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2010-2011 Annual Report: The year in review

DPI faced a challenging year in the face of flooding that affected a third of Victoria, one of the worst seasons for Queensland fruit fly outbreaks since records began in 1947 and a major Australian plague locust outbreak in the state’s north and north west.

Agriculture

Biosecurity

  • DPI redirected significant effort to respond to the major Australian plague locust outbreak that occurred in Victoria and other Australian states in 2010 and early 2011, resulting in some delays in finalising key projects. In the second half of 2010, more than 800 staff (including Department of Sustainability and Environment and Parks Victoria staff) were deployed to work in incident control centres, while about another 500 DPI staff were seconded or redirected to work on the locust response in DPI offices.
  • Victoria faced one of the worst seasons on record for Queensland fruit fly with outbreaks in most of the state’s key fruit-producing regions. Citrus, table grape and stone fruit industries in the Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area provided $1.1 million through Horticulture Australia to assist DPI in maintaining the area’s fruit fly-free status and to boost its potential to supply Asian markets.
  • DPI removed and burnt 4,068 chestnut trees on nine properties in the Ovens Valley in north east Victoria in September 2010 in a bid to eradicate chestnut blight, an exotic plant disease with the potential to destroy Victoria’s $10 million chestnut industry.
  • Improved community engagement through wild dog management groups and the increased use of ground baiting programs were among measures used to counter the menace of wild dogs, which cost Victoria more than $13 million annually in lost livestock production.

Floods

  • For the first time, DPI enacted its new role in food supply security and continuity during the January 2011 floods, which affected one third of Victoria.

Grains

  • DPI research indicates that there is potential to double yields of wheat and canola in the traditional pastoral areas of south west Victoria through the development of better-adapted varieties and management practices.

Dairy

  • Blood testing calves to work out their feed conversion efficiency may become common practice for dairy farmers following DPI research. The research investigated the genetic and psychological traits that are common in more feed-efficient dairy heifers.
  • DPI scientists developed the world’s first fully validated methods for ‘target’ metabolite analysis and metabolite ‘profiling’ in fresh milk.
  • The Accounting for Nutrients research project, led by DPI, revealed results that could save the dairy industry $70 million nationally.
  • The official opening of the $128 million Dairy Futures Co-operative Research Centre at Bundoora in Melbourne was in August 2010.

Horticulture

  • The Australian table grape industry achieved a historic breakthrough, exporting the first container of Sunraysia crimson seedless grapes to China six years after trying to break into the world’s largest market. DPI provided technical advice to the Australian Table Grape Association and the Commonwealth Government and facilitated visiting Chinese delegations to secure access to the market.
  • DPI facilitated a successful demonstration project in Thailand with the summer fruit industry, Austrade, Horticulture Australia Ltd and a Thai retailer to capitalise on the promising market segments for Australian summer fruit exports to Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
  • Following the launch of Booster BroccoliTM in 2009, DPI has continued to develop other products for the Australian and New Zealand markets including purple potatoes, orange cauliflowers, mini cabbages and carrots with high carotene content potential.
  • A $4 million research centre based at DPI Irymple near Mildura will investigate the impact of smoke taint on wine.

Meat and wool

  • Based on the results of the original DPI-led Lifetime Wool project, the Lifetime Ewe Management training program continued its proven impact on the sheep meat and wool industries. Improvements on participating farms could lead to an extra 200,000 lambs a year as result of the program.
  • The BestWool/BestLamb extension program, which delivers economic, environmental and social benefits to sheep producers and hones their practical and management skills, continued to expand with nine new groups formed across the state to take the total to 46.
  • Increases in stocking rates, livestock weights, wool production and reduced supplementary feed costs were some of the benefits identified at the conclusion of five years of EverGraze research into various perennial pasture systems.

Support for farmers

  • The State Government allocated $1.2 million to continue the First Farm Grant Program, which aims to enhance the productivity and sustainability of farm businesses managed by young farmers, until June 2012.
  • Banks and other creditors will be required to offer mediation to Victorian food and fibre producers before initiating debt recovery proceedings under new legislation. The Farm Debt Mediation Scheme will give farmers the opportunity to discuss such issues with the assistance of an impartial mediator.
  • The successful Sustainable Farm Families program continued to improve the physical and mental health of food and fibre-producing families across Victoria with 25 farmer workshops across the state.

Research and development

  • DPI took a leadership role in the development and promotion of the National Primary Industries Research, Development and Extension Framework to ensure Australia’s capabilities align with future industry needs.
  • The Australian Academy of Science recognised the scientific achievements and leadership of DPI scientist Professor Mike Goddard, who was among 17 leading Australian scientists elected as Fellows of the academy.

Animal welfare

  • Tough new dog laws, doubling the penalties for dogs that are a danger to the public, came into effect.
  • DPI delivered a responsible pet ownership program to 1,380 pre-schools and 812 primary schools.
  • In May 2011 DPI hosted a workshop on plans for animals in natural disasters. The workshop, which was attended by 50 key stakeholders from Australia and overseas, looked at integrating the needs of animals and their owners into emergency management planning at all levels of government in Australia.

Climate variability and natural resources

  • DPI actively influenced the national climate policy agenda for agriculture – particularly in relation to offset markets and the Federal Government’s Carbon Farming Initiative.
  • DPI launched an animated video series known as The Climatedogs to explain the key drivers that ‘round up’ Victoria’s rainfall and explain the main elements that bring about wet and dry weather. DPI presented local climate sessions to more than 4,000 Victorians in rural areas, explaining how climate drivers affect local rainfall and the seasons and describing the tools available to farmers.
  • DPI produced the first objective, industry-wide estimates of crop production values that underpin irrigation water use targets. The National Water Commission accepted that the DPI-developed satellite remote sensing evapotranspiration methods have a major role to play in the management and evaluation of water resource use in the Murray-Darling Basin.

Fisheries

Commercial fisheries

  • DPI initiated a program with the Eastern Zone Abalone Association to trial methods of culling sea urchins during commercial abalone diving operations to assess the feasibility of recovering commercially viable abalone habitat denuded by black sea urchins.

Recreational fisheries

  • The dedication of 300 anglers who collect data for fisheries researchers helped DPI win recognition for its Angler Diary Program from the Victorian Coastal Council and the United Nations Association.
  • Seventeen drought-affected lakes received almost 190,000 baby trout in 2010-11. DPI released more than 700,000 trout into Victoria’s waterways – a record year – to improve fishing opportunities.
  • An upgrade of the Snobs Creek fish hatchery at Eildon, at a cost of $1.9, million resulted in an increased capacity to breed native species such as Murray cod, golden perch and the endangered Macquarie perch and trout cod.
  • DPI scientists developed ‘TroutNav’ – a guide to help anglers target trout in summer and winter at Lake Dartmouth and Lake Hume in north eastern Victoria.

Forestry

Forestry management

  • A review of VicForests conducted by the Department of Treasury and Finance in conjunction with DPI found that VicForests achieved many of the objectives set at its inception and that its business model was still valid.
  • VicForests’ operations achieved a 93 per cent compliance rate against the Victorian Government’s environmental harvesting and closure operations requirements in 2010-11, according to an independent audit conducted by consulting firm URS Australia Pty Ltd.
  • DPI’s commissioned study, Victoria’s Forestry Communities: Adapting to Change in the Forestry Industries, found that native forestry in East Gippsland generates $150 million of economic activity and directly supports about 2,000 people in the region.
  • The Premier announced in an Administration of Acts General Order that a number of Acts relating to forest management in Victoria were to be transferred to the Agriculture and Food Security portfolio.
  • DPI commissioned two studies, which generated comprehensive information on the socioeconomic characteristics of Victoria’s forestry industries and dependent communities.

Earth resources

Mapping the future of coal

  • DPI hosted the Victorian Coal Road Map Workshop in June 2011, which explored pathways to the competitive use of Victoria’s brown coal resources. 

Promoting investment

  • The Rediscover Victoria initiative received additional funding of $625,000 and an extension of 12 months.
  • The release in April 2011 of new petroleum exploration acreage in Victoria’s Gippsland and Otway Basins opened up these regions to further petroleum exploration.

Energy

Electricity generation

  • DPI was active in exploring whether medium-scale solar power has the potential to contribute to the security, reliability and affordability of Victoria’s electricity supply, and assist in reduction of peak demand.
  • A DPI discussion paper on medium-scale solar, released in October 2010, looked at the benefits of investing in medium-scale solar, as well as the barriers to investment and how these could be surmounted. The Minister for Energy and Resources released the final report on medium-scale solar in March 2011.

Energy technology development

  • Energy technology investment in Victoria received an additional State Budget allocation of $41 million.
  • In August 2010, the State Government allocated $4.9 million to Monash University, the University of Melbourne and five businesses under the Sustainable Energy Research and Development Program to undertake various research projects, including the continuing development of organic printable solar cells.
  • The Commonwealth Government redirected $19 million to support phase two of the Geoscience Evaluation Program. The Victorian Government matched this funding as part of the $110 million Carbon Capture and Storage Large Scale Demonstration Program. Energy consumers
  • In early 2011, the State Government commissioned an independent review of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (‘Smart Meters’) program, as recommended by the Auditor-General.
  • The Ministerial Council on Energy set 1 July 2012 as the revised date for the implementation of the National Energy Customer Framework. DPI is developing the necessary legislation to implement the framework.

Energy consumers

  • In early 2011, the State Government commissioned an independent review of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (‘Smart Meters’) program, as recommended by the Auditor-General.
  • The Ministerial Council on Energy set 1 July 2012 as the revised date for the implementation of the National Energy Customer Framework. DPI is developing the necessary legislation to implement the framework.