Far North turns to cover crops bases
THE COVID-19 crisis has cost the Far North many of its 2020 field days but Savannah Ag Consulting’s Tony Matchett was keen to push ahead with his August 28 event when restrictions began to ease.
“There was a lot of uncertainty but I decided we needed to keep this in front of growers because they are desperate to protect and diversify their businesses,” he said.
“There are a lot of cane growers who want to protect and enhance their productivity and they can only do that in their fallow rotation.
“We have 100 RSVPs for Friday’s Savannah Ag Research Spring Field Days and, while we usually have a lot of industry people, this time the majority are growers who want to understand their opportunities.”
The focus of the day – which will be held on Trevor Adil’s Biboohra property at 539 Mulligan Highway – will be the cover varieties that allow sugar growers to increase the value of the fallow crops planted during the standard cane cycle.
“We want to show farmers there are a whole range of crops that don’t just present a cash opportunity but bring other benefits to the farming system,” he said.
“Cane is a four or five-year part of the program but, during period the land is in fallow, they need to diversify that stage of the farming system and make it longer to rejuvenate the soils and put a bit of cash into the business.
“It seems like they are reducing their cane farming system by one year but, by making their fallow period a year longer, that will ensure productivity gains to offset the delay of returning to cane.”
Mr Matchett said the reason for Friday’s Biboohra field days was to show farmers the fallow options available.
“Some cover crops are cash crops but also put organic matter back into the soil. Crops like legumes and pulses put nitrogen back into the soil. Some oilseed crops improve soil structure and other oilseed have disease suppression attributes,” he said.
“This is something every farmer can do but what works in Innisfail, because of their rainfall patterns and soil types, won’t work for farmers in Mareeba or even at the other end of the Tablelands in Atherton.
“Some of this is new to North Queensland but we aren’t reinventing the wheel, just bringing a new wheel to the Far North, and bringing southern farming technology or strategy surrounding rotations to this part of the country.”
We want to show farmers there are a whole range of crops that don’t just present a cash opportunity but bring other benefits to the farming system SAVANNAH AG CONSULTING’S TONY MATCHETT