Media Releases

Victorian food and fibre exports grew by 19 per cent last year despite a tough economic climate and parity Australian dollar.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh said a new Department of Primary Industries (DPI) report found Victorian food and fibre exports jumped $1.3 billion to reach $8.07 billion in 2010-11.
“This demonstrates the high quality and high demand for Victorian food, wine and fibre, and is a fantastic result for our farming communities,” Mr Walsh said.
“But what is most pleasing is that our exports have increased during a difficult economic time, when the Australian dollar reached parity with the US dollar.
“The end of the drought and stronger commodity prices, together with new access to the Indian market for Australian dairy farmers, are the key factors in an exceptionally strong showing for Victorian food and fibre producers.”
Mr Walsh said the Victorian Food and Fibre Export Performance 2010-11 showed Victoria remained Australia’s leading agricultural exporter, accounting for 28 per cent of farm exports.
Victoria made up 86 per cent of the value of Australia’s dairy exports alone with $1.96 billion worth, while the value of grain exports jumped sharply from $442 million to $1.13 billion.
Mr Walsh said the findings were a resounding demonstration of the importance of rural Victoria to the state’s economy.
The report found that fibre exports, including wool, skins and hides, were valued at about $1.77 billion in 2010-11, an increase of $470 million from the previous financial year.
Demand for wool remained strong despite higher prices, with volumes exported to China increasing by 14 per cent and shipments to Italy more than doubling.
Mr Walsh said a total of 412,000 tonnes of meat products worth approximately $1.66 billion were also exported, an increase of $110 million.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh has recognised the contribution Victorian
farmers make to the country’s economy this Australia Day.
”This year, 2012, is Australian Year of the Farmer and there is no better time to focus on past achievements and also the future of our farming industries, communities and the businesses that support them,” Mr Walsh said.
“Victoria has much to boast about when it comes to agriculture, but our farmers also put in a lot of hard work to achieve that great reputation for quality food.
“Food does not just miraculously appear – it needs hard work, land, water, plants and animals. The Victorian Coalition Government supports farmers and sees a vibrant future for the agricultural sectors across the state.”
Victoria was Australia's largest producer and exporter of sheep meat in 2010-11, accounting for 41 per cent of Australian lamb production with a farm gate value of around $1 billion. It is also the largest vegetable exporting state and accounts for 24 per cent of total Australian production.
The Victorian dairy industry produces 65 per cent of Australia's milk production and 86 per cent of its dairy product exports, while the beef industry is the second largest agricultural industry and exported $615 million worth of exports in 2010-11.
Mr Walsh said the whole community benefited from the contribution farmers made, not just to the economy but through volunteer participation with Landcare groups, CFA brigades and sporting bodies.
“Farmers are the nation’s most dedicated carers for the environment and have a financial interest in maintaining the health of the land they manage,” Mr Walsh said.
“Also, we know Victoria’s farmers uphold the world’s highest standards of animal welfare, underpinned by rigorous codes of practice and processing standards.”
Mr Walsh said the Victorian Government was committed to encouraging and supporting local farmers so they could continue to do what they do best; producing high quality food and fibre not only for Australia but the rest of the world.

Victorians now have another reason to love their lamb this Australia Day, as new research reveals the secret to boosting the meat’s healthy qualities.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh said scientists from the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) had achieved a world-first by increasing the healthy omega-3 fatty acids in lamb meat.
By adding a small amount of a natural algae supplement into a moderate quality ryegrass and clover hay diet, scientists dramatically increased long chain omega-3 levels in the lamb.
Mr Walsh said the development was a win-win for both Victorian producers and consumers.
Victoria is Australia’s largest prime lamb producer, and Victorian sheep meat producers exported around 121,000 tonnes of lamb and mutton in 2009/10, worth $616.3 million.
“Studies have shown that half of Australians aren’t consuming enough long chain omega-3 fatty acids in their diets,” Mr Walsh said.
“These particular fatty acids are essential for growth as well as brain and eye development, and are linked to reducing the risk of heart disease, arthritis, depression and dementia.
“There is no better reason to throw some lamb on the barbecue this Australia Day.”
The DPI scientists fed the lambs 20g of a dried algae supplement daily over eight weeks and found a 240 per cent increase in healthy omega-3 fats in the lambs’ muscle compared to those eating a moderate quality ryegrass/clover hay diet.
A 135g serve of meat from algae-supplemented lamb provided 129 mg of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which is more than the minimum daily recommended amount for women and 80 per cent of what’s required for men.
DPI senior research scientist Dr Eric Ponnampalam said the research results were just the beginning and DPI would continue research in conjunction with its partners to improve the productivity, profitability and competitiveness of lamb meat.
“We will continue to investigate the best forages and supplements to increase productivity and optimum lamb nutrition for high quality lamb meat,” Dr Ponnampalam said.

The Victorian Coalition Government has reinstated more than 90 bee licences on public land that had been lost to the industry.
Visiting a Castlemaine honey business today, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh said 92 sites had been returned to beekeepers based on a fair ballot as part of the $400,000 Putting the Buzz Back into Agriculture initiative.
“I am pleased to announce these ‘lost’ sites will return to the industry. It has been a long time coming,” Mr Walsh said.
“The former Labor Government shut down hundreds of beekeeping sites on public land.
“Our $400,000 investment to reinstate these sites will help protect and grow Victoria's valuable beekeeping sector and safeguard our horticultural industries.
“Victoria has about 3,600 designated bee sites which are on public land. They provide an important nectar and pollen resource for honey production and condition bees for pollination of Victoria’s economically important horticultural and seed crops.”
Mr Walsh said the 92 sites were allocated to apiarists through a ballot involving 202 beekeepers in December last year.
“This is a very positive outcome that opens up viable bee sites that were just sitting there doing nothing for such a long time,” Mr Walsh said.
“We are delivering on our election commitment to reinstate the bee site licences on public land that were banned by the former Labor Government.”
The Putting the Buzz Back into Agriculture initiative will also fund an increase in Victoria’s capacity to quickly detect and respond to the exotic honey bee parasite, varroa mite.
Australia is the only continent in the world still free of this pest. The varroa mite has the potential to decimate the country’s honey bee population.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh visited Glenlyon Upper Landcare today to discuss the success of the Victorian Coalition Government’s crackdown on pests and weeds.
The Landcare group wrote to Mr Walsh early last year with concerns about an inadequate response to gorse infestations by the former Labor Government.
“I am now pleased to say that thanks to an additional $21.2 million we allocated in the State Budget to boost the fight against pests and weeds, the situation has improved dramatically,” Mr Walsh said.
“Department of Primary Industries (DPI) officers have inspected 143 properties in the Glenlyon, Lauriston and Ashbourne areas since July 2011.
“We take the issue of weed control very seriously and DPI officers will be returning to the inspected properties in February to follow up on compliance,” Mr Walsh said.
Across Victoria, DPI officers inspected 2,768 properties from July to December 2011 compared to just 1,290 the previous year.
“The government is committed to taking action against those landholders who allow their properties to become a haven for pests and weeds,” Mr Walsh said.
Mr Walsh said the former Labor Government had walked away from controlling widespread weeds such as gorse and blackberry.
“The fact that more than one in five properties inspected required an improvement notice is proof the state went backwards under Labor’s lax approach,” Mr Walsh said.
Mr Walsh said DPI inspectors would target weed enforcement actions to support communities where landholders were working together to co-ordinate pest control action, for example through Landcare groups or weed taskforces.
The department is implementing 90 weed enforcement projects across Victoria to support community-led action on weeds.

The Victorian Coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to targeting recalcitrant landowners who fail to control invasive plants and animals on private property.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh said the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) had more than doubled property inspections in a major crackdown on agricultural pests such as blackberry, gorse, ragwort and thistles.
“The government allocated an additional $21.2 million in the State Budget to boost the fight against weeds and pests and this investment is paying off,” Mr Walsh said.
Mr Walsh said DPI officers inspected 2,768 properties from July to December 2011 compared to just 1,290 for the same period in 2010.
“As a result of this crackdown, 12 property owners have been hit with fines and another will be prosecuted through the courts by DPI inspectors,” Mr Walsh said.
“Some 633 landowners have received land management or directions notices over the period, demanding they take action to clean up their properties or face penalties. This is up on 288 notices issued the previous year.
“This government is committed to taking action on those landholders who allow their properties to become a haven for pests and weeds.”
Mr Walsh said the former Labor Government had walked away from controlling widespread weeds such as gorse and blackberry.
“The fact that more than one in five properties inspected required an improvement notice is proof the state went backwards under Labor’s lax approach,” Mr Walsh said.
Mr Walsh said DPI inspectors would target weed enforcement actions to support communities where landholders were working together to co-ordinate pest control action, for example through Landcare groups or weed taskforces.
The department is implementing 90 weed enforcement projects across Victoria to support community-led action on weeds.

There has been a huge response to the Victorian fox bounty by landowners, with 10,000 fox scalps collected in 11 weeks.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh visited Holt’s Gun Shop in Colac with Member for Polwarth Terry Mulder today to discuss the fox bounty with hunters.
“The overwhelming response of more than 10,000 scalps in such a short time shows just how much farmers needed this bounty as a long-term control measure for wild dogs and foxes,” Mr Walsh said.
“The Victorian Coalition Government’s fox bounty has quickly surpassed the former Labor Government’s flawed FoxStop program, which only claimed about 6,000 foxes per year.”
The bounty is $10 per fox and $50 per wild dog, with more than $100,000 flowing into hunters’ pockets already.
“Collections resumed on Monday and I expect to see large numbers of fox scalps delivered to Department of Primary Industries sites over the next few weeks,” Mr Walsh said.
Hunters need to submit an entire fox scalp, including both ears and the skin surrounding the eyes and the nose in an air-dried, fresh or frozen condition to collect the reward.
Mr Mulder said there had been a noticeable increase in spotlighting activity across the south west since the introduction of the fox bounty.
“Most farmers agree that the bounty is effective at reducing fox numbers and have welcomed the Victorian Government’s introduction of the scheme,” Mr Mulder said.
“There are lots of foxes around but some shooters have reported a reduction compared with the same time last year, which is being attributed to the bounty.”
Mr Walsh also released a full schedule of fox bounty collection points from January through until April 2012. Hunters can view the list at www.dpi.vic.gov.au/bounty.

Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Peter Walsh has welcomed a partnership between Coles and Warrnambool Cheese and Butter that will see about 35 new jobs created in regional Victoria.
Visiting Warrnambool Cheese and Butter at Allansford today, Mr Walsh said the launch of Great Ocean Road milk and cheeses in Coles supermarkets highlighted the strength of Victoria’s dairy industry.
“This partnership is a very positive announcement for south west Victoria and will create more jobs in the region,” Mr Walsh said.
“Dairy is Victoria’s largest agricultural industry and significantly contributes to the state’s economy, and this partnership reflects that.”
Mr Walsh said Dairy Australia figures showed that the consumption of milk across Australia was increasing.
He said in Victoria in particular, milk sales had increased from 545 million litres in 2009/10 to 566 million litres in 2010/11.
“This is an increase of almost four per cent and shows Australians are drinking more milk, which is great news for the dairy industry, but also great for the health of Australians,” Mr Walsh said.
“Consuming two and a half serves of milk, cheese and yoghurt each day in a balanced diet can help lower your risk of osteoporosis and prevent tooth decay.
“However, not all Australians are consuming the recommended servings per day.
“I look forward to seeing Great Ocean Road milk and cheeses on the shelves, enticing more people to consume Victorian dairy products,” Mr Walsh said.

The five finalists for the prestigious Victorian 2012 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) Rural Women’s Award have been announced.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh said the award recognised the contribution women made to primary industries and the communities that depended on those industries.
“This fantastic initiative is all about paying tribute to the hard work and dedication of these women to agriculture and rural Victoria,” Mr Walsh said.
"It is clearly focused on supporting women with strong leadership skills, a positive vision for the future of agriculture and the potential to make a difference in their chosen field.
“The competition was strong but it has been narrowed down to five finalists who best demonstrated a commitment to the future sustainability of primary industries.”
The five Victorian women selected as finalists for the 2012 Rural Women’s Award are:
• Elise Wenden – a biological farming consultant from Charlton;
• Tania Chapman – wine grape and citrus grower from Mildura;
• Louise FitzRoy – a Melbourne food retailer and author;
• Janelle Boynton – winery owner from Porepunkah; and
• Jeanette Severs – sheep and wool producer from Johnsonville.
The Victorian winner will be awarded a $10,000 bursary to help support their leadership development and both the winner and the runner-up will be offered the opportunity to participate in an Australian Institute of Company Directors course in Canberra.
The winner will be announced by Mr Walsh on 15 March 2012 at Parliament House in Melbourne, and will then join winners from other states and territories as finalists for the national award, to be announced in Canberra in October 2012 to coincide with World Rural Women’s Day celebrations.
Contact details of award finalists are available upon request.

 Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh today helped to release 7,000 estuary perch
fingerlings into Lake Bolac in the first ever large-scale stocking of the fish in Victoria.
Mr Walsh said estuary perch were often referred to as the barramundi of the south by keen perch
fishers and were typically found in estuaries along Victoria's coastline where they are targeted by
recreational fishers.
“Today’s fish stocking event is an historic event because very few estuary perch have been successfully bred and used to create a new recreational fishery,” Mr Walsh said.
“Plans to stock estuary perch have been on the drawing board for many years but the species has
proved difficult to breed reliably.”
Mr Walsh said the breakthrough came in November last year when some of Victoria's best estuary
perch anglers caught 31 ripe broodfish from the Hopkins River.
“The broodstock were taken by chartered aeroplane to a leading bass farmer in New South Wales,
which led to successful spawning and the growing of larvae in purpose-built saline plankton ponds,”
Mr Walsh said.
Fisheries Victoria executive director Anthony Hurst said an improved knowledge of the genetic
structure of estuary perch had helped shape the stocking program.
“A previous small-scale stocking attempt occurred in Lake Hamilton in 2000, and it is hoped estuary
perch will perform well in Lake Bolac, creating a new fishery during the next five years,” Mr Hurst said.
Lake Bolac Angling Club president Ray McLeod said the lake could be a sensational fishery.
“If the stocked estuary perch perform well, we will have created a great mixed trout and native
fishery,” Mr McLeod said.
"Several years ago we came up with the idea of creating a native fishery in Lake Bolac, and this will
be great for local anglers and visitors and boost the region’s economy and local jobs.”
The stocking initiative has been funded as part of the Victorian Coalition Government’s $16.2 million
Recreational Fishing Initiative.