Free crop insurance for CANEGROWERS members

CANEGROWERS members have one less thing to worry about this harvest season with the grower-led organisation once again providing free crop insurance for members.

In an effort to help ease operational costs on growers, board members decided to continue providing the free cover on fire, hail, or transport-related damage at an indemnity level of $35 per tonne, with no excess.*

“At a time when growers are being slugged with high input costs on fuel, water, electricity, fertiliser, and everything else really, this is one cost they don’t have to worry about,”

CANEGROWERS Chairman Owen Menkens said.

“CANEGROWERS Board members are all growers, so we understand the financial stresses and strains facing farmers and we want to be able to help out where we can.”

A resolve to keep costs as low as possible was also behind the Board’s decision to once again restrict the state membership levy increase to the CPI, resulting in a rise of less than one cent per tonne, Mr Menkens said.

“CANEGROWERS Queensland undertakes a broad range of activities on behalf of members, many of them vital to the success of our industry.

“We’re only able to do this important work because of the support we get from members. But, despite the heavy workload, we still try our best to keep costs to a minimum and provide growers with real value for their levy.”

CANEGROWERS Queensland activities encompass a wide variety of responsibilities including negotiations and advocacy at state, national and international levels to shape policy decisions and combat unnecessary regulations on growers.

The state office has a strong focus on attracting more people into the industry through workforce campaigns, but also develops targeted educational programs that can inspire the next crop of budding cane farmers. This is backed up by the Next Ratoon mentoring program, which ensure those young growers have the mentors they need to become the leaders of tomorrow.

The organisation manages the industry-led best management practice program, Smartcane BMP, and spearheads positive initiatives around sustainable sugar supply chains, and business management training.

CANEGROWERS is also the driving force behind the industry's Sugar Plus strategy, which seeks to create opportunities for diversification and value-add to help boost growers' bottom lines.

The levy adjustment sets the state levy for the 2024 Season at 21.71 cents per tonne (ex GST) on all cane delivered to the mills by all members, up to a cap of 100,000 tonnes.

Membership Is An Investment

• ensuring growers get paid through the cane analysis program

• providing growers with free legal advice AND free crop insurance*

• offering free training programs to help growers profitability

• fighting for better outcomes for growers through advocacy and negotiation

• representing grower interests on the international stage

• driving trade policy and helping open up new and profitable markets for Queensland sugar

• running workforce campaigns to attract more workers to the industry

• developing education programs to inspire the next crop of cane farmers

• supporting the Next Ratoon program, to ensure young growers have the mentors they need

• managing Smartcane BMP to make Australia a world leader in sustainably produced sugar

• looking to the future and championing the industry’s evolution into a biofuel powerhouse

*After 100,000 tonnes a premium will apply to growers. Current CGU policy PDS/Wording and terms and conditions will apply.