Summary of SGCF Projects 2018–2020
Sheep and Goat Compensation Fund overview
Victoria's Sheep and Goat Compensation Fund (SGCF) is established under the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994 (the Act). The Fund primarily comprises livestock duties paid on the sale of sheep and goats or their carcasses in Victoria.
The SGCF receives $0.12 for each sheep or goat, or each carcass of sheep or goat sold.
Under Section 79B(2) of the Act, the Minister for Agriculture may make payments from the Sheep and Goat Compensation Fund from:
- administering the provisions of the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994 relating to sheep and goats
- programs and projects for the benefit of the sheep and goat industry in Victoria
- programs and projects for the control or eradication of disease of sheep or goats.
The Minister for Agriculture must not make a payment from the Fund unless the Minister has considered any relevant recommendations from the Sheep and Goat Compensation Advisory Committee (SGCAC).
The SGCAC has been established to provide advice to the Minister for Agriculture on the maximum amount of compensation that is payable, payments which should be made and any other matter referred to it by the Minister.
Sheep and Goat Compensation Advisory Committee Members
Under Section 79I(3) of Livestock Disease Control Act 1994 the SGCAC comprises eight members appointed by the Minister as follows:
Section 79(3) of the Act
(a) four are to be persons with suitable qualifications and experience relating to the sheep industry – Nominated by Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF)
(b) one is to be a person with suitable qualifications and experience relating to the goat industry – Nominated by Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF)
(c) one is to be a person with suitable qualifications and experience relating to the livestock agents profession – Nominated by Australian Livestock & Property Agents Association (ALPA)
(d) one is to be a person with suitable qualifications and experience relating to the meat processing industry – Nominated by Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC)
(e) one is to be a person nominated by the Secretary – Nominated by Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR)
Sheep and Goat Compensation Advisory Committee membership at the time the 2018-20 project funding was awarded
Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF)
- Mr Michael Craig (Chair) – Sheep Industry
- Mr Leonard Vallance – Sheep Industry
- Mr Christopher Draffin – Sheep Industry
- Mr James Tehan – Sheep Industry
- Ms Faye Tuchtan – Goat Industry
Australian Livestock & Property Agents Association (ALPA)
- Ms Elizabeth Summerville – Livestock Agent’s Profession
Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC)
- Mr Noel Kelson – Meat Processing Industry
State Government
- Dr Charles Milne, Chief Veterinary Officer, DJPR (until May 2019)
- Secretary’s nominee – Vacant
2018–2020 projects
Funding from the sheep and goat compensation Fund
In 2018-20 the Sheep and Goat Compensation Fund supported 20 projects.
Projects funded from Sheep and Goat Compensation Fund during Financial Year 2018-2020
Any under expenditure remains in the Sheep and Goat Compensation Fund. Expended figures as at June 2021.
* These projects were approved by the Minister however are listed as $0 expenditure as no payments have occurred.
Disease investigation training for veterinary practitioners
Deliver training in animal disease investigation that will increase the knowledge, competency and capacity of private veterinarians to conduct a thorough and effective disease investigation in livestock.
Administered by: Agriculture Victoria
Allocated: $70,000
Expended: $21,057
Significant disease investigations (including anthrax investigations)
- Provide financial subsidies to cattle producers to offset the cost of engaging a private veterinarian to undertake an investigation of a significant disease event.
- Encourage private veterinarians to investigate and report significant disease events.
Administered by: Agriculture Victoria
Allocated: $135,000
Expended: $135,000
VFF Livestock Project Officers (Animal Health and Biosecurity Extension) Project
Deliver key animal health and biosecurity messages to all Victorian sheep meat, wool, goat and beef producers with a focus on endemic disease that impact farm profitability, animal welfare and Victoria’s biosecurity status. This includes the provision of educational workshops for all producers; develop and/or distribute related industry materials including VFF online resources to the farming community; and act as a point of contact for any animal health and biosecurity questions.
Administered by: Victorian Farmers Federation
Allocated: $85,909
Expended: $85,909
VFF Policy Development and Livestock Industry Network Project
- Contribute to policy development at a state and national level in relation to biosecurity and welfare, particularly in the context of welfare/management standards, disease surveillance, endemic disease control and emergency animal disease preparations.
- Maintain industry networks at producer and national levels to facilitate the effective communication of information, particularly in the context of natural disasters and emergency disease response, the maintenance of appropriate biosecurity and livestock management standards.
- Represent Victoria’s livestock health and welfare interests at a national level.
Administered by: Victorian Farmers Federation
Allocated: $59,162
Expended: $59,162
Sheep and goat veterinary officers project (including Sheep Notes)
- Develop expertise within DEDJTR by the employment and continual development of two veterinary officers serving the sheep and goat industries.
- Manage endemic disease programs (ovine and caprine Johne’s disease, caprine arthritis encephalitis, ovine brucellosis, National Sheep Health Monitoring Project reporting).
- Inform sheep industry stakeholders of disease, welfare, biosecurity and production issues through the production of Sheep Notes.
Administered by: Agriculture Victoria
Allocated: $210,000
Expended: $189,150
Saleyards and abattoir surveillance project
- Detect incursions of emergency animal diseases in the sheep and goat industries.
- Investigate and describe the causes of mortality and loss in transported sheep and goats at Victorian saleyards and abattoirs.
- Maintain or enhance DEDJTR staff capabilities in disease surveillance and gross necropsy.
Administered by: Agriculture Victoria
Allocated: $200,000
Expended: $81,113
Sheep and goat mortality surveillance project
- Detect incursions of emergency animal diseases in the sheep and goat industries.
- Investigate and describe the causes of mortality and loss in sheep and goats on Victorian farms.
- Provide DEDJTR staff the opportunity to maintain or enhance their capabilities in disease surveillance, especially in gross necropsy.
Administered by: Agriculture Victoria
Allocated: $100,000
Expended: $56,071
Abattoir (Sheep and Goat) monitoring feedback for Production Diseases
- To establish causes of deaths in sheep and goats in Victorian abattoirs; advise producers with data on disease detected and prevalence.
- Develop and deliver factsheet.
Administered by: Agriculture Victoria
Allocated: $10,000
Expended: $6,353
Validation of a field test for the Identification of anthrax in Victorian Sheep
Determine the true accuracy (i.e. sensitivity and specificity) and repeatability of the commonly used field test for anthrax in sheep, namely the Immunochromatographic test (ICT).
Administered by: Agriculture Victoria
Allocated: $383,000
Expended: $169,370
Vaccination of sheep against anthrax
Support the provision of specialist advice on sheep and goat diseases (as required).
Administered by: Agriculture Victoria
Allocated: $50,000
Expended: $50,000
NLIS Sheep Tag Subsidy
- Maintain attractively priced tags for Victorian producers.
- Provide opportunities to explore and utilise the potential on-farm productivity benefits associated with electronic identification technology.
- Assist industry in transitioning to sheep and goat electronic identification.
Administered by: Agriculture Victoria
Allocated: $1,022,000
Expended: $275,235
Traceability for Market Access
- Supports farm productivity improvements and profitability.
- Improves biosecurity preparedness for the sheep and goat sectors.
Administered by: Agriculture Victoria
Allocated: $1,050,000
Expended: $700,000
Sheep & Goat Disease Surveillance
- Improve the health and welfare of Victoria’s sheep and goat flocks through improved diagnostic capability.
- Improve collaboration and partnerships between DJPR, across the industry, and at a national level.
- Develop the technical skills and knowledge of DJPR staff.
- Better prepare the Victorian sheep and goat industries to recognise and mitigate risks from EADs, build resilience, and enhance market access.
Administered by: Agriculture Victoria
Allocated: $300,000
Expended: $300,000
Sheep Notes Newsletter
- Make information more accessible to all sheep & goat producers to help them proactively manage biosecurity risks and animal health and adopt animal identification technology.
- Manage animal welfare and optimise livestock production.
- Assist in extending regulative requirements to all sheep and goat producers in Victoria.
- Increase accessibility by providing valuable information for producers not engaged in Agriculture Victoria’s network programs.
Administered by: Agriculture Victoria
Allocated: $80,000
Expended: $43,642
Peri-Urban Livestock Project Officers
- The delivery of at least 5 educational events with positive feedback on changed awareness from a significant percentage of participants.
- The development and distribution of online resources, including 3 webinars, with at least 70% of surveyed users, indicating they have improved their awareness and would be likely to do something different in relation to biosecurity.
- Establishment of a reliable point of contact and networking information for peri-urban landholders who need to know more about biosecurity matters;
- The development of a welcome pack containing educative information for new peri-urban landholders.
- Evaluation of the Project against the funding criteria.
- Generally improved awareness by peri-urban landholders of biosecurity practices, to help safeguard Victoria’s meat, milk and fibre industries.
Administered by: Victorian Farmers Federation
Allocated: $129,625
Expended: $129,625
Microwaving Anthrax
Submission of a Research Report that includes:
- A review of research methodology
- Liaison with Technical experts
- Development of a list of key industry contacts
- An international literature review;
- Research into the development of potential experiments
- Research into determining the possibility of, and requirements for, laboratory and in-field experiments using Anthrax
The delivery of a final design for a research project informed by the elements listed above.
Administered by: Victorian Farmers Federation
Allocated: $15,513
Expended: $8,319
Producer-led Biosecurity Extension
- Increased engagement and capacity leading to practice change on-farm and an economic benefit to producers and the Victorian industry.
- Improved knowledge of responsibilities across the supply chain including willingness to comply in surveillance, traceability, EAD preparedness and response, and
- Maintenance of Victoria’s biosecurity status and market access.
Administered by: Victorian Farmers Federation
Allocated: $50,000
Expended: $38,645
Livestock Project Officers – 6-month Continuation Project
- Increased engagement and capacity leading to practice change on-farm and an economic benefit to producers and the Victorian industry.
- Improved knowledge of responsibilities across the supply chain, including willingness to comply in surveillance, traceability, EAD preparedness and response.
- Maintenance of Victoria’s biosecurity status and market access.
Administered by: Victorian Farmers Federation
Allocated: $90,000
Expended: $86,663
Local Area Networks for Disease Information – Stage 2
- Reliable, continuous collection of disease surveillance data from regional Victoria.
- Improved mechanisms to monitor and report unusual, emerging, or ‘exotic’ livestock diseases, improving Victoria’s capacity to respond to livestock disease outbreaks.
- Improved capacity building for the sheep and cattle industries, through enhanced training of farmers and veterinarians and their students, in the identification and diagnosis of sheep and cattle diseases.
- Secure online method for recording observations on livestock diseases by farmers in a database managed by Agriculture Victoria.
Administered by: Melbourne University
Allocated: $277,537
Expended: $0*