Australian Canegrower - 23 November 2015

Canegrower AUSTRALIAN

The flagship of the sugarcane industry

23 November 2015 Price $8.95

2015 harvest to top 34 million tonnes

Water quality challenges around the globe

CONTENTS 23.11.2015

CHAIRMAN'S COMMENT

3

As the 2015 harvest winds down, our thoughts turn to 2016. We will mark 90 years of sugarcane grower representation and hold our triennial elections. I call on as many growers as possible to consider nominating.

Paul Schembri CANEGROWERS Chairman

Cover: Three generations of the Zunker family, Greig (left) with his father Graham and son Tom. Photo by John Flynn.

Canegrower AUSTRA LIAN

INDUSTRY NEWS

The flagship of the sugarcane industry 23 November 2015 Price $8.95

2 Editor's desk

Opposite: Harvesting in the Tully district.

2 2016 is election year 3 Chairman's comments 2015 Australian harvest hits 34 million

tonnes

Water quality challenges around

the globe

4 Marketing vote looms 4 Grants to grow sustainable agriculture

Editor Neroli Roocke Design, subscriptions, advertising and classifieds Wayne Griffin Articles appearing in Australian Canegrower do not necessarily represent the policies or views of CANEGROWERS Published every second Monday by CANEGROWERS Level 6, 100 Edward Street, Brisbane, Queensland Australia ABN 94 089 992 969 Postal Address: GPO Box 1032, Brisbane, Queensland 4001 Australia Telephone: 07 3864 6444; Fax: 07 3864 6429 Email: info@CANEGROWERS.com.au Website: www.CANEGROWERS.com.au CANEGROWERS/Members Card Hotline 1800 177 159 AUSTRALIAN CANEGROWER ISSN 157-3039 Volume 37, Number 23 Printed by Screen Offset Printing 202 Robinson Road, Geebung, QLD, 4034 Subscriptions Yearly subscriptions for 25 issues (postage included) Within Australia Overseas (AUD)

5 Regional round-up

WHAT’S NEW 8 Spotlight - Balancing RD&E resources 10 SRA Snapshot - Forum examines the research effort on YCS 12 QSL - Market report 13 QSL - Pool offers payment schedule

ON FARM 14 Farms and water quality around the globe 18 Walking water saves time and money

MEMBER SERVICES 22 Classifieds 23 Rainfall report

$140 inc GST $220

23 November 2015

| Australian Canegrower

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EDITOR’S DESK

Cut out party season is underway through Australia’s sugarcane districts – some are now done and dusted and others are still being planned but for everyone, the end of the year and the end of the harvest is in sight. I hope you are finding time to celebrate 2015.

The Regional round-up pages summarise where each district is at with harvest and some of the activities and issues being faced. Sugar marketing is soon to have its day in the Queensland Parliament as the article on page 4 explains.

Looking ahead to 2016, elections are on the cards for CANEGROWERS. Now is the time to start thinking about nominating or encouraging someone you admire to put their hand up. Everyone with ideas and a passion for the growing sector is encouraged to get involved!

Did you know that more than $40 million a year is spent on sugar industry research, development and extension?

On page 8 there’s a breakdown of who’s spending the money and some things to consider as the industry plans a strategy for the future.

This edition’s On Farm feature on page 16 is the final one for 2015 in our Rural Water Use Efficiency – Irrigation Futures series. The Zunker family talks about the irrigator they now have walking across their Bundaberg district farm.

As we head towards the end of the year, keep a lookout in the two December editions of Australian Canegrower – there’ll be a DVD, a calendar and a pocket diary coming your way. 

Neroli

2016 is election year CANEGROWERS triennial elections are due to occur early 2016.

The election process is your opportunity to select the grower representatives to sit as Directors on the board of your local CANEGROWERS district.

From Mossman to Rocky Point, there are 12 CANEGROWERS district incorporated companies. Proserpine has a cooperative structure. This local representation is CANEGROWERS strength.

What is the process?

All of the companies and local Boards have between five and eight directors – and all of these positions are open for election early next year.

Once these directors have been determined, they form the board of the local company for a three year term.

These local companies then nominate representatives to sit on the CANEGROWERS Queensland Policy Council.

At the first meeting of the newly formed Policy Council, it will elect the CANEGROWERS Queensland Board.

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Australian Canegrower

| 23 November 2015

Why think about it now?

The 2016 election process provides a great opportunity for any grower member to nominate as a CANEGROWERS elected representative.

Members can challenge those previously elected to the role, or as occurs in some areas, directors retire and provide an opportunity for new members to be elected.

In February 2016, CANEGROWERS members will be asked to consider putting themselves forward for a representative role. Once the candidates are all known, members will then participate in a postal ballot to decide who will run their district companies.

If you are interested in nominating, or you know a grower who would make a great contribution to the CANEGROWERS organisation in that role, please contact your district CANEGROWERS Chairman or Manager to enquire about the process and this exciting opportunity. 

CHAIRMAN'S COMMENT

2015 harvest winding up in Qld

By Paul Schembri CANEGROWERS Chairman

"2016 will be an important year for CANEGROWERS

... it marks 90 years of operation as a sugar industry grower representative movement and it will be time for our triennial elections.."

The 2015 cane harvest is rapidly coming to a close. By the time you read this, most of Queensland’s 21 sugar mills will have completed or be close to completing crushing operations.

I am mindful though that a number of mills have experienced substantial delays due to wet weather and performance issues which may cause them to crush into the New Year.

I ask that you spare a thought for the growers concerned and hope that the weather allows them to get all of their cane through the mill.

Cane farming and sugar milling is a volume sensitive business and leaving cane in the field does economic damage to growers, millers and the value chain.

This year’s crop in Australia is looking to reach just over 34 million tonnes of cane.

Of that, 33 million tonnes will be crushed in Queensland.

The crop outcome in Australia and Queensland in particular, is truly remarkable given that most districts experienced a failed wet season last summer.

Most coastal regions had rainfall deficits of at least 60% yet we have ended up with a crop almost 2 million tonnes greater than last year. It goes to prove that sugarcane is one of the most resilient crops.

The prospects for 2016 appear to be quite promising. Most regions have recorded strong plant cane germination and generally most districts have

Paul Schembri CANEGROWERS Chairman

recorded some rain to get the 2016 crop away.

2016 Elections 2016 will be an important year for CANEGROWERS. Not only will it mark 90 years of operation as a sugar industry grower representative movement but it will also be time for our triennial elections.

In early 2016, grower members of CANEGROWERS will be required to vote for candidates that will represent their aims and aspirations.

These elections are so important. They give growers direct input into who they want to lead our organisation at regional and state level. I call on as many growers as possible to consider nominating for these important roles.

One of the things that is important is diversity within our industry and within our elected representative ranks. I am encouraging, in particular, younger growers and women to consider nominating.

I nominated for a CANEGROWERS position for the first time at the age of 23 - many moons ago! I’m glad that I did and that growers gave me their support.

It was the start of my long journey in CANEGROWERS.

We are fortunate that we have an organisation in which cane growers actually represent cane growers. We should not take that for granted.

Details of the upcoming election process will be publicised over the coming months and I ask you to take an active interest and involvement in this important accountability process.

SRA Chairman A very important baton has been passed on in the sugar industry recently. Paul Wright, the Chairman of Sugar Research Australia (SRA) and previously BSES Limited, has retired from heading up our research and development effort.

Paul Wright has been very effective in this industry, providing leadership of our R&D effort over many years. He played a pivotal role in guiding the formation of SRA. Without his contribution it is doubtful whether SRA would have come to fruition.

I wish Paul al the best in his retirement from sugar industry activities and I thank him for a job well done.

The new Chairman of SRA is Dr Ron Swindells. Ron is no stranger to the sugar industry, having had extensive involvement in refining, milling and R&D. His last major role in the industry was as Chief Executive of Mackay Sugar.

Ron brings a wealth of industry experience to the task of leading SRA but, more importantly, he understands the pressures of profitability on both the growing and milling sectors.

Ron will have his work cut out as we face many pressures and challenges, not least of which is yellow canopy syndrome and flat-lining productivity.

We look forward to working with Ron Swindells in the years ahead. 

23 November 2015

| Australian Canegrower

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Marketing vote looms The sugar marketing debate is expected soon to have its day in 'the house’ – the Queensland Parliament.

The first week in December has been set down for the Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Bill to amend the Sugar Industry Act to be formally read for a second time. There’ll be speeches and a vote must be taken before the parliament rises for the Christmas break on the Thursday.

The Bill seeks to resolve the 18-month long dispute over the plans of three milling companies to walk away from the industry-owned sugar marketer QSL and in the process force growers supplying their mills to do the same.

CANEGROWERS has been strongly arguing for growers to have a choice in the marketing pathway and the KAP Bill aims to do this.

“In a deregulated industry, growers must have the ability to determine for themselves their preferred marketing option for the sugar that generates their income,” CANEGROWERS Chairman Paul Schembri said.

“Giving growers choice will ensure that deregulation delivers its objective of competition between all parties and allows economic opportunity to flow to both growers and millers.”

While the politicians have been mulling over the KAP Bill, CANEGROWERS, the Australian Cane Farmers Association and the Burdekin grower collectives have also been involved in discussions with the millers in an endeavour to hammer out an industry solution to the dispute.

Brent Finlay re-elected as NFF President Queensland farmer Brent Finlay has been re-elected unopposed as the President of the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) for a third term at the NFF Members’ Council meeting and AGM. Mr Finlay said he was humbled to continue at the helm at such an important time for Australian agriculture.

“This is an exciting time for Australian farmers. We’re forecast this year to reach a record $57.1 billion in farm gate earnings, and we have every expectation that agriculture may be Australia’s next $100 billion industry,” Mr Finlay said.

“Over the past year we’ve made significant progress in brokering new trade deals to access key Asian markets, hungry for safe, clean and sustainable Aussie produce.

Grants to grow sustainable agriculture

“From market access through to long-term drought policy, tax reform, trade, land and water management, there are some major issues in the public domain which have a major bearing on the livelihood of farmers.

Applications are invited for $2.2 million in small grants aimed at increasing industry capacity and supporting the adoption of productive management practices.

“The NFF will continue to play a pivotal role on these issues and more in the year ahead. At the same time, the NFF as an organisation continues to go through a process of renewal,” Mr Finlay said.

These discussions have been facilitated by Mike Logan but have been unable at this point in time to reach a solution. 

Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce (pictured), said that the grants would assist farmers, fishers, community groups and farming systems groups.

"Ultimately, adopting appropriate management practices that increase production, improve product quality and/or lower input costs also help to drive returns back through the farmgate," he said.

managing natural resources including soil, water quality and availability, and native vegetation."

Grants between $5500 and $55,000 (GST inclusive) are available for activities including field days, workshops, conferences, demonstrations and training.

Applications for the National Landcare Programme Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015–16 close Monday December 7. For more information visit: www.nrm.gov.au/agsmallgrants. 

"Our farmers are some of our most dedicated conservationists and sustainable land managers—which is just as well, considering they're custodians of about 53% of Australia's total land mass.

Mixed farmer and grazier, Fiona Simson was returned to the role of Vice-President and all five directors from the previous Board have been reappointed.

El Niño to wane in 2016 International climate models are suggesting the current El Niño weather pattern should ease during the first quarter of 2016.

The Bureau of Meteorology says sea surface temperatures in the central tropical Pacific are now around 2.4 °C above average, the largest anomaly for this event so far, and are expected to peak before the end of December.

"They manage pests and weeds, often at their own cost, to the benefit of all Australians.

The Bureau says El Niño typically means a less active Australian cyclone season.

"That's why we need to help share knowledge and skills – to help farmers boost their productivity while better

The November to January outlook indicates below average rainfall across parts of the tropics.

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Australian Canegrower

| 23 November 2015

INDUSTRY NEWS

CANEGROWERS Regional round-up

By CANEGROWERS district offices

Mossman and Tableland To the end of Week 26, 7 November, Mossman Mill had processed a total of 865,439 tonnes of cane for a mill average of 12.55CCS. The Mossman Pool had supplied 499,357 tonnes of cane for an average of 12.07 CCS and the Tableland Pool a total of 366,082 tonnes for an average of 13.21 CCS. With an estimated 100,000 tonnes remaining, it is expected that the Mossman Mill will finish crushing before the end of November.

At the completion of Week 22 the Tableland Mill had crushed 602,704 tonnes.

To date Tableland Mill has toll crushed 243,011.82 tonnes of Mackay Sugar cane. It is expected that the Tableland Mill will finish 16-19 November.

We would like to thank Mick Quirk for attending the CANEGROWERS Mossman AGM and giving a very informed presentation on Smartcane BMP. We encourage our growers to take the steps towards getting accreditation in the core modules.

Cairns Region Rain has been falling over the district with some sub-catchments receiving more than others.

These growing conditions have caused the estimates to rise with an additional 340,000 tonnes being added to the initial pre-season figures for the Mulgrave and South Johnstone Mills.

The combined impacts of mill breakdowns and wet weather leads to a hugely extended season with an anticipated finish date of around the 19 December. MSF appears confident that the crop will be crushed, while growers continue to anticipate the financial impacts of an extended season length, declining CCS and, at the worst, the threat of not being able to remove all of the crop.

Tully Crushing was delayed by 48 hours with the failure of a bearing towards the end of what had been a good crushing month in October. The delay has made the job harder to remove the crop before Christmas. Crop estimates are holding and there is still more than 600,000 tonnes to be harvested in the 40 days before Santa arrives - a big challenge that will need everything to go right.

The contingency is that if there is cane remaining and weather permitting, the mill will recommence crushing on December 27. CCS seems to have peaked and will be followed closely in the coming weeks. CANEGROWERS

Tully is holding its AGM on Tuesday, 24 November at 3pm.

Herbert River Milling issues have dashed the Herbert’s hopes of reaching the target average of 29,000 tonnes per day again for week 20, when the data looked like supporting a 1 December possible finish for a target crop of 4.475 million tonnes (being the Proportional Estimate at 7 November).

A broken roller and pump failure mean a chute to bypass Victoria’s B5 mill set is being fitted and will be in place for the remainder of the season. Wilmar advises there should be no rate reduction from the bypass although they expect some sugar loss as a result.

The data shows the estimate to be holding well, indicating that without wet weather, 1 December should be the last harvest day. This is based on the mills averaging 29,000 tonnes per day until 23 November when daily throughputs will reduce according to the capacity of groups working at the time.

A Performance Target Allowance contained in the CANEGROWERS Collective Cane Supply Agreement is almost certain to be triggered by the milling result for the size of the crop being harvested this year falling short of the target by more than a week.

Continues page 6...

A wild storm through the Burdekin did this. Wilmar reported several hundred cane bins blown off their tracks or blown onto the main line at Clare and Giru.

23 November 2015

| Australian Canegrower

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Rats have emerged in stronger numbers than recent years and are making a visible impact on the last stands of cane remaining to be harvested, especially the variety Q208 which is one of the district’s major varieties.

Sporadic storm showers across many parts of the district have freshened the young cane without significantly impacting on the overall harvest.

The CANEGROWERS Herbert River office is offering support to growers interested in using the available online facilities for pricing to manage a choice of available products for the 2016 season.

This will be the last season for which we have an available Cane Supply Agreement after Wilmar cancelled the three-year Rolling Agreement in refusing to make available a Grower Choice option for the 2017 season.

The recent strengthening of the market since the October Contract has expired is creating interest in the ability of locking in a better price for 2016 season.

Contact the office for an appointment.

Smartcane BMP Facilitator Maria Battoraro reports that 151 Herbert River growers, managing some 31,500 hectares of cane area, have registered and completed self-assessment in the three core modules whilst some 10 growers have reached full accreditation and many more are well advanced towards it.

More of the small group workshops towards registration and self-assessment are planned for coming weeks.

Burdekin At the November Board meeting, CANEGROWERS Burdekin Directors received a Season in Review Update from Wilmar Managers Paul Turnbull (Regional Production and Work Execution Manager) and Steve Postma (Cane Supply Manager).

It was noted that Inkerman Mill was in its final days of crushing and Invicta, Kalamia and Pioneer have completed their 2015 crush. Overall, it was dry season and the mills ran well. Provisional figures to date indicate that 8.28 million tonnes went through the rollers and achieved an average 14.92 CCS. Dirt and fibre levels were down which will result in a short co-gen season of around 10 weeks.

Paul and Steve provided an overview of the capital works taking place at the mills over the off season, highlighting that much of the work is being undertaken by the workshop at Pioneer Mill by Wilmar employees rather than outsourcing. This keeps skilled local tradesmen occupied in satisfying work, retaining these skills within the mills and providing cost benefits to the business.

Capital works are also being undertaken on road crossings. Crossing lights failing in rain is an issue and Wilmar is adopting the ‘inductive loop sensing system’ for all crossings. Three crossings will be converted in the off season. The new system may require barriers to be installed in some locations to stop vehicles from accidently driving over the inductive loops (which are located between the rail lines just before and

after the actual road crossings) as this will set off the lights.

Next year’s crop has been forecast to be 7.5m tonnes. Factors considered included: the price of raw sugar, the area that will be under cane for the 2016 season, what is known of growers moving to other crops, average age of ratoons (this impacts the tonnage per hectare) and the estimate of impact due to the reduced water allocations.

The general feeling is that next year the yield will be down from 117 tonnes per hectare. Grower representatives have stressed that the reduced crop estimate is also a result of growers concerns relating to Wilmar’s actions in stripping growers of their rights to utilise QSL.

Mackay The Mackay Sugar area mills crushed a total of 194,168 tonnes of cane for the week ending 8 November. Availability was affected by high liquor levels at all factories as well as overpass belt tracking at Racecourse, rotary cush repairs at Farleigh and high brix material in the effets at Marian.

Average availability was 80.2%. PRS for the week was 15.16, down from the previous week. Power generation was 4,850 MWh, also down from the previous week due to availability at Racecourse. Total cane crushed to date is 4,563,291 tonnes, PRS average to date of 14.45 and the estimate stands at 4,965,000 tonnes.

At Plane Creek a total of 31,548 tonnes of cane was crushed for the week bringing the cane crushed to date to 1,146,656. ►

CANEGROWERS Burdekin Directors at the Season in Review meeting with Wilmar Managers (in orange) Paul Turnbull and Steve Postma.

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Australian Canegrower

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Crushing resumed on Monday night and harvesting recommenced on Wednesday, after the number three boiler was given a final check and clean on Tuesday evening. With only two of the factory’s three boilers providing power, crushing was at a reduced rate throughout the week. Decontamination of the number two boiler continues and full crushing capacity will be possible once the number two boiler is back online.

The highest CCS sample for the week was from a rake of second ratoon Q208 at 18.16 from the Carmila West Productivity District. Following consultation between CANEGROWERS Plane Creek Area Committee and Wilmar Plane Creek Mill, based on an expected crop of 1.30 million tonnes, no further rain disruptions and revised factory throughputs, harvesting is expected to finish on 24 November.

Bundaberg The Bundaberg Sugar mills crushed a total of 70,456 tonnes during week 22 bringing the total tonnes processed so far this season to 1,731,001.

Bingera Mill finished the season’s crushing at around 1:00am on Friday November 6 while harvesting for supply to Millaquin mill was scheduled to finish on Thursday 12 November, weather permitting.

Storm activity yielded falls from 1 to 100 millimetres on Sunday November 8.

Millaquin’s CCS averaged 15.54 units and Bingera averaged 15.24. The season average for the region has now increased to 14.71 units. The highest individual CCS result was 18.50 units of CCS for Q208A older ratoon.

Isis Rain delayed the end of the 2015 season by five days. Isis Mill lost approximately 95 hours of crushing and field conditions, when harvesting resumed, were wet. All available wet weather equipment was utilised in the last week.

Surprisingly, CCS levels remained high with the highest test in the mid 17s. On the last day of the 2015 season only five groups supplied cane.

Isis Mill tipped the last cane bin at 5.37 pm on Friday 6 November. A total of 1,284,981.58 tonnes of cane was processed at a seasonal average CCS of 14.31. Isis Mill made 192,808 tonnes of IPS sugar.

Further storm rains have hit the area following the termination of crushing which is helping to alleviate the need for irrigation. SunWater has announced 100% water allocation on the South Side following Paradise Dam overflowing as a result of storm rain but carry-over water has been cancelled. The CANEGROWERS Isis Limited AGM was held on Friday 20 November.

Maryborough As at 12 November MSF has crushed 765,880 tonnes at CCS of 13.66. The district received between 20 and 75 mm of rain over the past weekend which delayed crushing by approximately 48 hours. As this report is being written, rain has again set in and the forecast is for further rain over the next three days.

This is providing to be very frustrating for harvesting crews as they attempt to harvest the remaining 84,000 tonnes for the season. Our AGM will have to be postponed by one week and is now tentatively set for 3 December.

New South Wales The harvest in all three mill areas continues to be plagued by showery conditions. Despite this we are still confident that all three areas will be finished before Christmas. Sugar content continues to be slightly above average with cane quality good.

Planting is now complete in all areas with good strikes. The showers, whilst not the best if you have the harvester, ensure that the young cane is getting an excellent start which should ensure a bumper crop for 2016. 

Rocky Point We’ve had a slow fortnight at Rocky Point - issues caused largely by problems at the cogeneration plant halted the crush by almost two weeks.

To date Rocky Point has crushed 253,503 tonnes of cane at an average CCS of 13.59. We have approximately 135,000 tonnes remaining to crush with an estimated 6.8 weeks left, which will take us very close to Christmas.

With the unpredictable crush to date, we are all hoping to get as much harvested as possible. Our major concerns are further breakdowns and wet weather. Plant cane and ratoons are looking well after some welcome storm rain.

What a surprise for a harvesting crew in the Herbert River region recently!

The harvester wasn't damaged despite chomping two thirds of the way through the boat and no one knows how the boat came to be hidden in the cane. Thanks to Blake Gibson for the photos.

23 November 2015

| Australian Canegrower

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INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Balancing RD&E to look for opportunities and solve current issues

By Burn Ashburner, CANEGROWERS Senior Manager – Industry

USING THE SUGAR INDUSTRY’S SCARCE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND EXTENSION (RD&E) RESOURCES WISELY IS FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR FUTURE. The sugar industry does not have the resources to do everything we would like, thus we have to determine what to invest in and only time will tell if we were right or not.

The trick is to choose the right strategic direction and give the RD&E investors the right message. A key part of getting this right is to know where we can leverage off other research, be it in Australia or not.

As part of developing the National Sugarcane RD&E Strategy, a recent survey (not a 100% coverage but close enough) of the industry’s RD&E capability, was completed by a firm of consultants and this reveals some interesting insights: • The investment in RD&E is $44.5 million.

• There are 198 projects on the go.

• These projects are spread amongst organisations with SRA accounting for 41% of them, universities 25% and the Queensland Government 13% (see figure 1).

• Two thirds of these projects are regionally focused.

• 25% of projects are for plant breeding and variety adoption.

• 70% of projects are contracted for three years or less.

The survey covered 256 staff (77% of them male) of which 92% were full time with a median age of 48 years with 20 years’ overall experience and 10 years in sugarcane. 39% of these were senior researchers and 34% senior technicians.

About 70% of the staff surveyed was based in Brisbane with the rest spread throughout the industry, mostly with the SRA research centres.

This tells me that there is a wellbalanced pool of skilled and experienced staff focussing on short term regional projects and plant breeding i.e. solving regional problems.

I guess most growers would say this is exactly what we want and from my understanding it is exactly what we have asked for.

By and large, as mentioned, this focus is aimed at solving problems. One view from some researchers and some government agencies would probably say we have provided a solution to yield decline (and varieties are not the real problem just a wishful quick fix) but it is not widely adopted and we know through research what harvest best practice is but it has not been fully adopted.

So are we wasting our scarce resources doing more farming systems and harvesting research even though yield decline and harvester losses are some of our biggest problems?

Will we be still just a raw sugar producing industry in say 20 years’ time competing with developing countries?

In order to survive and thrive I think we are going to need to create opportunities and we will need to look different in 20 years. This is a big ask and can consume R&D resources.

It is not wrong that the majority of RD&E resources are going into solving regional problems.

Most of the research which could create future opportunities is beyond our industry’s ability to resource, and we need to be wary of doing a little bit of everything and doing nothing well.

However, we need to clearly understand and accept (or not) the strategic decisions that have been taken about research focus and make plans to be very smart in how we leverage off other research, in other industries and sectors.

These are the tough questions we need to face when developing a strategic direction for the sugar industry’s RD&E.

Fig 1. Proportion of projects by organisation

Fig 2. Proportion of staff by employer

Other - 3% Farming Groups - 8% CSIRO 7%

Millers - 2% NSW Gov - 1%

Universities 25% QLD Gov 13% Sugar Research Australia 41%

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Australian Canegrower

| 31 August 2015

Millers - 1% Universities 17%

CSIRO 16%

Sugar Research Australia 48%

Industry Spotlight sponsored by Smartcane BMP

NSW Gov 2% Prod Services 10% QLD Gov 6%

IPF 2015 PRODUCTIVITY REPORT NOVEMBER UPDATE

Evidence mounting for yield gains with ENTEC® enhanced efficiency fertiliser in both wet and dry seasons Recent trials have demonstrated potential for significant cane yield increase with the use of ENTEC. It’s well understood how in wetter seasons, or with regular irrigation, Entec protects nitrogen – but local growers are now seeing positive results even in drier conditions.

In 2014, Tully grower Don Colls trialled

ENTEC in a 3rd ratoon crop of KQ228.

Even with a long lag of three months and one day between fertiliser application and the first significant rainfall event (55mm on 26th November), Don saw a 7.6% increase in cane yield: 128 t cane/ha for the demonstration using an ENTEC NPKS blend, v. 119 t cane/ha for the crop using a conventional urea NPKS blend.

Septimus grower John Head also tried an

ENTEC NPKS blend for the first time last

season, in a 30ha block of Q240. When harvested this year, it produced 141 t cane/ ha – an increase of roughly 15 t cane/ha or 12% – with a CCS of 15.3. He now plans to use ENTEC across 100% of his crop.

And in Rosella, after a good response from his first trial of ENTEC last year, grower Andrew Johnson is now using ENTEC across the entire farm. He advises that next year’s crop is already looking exceptionally good.

This is relevant not only in wet seasons, but also in drier El Nino years. ENTEC can protect the nitrogen in the soil during the long dry spells that limit nitrogen uptake – and then reduces nitrogen loss during the high intensity rainfall events that typically follow.

It provides more flexibility, a broader window for application and more efficient delivery of nitrogen to the plant whether conditions are initially too dry or then too wet.

And data continues to roll in showing significant yield improvements…

One 2014 HCPSL (Herbert Cane Productivity Service Limited) & Queensland Government trial showed an ENTEC blend stabilising ammonium for over

John Head applying ENTEC on his farm at Septimus

3 months, and producing a dramatic 30-50% (depending on N rate) gain in t cane/ha over the same blend untreated. This latest experience – on top of aggregated learning from seven trials released by IPF in 2014 (average 9.1% t cane/ha increase, with one trial showing +35.8%) – demonstrates that ENTEC can produce healthy yield gains in seasons that are either wet, or even dry-then-wet. Combined with the growing focus on improving nitrogen utilisation, it makes a compelling case for giving ENTEC enhanced efficiency fertiliser a try.

For more information and advice about ENTEC use in sugar cane, please contact your local accredited Incitec Pivot Fertilisers supplier.

“With as little rain as we had last year, I was surprised at how good a crop we got.”

- Andrew Johnson

These growers’ experiences add to a mounting body of evidence that ENTEC – with its unique mechanism for slowing down conversion of ammonium (NH4+) to the nitrate (NO3-) form – can produce healthy dividends in a broad range of conditions.

Unlike polymer-coated fertilisers, ENTEC nitrogen is plant-available right from application, and all of the urea-based nitrogen is protected. Because it keeps nitrogen in the ammonium form longer, it’s considerably less prone to loss through leaching and denitrification.

To find out more about ENTEC’s potential to increase yield and put more dollars in your pocket, see your local accredited ENTEC dealer or IPF representative or visit entecfertilisers.com.au.

®ENTEC is a registered trademark of EuroChem Agro GmbH. Incitec Pivot Limited is licensed to distribute ENTEC in Australia. Incitec Pivot Fertilisers is a registered trademark of Incitec Fertilisers Limited ABN 56 103 709 155.

SRA | SNAPSHOT

Forum examines the research effort on YCS

By Neil Fisher, Chief Executive Officer, Sugar Research Australia Leading scientists and researchers from Australia and overseas met recently to examine the research effort to solve the Yellow Canopy Syndrome (YCS) problem.

The forum in early November looked at the current suite of YCS research projects that are funded by SRA, which includes projects at CSIRO, the University of Western Sydney, and SRA. Researchers from these projects met with international experts in sugarcane and plant health, as well as the Scientific Reference Panel, a group of four eminent scientists who provide oversight to SRA-funded YCS research.

Further information about this forum will be communicated to SRA investors via our December YCS newsletter.

SRA continues to prioritise investment in solving YCS as an urgent issue for our industry.

The mysterious Yellow Canopy Syndrome (YCS) is one of the biggest challenges facing the sugarcane industry.

SRA welcomes new staff to the adoption group

Applications open for career development opportunities

SRA has announced three new appointments to its adoption group, in a move that will help sugarcane growers and millers apply research and development to their benefit.

SRA has recently opened applications for our Sugar Industry Travel and Learning Awards (STLA) and our EarlyCareer and Mid-Career Researcher (ECR/ MCR) awards.

SRA has appointed:

The STLA are aimed at encouraging innovative thinking of people involved in the Australian sugar industry through a learning activity that has the potential to bring benefit to the industry.

•

Development Officer (DO) Sebastian Garcia-Cuenca at Condong in Northern NSW

•

Adoption Support Officer (ASO) Gavin Rodman at Tully, and

•

ASO Fiona Zimmerlie-Clarke at Bundaberg.

These appointments fill existing vacancies at SRA. The adoption group provides a vital link between SRA-funded research and the grass-roots needs at farm and mill level.

They also provide vital feedback from the local industry back to SRA. The DOs and ASOs work very closely with a range of stakeholders including industry representative bodies, productivity boards, other extension providers, SRA Delegates, and local growers and millers to achieve valued solutions for the local industry in their region.

The ECR and MCR awards are aimed at assisting researchers who may require initial results or a proof of concept prior to developing a larger project, and who want to expand their skills, or build highly valuable collaborations in pursuit of an innovative initiative.

Applications for all of these awards should clearly demonstrate a benefit to the Australian sugarcane industry.

The benefits that the awards will bring to industry should be aligned with the outcomes and strategies of the SRA 2013/14-2017/18 Strategic Plan.

Applications for all of these awards close on 30 November 2015, and further details are available from the Research Funding section of the SRA website, www.sugarresearch.com.au.

10 Australian Canegrower | 23 November 2015

Scholarship offers $5000-a-year for students studying ag degrees Applications are open for the Horizon Scholarship for 2016.

This government-run scholarship supports students studying agriculture-related degrees at university and applications are required for submission by 19 February 2016.

The Horizon Scholarship provides $5000 per year for the duration of a student’s university degree.

It also offers students annual industry work placements, access to industry leaders, professional development assistance, and opportunities to network and gain knowledge at a range of industry events.

More information is available at the website www.rirdc.gov. au/horizon or by contacting the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) on (02) 6271 4132.

Sugar Research Australia is one of the sponsors of the scholarship.

Eliminating the uncertainties with estate planning This is the third of a four-story series covering the big financial topics for cane farm owners, which have included debt reduction, cash flow management and now estate and succession planning.

Following last months issue addressing cash flow management, Dan Allman and Kim Evetts of Evetts and Allman Financial Advisors discuss how forward thinking pays off for your future.

You have now been able to reduce your debt on your farm and this has improved your cash flow.

You can now start looking at how you are going to retire from the farm and how you would like the farm to be handed down to the next generation.

Eliminate the uncertainties We all understand the future is never guaranteed.

You can however, plan and prepare as much as possible with the aspects of your business and finances that you can control.

• How do you plan on funding your expansion?

• How will you protect your second generation farming enterprise if adult children divorce?

These are all thought provoking questions and topics we often discuss with our clients, and it’s our job to help them eliminate the uncertainties and find the best solution for these important questions.

A tailored strategy pays off We tailor strategies for each client with the attention on all aspects of their financial situation, succession planning included.

Planning in advance as well as achieving goals such as increased cash flow, reduced debt, a selffunded retirement, asset protection, improved lifestyle and estate planning can all be part of the one strategy.

Our philosophy at Evetts and Allman focuses on the ‘big picture’ of each client’s situation.

This is where we can help.

• Have you used your increased cash flow to prepare for your retirement?

• What does your retirement look like?

• Will you be able to retire without having to sell the family farm?

• Does the next generation have to take on debt, to purchase the farm enabling you to retire?

• What would happen if the next generation did not have the resources required to take on the debt of the farm?

• How have you planned for the equalisation of your estate?

Our unique approach of ‘project managing’ for each client allows them the freedom to concentrate on what matters most to them, whether that be improved lifestyle or more time to focus on the business operation while we focus on the best solution.

We see ourselves as mentors, educators and sounding boards so that no matter is overlooked, and having the knowledge of the bigger picture allows us a greater opportunity to devise a strategy that is individual to them.

DISCLAIMER Kim Evetts and Dan Allman are authorised representatives of Financial Wisdom Limited ABN 70 006 646 108 AFSL 231138.

This document contains general advice. It does not take account of your individual objectives, financial situation or needs.

You should consider talking to a financial adviser before making a financial decision. Taxation considerations are general and based on present taxation laws, rulings and their interpretation and may be subject to change. You should seek independent, professional tax advice before making any decision based on this information.

23 November 2015

| Australian Canegrower 11

QSL

Sign up for market updateS and QSL newS at www.qsl.com.au

ICE No.11 Prompt Futures Contract 20.0

Market Update

By Shaun Tupou, QSL Treasury Analyst

19.0

Current as of 16 November 2015

18.0 17.0 16.0

Sugar

15.0

Raw sugar futures have chopped and changed over the past fortnight, with front contract March16 trading over a 160-point range. A rampaging start to the fortnight was triggered by news of increased rainfall in the Centre South region of Brazil, and saw March16 trade to highs not seen since earlier in the year. The following price action suggested the surge higher was a knee jerk reaction to new fundamental news and March16 subsequently fell in consecutive sessions to bottom out at 13.93c/lb before another attempt to push higher over the last week.

14.0 13.0 12.0 11.0 10.0

Australian Dollar (AUD v USD) 0.97 0.95 0.93 0.91 0.89 0.87 0.85 0.83 0.81 0.79 0.77 0.75 0.73 0.71 0.69 0.67 0.65

Weather conditions have caused a weak end to the current Brazilian crush. The production of sugar versus ethanol has been lower on a year-to-year basis.

Currency weakness in Brazil has enabled a large proportion of forward pricing to be done. Scenarios have now changed for sugar, with the latest Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) report confirming production is down and sugar levels (ATR) are declining, with large-scale pricing already complete.

Going forward, the risk remains skewed toward the upside. Thailand remains key, with estimates for the upcoming season reasonably positive. However, we are yet to see the revisions that will most likely be seen if/when El Nino comes into play.

In India, lower reservoir levels on the back of a poor monsoon season will see carryover sugar less price elastic. An export subsidy appears in play as the elections in Bihar (an Eastern state) concluded over the weekend. Expectations are that no more than 1-2 million tonnes will be exported if a subsidy is put in place.

China is facing a weaker crop despite having already large stocks. We believe they will continue to wash out some imports around current market levels and will be responsible for receiving Thailand sugar at the March contract expiry.

Currency

QSL Forward Fixed Price Contract (A$/mt) 520

Of late, it appears that both the Australian Dollar and US Dollar are being driven by domestic jobs data. A better-than-expected US Non-Farm Payrolls print saw the AUD slide from 0.7150 to 0.7025. A weaker commodity complex aided the USD-driven push for the AUD lower. A boomer of a local employment print last week saw the AUD back above 71 cents.

500

Local full-time employment popped up 40,000 vis-à-vis a previous fall in the month prior.

We also note that unemployment was down from 6.2% to 5.9%. Many have suggested that this improvement in local employment numbers will almost take an RBA rate cut off the table, with an improving employment sector and relieved housing market limiting the RBA’s reasons to cut.

480 460 440 420 400

This week our key drivers are dominated by offshore prints. US Consumer Price Index, Industrial Production and the Federal Open Market Committee minutes will hold much of the week’s attention. Locally we have the RBA minutes tomorrow, which many will be watching for news on whether the RBA believes a rate cut is still on the cards in December.

380 360 340 320 2015

2016

2017

12 Australian Canegrower | 23 November 2015

While all care is taken in the preparation of this report the reliability or accuracy of the information provided in the document is not guaranteed. QSL does not accept any responsibility to any person for the decisions and actions taken by that person with respect to any of the information contained in this report.

QSL

QSL: WORKING FOR YOU

Pool offers altered payment schedule

By Bryce Wenham, QSL Finance Manager – Supplier Relations QSL regularly meets with growers and industry representatives, including your QSL Grower Representative Members, to gain feedback about our services and products. One consistent request in recent years has been for the Advances Payment schedule to provide a higher level of payment prior to Christmas. Altering the Advances schedule poses a significant challenge on multiple levels, as there can be considerable variance in pool performance during the course of a season, and so payments must be structured in a way that they can absorb any market downturn without overpaying Suppliers.

However, QSL is pleased to advise that for the coming season growers will be able to access an altered Advances schedule via participation in the 2016 Guaranteed Floor Pool.

Guaranteed Floor Pool – the changes Under the altered 2016 Guaranteed Floor Pool operating arrangements, Advances payments for this pool will be made in a way that 90% of the pool’s net price will be paid to Suppliers by December 2016. No further payment will be made for this pool after December 2016 until the advance rate for all other QSL Pools exceeds 90%. So in practice, this means that participants in the 2016 Guaranteed Floor Pool will receive advances for this pool at a higher percent rate than participants in other QSL Pools up until their December payment, and then will potentially receive no payment for this pool until May or June the following year.

Why just the Guaranteed Floor Pool?

This alternative payment arrangement has been limited to the Guaranteed Floor Pool only and not our other pools is because of two key reasons: Price certainty and ease of passing on the additional cost of finance.

Price certainty To pay an accelerated advances program, QSL needs a high degree of price certainty.

To appreciate this, it is necessary to understand a little about the existing

Advances Payments system and the restrictions associated with it. As the name suggests, Advance Payments are payments QSL makes to Suppliers in advance of being paid by the customers buying the raw sugar. QSL borrows approximately $350 million each year to fund the Advance system and subsequently promote cash flow in the Queensland sugar industry.

Under our funding arrangements with our financiers, we are restricted from paying out more than 60% of QSL’s weighted average forecast final price for all pools in the first Advances payment each season.

And while we issue an Indicative Advances Schedule each year, the QSL Board reviews this suggested payment regime at every monthly Board meeting to ensure it has taken into consideration:

• the expected cash flow from shipments of raw sugar to customers; • the expected rates of deliveries from Suppliers to bulk sugar terminals; • the margin calls QSL may need to pay on forward pricing; and • QSL’s available borrowing facilities.

Because the price obtained for each pool fluctuates throughout the season, QSL cannot be assured of a pool’s net returns until the end of activities at the close of the Financial Year. However the Guaranteed Floor Pool is different to other QSL pools in that it has a guaranteed minimum rate of return locked in, known as ‘the floor’. Final returns for this pool may in fact be higher than the floor because participants receive 50 cents for every dollar achieved above a nominated ‘Strike Price’, but regardless of this, the pool has a known minimum return. Using these guaranteed returns, QSL has been able to alter the Advances schedule for this pool in order to provide our Suppliers with the ability to access an increased rate of Advances prior to Christmas.

Additional costs of finance To provide this accelerated program, QSL will incur additional finance costs.

Finance costs for the Advances program are reflected in the Shared Pool allocation. The extra cost to provide the accelerated rates over and above QSL’s standard advances program will be passed to those participants in the Guaranteed Floor Pool only. This amount of additional finance will be reflected in the pool’s gross price, ensuring the other pools do not bear any additional finance costs associated with the payments for this pool.

Nominating tonnes It should be remembered that while the Guaranteed Floor Pool provides its participants with a guaranteed minimum return, the floor price is not known when growers nominate a tonnage to this pool.

This is because the pool’s floor price is secured after the Declaration Date when QSL purchases insurance to lock-in a minimum return for the pool’s set tonnage.

While a floor price is not known prior to the close of growers’ tonnage nomination process, QSL publishes an indicative floor price on its website in the weeks leading up to the Declaration Date to give growers an indication of potential floor prices. If the final floor eventually secured varies by more than $10 from QSL’s last published indicative floor price, participants are given the opportunity to remove their nominated tonnage from this pool and reallocate the sugar to an alternate pool (pool options will vary according to your supplying Miller’s arrangements).

Further information regarding the 2016 Guaranteed Floor Pool features in the 2016 Marketing Guide and Product Description Statements, available soon on the QSL website and via local grower roadshows. 

*Correction: Our last column on IPS featured an error in the IPS calculation example. It should have stated: “It is important to note that this scale is cumulative, so if the sugar delivered was 98 degrees Pol, then it would receive a premium of 1.5% (96-97 Pol) + 1.25% (97-98 pol) = 2.75%.” w

23 November 2015

| Australian Canegrower 13

ON FARM

Farms and water quality around the globe

By Neroli Roocke

Farmers along Australia’s Great Barrier Reef coastline are in good company in finding themselves in the spotlight over links between farming practices and water quality. On a visit to far north Queensland recently some international agricultural journalists found similarities between the issues in Australia and the stories they have been covering at home. Rules, regulations and closer scrutiny on farmers were a common theme.

Scotland Ken Rundle, the Senior Communications Officer for the Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), says the European Water Framework Directive has put countries on a deadline to look at entire river catchments.

“In Scotland we’ve had people from the environmental agencies walking the river banks, then the tributaries, the little burns and streams that run off that and even drainage ditches,” he said.

“They’re advising and alerting farmers to cases where they think there may be a problem - such as allowing stock drinking on the banks.”

Scotland has set water quality levels and farmers have to try to achieve them – for soil runoff and animal pollution as well as nitrates and phosphates.

“We have an annual survey of all the beaches around Scotland and while we don’t have Australia’s weather, on the west coast we have beaches that match anything here in terms of beautiful white sand and blue water,” Ken said.

periods and not on top of frozen ground for example to prevent it washing away when the thaw happens.”

The SRUC has 25 offices which advise and assist farmers as well as educational and research programmes.

“The whole concentration from research and our monitor farms and focus farms is to look at targeting resources – minimum use of things, making clever use of inputs at times when plants are best able to use them so there’s less wastage and less runoff. This is a common theme and its right across Europe.”

He says at present any penalties associated with not complying are light but they are expected to ramp up.

However payments to farmers through the Common Agricultural Policy are being used to encourage practice change.

“I know there are question marks around public money going to farmers and subsidising agriculture but now, more than ever before, that money comes with a lot of environmental strings attached and no one is going to get that money unless they follow certain environmental rules."

After visiting far north Queensland, he said Smartcane BMP was putting the sugar industry on the right track.

“The large dairy herds are in areas which are good for grass which means there’s lots of rain and the dung is washing into the rivers and farmers are being blamed for beaches being unsafe.

“In a global market, where all kinds of people are wanting to promote their products to a consumer who is increasingly concerned about the environment it is far better to develop your own scheme that is controlled and designed to be practical for you rather than have somebody come along and impose something on you which actually is going to be far more difficult to achieve,” he said.

“We have other areas designated as nitrate vulnerable zones and farmers have extra restrictions placed on them – they can only spray manure in certain months of the year for set

“Either way it may cost you money and either way it will affect your business but you have to work with it and the clever people are doing that now.” ►

“One of the things they’re looking for is faecal contamination.

Scottish farms must have buffer strips along all water courses.

14 Australian Canegrower | 23 November 2015

ON FARM

Denmark

Japan's southern island of Okinawa is looking at ways to reduce red soil erosion reaching coral reefs.

Egon Kjøller Nielsen writes about agriculture with the newspaper NORDJYSKE Medier.

“Protecting the ground water is very important in Denmark,” Egon said.

“We drink it as it is, without chemical cleansing or chlorineadding and want to continue that, so of course farming practices (fertilising and use of pesticides) must be under strong public control.”

Those public controls stem from hydrogeological mapping and, since 1985, a series of action plans have been introduced to reduce nitrate leaching from farming into groundwater.

There are seasonal limitations on the spreading of liquid manure and ban on applications which risk run off into lakes and water courses (such as on sloping land).

Farmers produce a nitrogen budget each year: balancing the fertiliser they want to apply with what is already in the soil and must show to the government that they didn’t go over-quota.

After 20 years of national aquatic plans and monitoring data, Denmark reports that it is beginning to see a positive impact from its aquatic action plans, with nitrate levels decreasing.

However Egon says the system has not been without controversy with the government recently losing a court challenge against its required buffer zones around waterways because the mapping on which it was based was inaccurate.

Canada Freelance Canadian farm and food writer Lilian Schaer says farmers in Canada and the United States are being implicated in the water quality problems of the Great Lakes.

“There have been some environmental problems such as algae blooms, not all necessarily due to agriculture, but it is a communal responsibility to find out what’s causing it and what we can do to fix it,” she said.

A link has been established between phosphorous levels and the brightly-coloured and toxic blue-green algae blooms and work is being done on both sides of the border to reduce and filter agricultural and storm water runoff into the Lakes, some of it through regulatory and incentive programs.

The Canadian fertiliser industry encourages farmers to consider the 4R philosophy of nutrient stewardship – the right nutrient, at the right rate, in the right place and at the right time.

Japan Yoshihito Yasuda writes for the Nogyo Kyosai Shinbun (agricultural insurance press).

“We have the same problem in Okinawa prefecture in Japan,” he said.

“We have coral too and we have the same problems with feeds from land being bad for the coral.

“In Japan, the farmers earn small money and the younger men don’t want to be a farmer so the fields are abandoned.

“If it rains and there are no plants on the field, the soil pours into the sea directly - it is a big problem.”

Concerns about the flow of soil into the ocean and the build-up of silt on the reefs have led to the Red Soil Runoff Prevention Ordinance on Japan’s most southerly island.

Its action plan includes a focus on watershed management to mitigate runoff.

The growth of the livestock industry in Okinawa increased nutrient loading from the effluent of cattle, pig and other stock farms.

In 2004, a law required farmers to store manure on concrete pads covered with a roof or tarpaulin and failure to do so incurs a fine of up to ¥500,000 (AU$6,000).

Yoshihito said he was impressed with what he saw of Queensland sugarcane and banana farmers voluntarily improving management practices on their farms.

“The Australian farmers are eager to solve the problem with researchers and government – it is very good.” n Blue-green algae blooms in the Great Lakes along the Canada-US border have put farm runoff in the spotlight.

“Farmers certainly have a role to play and it’s a role they’re more than willing to accept,” Lilian said.

“There’s a lot of research going on to figure out what farmers can do to change their practices to mitigate their impact on the environment.

“We heard a lot of similar messages from the cane growers we met on the Great Barrier Reef that it’s very much that shared responsibility of a communal resource and treasure.”

23 November 2015

| Australian Canegrower 15

ON FARM

Greig Zunker with the controls of the 250 metre lateral move low pressure irrigator on his family's Bundaberg district farm.

SHORT & SWEET OF IT • A 250-metre long lateral move low pressure irrigator is the latest innovation on the Zunker farm in the Bundaberg district.

• It has a programmable, steerable cart which can turn a 45 degree angle to ensure it covers the whole farm.

• The irrigator has delivered substantial labour savings compared to the water winch system it replaced.

• Pumping water at low pressure (90psi at the pump) has drastically cut down the energy needed to irrigate the crop.

This on farm story has been brought to you by the

RWUE program

Walking water saves time and money Story and photos by John Flynn A long-time believer in keeping up with technological innovation in farming, Isis district cane grower Graham Zunker has instilled the same philosophy in his son Greig.

The father-and-son team has just finished installing a new lateral move low pressure overhead irrigation system on their Alloway farm and already it’s delivering substantial water use efficiency dividends.

Like a teenager admiring his first car, there was more than a hint of youthful enthusiasm as Graham Zunker watched the new Valley lateral move irrigator crank into action and begin walking into the rows – unassisted.

In more than half a century of working this fertile country on the outskirts of Bundaberg, Graham has seen just about every form or irrigation technology come and go, from digging wells and spearing bores through to flood irrigation and, in more recent times, water winches.

16 Australian Canegrower | 23 November 2015

As the 250-metre long giant rolled on with robotic precision, the senior of three generations of Zunkers working the farm was optimistic about what the new technology would deliver.

“Back in the olden days, well, you never thought this would have happened,” Graham Zunker said. “You would have thought it would have been a dream to think something could walk along like this and irrigate your farm without even steering it but technology has come a long way. ►

ON FARM

“I think if you don’t keep up with technology you’ll get left behind because that’s what it’s all about.”

A name synonymous with the sugar industry in the Bundaberg region, the success story that is the Zunker family farm dates back to 1958 when, as Graham tells it, his father and his father’s brothers bought the land to put their sons on.

It took 10-15 years to clear the blocks and commence growing small crops prior to securing their first cane growing assignment.

It was also the place Graham brought his young bride Hazel, ‘a Bourbong Street girl’ as he lovingly described his wife of 55 years, to live beyond from the comforts of Bundaberg’s main street and start a life on the farm.

The irrigator's steerable cart can quickly undertake a pivot manoeuvre, using a controller to turn the wheels to a 45 degree angle and lock them in position.

" "

“It was not easy at the start coming from in town here out to nothing, it was a bit scary for her,” Graham said. “You used to hear the dingoes and foxes howling at night time which she never heard before and the brumbies running down the road.”

From the outset, getting water to the crops has been a challenge in a region where natural rainfall is not dependable.

Mean annual rainfall in the district is around 1000mm but 2014 was one of the drier years on record, with a total of just 680mm recorded at the nearby Bundaberg Aerodrome.

So from an early stage, Graham’s attention was focussed on making efficient use of water to build a future for his family.

It would have been a dream to think something could walk along like this and irrigate your farm without even steering it, but technology has come a long way.

“We dug holes in the ground like they call wells and put a bore down, put a spear down and put a pump down the bottom, what they call a centrifugal pump and belt drive pump for a bit of water to grow small crops,” Graham said.

“To dig a well down 30 odd feet, when you look at it, there’s a lot of dirt coming out of there, but we got a bit of water and that was a big thing.”

From digging wells, to the arrival of water through the Bundaberg water supply scheme in the 1970s, the most substantial leap forward in productivity came with the arrival of high pressure water winch irrigation, a technology the Zunkers were the first in their district to utilise “They were the thing to have, a water winch, it saves a lot of labour and stuff, but you have to design your farm to suit that,” Graham said.

“We had to dig up all of our mains to put high pressure pipes down, that hurdle was a bigger job than we realised but you change for the better and it went for the better.”

Likewise, the shift to low pressure lateral move overhead irrigation has proven to be a change for the better.

However, it’s a change that could not have been implemented without detailed planning and preparation.

The process began at the kitchen table of the Zunker family home with what could best be described as some ‘old school’ trigonometry.

Aware that a shift to low pressure irrigation would require an investment in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, Graham and Greig were eager to set up a system that would be capable of watering the entire farm, without the need to use water winches to fill any gaps.

Three generations on the Zunker farm - Greig (left), Graham (centre) and Tom.

After exploring the option of centre pivot irrigation, the Zunkers settled on a Valley 250-metre five span lateral move irrigator with a steerable cart that was capable of undertaking turns to suit the mostly rectangular layout of the 89 hectare farm.

Continues page 18...

23 November 2015

| Australian Canegrower 17

ON FARM

Installing the lateral move irrigator, and removing winch tracks delivered an immediate productivity gain with an additional two hectares now under cane.

“Back in 2010 we were trying to work out what to do for a better irrigation system besides going to trickle and getting away from water winching,” Greig explains.

“We started to think about a centre pivot but it was only going to do a three-quarter circle and we were missing the corners as well.

“Our farm is 500 metres wide. A 250 metre lateral will work fine with our farm practice which will get the corners and water the whole farm.”

Another factor in the decision was that a shift to a larger centre pivot irrigator would have required an upgrade in pumping infrastructure, with two pumps needed to maintain pressure along its 500 metre length.

The 250 metre-long lateral system fitted neatly with the capacity of the existing pumping infrastructure and required only minor alterations to the reticulation system.

What did need to change to maximise the efficiency of the new system was the layout of the blocks.

Winch tracks were removed, delivering an immediate productivity gain with an additional two hectares now under cane.

Using GPS technology, the row alignment of blocks was altered from east-west to north-south and the rows lengthened to make working the blocks a more efficient process.

“We started in 2010 and 2015 now is the last plough-out block,” Greig said.

“We’ve got some little blocks there, rows running the wrong way because there was newly planted cane back then and we had to see that process be harvested right through.”

The key savings, at least initially, from the introduction of the lateral move overhead irrigator are in energy use and labour.

Pumping water at low pressure has drastically cut down the energy needed to irrigate the crop.

It’s a timely change, given the surge in electricity tariffs for irrigators.

The water winch system, according to Greig Zunker, required 110-120psi at the pump and by the time water travelled through a six inch main and a four inch hose, it was putting out 95-100psi at the gun.

That equated to a pressure loss of around 30psi in the system.

“There’s a lot of energy burnup there with the pump running for that little volume of water its putting out,” Greig said “At the moment with this (lateral move irrigator) we’re still running the four inch hose which we’ve got 90 psi at the pump running through ten chain of four inch hose by the time it gets to the cart, up the mast, it’s around 16 psi.

18 Australian Canegrower | 23 November 2015

“That’s more than enough for the nozzles to be working because they’re regulated at a 15 psi outlet so the volume we’re putting through there is working for us pretty well.

“As a comparison, there’s no comparison. It’s completely different and it’s better.”

In labour terms, the lateral system largely takes care of itself.

The irrigator is started at a control panel on the cart and Greig uses his utility to pull hoses and connect to hydrants at the end of each run without the need to negotiate soggy winch tracks.

Similarly, the steerable cart can be set up quickly to undertake a pivot manoeuvre using a controller to turn the wheels to a 45 degree angle and lock them in position.

Having farmed using more labourintensive methods, Graham Zunker sees the labour saving as one of the major benefits of the lateral move system.

“Labour-wise, for one man to go around and shift five water winches in a day, it takes about an hour to shift a winch and get water run out of and something’s only got to go wrong and you slip behind and once you slip behind it’s hard to catch up,” Graham said.

“This thing covers a bigger area with less costs and maintenance. ►

ON FARM

Campaign up and running

"As a comparison, there is no comparison.

It’s completely different and it’s better."

It’s the biggest labour saving on watering compared to water winches if you’ve got to shift a few of them a day.”

Perhaps the greatest benefit will be in terms of boosted productivity. The speed with which the lateral system can get around the farm and the consistency of its watering should mean optimal soil moisture, less crop stress and more tonnes.

“My father’s always noticed when it rains the rain covers a big area and it takes a lot longer for that ground to dry out,” Greig said.

“This (lateral move irrigator) is watering a big area and the moisture seems to stay longer in the ground covering that big area than doing a winch run which is just watering a little section and it’s dry beside.

“There’s something going on there we’ve noticed and the ground was staying wet a lot longer with this.”

The Australian Sugar Industry Museum is asking you to put your money where your heart is and support an online fundraising drive.

Increased costs mean that most of the Mourilyan centre’s annual income is consumed simply to operate the museum, leaving no funds to improve the building or modernise the exhibits.

So, an online crowdfunding campaign has started and you can play a part in giving visitors to the museum a ‘sweeter experience’ and a greater understanding of our industry. You can reach the campaign here: https://www.indiegogo.com/ projects/making-a-sweeter-experience#/story Since 1977, when it was opened by the then Premier of Queensland Sir Joh BjelkePetersen, the Museum has told the story of Australia’s sugarcane industry – from clearing land by hand through the inventive years of early mechanisation to taking a leading role in environmentally sustainable farming.

With industry support and the involvement of governments, and after almost a decade in its original location, a successful grant application through the Australian Bi-centenary Fund allowed for the current building to be built. It was opened on 27 April 1988.

To face the future with confidence, the museum needs to renovate and update its exhibitions.

Through the Australian Sugar Alliance (representative body of millers and growers) much needed operational funding for the museum’s operation has been secured from QSL along with the facility to develop a new business plan. This generosity takes the pressure off the museum’s available finances and allows efforts to be made to secure funds to make the necessary improvements.

This is where you come in and that is the aim of the crowdfunding campaign.

All members and supporters of CANEGROWERS, in fact anyone associated with the sugar industry, is encouraged to pitch in and help. The beauty of crowdfunding is that it pools small donations from many, many people to help organisations such as the Museum reach their goals.

You can also assist by posting about the campaign on websites, distributing the information to your email contacts and sharing about it on social media.

Having endured varied climatic conditions and out-of-the-ordinary weather events in the Isis district in recent seasons it’s been difficult for the Zunkers to quantify to this point what difference the lateral move irrigation system will make in productivity terms during a ‘normal’ season but the indications are the boost in tonnage attributable to low pressure overhead irrigation, alongside the reduced energy use and labour costs will be significant. 

Together we can help the Museum continue to tell our story to the wider community.  23 November 2015

| Australian Canegrower 19

Increase yield in the field with Mineral Mulch!

Advertising feature, supplied by Rob Howe, Mineral Mulch

Mineral Mulch is a sustainable soil amendment product containing much needed soluble plant-available silicon and calcium silicate.

Recent results from replicated field trials in the Bundaberg region have shown that Mineral Mulch delivered an average 25% increase in cane yield at a 6 tonne/hectare application. An increase in stalk height and cane yield was seen with no loss of sugar content.

In a period of low sugar prices, an economical product that results in proven increased yield is exactly what each grower needs now.

The benefits of silicon for sugarcane are not new.

Canadian researchers have shown that silicon allows plants to activate genes which protect it from adverse conditions, such as a lack of water and heat stress.

The symptoms of silicon deficiency in sugarcane are distinctive.

The upper side of the lower leaves in the canopy develop a white fleck and

a bronze freckle which can cover the whole leaf surface.

$25 per tonne, exclusive of GST and freight.

Symptoms develop during the peak growth phase in summer when the soil can no longer meet crop requirements.

Competitive rates of freight have also been sourced to northern Queensland.

The requirement for a silicon fertiliser supplement can be reliably indicated by soil or leaf analysis.

To give Mineral Mulch a go and see the results for yourself, give Rob (0447 888 018) or Wendy (0447 888 029) a call, or send an email to info@mineralmulch. com for further information.

“Around 30% of soils in most sugarcane regions of Queensland are candidates for silicon supplements.� (Dr Graham Kingston).

Research in Australia has shown that supplementation with silicon will deliver increased yield responses between 0% and 45%, with the average at 16%.

From now until 1 January 2016, Mineral Mulch will remain priced at

20 Australian Canegrower | 23 November 2015

Bozie Darveniza – Humour and hard work The Innisfail cane growing community paused during October to remember Bozie Darveniza, who had lived and farmed in the district for all of his 86 years.

He was born on Christmas Day in Innisfail in 1928, the third of 10 children, and named Bozidar which in SerboCroatian means Christmas gift.

In the eulogy, his sister Edna Crassini remembered an older brother who was a big storyteller, a big tease and a hard worker.

“To me, Bozie has always been a farmer; he lived and breathed farming. I am sure this love of farming started when he was a young boy,” she said.

Getting to know you This column is about putting faces to the people you may hear from at the CANEGROWERS office. This edition, meet Alison Gooden.

What is your role in CANEGROWERS? Executive Secretary at CANEGROWERS Queensland.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Working with a really great supportive team. I get a real sense of accomplishment from being able to solve problems for others or help them in some way.

What do you see are the challenges?

Every day is different – at this stage, I am still currently learning the ropes and that in itself is challenging.

Wrangling Dan’s diary is still a work in progress too but I get small victories every day!

Where and what was your first paid job and what did that lead to?

My first job was working at the local RSL Club in Gympie. I learnt so much in that role, including customer service skills and how to work as part of a team. Since then, I’ve worked as a duty manager at Hamilton Island’s yacht club, before moving into the secretarial sector, travelling overseas to live in London, and working with law firms.

What do you like to do on your days off and on weekends?

I’m a vintage girl at heart, I love old school cars and fashion, especially the 1940s and 50s. When I’m not spending time with my family or looking for my next holiday location, I’m travelling to the various vintage shows that exist in the great south east.

“If Grandfather needed Bozie during the day, he would blow a whistle that apparently could be heard all over South Johnstone, and Bozie would leave school and cross the road to do more chores. The Headmaster agreed to this arrangement and in return he was provided with fresh eggs and milk.”

Boris Crassini remembered Bozie Darveniza as strong, athletic and vigorous.

“Bozie needed these characteristics to cope with the hard physical work involved when he began farming in the early 1940s,” he said.

"He also needed these characteristics to become the outstanding farmer that he was for more than 70 years.”

He was also a generous, significant and valued contributor to both the sugar industry and the community.

He was a member of the Board of Directors of the former South Johnstone Sugar Mill for 28 years, including being Chairman of the Board for two years and was a member of the Innisfail Canegrowers Executive Committee for two terms. He also served as a member of the Mill Suppliers Committee.

In 2013 this service to the sugarcane industry was recognised with the Innisfail Babinda Cane Productivity Award for Industry Commitment/ Achievement.

He had married Daphne Linde in 1957 and they have two children and five grandchildren.

“Bozie and Daph’s marriage did not simply last or survive; it flourished over 60 years,” Boris said during the eulogy.

“Bozie Darveniza was a loving and caring parent, grandparent, and husband. In total, Bozie Darveniza was a good man. Rest in peace, Bozie.”  23 November 2015

| Australian Canegrower 21

CLASSIFIEDS

FIRST 5 LINES FREE* FOR CANEGROWERS MEMBERS! Book online anytime of the day or night at www.canegrowers. com.au or email us at ads@CANEGROWERS.com.au.

Next deadline is 27 November 2015.

*As a FREE service to CANEGROWERS members, Australian Canegrower will print suitable classified advertisements UP TO 5 LINES FREE, FOR ONE ISSUE ONLY. A charge of $5.

50 will apply for each extra line or part thereof. A charge will apply for advertising of non-cane growing activities. Advertisements must relate exclusively to cane farming activities, e.g. farm machinery etc. Advertisements from non-members are charged at $11 per line incl GST. Only pre-paid ads will be accepted.

Beaulieu R.U.M. Attention Canegrowers The first step in achieving a high yielding cane crop is a good strike and vigorous growth in the early stage of your crop.

This can be achieved easily by simply adding 5 litres of R.U.M per acre to your dip water.

For a cost of around $25 per acre Can you afford not to give it a go?

For further information contact – Burdekin & Northern Region call Wally Ford 0417 937 722 Mackay Region call Noel Jensen 0438 595 325 Childers Region call Peter Irwin 0428 427 212 Do you want a FREE electronic version of Australian Canegrower delivered to your email inbox every fortnight?

To receive your free electronic copy, email us on: editor@CANEGROWERS.com.au.

INGHAM AGENCIES EXTRACTOR FAN BLADES GREAT RANGE! BETTER PRICES! NEW PRODUCT AVAILABLE CORRADINI TIPPER ELEVATOR FLIGHTS

BASECUTTER DISCS 610mm & 585mm 5 blade and 6 blade versions HILLING SWEEPS VIDA PLATE STRIPS VIDA PLATE LINER

MADE IN QUEENSLAND FOR AUSTRALIAN CONDITIONS Contact: Michael Pelleri Phone: 07 47761273 Fax: 07 4776 2326 sales@inghamagencies.com.au

22 Australian Canegrower | 23 November 2015

Graham Twyford Machinery Sales Pty Ltd Specialising in Used Cane Harvesting Equipment Sales

NEW! CANETEC AX7500 CANE HARVESTER “AUSTRALIAN MADE” Enquire NOW 2011 MASSEY FERGUSON 5465 4 WD Tractor 120 HP. 1,967 Hrs. Fitted with 6 tonne Side Tipper BSM type.

2005 JD 6920 4WD Tractor 150 HP 5,264 Hrs. Coupled to a HBM Billet Planter 1,000 L. water tank on tractor.

Complete Unit.

WESTHILL TRACK INFIELD TRANSPORTER Front Unloader 4 Metre Delivery. 12/14 Tonne Elev.

CAT. 3306 TA Eng. 275 HP. Eaton Track Drive Pumps, Sun strand Pump Driving Elevator with Radial Piston Motors. NEW Walking Gear, Inc. 24’’ Curved Grousers, Chains, Track Rollers, Front Idlers & Sprockets.

WRECKING TOFT 6500 Track Harvester. CAT. 3306 T.A. 275 HP. Eng. Pump Box & Pumps, Tracks.

NEW! 4 SLAT OPEN BUTT ROLLERS Suit JD 3510/20 and CASE. Helps Drop Dirt. Enquire NOW! NEW PLANTING TIPPERS Triple Side Tippers on trailer remote hydraulics.

Immediate Delivery.

IN STOCK NOW 12, 10, 8 & 6 BLADE DIFFERENTIAL CHOPPER DRUMS Suit ‘05 to current 3520 CAMECO/JD. Tungsten Hard Faced on Wear Areas.

New seal plates, Clamping Bars & Dowels with kit.

Graham Twyford 48 Central Park Drive, Paget, Mackay Mobile: 0418 742 696 Phone: 07 49526 668 graham@gtmachinerysales.com.au www.gtmachinersales.com.au

WHAT’S NEW MEMBER SERVICES

Mossman –Tully

JOHNNY FARMING COMPANY

Australian Distributor Belshina Tyres & Chinese Imports 5 Tractor Tyres 5 Earthmoving Tyres 5 Truck Tyres 5 Cars & 4WD Tyres DROVER EQUIPMENT AUSTRALIA

UTV’s, ATV’s & AG BIKES See website for more details

P: 07 4952 2577 M: 0412 535 887 www.johnnyfarmingcompany.com.au E: johnnyfarmingco@bigpond.com 133 Schmidke Road Mackay 4740

9 X 1 ¼” COIL TYNES – New Never been used. $100 each ONO. Ph: 0417 671 152 2003 PROTON Jumbuck GLSi. 1.5 litre petrol. Good condition. $4,500 ex GST. Phone: 0428210850 (Edmonton).

MITSUBISHI LANCER 2007 Model.

Registration 07.07.2016. very good condition. Ph: 0457 255 961 HIGH RISE, 2.25m clearance, driven by AM7 International Diesel, Top & Bottom Spray System, A1 Condition. POA. 0438 616 791

Herbert River – Burdekin CANE HARVESTER 2006 Cameco wheel.

VGC, extras, also set up to cut plants. $135,000+GST. For more info phone 0407 764 317

New Hydraulic Heavy Duty

OFFSETS

3 metre width, 28 discs, All bath bearings $11,000 plus GST ($12,100 incl GST) Other size offsets available are 1.8m, 2.2m, 2.5m, 3m & 3.4metres.

3 point linkage offsets available also

New Heavy Duty

SLASHERS

2.1 metres width $3,300 incl GST Other sizes available are 1.2m, 1.5m & 1.8m

Johnny Farming Company

Phone (07) 4952 2577 or 0412 535 887 (John) or 0407 638 674 (Andrew) 133 Schmidtke Road Mackay Qld 4740

Mackay – Proserpine 12T SELF-PROPELLED 6x6 elev infielder VGC. 6t side/tipper on Leyland tandem GC. Don Mizzi 741 model on Fiat 750 special turbo plus MF102 half-tracks to suit. Mason 9550 4-row precision vacuum seed planter GC. 0438 606 578 (Mackay) Continues page 24...

Rainfall Report Recorded rainfall (mm) Location

7 days to 9am

Average rainfall (mm)

Year to date

Jan–Nov

09.11.15

16.11.15

Mossman

0

0

1009

Mareeba AP

0

9

590

806

0.4

37

1487

1821

Mt Sophia

0

3

3088

3069

Babinda

0

0

1422

3933

Innisfail

0.4

13

2209

3290

0

3

2449

3814

0.4

6

1151

1922

Cairns

JOHNNY FARMING COMPANY

2007 TM190 coupled to 1998 12 tonne Carta Tipper, double doors.

Good Condition. POA. Ph: 0407 636 055 JOHN DEERE 3140, 2wd tractor $8000 neg. Ph: 0417 789320 (Ingham) N.H. 8670 with Carta 12ton Tipper. Good Condition. Ph: 0417611539 PRIME MOVER International 2670 19+82 modal McGrath 40ft trailer $20.000, ONO. Ph: 07 4776 6249

Tully Cardwell

2022

Lucinda

2

2

794

1925

Ingham

Tce

13

917

1835

Abergowrie

0

7

1030

1632

Townsville

0.2

5

258

992

Ayr DPI

0

4

362

825

Proserpine

30

46

733

1211

Mirani

3

23

712

1333

Mackay

57

14

768

1382

Sarina (Plane Ck)

73

71

995

1531

Bundaberg

49

51

803

885

Childers South

10

31

796

769

Maryborough

15

87

974

1026

Tewantin

39

37

1353

1447

Eumundi

24

59

1610

1504

Nambour

34

30

1674

1516

Woongoolba

95

10

1299

1202

Murwillumbah

79

18

1496

1413

Ballina

73

47

1716

1632

Woodburn

52

29

993

1250

WANT MORE NEWS, EVENTS AND PHOTOS? Find CANEGROWERS on Twitter! @canegrowers or share with us by using #canegrowers

Zero indicates either no rain or no report was sent. These rainfall figures are subject to verification and may be updated later.

Weather forecasts, radar and satellite images and other information for the farming community can be accessed on www. bom.gov.au. Weather report provided by the Bureau of Meteorology’s Commercial Weather Services Unit.

23 November 2015

| Australian Canegrower 23

CLASSIFIEDS

FL7 VOLVO TRUCK 1995 fitted with EHS 10Ton Side Tipper $37000 + GST. 2250D Acco Truck 1989 with EHS 10Ton Side Tipper New Motor & new Gear Box $35000 + GST. 600ltr Plastic Diesel Tank & Pump $800. ECB Powdercoated Aluminium Winch Bull Bar for Landcruiser Ute 79Series $500. Ph. 0408 776 481.

CHAMBERLAIN 4280 & 4080; Ford New Holland 8340, 4WD, air cab, good rubber, $20,000 + GST. Service trailer, 4 compartments, 100 cubic compressor.

Ph: 0428 756 992 BUCKET (NEW) suit 20T Excavator: 1050mm GP bucket. $2,100+GST. Ph: 0419 700 761.

TRAILER - Tipper Tri-Axle Supa Dog, bisalloy, spring suspension, air operated dolly lock, 2-way tail gate, retractable mesh tarp. $16,000+gst. Ph: 0419 700 761.

1998 CASE 7700 cane harvester, $70,000 inc GST; with new & used parts to suit – make an offer. Ph: 0428 756 992 VALTRA 6400 4WD Tractor - 1ooHP, AirCon Cab, 2004 Model. 3700 Hours. Good Condition. $30 000 (incl GST) ONO. Ph: 0418710958 / 49503048.

HODGE -1 TONNE fertilizer box, fitted to heavy duty double row Hodge grubber

with 10 x 1 ¼ legs $3200.00 + GST or near offer. Ph 0407 643 441 or 4959 5883.

1989 INTERNATIONAL Truck 1850D, 15 ton GVM, tipper, recon motor 300hrs ago, new drive tyres, steers 90%, VGC. $33,000.00. Ph 0407 643 441 or 4959 5883 5 TONNE CANE TIPPER bin in good condition. High flotation 18.4-34 tyres.

PTO drive hydraulic pump. $7,000 plus GST. Ph: 0419 797 238

Bundaberg - Rocky Point DROP-DECK, tautliner and flat top extendable for hire. 07 4159 8174 or 0417 004 717.

K line speedtillers for hire, efficient tillage implement, phone AgQuip hire. 1300 859 869 www.agquiphire.com.au

Wanted TRACTOR TYRES of all sizes. 0418 775 698 all hours.

TRACTOR Height clearance offset tractor Ford 2000 or similar ph 0427 967 198 WANTED 125/140 x 340-450 mtr poly reel irrigator any area. Ph: 0435 111 968

24 Australian Canegrower | 23 November 2015

TORSION SPRING Part No. 71385C2 for International 1486 Series B tractor. Ph: 07 4056 8158 (Cairns)

Work Wanted HARVESTER CONTRACTOR available for 2016 cane season - Tully/ Innisfail/ surrounding district. Looking for farmers interested in smaller Group (80,000 tonne max). 0418 183 584 HAULOUT WORK for the 2016 season have HR license and own accomodation.

Phone 0404174391. Also may have a mate who would be looking for same.

Property HERBERT RIVER: Cane farm 60.73ha with machinery and 4 bedroom dwelling at 194 Lannercost Ext Rd, Ingham Ph. 40454321 INGHAM: Cane Farm for sale. Hawkins Creek. Total area 48.3ha. CPA 46.6ha.

Shed, electricity & water. Genuine enquiries Ph. 0407 635 175.

WANTED TO LEASE Cane farm; SarinaMackay area. Ph: 0419 771 504

Driven by growers.

Used by growers.

Owned by growers In recent years how we farm has been dictated by others. As Australian farmers, we would much rather have a system which works for us. A system which is about improving our bottom line and one we can use to market our sugar to the world.

The Australian sugarcane industry has worked together and built just such a system. Smartcane BMP. Smartcane BMP will help Australia maintain its competitive edge in the increasingly competitive world market. Being able to show we are productive and sustainable producers of quality sugar is becoming increasingly important to our customers, and the Smartcane BMP system is the way we are going to show just that.

Become part of the movement:

Sign up to Smartcane BMP Contact your local Smartcane BMP

facilitator. Get recognised for what you are already doing. www.smartcane.com.au

Not everything we put on years ago still works today

ONFIDO

R

C

While other old favourites have thankfully gone out of fashion, you can still put on Confidor® Guard with complete confidence that it will work for you.

SINCE 1994 bayercropscience.com.au Bayer CropScience Pty Ltd, ABN 87 000 226 022, 391– 393 Tooronga Road, Hawthorn East, Victoria 3123.

Technical Enquiries 1800 804 479. Confidor ® is a Registered Trademark of the Bayer Group. BCH0773B