Telling our own story
In the difficult years following World War I, Queensland sugarcane growers recognised that representation was not just about negotiation – it was also about communication.
Growers needed a way to speak directly to each other, to governments, and to the broader public. They needed to explain the realities of cane farming, challenge misinformation, and advocate for fair treatment in an industry where others often controlled the narrative.
That recognition gave rise to an official growers’ journal.
A powerful tool for advocacy
The Producers’ Review
In the early decades of Queensland’s sugar industry, decisions affecting growers were often made far from the paddock. Public debate about sugar frequently ignored the realities of farming life, while misinformation spread easily through political and media channels.
Without a direct way to communicate their position, growers risked being misunderstood or marginalised in debates that shaped their livelihoods.
In September 1918, the United Cane Growers’ Association (UCGA) appointed The Producers’ Review as its official journal – a role it would play as the forerunner to today’s Australian Canegrower magazine.
Founded in 1910 as a general farming publication, the Review became a crucial platform for cane growers at a time when public debate around sugar pricing, labour and protection was intense.
UCGA General Secretary W.H. (Bill) Doherty made its purpose clear. The journal would help growers:
- defend the Cane Prices Act
- scrutinise the actions of millers and refiners
- educate Australians on the national importance of the sugar industry
- present the grower’s position clearly and unapologetically
It was not passive reporting. It was advocacy in print.
Strength through shared knowledge
Grower leaders urged members to subscribe and actively support the journal, stressing that circulation mattered.
Each copy in a farmhouse, mill office or town café helped organise growers, spread information, and reinforce the case for unity. The publication became a tool for education as much as news – explaining policy, prices, risks and rights in plain language.
As Doherty argued at the time, the journal was part of the very foundation on which the industry was built – the cane grower.
An unashamed champion
The Producers’ Review did not shy away from strong language or strong opinions.
Its editorials were often blunt, fiercely pro-grower, and openly critical of forces seen to be working against cane farmers’ interests. Regular columns such as Notes for the Canegrower reflected the frustration, resilience and determination of growers navigating volatile markets and powerful opponents.
The message was consistent: without organisation, unity and a strong voice, growers would be left behind.
A publication that evolved with the industry
Australian Canegrower
Over the decades, the official journal evolved alongside the industry itself.
From early black-and-white advocacy pieces to modern, full-colour publications, the growers’ magazine has chronicled:
- technological change and mechanisation
- industry reform and deregulation
- generational change on farms
- the challenges and successes of cane communities
While titles, formats and design have changed, the purpose has remained remarkably consistent.
As the industry entered the digital age, the growers’ voice expanded beyond print. CANEGROWERS embraced modern communications, media engagement and public advocacy to ensure growers’ perspectives were heard in policy debates, community discussions and national conversations about agriculture, trade and sustainability.
A century later
Today, Australian Canegrower continues the role first envisioned more than a century ago – informing, connecting and representing cane growers across Queensland.
It stands as a reminder that advocacy does not only happen in meeting rooms and boardrooms. It also happens through storytelling, shared knowledge and a willingness to speak plainly about the realities of life on the land.
For 100 years, CANEGROWERS has fought to ensure growers are heard. The growers’ journal has been one of its most enduring and powerful tools.