Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Peter Walsh (left) discusses a DPI-developed weather prediction application with researcher application with researcher Dr Malcolm McCaskill from the Hamilton research farm.
A NEW online weather prediction system for farmers was launched at Sheepvention on Tuesday.
The system, developed by scientists from the Department of Primary Industries (DPI), combines research results, computer modelling and weather forecasts to develop warnings of heat or cold stress in sheep up to a week ahead. It will also warn of weather problems for the horticulture sector.
Announcing the Coalition-funded system, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh said the warnings would allow producers to better manage potentially damaging weather events.
“The project involves the use of hourly temperature, wind speed and humidity data from the Bureau of Meteorology, combined with DPI research results and models,” Mr Walsh said.
The forecasts are available through DPI’s Victorian Resources Online website www.dpi.vic.gov.au/vro/ibaw
