Newsletter #25: April 2024

May 5, 2024

It’s going to be an action packed week at Beef Australia next week in Rockhampton.

Did you know that red-meat production from the Tropical North Queensland (TNQ) region generates more than $4.5 billion annually. This represents over half of the value of agriculture across TNQ, and nearly half of Queensland’s total value of beef.

You’ll find us in the James Cook University tent (site R01) where you can meet the team and learn about our collaborative approach to build drought and climate resilience across northern Queensland.

I invite you to attend our free presentations which include some well-known speakers from across our region, and students who are excelling in contributing to agricultural innovation.

Farm and Succession Planning: Rural Financial Counsellor, Natalie Hughes and legal adviser Connie Navarro will be discussing the considerations, complexities, available assistance, and real stories of transitioning viable farms to the next generation.

When: Wednesday 8 May, 3:30 – 4:15pm
Where: JCU Pavilion (site R01)
Reserve your free spot

Journey of a JCU student in the Agriculture Industry: PhD student, William Harrington and Honors student Lucy Gardner are both JCU students but at very different stages of their careers. Hear about their journeys and the lessons they’ve learnt through both trials and triumphs, with the ultimate goal of contributing to an enduring and sustainable sector.

When: Thursday 9 May, 4:00 – 4:45pm
Where: JCU Pavilion (site R01)
Reserve your free spot

You can also catch me presenting on the Hub’s work, including:

The regional priorities identified through industry engagement
How we define drought and resilience
Examples of measures to build resilience at farm, community and regional scales
AgTech trials across the northern beef industry, including work with Pairtree, Farmbot, Farmo, AgriWebb, Black Box Co and the AgScent breath pregnancy sensor
New technology in farm dam evaporative loss, land condition assessment and Artificial Intelligence boosted web solutions.

When: Tuesday 7 May, 12:00 – 12:45pm
Where: JCU Pavilion (site R01)
Reserve your free spot

We look forward to seeing you there. Keep safe and well,

David Phelps
Director

Hub Highlight - ESG

Earlier this month our Senior Research Officer and sustainability advocate, Ana Leite De Almeida presented at the Australian Society of Sugarcane Technologist (ASSCT) Conference in Townsville where she unveiled her ground-breaking research on the integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices into Australian agriculture.

Working closely with producers and growers in North Queensland, Ana has developed a pioneering framework and educational materials to assist land managers in adopting and integrating ESG practices on their farms.

Ana explains, “The educational resources and materials we’ve crafted at the Hub provide a foundational ‘blueprint’ for land managers. They cater to those who are new to ESG practices and require guidance on how to start, as well as those who have already adopted them and are seeking avenues for improvement.”

Find out more about ESG.

Agtech Insights

Read our latest post on AgTech Insights where we look into:

The 3G network shutdown approaching
Data security
Reducing spray drift risk
AgTech So What? and AgTech Finder podcast Highlights

Read the latest edition of AgTech Insights

Know someone who wants to be involved?

What’s Next?

Check out our Events calendar to see what’s happing in the agricultural industry around Tropical North Queensland and throughout the country. Some upcoming events to keep an eye out on are;

Beef Australia 2024, 5 – 11 May, Rockhampton
From the Ground Up, 21-22 May, Cloncurry and Julia Creek
The Science of Disasters, 31 May, Cairns

What's Happened...

Here’s what the TNQ Hub team have been up to recently.

Herbert Cane Productivity Services Ltd 2024 Walk & Talk Day, 26 March, Ingham

Regional Soils Coordinator, Dhiraj Gajera attended the Herbert Cane Productivity Services Ltd 2024 Walk & Talk Day, last month in Ingham. Cane growers from the Herbert region attended the event to hear from experts in drone technologies, research into canegrub control, new varieties and their management, as well as other presentations including grant opportunities.

With over 200 growers attending, Dhiraj was able meet with several of them and share his knowledge on soil biology, soil carbon farming and the National Soils Strategy which is Australia’s first national policy on soil and how Australia will value, manage and improve our soil over the next 20 years.

Dhiraj will remain in regular contact with some of the growers to help make positive changes to their decision-making process regarding soil health.

National Drought Network meeting, 26 March, Online

The second meeting of the National Drought Network was held on the March 26, with over 100 people attending virtually including representatives from the TNQ Drought Hub and hub partners.

National Drought Network is an information sharing opportunity, hosted by the Australian, state and territory governments. It provides stakeholders with updates on drought related information on drought policy, programs and conditions. It was established to better the flow of information to stakeholders and contribute to Australia’s capacity to withstand drought.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry provided updates on the National Drought Plan, the National Drought Agreement, the Future Drought Fund and the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.

The network also heard from other presenters such as the Bureau of Meteorology who presented on its Climate Outlook, as well as recent media sentiment, and reflections on the Bureau’s climate and drought communications and ABARES on the Farm Performance Forecast ABARES which includes information for 2023/24 and 2024/25.

Representatives include those from farming organisations, agricultural industries, charities, finance, Australian Government agencies, state and territory governments, local governments, not-for-profit organisations, unions and individuals with an interest in drought related information.

If you are interested in joining, please email droughtpolicy@aff.gov.au

Mackay Ag Trade Expo, 19-20 April, Mackay

TNQ Drought Hub Node partner Reef Catchments and Regional Soils Coordinator, Dhiraj Gajera, had the opportunity to engage with primary producers at the Mackay Ag Trade Expo recently. This event brought together various exhibitors, equipment and machinery, and local businesses for an all-inclusive agricultural field day.

Over the course of two days, Dhiraj and the Reef Catchment team engaged with graziers, farmers, land managers, and hobby farmers about local projects and activities geared towards building resilience against future droughts and the impacts of climate variability.

During the expo, Dhiraj conducted on-site soil testing, offering participants valuable insights into the health of their soil. The results of these tests conducted in the Mackay region revealed a very healthy biological status underscoring the region’s commitment to fostering sustainable agricultural practices.

Apply Now! Grants, Programs amd EOI's

Advance Queensland is supporting 40 eligible Queensland innovators, ecosystem enablers and entrepreneurs to attend the Tropical Innovation Festival from 17 to 21 June 2024. EOI are open now and close 5pm, Friday 03 May 2024. Apply now.
Cape York NRM is seeking a dedicated and passionate Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator (SAF). The SAF will be a designated central contact point for farmers, landholders, industry, and community groups aimed at supporting climate-smart, sustainable agriculture practices across Cape York Peninsula. More information.
Please complete the SRA weed survey to help SRA prioritise research investment to develop future weed management strategies. The project aims to deliver anonymized data about the number of major weed species, their distribution and severity across the industry. Identifying the scale and benchmarking the prevalent weed issues that impact the industry in each district will help SRA prioritise research investment for specific weed problems. Your details will be private and anonymous for the SRA Weed Survey. Complete the survey now.
2025 Nuffield Australia Drought Resilience Scholarships. Want to travel overseas and bring home new drought resilience tools and practices from international leaders in the field? The Future Drought Fund and Nuffield Australia are partnering again in 2025 to offer up to 5 Aussie farmers overseas study scholarships in drought resilience. Through a Nuffield Drought Resilience Scholarship, you’ll build your drought resilience knowledge and grow your industry and community’s capacity to deal with dry times. Each scholarship is valued at $40,000. If you work in a food or fibre industry and are aged between 28 and 45, apply now. Applications close on 31 May 2024. Learn more

The TNQ Hub can provide Letters of Support (LoS) to assist with your application. Please email details of your application and how it applies to future drought resilience to tnqhub@jcu.edu.au and we will supply a LoS if applicable.

Are you looking for funding to enable your idea to become a reality? Visit the following Regional Development Australia initiative to find grants available in the TNQ Drought Hub region.

TNQ Hub has worked with our NRM Node and industry partners to develop regional priorities. These are a useful resource in writing grant applications.

Resources

Search the InfoVeg R&D database for over 1,400 levy-funded reports, tools, and fact sheets for vegetable, potato, and onion growers, agronomists, researchers, academics, and other industry members. All the material contained in the database is classified and categorised to enable faster access, enhanced searchability and higher accuracy of the results returned to a user.