Applications Open for Sugarcane Reef Water Quality Grants NQ Dry Tropics opened applications on Monday, March 6 for Reef Water Quality Grants as part of the Reef Trust: Reef Alliance Program – Growing a Great Barrier Reef. NQ Dry Tropics Sustainable Agriculture Programme Coordinator Colleen James said the new project was continuing to support sugar cane growers through extension, training and Reef Water Quality grants, designed to assist with the financial resources to allow earlier adoption of practice changes to ultimately improve water quality outcomes. “We’re working alongside our Burdekin region based project partners Farmacist, Burdekin Productivity Services, BBIFMAC and Burdekin cane farmers to build on their efficiencies and achievements in this new phase,” Ms James said.
The $900,000 available for Reef Water Quality grants will focus on irrigation efficiency and continue the work achieved through the Reef Rescue Program from 2008 to 2013 and Reef Programme from 2013-2016 to reduce the impacts of agriculture and improve water quality in the Great Barrier Reef. “Project partners will work with cane growers to coordinate adaptive programs of land use change by improving knowledge and understanding of the benefits of adopting best management practice,” Ms James said. “These changes will also improve productivity while also reducing agricultural runoff into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. “Growers who have signed up to the Reef Alliance Program with Burdekin project partners Farmacist, Burdekin Productivity Services or Sugarfix and have an existing extension plan in place will be eligible to apply for funding,” Ms James said.
The Reef Alliance Program – Growing A Great Barrier Reef is funded by the Australian Government delivered through the Reef Trust. The Reef Alliance Program is a partnership between agricultural industry, regional NRM bodies, facilitated by the Queensland Farmers’ Federation and funded by the Australian Government and delivered through the Reef Trust.
For further information or to apply please contact BBIFMAC on (07) 4783 4344 or NQ Dry Tropics on (07) 4724 3544 or email jana.hazelman on [email protected].