26 Apr 2016
The Turnbull Government is investing an extra $45 million in a new project led by Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) in partnership with members of the Reef Alliance to improve the health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.
The project will be funded through the Turnbull Government’s $140 million Reef Trust which focuses on improving water quality, and protecting coastal habitats and the biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef.
Stuart Armitage, the President of the QFF, welcomed the announcement.
“The QFF, on behalf of all delivery partners, welcomes the Federal Government’s significant investment through the Reef Trust to improve land management practices which will help protect the Great Barrier Reef,”
“The funding will enable farmers to continue improving and adopt Best Management Practices (BMP) that will minimize losses of soil, fertiliser and pesticides from their farms and improve water quality entering the Great Barrier Reef,”
“The project will establish links between industry and NRM groups along the Reef to deliver an integrated ‘whole of reef’ programme of training, extension and on-ground support to agricultural land managers and the broader reef community,”
“QFF are committed to this holistic approach as it will eliminate duplication, boost sharing and provide consistent project support systems, maximising Reef water quality outcomes while ensuring profitable productive agricultural landscapes,”
“QFF look forward to working constructively with the Federal Government, members of the Reef Alliance and the local community to deliver outcomes to improve water quality in the Reef,”
“Landholders along the Reef have a very real and local stake in ensuring the Reef is protected for future generations and this project is proof of Queensland agriculture industry continued commitment.”
Phase Three of Reef Trust funding builds on the current initiatives which include:
- restoring key wetlands along the Reef catchment coastal zone
- targeted erosion control in priority grazing regions
- improving fertiliser efficiency on sugar cane farms in the Wet Tropics and Burdekin regions through market-based incentives
- increasing protection of dugongs and marine turtles
- controlling coral eating crown of thorns starfish on high value tourism reefs.
Members of the Reef Alliance bid (for the purposes of this funding) include:
- 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
- Regional Groups Collective
- Terrain NRM
- WWF – Australia
The Queensland Farmers’ Federation is the united voice of intensive agriculture in Queensland. It is a federation that represents the interests of 17 of Queensland’s peak rural industry organisations, which in turn collectively represent more than 13,000 primary producers across Queensland.
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