Duck hunting and bird flu zone
Recreational game bird hunting is banned in the avian influenza restricted and control areas near Euroa, to help prevent the spread of the virus.
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Agriculture Victoria says if you are hunting outside these areas and wish to bring game bird carcases or hunting equipment into the restricted or control areas, then you will need a bird flu game bird hunting permit.
The permit is required to:
- Move game bird carcases or parts from outside areas to control/restricted areas.
- Move equipment associated with game bird hunting from control/restricted areas to outside areas (if equipment has come into contact with poultry or birds).
Permits are issued for four weeks and can be reapplied for after they expire.
BagMUSTER gets under way
Australia’s first industry-led collection and recycling program for soft plastic agricultural input bags has started, with collection sites now open in parts of Victoria as phase one of a national rollout.
BagMUSTER is an initiative of CropLife Australia in partnership with the Australian Seed Federation, and will provide farmers with a free collection and recycling solution for plastic pesticide, seed and other agricultural product bags. It follows the success of the drumMUSTER program.
“At full scale, bagMUSTER will divert up to 45,000 tonnes of single-use soft plastic from landfills each year,” CropLife Australia CEO Mr Matthew Cossey said.
As the program rolls out nationally over the coming years, bagMUSTER will provide farmers with hundreds of accessible collection points throughout the country, with the waste processed to manufacture new products in Australia.
Collection points in the Country News region include: Kerang, Quambatook, Cohuna, Dingee and Heathcote.
For more information and a full list of collections sites, go to: https://www.bagmuster.org.au/
Soil support for farmers
The Cool Soil Initiative has appointed Rina Cooper as the new regional lead for the Cool Soil Initiative for northern Victoria and southern NSW.
As part of the Cool Soil Initiative, Ms Cooper will work closely with farmers to measure and manage soil health while promoting sustainable land management practices.
The program provides participating farmers with access to valuable data, tools and expert insights to improve soil resilience, optimise inputs and enhance overall farm profitability.
The Cool Soil Initiative is a partnership between Charles Sturt University and the food industry, which supports farmers to reduce their on-farm greenhouse gas emissions, improve their soil health and increase their yields through data-driven decision-making.
Established in the grains sector, Cool Soils is now expanding into livestock and mixed farming.
For more information, contact Rina Cooper at coolsoilmurray@gmail.com or on 0417 535 822.
Grant backs trade engagement
Agriculture industries in Australia and China are deepening trade engagement, thanks to a $1.13 million grant to support a new work program between the two countries, with a focus on sustainability.
The grant, from the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations (NFACR), has been awarded to the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group, which comprises Dairy Australia, Hort Innovation, Meat & Livestock Australia, Wine Australia and Seafood Industry Australia.
The group works to advance bilateral trade relations and increase export opportunities for Australia’s premium food and wine producers.
Over the past two years, the group has held trade activities in key markets across Asia including Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and Taiwan, with Japan the next destination, meeting with more than 1000 food, trade and government representatives.
This new phase of the program, with a focus on highlighting Australian agricultural sustainability credentials, aims to strengthen commercial links across the supply chains in both Australia and China.
In-market activities in China will include Australian industry briefings, technical seminars and networking events held in both countries to showcase Australian industry excellence and sustainability credentials and support future engagement.
Farmers share strategies
An Australian-first initiative to improve fatigue management on farms has heard directly from busy primary producers about how they prioritise rest, safety and productivity.
CQUniversity researchers are compiling the practical advice for farmers, with farmers — with input from across dairy, cotton, eggs and grains sectors.
Now the project is creating useful guides to highlight causes, impacts and management strategies for fatigue on farms – and launching a new survey to grow understanding of farmers’ experiences.
The survey will inform a Farming and Fatigue management guide, with tools to help farmers identify ‘hot spots’ – where and why fatigue might be an issue in their operation, and controls to reduce potential harm of fatigue without impacting production.
Farmers can learn more about the Farming and Fatigue project and complete the anonymous survey here: https://bit.ly/FarmingFatigueSurvey