The Queensland government has announced it will invest $4.38 million to support sugarcane growers in implementing enhanced management practices and improve the quality of water flowing off their land and onto the Great Barrier Reef.
The six organisations to be funded to provide expert advice on improving crop nutrient use, addressing soil constraints and enhancing farm management planning comprise 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, Resource Consulting Services Pty Ltd (Mackay Whitsunday), and Tully Cane Productivity Services Ltd.
This funding is part of the government's $125.1m investment to support agricultural industries to improve land condition, reduce soil loss to waterways and improve their business resilience
The organisations were selected following an open market process that invited agronomic industry experts to develop projects that will help sugarcane growers improve fertiliser use efficiency on their farms.
They will provide expert advice and support to help cane growers improve crop nutrient use through practices like refined fertiliser application rates, addressing soil constraints and farm management planning to save money and reduce the amount of fertiliser being lost to waterways.
The funding is part of a $125.1m investment by the state government to support agricultural industries including the cane, grazing, banana, horticulture and grain sectors to improve land condition, reduce losses to waterways and increase business resilience.
Environment and the Great Barrier Reef minister Leanne Linard said it was critical to protect the GBR and the thousands of species who call it home.
"We know that poor quality water running off the land and out to the reef is a critical threat, and for many years sugarcane growers have been a key partner in our work to improve water quality, and I thank them for their ongoing support," she said.
"Growers have told us how much they value opportunities to work one-on-one with industry experts to gain valuable insights on how they can improve their productivity and profitability through improved farm management, which in turn benefits the environment through improved water quality flowing to the reef.
"I encourage all sugarcane growers interested in doing their bit to protect the Reef and improve their on-farm practices to reach out to one of the successful providers in your local area to explore opportunities to be part of this program."
Resource Consulting Services GM Trevor Crook said they would team up with Farmacist to work with sugarcane producers through a program that places the business owners at the core.
"The program combines holistic management training, one-on-one business coaching and agronomic advice within a supportive learning environment to promote producer-led change in pursuit of their respective vision and goals," Mr Crook said.
"Participants will discover and adapt techniques that increase profitability through improvements in the fertiliser efficiency of their farming systems."
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