On the land Archive

Goats in Morocco climb Argan trees to eat berries. Photo by mana5280 on Unsplash at unsplash.com.

GOATS are becoming increasingly popular for weed control.

At Ellinbank SmartFarm recently, from left, Greg Morris - senior technical officer, Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas and Professor Joe Jacobs - Agriculture Victoria research director, animal production sciences.

TRACEABILITY in Victoria’s renowned agriculture sector would be taken to the next level through a record investment in the state budget 2021/22, the government said last week.

Bulk milk tanker leaving Saputo's big processing centre in Leongatha.

THREE days after announcing its opening price of $6.65kg MS, Saputo Dairy Australia (SDA) has revised its offer to suppliers in the Southern Milk Region for the 2021-22 season to a weighted average farm gate milk price of $6.85 per kilogram milk solids.

Fonterra Australia managing director René Dedoncker said commodity prices had remained strong over the past four weeks.

FONTERRA Australia today announced it had revised its weighted average farmgate milk price for the 2021/2022 season to $6.85 per kgMS.

VFF president, Mirboo North farmer, Emma Germano addresses a rally at Parliament last week for fair camping rules on farmland.

THE Victorian Farmers Federation and The Nationals were united in the opposition to regulations that permit camping on farmland river frontage at a rally at Parliament last week.

Dr Linda Zheng with a LAMP test in the field.

PROTECTING pollination to safeguard food security was the theme of World Bee Day on May 20 and is central to research being undertaken by a team of Agriculture Victoria (AV) researchers.

On the back of good seasonal conditions, plentiful fodder, and strong demand for dairy products both globally and domestically, but little or no growth in the size of the national herd and milk production, interest from manufacturers like Saputo remains strong.

  SAPUTO Dairy Australia (SDA) has announced to suppliers in the Southern Milk Region that our 2021/22 opening weighted average farm gate milk price will be $6.65 per kilogram milk solids. It compares with the announcements by other companies: Fonterra $6.55kg (On Friday, June

West Gippsland Ploughing Association’s Silver Share contest conventional winner Adrian Tilling and committee member Pryde Inglis.

WEST Gippsland Ploughing Association managed to run its first Silver Share contest since 2019 recently.

Soil scientist Declan McDonald talked through ways farmers could test the regenerative levels of their soil. wa03_2221

THE Bass Coast Landcare Network recently hosted a farm walk to demonstrate natural capital accounting and regenerative soil methods.

More than $44,000 has been generated via sales at Leongatha VLE Saleyards after farmers generously raised calves on their properties at no charge to Carinya.

HUGE goals are being kicked by our farming community – and, as importantly, our cattle buyers – for Carinya Aged Care, with yet more sales of fattened calves at the Leongatha VLE Saleyards at Koonwarra last week.

Learn about regenerative grazing on Thursday, May 27 as part of the Enhancing Soil Biology Project.

SOUTH Gippsland Landcare Network is excited to bring you a field day on regenerative grazing with Graeme Hand, delivered through the Enhancing Soil Biology Project.

Chris Manning, Susan Peel, and Lorraine and Will Norden helped out at the Wonthaggi Seed Bank and Nursery’s open day on Wednesday. mm012021

THE not-for-profit Wonthaggi Seed Bank and Nursery held two open days last week.

Transport operator Geoff Owen, South Gippsland farmers Rob Prentice and Peter Bend, and truck drivers Jeff Johnston and Scott Guy load up hay at Meeniyan bound for the flood ravaged areas of the NSW north coast.

  WHY do they do it? Why do farmers from Bass Coast and South Gippsland cost themselves money to donate hay to those less fortunate. And why do the volunteer members of local Lions clubs and truck drivers pitch in to get the hay