Category: Industry Information

Miscellaneous information

KCGO Member Notice – Farm Management Grants Guidelines

Kalagro

FARM MANAGEMENT GRANTS GUIDELINES – APPLICATIONS CLOSING 30TH JUNE 2018

Succession planning is crucial to farming families but sadly many have not put in place concrete plans for the future transfer of their farming enterprise. Qld Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) currently have Farm Management Grants available to assist primary producers offset the costs of professional advice associated with succession planning. Current round of grants closes on 30th June 2018. For any growers interested guidelines are detailed below. Any growers wishing to lodge a grant application and require some assistance in completing the online application please do not hesitate to contact this office.

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Les Elphinstone

Manager / Company Secretary

Kalamia Cane Growers Organisation Ltd

Kalagro Ltd

140 Young Street Ayr Qld 4807

PO Box 597 Ayr Qld 4807

Tel:  07 4783 1312 

Mob: 0447 128 312

Email: [email protected]

DISCLAIMER: This e-mail and any attachments to it (the ‘Communication’) is confidential and is for the use only of the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient of the Communication, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail, delete the Communication, and do not read, copy, print, retransmit, store or act in reliance on the Communication. We do not guarantee the integrity of the Communication, or that it is free from errors, viruses or interference.

Burdekin Shire Council – Growing Renewable Fuels in Regional Queensland

Kalagro

Queensland Renewable Fuels Association (QRFA) and Burdekin Shire Council invite you to attend a ‘Growing Renewable Fuels in Regional Qld – Project development and opportunities in the North’ event to be held on Thursday, 28 June, 2018 from 5pm to 8pm at the Burdekin Theatre, Ayr.

As part of QRFA’s paddock to parliament engagement across regional Queensland, you are invited to hear from key industry leaders who will highlight the importance of enabling biofuel policy, current and emerging renewable fuel technologies, updated project developments, future fibre and co-product opportunities and QRFA’s role with supply chain engagement.

This event will be an informative and educational networking event, bringing together opportunities for regional engagement of local business, companies and interested parties to meet with key industry stakeholders, QRFA, Federal and State Government and Council representatives. The event is to highlight the new opportunities that exist in Northern Queensland and the Burdekin region, current projects, and their developments, whilst strengthening the narrative and importance on renewable fuels as part of the energy matrix and the co-products and fibre opportunities that the industry offers. The event will place an emphasis on showcasing the progressive steps various stakeholders have taken in the Queensland supply chain to support and drive a low carbon fuel economy.

Please refer to the attached flyer for more information or to register for this free event please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/growing-renewable-fuels-in-regional-qld-project-development-and-opportunities-in-the-north-tickets-46105837802?utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&aff=escb&utm-source=cp&utm-term=listing

Please contact me if you require any further information.

Regards,

Eliza Lovell

Economic Development Coordinator Burdekin Shire Council

T (07) 4783 9800 | D (07) 4783 9831

145 Young St | PO Box 974 | Ayr Qld 4807 read more

Sharing Knowledge to protect the Reef – Media Release

Kalagro

Queensland Government

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries 

Media Release

20 June 2018

Sharing knowledge to protect the Reef 

Queensland government staff have held a joint workshop with marine scientists in Townsville to share knowledge and techniques for reducing nutrient and pesticide runoff into North Queensland waterways.

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) Regional coordinator for cane extension Terri Buono said better communication between extension officers from the Burdekin Cane Extension Group (BCEG), agricultural retailers, and marine scientists from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) was essential if water quality in the Great Barrier Reef was to improve.

“The BCEG works closely with cane farmers to encourage greater adoption of sustainable and profitable farming practices,” Ms Buono said.

“The group meets several times a year to share its findings and skills, and runs activities for the sugar cane industry including farm field walks, field days and training of extension staff.”

AIMS Principal ecotoxicologist Dr Andrew Negri said the recent gathering was an opportunity for AIMS scientists to hear about on-the-ground initiatives to improve water quality.

“Our people in turn presented information on monitoring marine water quality, assessing the effects of pollutants and climate change, marine life, and assessing other threats to the health of the Great Barrier Reef,” Dr Negri said.

“AIMS spends a lot of effort measuring the effects of water quality on the health of the reef. Meetings such as this help us to tackle current issues so we can come up with solutions in partnership with the agriculture sector.”

The visit to AIMS was organised through the Queensland Government’s new Enhanced Extension program. The program aims to improve co-ordination, collaboration and communication across different producer and extension networks to increase adoption of agricultural land management practices leading to improved water quality. read more

Sunrice Post season review and Update

Kalagro

SUNRICE POST SEASON REVIEW AND UPDATE

Sunrice has invited growers and advisors to attend their post season review and new season update.

WHERE: Brandon Bowls Club – 3 Toll St, Brandon QLD

WHEN: Thursday 14th June 8:15am (This Thursday)

TOPICS:

o   C18Wet data review & learnings

o   C19 Dry season trial plans and discussion

o   SunRice Operational Update

o   Mung bean processing update

ERGON ENERGY – DROUGHT DECLARATION INFORMATION

Kalagro

ERGON ENERGY – Drought Declaration and Revocation announcement by QLD Government.

Additional information has been supplied by Ergon Energy in relation to drought assistance in the form of waived charges and their process going forward as a result of drought revocation. KCGOL is in the process of corresponding with local member, Dale Last as well as Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries requesting a meeting to discuss implications to our members of “revocation” and other cost issues of importance currently facing the sugar industry.

“Good morning members,

On 17 May 2018, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries, the Hon. Mark Furner, announced that the Government had accepted the recommendations of local drought committees and revoked the drought status of parts of north Queensland, the north Burnett and south-east Queensland. 

Ergon Energy Retail supports local farmers through the offer of waived charges and deferred payments for those customers living in drought declared areas. 

As the Minister has revoked certain areas from drought, waived charges and deferred payment arrangements currently offered to customers in those areas are no longer applicable. Consequently, Ergon Energy Retail would like to outline what steps we are taking to support your members (and our customers) in relation to account or tariff changes they may need to make as a result of the Minister’s announcement last week. 

We will be writing to impacted customers as soon as possible, to advise the following: 

The effective date for drought revocation is 17 May 2018; the date of the Ministerial announcement. 

  • Tariff changes will be effective from the customer’s next meter read date post 17 May 2018. 
  • Ergon Energy Retail will provide customers 20 working days from the date of the letter to advise us if they do not wish to change back to their previous tariff. 
  • If we do not receive advice from the customer, we will change the customer’s tariff at the next meter read date post 17 May 2018 to the tariff that was in place before drought relief arrangements were applied. 
  • The letter will set out the customer’s current tariff and their tariff prior to the drought declaration. To assist customers with making a tariff decision, a flyer outlining the components of relevant tariffs will be provided as well as a link to our website.
  • Payment arrangements will be made available to customers to support their transition to regular bill payment cycles and charges.  

Of course, your members are welcome to contact us on 1300 135 210 from 7am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday or email [email protected] to discuss their account and energy management needs. If you, as members of the EQL Agricultural Forum, need further information please do not hesitate to contact our General Manager Customer Care & Revenue Assurance, Greg Nielsen, on 0419 711 508 at any time.   read more

WILMAR LETTER TO GROWERS – REQUEST FOR AUTHORISATION TO RELEASE INFORMATION

Kalagro

WILMAR LETTER TO GROWERS – REQUEST FOR AUTHORISATION TO RELEASE INFORMATION

I refer to article posted to our webpage on 30th May. SRA has now provided further context in relation to provision of information which is appended below.

As previously mentioned should growers not wish for their farming information to be divulged by Wilmar to BPS and/or SRA you have 30 days from date of letter to inform Wilmar accordingly in writing. Alternatively you may wish to contact this office whereby KCGOL will forward a bulk email on behalf of those members who do not wish their information to be provided.

Les Elphinstone

Manager / Company Secretary

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Wilmar Letter to Growers – Information Release

Kalagro

WILMAR LETTER TO GROWERS – REQUEST FOR AUTHORISATION TO RELEASE INFORMATION

We have received a number queries from growers in relation to letter recently received from Wilmar seeking permission in terms of the Privacy Act 1998 for release of information to research organisations, BPS and SRA. KCGOL has sought clarification from these organisations as to the reasons and purpose for this information to be provided. The following additional information is now provided.

BPS have indicated that this is not a new data request, they have had access to this information for a number of years, however it would appear Wilmar has undertaken a review of its privacy obligations and this letter was a recommendation outcome. Data is utilised by both BPS and SRA to assist members and provide data for extension services.

Some specific examples of how BPS uses this data follows:

  • Produce productivity reports for distribution to its members – BPS split variety x soil type x crop class x productivity group and provide this to its members.  Many members also request their position within the group (ie: where they stand in terms of CCS, tonnes cane and tonnes sugar/ha, $returns/ha) – so BPS produce a grower report that has no identification for general distribution to that productivity group.
    • read more