Jodi Hutson, pictured with her dog Kobe, grows more than 1500 varieties of iris at her Jeparit property. Story, page 35. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Research boost to drive market
The State Government will contrib-
ute $2.4-million to a new national research project at Horsham Smart Farm that aims to develop pulse varieties with traits driven by the market.
Grains Research and Development Corporation, GRDC, has invested $8.8-million in the project on behalf of Australian grain growers, plus $2.4-million from industry collaborators.
The four-year project will help pulse producers develop varieties with traits that are driven by the market and will involve all parts of the pulse supply chain, including 13 subcontractors, food and ingredient manufacturers and processors, as well as an international partner.
GRDC chair Sharon Starick said the project would capitalise on a growing plant-based protein market, with demand for foods forecast to surpass $250-billion globally by 2035.
“As GRDC seeks to optimise productivity and increase the production of pulse crops as part of a profitable farming system for Australian growers, it is essential Australian pulses are fit-for-purpose for existing and new markets,” she said.
“This national project seeks to maintain Australia’s competitiveness and capitalise on emerging growth opportunities in value addition, and provide opportunities
to capture value from greater levels of onshore processing that attract higher premiums for growers, as well as providing a diversity of markets.”
Agriculture Minister Ros Spence made the funding announcement last week, and said the new research would help solidify Australia as an industry leader and meet growing global demand for plant proteins.
“We’re working with the grains industry to deliver innovative new research that will put Victorian producers at the forefront of the growing plant-based protein market,” she said.
“This research will help Australian farmers to better meet market needs, strengthening export opportunities and increasing jobs along the supply chain.”
Australia exports on average 2.5 million tonnes of pulses a year – the second largest pulse exporter in the world.
More than 90 per cent of Australia’s pulses are exported with prices defined by visual quality and used primarily for human consumption with a small proportion sold into the lower value, domestic livestock feed market.
Victoria is a major contributor to Australia’s pulse industry, generating $638-million in export income last financial year.
People wanting more information about the project can visit grdc.com.au.
STORIES
SHARED:
Simon Tickner, pictured with his wife Susan Findlay on their Wallup property, will feature in a new film series about Australia’s shift to renewable energy.
Spotlight on renewable energy
Wimmera grain grower Simon Tickner will feature in a new film series about Australia’s shift towards renewable energy.
Mr Tickner, who farms at Wallup, southwest of Warracknabeal, joins parents, community leaders and former councillors and coal workers to deliver his perspective about what regional Australia can gain from the energy shift.
For 50 years, the Tickners’ broadacre grain farming enterprise has operated under transmission lines and they have now added wind turbines to the mix.
Mr Tickner agreed to share his family’s story as preferred easement discussions are carried out with landholders in the eastern part of the Wimmera about
new transmission infrastructure.
“Before the transmission lines went in, I remember my father being a bit unsure about the impact it would have on our farming operations,” he said.
“But 50 years on, and we can tell you that transmission lines matched with renewable energy like wind towers have made our property worth more.
“It’s simple economics. You’re earning extra income off that plot of land, that makes the farm worth more.”
Produced by the New Joneses and hosted by Neighbours star Ryan Moloney, the film series ‘Good Neighbours’ follows Moloney as he hits the road to Horsham and the Latrobe Valley in Victoria,
and Wollongong, Goulburn and Crookwell in New South Wales to learn about renewable energy and the regional communities it affects.
The stories have formed part of a submission to the Australian Senate’s Select Committee Inquiry on Energy Planning and Regulation, to articulate issues about communities benefitting from hosting large-scale renewable infrastructure; the possibility of communities owning renewables; pros and cons of living next to a wind farm; and what can be learned from farmers who have farmed with transmission lines.
The ‘Good Neighbours’ series can be watched for free at www. thenewjoneses.com.
Blossoming venture
BY BRONWYN HASTINGS
An incidental interest in irises five years ago has grown into a fullblown farming venture for Jodi Hutson.
Ms Hutson is growing more than 1500 varieties of iris on her property near the Wimmera River at Jeparit.
She said a friend introduced her to irises, but her sister was instrumental in the farm’s beginnings.
“Nhill breeder Rob Harding gave my sister some overstock and she left them in her car boot for about two weeks before giving them to our mum,” she said.
“She planted them and when they flowered I said how nice they were.
“I then bought some from some people in Horsham before going to Rob in Nhill.”
Although Ms Hutson does not describe herself as green-thumbed, she has successfully established the rhizomes and is now branching out into hybridising.
“Rob has taught me how to breed them, by taking the pollen from one and putting it on another,” she said.
Ms Hutson said she would like to create a new hybrid, but that it could take years to achieve the desired flower shape and colour.
“I have a really nice bright orange one, and there are some I like in Rob’s surplus stock he has given me, but with a minimum of three years from seedling to flowering in the first stage, it will take time,” she said.
“There are a couple I like that I’ve done, but they’re not quite good enough, so I’ve crossed them again.”
Ms Hutson grows tall and medium irises, with her stock coming from across Australia.
She also assists Mr Harding in registering his stock online, which must be done with new breeds before they can be sold commercially.
“He’s 75 and has about 40 years of
breeding there that should be out in everyone’s gardens – we registered about a dozen last year and we’ve got more to do this year,” Ms Hutson said.
Ms Hutson tends to her garden after work and on weekends and works ‘close to fulltime’ as a horse barefoot trimmer, as much as post-spinal surgery recovery will allow. She said irises were suited to most Australian climates and gardening abilities.
03 5225 5225 info@ha.legal harwoodandrews.com.au
“You can grow them quite well here, quite easily. They’re not suited to the tropics, but they need the frost – the colder and frostier it is, the better, that’s what stimulates them to flower,” she said.
“They also like full sun and watering a couple of times a week, depending on the rain, so they are perfect for our climate.”
Ms Hutson sells her stock at markets and via her Facebook page, Tullyvea Iris Farm.
Drought readiness grants
Primary producers can apply for matched grants of up to $5000 to assist the implementation of on-farm infrastructure that improves drought management and preparedness.
The State Government has established an On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Grants program to cover activities such as constructing or upgrading existing stock containment areas, reticulated water systems, irrigation system upgrades, grain and fodder storage, internal re-fencing to better match property layout, and feed system upgrades.
The $12.1-million grants program is open to farmers in local government areas in Victoria’s south west who have been most severely impacted by ongoing drought conditions, including the Southern Grampians, Pyrenees, Ararat and the southern half of West Wimmera Shire.
For eligibility requirements, guidelines and to apply, people can visit ruralfinance.smartygrants.com.au/on-farm-droughtinfrastructure-grants.
GROWING BUSINESS: Jeparit’s Jodi Hutson grows tall and medium irises on her property and is looking to create a new hybrid. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Retiring Carine’s Merchandise owner Andrew Carine, right, hands over the reins to TractionAg general manager, Vince Carbone.
Carine’s closes doors, TractionAg fills void United to drive
TractionAG is excited to announce new brands will be added to its range of products at the start of November across its Horsham, Naracoorte and Nhill sites.
TractionAG is taking on brands previously stocked at Carine’s Merchandise, in Golf Course Road Horsham, following the retirement of Andrew and Judy Carine.
Carine’s Merchandise has been in Horsham for nearly 30 years, starting out by selling generic agricultural chemicals and later stocking an
ever-growing range of machinery and equipment.
With the changing times, Mr Carine has announced his family-owned business will cease trading tomorrow.
Mr Carine understands the importance of having a local, committed business to cater for all of peoples’ on-farm needs and was proactive in ensuring his customers’ needs would continue to be met.
TractionAG’s general manager Vince Carbone said he was honoured when contacted by Mr Carine to take on some of the leading brands of agricultural machinery and continue servicing the Wimmera and southeast South Australian areas with a
broad range of farm equipment and machinery.
The new range of products TractionAg are taking on board include:
• Eagle i Machinery – the Australian importers of a range of quality agricultural machinery, including Kwik-Kleen, Kwik-Till and Uni Tube belt shifters and Notch blades.
• Seed and Forage Bags Australia – grain bag loaders, out loaders and bags.
• John Berends Implements
– Designed and built in Australia, for Australian farmers. JBI offers Australia’s largest range of tractor
implements, suitable for anyone from a hobby farmer right up to broad acre farming.
Carine’s Merchandise formed in 1995 by Andrew and Judy Carine, following the family business focusing on plastering for the previous 70 years.
It started out selling generic agricultural chemicals from Western Australia, going on to become the Victorian distributor.
Grain bags and machines were added in the early 2000s with bags and machines being sold throughout western Victoria, the Mallee and southern New South Wales.
Mr Carine said John Berends
Implements were later added, taking over from Royce Crawford.
“We have also sold wheel loaders and forklifts and finished up selling a wide range of construction machinery for XCMG,” he said.
Mr Carine said this week marked the close of 100 years of Carine’s being in business in some way.
“Judy and I thank all our past customers for their support and wish TractionAg all the best for taking over our Eagle i Machinery, Seed and Forage Bags and John Berends Implements accounts,” he said.
farming future
John Berends Implements
Designed and built in Australia, for Australian farmers. JBI offers Australia’s largest range of tractor implements, suitable for anyone from a hobby farmer right up to broad acre farmer.
Eagle i Machinery
Eagle i Machinery are the Australian importers of a range of quality agricultural machinery, including Kwik-Kleen, Kwik-Till, Uni Tube and Notch Blades.
Richiger
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DAY OUT:
From left, Rachel and Sarah Crothers of Warrnambool, Wimmera
CMA’s Bryana Bisset and Bindy Lees of West Wimmera Shire enjoy a cuppa and chat.
Chicks in the
BY BRONWYN HASTINGS
Alow-emissions farming focus brought women to the latest Chicks in the Sticks event at Moyston last week, where two guest speakers delivered talks from farming and scientific perspectives.
A decade since the last event, a crowd of about 40 women participated in the day at Grampians Park Station, organised by Wimmera Catchment Management Authority.
Wimmera CMA sustainable agriculture facilitator Bronwyn Bant said the concept was born in about 2009, after
observing most farming events were male dominated.
“Way back when we first started Chicks in the Sticks we noticed that often a lot of our events were just attracting the men farmers in our region,” she said.
“We know that women make up a large percentage of our farmers and they’re decision makers as well, so we wanted to make an event for women that was appealing to them.” Family friendly and ran during school hours, the event has been hosted by women farmers across the Wimmera to showcase a variety of sustainable agricultural practices.
SPECIAL GUESTS: Wimmera CMA sustainable agriculture facilitator
DISCUSSION: Ararat’s Debbie Shea, left, Brim’s Annie Erhardt and Cavendish’s Cal Stewart, right, spend some time in the sun.
Bronwyn Bant, centre, with guest speakers Fiona Conroy, left, and Cassandra Schefe.
Pictures: BRONWYN HASTINGS
Sticks rehatched after decade break
Ms Bant said last week’s guest speakers, The Cool Soil Initiative principal scientist Cassandra Schefe and Bellarine Peninsula farmer Fiona Conroy, shared their knowledge and practical experience in low-emissions farming.
“Dr Schefe has worked with many Wimmera farmers in helping them understand their farming systems and soil health through her business AgriSci, while Ms Conroy runs a mixed farming enterprise with her husband Cam Nicholson and is using a variety of practices to achieve carbon-neutral status,” Ms Bant said.
Dr Schefe said her specialty was in
soil-carbon interactions at fundamental levels, and the connection between farming at a molecular level to global events.
“There’s a lot of perceptions of carbon and emissions being a big impost on agriculture,” she said.
“My world is working with farmers around the fact they’re already doing really well in understanding the fundamental processes that happen with carbon and organic matter on farm and how they’re already doing a lot of the good things.
“This new world of emission reporting and acknowledgement of carbon in the system is really an opportunity
for farmers to show how good they are and to tell their story.
“Australian farming overall has much better practices, sustainability stories and track record compared to a lot of the world – it’s our chance to really shine and to demonstrate that we’ve already done a lot of the heavy lifting in this space.”
Ms Conroy said she had been recording production, emissions, and other factors on her farm for about three decades.
“We’ve got data going back 30 years in terms of soil carbon, soil fertility, animal performance and tree planting,” she said. “We can bring all that
together to get a farm carbon account, and we can watch how it changes in good seasons and bad seasons, and hopefully that will give people a bit of an insight on their implications for farm management.”
Ms Conroy said livestock producers faced a lot of challenges because 95 per cent of their emissions came from livestock.
“Eighty-eight per cent of those emissions are in the form of methane, and there is no silver bullets to reduce methane at a farm level, yet,” she said.
“I suppose what we’ve found is that by improving our soil fertility and
our productivity, we’ve managed to reduce our emissions’ intensity.
“Carbon accounting is something we’ve all got to look at doing, because it’s going to be a market requirement, so it’s good that people are out here today learning about it.”
Chicks in the Sticks was delivered with funding support from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water under the Carbon Farming Outreach program.
Wimmera CMA plans to bring more low emissions farming events to the Wimmera next year.
CATCH UP: Buangor’s Katie Sanford with Beau, and Lindy Smith of Horsham.
ALL SMILES: From left, Rita Bikins of Black Range, Mary-Ellen Jess of Glenorchy and Rosie Nater of Moyston enjoying Chicks in the Sticks
Janmac sets new ram record
The Goroke-based Hausler family’s Janmac Poll Dorset White Suffolk Stud achieved a record high price when it sold a Poll Dorset ram at its most recent sale for $13,000.
Janmac co-principal Grant Hausler said the ram would be going over a Poll Dorset ewe flock, having sold to a large commercial operation – Charles Koch of Tallageira Pastoral Co from Frances, South Australia – that bred its own rams.
“There was quite a bit of interest in the ram from a few parties, he was just a great carcass sheep, with wonderful loin and hindquarter and a really good Dorset type,” he said.
“It was also a well-boned, correct ram – one of the most complete rams we’ve bred.”
The ram was a twin by Ulandi Park 210217, weighing 136 kilograms with an eye muscle depth of 52 millimetres and 10 millimetres of fat.
It also had an impressive post-weaning weight ASBV figure of 15.84, the highest in the catalogue.
The sale saw solid clearance across both breeds of the 144 Poll Dorsets offered, 136 sold to average $1549 – nearly $300 more than the previous sale.
The stud also offered 36 white Suffolk rams, selling 34 at auction for an average of $1260 and to a top price of $2300 for lot 157 – a twin ram weighing 118 kilograms with a Lambplan total carcass production index of 141, picked up by
Craig Hole and family from KP Farms at Naracoorte.
The Hole family of KP Farms picked up 11 rams total averaging $1718.
Mr Hausler said Janmac was pleased to welcome six new clients, all of whom found the rams they were looking for, as well as a good number of volume buyers.
“We had 43 registered bidders, with nine clients who purchased more than seven rams, and four who took more than 10, so it was a great spread of buyers,” he said.
One of the new clients was also a volume buyer, with the Martin family of Horsham buying seven rams for a great value average of $857, while the West family of Westwood at Edenhope purchased 13 rams for an average of $1500, paying to $2200 three times.
The Robinson family of Edenhope bought 11 rams for an average of $1218 and top of $1400, and long-time buyers the Rich family of Goroke paid to $1300 and averaged $1127.
Mr Hausler said after a tough 12 months of poor lamb prices and below average seasons, they were very happy with the sale result.
“It was a year that those sheep that were visually appealing sold really well. We pride ourselves on those type of sheep and they sold accordingly – we made a big effort in a difficult year to make sure they were up to their usual standard, and the group was as good as
they’ve been,” he said. “And the most positive thing was that the people who attended were prepared to invest in the future and look forward to the coming years with confidence – and I am positive the next few years will see great results.
“We’ve a reliable clientele who don’t chop and change with trends and prices, they do what they’ve always done and what has always worked for them, which has included our genetics.”
The Hausler family boosted their own sire battery prior to the sale, purchas-
ing Mallee Park 230255 privately from Hopetoun’s Ferguson family.
He was the grand champion Poll Dorset ram at this year’s Royal Adelaide Show, by Pepperton 210136.
“We were lucky enough to secure the ram from Mallee Park, as well as another Kurralea sire for our stud this year – we continue to invest in genetics that can hold our positions and move us forward,” Mr Hausler said.
People can visit www.janmac.com.au or Janmac’s Facebook page for more information.
New board directors
The National Farmers’ Federation, NFF, has welcomed two familiar faces to its board.
Former director Mark Horan was elected, replacing Tony Yorke who reached the maximum six-year term, and current director Georgie Somerset was re-elected at the NFF’s annual general meeting on October 21.
Mr Horan and Ms Somerset join the eight-member board following a vote from representatives from the NFF’s member organisations.
Mr Horan is a cattle producer in New South Wales and Ms Somerset is a cattle producer from Queensland.
NFF president David Jochinke welcomed the pair.
“Georgie and Mark both bring extensive experience to the NFF board, through their previous roles at the organisation, as well as their knowledge of the ag industry,” he said.
“I look forward to working with them both.”
NFF board members are: president David Jochinke; vice-president John Hassell; directors Lisa Minogue, Georgie Somerset, Mark Horan, Hamish McIntyre and David Connolly; and independent director Nat Sommerville.
SUCCESS: Janmac’s Carl Hausler, Bryce Hausler and Grant Hausler, front, with Richard Miller of Nutrien Stud Stock, David Hanel, AWN Edenhope, and Nick Heffernan, Nutrien Stud Stock, at the sale.
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Quotes and premium
I’mgoing to let you in on a little secret.
I’m approaching 40 years as a reporter.
If I could count writing a few stories for the original R. M. Williams magazine, Hoof and Horns, it is closer to 45 years.
As much as I love my job, there are elements that I find a tad soul destroying.
And it’s all about politics and media spin. Cliched perhaps, but it’s dramatically changed how journalists do their jobs and, in my view, not for the better.
The obvious change has been the speed of the news cycle and the death of a thousand cuts to some sectors of the media.
Take regional newspapers as an example. I spent three years as editor of a regional paper and had four staff and a manager. When editors of papers under the same ownership went on leave, I’d have to edit two weekly papers. Now, the one editor is responsible for three weekly papers with half the staff.
This plays right into the hands of the spin doctors who put out a media release that is pretty much printed verbatim.
It’s far more serious than that though. It’s become undemocratic.
Political media releases are churned out with the usual blurb, followed by ‘quotes from the minister’.
Print journalists at least have a quote. For a radio program like Country Today it means we can’t do the story other than a minor mention.
I’ll give you an example – a media release last week quoting the Victorian Minister for Agriculture and Carers and Volunteers.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Carers and Volunteers Ros Spence: “We’re enabling collaboration between food relief providers right
STILL IN FRONT!
Country Today
with Libby Price
across Victoria, to reduce duplication, increase efficiency, pool resources, and ultimately – get more food to people in need.”
I duly emailed the media contact on the release, suggesting perhaps it might be time the audience heard from the Agriculture Minister for the first time, and no response. Ros Spence has been ag minister for 12 months and she has never been on Country Today.
Federally, it’s not much better. The previous Agriculture Minister Murray Watt was usually quite obliging, but not his replacement.
Do you know her name? You could be forgiven for not knowing as she seems to be media shy. She’s only been in the job since July, but her media minders ignore interview requests, and on the day of the ‘Keep and Sheep’ campaign in Canberra, she was at an organic farming conference. I can remember working in radio current affairs in the 1990s and being rather bored having to go to the weekly Premier’s media conference at Parliament House in Melbourne.
The late John Cain knew just about every single one of us by name, and always answered questions with honesty and respect.
I’d say the same about former Prime Minister John Howard. A decade after I’d interviewed him as leader of the opposition, as Prime Minister he remembered my name and again, responded with honesty and respect. Those were the days.
Ready to ‘hit the ground running’
Mallee farmer Brett Hosking has put his hat in the ring for the Victorian Farmers Federation presidency.
Mr Hosking, of Quambatook, will go head-to-head against VFF vicepresident and Werribee egg producer Danyel Cucinotta.
The positions of president, vicepresident, Livestock Group president, Livestock Group vice-president and UDV president are open at the 2024 VFF general elections.
Mr Hosking has previously served as vice-president of the VFF, was president of the VFF Grains Group, chair of Grain Growers and is now on the board of Farmers for Climate Action and Birchip Cropping Group.
Outgoing president Emma Germano will not stand as presidents can serve only two two-year terms.
During Ms Germano’s time as president she restructured the organisation, overhauled its membership structure, and gave notice that the VFF would resign its membership of national bodies such as the National Farmers Federation.
She also faced opposition from key commodity groups, United Dairy Farmers and the Grains Group.
Mr Hosking told 3WM’s Country Today there had been a lot of change and that change could be uncomfortable at times.
“Now’s an opportunity for fresh leadership, modern leadership to come in behind Emma Germano to restore some of that difficulty that people faced with some of that change, but also to get on with the job, most importantly, to get out there advocating for growers on the issues that really matter,” he said.
Mr Hosking said he believed the VFF would not have to rejoin the NFF, rather revoke its planned resignation, which was effective September 30, 2025, but said membership fees would need to be looked at.
Perfect down to the
“If you’re going to be out of all the peak bodies, then you probably may as well be out of NFF as well,” he said.
“But the reality is that leaves VFF and Victorian farmers with no representation federally for issues like the biosecurity tax that almost came in. Things like that could become a reality without VFF having any say.
“We all pay levies towards research development corporations like GRDC, Australian Pork Limited, Meat and Livestock Australia.
“Without membership of the peak
“For me, for us, it’s about moving forward, it’s about what do we do next, and I think the next step that members want to see is they want to see the VFF getting some runs on the board, they want to see them engaging with government, with industry, with the community on issues that really matter to their businesses, to their families and to their local communities”
– Brett Hosking, left
bodies, our members have no voice into how those levies are invested and how they’re used.
“Again, our members, they’re paying their levies, but they get no voice into those agencies without membership of those peak bodies, those national bodies.”
Mr Hosking said funding the VFF would be one of the first issues he addressed if elected president.
He said he would also reach out to commodity group United Dairy Farmers, who broke away from the VFF and formed a new organisation, Dairy Farmers of Victoria.
“For me, for us, it’s about moving forward, it’s about what do we do
next, and I think the next step that members want to see is they want to see the VFF getting some runs on the board, they want to see them engaging with government, with industry, with the community on issues that really matter to their businesses, to their families and to their local communities,” he said.
“They want to hear VFF’s voice shouting loudly as we’re looking at new animal welfare bills and things like that.
“They want to hear VFF standing up for the issues that matter and they actually want a VFF that comes out and listens to them.
“What I’m about is engaging directly with the members themselves and not going out and advocating on their behalf, but us going out and advocating together – a partnership where all voices can be heard and where all issues can be contested.
“And that’s what I think we need for the way forward.
“And we need to hit the ground running.
“It’s really important that we make up for any lost ground and we get ahead of the game.”
Nominations for positions have closed, with ballots to be distributed November 18-20 and voting to open on November 25.
Voting closes on December 6, with results announced December 20.
Mulesed flock project
Aproject aimed to assist sheep producers transition to nonmulesed flocks has concluded, with four groups trialling a variety of methods across different environments to identify varying flystrike risk factors, evaluate costs and benefits, and develop a fiveyear transition plan.
Sheep Metrix independent consultant Sally Martin was involved in the Meat and Livestock Australia project, which started in January 2021 and ended in June this year.
“We had three groups in Victoria and one in New South Wales,” she said.
“We were able to work with a number of producers in different environments, because there’s not one answer that’s going to meet everyone’s needs.”
The groups represented different production systems, environments, and flystrike risk factors, and were supported by the project team and district-specific producer advocates, who have successfully transitioned to running non-mulesed flocks.
Ms Martin said knowing where to start with the variety of different tools and management strategies available came down to individual circumstance.
“Knowing where your sheep are at, your management system, the people who are working in your business and
where you’re located is important in terms of getting advice,” she said.
“We had a number of producers who had started the process and they’ve a longer time frame than others who have gone in with some more aggressive strategies, so they have been able to transition that way.
“It really depends on how quickly you want to get there and also what your motivation is.”
Ram selection plays a critical role in reducing breech wrinkle – for example, British breed and cross-bred prime-lamb mothers are unlikely to need mulesing.
“We were able to set up two SAR evaluations on producers’ properties and we actually identified a team of rams, we had five in each syndicate, so one lot of five rams,” Ms Martin said.
“Their average breeding value for early breech wrinkle was ‘negative’ and we had a one breeding value difference between the two syndicates of rams. The other ones were a bit higher, and we tried to keep the other traits quite uniform. When we compared the progeny, we found that just from that one joining, we were on average, half a wrinkle score difference between the two side groups.
“What that says is one, the breeding values are working, and two, we can make some pretty significant inroads with our sire selections.”
Ms Martin said people wanting to
stop mulesing could monitor a specific mob to gain an understanding while they developed a plan.
“I think if there’s any message for anybody who’s thinking about it is to start thinking about what your plan is going to be and how you’re going to stage it, how you’re going to dip your toe in the water and build your confidence and your expertise as you go, knowing also that there is help available,” she said.
“The project found a positive cash flow for prime lamb operations transitioning to non-mulesing, with the main cost coming from additional chemical controls required.
“Further financial benefits could be added if there was the potential for a price premium for non-mulesed wool, but the biggest driver of a shift in practice is producer attitude and approach.”
Suggested further research included trialling the extension strategy, the on-farm prevalence of breech flystrike in mulesed compared to non-mulesed sheep, and the market and national and international consumer risks associated with mulesing for the lamb meat supply chain.
Information on breeding sheep with less breech wrinkle is available on the Australian Wool Innovation and FlyBoss websites. People can visit www. animalwelfarestandards.net.au/sheep for the legal requirements.
DRESSED UP: Ellie and Charlotte McCartney snuggle up with a Valais Blacknose sheep at Stawell Agricultural Society’s annual show on Saturday. The show included an animal nursery, mullet competition, all-ages hall exhibits, woodchop competition and MXW pro wrestling among live entertainment, market stalls, carnival rides and food delights. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Unearthing crop rotation benefits
Research into three different crop rotation treatments in Victoria’s Mallee has shown a legume, fallow and wheat combination will bring additional moisture and nitrogen to the subsequent crop.
Agriculture Victoria senior research scientist
professor Roger Armstrong said the research trial MC14 was established at Walpeup in 1985 and looks at the impact of different types of crop management on soil carbon and nitrogen stocks.
Professor Armstrong said the research had been testing three different crop rotation treatments –legume/wheat, legume/fallow/wheat and fallow/ wheat, using either mechanical cultivation or direct drilling stubble management practices.
“The standout treatment was the legume/fallow/wheat in terms of the significant productivity benefits of additional moisture and nitrogen added to the subsequent crop,” he said.
“However, this needs to be balanced with the finding of nitrate leaching, as well as a reduction in the accumulation of soil carbon compared to the other continuous rotations.”
Professor Armstrong said in the early years of the trial, the legume in the rotation was medic, a low-growing clover-like annual, but it’s now vetch, in keeping with modern farming practices.
“Cropping farmers know that adding a legume into the rotation increases nitrogen in the soil,” he said.
“When an annual legume phase is included in the rotation, we have recorded not only good grain yield responses but also large amounts of soil nitrate, a valuable commodity in low rainfall Mallee cropping zone.
“Most notably, the amount of soil nitrate is greater in the crop rotations that exclude a fallow period.’
“Cropping farmers know that adding a legume into the rotation increases nitrogen in the soil. When an annual legume phase is included in the rotation, we have recorded not only good grain yield responses but also large amounts of soil nitrate, a valuable commodity in low rainfall Mallee cropping zone,”
– Professor Roger Armstrong
Professor Armstrong said the legume/wheat treatment had increased nitrogen in the soil by 21 per cent compared to the legume/fallow/wheat treatment, which recorded 15 per cent more nitrogen in the soil.
“Another critical observation from the longterm trial is that fallowing, as opposed to maintaining continuous plant cover, resulted in a decline in soil carbon,” he said.
Professor Armstrong said the results suggested whereas fallowing could produce short term benefits to productivity in terms of soil water and mineral nitrogen accumulation, it came at the expense of a critical soil resource – organic carbon.
The study also highlighted the value of trials such as MC14 in assessing the impact of different management practices on long-term productivity and agricultural sustainability.
Professor Armstrong said adopting a direct drilling approach could help minimise the reduction in soil carbon, but it would not completely stop its decline.
To learn more about Agriculture Victoria’s work, people can visit agriculture.vic.gov.au.
SUCCESS: From left, Australian Beef Industry Foundation’s John Gunthorpe, Longerenong College students Tom Richies, Abbey Benson, Alana Bascombe, Tyler Harris, Bailey Rothall and Ted Davis, and Longerenong trainer Vivien Welsh at the Melbourne Royal Show. The college has competed at shows across the state since the 1950s, and this year was up against interstate schools, studs and private individuals.
Students lead at competition
Longerenong College students’ show steers placed six animals in the top 20 carcasses at this year’s Melbourne Royal Show.
The team also won best maintained school or college exhibit from 120 entries.
Eight students took nine steers, eight of which were home-bred from Longerenong’s herd with donated sires, to the event as part of the college’s Prepare Livestock for Competition course.
College staff teach students studying Certifi-
cate IV in Agriculture and Advanced Diploma of Agribusiness Management to break in the cattle to halter, stand, tie and lead.
The cattle are displayed at the college’s open day, then travel to Melbourne to compete in the beef carcass, formerly hoof and hook.
The students compete as handlers, the steers as led animals before processing and judging across three weight divisions.
‘Marginally larger’ winter harvest
Australia is looking towards harvesting a ‘marginally larger’ winter crop this season despite significant weather challenges experienced in western Victoria, Rabobank’s 2024-25 Australian Winter Crop Forecast report shows.
The agribusiness bank says the nation is on track to produce an estimated total winter crop of 47.1 million tonnes – a one per cent increase, or half a million tonnes, on the previous season – but down 13 per cent on the five-year average.
A combination of lack of timely rain along with late frosts in some regions has taken the edge off this year’s production prospects, with overall grain and oilseed production forecast to be down 43 per cent on the previous year in South Australia and 35 per cent in Victoria.
After five consecutive average to above-average winter crops, Victoria’s harvest this year is forecast to come in at 6.8 million tonnes, due to a late seasonal break, low ‘growing season’ rain and late frosts.
However, the report forecasts that Queensland is set to do the heaviest lifting when it comes to production tallies, with the northern state’s grain and oilseed totals estimated to be up a record-breaking 107 per cent on the previous season.
New South Wales production is forecast to increase 30 per cent year-on-
year and Western Australia, the nation’s largest grain-exporting state, is tracking towards a harvest 19 per cent larger than last, despite a worryingly late start to its growing season.
Report author, RaboResearch analyst Vitor Pistoia, said the projected small increase in total crop production in 2024-25 was ‘poised to come mainly from wheat’ and, to a smaller extent, pulses and oats.
“While the wheat harvest is expected to be an improvement on last year, canola and barley production look set to be down year-on-year,” he said.
Mr Pistoia said the cropping season had been a ‘mixed bag’, characterised by patchy rain, a warm winter and late frosts.
He said a good start to the season and rain through the growing period in Queensland, northern New South Wales and some areas of Western Australia had largely been counterbalanced by a lack of rain affecting Victorian and South Australian crops.
“This season’s start was variable across the country. While Queensland, the majority of New South Wales and one particular region in Western Australia got going early on, large swathes of WA, Victoria and South Australia had to wait until early June to see seed germination,” he said.
Commodities
The Rabobank report estimates Australia’s 2024-25 wheat production to
total about 27.6 million tonnes, an increase of six per cent, 1.6 million tonnes, on the previous year, albeit down eight per cent on the five-year average.
Australia’s barley harvest is forecast to decline five per cent on the previous year to 10.4 million tonnes.
Victoria’s barley harvest is expected to be down by one million tonnes on last season, at 1.7 million tonnes.
Similarly, total canola production is predicted to contract by 21 per cent on last year’s harvest to 4.7 million tonnes, down 17 per cent on the fiveyear average.
The report forecasts Australia’s grains and oilseeds to trade in a relatively range-bound market when it comes to prices, with the exception of canola, where ‘market fundamentals’
support an outlook for higher prices.
“The worldwide grain and oilseeds outlook has changed in recent months from a potential glut to a patchier stocks picture,” Mr Pistoia said.
“An uncertain outlook for Black Sea wheat production due to dry weather is supporting wheat prices, although this is being buffered by notable increases in US wheat and corn stocks.”
The report shows compared with the past 20 years, the 2024-25 projected global stocks-to-use ratios of wheat and corn are ‘virtually at their median point’, while soybeans and rice are above it.
For wheat, the bank forecasts Australian premium white port prices to range between $320 and $360/tonne by the end of 2024 until halfway through the first half of 2025.
“Despite the lower stocks, global demand for malting barley is also soft and in addition Australia’s distance from key markets puts us at a disadvantage,” Mr Pistoia said.
“However, the re-opening of the Chinese market to Australian barley producers is supporting the Australian barley demand outlook.
“Following the removal of Chinese tariffs on Australian barley, China regained its position as the number one destination for Australia’s barley exports in 2023-24.”
Based on current barley market fundamentals, the report has port zone feed barley forecast to trade in the $290 to $320/tonne range.
The report says canola prices, a combination of global geopolitics, bad weather and high farming costs had tempered harvest sizes.
“Putting all these elements into the picture, we expect Australian nonGM port prices for canola could range between $730 and $780/tonne in the first half of 2025, and the GM canola price to potentially trade at an eight to 12 per cent discount to this,” Mr Pistoia said.
For cereal hay, assuming a slight increase in cattle and sheep prices and that feedlots maintain high numbers of cattle on feed during 2025, the bank is forecasting prices to likely range between $350 and $400/tonne.
POSITIVE: Canola crop at Warracknabeal. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Students reap farm rewards
Students from Nhill and Murtoa colleges are competing in a Victoria-first crop trial program at Rupanyup, giving them the opportunity to make decisions on growing from sowing to harvest.
AgXtra broadacre manager and senior agronomist Josh Mahoney said the Victorian trial was an extension of interstate programs.
“We’re getting students in the year nine and 10 bracket to make decisions about crops they grow,” he said.
“We guide students in planting wheat and barley varieties in two- by 10-metre plots and support them in managing these crops throughout the season.
“Our aim is to help them make informed decisions to maximise their potential gross margin.
“We give them fertiliser, a fertiliser rate, wheat variety, wheat sowing rate and then some in-season fertiliser options as well.
“The students then make decisions based on the season, with their teacher and some advice from us and other people.”
Mr Mahoney said the program followed through the cropping season to show students real-life results.
“Come harvest, we’ll measure the yield of each plot and then send the grain from each plot on to testing to get grain quality,” he said.
Mr Mahoney said the program aimed to involve students in agriculture.
“We are training a future work force, and highlighting different career options within agriculture, and
in doing so we’re also hoping to keep students local after they leave school,” he said.
“We plan to expand the program next year to include more schools and
secure additional funding and sponsorship, allowing us to grow its impact and reach.”
People can visit www.agxtra.com.au for more information.
Stock support
The challenge of caring for stock during dry seasonal conditions can be remedied by the use of a stock containment area, which minimises stock loss and illness, and protects other parts of a property.
Agriculture Victoria land management extension officer Clem Sturmfels said caring for stock during a drought could be challenging.
“A stock containment area is a small, fenced section of farm set up to hold, feed and water livestock,” he said.
“Typical pens measure 50 by 50 metres, which can hold about 500 sheep or 170 cattle, and ensure stock have room to move around and spend time on their own.”
Mr Sturmfels said having animals close-by made feeding, watering, and management easier and more efficient.
“An additional benefit of containing stock is that you can maintain ground cover across the rest of the property, protecting soils, water, and pastures,” he said.
For more information on stock containment areas, people can visit agriculture.vic. gov.au/farm-management/ land-and-pasture-management/ stock-containment-areas-foremergencies.
FOLLOWING THE PROCESS: AgXtra’s Tristan Hilbig, left, at the group’s crop trial site at Rupanyup with Nhill College students Izaha Whitehead, Rylan Scheider and Mardi Bone, and Murtoa College’s William Henley and Frazer Garton. Pictures: PAUL CARRACHER
OBSERVERS: Deegan Clark and Riley White of Nhill College check on the trial crop at Rupanyup.
Wind farm leases – common pitfalls
BY DANIEL FULLERTON, PrinciPal lawyer, Harwood
andrews
Developers are increasingly looking to contract with rural landowners to develop wind farms and other forms of renewable energy.
While these contracts can provide valuable alternative revenue streams for primary producers, they can also carry common pitfalls that are often not realised until it is too late.
Developers often want to take possession of, and licence back to the landowner, the entire parcel of land, not just the section of land where the infrastructure will be located.
This can cause problems if a landowner later wants to sell, as a purchaser may be reluctant to accept a mere licence interest for the entire parcel of land.
Upon signing a contract, a developer may lodge a caveat on title.
This can cause problems when it comes to selling the property, or obtaining finance, if there is no contractual obligation on the developer to remove the caveat.
The developer will usually take the above ground infrastructure with them when they leave.
However, they will often leave behind below ground and other infrastructure such as large concrete bases which the landowner then must remove, unless the contract requires the developer to make good the land.
Most relevant to battery storage, many contracts contain inadequate indemnities if the developer causes environmental harm; meaning a landowner could ultimately be held liable for significant remediation costs.
Many contracts contain insufficient or imbalanced provisions about the payment of outgoings.
Landowners should be wary of being pressured to sign up to exclusive option agreements that block the landowner from dealing with any other developer for multiple years.
While these agreements may confer a valuable call-option fee, the proposed developments are often speculative and never approved.
In the meantime, the landowner may miss out on negotiating a truly valuable contract for a legitimate project.
Further, many option agreements provide the developer with a broad ability to vary the land being leased.
Ideally, any variation to the leased land should not exceed five per cent.
It is important to remember rural landowners are entitled to negotiate the terms of any contract.
With developers eager to lock landholders into deals, landholders have leverage to negotiate fair terms.
Through early legal advice many of the above pitfalls can be avoided and a fair and mutually beneficial agreement reached.
HONOUR: Horsham-based Agriculture Victoria researcher Joshua Fanning, left, won recognition for his work in integrated pulse disease management and was presented the 2023 GRDC Emerging Leader award by GRDC Southern Panel chair Andrew Russell.
Study tour part of award win
For Agriculture Victoria plant pathologist Joshua Fanning, winning the 2023 Grains Research and Development Corporations’s Emerging Leader Award was honour enough.
But it was icing on the cake to travel to America and Canada to tour leading research institutes and cropping regions.
Dr Fanning travelled to Canada in July, visiting research centres such as the University of Saskatchewan and Western Applied Research Corporation, then to America to visit Montana and Washington State universities.
“Many of these institutions are leading research organisations on pulse and legume
pathology, with several pathologists focusing on similar diseases to Australia,” he said.
“There were many key learnings from my tour, but highlights included having the understanding of key methodologies for disease control utilised in other parts of the world.
“One key benefit for Australia is the longer growing season, as we don’t have to be as reactive with disease control when compared to North America.
“However, in many respects, due to the longer growing season we need to ensure disease control is done well as we can have many more lifecycles of a pathogen in the season compared to North America.”
Dr Fanning said soil-borne diseases including Fusarium and Aphanomyces root rots were the main constraints to pulse production.
He said crop rotations were not controlling many of the soil-borne diseases, which was a key lesson and highlighted Australia’s need to get on top of diseases early to prevent them from becoming a major constraint to crop yield like in North America.
“Many foliar fungicides were not effective due to fungicide resistance. This is a threat to Australian production that we are observing in cereals, but not yet in pulses,” he said.
