16 Mar 2016
L to R: Matt Keally (CANEGROWERS), Tony Ricciardi (Burnett Mary Regional Group), Emma Jackson (Cape York NRM), Keith Noble (Terrain NRM), Ian MacGibbon (Fitzroy Basin Association) Stuart Armitage (QFF President), Pat Hannon (Growcom), Mike Berwick (Chair of Regional Groups’ Collective), Adrian Peake (Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation), Andrew Freeman (Agforce), Royce Bishop (Reef Catchments Ltd)
History was made today with Queensland’s agricultural industries, regional Natural Resource Management (NRM) bodies and conservation groups signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work together to help preserve the Great Barrier Reef (GBR).
The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) has welcomed today’s signing of the MOU by Reef Alliance members. The Reef Alliance is a partnership that recognises and works with land managers to protect and maintain the value of the GBR.
The MOU allows:
- The advocacy and promotion of aspirations as they relate to the sustainable use of, and impact on, the Great Barrier Reef Catchment and Lagoon.
- To establish an agreed code of conduct that supports constructive discussion concerning agricultural best management practice and land use and the targeted improvement in catchment and Reef water quality and ecosystem health.
QFF President Stuart Armitage, who signed on behalf of QFF, praised the Reef Alliance as an effective and ground-breaking development in catchment land scape management in Australia.
“The Reef Alliance brings together industry and regional NRM bodies and the conservation sector with a common goal of securing the future health of the GBR,”
“This is achieved by improving land manager knowledge and understanding of the benefits of adopting best management practice,”
“The partnership of rural industry, NRM bodies and WWF – Australia provides a mechanism for stakeholders to lead and coordinate an adaptive program of land use change improvement” said Mr Armitage.
Chair of Regional Groups’ Collective Mike Berwick, also a signatory, welcomed the signing of the MOU and pointed to the prior success of the Reef Alliance in delivering outcomes for the GBR.
“The success of the past 8 years has come via Reef Alliance member projects supporting rural land managers to change practices and improve farming systems, in turn generating improved water quality and business viability,”
“This experience and capacity in delivering program outputs and outcomes are of real value to investors and land managers,”
“By members sharing information, resources and ideas, and mixing their respective skill the Reef Alliance can deliver behavioural change in land management and communities.”
QFF President Stuart Armitage noted that the signing of the MOU will continue Reef Alliance members’ commitment to adopting a collaborative approach to issues and deliver the water quality outcomes the community expects for the GBR.”
MOU signatories: AgForce, Australian Banana Growers’ Council, Burnett Mary Regional Group, CANEGROWERS, Cape York Natural Resource Management Ltd, Fitzroy Basin Association, Growcom, NQ Dry Tropics Ltd, Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation, Queensland Farmers’ Federation, Reef Catchments (Mackay Whitsunday Isaac) Limited, Regional Groups Collective, Terrain NRM and WWF – Australia.
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