Growcom’s Chief Executive Officer, Pat Hannan said that through the industry’s Best Management Practice (BMP) program, Hort360, extension staff would assist production horticulture growers to implement changes to nutrient, sediment and pesticide management practices to capture water run-off from farms and improve the health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.

“We are pleased by the Government’s recognition of the importance of industry BMP programs as mechanisms for delivering on-farm practice change and assisting growers to meet their environmental obligations,” Hannan said. “Growcom has a proud history of delivering farm management practice change and innovation to production horticulture growers over many years, firstly as part of the Reef Rescue program from 2008-2013 and most recently in conjunction with NQ Dry Tropics, Fitzroy Basin Association and Burnett Mary Regional Group to deliver Reef Water Quality Grants across Queensland.

“These programs have enabled growers to be able to afford to put in place changes to farming practices which they have identified not only as environmentally sustainable but also able to bring real benefits to their farm businesses’ bottom lines through improvements to productivity and greater efficiencies in fertilizer, pesticide and irrigation water use.

“Production horticulture is a key industry in the Reef catchments and as such has a significant role to play in environmental stewardship, expected by the community. It is gratifying to find that the Government has recognised the success of a partnership arrangement between the agricultural industry, Natural Resource Management groups and Government as opposed to increased regulation and the accompanying cost imposts on our industry.”

Hannan said that Growcom’s extension staff would provide extensive technical support, training and decision support tools to growers throughout the next three years. “Growcom’s role in the delivery of the program will be to provide contact points for growers to participate in the incentive program, facilitate workshops, training and awareness events and to undertake communication of best practice case studies.”

The new funding is part of the $45 million Phase Three of the Federal Government’s Reef Trust and has been made available through the joint Reef Alliance, led by the Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF).

The Reef Alliance, which signed a Memorandum of Understanding this month, brings together the agricultural industry, regional Natural Resource Management (NRM) groups and Government to assist the Reef.

The Reef Alliance partners are QFF, Growcom, Australian Banana Growers’ Council, AgForce, Burnett Mary Regional Group, Canegrowers,  Cape York Natural Resource Management Ltd, Fitzroy Basin Association, NQ Dry Tropics Ltd, Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation, Reef Catchments (Mackay, Whitsunday Isaac) Limited, Regional Groups’ Collective, Terrain NRM and WWF-Australia.