NEW POSITION FOR BURDEKIN TO ASSIST CANE INDUSTRY
Published Thursday, 18 October, 2007 at 01:33 PM
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries now has a FutureCane officer stationed in the Burdekin working with growers on cane farm management.
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said Avril Robinson had been appointed to the position of Farm Management Systems Officer, overseeing a new Farm Management Systems project secured by Burdekin Productivity Services Limited.
“This is one of three cane FMS projects approved under the Department’s Property Management Systems Initiative,’’ Mr Mulherin said.
“The aim is to improve grower profitability while ensuring environmental stewardship in the Burdekin’s cane industry.
Ms Robinson said she would be assisting the district’s cane farmers increase their farm’s production, profitability and sustainability through the design and implementation of a farm management system to suit their property.
“This is a continuous process for many farm managers.
“There will be links to Land and Water Management Plans, where many of the actions in those plans will overlap with FMS and best management practice adoption. In the long term, it is hoped an accredited FMS approach may be seen to be a replacement for LWMP, whereby these requirements are met, or exceeded, by adopting an FMS.”
The further development of a recording and monitoring system that simplifies the use of data by growers is central to the project. This will allow the cane industry in the Burdekin to demonstrate to critics that it is meeting its environmental responsibilities.
She also aims to increase the ability of the local industry to meet the natural resource management priority issues identified in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management Regional Plan.
Cooperative partnerships with key stakeholders in DPI&F, BPS, BSES, CANEGROWERS, Growcom, CSIRO, CSR, NRW, Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research and Burdekin Bowen Integrated Floodplain Management Advisory Committee are critical for the project’s success.
The project will be managed by a Steering Committee involving a range of stakeholders and lead by Burdekin Productivity Services
Mr Mulherin said Ms Robinson had been involved with the sugar industry since 2005, developing a broad perspective and understanding of the industry, making contacts and developing networks.
She has been influential in the capacity building and sustainable development of the sugar industry, through involvement with developing youth and women’s leadership, the promotion, education and training of best practice farm management systems and working with Regional Advisory Groups to assist with the implemental of regional plans.
“Holding the position as secretariat for the region’s state government’s Sugar Agency Network has given her experience in working across a range of government and support agencies to collaboratively streamline and strengthen services to the sugar industry and their communities,’’ Mr Mulherin said.
Ms Robinson has previous experience in Quality Assurance Management, incorporating continuous improvement systems, strategic planning, education and communication with the South Australian TAFE system and with the DPI&F in Queensland, will be of benefit to the Farm Management Systems Officer position.
This PMSI project is the first cane related project to start and is one of three similar ones in the cane industry; the others are at Mackay and Isis. It is part of the DPI&Fs' commitment to the Queensland Government’s Blueprint for the Bush initiative.
Media:
Ministers’ office 32396530
DPI&F 47 222 648
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said Avril Robinson had been appointed to the position of Farm Management Systems Officer, overseeing a new Farm Management Systems project secured by Burdekin Productivity Services Limited.
“This is one of three cane FMS projects approved under the Department’s Property Management Systems Initiative,’’ Mr Mulherin said.
“The aim is to improve grower profitability while ensuring environmental stewardship in the Burdekin’s cane industry.
Ms Robinson said she would be assisting the district’s cane farmers increase their farm’s production, profitability and sustainability through the design and implementation of a farm management system to suit their property.
“This is a continuous process for many farm managers.
“There will be links to Land and Water Management Plans, where many of the actions in those plans will overlap with FMS and best management practice adoption. In the long term, it is hoped an accredited FMS approach may be seen to be a replacement for LWMP, whereby these requirements are met, or exceeded, by adopting an FMS.”
The further development of a recording and monitoring system that simplifies the use of data by growers is central to the project. This will allow the cane industry in the Burdekin to demonstrate to critics that it is meeting its environmental responsibilities.
She also aims to increase the ability of the local industry to meet the natural resource management priority issues identified in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management Regional Plan.
Cooperative partnerships with key stakeholders in DPI&F, BPS, BSES, CANEGROWERS, Growcom, CSIRO, CSR, NRW, Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research and Burdekin Bowen Integrated Floodplain Management Advisory Committee are critical for the project’s success.
The project will be managed by a Steering Committee involving a range of stakeholders and lead by Burdekin Productivity Services
Mr Mulherin said Ms Robinson had been involved with the sugar industry since 2005, developing a broad perspective and understanding of the industry, making contacts and developing networks.
She has been influential in the capacity building and sustainable development of the sugar industry, through involvement with developing youth and women’s leadership, the promotion, education and training of best practice farm management systems and working with Regional Advisory Groups to assist with the implemental of regional plans.
“Holding the position as secretariat for the region’s state government’s Sugar Agency Network has given her experience in working across a range of government and support agencies to collaboratively streamline and strengthen services to the sugar industry and their communities,’’ Mr Mulherin said.
Ms Robinson has previous experience in Quality Assurance Management, incorporating continuous improvement systems, strategic planning, education and communication with the South Australian TAFE system and with the DPI&F in Queensland, will be of benefit to the Farm Management Systems Officer position.
This PMSI project is the first cane related project to start and is one of three similar ones in the cane industry; the others are at Mackay and Isis. It is part of the DPI&Fs' commitment to the Queensland Government’s Blueprint for the Bush initiative.
Media:
Ministers’ office 32396530
DPI&F 47 222 648