Ellie McVeigh | HCPSL

CULTIVATE FARMS – Cultivator Investment Ready Program

Posted April 14, 2022 by Ellie McVeigh

Our friends at Cultivate Farms are changing the game for farmers ready to realise their farm ownership dreams.

Now open for applications, the Cultivator Investment ready program gets farmers ownership and farm investment-ready. Participants will be resourced and coached to produce a farm pitch, with a financial modelling, a three-minute summary pitch video and the opportunity to pitch to the Cultivate Farm investor panel.

Applications close 28 of April & for more information, visit https://www.cultivatefarms.com/products/cultivator

Navua Sedge Weed Research

Posted April 13, 2022 by Ellie McVeigh

HCPSL is working with the Queensland Government Dept of Agriculture & Fisheries to Estimate the economic cost of Navua sedge to the cane industry. The Herbert cane industry is now seeing first hand the impact of Nauva sedge to sugarcane farming land on the northern side of Ingham. The research team has contacted HCPSL to seek assistance to undertake this survey and we are jointly investigating management options for cane production systems .

Please take the time to complete the questionnaire below and forward to olusegun.osunkoya@daf.qld.gov.au who is undertaking the economic assessment.

If you require assistance to complete the form please contact the HCPSL office.

We look forward to your assistance in better managing this aggressive weed.

QUESTIONNAIRE – Estimating economic cost of Navua sedge weed – April 2022 Download

SEED INSPECTIONS: Call to arrange your seed inspection now

Posted March 18, 2022 by Ellie McVeigh

Think about getting your seed inspections done now and which blocks you may use this year.

Inspection of grower seed blocks for planting by HCPSL has commenced again this year.

Once again, HCPSL will be using the new qPCR method to check cane for RSD. The qPCR method uses DNA diagnostic technology to diagnose the presence or not of the RSD bacteria. This method is much more accurate than older methods, but more expensive to operate.

It is currently costing HCPSL over $40/sample to undertake the test, so we are requesting that growers only test blocks they intend to use as planting material this year. HCPSL will be capping growers to 1 sample per 20 hectares under cane, so only target the varieties you intend to use for planting this year. Growers who wish to test more than their allocated cap will be required to meet the cost of the extra qPCR test and it will only be undertaken once all growers seed inspections are completed.
The cap on the number of samples has also been imposed because of the very high demand for the service and to allow HCPSL to get across more farms throughout the district.

The turnaround time from taking the sample to receiving your results can be up to 2 weeks, so we urge growers to contact the HCPSL office ASAP on 47761808 to book in your tests.

If you have any questions concerning the test or RSD management, please contact your HCPSL Extension Agronomist.

Date issued 18/3/2022

What are Controlled-Release Fertilisers?

Posted March 17, 2022 by Ellie McVeigh

Recently, the Soil Science Society of America Journal published an article on controlled-release fertilisers. If you’re interested in finding out more about controlled-release fertilisers, view the article via the link below.

What are Controlled-Release Fertilisers

HCPSL Walk & Talk 2022

Posted March 14, 2022 by Ellie McVeigh

On the 9th of March, HCPSL held the annual Walk & Talk Day for 2022. Over 120 growers from across the Herbert district attended the event. Growers had the opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding on a range of topics including – fallow crops, new varieties, tissue culture, chemicals, and harvester management.

The HCPSL Team would like to say thank you to all growers who attended, asked questions, shared experiences, and participated in open discussions throughout the day.

HCPSL would also like to extend our thanks to the sponsors and supporting organisations of the 2022 Walk & Talk Day – Sugar Research Australia, Stoller, Nufarm, Project CaNE, Project Catalyst, The Australian Government Reef Trust, GBRF, John Deere and Norris.

Following the Walk & Talk, HCPSL held the annual Industry Awards. The awards recognise grower’s commitment to productivity, innovation, research, and the boarder industry. HCPSL is proud to announce the award recipients below.

Grower of the Year (Sponsored by Wilmar) – Ian Kemp
Young Grower of the Year (Sponsored by Wilmar) – Jeffery, Briannan and Rebekah Pace
Mangrove Jack Award (Sponsored by Herbert River Catchment Group) – John Pavetto
Harvesting Efficiency Award (Sponsored by SRA) – Celotto Harvesting
Innovation Award (Sponsored by Rabobank) – Mizzi Farming
Farm Presentation for Harvesting Award (Sponsored by Honeycombs) – Walter Giordani
Improved Farm Layout Award (Sponsored by Canegrowers Herbert River) – Remo & Gino Zatta
Consistent High Productivity (Sponsored by QSL) – Glen Irlam, Beeva Nominees Pty Ltd, Pace Farming, Russo Farming and Glen Cristaudo.
R&D On-farm Co-operation (Sponsored by HCPSL) – Abergowrie Sugar, Beeva Nominees Pty Ltd, P Dametto, G & T Erkkila and Wilmar Sugar.
Lifetime Achievement Award (Sponsored by HCPSL) – Jo Stringer, Joe & Gerry Girgenti, Ian Kemp and Lex Mackee.

Walk and Talk 2022

Herbert Industry Awards

HCPSL Laser Levelling Contractors Meeting

Posted March 1, 2022 by Ellie McVeigh

Invitation to Herbert Laser Levelling Contractors

To discuss the future of the HCPSL Laser Levelling service.

Date: Wednesday 16th March 2022.

Time: 1pm to 2pm.

Location: HCPSL Office, 181 Fairford Road Ingham.

RSVP: To Lawrence Di Bella via ldibella@hcpsl.com.au

For further information, view the invitation below.

Laser Levelling Meeting Invitation Download

HCPSL Walk & Talk 2022

Posted February 24, 2022 by Ellie McVeigh

HCPSL invite you to the 2022 Herbert Walk & Talk Day.

Date: Wednesday 9th March 2022.

Time: 8:30am to 2pm.

Location: HCPSL Macknade Farm, River Road Macknade.

For further information, view the flyer below.

FEAT Online Workshops – March 18th & 21st 2022

Posted February 21, 2022 by Ellie McVeigh

Increase your profits by making better decisions – use FEAT Online.

ATTEND A FREE WORKSHOP:

Compare the profitability of farming system options

Develop your own farm scenario

Connect with others interested in improving their bottom line

When: 18th March 2022, 9am-12:30pm, 21st March 2022, 9am-12:30pm.
Where: HCPSL Office, 181 Fairford Rd, Ingham.
RSVP: RSVP by 9th March 2022. Contact 0476 817 541 or Samuel.Cook@daf.qld.gov.au

Complimentary lunch provided, please let us know if you have any dietary requirements. Please bring your own laptop or let us know if you need one.

For further details, view or download the flyer below.

FEAT-Online-Workshop-Herbert-18th-and-21st-March-2022 Download

Cultivate Farms Pitching Event – Queensland

Posted February 15, 2022 by Ellie McVeigh

Meet the best Queensland farmers pitching their farm enterprise to investors

Date & Time

Online event.

Thursday 3rd March 2022

9am to 12noon AEST

About this event

This event is for Queensland farm investors, regional community champions, aspiring farmers and retiring farmers.

Hear from aspiring Queensland farmers (recent Cultivator graduates). Each farmer has their farming enterprise ready to pitch. You’ll hear what the farmers have on offer for farm investors and have an opportunity to ask farmers questions about their pitch.

Like the high energy Shark Tank TV show, farmers will be pitching to a panel of farm investors! Farmers present their farming dreams to the world and unpack their farming enterprise and how investors will benefit from investing in them and their farms.

Sam Marwood, CEO and Co-founder of Cultivate Farms, is your Cultivator pitch host. Since 2016 he has been bringing aspiring farmers and investors together. He is reinventing the opportunities for aspiring farmers to assess capital and realise their farm ownership dreams.

Cultivator is the world’s first farmer accelerator program, giving farmers the know-how and confidence to partner with investors to secure capital for land ownership.

The farmers ready and raring to pitch are the fifth cohort of graduating Cultivators.

Get inspired about the future of Australian farming by registering for this unique online live event – meet Queensland’s best aspiring farmers and even consider backing one or two of them into ownership!

This project is funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. They seek to test innovative solutions to complex problems to achieve an enduring improvement of land management practices and support the farming community within the Great Barrier Reef Catchment.

Click here to Register

The Project CaNE Team brings soil properties Back to Basics.

Posted December 17, 2021 by Ellie McVeigh

Last week, Project CaNE and Dr Andrew Wood delivered a series of 3 workshops across the district. The workshops covered key soil properties including – soil texture, soil CEC, pH, liming, Organic Carbon and Nitrogen. The aim of these interactive workshops was to give growers a practical understanding of how these properties influenced their fertiliser management, soil ameliorants and the overall management of soils on their farm. The topics sparked some insightful and useful conversations amongst growers, Andrew and HCPSL Extension Agronomists.

Thank you to all who attended Project CaNE’s last round of workshops for the year! If you were unable to attend, keep an eye out in 2022 for upcoming workshops and grower groups.