Farmers use grant to reduce nitrogen on Reef
A MAREEBA cane, cattle and pumpkin farmer is determined to do his part to improve water quality flowing to the Great Barrier Reef by adopting a new land management practice that will better profitability and efficiencies.
Farmer Enrico Cabassi is among 14 cane growers in the Wet Tropics to have recently secured funding for projects that will reduce nitrogen runoff to the reef.
He said the grant would help him and his brothers to reduce fertiliser application rates by growing legume crops during the fallow between cane crops.
“Organic nitrogen from the legume crops is incorporated into fertiliser calculations for the cane,’’ he said.
“With more fallow crops in the cane rotation we can apply less bagged nitrogen and increase our soil’s organic matter.”
Forty-one Wet Tropics growers have received funding through the Australian Government’s Reef Trust IV Repeated Tenders program since it began in early 2017.
Wet Tropics Sugar Industry Partnership chairman Joe Marano estimated those growers would collectively reduce the amount of nitrogen fertiliser on their farms by at least 1200 tonnes over five years.
“We know from previous rounds that growers almost always reduce their nitrogen application rates beyond their contracted amounts so we expect an even greater amount of nitrogen will be saved from flowing to the Reef,” he said.
Projects being funded include the use of biological fertilisers, liquid fertilisers, more targeted use of mill mud and purchase of GPS systems. To find WTSIP Extension Officers in your area to help develop individualised whole of farm nutrient management plans, visit www.wtsip.org.au/team/