Food & Fibre Gippsland

17/06/2026

Simon and Amanda just got back from Hort Connections 2026 in Adelaide and let's just say they didn't come home empty handed, ideas wise, anyway!

Four days of connecting with growers and researchers from across Australia, exploring the latest innovations in horticulture, and celebrating 10 years of the VegNET program.

Watch this space - they'll be sharing what they learned with Gippsland growers over the coming months.

16/06/2026

Tickets are now on sale for the Gippsland New Energy Conference 2026 and FFG is proud to be a Silver Sponsor!

Join 150+ speakers and industry leaders across two big days in Traralgon this August.

And if you're a small business, educator or student, there are free tickets available.
📅 18–19 August, GPAC Traralgon
👉 gnec.com.au

Gippsland Climate Change Network

08/06/2026

🌿 Exciting things happening in Gippsland dairy this week!

We're proud to be a supporting partner of the Research Showcase: Multispecies Pastures for Dairy Production, a FREE full-day field day happening THIS Thursday, 11 June at Ellinbank SmartFarm.

Hosted by Agriculture Victoria and GippsDairy , this is a brilliant opportunity for dairy farmers, advisers and industry to get up close with the latest research from the Resilient Forages, DairySoils and Pasture 365 projects, straight from the paddock.

The day includes:
🐄 Paddock updates from current multispecies pasture trials
🚌 A bus trip out to Brian Corr's Pasture 365 demonstration farm at Moyarra
🌱 On-farm discussions about alternative species, experimentation and Halter technology
🥪 Lunch included!

📅 Thursday 11 June 2026
⏰ 10:00am – 4:00pm
📍 Ellinbank SmartFarm, VIC
🎟️ FREE to attend

Register here 👉 https://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/events-calendar/2026/05/11/research-showcase-multispecies-pastures-for-dairy-production

01/06/2026

Know someone who has always been curious about a career in agriculture but is not sure where to start?

The Future of Heyfield Project is running "Be Work Ready – Jobs on Farms", a five-session program at the Heyfield Community Resource Centre designed for beginners who want to build practical skills and confidence to get into the industry.

The program covers resume writing, job searching and interview skills, presentations from industry representatives, local farm tours, and links to training pathways.

Sessions run 9:30am to 2:30pm across:
- Tuesday 9 June
- Wednesday 10 June
- Wednesday 17 June
- Thursday 18 June
- Friday 19 June

$20 per person. Bookings essential.

Book online here: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1558224
Or call 5148 2100 or email [email protected]

Heyfield Community Resource Centre

20/05/2026

🌾 Planning ahead when the season gets tough.

Last week, FFG's Rod Hayes joined Bass Coast farmers at Ric Oldham's Archies Creek property for the Planning for the Seasons Ahead workshop - a practical on-farm day held in partnership with Bass Coast Shire Council and Landcare Network.

Producers, industry specialists and regional support organisations came together to tackle the pressing realities of dry-season feed and water security, financial pressure, and building more resilient farming systems.

The day packed a lot in: expert presentations from Fiona Baker (Agriculture Victoria) on feed budgeting, supplementary feeding and forward planning, insights from Leigh and Liz Crocker (Ion Group) on personal resilience and energy management, a farm walk with Ric and Fiona, and plenty of good conversation over lunch.

Rod's key takeaway? "Planning early really pays off. Knowing your feed and water position, setting clear trigger points, and being willing to adjust stocking rates and budgets gives farmers much more control as the season tightens."

If you're heading into a challenging season, Agriculture Victoria has some great practical resources:

📘 Beef Cattle Drought Feeding Book → agriculture.vic.gov.au
💧 Farm Water Calculator → agriculture.vic.gov.au

A big thanks to everyone who made the day possible: Ric Oldham for hosting, Joel Geoghegan from Bass Coast Landcare Network , Fiona Baker from Agriculture Victoria , and Leigh and Liz Crocker from Ion Group. 🙌

17/05/2026

📢 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫: 𝐆𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 '𝐀𝐈 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬' 👏 Curious about how generally available AI can actually help your ag business? Join us to explore real‑world scenarios—like diesel costs, supply constraints, pasture management, and stock orders—using AI simulations to model options and reduce risk.

See how AI can support smarter, faster decisions in agriculture.
~Practical, easy‑to‑understand examples
~Tools you can use right away
~Live Q&A so bring your questions

📅 3 Sessions to choose from on 𝟐𝟓𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟐𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐲.
👉Find out more and register here: https://events.humanitix.com/gippsland-ai-in-ag-business-webinar

A practical session showing how simple, affordable AI can help ag businesses make faster decisions, reduce complexity, and tackle real‑world world challenges.

11/05/2026

🌽𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐆𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬! 🫛 This Thursday, join us for a hands-on Australian-Grown Innovation (AGI) Engage session, co-funded by Hort Innovation through Hort Frontiers and delivered by Startupbootcamp.

This one-day workshop is designed for growers, by growers—focused on practical innovation tools to help you identify challenges, spot opportunities, and explore new ways to improve your business or diversify your income.

You’ll work through simple frameworks used across the AGI program to test ideas and think through what could work in your own operation.

This is also your entry point into the broader AGI program:
~ Incubate (6 weeks): Refine and validate your idea with structured support
~ Build (12 weeks): Develop and trial your idea in the real world with industry partners

📍 Gippsland Tech School
🕘 Starts 9:00AM
📅 14 May 2026

Register here: 👉 https://luma.com/il3awgbz

07/05/2026

You are invited to the inaugural Vets Vs. Farmers Lawn Bowls Challenge! Open to all primary producers and veterinary employees (including admin, nurses, students, management, etc).

Valley Farmers acknowledge that both Farmers and Vets have demanding, tough jobs with long hours. We are stronger when standing together so this cheeky challenge promotes bonding over some expert banter and sledging.

It will be a great evening, so invite your neighbour / colleague and enjoy some serious competitive sport in a professional all-weather undercover facility with night lighting.

🤠Free for all primary producers and veterinary employees (including admin staff, nurses, students, etc)
🍗 Dinner included for RSVP attendees
⚫️ Bowls and coaches provided
✅ Talk by Dr Becky Dickinson, the recipient of the 2026 Victorian Rural Woman of the year award. Hear about her work that directly tackles the lack of structured post-graduate support available to early-career rural veterinarians.

Where:📍Morwell Bowling Club - 52 Hazelwood Rd, Morwell VIC 3840
When 🗓️ Thursday 28th May 2026
Time: 🕰️ 5:30 pm doors open; 6:00 pm greens open for practice; 6:30 pm comp starts; 7:30 pm dinner and awards
👉 Register here: https://www.valleyfarmers.com.au/events/lawn-bowls-challenge-vets-vs-farmers

07/05/2026

📢Our big thanks to Snowy River Mail for sharing our exciting news!

"Food & Fibre Gippsland (F&FG) has marked a significant turning point for the region’s agricultural sector, using FarmWorld 2026 as a platform to launch its new Strategic Plan, a refreshed brand identity, and an updated membership offering."

👉Read on: https://snowyrivermail.com.au/16505/new-branding-and-drought-resilience-focus/

📍Reach out to find out more and a discussion with our CEO, Simon Johnson at [email protected]