Industry News
Wilmar loco driver injured in shunting incident
A Wilmar sugar employee has been airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital following a shunting incident that occurred near Camila over the weekend. The incident involving the Plane Creek locomotive driver occurred around 3.30pm on Saturday afternoon at West Hill siding, near...
Crushing season has commenced throughout Wilmar milling regions
Wilmar have announced that the 2021 season is well underway across all four of their milling regions with growers feeling optimistic about buoyant cane prices. Wilmar Sugar, Australia's largest raw sugar manufacturer, operates a total of eight mills throughout the Burdekin, Sarina, Proserpine and...
$1 Million Injection for Mossman Food Facility
CocoNutZ , a patented agricultural bio-manufacturing platform which seeks to diversify FNQ agriculture through producing a range of condiments using local sugar cane, has received a significant shot in the arm thanks to a Federal Government grant.The Morrison Government is providing Mossman-based...
Drones add to fall armyworm defence
High-tech drones are being used to survey maize crops in the State's north for the new invasive pest, fall armyworm, to improve monitoring and provide an early warning detection tool for growers. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has joined with the Ord River...
Wilmar Sugar opens new store building at Proserpine mill
Mark Borellini, Breanna Pirlo, Chad Watson, and Steve Mackenzie, officially opening Proserpine Mills new store on June 17. Wilmar Sugar has announced the opening of a new store building at its Proserpine Mill in the wake of the fire that tore through the old store and offices in 2020. Officially...
Decision support tool to help the industry find the harvesting sweet spot
Recent research into sugarcane harvesting has demonstrated that there is significant potential for the industry to ensure more sugar makes its way from the paddock and into the supply chain. Through a range of research projects in recent years, it has been demonstrated that adjusting the way the...
A new era of research, development and adoption (RD&A) begins for the Australian sugarcane industry
Today (Thursday July 1) marks ‘day one’ of an exciting era of sugarcane research, development and adoption (RD&A) investment for the Australian sugarcane industry, with Sugar Research Australia (SRA) officially commencing a new five-year Strategic Plan. SRA CEO Roslyn Baker said that the...
Destructive coconut rhinoceros beetle a ‘stone’s throw’ from Australia as it spreads through Pacific
Australia's sugar, pineapple, mango, and coconut oil industries are facing a major threat from a destructive pest beetle sitting on the nation's doorstep. The coconut rhinoceros beetle has bulldozed its way across the Pacific in just a few years and is now in Papua New Guinea, University of...
New free trade agreement to deliver jobs and business opportunities in Australia and The United Kingdom
Joint media release with: The Hon. Scott Morrison MP, Prime Minister 15 June 2021 A new free trade agreement with the UK will deliver more Australian jobs and business opportunities for exporters, bringing both countries closer together in a changing strategic environment. Prime Ministers Scott...
Mossman Mill roars to life as the 2021 Cane Crush commences
Government commits almost $330 million to Great Barrier Reef in state budget
A $270 million funding injection is set to bolster the efforts of farmers from the Far North to the Wide Bay, who are working to reduce runoff and improve water quality. Announced as part of the 2021-22 state budget, the funding forms part of the almost $330 million the Palaszczuk government has...
Public submissions on reef regulation reversal bill due by Wednesday 30 June
Submissions are being sought on the Environmental and Other Legislation (Reversal of Great Barrier Reef Protection Measures) Amendment Bill 2021 put forward by Katter's Australian Party in April. Agricultural industry representatives attended a public hearing into the bill in Brisbane last Friday,...
21/22 Budget to regenerate reef, land and create QLD jobs
JOINT STATEMENT Premier and Minister for TradeThe Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and PlanningThe Honourable Dr Steven Miles Treasurer and Minister for InvestmentThe Honourable Cameron Dick Minister for the...
Qld ag industry to support Katter’s Reef Regulation Reversal Bill
Agricultural industry representatives are preparing to give witness statements at a public hearing this Friday, in support of a Reef Regulation Reversal Bill put forward by Katter's Australian Party. The Palaszczuk government introduced the Environmental Protection (Great Barrier Reef Protection...
Green waste helps feed Australians through innovative composting system
Lawn clippings and old palm fronds are being transformed into compost by one of Australia's largest farming organisations in an attempt to reduce its carbon footprint. A new state-of-the-art compost facility in Bundaberg, south-east Queensland, is accepting garden waste to be converted to...
Watch out for cane trains this harvesting season
Bundaberg Sugar is warning motorists that cane trains will have an increasing presence across the region in the lead up to the 2021 cane harvesting season, scheduled to commence on 20 June. Bundaberg Sugar’s Cane Supply Manager Matt Curtis said it was important for motorists and other members of...
2021 cane crush begins in Burdekin and Mackay regions
Burdekin cane farmers are set to harvest an estimated 7.97 million tonnes this season, on par with the 2020 throughput of 7.91mt. Today marks a busy day in the Burdekin region, with crushing commencing at all four of Wilmar Sugar's mills. The Invicta, Pioneer, Kalamia, and Inkerman mills ran steam...
Analysis opens door for discussions on cane farm rates
A new analysis of the way sugarcane farms have fared when Queensland councils set their rates will inform important conversations between CANEGROWERS offices and local government. “We looked closely at 13 councils with a sizeable sugarcane farming industry, where CANEGROWERS members underpin the...
Webinar – Adoption of practices to mitigate harvest losses
Final results and maximising sugarcane recovery through development of harvesting decision support tool. In this webinar Phil Patane (SRA) presented the final outcomes of the project ‘Adoption of practices to mitigate harvest losses’ and and Brendon Nothard (DAF) explained the next stage of the...
How soil research renaissance will have on-farm impacts
Soil science is in the midst of a research renaissance, as scientists and farmers alike dig deeper into the depths of the precious resource. The Soil Cooperative Research Centre has announced $7 million for 12 new projects, which all have potential on-farm applications. The projects range from...