Linking SEQ growers with a sustainable future
A grower’s to-do list is never complete. Beyond the running of day-to-day operations there are longer term considerations around investing in improved on-farm practices and new products and equipment to minimise environmental impacts and get the most out of every crop.
The Southeast Queensland (SEQ) Water Quality Program is working with growers to promote sustainable land management practices and alignment with industry Best Management Practices (BMP).
Delivered through Growcom, the project delivery arm of the Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers (QFVG), the SEQ Water Quality team is comprised of agronomist Tim Wolens and climate adaptation expert Lene Knudsen.
Tim and Lene connect growers with knowledge, innovative solutions, organisations, and funding that helps them reduce sediment, nutrient, and pesticides entering local waterways and Moreton Bay.
They engage growers in one-on-one meetings, small groups or field days using on-farm demonstrations as a platform for collaboration.
Using digital tools to improve farm planning, replacing traditional chemical use with updated formulations, and upgrading farm infrastructure are some examples of the collaborations the team has worked on with growers from the pineapple, strawberry, vegetable, and tree crop industries.
The team also has built relationships with government agencies, natural resource management groups, industry associations, resellers, independent research organisations, and other service providers.
Tim and Lene have done the work to understand the range of tools, management interventions, and services available to growers to achieve profitable and sustainable farming practices. They take this knowledge about new approaches to growers and use their technical expertise and experience to guide them on which options may best suit their farms.
For instance, in the last year, growers, working with the SEQ Water Quality team, experienced success in nitrogen fertiliser efficiency and pesticide efficiency.
The SEQ Water Quality team promote innovative solutions to increase plant take-up, improve yields, and crop quality, while minimising inefficiencies for the greater benefit of the sustainable farming.
The SEQ Water Quality team presents an invaluable resource for growers in the region.
Get in touch with Tim or Lene today to see how they can help you.
The SEQ Water Quality Program is funded by the Department of Environment & Science.
