Published since 1986
DECEMBER, 2020
Brayden is virtual champ
www.farmernews.com.au
Vaccine to be made here PAGE 6
Deer numbers on the rise PAGE 8
PAGE 13
VCM online platform builds brand awareness
THE PASSION: What inspires a producer to concentrate all their resources on growing Brussells sprouts? Or make the major cash outlay planting out a truffiere to then play the waiting game unsure whether truffles will actually grow? What drives the decision to become a stud farmer, and decide that Speckle Parks are the cattle of choice? Of course money is one of the deciding factors - the belief that your point of difference, or your crop of choice will prove lucrative. But also there comes passion, the particular interest in and affinity you have with your product. Jason Cotter of Tuerong Farm, Tuerong, grows and mills heritage, ancient and modern grains on 60 hectares less than 75 kilometres from Melbourne, in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula. Awarded a Nuffield Scholarship in 2020, it is Jason’s unwavering commitment to the domestic grain system and his passion for supporting and developing a more sustainable industry that saw him recognised for the scholarship. Turn to page 2
OFFERING some of the best Victoria has to offer, e-commerce site Victorian Country Market (VCM) promotes an extensive selection of fresh produce and artisan products from across the state. Set up in a market place format, consumers are able to purchase from a variety of stalls and have the produce delivered as one order. Initially launched by the State Government during the first lockdown, the initiative was created quickly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and though slow to take on, once the platform partnered with Click for Vic, community support and awareness increased exponentially. One of numerous initiatives set up this year to provide a platform for Victorian regional producers to market and sell their products in an online environment, Victorian Country Market is one of the bigger sites showcasing 12 regions
via more than 600 virtual market stalls. With 260 market stalls concentrated in southern and metropolitan Victoria, the area has been divided into five specific regions with Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges, Geelong and the Bellarine, Yarra Valley and the Dandenongs, Mornington Peninsula and finally Melbourne itself, making up almost half of all featured businesses on the platform. These figures are indicative of the vibrant and prosperous agricultural and artisanal community that has made the south home. With the website under the over-riding banner of the Visit Victoria campaign, Victorian Country Market promotes each region creating further opportunities for agri-tourism and inspiring statewide travel now that restrictions have lifted. â– Continued page 4
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