AgVic Talk

In this episode of AgVic Talk, Agriculture Victoria’s Ryan Melville and parcel recipient Claire Blom talk about surprising ways exotic pest animals stowaway for a ride back to your place, where to look for them and what to do when one turns up! 

Always check your suitcase when packing to come home from overseas/interstate. 

In season 11 of the AgVic Talks podcast, Executive Director of Biosecurity Victoria Sharyn Williams introduces to “Victoria’s biosecurity frontier: The hidden world of high-risk invasive species.”  In this series, we will explore the day-to-day operations of our frontline biosecurity teams. If we want to stay on top of biosecurity risks, we all need to understand the threats and consequences of what they can do. It’s everyone’s business, and we all play a part in keeping Victoria protected. 

So, tune in for this series on invasive biosecurity, it’ll certainly be an eye opener!  

Further information

When two dry seasons hit hard, Bessiebelle dairy farmer Will McDonald

The Farm Business Resilience Program is jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Victorian Government’s Future Agriculture Skills Capacity Fund.

In this episode, we explore the deeper meaning of resilience—not just as a trait, but as a process of building strength and capacity through adversity. This concept resonates strongly in farming, where daily decisions are made under uncertainty, and long-term outcomes are shaped by forces beyond control.  

Michael Gordon, who is a farmer and consultant who has worked with rural and regional communities, explores these concepts. Dr. Rob Gordon, who is clinical psychologist, often assists Michael with this work and has a unique perspective on resilience. 

Access Farm Business Resilience Program resources and courses   

Access information on the direct support available to help farmers and communities across Victoria impacted by drought 

Listen to more podcasts by Agriculture Victoria    

Resilience to major emergencies is increasingly important in our communities. But what is resilience and what does it look and feel like on a day-to-day basis? Find out on the Road to Resilience.  Be able to apply this to your own life and build the resilience you need in the face of uncertainty.  To find out more, search for the Road to Resilience wherever you listen to podcasts, or visit www.dffh.vic.gov.au/recovery

This episode explores how joining farmer groups can transform farming businesses and personal well-being. Gippsland farmer Simon Lawler and consultant Chris Mirams share how networks like BetterBeef help farmers learn from each other, adapt to challenges, and build supportive communities.

Want to learn more or get involved? Explore the BestWool/BestLamb and BetterBeef networks or subscribe to Newsflash for updates.

After losing his entire farm to a fire in 2020, Matt Zagami chose resilience by rebuilding and diversifying his business, Avagrow Farms. For him, farming in Australia means facing challenges head-on, solving problems pragmatically, and adapting to whatever the climate throws his way.

The Farm Business Resilience Program is jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Victorian Government’s Future Agriculture Skills Capacity Fund.

Providing shade and shelter on your property has multiple benefits for livestock, biodiversity and amenity.  Join John-Paul Murphy and Kylie Macreadie to learn more about the how to plant the right trees in the right places to enhance farm business profitability and productivity.

The Farm Business Resilience Program is jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Victorian Government’s Future Agriculture Skills Capacity Fund. 

Recreational beekeeper Mike Allerton shares his personal experience with Varroa mite, hive loss, and recovery, while Jamie Perry-Meijer, Resilience Officer Officer for the National Varroa Mite Management Program, discusses mental health impacts and support strategies for apiarists.  

Learn how peer networks, biosecurity, and resilience tools are helping beekeepers adapt. 

Further Information:

This podcast episode discusses the engagement of culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) workers in the Victorian dairy industry, featuring insights from Jenny Wilson of the Gardiner Foundation and

They highlight the challenges faced by CaLD workers and strategies for creating culturally safe workplaces, emphasizing the importance of community connections and ongoing investment in diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Further information:

In this Farming Safe and Well episode, we explore how farm safety starts with inclusive inductions—especially for the 1 in 5 Australians affected by dyslexia. 

Samantha Pritchard shares her journey from corporate HR to developing dyslexia-friendly safety tools like short videos, simplified apps, and face-to-face communication strategies. She emphasises the importance of a full-week induction and the power of kitchen-table conversations. 

We also hear from Sheree Henderson, who brings a practical, on-farm perspective. She outlines how her family farm uses conversational inductions, bi-monthly toolbox meetings, and annual training to ensure everyone—from full-time staff to contractors—goes home safe. 

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