BURDEKIN AGRICULTURE BENEFITS FROM DPI&F INITIATIVE
Published Monday, 24 September, 2007 at 12:11 PM
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin today announced a Property Management Systems Initiative project for the Lower Burdekin region to support intensive irrigated agriculture.
“The project proposal was developed by Burdekin Productivity Services (BPS) Ltd to help growers maximise farm productivity, profitability and sustainability,” Mr Mulherin said.
“The BPS Ltd project will develop a farm management system approach that supports growers particularly in sugar cane, fruit and vegetable industries by addressing all stages of the production process.
“The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries will appoint an officer to support project activities and to help growers to continually improve their management.
“The officer will particularly help growers identify gaps in their farm management systems, and provide education to develop knowledge and skills.
“There will also be a recording, monitoring and evaluation framework that simplifies the collation, storage and retrieval of data by growers.
“Our aim is to have 30 growers using farm management systems, and a further 15 growers with Land and Water Management Plans that will help them develop systems for their property.
“This is an exciting project for a region that plays a central role in agriculture outputs for the north Queensland economy each year.
“The Lower Burdekin area covers nearly 90,000 hectares of prime agricultural land, producing more than eight million tonnes of sugar cane annually, as well as diverse fruits and vegetables.
“The project builds on the work being carried out by DPI&F in the Burdekin, such as legume fallows, controlled traffic, grazing land management, and research on fruit and vegetable crops.
“The new farm management systems will be of real benefit to cane growers seeking to extend their work in nutrient management to improve water quality under the Queensland and Federal Government’s Reef Water Quality Protection Plan.
"The Property Management Systems Initiative is a key project for the Department under the Queensland Government's Blueprint for the Bush to support rural Queensland," Mr Mulherin said.
The project will be supported by the strong partnerships developed between BPS Ltd, BSES Ltd, CANEGROWERS, Growcom, CSIRO, CSR Ltd, Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research and Burdekin Bowen Integrated Floodplain Management Advisory Committee for the adoption of sustainable and profitable agriculture production.
Media:
Minister’s office 32396530
DPI&F 32251386
“The project proposal was developed by Burdekin Productivity Services (BPS) Ltd to help growers maximise farm productivity, profitability and sustainability,” Mr Mulherin said.
“The BPS Ltd project will develop a farm management system approach that supports growers particularly in sugar cane, fruit and vegetable industries by addressing all stages of the production process.
“The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries will appoint an officer to support project activities and to help growers to continually improve their management.
“The officer will particularly help growers identify gaps in their farm management systems, and provide education to develop knowledge and skills.
“There will also be a recording, monitoring and evaluation framework that simplifies the collation, storage and retrieval of data by growers.
“Our aim is to have 30 growers using farm management systems, and a further 15 growers with Land and Water Management Plans that will help them develop systems for their property.
“This is an exciting project for a region that plays a central role in agriculture outputs for the north Queensland economy each year.
“The Lower Burdekin area covers nearly 90,000 hectares of prime agricultural land, producing more than eight million tonnes of sugar cane annually, as well as diverse fruits and vegetables.
“The project builds on the work being carried out by DPI&F in the Burdekin, such as legume fallows, controlled traffic, grazing land management, and research on fruit and vegetable crops.
“The new farm management systems will be of real benefit to cane growers seeking to extend their work in nutrient management to improve water quality under the Queensland and Federal Government’s Reef Water Quality Protection Plan.
"The Property Management Systems Initiative is a key project for the Department under the Queensland Government's Blueprint for the Bush to support rural Queensland," Mr Mulherin said.
The project will be supported by the strong partnerships developed between BPS Ltd, BSES Ltd, CANEGROWERS, Growcom, CSIRO, CSR Ltd, Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research and Burdekin Bowen Integrated Floodplain Management Advisory Committee for the adoption of sustainable and profitable agriculture production.
Media:
Minister’s office 32396530
DPI&F 32251386