CANEGROWERS urges minister for disaster relief fix

In town for a Community Cabinet meeting and the Link2Country Expo, the Minister also visited a local cane farm to hear directly from growers about the challenges they face and the need for fairer access to disaster support.

CANEGROWERS CEO Dan Galligan said the visit was a valuable opportunity to raise ongoing concerns around how disaster recovery rules apply to modern farming businesses.

“Many growers earn a portion of their income through ag-related contracting work like planting or harvesting, but under the current definition of ‘primary producer’, they’re often excluded from support,” Mr Galligan said.

He said this issue became especially clear following the summer flooding, which disrupted farming operations across several cane-growing districts, including Herbert River.

“Growers doing it tough need support that reflects the reality of how they run their businesses today,” Mr Galligan said. “It’s not just about one season – it’s about making the system fairer and more effective going forward.”

CANEGROWERS, in partnership with the Queensland Farmers’ Federation, continues to advocate for a broader, more realistic definition under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

“We appreciate Minister Perrett taking the time to speak with growers on the ground,” Mr Galligan said. “We’ll keep working with both state and federal governments to make sure no grower is left out when disaster strikes."