Insight Focus
Recent efforts have focused on farm maintenance in preparation for May planting. Hot, humid weather with intermittent showers has created ideal conditions for cane growth. Some areas are still recovering from ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper, with the overall crop expected to be average.
What are you up to on the farm at present?
The focus over the past month has been on maintaining the farm, making sure the headlands and paddocks are clean in preparation for the upcoming planting season.
The weather has been hot and humid. When the showers clear, it’s optimal cane-growing weather.
As we shift our focus to planting, which we expect to begin in May, we are sampling our plant source cane for Ratoon Stunting Disease (RSD). These samples are sent to Sugar Research Australia (SRA). This ensures we have clean cane to use for planting. It’s just good hygiene practices.
What stage is your crop at?
Some parts of the district are still feeling the effects of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper, so the overall crop is likely to be average this season. However, it’s still early days, and paddocks that weren’t low-lying may yet produce an above-average crop. Time will tell.
Time in coming weeks to spray out the sun fallow crop in preparation for planting
What are you most proud of?
After over 20 years as a grower and industry representative, I attended my last Board meeting this month. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved – I’ve learnt many things and truly enjoyed my time. Now, it’s time to look to the future and focus on our family’s succession planning.
To that end, I’m enjoying spending time working with my son Luke on our farming business. It’s time to support his plans and ideas—we work well as a team, and I’m looking forward to being there for him now.
Great to see young growers entering the local industry.
