THE Australian government and Terrain NRM are offering Wet Tropics’ sugar cane farmers a unique opportunity to build on existing efforts to improve the quality of water entering the Great Barrier Reef.
The $5 million Reef Trust Tender - Wet Tropics is a new Australian Government initiative that offers financial incentives to sugar cane farmers to improve their nitrogen use efficiency and help reduce nitrogen discharge from the Wet Tropics - one of the biggest known risks to the Great Barrier Reef.
“We are excited to be working with the Australian Government to support cane farmers in their endeavours to help preserve the Reef whilst maintaining or improving farm sustainability,” Terrain NRM’s CEO Carole Sweatman said.
The Reef Trust Tender – Wet Tropics is a four year program where farmers apply through a market-based competitive tender. Successful tenders are awarded based on the best value for money in improving nitrogen use efficiency on farm.
“It is a great opportunity for cane farmers across the Wet Tropics region,” Ms Sweatman said.
“Terrain NRM will be holding five workshops throughout the region from 1 to 5 December 2014. I strongly encourage cane farmers to attend to find out about the program and learn how to calculate nitrogen use efficiency for their property,” she said.
The workshops will be held as follows: December 1, Mossman; December 2, Cairns; December 3, Innisfail; December 4, Tully; and December 5, Ingham. For specific information on the times and locations of each workshop follow the links below.
To be eligible to make an application, sugar cane farmers need to register their expression of interest online at www.environment.gov.au/reef-trust-tender by December 18, 2014.
Only applicants who register their expression of interest will be eligible to lodge a tender from January 19 to February 19, 2015.
To find out more about Reef Trust – Wet Tropics, go to www.terrain.org.au, contact Terrain NRM at reeftrust@terrain.org.au, or call 1800 357 755.
For information about Reef Trust, go to the Department of Environment’s website www.environment.gov.au/reef-trust
