The latest news and updates from Canerise
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News, updates, and events from the CaneRise website
December 2024 | Newsletter No.8
Grower story
From old cotton harvester to new cane high-rise sprayer
Ron provides an update on the fabrication of a high-rise spray tractor from an old cotton picker. Ron first shared his story in May 2023 and CaneRise has followed up now that the sprayer is complete.
IrriSat update for improved use in sugarcane
IrriSAT v2 is a weather-based irrigation scheduling service which is used to inform farmers on how much water their crop has used and how much irrigation they need to apply. Information is produced daily, and can work across large spatial scales.
This irrigation platform has been updated after Mackay Canegrowers received funding to upgrade the program to make it better suited for sugarcane.
A short You Tube clip can be found below which helps explain how IrriSAT uses satellite imagery of plant canopy size and observations from nearby weather stations to determine crop water usage.
SRA are supporting growers to set up there farms on the IrriSAT platform, please just give us a call. Jessie Borg, District Delivery Officer, 0448 085 196
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Water Quality Projects
GBRF Regional Water Quality Programs come to an end
In total 10 Regional water quality programs have been delivered between 2020 – 2024. Find out what was delivered in other Reef regions including the five regional sugarcane programs via the recently developed Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s Achievement Brochures which can be found on the GBRF website here: https://www.barrierreef.org/what-we-do/reef-trust-partnership/water-quality-improvement/regional-actions
Just head to the region of interest and click on ‘read more’ to load the brochure
Funding Available
Mackay Sugar Plant Loan Program – Secure the Future
Plant Loans have been available to Mackay Sugar growers in different forms for many years with the original Plant Loans referred to as a part of the Secure the Future Program. Over the years some of the details have changed but the premise of the main program has remained the same and this is to provide 0% interest upfront loans for growers who are planting on new ground or taking over an underperforming farm. The Program has been very well supported since its inception with thousands of hectares planted with the provision of Plant Loan funding. This ultimately provides a benefit to both the grower and the miller.
Bringing land back into sugarcane production or taking over a poorly performing farm all comes with a hefty upfront cost with the payback likely to be a number of years away. The initial costs of diesel, chemical, fertiliser, plants, mill mud, equipment, and labour all create a drain on cashflow, and this is where the Plant Loans really are of value to help spread that upfront cost over a number of future seasons. This provides funds to be freed up to allow growers to take on the opportunity/strategy of bringing land back into cane production.
This is just one of the incentive Programs that Mackay Sugar has in place to support growers looking to put land back under cane or to increase the productivity on unproductive farms.
To find out more about the Program get in touch on 07 4953 8260.
What’s going on in the Region
Beyond Barriers – Mackay and Isaac Coastal Wetland restoration
We all understand the importance of healthy connected wetlands to maintain our region’s favourite past time – Fishing. To ensure a healthy fish population into the future, Reef Catchments has been working with local landholders and regional stakeholders to deliver wetland projects which will enhance fish connectivity and improve wetland and adjacent riparian habitats.
Under the Beyond Barriers projects and also continuing work started at Sandringham Lagoon, Reef Catchments will remove fish barriers to allow migration to breeding habitats, increase availability to dry season refuge pools and improve riparian habitat.
Most wetlands in Queensland and indeed throughout the Mackay Whitsundays and Isaac regions are located on private or leased land. Reef Catchments supports local landholders to improve wetlands situated on their land while also understanding and incorporating productivity and management requirements of the participating landholders.
For more information on the work being undertaken on some of the region’s wetlands check out some of the links on the Reef Catchments website:
Canerise funding extended
CaneRise has received funding through the Queensland Government’s Queensland Reef Water Quality Program to continue to help cane growers implement practices that improve their cane, soil and water quality in Reef catchment areas.
CaneRise was originally created as part of a project funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
Thanks for your interest in CaneRise and for contributing to the Mackay Whitsunday region through sustainable practices. If there is something you’d like to see or share in an upcoming newsletter, don’t forget to stay in touch!
CaneRise is supported by organisations in the Mackay Whitsunday region that are working in partnership to improve outcomes for cane farmers and the environment.
