Sweet deal for farmers
Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt visited a Cairns cane grower on Wednesday to announce a $302m project to help farmers reap the rewards of greener farming practices.
Mr Watt met with cane grower Mark Savina on his Kamerunga property, which has already seen the benefit of improved soil health.
The 2023-24 federal budget allocated $302m over five years to a Climate Smart Agriculture package under the Natural Heritage Trust.
Mr Savina said it’s been a long process but he has been assisted along the way by facilitators from environmental management organisations like Terrain Natural Resource Management.
“Its been a journey of 14 years to improve soil quality and plant health with Terrain offering mentoring,” Mr Savina said. “I’ve been working with people to track the biology in the soil to get a healthier plant and healthier soils will come from that.”
Terrain soil health team leader Jorg Edsen said their main aim was to work in partnership to improve the natural capital of the wet tropics.
“We try to maintain and improve the forests, agricultural land, as well as the reef,” Mr Edsen said. “We are working with farmers and landholders to build their capacity and knowledge to implement land management strategies.”
Mr Watt said farmers will be supported to adopt sustainable practices, build resilience to climate change, harness carbon and biodiversity markets, and protect and invest in natural capital and biodiversity.
“Protecting our farmers from climate change and grabbing the opportunities that come with it are key priorities for our government,” Senator Watt said. “These projects will trial, demonstrate and implement climatesmart agriculture practices and deliver regional landscape priority projects focused on effective natural resource management.”
Mr Watt said a network of Sustainable Agriculture Facilitators will provide farmers with trusted advice.
“I’ve met so many farmers who want to embrace more sustainable practices but need support and advice on how they can do it,” he said.
Mr Savina said it's a slow process but one worth persevering with.