The Department of Environment and Science is encouraging primary producers to find out how they can make their farms more sustainable in line with new cropping and horticulture requirements.
Minister for the Environment, Meaghan Scanlon said the Department is to host a series of online and in-person sessions to assist farmers to learn about the new requirements.
“We’re working with the industry to reduce pollution on the Great Barrier Reef, but also to help producers make their farms more sustainable and profitable,” Ms Scanlon said.
She said that from 18 May to 24 June the public could attend either an online Zoom session or a meeting in person in the Fitzroy, Burnett-Mary, Burdekin, Wet Tropics, Mackay/Whitsundays, and Cape York regions.
“Department staff have been meeting with farmers regularly to provide support and assistance,” Ms Scanlon said.
“We’ve also introduced a number of initiatives, including grants to help farmers adopt new technologies and approaches that are not only more environmentally friendly but will make their operations more profitable.”
She said the information sessions were an opportunity for farmers to ask questions about the new regulations and get further clarification on how they could implement them.
From 1 June, farmers may need an environmental authority — a permit — before any new or expanded commercial cropping or horticulture work can take place.
This will apply to activities in all reef regions on five hectares or more that are not currently used for cropping or do not meet the cropping history test.
Ms Scanlon said the package of measures would allow growth in the agricultural industry while not undoing the progress producers had already made to improve water quality.
