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ACFA E-Newsletter

28 January 2022

   

 SUGAR INDUSTRY

   

Monsoonal trough tracks north, but days of rain still to come for parts of Queensland

28 January 2022 | ABC

A monsoonal trough that dumped torrential rain in north Queensland is easing, with the bulk of the wet weather leaving the region.


A severe weather warning for heavy rain and potential flash flooding for communities between Innisfail, Ayr and Charters Towers was cancelled late on Friday morning. 


However some areas were still received decent falls this morning as the system tracked north. 


In two hours, Cardwell got 37 millimetres and Gairloch had 20mm. 


Townsville had some reprieve overnight from intense downpours experienced on Wednesday evening, which resembled falls seen in the devastating floods two years ago. More...

   

Grower Pricing Update

24 January 2022 | QSL

QSL growers have been making the most of grower-managed pricing opportunities, with over 200,000 tonnes of sugar now locked in at $550/tonne or more (gross) in the 2021 and 2022 Seasons.

Click here to read more about current grower pricing levels and key market themes.

   

Blue carbon accounting set to open coastal floodgates for abatement credits

25 January 2022 | ABC

The owners of marginal farming land in coastal areas are being urged to open the floodgates and refill swamps, but sceptics question whether its carbon abatement properties would have happened anyway.


A new blue carbon accounting system, developed by a team of 13 researchers from universities across the country, calculates the amount of carbon sequestered when tidal zones are returned to their natural state. More...

   

Sugar cane' traffic bollards trialled in Hampshire

26 January 2022 | The Times

Since ancient times, sugar has been one of mankind’s hottest commodities.


Chinese sugar plantations date back to the seventh century, and 1.9bn tonnes of sugarcane was produced globally in 2016. More...

   

AGRICULTURE

   

Queensland could be Australia’s agritourism centre

25 January 2022 | QFF

The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) has partnered with Airbnb and Regionality to design a new regulatory framework for rural land to unlock Queensland’s potential as the nation’s agritourism capital. 


  • The Discussion Paper proposes a sliding scale of regulation to boost rural economies, and identifies the challenges and opportunities for agritourism as an emerging sector. 

  • The report proposes enabling no-or-low-impact agritourism activities by ensuring freedom from regulatory burdens and onerous red tape. 

  • QFF warns the state risks falling behind others and losing a competitive tourism edge because of onerous and complex land use regulations.

  • Airbnb says measures to create more unique stays, and deliver alternative means for farmers to generate income, are crucial to strengthening the bush and building more resilient communities.
The Unlocking Queensland’s agritourism potential – Discussion paper identifies the challenges and opportunities for agritourism as an emerging sector and proposes to define it by creating a sliding scale of regulation recognising the different ways in which farmers engage with agritourism. More...

   

$500 bill discount on offer for tariff talks

24 January 2022 | QFF

Queensland and New South Wales farmers could win one of two $500 discounts off their energy bills for participating in a research study aiming to better understand how they consider and choose electricity tariffs for their agricultural operations. More...

   

Sunshine Coast chicken farmer calls it quits as sales dry up during COVID

24 January 2022 | ABC

An exhausted Queensland egg producer is calling it quits, blaming the crippling impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry.


Paul Heaton, from Phat Belli Farm on the Sunshine Coast, needs to rehome 1,400 Hyline Brown laying chickens and has put the birds and all of the associated equipment up for sale. More...

   

Backpackers return to discover new employment landscape

28 January 2022 | North Queensland Register

The last week brought with it a couple of important milestones in terms of an improved outlook for labour availability, for the entire economy, not just horticulture.


First, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced visa charges would be rebated for incoming international students and working holiday makers for those who arrive over the next few weeks. More...

Urban microfarmers are moving food production into the cities

25 January 2022 | ABC

In a streetscape largely unchanged since it was built in the 1800s, Hobart's Battery Point is probably the last place you would expect to find a farm growing the equivalent of two acres of production. 


Tucked away in Peter Handy's backyard is a controlled environment unit that houses vertical pastures, the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere. More...

   

Harvesting knowledge to transform ag industry

26 January 2021 |Farm Weekly

Supporting onfarm experimentation networks and activities globally to better connect farmers and researchers could help transform the agricultural industry and solve some of its toughest challenges, an international study led by Curtin University, in partnership with Murdoch University and CSIRO, has found. More...

   

$68m paddock to plate tracking could add $1 billion to agriculture

24 January 2022 | Farm Online

The federal government will fund more than $68 million worth of agricultural traceability programs, to help the nation's farmers crack into premium markets. 


The government predicts the investment could add between $400 million to $1 billion annual to the agriculture industry. More...

   

WEATHER AND CLIMATE

   

Weekly Rainfall Update

for 7 days to 9 am 25 January 2022

Rainfall Statistics

Week Ending 28 January 2022

Town Jan YTD
 Mossman 538.4 538.4
Mareeba 214.4214.4
Cairns 304.8  304.8
 Gordonvale335.0335.0
Innisfail 422.0422.0
Tully 375.1375.1
Ingham 198.0198.0
Ayr 215.0 215.0
Proserpine 140.4140.4
Mackay 63.0 63.0
 Bundaberg186.0186.0
Maryborough 174.4174.4
 Beenleigh145.2145.2
 Murwillumbah278.0 278.0
Ballina 259.4 259.4
Yamba 141.4141.4
   

381mm in 24 hours: Monsoonal trough hits North Qld

27 January 2022 | Queensland Country Life

A monsoonal trough lingering over north and central west Queensland has dumped intense rainfall across the region, with parts of Townsville receiving up to 381 millimetres in 24 hours. 


The intense rainfall was caused by a ridge extending over the southeast and extending from a high in the Tasman Sea, which is drawing torrential rain to north and central west Queensland. More...

   

Widespread rainfall forecasted for north and central west Qld leading into weekend

26 January 2022 | Queensland Country Life

Widespread thunderstorms across the state have filled rain gauges and broken year long droughts for some graziers in parts of north and central west Queensland early this week. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said a monsoon trough was extending across the northern Cape York Peninsula, and is currently drifting south. More...

EVENTS