Regional Roundup - April 2018

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: 30 April 2018; Last Updated: 06 June 2018

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

Farmers are now experiencing very dry conditions and are heavily reliant on fodder. Feed prices are expected to rise in response to dry conditions and speculation has begun about the possibility of drought.
Most dairy farmers have had a busy month sowing crops and irrigating. Many clients of the service expected their position to improve as the financial year progressed, however a dry summer and autumn and rising inputs have thwarted these expectations.
The Saputo acquisition of Murray Goulburn is now complete with the foreign review ruling signed on 18 April. Shareholders will receive a capital return payment of 80cents per share next month. There is considerable optimism around next year’s milk prices under the Saputo name.

Cropping/Sheep

In response to a lack of rainfall, farmers have been dry sowing crops. Some farmers have bought extra water to bring up fodder crops before the irrigation season ends. In response to this, water prices have risen sharply.
Those holding enough fodder to sell are expected to see good returns on sales in the wake of increased demand.

Fodder report (Goulburn/Murray Valley)

Grain Hay

Canola meal $400-$410/t Lucerne $230-$300/t

Maize $295-$305/t Pasture $150-$180/t

Wheat $295-$305/t Cereal $110

Barley $290-$300/t Straw $90-$100/t

Sheep prices experienced a small drop however they remain largely static. Wool prices are at an all-time high at present.

Beef

Poor rainfall across most of eastern Australia has impacted the cattle market. There is a lack of quality cattle in markets with many heifers going to meat processors. Projections for 2018 slaughter numbers have increased and following this is an expectation of lower prices.
Shepparton numbers again increased. Numbers consisted of a large percentage of unfinished lighter weighted vealers. Processors are seeking well finished bullocks and young cattle. Both dairy and beef cow prices were cheaper. There was strong demand from grain feeders for vealers.