Farmers score well
THE results from more than 10 years of changing agricultural practices in a bid to reduce nitrogen run-off are in, and it’s good news for Cassowary Coast farmers.
The Reef Water Quality Report Card for 2020 was only recently released and the wet tropics region achieved the biggest reduction in dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) across Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef catchments for the reporting period of July 2019-June 2020.
The Johnstone River Catchment report was a “standout”, recording a 6.4 per cent reduction in DIN.
Terrain Natural Resource Management’s Paddock to Reef co-ordinator Fiona Barton said farmers had been working hard for more than 10 years to change farm practices and reduce the run-off of nutrients, pesticides and sediment.
“As a region we are a hotspot for dissolved inorganic nitrogen because of our high rainfall, short sharp rivers and intensive agriculture along the coastal plain,’’ she said. “It’s really encouraging to see that we are making good progress on reducing DIN. We’re now halfway towards our target of a 60 per cent reduction by 2025.”
Ms Barron said farmers were adopting a range of different practices that were helping improve both productivity and water quality, including matching fertiliser inputs more closely to crop requirements, improving soil health, cover cropping and minimal tillage, and trialling innovative treatment systems such as bioreactors and constructed wetlands.
She said the scale and complexity of the task involved in improving water quality meant there was a time lag between on-ground action and quantifiable results.
“Improving reef water quality isn’t an overnight fix. We began delivering reef water quality programs in 2008, which really isn’t that long ago considering what is involved. There is obviously more work to be done but it’s good to see some reward for effort.
“We all have a responsibility to help reach these environmental targets. It’s not just up to agriculture but the entire community, from industry in the region to urban areas.”
Growers wanting to learn more about the science behind the Paddock to Reef program and the Reef Water Quality Report Card 2020 are invited to a water quality science forum on Thursday, May 12 at Innisfail. The forum will focus on the Johnstone, Tully and Murray catchments. Visit www.terrain.org.au for more information.