When Crops Are Lost, Recovery Should Mean More Than Just Cleanup
Flooding across North Queensland has left many communities facing a long and costly recovery. Homes, businesses, roads, and farms have all been affected, and getting back to normal will take time.
Crushing end to the season
Another crushing season has ended, and once again, Queensland’s sugarcane growers are counting the cost of a broken milling sector.
Time to bring the cane back to Queensland classrooms
There’s something truly special and iconic about sugarcane. Grown along 2000km of Australian coastline, from Grafton in northern New South Wales to the fringes of the Daintree in the tropical far north, it’s been a cornerstone of Queensland’s…
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Heartbreaking end to 2023 for flooded communities
With the harvest finally complete and growers, mill workers, and harvesting crews looking forward to spending some well-earned quality time with loved ones over the Christmas break, I had planned to sign off for 2023 with a message of hope and joy for readers. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other…
Time to make bio-evolution a reality
For some time now, people within Queensland’s sugarcane industry, me included, have been talking about an industry evolution. We’ve been highlighting value-adding opportunities that will not only boost growers’ bottom lines but will bring employment and economic benefits to our regional communities. These…
Harvest winds down
The final countdown has begun, with Queensland’s 2023 sugarcane crush rapidly winding down across the state. Bundaberg was first to cross the line, with Millaquin Mill tipping its final bin on 7 November, followed closely by the Isis and Maryborough districts the next day. At the time of writing, the Northern and…
Next election vital for our regions
The 2024 Queensland State Election is now less than a year away and already we’re seeing some soft campaigning by the major parties. We can expect these campaigns to ramp up markedly over the coming months as the pollies vie to secure your vote. However, it’s not just the political parties who will have plenty to…
Free trade should include a fair go for farmers
As I write this column, Australia’s trade minister is preparing to meet with his European counterpart to discuss, and possibly even agree, a free trade agreement with the EU. Unfortunately, I don’t have a crystal ball, so I can’t foresee the outcome of those discussions. However, if the whispers filtering out from…