Around the Camp: industry recognition, Farm Household allowance, Grazing Stubbles, Overseas sheep industry.

  1. Industry Recognition
  2. Families Facing Financial difficulties
  3. Grazing Stubbles
  4. Overseas sheep industry
  5. Upcoming Leading Sheep events
  6. Upcoming events
  7. eBulletins and podcasts

Industry Recognition

Do you know somebody making an outstanding contribution to Queensland’s sheep and wool industry? Then we want you to nominate them! Just like someone did with Cunnamulla sheep producer Jesse Moody, who won the Ministers Emerging Leader Award in 2018.

The Peter Kenny Medal recognises an individual who made an outstanding contribution to the agriculture, fisheries and/ or forestry sector in terms of leadership and innovation leading to profitability and sustainability. The Minister’s Emerging Leader Award recognises an individual who has shown outstanding leadership or the potential to make a significant contribution to their field of interest, the wider industry, and the rural community.  

 Candidates for both awards could work in agribusiness, education, farm-based production, the supply chain, research or advocacy, or an associated field. Both awards include a $3000 bursary, with finalists to be shortlisted in late September and winners announced at the Trop Ag Conference dinner on 1 November 2022.

Nominate someone today. Entries close 2 September 2022.

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Families Facing Financial difficulties

The Farm Household Allowance (FHA) provides assistance to farming families facing financial difficulties, no matter what the cause of that hardship is.

FHA is a fortnightly payment for up to 4 years in each specific 10-year period to help with your household bills and financial circumstances. In some cases, both you and your partner may be eligible to receive the allowance.

While you get FHA, a Farm Household Case Officer will guide and support you. Your case officer will work with you to develop a Financial Improvement Agreement. This lists the activities you agree to do to help improve your financial position while you get FHA. The agreement can include study or training linked to farming or a completely different type of work. Either way, the help FHA provides can be a game changer.

You can read more about Farm Household Allowance at servicesaustralia.gov.au/farmhouseholdallowance

To find out about other payments and services if you have been affected by floods, fires or other natural disasters, go to servicesaustralia.gov.au/disaster

You can also use the Payment and Service Finder to see what payments and services you may be able to get, visit servicesaustralia.gov.au/getacentrelinkpayment

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Grazing Stubbles

MLA has a very informative booklet and an easy to use Stubble Grazing Calculator available. It calculates the grazing days available from wheat stubbles (on average more than 100 sheep grazing days/ha without supplementation whilst maintaining condition). This season with the abundance of feed available on many properties stubbles may not be used as much this year. Where broadacre cropping and livestock enterprises are combined, stubbles make up an important part of the seasonal feedbase.

It is estimated the crop stubbles grown in Australia could provide about three billion ewe grazing days, or enough forage to feed Australia’s ~65 million sheep flock for six weeks. When feeding stubbles ensure high-quality protein feeds or green pick is available to supplement the roughage and ensure the minimum requirements of the animal are being met. For the calculator and booklet view the links under the Related Resources heading at the bottom of the page.

To access the booklet and use the calculator, click here.

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Overseas sheep industry

The local sheep industry is being negatively impacted by dogs, low prices, decreasing stock number, cheaper imported alternatives and lack of staff resulting in locals being concerned that the industry could disappear. People passionate about the industry are fighting back, they are fencing, pursuing alternative markets and investigating labour saving machinery. Am I talking about Queensland? No. This information comes from an article, published by Kuensel a Bhutan online newspaper. The article explains that sheep producers in Gagtey-Phobjikha, central Bhutan are selling their sheep due to attacks by wild animals (dogs) no one to look after them, and traditional woollen blankets and clothes are being replaced by cheaper imports. Producers formed a 21-member group, Samdrup Phuentsho Lug Detshen, in 2016 and are using machinery to process wool, making toys to sell to tourists and building sheds and yards for their stock.

While the mob sizes are different, many Queensland sheep producers share the same concerns, challenges and solutions as sheep producers in Gangtey-Phobjikha.

To read the original article, click here.

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Upcoming Leading Sheep events

  • 5 September: DIY Worm Egg Counts, Bollon. For more information and to register click here.

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Upcoming events

  • 1 – 5 August: AWI Improver Shearer and Wool Handler Training, St George. To register click here, phone 1800 SHEARS or email swt@wool.com
  • 3 August: Farm expansion fundamentals, St George. Delivered by ConnectAg. For more information and to register click here.
  • 4 August: Farm expansion fundamentals, Roma. Delivered by ConnectAg. For more information and to register click here.
  • 6-14 August: Ekka, Brisbane. More information can be found here.
  • 16-19 August: Farm business management skills, Goondiwindi. Delivered by UQ. For more information click here.
  • 18 August: What’s your plan?, Charleville. Delivered by SQL. For more information and to register click here.
  •  23 August: GroWQ Innovation Expo, Longreach. Delivered by GroWQ. For more information email grow@growq.com.au
  • 24-30 August: Farming & Grazing for Profit, Roma. Delivered by RCS, for more information and to register click here.
  • 30 August: What’s your plan?, Morven. Delivered by SQL. For more information and to register click here.
  • 31 August: What’s your plan?, Augathella. Delivered by SQL. For more information and to register click here.
  • 9 August: Ag & Tech Show, Quilpie. Delivered by Quilpie Shire Council. For more information contact Dale Stevenson 0447 434 665.

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Podcast, eBulletin and Surveys

 

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