Yarra Ranges Council will welcome a new CEO to its helm next month.
Councillors voted unanimously to appoint Tammi Rose to the position at their Tuesday 18 December meeting.
She’ll fill the role for four years from Monday 4 February.
Mayor Tony Stevenson said Ms Rose brought a wealth of experience in a range of senior roles, in both inner metropolitan and rural councils.
Read full article from the Ranges Trader
East Gippsland farmers have expressed gratitude as more than half a million dollars has been successfully distributed to drought-affected families across Eastern Victoria during the Christmas period.
Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) Gippsland teamed up with the Red Cross who donated $500,000 from their Aussie Farmer Appeal, and Lions Club of Heyfield contributed a further $43,000 helping with the cost of living for 180 households.
Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) Gippsland is pleased to welcome funding from the Victorian Government, and the Financial Counselling Foundation (FCF), together with the ANZ Bank to support and strengthen small rural businesses in the drought-affected areas of Gippsland.
The additional funding will enable RFCS Gippsland to expand services and provide free professional assistance to rural businesses also experiencing financial hardship, while continuing to assist farmers.
Businesses in East Gippsland and Wellington Shires interested in seeking support contact RFCS Gippsland on 1300 045 747 or email
Dairy processors Brownes Food Operations, Lion Dairy & Drinks, Norco Co-operative Limited, Parmalat Australia and Fonterra Australia have each agreed to amend specific terms in their milk supply agreements to address the ACCC’s concerns these terms were unfair to dairy farmers.
The ACCC has been working with dairy processors over the past year to ensure that terms in the contracts they offer farmers comply with the business-to-business unfair contract terms law enacted by the Australian Government in November 2016.
“Farmers should be getting a fair deal when they contract to supply milk to dairy processors,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.
Most processors have agreed to provide dairy farmers with the right to terminate their contract if the processor varies supply terms such as price or quality requirements, placing the farmer in a worse position.
Article South Gippsland Sentinel Times
A $32 million baby formula packaging plant is a step closer to going ahead at Burra Foods in Korumburra, providing up to 26 new jobs, following approval by the South Gippsland Shire Council last Wednesday 19th December 2018.
…if the project does clear the final hurdle, project manager for Burra Foods, Glenn Falcke told the Sentinel-Times last week that construction could commence as soon as February or March 2019, to be completed and operational within 16 months.
Article South Gippsland Sentinel Times
Armyworms are destroying pastures across large parts of Gippsland.
Murray Goulburn agronomist Scott Travers said the area from Woodside to Buffalo was under heavy attack from the caterpillars.
Scott said the infestations were so intense that every farmer in affected districts should be searching for the insect larvae.
Armyworm caterpillars are smooth-bodied and have three white or creamy-coloured stripes running down their back and sides. Caterpillars can grow to about 30–40mm in length.
During the day, look under dead leaf litter at the base of the crop or pasture sward. At dusk or night, a torch should show them up on the leaves.
The Weekly Times – Johanna Leggatt
Make use of the State Government’s free on-farm energy assessment and grants program that subsidises cheaper energy technology for farmers with sky-high bills.
Until March 2020 (or until the funds are expended), eligible primary producers can apply for Agriculture Victoria’s ‘Agriculture Energy Investment Plan’ grants to invest in technology to reduce the costs of energy use on their farms.
The Weekly Times spoke with Jigsaw Farms Principal, Mark Wootton’s experience with the scheme
Our 2018 Annual Report is now available.
Read about our performance, achievements and activities for the 2017-2018 financial year, including our focus for 2019
RFCS Gippsland Annual Report 2018
We are pleased to welcome back Peter Pauwels, our Rural Financial Counsellor servicing East and West Gippsland regions. Peter has been a Rural Financial Counsellor for over 8 years in both Victoria and Queensland.
With extensive business consulting experiences, nationally and internationally, Peter brings significant exposure and working knowledge of a variety of rural businesses and product supply enterprises, with particular understanding of the challenges and opportunities within cattle, sheep, and deer products; as well as cow and goat dairy. He brings knowledge in land conversion, as well as a vast understanding of production systems within grain and pulse; red meat; wool; fibre and horticulture.
We are now extending our services to non-agricultral rural small businesses throughout the drought affected areas of Gippsland thanks to funding recently announced by the State Government.
An additional Financial Counsellor will be appointed shortly to commence engagement with business owners to provide immediate assistance and help plan a path forward to build long-term resilience.
Interested businesses seeking this support are encouraged to contact us on 1300 045 747 or email
