Raising awareness and adoption of sustainable cane growing practices : SRDC Final report BSS238

Abstract

This project aimed to raise awareness and adoption of sustainable canegrowing practices in the Queensland and New South Wales sugar industries by providing canegrowers with the capacity to critically assess their farming systems, identify areas for improvement, and develop action plans.The project built on the development of the Queensland sugar industry?s Code of Practice for Sustainable Cane Growing (CANEGROWERS, 1998) and the New South Wales sugar industry?s Best Practice Guidelines for Acid Sulfate Soils (Sunshine Sugar, 2000). Both of these documents provide growers with clear advice on their obligations in relation to legislation like the Queensland Environmental Protection Act 1994. However, they do not provide a mechanism for growers to check their compliance with best practice recommendations, nor develop plans to implement changes required. This project aimed to fill this identified gap in the process of improving cane farming practices and sugar industry sustainability.The project was initially expected to be conducted between 1 July 1999 and 1 July 2001. However, much of the work on the project did not commence until November 1999 (with the appointment of a project officer). The project?s finishing date was also delayed (with SRDC approval) until 1 May 2002 to ensure all milestones could be successfully met.