Run-off fund lift

THE Federal Government has poured $7.1 million into a sugar cane program aimed at improving the Great Barrier Reef’s water quality.

Wet Tropics and Burdekin growers have until September 29 to apply for funding that allows them to adopt on-farm practices to reduce use of nitrogen fertiliser.

Previous applicants have been funded for applying mill mud, buying specialised equipment for precision farming, using legumes as a source of nitrogen and trialling biological fertilisers.

Run-off from agricultural land in the Reef catchment is considered a major threat to the Reef health.

It is estimated that the first round of funding has reduced nitrogen run-off by more than 140 tonnes over the next five years.

Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said it had also provided good economic returns for farmers.

“While the support from the financial Federal Government is important, we also need to acknowledge these changes in practice have required significant financial contribution from farmers,” he said. “They ... wear these additional contributions knowing it has had a positive effect on the Reef.”

Service providers NQ Dry Tropics and Terrain NRM will continue to support implementing the tender and managing grant contracts.

The first round of the $1.5 million Reef Trust Phase 3 Incentive Grants is also open.

Both programs are expecting a further funding round in early 2018.

Cane growers in the Wet Tropics who are interested in applying for funding should go to wtsip.org.au for more information and to register.

Adrian Darveniza, a cane farmer in South Johnstone, received funding through the previous pilot Reef Trust Tender program.

“We are tailoring the nitrogen needs to each block based on the soil and crop needs and continuing to use mill mud,” he said.