Mr James was the winner of the 2020-21 Maize Yield Competition, with a yield of 19.7 tonnes/ha.
Speakers at the workshop include: Cassandra Schefe, who will discuss soil and plant interactions, including a soil pit looking at the maize roots; and Scott Palmer, who will discuss optimising maize nutrition.
The event is free but RSVP is essential to Liz Mann on 0427 857 578 or email: lizmann.ag@gmail.com
Fire danger period ends for some
The official fire danger period will finish at 1am on Monday, March 28 in Greater Shepparton City Council, Benalla Rural City Council and Strathbogie, Moira, Mansfield, Loddon and Campaspe shires, but the CFA said it was important to remain vigilant when burning off.
“We’re urging everyone to stay safe, whether you’re living in or travelling to high bushfire risk areas,” CFA assistant chief fire officer Steve Pitcher said.
“Please monitor the conditions on hot, dry and windy days, as we may still see some days of elevated fire risk,” he said.
“You must register your burn-offs, check weather conditions and follow local council laws and regulations.
“Registering your burn-off ensures that if somebody reports smoke, the incident will be cross-checked with the burn-off register, which will then prevent volunteer firefighters being taken away from workplaces, families and potentially genuine emergencies.
“When conducting burn-offs, remain alert and always have resources on hand to extinguish the fire.”
Landowners can now register their burn-off online at: www.firepermits.vic.gov.au
Alternatively, they can register with the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA) by calling 1800 668 511 or emailing: burnoffs@esta.vic.gov.au
Biological farming round table
Farmers looking to understand more about soil ecology and improving their soil health will have the opportunity to attend a biological farming round table event in April.
The event will be held at the Coghills Creek Community Centre on Wednesday, April 6, and is being sponsored by NutriSoil with the support of Central Victorian Regenerative Farmers.
NutriSoil director Nakala Maddock said it was great to work with groups like North Central Catchment Management Authority and Central Victorian Regenerative Farmers, because it helped facilitate the networking of like-minded farmers.
“We are bringing agro-ecologist David Hardwick from Soil Land Food with us to the event,” she said.
“David has a wealth of knowledge and understanding about the relationship between soil ecology (soil microbes), soil health and plant health and he will unpack this during the day.”
There will also be an in-field soil assessment, a session on making lactobacillus (a soil probiotic) and a presentation from NutriSoil on the science of vermiculture for next generation farming.
Tickets are $40 each, which includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. Tickets can be purchased through Humanitix and searching Ballarat Biological Farming, or contacting NutriSoil directly on (02) 6020 9679 or by email: shelley@nutrisoil.com.au
Nuffield Scholarships available
International travel is back and Nuffield Australia is seizing the opportunity to send farmers and fishers abroad to bring innovative ideas home.
Each scholarship is valued at $30,000 and Nuffield Australia will award up to 20 scholarships this year.
Nuffield Scholarships are open to farmers, fishers and those in associated industries aged between 28 and 45. The bursary allows scholars to spend 14 weeks of travel over two years to study a topic important to the industry.
Nuffield Scholars also receive training in communication skills and personal and professional development.
Applications close Friday, June 17. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed during July and August. Successful recipients of the 2023 Nuffield Scholarships will be announced at the Nuffield Australia National Conference in Tamworth in September.
Funds for rebuilding communities
Applications are now open for the new Rebuilding Regional Communities Program, giving local businesses and community groups a chance to share in $5.7 million.
Grants are available for community-led initiatives that will bolster the region by strengthening social connections, supporting jobs and creating economic opportunities.
Federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum said the funding would deliver a much-needed boost for local businesses, communities and towns hit hard by the pandemic.
Funding will be available from two streams to support regional initiatives:
- The Micro Projects stream will provide small grants of up to $10,000 for regional communities with fewer than 50,000 people.
- The COVID Recovery stream will provide up to $50,000 for larger projects that will enhance the recovery of communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eligible organisations can apply between now and February 2024. For more information, visit: frrr.org.au/funding/place/src-rebuilding-rural-communities
Clarity wanted for land use strategy
NSW Farmers is calling on the NSW Government to clearly set out rules around productivity of agricultural land.
President James Jackson said increasing urban sprawl and new developments were eating away at the state’s farming land.
“There’s an old saying that they’re not making any more dirt, and when it comes to agricultural land there is a finite amount of it that we cannot afford to lose,” Mr Jackson said.
“Unless we have a very clear set of rules purpose-built to ensure the productivity of agricultural land, we risk losing it and once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.”
Mr Jackson said with world population on the rise while climate variability increased, the need to continue growing Australian agriculture was essential.
“Current data on land capability is outdated and does not consider much beyond soil quality and slope, so there’s an awful lot of work to be done in protecting agricultural land from inappropriate development.
“There must be a ‘duty’ on government to consider future agricultural needs in their planning in the same way environmental needs must be considered, and to ensure routine farming activities are protected from nuisance complaints.”
Climate change action supported
The following organisations received grants to get new and innovative ideas off the ground to mitigate and adapt to climate change:
- Zero Carbon Tatura and GV Community Energy: $8200 to inform the Tatura community about opportunities to improve energy efficiency in their homes.
- Yea Wetlands Discovery Centre and 2030Yea: $8900 to hold three community sessions to raise awareness and skills to lead positive climate change adaptation.
- Murray Dairy: $10,000 to host a workshop for local dairy farmers to better understand climatic impacts and develop a key challenges report to inform the industry.
The Community Mini-Grants Program is part of Hume’s Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, funded by the Victorian Government.
Reflect on our rivers
Tickets are now on sale for the second annual River Reflections regional water conference, on June 1 and 2 in Mildura.
Murray-Darling Basin Authority acting chief executive Andrew Reynolds said the conference was a chance to connect basin communities, industries and ideas.
The program includes a combination of on-the-ground tours, conference presentations, panel discussions and breakout sessions.
Demographer Simon Kuestenmacher will give an address on day one, sharing insights on the macro trends created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts and opportunities for basin communities.
On day two, MDBA chair Angus Houston will speak on the future of the basin and the knowledge needed to support industries, communities and the environment for the long term.
Tickets are $100 each (plus $6.59 booking fee) to attend in-person, including the conference dinner on Wednesday night, or you can register to attend most sessions virtually via live streaming at no cost.
To find out more and to book your ticket, visit: https://www.mdba.gov.au/news-media-events/river-reflections-conference
Call for investment in inland rail
NSW Farmers Inland Rail Taskforce’s Adrian Lyons says the Federal Government’s multi-billion-dollar freight project needs more work to fully benefit agriculture and the regions.
He said new modelling from the CSIRO claimed Inland Rail would cut freight transport costs by up to $213 million a year.
“But with freight bottlenecks right along the state’s east coast, farmers are still trucking their product to port rather than sending it by rail — a situation that could very well continue once Inland Rail is completed,” Mr Lyons said.
“There’s clearly a desire to simply lay a lot of track, but we’re saying we need the right tracks in the right place to actually deliver a benefit.
“The (NSW) Government has a huge part to play in this — we’ve already got these big freight bottlenecks at our ports that need to be removed.
“There must be benefit for all farmers in NSW out of this enormous expenditure, and there needs to be proper linkages right the way along the line.”
