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16 February 2012: State government slammed for falsely claiming reef success as its own
CANEGROWERS today slammed claims by the Queensland Government that increased forms, red tape and paperwork, required of just a small section of the agricultural sector, had saved growers money or the iconic Great Barrier Reef.
Outrageous and ill-informed, says CANEGROWERS of the state government’s claims made today that its increased regulatory pressure, in the form of legislation, had saved growers on average $6000 per grower.
“At best, these claims display blatant naivety - to lay claim to some 30-years of cane growers adopting the latest practices and technology and attributing it to increased regulation and the increased paperwork on growers, bought in to buy the much needed green-vote at election time three years ago, is just plain wrong, says Steve Greenwood, CEO of the peak group for sugarcane growers.
He says that the Australian cane industry is recognised world-wide for being a leader in the adoption of best practices and technology. Since the agricultural sector learned some 30-years ago that some of the practices of the day were impacting on the environment, the Australian sugarcane industry has invested in leading research and has, in the last decade, received accolades from its international counterparts for redressing the issue.
“Industry has been moving down that path at the rate of knots – and our growers will be up in arms to learn that the state government is touting its regulations as having any positive impact on the advancements made by industry. They say regulations have not helped – only hindered the industry’s commitment to sustainability and rate of adoption.
“The state government is clearly laying claim to someone else’s victory. That battle-line has been hard fought by cane growers up and down the coast of Queensland.
CANEGROWERS says there have been those who have really helped the industry achieve the high adoption levels it now boasts.
"Let’s be clear: many thousands of Queensland growers have implemented the latest practices and technology sooner than they otherwise would have been able thanks to the Reef Rescue program. This proactive partnership with the Australian Government has been the single biggest contributor to accelerated adoption, outside of the whit and determination of growers themselves.
“We hold this initiative up and applaud it. It’s a true partnership-approach at work. If the state took a leaf and became proactive instead of binding growers hands so tightly in bureaucratic red-tape – growers would have more time to innovate and more time to adopt the latest research has to offer.
Media comment: Steve Greenwood | CANEGROWERS CEO | 0488 721 156
More information: Suzi Moore | CANEGROWERS Communications | 0427 641 239 or 07 3864 6444
Background information on Australia’s sugarcane industry
- CANEGROWERS is the peak group for Australia’s sugarcane growers.
- Australia’s sugarcane industry is recognised as one of the most clean, green and progressive in the world
$1.5 - $2.5 billion value of production | 80% exported | 2nd largest agricultural exporter in Queensland (7th in Australia) | 3rd largest raw sugar supplier in world | 32-35 Mt cane | 4.5-5 Mt sugar | 4000 cane farm businesses | 24 sugar mills | 6 bulk storage ports | Tweet us @CANEGROWERS
