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19 January 2015 Price $8.95
BMP secures future funding
Sugar's key election issues
Spotted anything
unusual?
NOTHING WILL PROTECT YOUR CROP
BETTER THAN A GOOD HARD LOOK
Growers have an important role in keeping watch for
exotic pests, diseases and weeds that could devastate
the Australian sugarcane industry.
Early detection and reporting is the key to protecting
farms, industries and the communities that rely on them.
Every moment lost harms our chance of successful
eradication.
If you spot anything unusual in your crop please call the
Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881. The call is free
(except from mobiles).
Visit phau.com.au/industries/sugarcane for further
information and a list of the top priority cane pests.
INE
T PEST HOTL
EXOTIC PLAN
1
18 0 0 0 8 4 8 8
Look, be alert, call an expert
Improving national biosecurity outcomes through partnerships
CONTENTS
19.01.2015
CHAIRMAN’S COMMENT
3
We have put into the election arena
a clear list of five key issues – the
problems and the solutions that are
important to our industry. I urge
you to read them and raise them
with candidates in your area.
Paul Schembri
CANEGROWERS Chairman
Cover: David Singh discusses
the crop with his son
Hardeep on their Kennedy
Valley farm. Photo by Neroli
Roocke
Opposite: Transfer pad
between Atherton and
Ravenshoe for cane bound
for Mossman Mill. Photo by
Luke Horniblow
Editor
Neroli Roocke
Design, subscriptions, advertising and classifieds
Brett McAuliffe
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: [email protected]
Website: www.CANEGROWERS.com.au
CANEGROWERS/Members Card Hotline 1800 177 159
INDUSTRY NEWS
4
Key sugar industry election issues
6
Who's who in the sugar seats
7
Smartcane BMP secures future funding
8
Making more from mungbeans
9
Sugar shaker: the state of play in Australia's sugar industry
WHAT’S NEW
12 QSL: QSL Board changes
14 SRA: Yellow Canopy research update
17 Spotlight: Social science and managing the reef
ON FARM
18 Technology meets Singh family farming challenges
MEMBER SERVICES
22 Classifieds
24 Rainfall report
AUSTRALIAN CANEGROWER ISSN 157-3039
Volume 37, Number 01
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19 January 2015
| Australian Canegrower
1
EDITOR’S DESK
Happy New Year!
And welcome to a new year of 25
editions of Australian Canegrower.
This is the International Year of Soils
so over the coming months we’ll be
sharing ideas, stories and opinions
focussing on this important resource.
First though for Queensland is the
state election! Polling day in 31 January
so this magazine shares with you
the key policy areas CANEGROWERS
is taking to the political parties.
Commitments are being sought in
each area (outlined on pages 4 and 5)
and, as there isn’t another magazine
before the election, we’ll report back
via the CANEGROWERS website and
Facebook page any responses received.
There is great news on the Smartcane
BMP front – the current Queensland
Government has signed an agreement
to invest a further $5.855 million in
the program. Details are on page 7.
Our first On Farm feature for 2015
is about the Singh family of the
Kennedy Valley. David, along with
son Hardeep, shares his passion
for new technology and ideas from
page 18 – and you should see
the size of their new spray rig!
Also this edition, there’s an update on
three Yellow Canopy Syndrome research
projects including what the
various project teams
have been doing through
the harvesting season.
I hope you enjoy reading
this magazine
Neroli
When local candidates call on you,
asking for your vote, raise these
points with them! They are important
for the future of our industry.
1. Address the commercial imbalance
in marketing following actions by
large corporate millers which, if not
dealt with, would strip away the
long-standing rights and protection of
farmers against monopoly behaviour.
2. Reduce unaffordable electricity costs
by a third across regional Queensland
by, amongst other things, stripping
‘gold plating’ on networks which has
contributed to making Queensland’s
regional electricity provider the
most profitable in Australia.
3. Support for industry driven
environmental programs such as
best management practice (BMP)
2
Australian Canegrower
The arrangements for the transition of
SunWater’s channel irrigation schemes
to local management are moving into
the next phase with applications invited
for the government-owned companies
will which oversee the process.
The Department of Energy and
Water Supply (DEWS) has published
the role descriptions for Chairman
and Director positions and is
inviting expressions of interest.
The St George, Eton, Emerald and
Theodore schemes are expected to
transition quite quickly. The sugarcane
schemes of Burdekin, Bundaberg, Lower
Mary and Mareeba will be required to
revise their business proposals before
transitioning to local management.
Regional QLD must be a priority at
the 31 Jan election!
With the Queensland State election
confirmed for 31 January, CANEGROWERS
has set out five key priorities which must
be addressed by every campaigning party
serious about growing the State’s second
largest export commodity, sugarcane, and
the strength of regional Queensland.
Boards
for water
schemes
so that proven achievements, rather
than the bureaucratic regulation,
underpin the future of farming.
More information is available
on the LMA (Local Management
Arrangements) website http://www.
lmairrigation.com.au/nominate. 
4. Fix unworkable transport rules
which hamstring the movement of
farm machinery and set up a
system which ensures accesss to
the road network so growerss can
conduct their business legally,
ly,
safely and economically.
5. Back robust industry research
arch
to ensure Queensland remains
ins
competitive on the world
stage which is important as
some 80% of Queensland’s
sugar is exported.
“We are giving every side of
politics the keys to how they can
n
actively drive the economic and
social benefits of our State’s
regional areas by removing
the barriers to the growth
of their iconic Queensland
sugarcane industry,” says
Chairman of CANEGROWERS,
Paul Schembri. More details
about each of these five
points is over the page. 
| 19 January 2015
SUGAR
QLD’s second
largest
agricultural
commodity
WORKING TO
GE
FOR A STRONG THER
ER
REGIONAL QU
EENSLAND
KEY ELECTION
2015
PRIORITIES
CHAIRMAN”S COMMENT
Sugar issues on the election campaign trail
By Paul Schembri
CANEGROWERS Chairman
2015 is now upon us and whilst
we tend to focus on fresh and old
challenges for our industry – each
new year always also brings fresh
hope for Queensland cane growers.
By now, most areas would have
been in receipt of rain. Rain has
been widespread across the regions
and fingers crossed that we have an
improved crop for 2015. That said
we need to be mindful that at the
time of writing, Mossman Mill was
just finalising its 2014 season. We
acknowledge that some growers
have unfortunately been left with
cane that remained un-harvested.
The snap election called by the
Premier Campbell Newman has
placed CANEGROWERS on election
campaign footing. Elections are an
important part of the democratic
process as they allow industries,
movements and causes to argue for a
fair go for the people they represent.
Equally we at CANEGROWERS have
put into the election arena, a range
of grievances and aspirations that
are important to our industry.
These issues are outlined over the
page and I urge you to read them and,
if you have a chance to raise them
with candidates in your area, please
do so. At the top of our election wish
list are the important issues of sugar
marketing and electricity prices.
For nine months the Queensland
sugar industry has been consumed
by a dispute between growers and
millers about the future of raw sugar
marketing arrangements. Three milling
companies have unilaterally signalled
their intention to split from QSL and
deny growers their right to determine
how their sugar is marketed. A serious
commercial imbalance exists where
growers are at the mercy of large,
multinational milling companies
imposing marketing arrangements
on them that lack transparency.
We call on all political parties to
commit to legislate to confirm our
Grower Economic Interest (GEI) in a
proportion of the sugar production as
a means towards guaranteeing growers
“The electricity pricing model is flawed – it is
a supply side model and not a consumerdriven model. We are seeking relief from
this oppressive electricity pricing regime.”
Paul Schembri CANEGROWERS Chairman
rights to determine how that sugar is
marketed. For 102 years, growers have
been sugar producers, not merely cane
growers who take a farm-gate price.
Not even the hardiest of growers
can sustain the 96% increases in
electricity prices that we have seen
over the past seven years and remain
profitable. Massive hikes in electricity
charges are causing enormous
damage to our industry, irrigated
agriculture more generally and the
regional communities that rely on it.
Keep your eyes open over the coming
weeks for our bright yellow election
newspaper advertisement (also on
the back of this magazine) which
will raise awareness of the issue
and its impact beyond our farms.
The electricity pricing model is
flawed – it is a supply side model
and not a consumer-driven model.
We are seeking relief from this
oppressive electricity pricing regime.
and the candidates in key electorates
covering sugar-growing areas.
A quick reminder to all CANEGROWERS
members – we still need many of the
marketing census questionnaire sheets
to be returned to our office in Brisbane.
If you operate under a number
of business names, please ensure
that each one with a membership
returns a form. If you think you may
have misplaced the form, please
contact [email protected].
Those with the numbers usually
carry the day. We need as many
of our growers as possible to have
a say on this important issue to
help CANEGROWERS convince
the decision makers that farmers
are concerned about the future
of raw sugar marketing.
2015 will no double provide may
hurdles and difficulties for our industry.
With your support, decent weather
and improving sugar prices we might
realise a better season this year. 
We are asking the political parties
to commit to an immediate
reduction in power prices and the
introduction of a dedicated food
and fibre tariff as an option to help
farmers sustain their profitability
and grow the agricultural sector.
WANT MORE NEWS, VIEWS
AND PHOTOS?
Find CANEGROWERS on Facebook!
www.facebook.com/CANEGROWERSAustralia
Other issues will also be important for
us during this election campaign. We
are highly committed to working with
best management practices (BMP)
as means of ensuring we manage
our environmental impacts as an
industry. The LNP has committed
substantial funding to Smartcane’s
future and we are seeking similar
commitments from the other parties.
The key issues are outlined over the
page along with the commitments we
are seeking. A brochure is available to
download from our website and has
been circulated to all political parties
WANT MORE NEWS, EVENTS
AND PHOTOS?
Find CANEGROWERS on Twitter!
@canegrowers
or share with us by using
#canegrowers
19 January 2015
| Australian Canegrower
3
INDUSTRY NEWS
CANEGROWERS seeks election commitments
CANEGROWERS is calling on all parties to take action-oriented policies to the state election. To
grow the State’s second largest export commodity sugarcane and strengthen regional Queensland,
farmers need political parties to commit to proactive policies in five key areas. 
Addressing the commercial imbalance in marketing
CURRENT SITUATION
ACTION NEEDED
• Three sugar milling groups have announced
they will be withdrawing from the industryowned export marketing company, QSL.
• The decision threatens the future of QSL. The
mills are denying growers the right to choose
how their Grower Economic Interest sugar
is sold. This will impact on all cane growers,
both those supplying mills owned by the three
milling groups exiting and the other mills.
• The alternative structures proposed by the milling
companies are anti-competitive, lack transparency
and expose growers to transfer pricing and
other forms of market failure. The mill proposals
undermine grower confidence to invest in and
expand Queensland’s $2 billion sugarcane industry.
• Amend the Sugar Industry Act to formally
recognise the economic interest in the
sugar held by growers and millers and
formalise the inherent right of each party to
determine how this share is marketed.
(This is not a return to regulation, but a pro-competition
amendment which restores the protection for growers against
regional millers exerting their monopoly powers whilst
increasing competition in the market and restoring confidence
to invest in Queensland’s second largest export commodity)
Reducing unaffordable electricity costs
CURRENT SITUATION
ACTION NEEDED
• High prices are threatening the viability of
irrigated agriculture in Queensland.
• An immediate reduction in power prices
for regional Queensland by a third.
• Ergon and Energex are delivering record
profits to the Queensland Government at the
expense of irrigators and other consumers.
• Commit to urgent process of structural
and pricing reform that balances network
needs with those of consumers.
• Ergon’s current suite of network
tariffs does not reflect the low cost of
supplying electricity to irrigators.
• Introduce a food and fibre tariff specifically
for irrigation, giving irrigators another
option from which to select the right
tariff for their circumstances.
• Reform of the energy market is too slow.
The delay is costing Queenslanders millions
in higher electricity prices every year.
• A process to identify on-farm energy
efficiency is underway and has the potential
to delivery large gains in energy efficiency.
• Introduce retail competition to
regional Queensland.
• Write down the regulated asset base to
take out solar costs, as well as assets
that are not used or useful.
• Immediately reduce Ergon’s weighted cost of
capital to better reflect today’s interest rates.
• Ensure networks are responsible for the
decisions they make and not pass on the
cost of their failures on to customers.
4
Australian Canegrower
| 19 January 2015
INDUSTRY NEWS
Support for industry-driven environmental programs
CURRENT SITUATION
• There is industry support and grower
commitment to the Smartcane BMP program
which underpins production, profitability and
water quality for the Great Barrier Reef.
• Regulatory reform have resulted in costshifting to farmers and continued regulatory
overlap and duplication of obligations in
many areas of environmental regulation.
• The impost of regulatory obligations on
farmers is dampening investment confidence
holding back industry expansion.
ACTION NEEDED
• Commit to ongoing support and future
funding for the Smartcane BMP program.
• Streamline and reduce obligations for farmers
under the Great Barrier Reef Protection
Amendment Act 2009, Vegetation Management,
Nature Conservation and the Environment
Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Acts.
• Ensure all environmental compliance costs of
environmental protection are paid for by the
Queensland Government, not individual farmers.
Fix unworkable transport rules
CURRENT SITUATION
• The current state of transport regulations for
oversize agricultural vehicles is untenable and
impractical and effectively denies growers legal
and economic access to the full road network and
creates unnecessary risk.
ACTION NEEDED
• Provide an efficient permit system with
practical conditions which allows for workable
access to roads for oversize agricultural
vehicles and maintains public safety.
Backing robust industry research
CURRENT SITUATION
• The Queensland Government provides $4.05
million funding for research to Sugar Research
Australia (SRA).
• The value of the funding is being maximised by
aligning it with the industry’s research priorities,
industry extension and the Smartcane BMP.
• Increasing funding will boost industry productivity,
profitability and environmental stewardship.
ACTION NEEDED
• Commit to increase the state government’s
funding to research and development from $4.05
million to $4.50 million annually and maintain this
level of funding (in real terms) into future years.
• Continue the commitment of aligning
and coordination of government R&D
with SRA and industry priorities.
19 January 2015
| Australian Canegrower
5
INDUSTRY NEWS
Who’s who in the sugar seats
The final date for nominations to be
lodged with the Electoral Commission of
Queensland for the 31 January election
is after this magazine has gone to print
but here’s the situation as it stood in the
key sugar industry seats at that time. The
CANEGROWERS districts which cover all
or part of the electorates are in brackets.
Cook (Mossman and Tableland)
Considered a marginal LNP seat,
David Kempton has held it for the
LNP since 2012. Prior to then it was
an ALP seat except for one term in
1974. Labor’s candidate is Billy Gordon
and KAP has put up Lee Marriott.
Dalrymple (Tableland)
Four candidates have nominated
for this seat currently held by Shane
Knuth of Katter’s Australian Party
with a margin of 15.2%. The LNP’s
candidate is Liz Schmidt who has
held leadership positions within the
livestock transport industry, The
Greens have nominated Valerie Weier
and the ALP Leanne Kettleton.
Barron River (Cairns Region)
Located around the northern districts
of Cairns, this is a safe LNP seat
held by Michael Trout. The ALP has
nominated Craig Crawford and the
Greens Noel Castley-Wright.
Mulgrave (Cairns Region
and Innisfail)
Covering the coastal region from
Innisfail to the southern areas of Cairns,
Curtis Pitt holds this seat for Labor with
margin of 1.1%. Although KAP polled
29.9% of the primary vote in 2012,
at the time of publication the party
was yet to name a candidate. Robyn
Quick is campaigning for the LNP.
Hinchinbrook (Innisfail,
Tully and Herbert River)
This largely agricultural seat is held
for LNP by the Minister for Natural
Resources and Mines, Andrew Cripps.
While the two-party preferred margin
against ALP is 18.9%, it was KAP which
captured 35% of the primary vote with
Jeff Knuth as its candidate in 2012 to
Andrew Cripps’ 44%. After distribution
of preferences, the margin was 3.6% in
the contest against the KAP candidate.
At the time of printing, KAP was yet to
nominate for the 2015 poll. The ALP
is campaigning with Jesse TreccoAlexander, One Nation has endorsed
6
Australian Canegrower
Bill Hankin, PUP has Martin Brewster
and The Greens Jenny Stirling.
Burdekin (Burdekin)
Following the retirement of Rosemary
Menkens, the LNP has nominated
Dale Last for this seat which the party
holds with an estimated LNP margin
of 17.4% versus Labor. However in
2012, the distribution of preferences
produced a narrower LNP margin of
12.5% versus Katter's Australian Party
which has nominated Steve Isles.
The ALP has named Angela Zyla.
Whitsunday (Proserpine
and Mackay)
Holding a margin of 10.7%, sitting
LNP member Jason Costigan is
being challenged by ALP candidate
Bronwyn Taha. The Greens have
nominated Jonathon Dykyj.
Mirani (Mackay)
John Kerslake holds this safe
LNP seat by 11.2% with Jim
Pearce the ALP challenger.
Messenger resigned from the National
Party and contested the seat as an
independent. This election, Bryan
Mustill for ALP was the only other
candidate at the time of printing.
Maryborough (Maryborough)
This is the second most marginal seat
in the state. Anne Maddern holds it
for the LNP with a margin of 0.3% over
the previous incumbent Independent
Chris Foley. He has nominated to
stand again. While Katter’s Australian
Party polled ahead of the ALP in 2012,
it was yet to list a candidate for the
2015 election at the time of printing.
PUP has nominated Steve Anderson
and the ALP Bruce Saunders.
Coomera (Rocky Point)
Michael Crandon holds this southern
Queensland seat for the LNP with
a 23.3% margin. The ALP candidate
is Brett McCreadie and the PUP
candidate is Shirley Morgan. 
Mackay (Mackay)
Former Agriculture Minister Tim
Mulherin held this seat for the ALP with
a margin of 0.5% after the 2012 election.
The party’s Deputy Leader announced
his retirement after the 2015 poll was
called and the ALP has nominated
Julieanne Gilbert to stand against
LNP candidate Deon Attard. Julie
Boyd is standing as an independent.
Bundaberg (Bundaberg)
This is considered to be a very safe
LNP seat with Jack Dempsey holding a
margin of 18.2%. Leanne Donaldson is
standing for the ALP. KAP which polled
15.4% of the vote in 2012 was yet to
name a candidate at the time of printing.
Callide (Bundaberg)
This seat is held by Deputy Premier Jeff
Seeney with a margin of 13.5%. The
Palmer United Party has nominated
John—the son of former Premier
Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen—as its
candidate while Labor has nominated
Graeme Martin. An independent,
Steve Ensby, has also nominated.
Burnett (Bundaberg and Isis)
With a margin of 17.4%, this is a
very safe seat for the LNP. Sitting
member Stephen Bennet won it
in 2012 after sitting member Rob
| 19 January 2015
Sugar Seat. Photo by Desley Vella
INDUSTRY NEWS
Three years of funding for Smartcane BMP
By Matt Kealley, CANEGROWERS
Senior Manager – Environment
hectares under cane production and a
total farm area of 101,231 hectares.
Strong support from industry and
growers for Smartcane BMP has
given the Queensland Government
confidence to invest a further
$5.855 million in the program.
Over the next three years, it is
expected that most growers will
register for the program and work
towards the BMP accreditation.
CANEGROWERS Queensland CEO
Brendan Stewart signed a three year
contract with Environment Minister
Andrew Powell on 19 December 2014 to
allow for the continued implementation
of the program across the industry
with a particular focus on the Wet
Tropics, Burdekin Dry Tropics and
Mackay Whitsunday catchments.
It will support the continued roles
of the Smartcane BMP Facilitators
to promote and facilitate the
completion of the Smartcane BMP
modules, which encourages farming
practices that enhance production,
profitability and the environment.
After its first year of implementation,
the Smartcane BMP has 687 registered
growers. This represents 82,208
BMP steering committee involving
CANEGROWERS, SRA, ACFA and
ASMC has been established.
CANEGROWERS is excited that this
industry program will be funded
for a further three years and has
taken steps to ensure industry is
providing strong input into its further
implementation and refinement.
The Smartcane BMP program has
fostered linkages and alignments with
industry and government, particularly
around nitrogen and herbicide
research. There are also strong links
with the Australian Government
Reef Programme and industry
extension and training through Sugar
Research Australia (SRA) and cane
productivity service companies.
Performance-based contracting with
d istrict CANEGROWERS organisations
and cane productivity service
companies has also been undertaken
to ensure a smooth transition to the
new funding round and to maintain
the momentum of the program.
Since June 2014, CANEGROWERS
Queensland has been meeting with
organisations across the cane growing
districts including CANEGROWERS
districts, productivity service companies,
extension service providers, the
Australian Cane Farming Association
(ACFA), SRA, the Australian Sugar
Milling Council (ASMC) and the mills
to ensure the continued support for
the program. A high level Smartcane
Growers wanting to sign on to
Smartcane BMP should contact
their local facilitator or register
at www.smartcane.com.au 
Mossman crushes into 2015
Mossman mill has wrapped up a 36
week crush which was plagued by
breakdowns and carried more than a
week into January. Around 37,000 tonnes
of cane has been left as standover.
Mossman is the last of Queensland’s
mills to finish crushing the 2014 crop.
Mackay Sugar says the final throughput
is expected to be 1.14 million tonnes,
97% of the estimated total crop.
CANEGROWERS Mossman says close
to 16.5% of the throughput has been
paid as delayed cane because of
repeated breakdowns in the mill.
While most of the sugarcane industry
was enjoying a sleep-in on New Year’s
Day, harvesting crews were at work in
the Mossman and Tableland districts.
But as rain started to fall in coastal
areas and mill again had to stop, the
quality of the cane suffered badly
and CCS fell quickly on the coast.
At the time of printing, CANEGROWERS
says most of the coastal cane was cut
although around 1,000 tonnes has
been left in Julatten with the rest of the
standover in Atherton and the Tableland.
Mackay Sugar CEO Quinton Hildebrand
says the decision to halt harvesting
operations on 12 January was taken
after weighing up the time available
for maintenance work for the 2015
season and the need to conserve fuel
bagasse stocks for the May start up.
At the time of writing, cane in bins was
still being processed before maintenance
work was due to start on 16 January.
Mackay Sugar says $8.7 million is being
spent on capital and maintenance works
at Mossman mill over the 2014-15 year
in a bid to improve its performance.
At the end of Week 35, the mill had
processed 1,136,275 tonnes of cane
for a mill average of 13.22 CCS with
the coast cutting 598,382 tonnes for
a Pool average of 12.58 CCS and the
Tableland cutting 537,894 tonnes of
cane for a Pool average of 13.93CCS. 
A John Deere 3520 with two Case IH
side tipping power haul outs working
between Atherton and Ravenshoe on New
Year’s Day. Photo by Luke Horniblow
19 January 2015
| Australian Canegrower
7
INDUSTRY NEWS
Making more from mungbeans
With the mungbean season well
underway across New South Wales
and Queensland, the Grains Research
and Development Corporation
(GRDC) has launched a new
publication: Mungbean GrowNotes.
This mungbean publication and similar
guidelines for sorghum, chickpeas, faba
beans and other crops are available
online at www.grdc.com.au/GrowNotes
“The decision not to renew Mike Carroll’s
term, which concluded on 31 December
2014, is just an extra layer of uncertainty
in already uncertain times,” says
CANEGROWERS CEO, Brendan Stewart.
The mungbean publication and
similar guidelines for sorghum,
chickpeas, faba beans and other
crops are available online at
www.grdc.com.au/GrowNotes
“It is without doubt that the industry
has benefited greatly from his
strong leadership during one of
the most tumultuous times for the
future of the Australian industry’s
marketing arrangements.
Mungbean GrowNotes offers best
practice advice from pre-sowing
planning to paddock preparation,
sowing practices, crop nutrition,
fertiliser, weed control, disease and
pest management, harvest and
storage practices, environmental
issues and marketing.
“Our sincere thanks goes to Mr
Carroll, who has navigated some
pretty murky waters on behalf of the
Australian sugarcane industry.” 
Hundreds of hyperlinks to articles,
research papers and videos
provide ready access to a massive
bank of industry information
and additional advice.
“The GRDC is well aware that the
production and agronomic challenges
confronting the northern grains
industry are ever-growing in size
and complexity,” Mr Clark said.
“GRDC GrowNotes will play a
vital role in keeping growers and
advisors abreast of the latest
research work and outcomes and
will be regularly updated as new
information comes to hand.
“At the same time, it will help the
GRDC identify any gaps in research
needs and earmark them as potential
future investment areas.” 
8
Australian Canegrower
CANEGROWERS has welcomed
Guy Cowan to the Chairmanship
of sugar marketer QSL. Mr Cowan
brings considerable corporate
experience to the role and is
the longest serving director, a
position he has held since 2009.
CANEGROWERS says that it
would have liked to have seen
continuity with the reappointment
of Mike Carroll as chairman.
The launch coincides with a
bumper spring planting across
the northern cropping belt and
high market prices on the back
of strong demand from China.
This is the first time that such a
comprehensive range of information
has been so readily accessible to
growers and is a direct response
to calls from industry to provide
crop-specific information targeted
to individual regions and cropping
environments according to GRDC
Northern Panel chair James Clark.
QSL Board Changes
BURDEKIN CLEARING SALE AUCTION
ONSITE: 238, Upper Haughton Rd via AYR
FRIDAY 30TH + SATURDAY 31ST JANUARY, 9.00AM
Open for registration 7.30am both days.
Approx. 1,200 Lots Inc: 6 Row Full Track Bean Harvester, Green Bean sorting and packaging equipment complete, JD 4455
- 4x4 Trimble auto pilot, JD 8440 - 4x4, JD 6200 4x4, Cat Grader 17K, Cat Excavator E240, Chamberlain 4080B with attached
tipping trailer, Fiat 160 - 90 4x4, MF 188, Clark Forklift 2.5ton, Sfoggia 6 Row Seed Planter + SS Fert Boxes, Disc plough 64
plate, Picket One Step 6 Row cutter windrower, Howard Hoe 130”, Chamberlain Water Cart 15,000L tank with 4” Diesel pump,
Power Harrow 4.5M Near New with bedformer, Howard Hoe 130” Crumble Roller Front Tool Bar, 8 Row Trailer Micron Air Sprayer
3,000L, 6 Row Rolling Cultivator, 14 Foot Renolds Scoop, Laser Trailer, Laser Transmitter - Receiver, 6 Row Front Mount Fert Box,
Ag- Quip ripper 9 Tyne, Case Combine + Two fronts, 6 Row Scarifier, 1,500m heavy poly pipe S/H 10” & 12”, Bag Lifter, Wind Row
Separater, 6 Row Bed Former, Land Plane, 3 Row Tape Layer, 600lt. Spray unit, 15” cement pipes S/H, Bean seeding equipment,
Power Harrow 3M, 6 Row Lilliston, 6 Row Bed Former, 6 Row bed Roller, Four Ton Feed Out Wagon, Kobota ride on, Toft Track
Angle Drives (left & right), Quad Bikes, Spring Tynes, Chain Blocks, Cut-a-way disc & boards, Hill Up boards, Large High Pressure
irrigation pumps, Flood irrigation pumps & motors, Eight inch masonry blocks, Vacuum pumps, Spray pumps, High Pressure
irrigation pumps & motors, 6 Row Fert applicator with pump & trailer, Pallet Jacks, Portable Welder Generator, Trash Incorporator + Fertiliser box, 6M Grain Auger, Excavator Cab, 2 Row Fertiliser Box, Large water meters, Electric fence equipment, Pallet
racking, Diesel tanks & stands, Steel shelving, Steel rack, Quad - bike spray tank on trailer, Hydraulic cylinders, Hydraulic pumps
& motors, Conveyor Rollers, Hydraulic Power Units, Urvin spray legs, Gravel pump, Fertiliser Injection Tank, Raphael Irrigation
Valves, Pneumatic Cylinders, Pressure tanks, Poly fittings, Pallet loader, Electric motors, 4 Row Full Track Bean Harvester (Parts),
Delta ripper 7 Tyne, 10 Ton bulk fertiliser bin, 400lt. Spray Unit, Two row Nuttall cane planter with duel HBM chopper boxes,
Large quantity of 1,000L shuttles in good condition, One gravel pump, Trickle irrigation fittings, Flood irrigation fittings, Grain
moisture meters, Spring Tynes & clamps, Plastic crates, Pallet D-Stacker, Weighing Scales, 100% Hydraulic ride on mower, Farm
trailers, Two- way radios - private channel, Small poly pipe, Electric wire, Irrigation fittings & valves, Lilliston Spiders, V-Boards,
Tyne Points, Trickle irrigation joiners adaptors, Fluming cups, Horse waters, Poultry waters, Wire rope, Seed planter parts, STynes, PVC fittings, Martin Irrigation Valves, Heavy trailer wheels, Sprockets & chains, V - Pulleys, Macc Cold Saw, Pedestal drills,
Conveyor Rollers, Tiles, disc filters, Sunny hose fittings, Sand pumps, V- Belts, Fluming spools - 10”, Toyota Diesel Tray Back, 6” PVC
Pipe, Disc openers, Crop dividers, 6 Bag spreader, plus much, much more.
VIEW ON WEBSITE -http://www.landmarkharcourts.com.au/clearingsales
INSPECTIONS PRIOR TO AUCTION: Tuesday 27th January and Wednesday 28th January, 2015 from 3:00pm - 6:00pm.
CLEARING SALE TERMS: Cash, Eftpos or approved cheque on day of sale. Card bidding system with photo ID &
registration required. GST to be added at fall of hammer.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Catering by: Giru State Primary School
John Mottin 0428 668 846 Real Estate Specialist
On-site on, “283 Upper Haughton Road, Giru”
AYR 07 04783 1911
(25 mins North of Ayr & 35 mins South of Townsville)
www.burdekin.landmarkharcourts.com.au
| 19 January 2015
INDUSTRY NEWS
Sugar shaker: The state of play in Australia's
sugarcane industry
By Suzi Moore,
Manager – Communications,
CANEGROWERS
The year that was
The Australian sugar industry delivered
a crop in excess of 32 million tonnes
in 2014, a figure it hopes to better in
2015. This is great news for Australia’s
sugarcane farmers who have faced
back-to-back disappointing results in
recent years. The 2014 crop was the
biggest since 2006, but the industry
is focused on returning to crops more
in the order of 35 million tonnes
and beyond in the years to come.
There has been a huge variation in the
performance of the sugarcane growing
areas across the state. Maryborough
will bring in its smallest crop since
1991 due to the impacts of severe
drought. There have also been issues
in Queensland’s far north which could
result in some cane being stood-over
in the Mossman and Tableland cane
growing areas. The other reason for
some concern for the industry is the still
unknown cause and effect of the newly
identified yellow canopy syndrome.
In Queensland, just over 30.7 million
tonnes (30,762,412) of sugarcane had
been crushed at the time of writing.
Sugar content for the Queensland crop
has again been slightly higher than
average, with a CCS of just over 14.
three of Australia’s largest millers which
had the knock-on effect of completely
skewing the balance of monopoly
powers firmly in favour of the mills.
Legislation in place for over 100 years
no longer adequately protects growers
from anti-competitive forces, leaving
mills free to deny growers the right to
choose how to market their share of
sugar. Growers take two thirds of the
risk in the production of sugar and have
long had a say over the mechanism
by which they get paid. The mills are
seeking to wrest away the say growers
had over how this share is marketed.
The alternative structures proposed
by the milling companies are anticompetitive, lack transparency and
expose growers to transfer pricing
and other forms of market failure.
As a highly perishable product,
getting cane to the mill before the
sugar content dries up is imperative,
leaving the vast majority of growers
tied to supplying their local mill.
CANEGROWERS is pursuing every
avenue to protect growers from
the looming threat of being forced
into a new system where there is no
transparency at the hands of companies
whose purpose is to make profits
for their external shareholders.
Simple pro-competition amendments
to legislation would restore commercial
balance and restore grower
confidence to invest in the $2 billion
sugarcane industry which had been
undermined when their protection
against monopoly powers failed.
CANEGROWERS and the Australian
Cane Farmers Association have joined
forces on this issue and are calling
on the government to amend the
Sugar Industry Act to recognise 
Quick Facts: Australian Sugarcane
Australia's sugarcane industry is recognised as one of
the most clean, green and progressive in the world
$1.7–$2 billion value
of production
80% exported
Big ticket items
The big issues kept coming in 2014.
Every corner of the sugarcane industry
has been rocked by issue after issue.
CANEGROWERS has been in full swing
fighting on every front to rectify
the injustices that outside forces are
attempting to squeeze growers with.
Marketing shake up
During the year the industry’s part
grower-owned sugar marketing
structure, QSL, came under threat
as large corporate milling interests
sought to take on the marketing of
sugar themselves into the future.
largest raw sugar
supplier in the world
largest agricultural exporter
in QLD (7th in Australia)
30–35 Mt
4–4.5 Mt
cane
4000 cane farm businesses
sugar
24 sugar mills
6 bulk storage ports
Growers have been put at the mercy of
anti-competitive forces by the moves of
19 January 2015
| Australian Canegrower
9
INDUSTRY NEWS
It is voluntary but the more growers who
are involved will ultimately lead to a more
convincing argument with government
at all levels to allow the industry to
manage its own environmental affairs.
The system has been designed to
not only demonstrate the sugarcane
industry’s environmental guardianship,
but also importantly, to improve
the grower’s bottom line.
The BMP system is one we can use to
market our sugar to the world. It is a
proactive change from recent years,
where the cane industry has been layered
with burdensome regulation, too often
because of political pressure brought
about by green lobby groups. The BMP
is the opportunity for the industry to
take back control over its future.
economic interest in sugar by millers
and growers and formalise the inherent
right of each party to determine
how this share is marketed.
Growers rely on the assurance that any
profits that are made come squarely
back to the Australian industry and
economy. Cane growers’ confidence in
continued investment in the industry
depends on strong action on this
important issue as a matter of priority.
Electricity
CANEGROWERS has been fighting hard
on electricity prices which have increased
by 96% in just seven years according
to Queensland Competition Authority
Draft Determination data for irrigation
tariffs. CANEGROWERS went public
with insightful data put together by an
independent consultant which showed
that rural householders are charged
amongst the highest network tariffs in
Australia, while their energy provider,
Ergon, is the most profitable of all
government owned electricity providers.
It is small wonder that with electricity
price hikes on such a shocking trajectory,
the confidence of irrigators who rely
on fairly priced tariff structures to run
pumps, has been zapped. This has the
potential to put hundreds of farmers out
of business. CANEGROWERS has had
some success in limiting hikes in some
areas and is continuing to work closely
with government for more sustainable
price paths than those currently proposed.
CANEGROWERS has released a raft
of solutions which would enable a
reduction of power prices for irrigators
by a third without impacting the coffers
of government or the energy provider.
It has become such a drastic problem for
grower profitability that CANEGROWERS
is now beating down the door of every
organisation involved in the delivery
and pricing of electricity, calling
on each and every one of them to
stop making excuses and to stand
up and be part of the solution.
Growers take back control over
the industry’s future with BMP
The tide has begun to turn on the
extreme environmental pressure
under which cane growers have been
struggling for the past 30 years, as
government and environmental groups
have begun to publically recognise
the enormous work being put in by
the sector to protect the land, nearby
waterways and the Great Barrier Reef.
This changing perception is in no
small part thanks to the industry’s
best management practice program.
The sugarcane industry, entrusted
with developing its own best practice
system, has delivered in spades.
Growers have answered that call,
with some 700 farms already in the
system after the first year of operation.
This accounts for well over 100,000
hectares of sugarcane farm area.
This figure is expected to double by
the end of this year. CANEGROWERS is
actively encouraging every grower to at
the very least make a start on their BMP.
10 Australian Canegrower | 19 January 2015
After rigorous verification by independent
scientists, the government added its
mark of endorsement on the industrydeveloped Smartcane BMP program and
has agreed that as sugarcane growers sign
up, they will wind back the paper-heavy
world of red tape and compliance that
was the mark of the regulatory approach.
Growers understand this is their
system. They know if they don’t
make this work, regulation will be
here to stay and how they farm will
continue to be dictated by others.
A network of 16 facilitators has been
rolled out across every major cane
growing region in Queensland to help
growers through the process. These
facilitators will help growers identify
what they are already doing on their
farm, and help them every step of
the way down the track to meeting
the key goals of Smartcane BMP.
Australian Government
Reef Programme
The proactive Australian Government Reef
Programme (formerly Reef Rescue) has
continued to deliver great outcomes for
the sugarcane industry. In just three years:
• 1,598 sugarcane growers have
implemented some $113.4 million
worth of environmental projects on
farm (sugarcane growers received grants
under the program worth $42,232,551.
This is matched by $71,133,579 of
grower cash and in-kind contributions).
• $113,366,130 has been focused on
practice change for water quality 
INDUSTRY NEWS
With rapidly increasing demand
for sugar from Asia and significant
international investment in land and
mills, the industry is focussing on
industry expansion, with the aim of
producing more sugarcane to the highest
environmental standard in the world.
There are significant issues which are
eroding confidence to invest and expand.
outcomes in nutrient, sediment and
chemical practices.
• The area covered by changes in practices
has increased - sediment 219,721 ha,
chemical practice 96,150 ha.
The federally-funded project has been
held up by CANEGROWERS as a shining
example of what a truly proactive
partnership approach can achieve in a
short amount of time. CANEGROWERS
has successfully rallied the Australian
Government to build on the successes
of the program and have had a
commitment that the program will be
continued for another four years. The
peak group says that its own Smartcane
BMP project would be best served by
building on the successful Reef Rescue
program, and will be integrated into any
future Reef Rescue-type initiatives.
Rural Water Use Efficiency
CANEGROWERS, in collaboration with
the Queensland Government has
embarked upon a Rural Water Use
Efficiency for Irrigation Futures (RWUEIF) project, funded to the tune of $2.87
million over four years. The project has
three distinct sections with incentive
funding for improved irrigation systems
to reduce deep drainage in priority
areas, dewatering bores in the Burdekin
Groundwater Management Area and
funding for information support systems
for scheduling to be established by the
productivity services organisations. To
date, five growers have received funding
for improved irrigation systems, five
have received funding for dewatering
and five areas have received funding
for better water information systems.
There are many more projects in the
pipeline for the coming year to support
grower investment in these important
water efficiency technologies.
Trade and market access
The next major trade milestone is
the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)
negotiations. There has been a huge
backlash against US and Japanese calls for
sugar to be excluded from the TPP, and
CANEGROWERS says that the 12 nations
who are party to the TPP negotiations
could stand to learn something from the
progressive and modern approach to
world trade demonstrated by Australia
and Korea. CANEGROWERS is working
closely with the federal government
to ensure sugar is fully included.
The Australian sugar industry loudly
applauded the signing of the AustraliaKorea trade agreement, which boosts
Australian sugar’s trade access with
its important trading partner. It was
a major win for Australia’s sugarcane
industry, ensuring ongoing access
to our largest export destination for
Australian sugar without a tariff.
These issues can be addressed
by proactive government policy
and CANEGROWERS is calling on
every candidate and party to take
this opportunity to make strong
commitments in five key areas:
1. Address the commercial
imbalance in marketing.
2. Reduce unaffordable electricity costs.
3. Support for industry driven
environmental programs.
4. Fix unworkable transport rules.
5. Back industry research.
Australia’s sugarcane industry is the
only sugarcane industry in the world
that operates without subsidies or
price support policies. However,
future expansion of the industry
to meet the growing demand for
sugar in Asia requires a proactive
policy mix from the government.
It is vital that the next Queensland
Government takes this opportunity to
amplify the economic and social benefits
of the sugarcane industry’s expansion
by making active commitments to
removing the barriers to the sugar
industry’s growth and development.
CANEGROWERS State
election advocacy
One thing has become blindingly
clear. If agriculture is indeed a pillar
of Queensland, all parties need to
come forward to address the big
issues which are eroding confidence to
invest in and expand the iconic sugar
industry and regional Queensland.
CANEGROWERS is in the midst of
developing a hard-hitting campaign
aimed at making the sugarcane industry’s
voice not only heard, but amplified, in
the lead up to this year’s state election.
The forthcoming election provides the
opportunity for any future government
serious about growing the State’s second
largest export commodity, sugar, and
the strength of regional Queensland, by
removing barriers to growing the State’s
second largest export commodity.
With just a week before the 31 January
Queensland election, each of the parties
should have publicised their policies
by the time this went to print. The
sugarcane industry is again looking to
directly secure a number of promises
directly addressing its platforms.
CANEGROWERS will work closely with
the incoming government to ensure
each of the election promises made
during this period are fulfilled. 
19 January 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
19.0
Market Update
By Matthew Page, Treasury Analyst
18.0
Current as of 12 January 2015
17.0
Market Commentary
16.0
Sugar
15.0
The holiday period was fairly quiet in sugar, where despite several new contract
lows being made the market managed to hold above 14 cents and more recently
push back towards 15 cents. MAR15 currently sits at 14.93 c/lb while MAY15 and
JUL15 are at 15.20 and 15.47 respectively. The spreads have remained steady with
both MAR/MAY and MAY/JUL both just under 30 points.
14.0
13.0
12.0
Australian Dollar (AUD v USD)
0.98
0.96
The Brazilian Real weakened pretty significantly over Christmas and New Year,
pushing out as high as 2.72, while crude oil prices have fallen through the floor
down below U$50 per barrel. These factors certainly contributed to the contract
lows that were seen but have since been arrested as oil has steadied and the Real
has recovered back to 2.62 off the back of the appointment of the new Brazilian
Finance Minister.
With the 2014 Brazilian harvest now done and dusted, attention has been turned
to the 2015 season and what effect the drought will have on next season’s yields.
December saw plenty of rain over CS Brazil and the forecast is for a slightly
wetter-than-average wet season. Although this will be perceived as decidedly
bearish for sugar prices, many would argue that the damage to the cane has
already been done and a lack of husbandry has only enhanced the damage done
by the dry weather early last year.
0.94
0.92
0.90
0.88
0.86
Regardless, the specs remain heavily short, with successive Commitment of
Traders (COT) reports showing them near record net short levels and recent
rallies appearing technically driven rather than a fundamental shift, suggesting
the market still has plenty of work to do to turn the corner.
0.84
0.82
0.80
QSL Forward Fixed Price Contract (A$/mt)
Risk continues to remain skewed to the downside in the short to medium term,
with soft oil prices, an unsupportive spec position and a strong beginning to the
Indian harvest adding to supplies. Longer term we still see a moderate global
deficit, although this is now not likely to emerge until Q3 2015.
Currency
500
General USD strength continued to surge over the Christmas and New Year break
with the rate falling to a near five-year low of 0.8033 early last week. The local unit
has since steadied somewhat amid solid buying support and now sits just above 82
cents.
480
460
440
US data continues to print strongly although it seems the effect these releases
have on the USD are beginning to diminish, with the market instead opting to try
and second guess when the Fed will make its first rate rise. The dovish commentary
suggests this may still be a couple of months away and so we appear to have
moved into a consolidation period for the currency.
420
400
380
360
2014
2015
2016
Data source: QSL Daily Market Report (Futures
and Currency) & QSL Daily Indicative Prices
12 Australian Canegrower | 19 January 2015
That said, in the medium term QSL still sees the currency moving in the Australian
exporters’ favour whilst maintaining a longer-term view that the exchange rate will
likely move below the 80 cent level later in the year with the RBA’s full support for
such a move.
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
QSL Board changes
By Robert Hines, Chief
Financial Officer – QSL
Welcome to another new year. I hope you
had a safe and relaxing Christmas break
with your families. With our CEO Greg
Beashel currently on a well-deserved
break, I have been tasked with writing
this article. As such, I wanted to take the
opportunity to fill you in on some of the changes that have
happened with the QSL Board over the past few weeks.
QSL’s Board Selection Committee (BSC) is a separate
committee established under QSL’s constitution to appoint
and renew independent Directors to the QSL Board. Its
structure of two grower and two miller representatives
reflects the unique industry-owned nature of QSL.
It is important to note that recent changes within our
Board structure will not affect the strategic and operational
direction of QSL. For example, we remain firm in our
position advocating for government intervention to
ensure growers are able to choose how their economic
interest in sugar is sold and priced. Having this choice
puts growers on an equal footing with mills, who currently
have the opportunity to market their economic interest in
sugar under the Raw Sugar Supply Agreement (RSSA).
Our governance structure is robust and our Board is
well placed to support our progress as we continue to
respond to and define what QSL will be in the future to
meet the interests of the sugar industry. I encourage
anyone with any further questions or concerns to
contact our Industry Relationship Managers, Cathy
Kelly (0409 285 074) or Carla Keith (0409 372 305). 
As part of our Board appointments, Mike Carroll and
Guy Cowan’s three-year terms as QSL Directors were up
for renewal at 31 December 2014, and the BSC met to
consider QSL’s Board structure on a number of occasions
leading up to this date. Following these discussions, the
BSC supported, by consensus, the appointment of Guy
Cowan as a Non-Executive Director to the QSL Board for
a further three-year term. Guy, who has been a director
of QSL since 2009, also assumed the role of Chairman.
Unfortunately, the BSC was unable to reach consensus
on Mike Carroll’s re-appointment and as a result, his
term concluded at the end of December 2014.
I acknowledge that there has been some speculation
across the industry about why the BSC could not reach
agreement on this issue. It is important to note that any
decisions made by the BSC are done so independently of
QSL and are confidential in nature. As such QSL is not in a
position to comment on the outcome of such discussions;
we simply must respect the BSC’s decision and move on.
The ongoing structure of the Board is such that,
constitutionally, a quorum exists with the three NonExecutive Directors and the Managing Director. Any
future decision by the BSC regarding new appointments
or further changes to the QSL Board will be informed by
what is best for our business. However, we are aware that
there is appetite amongst some of our members for QSL
to appoint grower and miller expertise to the Board. This
concept is supported by our Board and was discussed at
some length at our Annual General Meeting in October.
Guy Cowan has assumed the Chairmanship of QSL
19 January 2015
| Australian Canegrower 13
SRA | SNAPSHOT
Yellow Canopy research update
Supplied by Sugar Research Australia
Three research projects forming an integrated research program and funded by SRA and the Queensland Department
of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry started on 1 July 2014. Each project is investigating different aspects of YCS and,
collectively, they are expected to provide complementary information and results that build our understanding of the
condition. 
Research project 1:
Research project 2:
Solving the Sugarcane Yellow
Canopy Syndrome
What biological factors cause or
drive the development of YCS
Project leader – Davey Olsen
Project leader – Dr Frikkie Botha
Lead research organisation: Sugar Research Australia
Lead research organisation: Sugar Research Australia
Collaborations: Burdekin Productivity Services Limited
and Herbert Cane Productivity Services Limited
on district surveys and mill data comparisons.
Collaborations: World-renowned experts from
institutes in Australia, Canada, Germany, the United
States of America and South Africa on the collection
of data and the complex analysis of results.
Project dates: 2014–2017
Project overview: This project builds on the findings of
the first year of research and will focus on a number of
promising lines of enquiry. A wide range of research trials
will be conducted to understand whether YCS is caused
by a living factor such as an unknown disease or pest, or
a non-living factor such as high temperatures or water
stress. The project will also look at the role stress plays
in triggering or increasing the symptoms of YCS and
will seek to develop diagnostic tools that can accurately
confirm the presence of YCS in an affected plant.
Current activities
Three field trials focusing on soil biology, environmental
stress, and Confidor have recently been established
in the Herbert region. These trials will help to
understand the variable nature of YCS expression
throughout the region and will provide further
insight into how YCS is triggered in the field.
The SRA team continue to develop methods to reliably
induce YCS-like symptoms in controlled pot trials and
have been working on measuring the physiological
responses and symptom expression in these plants. This
work is focused on developing a diagnostic tool for YCS.
Throughout the harvesting season we have worked with
our partners – Herbert Cane Productivity Services and
Burdekin Productivity Services – to assess the impact
of YCS on yield and CCS as blocks are harvested. A full
report on findings will be provided early in 2015.
Updates on the YCS research program
were also provided at the HCPSL and BPS
Annual General Meetings in late 2014.
14 Australian Canegrower | 19 January 2015
Project dates: 2014–2015
Project overview: Through a range of biochemical and
physiological approaches, this project seeks to understand
how YCS affects the internal behaviour of the sugarcane
plant. An understanding of what is happening inside
the plant may shed some new light on the biological
factors that cause or drive the development of YCS.
Current activities
The project aims to pinpoint the specific reactions
that lead to the expression of YCS. To achieve this,
comprehensive metabolome and transcriptome
analyses are being done that will allow the research
team to replicate the metabolic pathways in the
leaves and stalks during the development of YCS.
The data collected to date shows that the metabolism
of YCS-affected plants is compromised throughout
the canopy, and in leaves even where there is no visual
expression of YCS. Some of these changes might make the
crop more vulnerable to some environmental stresses.
The plants that are showing YCS symptoms tend to
have higher sugar levels in the leaves. Chlorophyll loss
and yellowing seems to reflect a very late stage of
development. In addition to the increase in sugar content
there are two other changes that might be important.
Firstly, there are significant levels of metabolites that are
indicative of injured or stressed tissues and secondly,
there are significant increases in several caffeoyl/
chlorogenic-type compounds, which are indicative of
wounding and activation of plant defence systems.
SNAPSHOT | SRA
Research project 3:
A novel polyphasic framework to
resolve Yellow Canopy Syndrome
Paradox
Project leader – Professor Brajesh Singh
Lead research organisation: University of Western Sydney
Collaborations: International research experts from
institutes in Australia, China and the United States
of America are collecting and analysing the complex
dataset generated from metatranscriptomics and
metagenomics and correlating those with YCS
development, soil health and plant responses.
Project dates: 2014–2016
Project overview: The project will apply a comprehensive
‘microbiome’-based approach combining novel nextgeneration sequencing (Illumina) and conventional
cultural techniques to provide broader view of
the complexity of organisms present in YCSaffected sugarcane and determine the involvement
of biological agent(s) in YCS development.
Furthermore, the project will generate key
knowledge on the impact of YCS on soil health and
host response which will help in understanding
YCS facilitation process. This knowledge may lead
to the identification of soil health management
strategies that growers can use to manage YCS.
Current activities
To provide a comprehensive description of the
bacteria present in YCS-affected and healthy cane,
next-generation sequencing using Illumina MiSeq has
been performed on different samples (leaf, root, stalk
and soil) collected at four different time points from
Ayr and Ingham. Results are currently being analysed
and will be provided in the next industry update.
The protocol for using MiSeq to describe the fungal
community is being validated. A culture collection of
200 microbial isolates from YCS-affected and healthy
samples has also been developed. These microbial
isolates are being tested for various traits related to plant
growth promotion, including phosphate solubilisation,
iron chelation, production of plant growth hormones
and antagonistic abilities towards pathogenic fungus.
We have optimised a method to determine the salicylic
acid content of cane leaves which could be used as a
biomarker for YCS detection. HPLC analysis of tissue
samples is in progress and the results will be available in
next couple of weeks. The program is being coordinated
by Dr Harjeet Khanna, SRA Program Coordinator – YCS,
with continued input by the Scientific Reference Panel.
During the 2014 season in Queensland, YCS
continued to be found from Mackay right up to
the far north of the state in Mossman.
19 January 2015
| Australian Canegrower 15
WHAT’S NEW
Collaboration is the key to sugar’s future
Supplied by Case IH
The Case IH International Sugarcane Forum at Sanctuary Cove from 1416 December brought over 100 growers and key industry representatives
together to discuss the health and sustainable future of the industry.
‘For Life’ was the theme of the
conference and key speakers
discussed what could be done to
improve the environmental and
commercial sustainability of the
industry, and ultimately help farmers
get more out of their investments.
The word ‘collaboration’ came up
repeatedly, with most agreeing that
despite the disparate challenges
presented to sugarcane growers all
over the world, collaboration from
all those involved in the industry
will be the key to its future.
International speakers, including Gaurav
Sood from India, Richard Bennett from
South East Asia, and Australian John
Pearce who has been working in the
sugarcane industry in Brazil, shared
details on what is happening in their
markets, identifying opportunities
and challenges that could have
applications in the Australian market.
Local speakers such as Paul Deane,
Senior Agricultural Economist for
ANZ Research, provided insights
into developments in the Asian
markets and shared predictions for
the months and years ahead while
Robert Quirk discussed the benefits of
Bonsucro’s sustainability standards.
A group presentation included Belinda
Billing from Reef Catchments, Ian
McConnel from WWF, Rob Cairns
from Syngenta and growers involved in
Project Catalyst: Lou Raiteri, Joe Muscat,
Gerry Deguara and Robert Bonassi.
“Now in its fifth year, Project Catalyst
is reducing the negative impacts on
the Reef by showcasing the benefits
of more efficient farming practices,”
says Rob Cairns, Syngenta Head of
Corporate Affairs, Australasia. “Not
only does this result in better water
quality, which we’ve been able to
prove, it’s also generating higher
economic returns for farmers.”
Continuing Case IH’s commitment to
supporting rural mental health, Alison
Fairleigh, Mental Illness Fellowship
NQ, addressed the conference on
the importance of mental health
in the sugarcane industry.
“A sustainable rural industry requires
a sustainable rural workforce and this
The Case IH International Sugarcane Forum on the Gold Coast brought
together industry leaders and cane growers from around the globe.
16 Australian Canegrower | 19 January 2015
includes all areas of mental health,”
Alison says. “If you don’t have a healthy
and sustainable workforce you can’t
have sustainable rural industries.”
“Suicide in Queensland is 2.2 times
higher in the agricultural industry
than any other industry – only with
collaboration will we start to see
real change in these statistics.”
The event was also an opportunity
to reflect on the innovations made
by Case IH in the area of sugarcane
mechanisation. Focusing on 50 years of
product research and development, the
conference highlighted the importance
of research into more efficient farming
practices, and the importance of
matching mechanisation with agronomy.
The conference ended with an
engaging panel session on the
future of the industry featuring Paul
Deane, Rob Cairns, Cam Whiteing of
Sugar Research Australia and awardwinning cane grower, Gerard Puglisi.
The panel was hosted by prominent
rural woman, Robbie Sefton.
Key points from the event can be
found on Twitter using the hashtag
#sugarforum, while photos and videos
from the event can be found on Case
IH Australia’s Facebook page. 
INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
How social science can help manage the
Great Barrier Reef
By Matt Kealley, Senior Manager – Environment,
CANEGROWERS
If you were asked to list the most inspiring iconic and cultural landscape of Australia, what would you choose?
According to a recent social science report from the CSIRO Land and Water Flagship, Measuring the
human dimension of the Great Barrier Reef – Social and economic long term monitoring program,
70% of you would list the Great Barrier Reef as your most inspiring landscape in Australia.
I read a lot of scientific research and most would be on
the water quality interaction of the ecosystem health and
function of the Great Barrier Reef. Some of this research is very
important to better farm management and practice change,
yet the question I always ask myself is how do you get it across
to growers?
For example, the report found that the Great Barrier Reef plays
an important economic role in the lives of coastal people as
25% of coastal residents are dependent on the Great Barrier
Reef for at least some of their household income. Finding
better ways to support both economic and social outcomes
will benefit all users of the reef in the longer term
Personally, I find it refreshing to read a social science report
that looks at the human dimension of the Reef – how people
view the reef, its aesthetic appeal, how they interact with it,
how they identify with it and value it. For example the research
found that:
The program gathers long-term data specific to reef users,
communities and industries, synthesises existing socioeconomic data from a wide range of sources, then fills key
knowledge gaps by conducting large-scale surveys of Reef
user groups which enable new insights into relationships,
vulnerabilities and dependencies between people and the
natural resource.
• Coastal residents have lived in the Great Barrier
Reef catchment for an average of 21 years and
41% do so because of the Great Barrier Reef.
• 77% of people plan to reside in the catchment
for the next five years and 86% will stay even if
cyclones and floods occur more frequently.
• Two-thirds of coastal residents believe that there are
‘not many other places better than the Great Barrier
Reef for the recreation activities they enjoy’.
The Social and Economic Long Term Monitoring Program
(SELTMP) for the Great Barrier Reef was established in 2011
with funding provided by the Australian Government under
the National Environmental Research Program. The research
was led by researchers from CSIRO and James Cook University
and aims to assist reef managers and other decision-makers
within the Great Barrier Reef region to incorporate the human
dimension into their planning and management.
I believe this research is very important to managing complex
needs, expectations and values as well as shaping policies for
the multiple users of the Great Barrier Reef. The social science
compliments the physical science. The data and conclusions
developed from the physical science can be brought together
with the human side for a more balanced approach to
manage expectations of the many people and industries
are dependent on the Great Barrier Reef for employment,
recreation and cultural and occupational identity.
The first survey was conducted in 2013 and questioned more
than 8,300 people about their dependence, usage and affinity
with the Reef, as well as their perceptions, values, experiences,
attitudes, behaviours and norms.
Some more of the outcomes I found of interest include:
• In all users groups of the Great Barrier Reef, the
research found that people value the aesthetic
appeal of the Great Barrier Reef above all other
values – even higher than economic values.
• All users of the Great Barrier Reef have strong
feelings of personal responsibility and stewardship
for the Reef, suggesting that a strong cultural identity
exists around the Reef. For example, the research
found that 88% of coastal residents felt a personal
responsibility to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
• The Great Barrier Reef forms a significant part of
the Australian and coastal identity. For example, the
research found that 64% of coastal residents believe
that, ‘the Great Barrier Reef is part of my identity’.
• The strongest values related to the Great Barrier Reef are
its aesthetic beauty, biodiversity values, World Heritage
status, economic, and scientific and educational values.
Links to reports can be found at www.nerptropical.edu.au and
on the SELTMP eAtlas website www.seltmp.eatlas.org.au. 
Industry Spotlight sponsored by Smartcane BMP
19 January 2015
| Australian Canegrower 17
ON FARM
David Singh talks tractors with visiting grandson
Baltaj on the Kennedy Valley farm.
SHORT & SWEET OF IT
• David Singh and his family
farm 1,000 ha in the Kennedy
Valley, supplying 58,000
tonnes of cane to the Tully mill
each season.
• David favours mound planting
with conventional drills and his
seven farms are on 1.8m single
rows with GPS guidance.
• Investments in technology
and management and data
systems linked to GPS have
led to efficiencies which have
helped them remain profitable.
This on farm story has been
brought to you by the
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
REEF PROGRAMME
Technology meets Kennedy
farming challenges
By Neroli Roocke
Hot, dry and dusty is not what you’d expect for a farm half an hour’s drive
from the wettest town in Australia. The second half of 2014 was dry in the
north and David Singh’s place in the Kennedy Valley was feeling the effect
of the below average rainfall when Australian Canegrower visited.
David says for the period July to
December he had approximately 60%
of the rainfall of previous years.
“The lack of rain towards the end of
season holds back the prospect of a
good crop for 2015 as the nutrients
applied on young ratoons are not taken
up as yet. It also delays weed control
and leaves us with the chance of the
cane not being advanced enough to
handle large rainfall events in the wet
season. But we are ever hopeful that
good storms are just around the corner!”
David and his wife Manjit moved to the
area in 1985 and have grown sugarcane
since it was first allowed in the Valley
18 Australian Canegrower | 19 January 2015
in 1994, cutting 900 tonnes in the
first year. The couple now has three
grown sonsand a farming operation
covering 1,000 ha across seven farms
producing bananas as well as cutting
58,000 tonnes of cane each year.
After first sending his cane north to
the South Johnstone mill and sitting
on the CANEGROWERS Innisfail board,
in 2011 David started supplying
the Tully mill and is now on the
board of CANEGROWERS Tully.
Technology and records
David is a big believer in adopting the
right technology and management 
ON FARM
systems to provide the efficiency
dividends he needs to stay
profitable. It’s one of the reasons
youngest son Hardeep has his
sights set on a farming future.
“I enjoy working with machinery
and the fact that the emergence of
new technologies used in modern
farming methods, which our family
is embracing, has me always looking
forward to getting involved with
the task at hand,” Hardeep says.
“Another aspect I enjoy is the fact
that every year you can be sure to
face some new challenges, or you
are looking to improve on what you
are currently doing. When you are
rewarded with results, for the extra
effort put in it is even more satisfying.”
That willingness to assess what
they’re doing and upgrade where
necessary has played a big part in
the family’s farm expansions and
improvements over the years.
“You’ve got to be really on the
ball with the technology now
and I like using it,” David says.
“To manage the seven locations we’ve
built up over time we do geographical
harvesting which is about managing
varieties on different soils for more
efficient machinery movements
– particularly because we’ve got
land along the Bruce Highway.
“So areas prone to flooding or
with higher water tables are
harvested earlier. And it means that
different farms can be cut in one
or two rounds. The system also
helps with our own operations,
making it easier to manage.”
Big new spray rig
town in Australia, they record
only half of its annual rainfall.
Both David and Hardeep are excited
about the purchase of a 27m boom
sprayer with a 4,500 litre tank. It’ll
give them the capability to do 15
rows at a time and complete spraying
operations in a shorter period of time.
David says his conditions are more
like the Herbert River district. The soil
also varies greatly across the farms
with sandy ridges and clay sometimes
occurring in the same paddock.
“Because we’re mostly going to be using
knockdowns, and not pre-emergence
spraying, you have to leave it later and you
have to get it done faster otherwise the
weeds will get away from you!” David says.
“The aim eventually is to have it
running with individual row and
boundary controls, using the GPS to
control the 105 nozzles in groups of
seven. That way the vegetation on the
headlands and scoop drains through
the property will be protected.”
David admits the new spray unit is
a very expensive investment for this
business but he expects the cost of the
implement will be recouped within eight
years through chemical purchase savings
and improved yields per hectare.
While the farms are only half an
hour’s drive from Tully, the wettest
The main varieties grown across the
farms are Q208 and Q200. Q241 is
being phased out because of its high
fibre content and newer varieties
including Q250 and Q231 are being
trialled in some areas of the farms.
David explains that he favours
mound planting, with conventional
drills and the farms are on 1.8m
single rows with GPS guidance.
Another future possibility with the unit
will be foliar application of fertilisers
and to be able to add new emerging
technologies such as WeedSeeker
Automatic Spot Spray System.
Soil and varieties
“We’ve also put quite a bit of seepage
piping underground to help with the water
table issues and drainage,” David explains.
“We took quite a bit of time to work
through and decide on the profile that
we have – it means we can plant cane in
wet years and I believe we’ve definitely
picked up some extra ratoons by going
to mound planting,” David says.
“We’ve got some fifth ratoons now which
we think we can let go for longer – and
controlled traffic has also contributed.”
David says fewer passes mean
efficiencies in time and fuel use as
well as less impact on the soil. 
All fertiliser and herbicide applications
are managed in the field and recorded
for post-harvest analysis with the
Trimble Field IQ system which is linked
into the farm’s GPS system. The stored
data will allow for informed analysis of
practice changes such as the decision
to this year to only spray guard rows
and sandy ridges for cane grubs.
Improved management and accurate
timing will also add to the success
of their movement away from using
residual chemicals to concentrating
on knockdowns to control the vines
which can plague their crop.
Hardeep Singh with the new boom sprayer. It has 105 nozzles across a 27m
boom and a 4,500 litre tank allowing them to spray 15 rows at a time. There
are plans to eventually run individual row and boundary controls, using GPS.
19 January 2015
| Australian Canegrower 19
ON FARM
With bigger tractors and machines these
days, guided by GPS, David says not
only does he know that he’s not going
to damage a stool by accident, he can
concentrate more on the job behind.
“Because you’re not having to steer you
can watch more closely what’s going on
with the implement and do any fine tuning
to what you’re doing. That’s one of the big
benefits that many people don’t realise.”
Eye to the future
With visiting grandchildren running
around him, the children of his eldest
son Randeep, and Hardeep ready
to talk about the next day’s farm
work, it’s easy to see David has his
eyes on the future for his family.
As part of that commitment
David is part of the Tully Variety
Management group which aims to
determine local germination rates,
CCS curves, herbicide reactions and
ratoonability of new varieties to
provide meaningful information on
performance in local conditions.
At the age of 19 Hardeep has just
finished his third season as a harvester
driver. In his first year his group,
consisting of similar aged crew, took
out the Tully district’s prize for the best
Cane Quality Award and the Clean Cane
Award and they were also runners up
in both awards in their second season.
“I was given the opportunity of
operating a harvester straight after
leaving school, which is very rare in
the sugar industry for my age, which I
am very thankful for,” Hardeep says.
“I enjoy farming because of the life
style it offers. Even though it gets very
hectic, especially during the season, the
opportunity of flexibility available in
the off season period makes up for it.
“Working alongside my family
and having an input into farming
operations at this early age in my
life has given me greater confidence
to be able to carry on the family
farming business into the future.” 
As a leader in his district he has
also registered for Smartcane
BMP and will put his attention
to it now the harvest is over.
Hardeep Singh has just finished his third season as a harvester driver.
“Working alongside my family and having an input into farming operations
at this early age in my life has given me greater confidence to be able
to carry on the family farming business into the future,” he says.
David Singh and his family have 1,000 ha of cane and
bananas across seven farms in the Kennedy Valley.
20 Australian Canegrower | 19 January 2015
ON FARM
&$1(*52:(56
CANEGROWERS Mackay Area Committee
Members
Important Notice
Member By-Election
Mackay Area Committee
By-Election under the
Mackay Canegrowers Limited Constitution
Nominations are invited from Mackay Area Committee members as members of Mackay
Canegrowers Limited to fill one (1) vacancy on this Committee.
Nominations for the election of one (1) Member to the Mackay Area Committee close with
the Returning Officer, CANEGROWERS, 100 Edward Street, Brisbane Qld 4000 (GPO Box
1032, Brisbane Qld 4001) at 5pm on Monday, 09 February 2015.
Nomination forms must be signed by the eligible nominee and not less than six (6) Members
as defined in the Constitution under Clause 5.2 “Members” at the date when supporting the
nomination.
To be an eligible nominee, you must be a member of CANEGROWERS Mackay Area
Committee as CANEGROWERS members under clause 5.2 of the Mackay Canegrowers
Limited constitution and hold a Cane Supply and Processing Agreement for delivery of cane
to Mackay Sugar Limited.
Nomination forms and full particulars in regard to appropriate qualifications of nominees can
be obtained from CANEGROWERS Mackay office or direct from the Returning Officer, on
application to GPO Box 1032 Brisbane Qld 4001 or by phone 1800 177 159. The
Nomination form is also available from the CANEGROWERS Members web site on
www.canegrowers.com.au
Ron Mullins
Returning Officer
GPO Box 1032 Brisbane Qld 4001
Mackay Canegrowers Limited ACN 111 817 559
Advert for Mackay Area Committee By-Election 2015.docx
19 January 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 [email protected].
Next deadline is 26 January 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 noncane 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.
Graham Twyford
Machinery Sales Pty Ltd
Features for 2015
Coming up:
Specialising in Used Cane Harvesting
Equipment Sales
FEBRUARY 2:
FARM
MANAGEMENT
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
JOHN DEERE 3520 WHEEL
HARVESTER 2012 Model. JD 9L
375HP. 3,00 Hrs. 5HPDLQGHURI
-'HQJLQHZDUUDQW\Scraper
Tyres. Standard Topper. Late
Model High Capacity Machine !
MARCH 2:
Soil Health & Crop Nutrition
FOR SALE
CASE TRACK HARVESTER ‘06
Model QSM11 Cummins 370 HP.
SALT Tracks 80 % new 18’’ grousers.
Chopper box rebuildt. New STD
Topper. Separated Primary Fan
circuit.
• 22 X 2004 14 tonne Corradini Bins –
Dual Elevators in good condition
• 1 X 2 tonne Silkwood Implement Side
Dresser on wheels with colters
• 1X 3.6 tonne Case Excavator
• 1 X 17 tonne Hitachi Excavator
• 1 x Kubota 9540 FWD Tractor Ex Con
• 1 x John Deere 5520 FWD V/G Con
• 1 X Kubota 6040 FWD Tractor Ex
Condition
• 1 x 2009 Trimble Auto pilot to suit a
John Deere 3510 Harvester
• 1 X John Deere 4520 – FWD VGC
• 1 X Ford Aero Max Prime Mover with
Hydraulics
• 1 X 2013 5 tonne 3 row adjustable
VWRROVSOLWWHUZLWKFRQ¿GRUWDQN
• 1 X 2010 RB Eng double disc dual
row billet planter or single row
CAMECO 1995 WHEEL HARVESTER
CAT. Eng. 325 HP. Recent engine
rebuild.
CAMECO 1997 TRACK HARVESTER
Cat. 325HP Eng. Recent Eng. Rebuild.
4ft 6’’ Cleaning Chamber.
AUSTOFT TRACK HARVESTER 1989
Model 240 Komatsu. Leg B/C box
suitable for plant cutter.
AUSTOFT POWER HAUL ELEVATOR
1991 Model. As New 150 HP.
Cummins Engine.
McCORMICK MTX150 Tractor 4
WD 150HP 2006 Model. Coupled
to Austoft Trailhaul. Very good
condition.
07 4068 5499 or 0418 988 601
email: [email protected]
www.rbengineeringnq.com.au
CASE PRIMARY EXTRACTOR.
COMPLETE WITH PLASTIC HOOD
& VORTEX CEILING FAN. 4’ 6. Full
+HDY\'XW\OLQHU¿WWHG0RGHO
APRIL 27:
Technology
MAY 25:
Farm Machinery & Equipment
JUNE 22:
Land Preparation
JULY 20:
Crop Nutrition & Protection
AUGUST 17:
Irrigation parts & Equipment
SEPTEMBER 14:
Soil Health
OCTOBER 12:
Farm Machinery & Equipment
NOVEMBER 9:
Irrigation parts & Equipment
DECEMBER 7:
Land Preparation
BOOK NOW!
[email protected]
Beaulieu R.U.M.
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.
MARCH 30:
Crop Protection
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.
IN STOCK NOW 12,10 & 6 BLADE
DIFFERENTIAL CHOPPER DRUMS
Suit JOHN DEERE/CAMECO
Tungsten Hard Faced on Wear Areas.
This can be achieved easily by simply adding
5 litres of R.U.M per acre to your dip water.
SPECIALS ON 12 BLADE DRUMS
ENQUIRE NOW
For a cost of around $25 per acre
Can you afford not to give it a go?
Graham Twyford
48 Central Park Drive, Paget Mackay
Mobile: 0418 742 696
Phone: 07 49 526 668
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.gtmachinerysales.com.au
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
22 Australian Canegrower | 19 January 2015
WHAT’S NEW
MEMBER SERVICES
YOUR LOCAL AGENT
OF CHOICE
4th Generation
Current Farmer
Cairns, Gordonvale,
Innisfail and other areas
upon request
Please contact Linda for
your free market appraisal
Mob. 0427 038 065
Mossman –Tully
Kabota 16hp 4WD inner row tractor 07
4094 1444
Tieman Tailgate lifter tuck away, 12 volt,
500kg, 0413018884
4 Ton Newton Fertilizer Bin, 3 Ton S/S
M.S.W. Fertilizer Bin. Ph: 0408 456 218
Herbert River – Burdekin
JOHNNY FARMING COMPANY
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
John Deere 3510, 2008 Model. Long
Elevator, 10 Blade Chop, Reverse Fan,
Separate Base Cutter Pump, Very Well
JOHNNY FARMING
COMPANY
Australian
Distributor
Belshina Tyres & Chinese Imports
 Tractor Tyres
 Earthmoving Tyres
 Truck Tyres
 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: [email protected]
133 Schmidke Road Mackay 4740
INGHAM AGENCIES
EXTRACTOR FAN BLADES
GREAT RANGE!
BETTER PRICES!
NEW PRODUCT AVAILABLE
Maintained. Contact Rob on 0407 167
716.
Zetor 12045 s 4wd tractor in good
condition $10 000.00, John shearer 28
plate offset $5500.00, Rondinni 1 tonne
fertilizer spreader $2000.00. Ph. 0448 161
052
2 x 6920 John Deere’s 4WD. Phone 0400
905 088
1 x 6920 John Deere – Carta 14 tonne
tipper. 0417 636 863
2007 TM190 coupled to 1998 12 tonne
Carta Tipper, double doors. Good
Condition. POA .Phone: 0407 636 055
Howard R/hoe RC2000 5.4m w/rippers
& c/roller, 350hp g/box, 2.5m travel,
end toe w/hyd land wheels. Howard R/
hoe CH2000 4.2m w/rippers & c/roller,
300hp g/box, 2.5m travel, end toe w/
land wheels. NH T8040, 2007, f&r duals,
4000hr. Obryan 4.5m laser scoop,
rippers, cross leveller, older style,solid
construction. P:0439556234
2 x JCB 3230 2009 Fastracs 6300 Hrs Been
Hauling Out. Excellent Condition. Only
Selling Tractors. 0417611539
2005 Hodge Contractor 2500 Billet
planter. set for 1.83m can be converted to
other. two toolbars one for super singles
one for dual row. ss fert box. all controls
out of tractor cab. loresban tank. suscon
box 4 chain elevator. 0418 181 335
JCB 7230 Fast Track. Good Service History.
Phone: 0429 649 595
2x14tonne transporters with power
heads, cross elevators & Cummins
motors. Ph (07) 4782 7549, 0418 188 446
Case International 9250 with 7300hrs and
12ft JN & R Scoop Cross level & Rippers
and Laser alignment LB4 laser equipment,
$120,000 incl. GST. Ph: 0438 771 606 or 07
4776 0974
Mackay – Proserpine
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
[email protected]
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)
TM 135 & 9t Trailhaul $44000 8210 9t
trailhaul $38500 Ford 8401 $11000 18"
grouser plates %65-70 $1400 hyd motors
hi pres seal $200 PH 0438585294
1992 75 series Landcruiser ute FACTORY
TURBO 1HDT ENGINE conversion.
3 inch stainless exhaust system, custom
tray only 12 months old as new condition
had over $6000 spent on it very
solid,toolboxes,bullbar siderails,overhead
console, stereo, new gme arial, uhf, 16"
allied alloy mags, tidy ute with a lot of
power very reliable $16,000. 0427723045
Don Mizzi converted topper,blower fans
19 January 2015
| Australian Canegrower 23
MEMBER SERVICES
all in 1, on a Fiat 880 $4000 +gst, Hodge
7 Tyne ripper $2200+gst, Yeomen centre
buster $3500+gst, MF 2675 $12000, MF
1085 $10000 PH: 49591 008 Mob: 0429
069 282
80inch rotary hoe $1000. 2 row grubber
1 1/4 tynes $650. Ratoon roller $500.
Southen cross pump 3 in 2 out $1000.
Bag lifter needs some work $750. Ph 0428
529 216
Standard cooling screen off 2008
JohnDeere. Cameco 2500 8 roller track
frames and dead axle. 0408011983
CAT 50 KVA genset New $6000 Air comp
belt drive Lister $1500 Cummins 8.3c
260HP Rad to Flywheel $4000 Suspension
seats Air base $100. Ph: 0428340685
Toft 6000 series 3. 4ft extractor and barrel.
Good plant cutter. $12 000 (including gst)
ono. Ph: 0427658137
07 model ts 115 New Holland 3350 Hrs ,2
1/2 tonne stool splitter drawbar type ,6
tonne west hill side tipper,6 tonne ritchie
side tipper Ph 07 49591479
1 toft cane harvester 1995 model one
owner good condition $70 000 + gst. 1.5
m ward english lathe $3000 + gst. White
tractor 2-135 two wheel drive tractor air
cab $8000 + gst. 3 foot rotary chop and 4
foot ceiling fan to suit 6000 plant cutter $
4000 + gst. Phone: 0427 760 211
Maclean 5 roller half tracks , new
stone guards, VGC $6500 plus GST
Ph0418159998
Case Harvester back tyres and rims ,
80% tread, $2000 each plus GST ph
0418159998
1973 6 Cyl 1510 IHC 6 Ton Truck, Fully
Restored, Travelled to Winton Truck
Show 2013, Excellent working Condition,
$9,750.00 (Includes GST) - Ph: After Hours
(07) 4945 1773
25966 STL shares 80c each please contact
Andrew 0428772254
Deere 570A road Grader, painted with
near new tyres & engine over $19,000
spent on it $45,000. Ph: 0417644001
1997 Austoft Crawler Harvester 7700, 15
inch 8 blade chop, Kamatsu Engine New
track chain sprockets. BEELINE ARRO G.P.S
UNIT 2CM. G.C. Offers ph: 0412628671
3” aluminium pipes $25/length. Ph: 0413
234 440
Wrecking Maschio G350 140” Rotary
Hoe with 3.6M crumble roller. All parts
available. Childers. Ph 0408 734 410
MF175 tractor in excellent condition
Phone 41598174 / 0417004717
Bonnel trash fertiliser incorporator box
plastic bin stainless steel bottoms VGC
$12,000 inc GST. 0417 617 084
Case 970 Tractor Low hours, rear
transmission over hauled. VGC $12000
plus GST ph 0431290004 or 0755466867
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
Inter row tractor with 3 row folding spay
boom available for hire. Agquip Hire 1300
859 869 www.agquiphire.com.au
Spectra laser gear transmitter/beacon
receiver, heaps available $11,000 the lot.
Beeline Arro 2cm all parts including valve,
but no base $7,500. Ripper Heavy duty
10 X 10 inch box, 7 Tyne knock on points
with fold in wings for easy road transport,
2 worn legs other 5 legs ok (200+Hp)
$6,000. Grizzly Toolbar with tynes, 2 stage
folding (9mtrs wide) 4" box, $7,000. John
24 Australian Canegrower | 19 January 2015
Nsw
Fiat 1300 tractor 130HP runs well,good
rubber $8800 incl GST.0266460207
1 set of 1995 Cameco tracks - Complete
except for track chain. Other wrecked
parts include, rear elevator pivot with
slew cylinders and assortment of elevator
hydraulic motors, cylinders and sprockets.
0499785626
Wanted
Tractor tyres of all sizes. 0418 775 698 all
hours.
PROSERPINE: 16" Grousers for John Deere
Tracks. Ph: 0447 452 762
BUNDABERG: Underground and surface
water for Temporary Transfer, Gooburrum.
Phone 4159 8340, 0403 598 345.
Rainfall Report
Recorded rainfall (mm)
Location
7 days to 9am
Average rainfall (mm)
Year to date
Jan
05.01.15
12.01.15
Mossman
74
109
183
Mareeba AP
10
8
18
203
Cairns
113
54
167
385
Mt Sophia
450
132
291
423
503
Babinda
0
146
146
633
Innisfail
227
91
318
504
Tully
90
219
309
598
Cardwell
147
74
221
435
Lucinda
62
8
70
372
Ingham
85
20
105
372
Abergowrie
74
62
136
335
Townsville
74
12
86
269
Ayr DPI
88
11
99
210
Proserpine
71
89
160
297
Mirani
80
56
136
326
Mackay
11
42
53
278
104
110
214
362
Bundaberg
36
23
59
172
Childers South
22
12
34
125
Maryborough
43
19
62
163
Tewantin
9
15
24
150
Sarina (Plane Ck)
Eumundi
35
51
86
228
Nambour
43
32
75
230
Woongoolba
0
0
0
164
Murwillumbah
12
66
78
198
Ballina
31
71
102
179
Woodburn
0
0
0
142
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.
WHAT’S NEW
CLASSIFIEDS
MOSSMAN-TULLY: Post 2003
Toft 7700,Prefer low Hrs in good
condition,long elevator,standard topper.
10 tonne Carter elevator bin with
tractor.Ph.0407159244
TULLY: J.D 77/7810 with 20 speed power
quad. Ph: 0408 713 854
MOSSMAN: 75hp or greater with bucket
07 4094 1444
TULLY/INNISFAIL: ACCO 1820 Tipper
Truck, Going order or for parts. Ph: 0427
327 977
HERBERT RIVER: Highrise spray tractor.
Kubota B7000. Phone: 0417623851
INGHAM: 1000ltr spray tank. Flat boom
and trailing legs to cover 5 rows. Ivan or
similar.
PLANE CREEK: Fiat tractor up to
60hp.0408011983
TULLY: Tully Welding Works elevator bin,
single or tandem axle, with or without
tractor. Ph 0408774397
INGHAM: 50" rims, suit 480/80/50 tyres,
suit NH tractor. P:0439556234
MACKAY: 5 or 6T BSM Double Side
Tippers and 12-14T Elevating Carta Bins
Ph: 0427737866
MULGRAVE: 14-10 tonne elevator bin,
4-5 tonne side tipper, 0413018884
BUNDABERG: 4” water winch hose reel.
Ph: 0413 234 440
BUNDABERG: single row or 3 row
tobacco picker. 07 4159 8174 / 0417 004
717
Pegararo rotary hoe. Ph 0418159998
60 inch rotary hoe. Ph 0418159998
MACKAY: Hose Reel to roll 100mm flat
irrigation hose. Ph: 0428 962 142 or
Ph:49540190
Positions Vacant
Harvesting contract available. Burdekin
area, good conditions, approx. 80,000
tonnes. Ph 4784 9121 or 0428 783 263
Meet CANEGROWERS Reef Heroes
Our Reef Heroes are the many farming families
along the Queensland coast who are working
to protect the Great Barrier Reef for future
generations. Using the latest technology and
innovative practices they are improving their
farms, reducing soil erosion and protecting
water quality.
Their efforts should be celebrated and we want
all of Queensland to know what’s happening
on sugarcane farms. Each week a new page on
the CANEGROWERS website will introduce you
and all Queenslanders to them.
The list will grow and grow!
http://www.canegrowers.com.au/page/
reef-heroes/
Keep an eye out for our Reef Heroes on the
CANEGROWERS Facebook page and share the
stories with your friends!
Property
Looking to buy or buy into 50,000100,000 tonne contract all areas
considered ph-0409546468
Wanted to lease: Cane farm in SarinaMackay area. PH: 0419 771 504
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To receive your free electronic
copy, email us on:
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19 January 2015
| Australian Canegrower 25