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What kind of information do you want to hear about?
We'd love to hear from you.
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Have you received your rates notice?
POSSIBLE MAILING DELAYS
They call it snail mail for a reason… Unfortunately, due to some setbacks with COVID-19 some customers received their rates notice late.
There is no need to panic though, late notices won’t be issued until the end of March with interest and penalties delayed making sure no one is impacted by these delays.
Please reach out to our friendly customer service team on 1300 795 299 if you haven’t already. They will be able to assist you with any rates questions you may have.
For more information or to pay your rates online please visit our dedicated rates portal at www.lls.nsw.gov.au/rates.
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World Wildlife Day - 3 March
RECOVERING KEY SPECIES
With World Wildlife Day's theme this year “Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration”, you may hear the words threatened, endangered or vulnerable thrown around a lot when we are talking about plants or animals. For example, you may have heard on the news lately that koalas were recently listed as an endangered species in NSW.
But what does that mean? And what work are we undertaking to restore koala habitat?
Click to read about our on-ground projects.
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World Wildlife Day will drive the debate towards the imperative need to reverse the fate of the most critically endangered species, to support the restoration of their habitats and ecosystems and to promote their sustainable use.
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The mighty euc - worth celebrating
NATIONAL EUCALYPT DAY - 23 MARCH
Australia has around 900 species of eucalypts, with all but 16 species being endemic. Eucalypts dominate the Australian landscape and provide invaluable services for our atmosphere and ecosystems.
One of the greatest places on earth to see the diversity of eucalypts is the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, situated on the eastern boundary of our region. Home to 96 species of eucalypts (13% of all eucalypt species), eucalypt diversity was one of the main reasons that the Greater Blue Mountains was added to the World Heritage Area register in 2000.
Want to know what species you’re looking at? Check out EUCLID - an online program (and app) that will help you understand and identify eucalypts.
Read more about the mighty euc here and visit Eucalypt Australia for ways to celebrate this iconic Australian on 23 March.
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NSW Landcare and LLS conference now online
HAPPENING THIS MONTH
We’d love you to join us for this inspiring one-day event - Thursday 17 March 2022 from 9am-5pm. The ticket price has been reduced to $100 making it the best value conference you are likely to attend this year!
The conference will be followed by a FREE online awards ceremony celebrating the achievements of our incredible Landcare community from 6pm-8pm.
Some of the highlights include:
- Event MC – Craig Reucassel (War on Waste, The Chaser)
- Keynote presentations by Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons AO AFSM (Resilience NSW) and Dr Chadden Hunter (Planet Earth, Frozen Planet)
The conference theme – Rethink, Renew, Recharge – provides a platform to plan for the future of the Landcare movement, and promote innovative practices across NSW.
Register now for a day of inspirational speakers and to connect with your community.
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Winter forage crops for 2022
WHAT SHOULD YOU BE CONSIDERING?
 At beginning of most years, Clare Edwards, our Pasture Officer, usually gets enquiries about sowing winter forage cereal crops.
This year is a little different, with some major challenges and decisions to be made on planning and sowing winter forage crops.
It is a little bit bizarre to be thinking about sowing when there are still some paddocks to be harvested in the area in late February. However, there are some things you should be thinking about now.
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UFC (Ultimate Feed Challenge)
QUALITY v QUANTITY
With the record high livestock prices, balancing your feed quality budget may even be more important than balancing your feed quantity budget.
Pasture and forage crop selection/management this year will determine your profitability. While speed to market is driven by average daily weight gain (ADG), markets are increasingly using it as a proxy for determine superior animal welfare standards.
While some producers may be faced with a high proportion of low Me, low protein pasture such as dead red grass, rank phalaris, cocksfoot or fescue stands coming into autumn, others have higher quality options. Lucerne, chicory, white clover, forage brassica and plantain are just a few of the higher feed quality options.
Planning the right mix of pasture quantity and quality should be balanced with your enterprise needs. Click to read more including Pasture Officer Phil Cranney's top five tips for producing high quality pasture in spring for your livestock enterprise.
Image - Chicory, NSW DPI
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Preparing early to prevent grass tetany
GRASS TETANY REMAINS A RISK FOR 2022
 2021 was a bad year for grass tetany for many cattle producers on the Central Tablelands. Losses commenced in the autumn in cows that had spring drop calves still at foot and resumed in the spring when winter/spring calving commenced.
Some losses have already occurred this year in spring calving cows with calves at foot on cocksfoot and phalaris dominant pastures.
Given that many pastures have become perennial grass dominate and clover growth has therefore been suppressed, grass tetany remains a risk this year too.
One of the lessons from last year was to commence supplementation early to accustom cows to coming to a loose mix. Salt alone works well several months before calving with magnesium supplements introduced into the mix closer to calving.
Read more about preventing grass tetany in this NSW DPI Primefact.
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ALERT - Japanese encephalitis
Detections in domestic pig herds in NSW
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) has been identified in samples from multiple commercial piggeries in NSW in areas with reported high numbers of mosquitos in February 2022.
JEV in pigs is associated with the following:
- Aborted, mummified or malformed foetuses, stillborn or weak piglets born at term,
- Cause infertility in boars
- Nervous signs such as tremors and convulsions in pigs up to 6 months of age
If you suspect Japanese encephalitis in pigs within New South Wales, report it immediately on the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.
JEV is a mosquito-borne viral disease exotic to Australia. Infected mosquitoes can cause disease in wild and domestic birds, domestic and feral pigs, horses and other livestock species as well as people.
More information on JEV is available from www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/jev and information on human health effects is available from www.health.nsw.gov.au
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Are you a producer on the Central Tablelands? Have you signed up to Ag Advice? Our monthly advisory offers production-based information, advice and updates direct from our District Vets and Agricultural Team. Click the image to sign up.
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Don't collect firewood from TSRs
REMOVING TIMBER AN OFFENCE
As we look back on what has been a mild summer, we begin looking forward and prepare for the colder weather, it is a reminder that it is illegal to collect firewood from a Traveling Stock Reserve (TSR).
Anyone found removing firewood from a TSR can face a fine of up to $5,500
While permits are available to collect firewood from selected state forests, we do not issue permits for wood collection and we want to make it very clear that removing either standing or dead timber is not allowed on TSRs under any circumstances.
Fallen logs and standing timber on TSRs are extremely valuable refuge for many rare and endangered native plants and animals.
People can report any illegal activity to Local Land Services on 1300 795 299, or to their local police station on 131 444. Making a note of information such as registration numbers, descriptions, locations and dates can provide valuable assistance in the prosecution of offenders.
For more information about using TSRs visit our website or contact your nearest Local Land Services office on 1300 759 299.
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Upcoming aerial programs
COORDINATED PEST ANIMAL CONTROL
 We will be undertaking the annual wild dog aerial baiting program across the region again this autumn.
This program supports ongoing work being undertaken by landholders and community pest groups to protect livestock and wildlife from the impacts of predation from wild dogs.
The aerial baiting is undertaken in accordance with the NSW EPA Pesticide Control (1080 Bait Products) Order 2020 and the APVMA Permit Number- PER83516.
Individual landholder consents have been posted to over 100 landholders across the tablelands inviting them to participate in this coordinated program.
The program is only conducted across land areas considered inaccessible by foot and where landholder consent has been provided.
Further information relating to this program, including a project map, will be provided on our website in the coming week. Please contact your local Biosecurity Officer if you require additional information relating to the program.
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For any pest control works that you undertake, please ensure that you are undertaking appropriate pest control for the listed priority pest species on your land. This will help demonstrate that you are fulfilling your general biosecurity duty obligations and therefore adhering to the NSW Biosecurity Act, 2015.
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Molong biosecurity field day
MEET THE TEAM
Come along to the Molong Showgrounds on Monday 21 March to see how the Central Tablelands Local Land Services Biosecurity Team can help you manage biosecurity risks on your property.
You'll learn about invasive species management (including training, hire equipment, monitoring and control tools for foxes, cats, rabbits and pigs), our District Vet services, and TSR management.
Enjoy a free BBQ lunch whilst meeting our team and catch up with landholders in the Cabonne region.
For catering purposes we ask that you kindly reserve a spot here.
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REBATES FOR SMALL BUSINESS FEES AND CHARGES
Farm businesses can now register for $3,000 (up from $1,500) rebate through Service NSW. This rebate can help cover ongoing costs such as: food authority licences, liquor licenses, trade-person licenses, event fees, outdoor seating fees, council rates. To qualify, total wages need to be below the NSW payroll tax threshold of $1.2 million and you need to have an ABN, be registered for GST and have a turnover of at least $75,000 per year. The rebate will be available until 30 June 2022.
WOOLWORTHS JUNIOR LANDCARE GRANTS
To kick-off the school year, Landcare Australia and Woolworths are calling on primary schools and early learning centres to apply for a Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant. With 1,000 grants on offer this is a great opportunity to secure funding for your school’s environmental project. Applications close 18 March
LANDCARE SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM
Grants of up to $50,000 for NSW Landcare groups to carry out riverbank restoration work. The program will fund on-ground projects such as riverbank and stream restoration, on-farm erosion works and tree planting, to help mitigate erosion and ensure riverbanks and the wider ecosystems are healthy
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NSW LANDCARE AND LLS CONFERENCE – ONLINE
Between drought, bushfires, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic, Landcarers have had to adapt to a diverse range of testing conditions since the last conference was held in 2019. While these are all difficult events to manage, our landholders have not only been able to recover, but continue to improve agricultural productivity and better manage our natural resources. The conference theme – Rethink, Renew, Recharge – provides a platform to plan for the future of the Landcare movement, and promote innovative practices across NSW.
Thursday 17 March 2022
2022 FENNER CONFERENCE – CANBERRA & ONLINE
Australian agriculture today is largely unsustainable. Soils are degrading and are in need of regeneration and broad acre farming is delivering food in quantity but not always in quality. An exceptional group of speakers address the question: Can we feed ourselves and not destroy the Earth?
17-18 March 2022
SOIL HEALTH WORKSHOPS – VARIOUS
Over two sessions, learn how you can improve soil health, your farm's biggest asset. You will learn practical methods of field assessment and fundamental sampling techniques. If you have a farm of 10ha or more in the Central Tablelands LLS region you will be eligible for two free soil tests. Day one dates below with day two taking place approx 4-6 weeks after.
Friday 18 March (Day 1) - Orange
Thursday 26 May (Day 1) - Woodstock
Thursday 9 June (Day 1) - Cumnock
TROPICAL GRASS RESEARCH UPDATES – ORANGE & COWRA
The Livestock Productivity Partnership, funded by the MLA Donor Company and NSW DPI, present the tropical grass replicated plot trials at Orange and Cowra research stations. These trials may prompt you to consider new ways of adapting to climate risk in this region.
Monday 21 March 2022 – Orange
Wednesday 23 March 2022 – Cowra
BIOSECURITY FIELD DAY - MOLONG
Find out how the Central Tablelands Local Land Services Biosecurity Team can help you manage biosecurity risks on your property. You'll learn about Invasive species management (inc. training, hire equipment, monitoring and control tools for foxes, cats, rabbits, and pigs), our District Vet services, and TSR management. Enjoy a free BBQ lunch whilst meeting our team and catch up with landholders in the Cabonne region.
Monday 21 March 2022
RED LEGGED EARTH MITE - WEBINAR
Mites can be a major pest for grains and pastures. They also come with the added complications of being very small and hard to identify and of rising insecticide resistance in species such as the red legged earth mite. In this presentation the researchers from Cesar Australia will give an overview of how to identify mites in the field, a summary of the red legged earth mite biology and lifecycle and some tips for management.
Friday 25 March 2022
CONSERVATION IN ACTION CONFERENCE – ORANGE
Bringing together industry leaders in the conservation field. From scientists to policy makers, program managers through to specialists in implementing works in the field, this event will bring together all disciplines of natural resource management to facilitate the transition of cutting-edge environmental research into on-ground action.
2-4 May 2022
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