ACFA E-Newsletter

4 September 2020

 SUGAR INDUSTRY

Reef regulations hot election issue in North Queensland

2 September 2020 | North Queensland Register

Controversial reef regulations are ramping up to be a hot election topic in North Queensland with Canegrowers calling for the legislation to be repealed.

LNP Leader Deb Frecklington this week wrote to 28 agricultural bodies, including the peak sugarcane growers group, promising to overhaul reef regulations if they win power at the October 31 election. More...

Scholarship available for engineering students in sugar mills

3 September 2020 | North Queensland Register

Engineering students have the chance to work in Australian sugar mills under a unique scholarship program.

The Australian Sugar Industry Scholarship enables Australian undergraduate engineering students in their final two years of study to gain experience during three paid placements in the sugar milling industry. More...

AGRICULTURE

Australian agribusinesses have eyes on a future less reliant on synthetic chemical fertilisers

1 Sep 2020 | Queensland Country Life

These days it's not just those farmers targeting organic or biodynamic certification for their crops who are moving away from synthetic chemical fertilisers.

A combination of factors, from growing pressure and demand from consumers for cleaner and greener produce, to increased understanding of the potential opportunities for boosting soil health and crop yield, is driving more and more agribusiness operators to investigate alternatives to synthetic chemical fertiliser (SCF). More...

• Crucial meeting to decide fate of ag workers permit system | Queensland Country Life
  
• Border restrictions eased for farmers and agribusinesses | Agriculture News
  

QFF election plan to make agriculture number one

26 August 2020 | QFF

We often hear about the value of Queensland’s agriculture sector from governments, and for good reason given in 2019 we were a $16.99 billion industry despite the ongoing drought. We also often hear about how much of what our farmers’ produce is exported, helping the balance of payments and contributing to the State’s economy at around $12 billion. Agriculture and the food supply chain also employ over 300,000 locals, or roughly one in seven Queenslanders, while many people enjoy its fresh, nutritious and safe produce. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector has ensured food security for Queenslanders and provided a sense of purpose and economic opportunity for many more. More...

• QFF releases its vision for making Queensland agriculture number one | QFF
  

Positive results from battery trial

4 September 2020 | Farm Weekly

Initial plant sampling from a Kojonup wheat crop field trials using fertiliser boosted with micronutrients sourced from recycled batteries, has proved promising.

Visually, plant samples taken at the end of last month from wheat plots treated with zinc and manganese derived from recycling of alkaline batteries, showed the treatments are performing well, according to Envirostream Australia Pty Ltd. More...

• Seed scam spreads to Australia | Farm Online
  
• Water recovery has added $72/megalitre to allocation prices | Farm Online
  

CRUSH STATISTICS

WEATHER AND CLIMATE

Bushfire royal commission: National disaster warning app needed

1 September 2020 | Farm Online

The royal commission tasked with examining Australia's natural disaster preparedness after the Black Summer bushfires says there is a need for a national warning app.

The commission is also considering recommending enshrining pay and protection for volunteers called to fight fires for weeks on end. More...

EVENTS

7 Sep 2020 -  Webinar: Weeds- their impact on cane production and their management. Current knowledge and gaps
9 Sept 2020 - Webinar: Engineering Sugarcane biomass for production of fuels and other bioproducts