• 
• 
• 

You are here: Agriculture » Pests, Diseases and Weeds » Animal Diseases » Beef and Dairy Cows » Bovine Johnes Disease » Support for Owners of BJD Affected Herds

Support for Owners of Bovine Johne's Disease Affected Herds

Note Number: AG0921
Published: November 2001
Updated: November 2010

Owners or managers of herds affected with bovine Johne's disease (bjd) may require technical or financial advice. This information is available from various sources.

Technical advice

Department of Primary Industries (DPI) district animal health staff are available to discuss bjd or other animal health issues with groups or individuals. Technical information regarding bjd can also be found on DPI's animal health website http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au. Follow the links through the Farming and Agriculture section. This site also contains links to other bjd sites.

Private veterinary practitioners are another useful source of information regarding strategies to management bjd in a herd.

General dairy and beef management advice is available from DPI dairy or beef industry extension officers. Milk factory field staff and private farm management consultants are also sources of information.

Financial advice

Although losses due to bjd on an individual farm are usually low, affected producers may wish to seek financial advice.

Rural Financial Counselling Program

A network of rural financial counsellors provides free, independent, and confidential financial services for farmers and allied small businesses. Counsellors can assist with budgets, succession planning, retirement planning, diversification into other primary industries, obtaining pensions and communicating with financial institutions.

 

Location	Counsellor	Office Phone
Bairnsdale	Jason McAinch	03 5152 1514
Ballarat	Brian Gardiner	0427 094 675
Benalla	Carl Fraser	03 5761 1535
Bendigo	Greg Cahill	03 5447 9267
Bendigo	Kevin Scolyer	03 5442 2424
Bendigo	Alan Stevens	03 5442 2424
Carisbrook	Lyn Symons	03 5464 2346
Colac	Wayne Stephens	03 5232 2976
Corryong	Mr Bruce Dwerryhouse	02 6948 4489
Ellinbank	Ilona Kingston	03 5624 2286
Hamilton	Greg Lowe	03 5572 4540
Horsham	Patrick White	03 5381 1646
Horsham	Malcolm Wyeth	03 5381 1646
Kerang	Dominic Baxter	03 5450 3285
Kerang	Peter Carrigg	03 5450 3285
Kerang	Geoff Reseigh	03 5450 3285
Kyabram	Maryanne Black	03 5853 2825
Kyabram	Lindsay Brown	03 5853 2825
Kyabram	Tim Watson	03 5853 2825
Leongatha	Anne Gilligan	03 5662 2566
Leongatha	Marshall Scott	03 5662 2566
Maffra	Ross Neilson	03 5147 0855
Mildura	Stephanie Ferdelja	03 5022 0799
Mildura	Belinda Piccirillo	03 5022 0799
Mildura	George Stone	03 5022 0799
Mildura	David Talbot	03 5022 0799
Numurkah	Chris Howard	03 5862 0426
Pyramid Hill	Teresa Meulendijks	03 5450 3285
Rutherglen	Mr Paul Blackshaw	02 6030 4500
Seymour	Ken Slatter	03 5735 4342
Swan Hill	Teresa O’brien	0409 188 724
Terang	Vince Thorne	03 5595 2040
Wodonga	Tony Shirley	02 6057 5705
Wodonga	David Sheather	02 6057 5705
Woomerlang	John Byrne	03 5070 2155

 

For further information refer to http://www.daff.gov.au

The Rural Finance Corporation

The Rural Finance Corporation (http://www.ruralfinance.com.au) offers the following services:

• The Rural Finance Farm Management Deposit is a scheme whereby farmers are able to reduce their taxable income in high income years by setting aside pre-tax income as a cash reserve, to be withdrawn in less successful financial years.
• The Young Farmer Scheme provides interest rate concessions on land, livestock and machinery loans for eligible farmers under 40 years.

For further information relating to other grants that are occasionally made available contact 03 54482600

Banks and Financiers

Banks and financiers may be able to assist by restructuring loans to ease repayments.

Centrelink

Centrelink (http://www.centrelink.gov.au) provides information on a range of Commonwealth services, pensions and allowances.

• A Farm Help Re-establishment Grant is available for farmers who have qualified for Farm Help and who decide to leave farming. The Dairy Exit Program is the same as the re-establishment grant, but participants must have a Dairy Structural Adjustment Package right.
• General information for farmers wishing to access the aged pension upon retirement is available.
• Youth Allowance Payment is available for low-income families with full-time students over 16 years.
• Financial Information Service officers (FIS) are also available to help make informed financial decisions.

Further information can be obtained by calling 132 850 or Free Call Farmer assistance line 1800 050 585, or 132 490 (Youth Allowance) 132 300 (Retirement) or 132 300 (FIS officers).

United Dairyfarmers of Victoria (UDV)

Members can receive free financial advice, including how to deal with banks and when and how to restructure loans. Further information can be obtained by calling (03) 9207 5600.

National bjd Financial and Non Financial Assistance Package

The Cattle Council of Australia (CCA) provides assistance to beef cattle producers whose herds are known or found to be infected, or are suspected of being infected, with bovine Johne’s disease. The scheme is known as the National bjd Financial and Non Financial Assistance Package. Owners of affected beef herds will be given the opportunity to assess their herd situation with the help of an independent bjd Counsellor contracted by Animal Health Australia. For further information, contact the bjd Counsellor for Victoria, Mr David Allan (Ph 0427 572 879 or email david.a.allan@bigpond.com), or local DPI Animal Health staff.

Contact/Services available from DPI

Dairy Farm Monitor Project is a program offered by DPI. It assists primary producers to analyse their dairy farm business and plan for the longer term.

Further information about bjd can be obtained from your private veterinarian, DPI Animal Health staff or refer to the DPI web site: http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/farming/bjd.

Acknowledgements

This Agnote was originally developed by Alison Lee, November 2001 and reviewed by Alan Ross, Animal Health Field Services in December 2005 and August 2008.

This November 2010 version was reviewed by Dr David Champness, Animal Standards Branch, Biosecurity Victoria.