Over the past 4 years, Project CaNE™ has provided growers with on-ground agronomic support and tailored
solutions to help them improve productivity, profitability and environmental outcomes on their farm.
See the Report Card.
Approved seed can now be pre-purchased for 2025 via the HCPSL office.
Information on the new pre-purchase ordering system is available under APPROVED SEED on the HCPSL website, and via the following link – Approved-Seed-Ordering-Plot-Information-2025.pdf
HCPSL recommends that growers wanting to pre-purchase Approved Seed in 2025 read the information thoroughly before placing an order. Pre-purchase orders close on 1st April 2025.
Grants of up to $25,000 are available for affected producers following the North and Far North Tropical Low, commencing 29 January 2025, to hire or purchase equipment and materials, clean up, remove debris, replace fencing and other costs associated with the recovery process. Click on the link below for more information on how to apply.
Exceptional Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants – North and Far North Tropical Low
The Queensland Government is connecting with primary producers who have been impacted by recent weather events.
Your feedback will help them understand what assistance Queensland farmers and their businesses need after the recent flooding.
Any information you provide is confidential.
Click on the link below, or, click anywhere on the image, or, scan the QR code on the image, to access the survey.
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/a65512900348401a812e57d743e4c104
BOOK YOUR SEED INSPECTION WITH HCPSL NOW !
Grower seed inspections, including RSD sampling, will commence on 18th of February and continue until 2nd of May.
After the 2nd of May seed inspections and RSD sampling will be limited by staff availability.
We strongly urge growers to secure a booking early!
To make a booking growers will be required to contact or drop into the office and provide details of the blocks they wish to sample. This information is important as it allows staff to prepare the equipment required and conduct their sampling efficiently. Once a booking is made, a staff member will follow up with a phone call to arrange a suitable time and day.
Important Information;
For further information contact the HCPSL Office on 47761808
29th January
30th January
Topics include:
2025 Approved seed [lots
Approved Seed forecast survey (for 2026 plots)
Tissue Culture Orders
Seed Inspections (RSD testing)
Important industry updates
Please RSVP to Sandra at the HCPSL Office on 4776 1808 by the 28th of January to assist with catering.
Supporting growers to drive productivity and improve water quality (WQ) outcomes may have been the focus of the Lower Herbert Water Quality Program (LHWQP), but the legacy it leaves through one of its projects, Project CaNE (Crop and Nutrient Efficiency), is much more than that.
As Project CaNE heads towards its finale in early 2025 it leaves behind a number of agronomic advisors armed with the skills and knowledge they need to support the sugarcane industry into the future.
Project CaNE, led by Herbert Cane Productivity Services Limited (HCPSL) and supported by project partners James Cook University’s TropWATER and the Department of Primary Industries Queensland, was funded through the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. The $7 million project supported a total of eight Extension agronomists, a GIS (Precision Ag) officer, and support staff over three and a half years.
Exceeding its official goals and targets, Project CaNE also brought together experienced agronomic staff with those new to the industry. Through on ground support and mentoring, these staff have been equipped with the skills they will need to continue providing sound agronomic advice to growers who continue to balance productive farm practises with positive WQ outcomes.
From an agronomic perspective, project staff were exposed to a number of upskilling opportunities including training on how to develop whole-of-farm nutrient management plans, conduct Electro-magnetic (EM) soil mapping, address soil constraints, and use of fallow crops to improve soil health, all aimed at better utilisation of farm inputs to drive productivity and profitability for growers.
Complimenting the agronomic work, increased skills and knowledge were developed through activities related to environmental outcomes. Staff assisted JCU TropWater with WQ monitoring and learnt from the information collected from the 11 project WQ monitoring sites across the Herbert sugarcane growing region installed and maintained by TropWATER.
Staff worked with agricultural economists from DPI Queensland to put an economic value on the project’s nitrogen stabiliser and mill by-product (Clear as Mud) program. Project growers dedicated their time and resources through on-ground works and the provision of land access and equipment to establish on-farm demonstration sites.
When asked, HCPSL manager and Project CaNE coordinator Adam Royle was keen to highlight some of the benefits the project has brought to the Herbert sugarcane industry.
“It’s been a great opportunity to not just support growers, but to upskill new and existing HCPSL staff at the same time. Bringing positive productivity, profitability and environmental outcomes together under the one project has been very successful. (And) although the project is coming to an end, the industry will have ongoing benefits through the capacity to continue to deliver agronomic advice by project staff who will hopefully go on to do similar work,” he said.
Adam went on to say, “I’ve had the privilege of mentoring several project staff and been the beneficiary of learning new things while working on the project, that’s a win-win for me and I believe for the industry as well”.
To learn more about Project CaNE and its achievements visit www.hcpsl.com/previous-projects/project-cane-tm
Lower Herbert water quality program factsheet.
The uniqueness of the region sitting across the wet and dry
tropics makes it highly suitable for growing sugarcane.
Yet, as one of the most intensively cropped regions, this area
presents a challenging balance for growers in managing
fertiliser and pesticide losses from paddocks.
HCPSL is looking for a keen, self-motivated person to join our field services team. The Junior Field Technician position is an opportunity for an entry level person who is enthusiastic about working in the sugarcane industry and who has a desire to learn and add value to HCPSL.
Training and practical application of sugarcane systems including operation of farming equipment and crop management will be provided primarily through on the job training. The successful applicant will also have the opportunity to attain relevant certificate based qualifications.
HCPSL envisages that after a period of time, dependant on suitability and company requirements, there may be an opportunity for the successful applicant to progress to Field Technican level.
For a copy of the full position description and selection criteria please email admin@hcpsl.com.au, visit the job vacancies section of our website (www.hcpsl.com), or collect the information from the HCPSL office at 181 Fairford Road, Ingham Queensland.
Close of applications: 3pm on Friday the 20th December 2024.
HCPSL is reviewing the way we deliver our approved seed distribution program to our members. As part of this process, we are seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from interested parties to provide a package of services in the Stone River, Abergowrie, Lower Herbert, and Ingham Line areas. Further details, including the EOI application form, are available via the link, the HCPSL office, or by emailing admin@hcpsl.com.au. Completed EOIs can be submitted by dropping off at the HCPSL office reception or emailed to admin@hcpsl.com.au by 3pm on the 2nd of December 2024. For more information regarding the EOI process please contact the HCPSL Manager on 47761808 or 0417610446.
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181 Fairford Road, |
| Ingham Queensland 4850 | |
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07 4776 1808 |
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admin@hcpsl.com.au |
| Monday to Friday: | 7.00am - 3.00pm |
| Closed Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays | |
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