QFF welcomes SCL soil science panel

THE Queensland Farmers’ Federation today welcomed the State Government’s announcement of members of the Strategic Cropping Land (SCL) soil science committee.

The four person committee consists of four professional soil scientists – two nominated by the Australian Society of Soil Science (Professor Clive Bell and Simon Buchanan), one by QFF (David Hamilton), and one by the Queensland Resources Council (Terry Short).

QFF CEO Dan Galligan said the panel would play an important role in seeing the legislation enacted in the spirit of the policy intent – which is to preserve and protect finite agricultural soil resources and ensure sustainable coexistence between the mining and agricultural sectors.

“Getting the science right is just as important as getting the legislation right,” Mr Galligan said. “In our view this committee should go about its work unencumbered from industry or government intervention, and we put faith in Minister Nolan’s comments that this is what will happen.

“The committee and its work will give all stakeholders confidence that SCL is based on science and can stand up to the most rigorous independent scrutiny.”

Mr Galligan said that support had already been given for a two-year review of Strategic Cropping Land.

“The advice that this committee will bring to the table regarding the effectiveness of SCL, and the job it will do identifying the correct land as SCL, will be paramount to that review.

“This is an important part of the process of finding pragmatic ways of protecting agricultural soils for the long term and ensuring sustainable development takes place.”