Regional Roundup - February 2017

What we do

Rural Financial Counselling Services are:

Free, independent and confidential
Staffed by qualified and experienced Rural Financial Counsellors (RFCs) who understand farming and business – our RFCs are required to have a Diploma of Financial Counselling as minimum qualification, and have years of experience in assisting farming businesses
For primary producers of livestock, milk, honey, fruit, crops, wool, meat, vegetables, eggs, fish, plants, trees and logs
For small businesses who mainly support primary production such as: fencing, shearing sheep, controlling weeds or agricultural pests, managing stock, planting crops etc.
Able to assist farm or small agribusinesses experiencing or at risk of financial hardship
Able to come to your place of business or you can come and see us.

Assistance when

Rural Financial Counselling Services can assist businesses affected by:

Drought/water issues
Low commodity prices
Natural disasters
Structural adjustment
Industry downturns
Low equity/tight cash flow
Difficulties with lenders or access to finance
Unpaid creditors/debtors
Market disruptions
Changes in personal circumstances
Farm accidents or illness
Share farming/succession agreements/ contracts.

How can we help you

Rural Financial Counselling Services can help you:

Understand your financial position and the viability of your enterprise
Identify options to improve your financial position
Develop a plan to implement your chosen options, and implement that plan
Provide information, referrals, and support to access, government or industry grants and programs
Assist you to deal (whether through meetings or otherwise) with lending institutions in relation to:
- Applications and contracts with those institutions; and
- Processes relating to farm debt mediation
Assist you to identify the need for advice from professional service providers, and provide support with preparation for meetings with professional service providers.

News

NE Regional Soil Health Conference

NECMA conference

North East Regional Soil Health Conference - 14 May 2021 at Beechworth is for ALL land managers, agriculture industry groups and soil health service providers in North East Victoria.
Read more ...

Farm Finance getting prepared 2021 Webinar

Farm Finance

The team at the Young Farmer Business Network have put together a series of sessions designed to build skills in financial planning and business resilience for your farm business.
Read more ...

Details: Published: 28 February 2017; Last Updated: 31 May 2017

blog rru

Regional Round-up is a monthly newsletter providing an overview into the environmental and business conditions affecting farmers and rural businesses in the Goulburn Valley and North East Victoria.

Dairy

Areas of concern within the industry include limited cashflow, confidence in forecast milk prices, pending crop and pasture outlays and health.

The Global Dairy trade index has risen and fallen during February. An increase of 1.3% was recorded on 7 February but fell 3.2% on 21 February. This makes 7 rises and 5 falls from the last 12 sale events.

The Global Weighted Average price has remained constant, falling from US$3,517 to US$3,512 per tonne. This may be compared to the price in December 2013 of US$4,973 that supported a $6 per Kg MS domestic farm gate price.

Cropping/Sheep

Summer weeds emerging after good summer rains will mean that these need to be controlled in a timely way to limit moisture and nutrient removal.

An increase in wheat prices during the last 2 months ($10-15) has seen growers quick to offload some stored and warehoused grain. Other growers believe prices will continually improve over the next few months so are holding stock. This decision is generally determined by hope rather than well-considered market factors. Croppers who have decided to increase canola plantings for the coming season are rethinking their decision following emerging long-term forecasts of dryer than average conditions for March to May.

Horticulture

Some hail damage was reported at Cobram.

Beef

Conditions remain dry and warm and, consequently, pastures are drying off and weed management is an emerging problem.

Whilst beef prices eased a little, prices remain strong. Cashed-up beef producers are ensuring they have plenty of feed either stored or available to them when required.

Irrigation

Storage levels in Lake Eildon are at 70% against 39% last year. The Hume is holding 74% (against 31% LY) and Dartmouth 77% (against 44% LY). (GMW resources storage levels website.)

Determinations for all systems remain unchanged with the exception of a LWS allocation on the Murray system. Murray 100% HWS with 5% LWS, Goulburn 100% HWS and the Campaspe and Broken 100% HWS plus 100% LWS.

Temporary Market water prices averaged $50 for February. Trades for the 1st week of March are down to $45.

High Reliability water shares have fallen slightly; $2,369 for February but up to $2,610 for the first week of March. Low reliability shares traded for $260 in February (Refer Vic Water Register).