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ACFA E-Newsletter

23 April 2021

   

 SUGAR INDUSTRY

   

Transport hub adds to Oreco growth

17 April 2021 | Bundaberg Now

Oreco Group’s reputation as a developing mega business for the Bundaberg Region has been further enhanced with the pending finalisation of a 6000 square metre transport hub.


Located adjacent to the Isis Central Sugar Mill near Childers, Oreco is Australia’s largest producer of a range of mulch related products catering to garden and livestock feed requirements.


Business Development Manager Amber Gilbert said the company had come a long way since the days when it sourced local cane trash for conversion to sugar cane mulch. More...

   

Bundaberg in focus as indie filmmaker gets hooked on filming Flathead

20 April 2021 | ABC

Beer and rum cans litter a cluttered, ageing caravan in a paddock surrounded by sugar cane in Bundaberg in south-east Queensland. More...

Australia’s oldest sugar mill gets a spoonful of new

20 April 2021 | Foodmag

Ahrens partnered with Sunshine Sugar, the only 100% Australian grown, made and owned sugar manufacturer, to create an expansive facility that not only ticked all the boxes for functionality but was also a modern and aesthetically pleasing update to the century-old Harwood site. More...

   

Can sugarcane create jet fuel?

18 April 2021 | University of Hawai'i

A groundbreaking study investigating the growth of selected varieties of sugarcane to convert into high-performance jet fuel is underway at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM). Utilizing advanced technologies in agronomics and bioeconomy, the researchers are ultimately looking to improve the island’s environmental sustainability, build a stronger economy and create educational opportunities for students. More...

   
   

AGRICULTURE

   

From red to green to black

21 April 2021 | QFF

This week we recognise Earth Day, a day to focus and reflect on ensuring a healthy, sustainable habitat for people and wildlife alike. It serves as a reminder of how fragile our planet and its ecosystems are and how important it is to protect them for the future of our planet. Maintaining a sustainable and profitable agriculture sector is essential to the longevity and prosperity of Queensland farmers and the environment into the future. And it is for these future generations that many farmers steward their lands and operate their businesses to the highest standard, in order to leave them in a better condition than when they acquired them. More...

   

Farmers need to get into the space race says new report

22 April 2021 | Farm Online

The key to farmers unlocking billions of more dollars from new ag technology is orbiting in the skies above them, according to a new report released by Agrifutures Australia.


The federal government-funded rural research corporation commissioned the Australian National University (ANU) to do a wide-ranging study into the future role of satellites to lift farm productivity and value. More...

   

Water market among Australia's least regulated sectors

21 April 2021 | Queensland Country Life

An Australian Competition and Consumer Commission commissioner working on the authority's report into water markets in the Murray Darling Basin said the water industry was among the least regulated he has encountered in Australia. More...

Honda sticks with decision to say goodbye to Australian quad bike market

21 March 2021 | Farm Weekly

Major Japanese quad bike manufacturer Honda has confirmed it won't change its mind on quitting the Australian market on October 10.


Instead the motorcycle and vehicle manufacturing giant says it will focus on developing its market for side-by-sides in Australia. More...

   

Syngenta and Landcare team up for on-farm biodiversity project

19 April 2021 | Farm Online

Landcare and Syngenta will team up for an on-farm project, showcasing the benefits of improving biodiversity while protecting habitat for a range of native plants and animals.


The two-year partnership will create biodiverse habitats for endemic species, including pollinators, to restore and promote native ecology. More...

   

QLD ChemClear collection coming in July

April 2021 | ChemClear

Queensland agvet chemicals holders will have an opportunity to safely dispose of their unwanted or obsolete chemicals with a ChemClear collection scheduled for July and August this year.


With the recent floods through much of the eastern parts of the country there may be chemicals that have become unidentifiable, making this is a timely service to remove these. More...

   

$2 million for increased access to Agvet chemicals

20 April 2021 | Australian Government

The Australian Government is providing farmers with greater flexibility to combat pests, diseases, and weeds through the sixth round of the Assistance Grants - Access to Industry Priority Uses of Agricultural and Veterinary (agvet) Chemicals 2020-21 grants program.


Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, David Littleproud, said the grants would help Australian farmers access safe and effective agvet chemicals. More...

WEATHER AND CLIMATE

   

Weekly Rainfall Update

for 7 days to 9 am 20 April 2021

Rainfall Statistics

Week Ending 23 April 2021

Town Apr YTD
 Mossman140.61227.6
Mareeba 134.8761.8
Cairns 395.81617.4
 Gordonvale395.81617.4
Innisfail 474.62427.6
Tully 474.62427.6
Ingham 721.72753.9
Ayr 110.0837.8
Proserpine 91.6804.0
Mackay 128.2720.2
 Bundaberg37.2229.8
Maryborough 78.8359.4
 Beenleigh107.7701.6
 Murwillumbah151.7986.2
Ballina 216.81097.2
Yamba 112.2989.0
   

End of La Nina means autumn break forecasts are hit and miss

16 April 2021 | Farm Online

Most people are looking ahead to autumn weather predictions now that La Nina has been officially consigned to history.


The Bureau of Meteorology predicts large parts of eastern Australia are expected to experience below-average rainfall from May through to July. More...

   

Game of politics leaves drought-stricken farmers high and dry

21 April 2021 | Queensland Country Life

Almost 400 Queensland farmers have been left out of pocket, waiting for their entitled drought infrastructure rebate as state and federal politicians continue to play a game of cat and mouse.


The hugely popular national emergency water infrastructure rebate scheme has been extended by the federal government for another 12 months but the Queensland government has not signed up. More...

EVENTS