An on-ground works incentive project facilitated by Maffra’s Agriculture Victoria Irrigation team faced a unique set of challenges. The owner of the dairy farm was based internationally for the entire duration of the team’s consultation on the irrigation upgrades. This required clear and concise communication with the property owner via [...]
15 July 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilVRD0h1rqw Discussion points: Overview of Agriculture Victoria On Farm IoT Trial Technology from the IoT Trial included: Water flow, pressure, and level sensors Weather stations Soil moisture monitoring equipment Dendrometers Remote bay outlet control What Irrigation AgTech can do for your farm business Variable rate [...]
The Victorian Minister for Agriculture, Jaclyn Symes recently announced that the amount available for the On-Farm Drought Resilience Grant Program has increased from $5,000 to $10,000. Farmers can access up to $5,000, with 50 per cent co-contribution, for drought infrastructure investments and up to $5,000 for farm business planning activities. [...]
Table grape grower Anthony Cirillo said help to install "cutting edge technology" had resulted in bigger crops and better-quality fruit using "the same, if not less, water". The irrigation efficiency incentives program from the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA) helped to fast track conversion of older sprinkler systems to drip [...]
SJDC Produce director Domenic Sergi said the irrigation efficiency incentive program through the Mallee CMA allowed them to "improve our farm infrastructure", and "help bring our systems to modern standard, to best practice". With financial assistance from the incentive program and training through Agriculture Victoria they were able interpret soil [...]
Kevin Ward has been dairy farming near Maffra for over 20 years. During the recent drought Kevin applied for a Whole Farm Plan through the Agriculture Victoria incentives program. The reduced availability and rising prices of irrigation water made his existing flood irrigation system uneconomical. The irrigation Whole Farm Plan [...]
Recently, some changes have occurred to the eligibility criteria for Irrigation Incentives in the Macalister Irrigation Area. BPSI (Best Practice Surface Irrigation) is now available ($400/ha) for anyone that is able to irrigate with a stable and consistent flow rate. This now allows river and groundwater diverters to be eligible [...]
Project: Best Practice Surface Irrigation (BPSI) and Reuse System Area: 50 ha Water Source: Modernised Southern Rural Water (SRW) outlet Flow Rates: Previous: 7 ML/ha Upgraded: 14 ML/ha Watering Time: 67% faster Labour: Halved Water saved: 0.2ML/ha/irrigation (34%) Project Cost: $207,130 BPSI Rebate: $5,720 BPSI Project cost per hectare: [...]
