3 minute read
Gaining insight
Seeing first-hand behind the scenes what is happening in the industry, increasing networks, and gaining insight are key outcomes for a group of enthusiastic young growers from Herbert River.
CANEGROWERS Herbert River Young Growers Development Group ventured south this month visiting the CANEGROWERS Brisbane office, Sugar Research Australia (SRA) Woodford’s Research Station and the CANEGROWERS Rocky Point district.
The group had an intensive itinerary to get through over a three-day period but the passion for their industry, from the growers, the organisations and the people they visited helped to ensure the trip was a great success.
Brenden Accornero, from Ingham, said the opportunity to see first-hand diseased cane and understand the robust testing and trials that SRA do was very instructive, to gain a greater knowledge of biosecurity and its challenges and will help him when he goes back home.
“We have been looking at the different diseased cane, and learning about the susceptibility of the different varieties, they showed us what the symptoms actually looked like, a lot of the times we don’t get to see that, and we don’t know what to actually look for,” Brenden said.
Rebekah Pace from Pace Farming at Crystal Creek and Bambaroo and has been growing sugarcane since 2018 after she left high school, she said the trip had been both enjoyable and informative.
“It’s a good bunch of people, everyone is asking questions and they’re getting their questions answered,” Rebekah said.
“It’s important to learn new things, you can never stop learning.”
Rebekah highly recommends other young growers to step up when these opportunities are available to gain more knowledge.
“There’s always things to learn and ways to innovate, I’d 100% encourage other growers to be more involved.”
While in the Rocky Point district the group visited the Rocky Point mulching facilities, where owner Josh Keith showcased their facilities. The Group were also given a tour through the Rocky Point Mill operations. There was also a great grower-to-grower time when they met up with other young growers from CANEGROWERS Rocky Point.
Todd Erkkila from Abergowrie was suitable impressed with not only the operations of the mulching facility but the possibilities that are available within the industry.
“It was a good eye-opener to understand that there is more to sugarcane than just sugar,” Todd said. This young growers’ group is just one of several districts that are actively visiting other CANEGROWERS districts this year, taking the opportunity to extend networks and gain a better understanding of the industry, as a whole.
This project has been funded by the Integrated Engagement and Capacity Building project through the Queensland Government's Queensland Reef Water Quality Program
