AgVic Talk

Join alpaca farmer Taryan Mathews for information and advice on managing biosecurity risks when purchasing supplementary feed. For further information: Subscribe to Backyard Biosecurity newsletter Learn more on the Backyard Biosecurity webpage Enroll in the biosecurity eLearn courses Develop and/or update biosecurity plan Learn more about feeding livestock at www.feedinglivestock.vic.gov.au Learn...

Introducing new livestock to a property is a time of excitement but also trepidation, because potentially they may expose existing animals to new diseases. In this podcast episode, we find out about the simple things you can do when introducing new livestock to make it a smooth process for you and your animals. Subscribe to the Agriculture Victoria’s Backyard Biosecurity newsletter  Learn more on...

Welcome to season 9 of AgVic Talk, 'Adapting to the seasons'. In this preview episode we meet Chris Smith who farms west of Horsham on some variable soil types. Chris explores sub-soil amelioration and discusses some of the benefits and challenges of undertaking this soil improvement project. The Farm Business Resilience Program is jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought...

Everyone has a responsibility to manage biosecurity on their own property with their own animals.   Creating a farm map can help landholders manage biosecurity risks, manage public access, and meet industry assurance requirements.     Clem Sturmfels from Agriculture Victoria and Ian Powell a cattle farmer from Gippsland as they explain ways to create a farm map and how it can be used.  Subscribe t...

There are many things for small landholders to consider when buying and selling livestock that can be confusing to a small landholder or newcomer. In this episode, Ben Fahy, Livestock Traceability Manager with Agriculture Victoria, helps simplify the requirements for buying and selling livestock. Subscribe to the Agriculture Victoria Backyard Biosecurity newsletter  Learn more on the Agriculture V...

Everyone has a responsibility to manage biosecurity on their own property with their own animals. To start us off, hear from Brett Davidson, Dairy Regional Manager for Agriculture Victoria and Rachael Laukart, Education Officer with the RSPCA about how they are helping producers manage risk and explain the biosecurity fundamentals of managing a small-scale landholding. Subscribe to the Agriculture...

In this episode we hear from Jill Noble from Hallston Valley farms who has biosecurity front of mind every single day, as she's part of a farming operation that is diverse and some would argue is exposed to more biosecurity risks than most. Subscribe to the Agriculture Victoria Backyard Biosecurity newsletter   Learn more on the Agriculture Victoria Backyard Biosecurity webpage   Enroll in the bio...

The effects of a disaster are felt long after the event. Support services and organisations are in for the long haul and available long after the event to help farmers recover. Sally Cunningham is the Flood Recovery Manager with the National Centre for Farmer Health and who is available, along with Brad Costin and Brett Davidson from Agriculture Victoria to assist individuals and communities with...

There are a number of simple steps that can be taken to help manage the biosecurity basics on-farm. Hear from Erica Smith from Glenstrae Highlands how she went about implementing these basics when she set up her property in Victoria. Richard Smith from Agriculture Victoria then talks you through how you can further reduce biosecurity risk to your property. Subscribe to the Agriculture Victoria Bac...

Welcome to season 8 of AgVic Talk which is a collaboration with RSPCA Victoria, Biosecurity Basics. This season will cover everything you need to know about biosecurity. We'll hear from farmers from all walks of life about the types of practical things they've put in place on their properties and how you can do the same. Experts from RSPCA Victoria and Agriculture Victoria will also share their kn...

During the 2022 floods, Seymour market gardener Chloe Fox evacuated chickens by kayak as flood water rose and inundated her farm. Listen to Chloe’s remarkable story of resilience and her road to recovery. Note: Rural Finance administers the Victorian Primary Producer Flood Recovery Grants on behalf of the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments. Subscribe to Recovery & Resilience newsletter: agricu...

Being flooded 6 times in one season is beyond comprehension. Matthew Partridge, Operation Manager from De Bortoli Wines is flipping this on its head and using it as an opportunity to put processes in place to better deal with a changing climate whilst looking after his staff. Subscribe to Recovery & Resilience newsletter: agriculture.vic.gov.au/floods Access Farm Business Resilience Program resour...

If you didn't service your farm machinery what would happen? Treat your body like you treat your machinery, take an hour for yourself. It's an investment in your own body and in your business to ensure you are here into the future to do the work that you need to do. This is the message that Claire Harrison and those at Active Farmers live by to help foster resilience in rural and regional communit...

Rebuilding and recovering when your livelihood has been washed away overnight is hard. However, you are not alone with some remarkable people and organisations lending a helping hand along the way. Bianca Jones, a Central Victorian farmer shares her story of resilience and the ‘angels’ that helped them along the way following the 2022 floods. One such organisation was the Rural Financial Counselli...

Content warning – This podcast contains content about suicide. If this episode raises concerns or issues with your mental health visit beyondblue.org.au or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Your mental health is important. Some days are better than others and we all need a helping hand from time to time. Brad McEwan, Beyond Blue Ambassador discusses how personal trauma can be the hardest part of recov...

Exporting Victorian produce to overseas markets can be challenging, but help is at hand. Austrade has a network of Trade Commissioners and offices in 68 countries to help producers expand their reach and access newmarkets. David Lawson, Assistant General Manager with Austrade explains more in this Taste you can Trace podcast.  Learn more about traceability and access the Quick Start Guide at the A...

When it comes to dealing with disasters like fire and floods, there's one consistent piece of advice. Have a plan. That was the case for Simone and Alistair Murdoch who recently dealt with floods on their properties. In this episode, Simone explains how their plans helped to remove emotion from making key decisions and how controlled traffic farming (CTF) gave them some unexpected benefits in deal...

One of Victoria’s biggest livestock groups has wings and is crucial for nearly a third of food production. Bees can fly above floods, sadly however the hives they live in cannot. We meet Natalie Doran-Browne from Wondermazing Honeybees in this episode and discuss what happened in the 2022 floods and how their business is recovering. Subscribe to Recovery & Resilience newsletter: agriculture.vic.go...

Blockchain allows for information to be added and verified at any point along the supply chain and has the possibility to increase productivity. To explore this concept and better understand blockchain, we join Jason Potts, a Professor of Economics at RMIT University. Learn more about traceability and access the Quick Start Guide at the Agriculture Victoria information hub by visiting agriculture....

Imagine being surrounded by flood water as it approaches your farm from three different directions. The water is starting to lap at the top of a levee, your last line of defense against the approaching torrent.  This is all that is protecting your piggery with 20,000 head in it from going under. This was the tense reality faced by Murray Van der Drift and his family in the 2022 floods. In this epi...

A scene of abundant fertility was being developed on Ulunja farm – a 95-hectare Manuka tea tree plantation on the Murray River upstream of Echuca. That is until the October 2022 floods hit and wiped out most of the plantings. Despite the blow, the farm’s manager Chris Steele remains positive about the future of the First Nations ag enterprise saying it’s thanks to a good recovery plan and a fair b...

Welcome to season 7 of AgVic Talk, After the Flood - stories of farmer recovery and resilience. This season zeroes in on the practical aspects of preparing for, responding to, and recovering from natural disasters and is a partnership between Agriculture Victoria and the National Centre for Farmer Health. For more information & support:  Subscribe to Recovery & Resilience newsletter: agriculture.v...

Good traceability systems ensure that businesses and industries can respond faster and more efficiently to food safety issues that impact human health. In this episode, Dr. Adele Yates from Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) explores food safety and the difference between recalls and incidents. Learn more about traceability and access the Quick Start Guide at the Agriculture Victoria...

Traceability is about ensuring that food arrives at the end of its journey in the best possible condition. We turn back the clock in this episode with Luke Wood from Excavox as he discusses how they connect consumers back to where their food comes from. Learn more about traceability and access the Quick Start Guide at the Agriculture Victoria information hub by visiting agriculture.vic.gov.au/trac...

Traceability: Step 1: don’t be scared, step 2: standards and step 3: be bold These are the top 3 recommendations provided by Michael Dosser, Group General Manager with the Results Group after being involved in a traceability pilot with the Australian Table Grape Association. Learn more about traceability and access the Quick Start Guide at the Agriculture Victoria information hub by visiting agric...