Sugar Research Australia (SRA) has announced the appointment of new Adoption Officers, Tracy Hay, based at Meringa, and Carol-Anne Norris, based at Mackay.
The SRA Adoption Team, which Ms Hay and Ms Norris have joined, is an interface between sugarcane growers and millers and their Industry-Owned Company (IOC), SRA.
The Adoption Team is a vital link in helping see research investment translated into practical and useful outcomes on-farm, and at the mill.
Ms Hay has experience in agriculture, including a recent role as a Technical Field Officer with Mossman Agricultural Services, where she has worked closely with growers from the Mossman and Tablelands regions. She will be working as SRA’s Adoption Officer for varieties, where she will assist with the appropriate uptake of new varieties by growers.
Ms Norris has experience stakeholder relationship management and project management through prior work with North Queensland Bulk Ports. She will be working as an Adoption Officer for harvesting, working alongside Mr Phil Patane, who is leading a coordinated adoption program that is optimising the efficiency of sugarcane harvesting.
Both Adoption Officers will work closely with growers, millers, productivity services organisations, private sector extension providers, SRA staff, and others, to deliver profitability outcomes for growers and millers.
SRA CEO Mr Neil Fisher welcomed Ms Norris and Ms Hay to SRA, where they will be working on two crucial impact areas for the Australian sugarcane industry – varieties, and harvesting.
“Variety selection is a critical decision for sugarcane growers and millers, and this role is an opportunity to help deliver positive outcomes for the Australian sugarcane industry,” Mr Fisher said.
“Likewise, the industry has identified the opportunity of optimising the efficiency of sugarcane harvest, and this project is working closely with growers and operators in the field in their own conditions to improve harvesting efficiency.”