Farming systems and production management

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://elibrary2.sugarresearch.com.au/handle/11079/13844

Research outcomes: Growers and harvesters benefit from the ongoing research in productivity improvement, production management and agronomical techniques. Developed technologies and management practices that enhance productivity and demonstrate a high rate of return on investment.

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Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    Adoption of an optimal season length for increased industry profitability : SRDC Final report BSS264
    (BSES, 2007) Di Bella, LP; Cristaudo, A; Wood, AW
    The project aimed to maximise commercial cane sugar (CCS), sugar yields (TSPH) and industry profitability in the Herbert region by exploiting regional variation in CCS, soil moisture and trafficability. There is significant potential to increase total sugar production, and individual grower and district CCS through better management of harvesting scheduling.
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    Implementation of controlled traffic farming of sugarcane in the Herbert River district : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project Final report GGP003
    (SRDC, 2007) Morris, E
    The Pinnacle Precision Farming (PPF) Group was formed with the goal of implementing and benefiting from the principals of controlled traffic farming using techniques being used by the Sugar Yield Decline Joint Venture Team on a trial and demonstration plot located on the farm operated by Ed Morris located in Toobanna. However we could not envisage a Double Disc Opener Planter (DDOP) being viable unless it was able to successfully plant cane billets instead of using whole cane stalk planters as used by the SYDJV Team.
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    Improved harvesting efficiency in farming systems : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project final report
    (2007) Tabone, B
    The aim of the project was to achieve more efficient harvesting within our group. We monitored the harvesting effort for each paddock to determine the levels of paddock efficiency and increase awareness of the results. The results from two seasons are as different as the weather conditions during the growing and the harvest. It can be noted the through put during both years in both crop configurations is less in the 2006 season. The 2006 season had a damp start and a very wet middle and a dry end (thank goodness) As a result, more engine hours per ton were required to harvest the crop. Wet field conditions and lower bin weights, equates to more trips for the haul outs realising a small increase in fuel consumption. The work efficiency is the relationship between total engine hours and total elevator hours expressed as a percentage. The elevator was running 5% longer while harvesting twin rows in 2006 which indicates a slower forward speed during cutting. To reward on farm efficiency, a new payment system needed to be formulated to achieve a harvester price differential. The payment system most widely accepted is the hourly rate as can be monitored easily and ratified by the growers. The growers would also get an instant benefit from any on farm improvements they made such as pipe crossings making hauls shorter and haul road improvements. Also, conditions change each year which makes it difficult to adopt any other formula which would be as indicative or relative to each situation.
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    Workshop on new technologies in sugarcane crop forecasting : SRDC Final report WS004
    (2001) Wood, A; De Lai, R
    Work over the last 3 years in the Herbert Resource Information Centre has demonstrated that it is possible to use remotely sensed satellite imagery to produce a reasonably accurate crop forecast provided there is limited ground truthing to validate spectral signatures. In both the 1999 and 2000 harvest seasons, the estimates derived from the Landsat TM images were closer to the actual yield for the Herbert than the crop estimates derived from conventional methods. SRDC agreed to fund a project in the Herbert involving the HRIC and the University of Queensland to develop the technology further (project UQ037 Development of an a11- weather sugarcane crop yield model using satellite image data). The project was led by Mr Mark Noonan who was employed by the HRlC and was doing this work as part of a Masters degree at UQ. CRC Sugar also agreed to provide funding to assist Mr Noonan with his Masters project. Mr Noonan left the HRIC in November 2000 and arrangements have been made to complete the project through the university. The project is due for completion in June 2001. In the last year there has been a large amount of interest in this methodology from other mill areas such as Mossman, Mulgrave and Mackay and all sugar mills are searching for ways of producing accurate crop estimates without having to simd out large numbers of people to inspect every block of cane on every farm. QSL have also' expressed interest in this technology given the importance of accurate and timely estimates of sugar production for their operation. Initially the HRlC agreed to assist some of the mills in using the model, but with the departure ofMr Noonan this is no longer possible. Some mills (and QSL) are now approaching a variety of commercial companies to see whether they are able to perfect this methodology and customize it for their specific requirements. With the HRlC being placed under increasing pressure from different users to provide advice and expertise, and with the HRlC Board having decided that they should not get involved in research and development, CRC Sugar was requested to coordinate an industry workshop which focused on new technologies in sugarcane crop forecastin
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    Enhancing efficiency and integration from field to factory in the Herbert : SRDC Final report
    (2010) Sheedy, P; Giordani, P; Quabba, R; Higgins, A; Kent, G; Everitt, P; Harvesting solutions.
    The Herbert sugar region underwent major strategic change in the harvesting and transport sectors, which will involve $7M investment in siding rationalisation and a substantial reduction in the number of harvesting groups. These strategic changes have the potential for large cost savings to the local region (potentially over $2/tc as seen in the SRDC project CSE005) leading to greater sustainability in these two sectors, if optimally implemented to achieve the economic and social goals of each of the participants in the growing, harvesting and milling sectors. The goal of this project was to provide the region with a capacity to better manage operational and seasonal planning in harvesting & transport. Because the project involved several organisations and broad R&D plan, four working groups have been formed around key deliverables of the project: SugarMax, Harvest/Transport Integration, Harvest Haul; and Evaluation. Each small working group comprised of researcher and local representatives, though the entire project team met in Ingham up to five times per year to report progress and plan next steps
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    The operation of the two-in-one harvesting attachment in a controlled traffic system : SRA Grower Group Innovation Project final report
    (2009) Castellani, E
    The project has developed an automatic base cutter system to assist harvester operators utilising the Two in One harvesting attachment. The trial results have proven that the Two in One system offers: The potential to reduce operator fatigue; Reduce in-field compaction and operate under a 1.85 controlled traffic system.; Significant costs reductions associated with reduced maintenance and fuel cost; Units operate at lower operational speeds and significant increases in field operational efficiencies; compared to single row harvesters. The sugarcane industry is one of the only remaining mechanised industries that harvests it crop as a single row. Most other industries have moved to wide swath harvesting to improve harvesting efficiencies and reduce costs. The Two in One concept is the first step towards wide swath harvesting in the Australian sugar cane industry. The Two on One is the only commercially available cane harvesting system available to the sugar industry globally, at this point in time.
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    Adoption of an optimal season length for increased profitability; findings from the 2006 'maximising profitability in the Herbert sugar industry workshop' : Final report BSS264
    (2006) Di Bella, LP
    In 2003, the Herbert sugar industry established an industry working team to investigate ways to manage the harvest and processing of larger crops and investigate methods of increasing industry profitability. In 2004 SRDC funded the BSS264 adoption of an optimal season length for increased profitability project. The project aims are to maximise CCS, sugar yields and industry profitability in the Herbert region by exploiting regional variation in CCS, soil moisture and trafficability. The project was also funded to develop economic models, SugarMax and Rainrisk models specific to the Herbert region. In 2005, SRDC funded the Herbert industry study tour of Southern Africa to investigate the season length issues and farm management systems. This report presents the findings from an industry workshop conducted within BSS264.
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    Adoption of an optimal season length for increased profitability; findings from the 2004 industry survey : Final report
    (2004) Di Bella, LP
    There is a large potential to increase total sugar production, individual grower and district CCS through better management of harvesting scheduling. Change management will be best implemented through active participation and involvement of all industry sectors. BSS264 Adoption of an optimal season length for increased profitability aims to maximise CCS, sugar yields and industry profitability in the Herbert region by exploiting regional variation in CCS, soil moisture and trafficability. This report presents the findings from the baseline survey results conducted within BSS264. The survey establishes a baseline on industry participants' views and opinions pertaining to harvest season length, crop management issues associated with an extended season length ( and the 2004 early harvest trial), industry infrastructure utilisation, community impacts, development of alternative income streams, industry viability and cash flows. A similar survey will be conducted at the end of the project to assess changes in industry viewpoints and opinions.