Merry Christmas
First and foremost, I want to wish all members and their families a very Merry Christmas and a safe, happy New Year. For most of Queensland, the crush is now finished, and I hope the break gives you a chance to step away from the paddock, recharge, and spend some well-earned time with family and friends.
I know it hasn’t been easy for everyone. Growers in the Rocky Point district, in particular, have had a tough few months, and our thoughts are very much with you as the season finally draws to a close. Wherever you are, I hope the coming weeks bring a chance to rest, reset, and look ahead to 2026 with a bit of optimism.
Crush update
As mentioned above, Rocky Point is the only district still crushing. A late breakdown at the mill meant a lot of harvested and burnt cane was left sitting in bins and paddocks for a week before eventually being crushed. The mill has now paused for Christmas, but is expected to restart in early January to finish the job. It’s not how anyone would choose to end a season, but hopefully there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Read the media release here.
Looking ahead to 2026
While this season has had its challenges, we do have something positive to look forward to in 2026. Next year marks 100 years since CANEGROWERS was founded – a century of standing alongside cane-farming families and helping guide the industry through enormous change.
The centenary is about recognising the hard work and resilience of growers and regional communities, while also keeping an eye on what comes next. There’ll be events, storytelling and education activities across all 13 cane-growing regions, highlighting where we’ve come from and why strong grower advocacy still matters. So keep an eye out for updates in the New Year.
Know an absolute Legend?
As part of the centenary, we’re also taking the opportunity to recognise the people who’ve helped build this industry.
If you know a grower or industry figure who’s gone above and beyond, I’d encourage you to nominate them as a CANEGROWERS Legend. It’s about recognising the characters, leaders and quiet achievers who’ve shaped cane-growing communities across Queensland.
You can find out more and submit a nomination here: canegrowers.com.au/legend
Representing Australian growers on the world stage
CANEGROWERS Chairman Owen Menkens was recently in London for a series of international sugar industry meetings in his new role as Chair of the World Association of Beet and Cane Growers (WABCG). This puts an Australian grower right at the table in global discussions on sugar production, markets and trade.
While there, Owen chaired WABCG meetings, moderated a panel and presented Australia’s production outlook alongside reports from more than 40 countries. He also took part in International Sugar Organization and Global Sugar Alliance meetings, and met with key industry players and grower groups – helping ensure Australian growers’ voices are heard where global decisions are made.
In other news:
Environment law update – what it means?
You may have seen that the Federal Government has passed changes to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act following last-minute negotiations in Parliament. CANEGROWERS worked closely with the National Farmers’ Federation throughout the process, although the final version was settled very late as part of a deal with the Greens.
The changes mainly relate to vegetation management rules. While this will be a shift for growers in some states, the updated federal requirements now closely mirror what already applies in Queensland. For cane growers here, there are no practical changes – existing state permit processes already cover these situations. State and federal governments are also working towards a single approval system so growers should only need to apply once, through Queensland.
Paraquat – what’s happening?
Sticking with environmental issues, the APVMA has delayed its final decision on paraquat while it waits for the outcome of a recent review by the US Environmental Protection Agency. New information is still being assessed, with further data being sought from the manufacturer. The NFF is staying close to the issue and is talking with CropLife and Syngenta to get a clearer picture of what this could mean for growers.
Bioenergy and local energy opportunities
CANEGROWERS is continuing to work with state and federal governments on how sugarcane can play a bigger role in Australia’s future energy mix. Recent discussions with federal agriculture officials and Deloitte highlighted the industry’s strong foundations – established farms and mills, existing ethanol and cogeneration assets, and export-ready supply chains – along with opportunities for growers to be part of future bioenergy value chains using cane juice, molasses, bagasse and trash.
At the state level, CANEGROWERS met with Queensland Treasury to discuss practical, on-the-ground energy opportunities in cane-growing regions. Conversations focused on cogeneration, local energy use and new trading models that could help support irrigation, productivity and farm resilience, with interest in exploring government-backed pilot projects to see what could work in practice.