The Dirt — Tasmanian Farming News September 2025
Welcome to the September 2025 edition of our monthly newsletter, The Dirt. Get the latest Tasmanian farming news from our community and beyond!
TEAM UPDATE
Spring has finally arrived, bringing with it a sense of renewal, preparation, and change. The mornings are still crisp, but the flowers are starting to bloom and the grass is looking greener by the day — a sure sign that the season is shifting.
Here at Sprout, August marked the wrap-up of the 2025 Sprout Producer Program with a weekend full of connection, exploration, and working bees. It’s been inspiring to watch this year’s cohort form such strong bonds, and their commitment to supporting one another continues to shine through.
We’ve also had a little reshuffle within the Sprout team. Dom has stepped into a bigger role, taking on social media responsibilities and embracing the chance to connect with our community in new ways. We’re excited to see her energy and creativity in this space.
Looking ahead, the big news for September is the upcoming opening of applications for the 2026 Sprout Producer Program. While we haven’t set a firm date yet, applications are expected to open towards the end of the month. We’ll also be releasing tickets for the next round of Low Stress Stock Handling workshops, run in collaboration with Tas Farmers and Nic Kentish, scheduled for early November in the Derwent Valley. Keep an eye out later this month for both SPP application details and workshop ticket links!
Warmly,
Calum Jacobsen
Administration & Communications Officer
IN Our Paddock
The End and New Beginnings
The 2025 Sprout Producers Program Has Come To A Close
Watching the relationships, learnings and farming confidence grow across the 2025 Sprout Producer Program cohort has been wonderful to witness and support. As we approached the final Connections Wrap-up Weekend, I was saddened to think the program was finishing and this may be the last time we all came together as a group. Delightfully, this will not be the case for the 2025 crew. We helped make magic happen!
In mid-August, we came together for our final weekend in beautiful Deviot overlooking Kanamaluka/River Tamar. Settling into our group accommodation at Nindethana, a lovely bushland Girl Guides camphouse and grounds, friendships and fun were embraced over communal dinners and fireside chats. We wanted this final weekend to solidify and celebrate the connections made across the cohort and the Sprout community, allow opportunities to reflect upon our journeys, and explore the potential of “life after the Sprout Producer Program”.
Where better to embrace the bringing together of growers and makers than the Launceston Harvest Market on a crisp but sunny Saturday morning. The Harvest crew are big supporters of Sprout and all that we do, as we are of them, and they were excited to sit down with this year’s cohort and delve into market stall and customer dynamics. Our host Rhys Hannan, shared his passion for Tasmania’s produce and his insights on what makes a farmers market tick. We were also able to draw on his cheffing expertise and discuss working with restaurants and chefs. A takeaway message – embrace your story and know it sets you apart. To witness what an absolute champion of Tassie produce this guy truly is, check out his videos and recipes created showcasing Harvest Market products on their Recipes webpage.
After rewarming our chilly bones back at Nindethana, we welcomed the familiar face of Bonnie Tuttle, who facilitated our initial Connections Weekend. Bonnie joined us for the important task of exploring “life after the Sprout Producer Program”. As the first question was posed – do you want to stay connected – I held my breath….and as the unanimous answer of yes emerged I whooped for joy. Connected communities are resilient communities, farmers thrive when they have a trusted support network to turn to. With the first big question answered, Bonnie artfully guided the crew through a collective design process to reveal a schedule of working bees and pot luck dinners. This would not be the last time this crew would come together to support each other, the teaching and learning would continue, they now had a solid network of peers to grow alongside and a sustainable mechanism for staying in touch. With a sense of my job here being done the wine flowed that night.
Sunday morning was a time to reflect on our Sprout Producer Program journeys and we absolutely had to take the opportunity to have a morning stroll to Marion’s Vineyard. Cynthia applies biodynamic and organic practices amongst the family vineyard and has a lot of learnings to share having traversed organic transitions, certification and back again. Then it was back to Woodsong Farm, home of program participant Jess Morrison, to test out what a bunch of Sprouting farmers can do with an orchard in need of a good prune. The answer, teach each other the techniques involved, and smash out 20+ trees in 1.5 hours including clean-up. With the working bee concept effectively proofed, it was time for these Sprouters to officially Sprout and graduate from the 2025 Sprout Producer Program.
Each and every human on this program has brought their unique wisdom to the knowledge circle. It has been an honour to curate the space for their connections to form and learnings to be shared and absorbed. The intention of this program is to support small scale growers to thrive. We enable this by throwing all the ingredients we have at our disposal into a pot, stir it up a little and let it simmer. What emerges is a magnificent blend, rich with unique character, enriched by terroir and embodied by beautiful humans choosing an honourable and sustainable life path. The special sauce of the Sprout Producer Program, vintage 2025, has now been released. Keep an eye out for these wonderful farmers, there are exciting journeys ahead.
Sprout would like to thank all of the farmers and specialists that have generously shared their time and wisdom this year. A big thank you to Mutterliebe for the delicious morning teas and Sprout Board alumni / Harvest Launceston COO, Amanda Woollams for saving my cake. Also, we are immensely grateful to our program sponsors, allowing us to deliver this rich learning and development program at minimal cost to the participants. You are all ingredients of the 2025 special sauce.
– Dominique Bowen Butchart
Producer Liaison Officer
🌱 Be Part of the 2026 Sprout Producer Program
Every year, a group of farmers and producers set out on a 6-month journey with Sprout — one that transforms not just their enterprises, but the way they connect with each other and the land. The Sprout Producer Program (SPP) is designed for people passionate about small-scale agriculture, food, and fibre, who want to build both their knowledge and their networks.
Over half a year, participants dive into a mix of field trips, practical workshops, development sessions, and online learning. Along the way, they meet other farmers facing the same challenges and opportunities, building connections that last well beyond the program. It’s a people-first, family-friendly environment where you’ll gain confidence, clarity, and support — and discover you’re not on the journey alone.
If you’re ready to take your farming vision to the next level, or know someone who is, this is the opportunity.
Applications for the 2026 program open in September — stay tuned for the official launch!
🌏 Dom Represents Sprout at National Climate Summit
We’re absolutely delighted that Dom has received sponsorship from the Tas Farm Innovation Hub to attend the Farmers for Climate Action – Farming Forever National Summit in Canberra later this year. 🎉
This exciting event will bring together farmers and industry leaders from across the country to share ideas, build connections, and shape the future of climate-smart farming. Dom will be there proudly wearing both her farmer and Sprout hats, and we can’t wait to see the knowledge and inspiration she brings back to our community.
📖 For those of you that want to learn more about the summit head here: Farming Forever National Summit
And a huge congratulations, Dom — we’re SUPER proud of you! 💚👏
Your Community
Potato Mop-Top Virus Hits Tasmania
Tasmania is facing its first-ever detection of the potato mop-top virus (PMTV) in Australia, a soil-borne threat now confirmed across six Tasmanian properties. Initially identified on a farm in the state’s northwest in July, the virus has since been found in a research plot in the south and several seed potato sites in the north and northwest.
PMTV is transmitted through a fungal vector and causes distortions in potato skin and flesh, including rust-coloured arcs and necrosis, which can significantly reduce both yield and processing quality. While the virus poses no risk to human health, it presents a serious challenge for growers.
Authorities have mobilised a dedicated Incident Management Team and introduced strict biosecurity controls on the movement of soil, machinery, and potato materials across affected sites. Growers are being urged to remain vigilant as planting season approaches, with early detection and reporting critical to limiting further spread.
All growers, commercial and recreational, should familiarise themselves with the signs of PMTV as soon as possible. For further information please visit the NRE Potato Mop-top Virus information page.
🌱 Upcoming Webinar: Financial Support Services
Resilient Farming Tasmania is hosting a free online webinar exploring the range of financial support services available to farmers, food producers, and small businesses. This is a great chance to hear directly from experts about the programs, tools, and advice that can help strengthen your business and provide extra support during challenging times.
📅 Sunday 15 September 2025
🖥️ Topic: Financial Support Services for producers and small businesses
🔗 Register here via Humanitix
Whether you’re just starting out, expanding your enterprise, or looking for guidance to navigate changing conditions, this webinar will share practical insights and connections to help you make the most of what’s available.
🥩 Australia’s Abattoir Crisis
The Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA) has released a new report highlighting the deepening crisis in Australia’s abattoir network. Over the past decade, 50 abattoirs have closed, and fewer than 30% of those remaining still offer service kills for independent producers.
AFSA warns this isn’t just a supply chain problem — it’s a crisis of food sovereignty and farmer autonomy. As corporate and export-focused control grows, small and mid-scale farmers are losing access to fair processing options, while communities lose out on local, ethical meat.
At Sprout, we’ve been hearing the same stories here in Tasmania. Our recent Livestock Service Kill Processing Report explores the impacts on local producers and outlines opportunities for community-driven solutions, including the push for micro-abattoirs.
📖 Read AFSA’s report here: Report
📖 Read Sprout’s report here: Report
🍎 Have Your Say: National Food Security Strategy
On 13 August, the Federal Government announced it is developing a new National Food Security Strategy to strengthen Australia’s food systems. To inform the strategy, it has released the Feeding Australia discussion paper — now open for public consultation.
Key priorities outlined in the paper include:
- Building resilient supply chains
- Supporting productivity, innovation and growth
- Ensuring fair competition across the sector
Submissions are open until 24 September, and all Australians — including farmers and producers — are invited to contribute. This is a key chance to help shape how our food and farming systems evolve in the years ahead.
📖 Read the discussion paper and make a submission here: Feeding Australia – National Food Security Strategy
That’s it for our Tasmanian Farming News this month. As ever, do get in touch if you have any questions or issues. We’re always here to help.
Thanks as always,
The Sprout Team.