Tailored support
The Queensland Government is investing more than $10.38 million to provide sugarcane growers and graziers with access to tailored practice change advice and support from industry agronomic experts through the Sugarcane Practice Change Program and Grazing Practice Change Program.
The programs are designed to boost productivity and reduce polluted run-off in waterways flowing to the Great Barrier Reef.
Sugarcane Practice Change Program
The $4.38 million Sugarcane Practice Change Program focuses on improving nitrogen and phosphorus (fertiliser) use efficiency on sugarcane farms. The program works directly with growers and is delivered through suppliers who were selected through an open market tender process.
Participating growers receive expert agronomic advice and support to help them improve crop nutrient use efficiency through practices such as:
- refining fertiliser application rates
- addressing soil constraints, and
- farm management planning.
The suppliers are:
- Sugar Research Australia Limited (Wet Tropics and Burnett Mary regions)
- Tropical Agricultural Services Pty Ltd (Herbert)
- Farmacist Pty Ltd (Wet Tropics, Burdekin and Mackay Whitsunday regions)
- Innisfail District Cane Growers Organisation Limited (Innisfail district)
- Resource Consulting Services Pty Ltd (Mackay Whitsunday region)
- Tully Cane Productivity Services Ltd (Tully district).
Grazing Practice Change Program
The $6 million Grazing Practice Change Program focuses on improving grazing land management and land condition, while reducing soil loss to waterways and the Reef. The program works directly with graziers and is delivered through suppliers who were selected through an open market tender process.
Participating graziers work with expert advisers to apply the best available information about soils, climate, pasture and cattle management and together identify activities that help ensure their production base, pasture and soil health is maintained and sustained, increasing their business resilience.
The suppliers are:
- Reef Catchments (Mackay Whitsundays region)
- Burnett Mary Regional Group (Burnett Mary region)
- NQ Dry Tropics (Burdekin region)
- Farmacist (Mackay Whitsunday, Burdekin and Fitzroy regions)
- Resource Consulting Services (Fitzroy region)
- Dawson Catchment Coordinating Association (Fitzroy region).