Like many cane growers across the state Paul Schembri is in the process of working towards Smartcane BMP accreditation on his operation at Farleigh near Mackay.
Mr Schembri has been in the cane game for over four decades and operates three family farms with his brother in the region and he’s also the director of Canegrowers Mackay and the Canegrowers Queensland Policy council.
Mr Schembri said 1132 Queensland cane farms, covering around 190,000 hectares (or some 50 per cent of the state’s harvested area), are working their way towards completing the Smartcane BMP program, with 45 farms accredited to date.
“Smartcane BMP helps cane growers with modules specifically tailored to improving soil health and nutrient management, irrigation and drainage management, and weed, pest and disease management,” Mr Schembri said.
“Meeting the practices in these modules helps cane farmers enhance their profitability and productivity, as well as meet legislative requirements,” he said.
Mr Schembri collates the business records supporting BMP accreditation, using printed maps of his farms on top of which he records fertiliser and agricultural chemical application.
“This meets both the BMP’s record keeping requirements, and it makes it easy for me to see at a glance what was done - where - on my farm.”
“After harvesting, I compare harvest results from each block with fertiliser and chemical application rates.
“This helps me determine the most cost-effective application of fertiliser and chemicals for the farm while minimising run-off.”
Mr Schembri’s said that there are many ways for farmers to keep records and Smartcane BMP recognises them all.
“They can be either on paper or electronic records, and various programs such as AgDat and the Smartcane BMP mobile app can assist with that.
“Either way, it’s the fact that accurate records are kept and collated that is important and the Smartcane BMP program can accommodate whatever approach suits the individual farmer.”
Member for Mirani Jim Pearce applauded the many sugarcane producers who had adopted best management practices.
“Through the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, we are funding and helping industry develop and roll out the voluntary program,’’ Mr Pearce said.
“The Smartcane BMP helps growers assess their practices to determine if they are ‘below’, ‘at’, or ‘above’ industry standards, with key guidance on how industry standards can be reached,” he said.
