘climate wars’ that have beset our public discourse over much of the past decade’. I know what you’re thinking. If the Coalition can publicly brawl over climate-change policy, surely multi-partisan is pie in the sky. So, I asked him if the rest of us could do it without governments, because most sectors of agriculture had pledged to do it already. “No… what we’re urging our political leaders to do is be courageous, set a longer-term narrative, let’s not just be driven by the shortterm electoral cycle,” he said. “We have some huge natural advantages and we have to take a long-term view.” If the science is correct, climate change is the most serious threat to our future. How ironic is it then, that climate-change policy seems to ring the death knell of so many of our political leaders? I won’t be around to live through what is predicted to happen. But my children and yet-to-be born grandchildren will inherit what we leave them. Here’s hoping we manage to achieve what so many farmers pledge, to leave the land better than they found it.

95 Nelson Street, Nhill CALL 03 5391 2106

TURNING PASSION INTO FINANCE: Dunmunkle Sumpoilers member Gordon Mills uses a restored 1956 John Deere windrower to prepare vetch and oats for baling. The sumpoilers, who have a passion for restoring historic machinery, use land at their disposal to make extra money for the club. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

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Money to cope with drought

egional Mallee communities will share in $114,790 in Federal Government funding to help them better prepare for drought. Mallee Sustainable Farming, Charlton Neighbourhood House and Birchip Cropping Group are among latest recipients of a Future Drought Fund Networks to Build Drought Resilience program. Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the grants would support community projects. “The program focuses on local initiatives to enable agricultural communities to be better prepared for the impacts of drought,” he said. Member for Mallee Anne Webster said building drought resilience in Mallee would benefit the entire Australian agriculture sector. “The stronger individual communities are, the more robust our industry becomes as a result. The projects in Mallee will boost community connectedness and help local communities better prepare for drought,” she said. “Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc. will receive $44,290 for the project, which will create an online learning community to help farmers manage soil in drought. “Charlton Neighbourhood House has $21,000 to support its Buloke First People’s Art Trail project. “Birchip Cropping Group has received

$49,500 to fund its project ‘Filling the GAPP’, a project that will focus on growth, adoption, productivity and profit. BCG will host a series of networking activities across the region during 2022.” Birchip Cropping Group chief executive Fiona Best said providing opportunities for the farming community to establish professional networks to exchange ideas, challenges and solutions would be a key part of the BCG project. “Farm business resilience can be enhanced by having a strong support network of peers to engage with. This is particularly important during times of drought,” she said. The $3.75-million Networks to Build Drought Resilience program is part of a total Australian government investment of $19.2-million in leadership, mentoring, community capacity building and small-community infrastructure to help build drought resilience. Dr Webster encouraged organisations across her electorate to apply directly for a second grant round to the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal. She said applications were open until November 15 and people could find out more online at www.agriculture.gov.au/ ag-farm-food/drought/future-drought-fund/ networks-build-drought-resilience.

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GOOD TIMES: Will Jamieson enjoys the inaugural Wimmera Autumn Merino Sheep Show in Horsham earlier this year. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

Ongoing support for ag shows Federal western Victorian parliamentarians have welcomed an extra $25-million to support agricultural field days and shows. Member for Mallee Anne Webster and Member for Wannon Dan Tehan spoke collectively about the benefits of the financial support, designed to ease cash-flow pressure for organisers. They said the latest funding, under Supporting Agricultural Shows and Field Days and Support Showmen and Women programs, followed a $34.5-million round-one shows allocation.

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Dr Webster said industry needed confidence and certainty to push through the difficult times and be ready on the other side to contribute to agriculture’s $10-billion-by-2030 target. “Agricultural shows and field days are supported by more than 50,000 volunteers and about 4000 showmen and women,” she said. “They make a significant social and economic contribution to my electorate and hundreds of Australian communities. “They support farm innovation and the productivity and

profitability of our agricultural industries.” Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said agricultural events and organisations had incurred significant financial losses for consecutive years. “Those hit hardest are the local showmen and women – often small, independent, sole traders or family-based operations that cannot absorb the costs,” he said. “The flow-on effects to local communities like those in Mallee will be felt for years.”

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New pulses outlined at Nhill field day 95 Nelson Street, Nhill CALL 03 5391 2106

immera graingrowers have gained insight into new lentil and field-pea varieties at a Southern Pulse Agronomy Field Day at Nhill.

Senior research scientist Dr Jason Brand said the day provided growers with access to the latest, ‘locally validated’ research that would help them maximise every dollar earned through their pulse crops. “The field day showcased in-the-

field, practical research that will directly benefit local growers,” he said. “Victorian growers produce highquality pulses that are sought after by key markets in India and South East Asia” As part of the Southern Pulse Agronomy Project, which includes trial sites across Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia, the field day brought together information for growers to help them tackle problems they faced with pulse

crops. New lentil and field-pea varieties offering growers higher yields and a better ability to manage weeds, disease and soil types were among features as part of the research presentations. Among the pea varieties on display were two recently released options for the 2022 growing season: PBA Noosa and PBA Taylor. PBA Taylor will be the best variety to grow in environments prone to virus diseases because it has resistance

to two viruses – pea seed-borne mosaic virus and bean leafroll virus. PBA Noosa is a high-yielding, blue pea variety ideal for the domesticsplitting market, boasting a 25 percent long-term yield advantage over Excell. The field day also featured recent releases from National Lentil Breeding Program, NLBP. Research scientist Dr Arun Shunmugam said the field day updated growers on yield potentials and mar-

ket classes of recent lentil releases under the program. The NLBP focuses on providing high-yielding lines with appropriate tolerances to biotic and abiotic constraints in a diverse range of agroecological regions. Frontier Farming Systems hosted the field day on behalf of Agriculture Victoria and Grains Research and Development Corporation.

Did you know we also do windscreens for buses, trucks and farm machinery! OUT AND ABOUT: The arrival of warm weather across the region is providing a ‘wake-up call’ for our ectothermic or ‘cold-blooded’ reptiles that rely on external heat to control their body temperature and metabolism. This means that our snakes as well as various types of lizard have emerged from winter torpors and are now in search of food and mates. Sherri Hicks spotted this venomous eastern brown snake, potentially deadly but also protected, on the move at Horsham weir. Snakes play a critical role in the environment and advice is for people and their pets to give this type of wildlife a wide berth.

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Wednesday, October 27, 2021

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