The Dirt — Tasmanian Farming News November 2025
Welcome to the November 2025 edition of our monthly newsletter, The Dirt. Get the latest Tasmanian farming news from our community and beyond!
CEO UPDATE
Returning to Tassie after our incredible trip away for 3 months, has felt beautifully familiar, yet rather strange all at the same time. I am so deeply grateful to Kate, Dom and Calum, as well as the whole Sprout Board for rallying and keeping all the Sprout balls in the air, which enabled me the luxury of completely switching off (a rare privilege)!
I could fill the whole newsletter with my experiences and insights over the course of our trip, but that’s for another time. What I will say is that our country is absolutely breathtaking. So vast, varied and robust yet fragile and in need of care.
Already since returning, I’ve been carrying the torch for the producer sector and representing you. Here is a quick snapshot:
- We met with Agrigrowth staff to look at the next steps to keep the ball rolling following the release of our Livestock processing report.
- We have assisted in finalising guidelines that will aid people in putting together micro/mobile abattoir applications.
- We have a meeting scheduled with our new Primary Industries Minister – Gavin Pearce on 4th November.
- We attended a pre-consultation meeting with Biosecurity Tasmania, to discuss the upcoming release of the draft regulations for Tasmania, to respond to the updated Horticultural Standards. More on this below.
- We have reviewed the amazing applications we have received as part of the 2026 Sprout Producer Program round, and will soon be conducting interviews.
- We have events galore over the next few months, with Weaving Good Fire, Low Stress Stockhandling workshops, our Picnic in the Paddock event, Market Gardener Institute JM Fortier Tassie Tour, and helping to co-host with other Tassie stakeholders the National Food Policy Forum in Launceston.
There is a lot going on, and all of it positive! I am feeling refreshed, and I have a fire in my belly to continue ensuring Sprout is able to grow stronger.
I look forward to catching up with many of you in the paddock or office in the coming weeks.
Warmly,
Jen Robinson
CEO
IN Our Paddock
🏆 Celebrate Tassie’s Growers – Small Producer Of The Year Award 2025 🌿
Tasmania’s small-scale producers are the beating heart of our food system — growing with care, creativity, and courage. They’re the people nurturing soil health, feeding communities, and championing the values that make local food so special.
The SPOTY Award 2025 is our chance to celebrate these incredible people — the farmers who go above and beyond to grow good food and do good for the planet. Each year, this award shines a light on those who embody sustainability, community connection and innovation in farming.
Whether they’re running a market garden, raising livestock, producing honey, growing grains, or creating value-added products — we want to hear their story. These are the growers who quietly make a difference every day, and it’s time their work was recognised and celebrated.
🌟 What’s up for grabs this year?
Our 2025 winner will receive:
- 👢 Two pairs of Blundstone boots – ready for the season ahead,
- 💰 $500 cash prize, to support their ongoing work, and
- 🥄 A beautifully hand-crafted SPOTY Wooden Spoon, made by David from Phoenix Creations with the wood from the previous winners property, a symbol of the creativity and craftsmanship that defines small-scale farming in Tasmania.
But beyond the prizes, this award is about pride, recognition, and belonging. It’s about celebrating the diversity, innovation, and determination of those who keep Tasmania’s local food movement strong — the innovators, the quiet achievers, and the change makers growing a better future from the ground up.
If you know someone whose story deserves to be shared — or if that someone might even be you! — we’d love to hear from you.
Let’s come together to celebrate the hands, hearts and hard work behind Tasmania’s thriving small-scale farming community. 💚
LAST CHANCE: Low Stress Stock Handling Workshop
We are once again teaming up with TasFarmers to host a practical, on-farm learning experience with Nic Kentish — one of Australia’s leading voices in low stress stock handling.
Over two days you’ll build skills to work with livestock calmly and confidently, improving both animal welfare and safety on farm.
- 4–5 November 2025
- Ellendale, Central Highlands
- $175 for two days (heavily subsidised rate)
- Key takeaways: Calm animal movement, stress-free yard design, safer practices, and greater confidence in the paddock
This is the second in our series of workshops, giving our southern producers the chance to experience Nic’s thoughtful, practical approach and walk away with skills they can put into practice straight away. If you want to ensure your place, be sure to register ASAP as spots are limited!
🎉 Picnic In The Paddock
We are thrilled to invite our producers, supporters and friends to gather for Sprout’s inaugural Picnic in the Paddock — a joyful celebration of small-scale farming in Tasmania.
Being a small-scale farmer is worthy of a little jubilation. Each season brings its own rhythm — the high-fives and the broken boots, the tether and the toil. With our hands in the soil, our heads in the accounts and our hearts on our sleeves, we work with the weather, the market, and the political landscape to cultivate ethical nourishment for our communities.
This picnic is a chance to pause and celebrate that shared journey. Let’s come together to share the highs, lows and in-betweens, to reflect, connect, and remind ourselves that we are part of a vibrant network of farmers, producers and supporters who care deeply about the same things.
The Details
🗓 Date: Sunday, 23 November 2025
⏰ Time: 11:00am – 2:30pm
📍 Location: Okines Community House, Dodges Ferry
What to expect
- The announcement of the Small Producer of the Year Award
- A warm welcome and short address from Tony Scherer and Jen Robinson
- A relaxed communal picnic lunch surrounded by friends and family
- Lawn games, laughter and time to connect
What to Bring
- Your own picnic cutlery, crockery and mug/cup
- Your family and good cheer
- A dish or platter to share — please include a list of ingredients
- A picnic rug and/or camp chairs
This event is all about community — celebrating the people and passion behind Tasmania’s small-scale farms. Come as you are, bring what you love to share, and let’s toast another year of growing together. 🌱
🌿 A New Membership Structure
Sprout Tasmania exists to support small producers, that we engage with, consult, advocate on behalf of and hope to raise the voice of. Over the past 14 years, Sprout has grown from an idea into an organisation that is respected throughout the sector from producers, industry, stakeholders and government. We are at the table for discussions regarding legislative change, invited into consultation on regulations that impact producers, and an industry voice uniting the challenges, opportunities and successes of small producers throughout Tasmania. We are unique throughout Australia and acknowledged interstate for the work that we continue to navigate and support for our producers.
As we continue to grow as an organisation, we are stepping further into the strength that we can offer for producers, and are transitioning further into a member led model. We feel that the time is right to ensure our members gain a stronger connection with us as an organisation and part of that transition is the alteration to our membership fee structure.
We are moving away from an annual fee, and transitioning to a monthly membership option that will ensure Sprout is sustainable well into the future. This monthly fee will enable you to choose to pay what you can in order to support building sustainability for Sprout so that we can continue to grow and offer even more for our members.
We are always looking for additional ways to support and provide benefit for our members, and you can find our ever growing list of member benefits HERE
We see our members as partners, this is a shared journey to increasing capacity amongst small producers throughout our beautiful state. In supporting our producers we are supporting our community, our local food resiliency and our environmental care. We welcome members who are producers themselves, allys of producers, local food eaters and enjoyers, hospitality craftspeople who create from local produce and anyone else with an interest in seeing Tasmania’s producers thrive!
🌾 Jean-Martin Fortier Comes to Tasmania – December 2025
We’re thrilled to announce that globally renowned market gardener, educator and author Jean-Martin Fortier is coming to Tasmania this December for a special event hosted by Sprout Tasmania and Active Vista at Longley Organic Farm.
Join us for a day of learning, inspiration and connection as JM shares insights from over 20 years of experience in small-scale, ecological farming.
Morning Session (Free) – Keynote with Jean-Martin and a panel of Tasmanian producers exploring how small farms can grow big dreams while staying sustainable and community-focused.
Afternoon Workshop (Ticketed) – A deep dive into making small-scale farms financially viable, covering key crops, crop planning, time efficiency and team management. Includes a farm walk, afternoon tea and BBQ dinner.
📅 Saturday 7 December 2025
📍 Longley Organic Farm, 1690 Huon Rd Longley
🎟 Tickets on sale – members $250 | non-members $350
🛻 Camping available 8–10 December
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to learn from one of the world’s leading voices in regenerative, small-scale farming.
Have your say on draft horticultural regulation
Biosecurity Tasmania is inviting feedback via a public consultation process, on the draft Primary Produce Safety (Horticulture Produce) Regulations 2025.
The Regulations have been drafted under the Primary Produce Safety Act 2011 and adopt the new national Primary Production and Processing (PPP) Standards for Berries, Leafy Vegetables and Melons which were introduced in February 2025.
Sprout provided the Department with much of your feedback, post our 2 webinars engaging with many market gardeners from around the state. We were very clear that this new regulation needed to be approached with a tiered structure.
Unfortunately, these draft regulations have been drafted using a flat structure, no tiering at this point.
Sprout will be putting forward our own submission as part of the consultation process, however we will also be working hard to put together templates you will be able to use, to advocate collectively for what we see is necessary to ensure fair and equitable regulations, based on appropriate scale and risk.
So, go through the regulations when you have a chance, and watch this space for further updates from us. If you have any thoughts you want to share, please get in touch with Jen via email – jennifer@sprout.org.au
Your Community
🌾 National Food Policy Forum – Shaping Australia’s Food Future
Convened by Sustain: The Australian Food Network, the National Food Policy Forum will take place in Launceston on Tuesday 9 December, bringing together producers, policymakers, educators and advocates to co-design a fair, resilient and secure food system for Australia.
Sprout Tasmania is proud to take part in this important national conversation, alongside our friends at Eat Well Tasmania, Loaves and Fishes, School Food Matters and others who share our passion for local, ethical and sustainable food systems. Together, we’ll explore the opportunities emerging from the Federal Government’s National Food Security Strategy — and ensure the voices of small-scale, regenerative producers are firmly part of the discussion.
This is a rare opportunity to connect, collaborate and influence how policy reflects what’s happening on the ground here in Tasmania. If you’re passionate about the future of food, we’d love to see you there!
🌿 Clara & José Arrive in Tasmania
We’re pleased to welcome Clara Mujica and José Manuel Troncoso, who’ve recently arrived from southern Chile and are looking to connect with regenerative farms and community projects across Tasmania.
Clara holds degrees in Sociology, Pedagogy, and Agroecology, and José is a Geographer with a background in environmental and rural development. Together, they’ve worked on community gardens, native plant nurseries, reforestation, and livestock care, as well as leading community-driven sustainability and education projects in Chile.
Since arriving in Australia, they’ve gained hands-on experience in labouring, nurseries, and support work, and are now keen to contribute their skills and learn from local producers.
If you know of any opportunities or farms that could use an extra hand, you can reach them directly at +61 431 699 009.
🌱 Spuds in the Ground This Spring
Thinking of planting potatoes this weekend? You may have seen recent chatter about potato mop-top virus (PMTV) and wondered if it’s still safe to get your favourite root veg in the ground. The good news: it absolutely is! With a few simple steps, you can keep your patch thriving and biosecurity strong.
A few handy tips to keep in mind:
- 🥔 Always plant certified seed potatoes — ask your retailer to show you the certification label.
- 🥔 Skip the supermarket spuds and roadside stall potatoes — they’re for eating, not planting.
- 🥔 Potato peelings and waste are fine to toss into the green bin, your compost, or general waste — just don’t reuse compost containing potato waste in future potato beds.
- 🥔 Give your tools and boots a regular clean, especially if you’re moving between different garden areas.
And keep your eyes peeled (pun intended!) for anything unusual in your crop. If you spot something suspicious, snap a photo and get in touch with Biosecurity Tasmania at Biosecurity.Tasmania@nre.tas.gov.au or call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline: 1800 084 881.
🌦 On Farm Forum – Future Proofing for Climate Resilience
Are you a small property holder wondering how to prepare for the impacts of a changing climate?
Join West Tamar Landcare and Tamar NRM for an interactive On Farm Forum exploring practical ways to build climate resilience on your land.
Learn about potential climate impacts, how to plan and prepare for change, and how to use LIST Map as a valuable tool for on-farm decision making.
🗓 Saturday 22 November📍 Exeter Farm School, 37 Main Rd, Exeter⏰ 9:30am – 1:00pm🥗 Light lunch provided
🎙 Facilitator: Cassie Tickner-Smith, RMCG Consultant
This event is supported by the Tas Farm Innovation Hub through the Future Drought Fund.
👉 RSVP: admin@tamarnrm.com.au
📞 Enquiries: Alison – 0409 343 669
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.