Dear Growers 

Into the fourteenth week of the 2021 season and as of this morning Macknade mill has crushed 47,000 tonnes of cane at 12.49 CCS and Victoria mill has crushed 87,000 tonnes of cane at 12.70 CCS. The mill expects to crush 195,000 tonnes for the week. The mill reported they had some frustrating stops during the week with Victoria mill breaking a link on the intercarrier chain, this took some time to repair with difficulties removing pins and fabricating new link. This eventuated in a 8 hour stop. Also Macknade suffered a blackout when power supply to the factory was interrupted and the mills internal protection gear failed to disconnect to the grid causing black out which was also a 8 hour stop. The Herbert River district has now crushed over 50% of crop mark during the week. The mill has planned a 16 hour maintenance day on Tuesday at Macknade to repair a leak in a boiler steam line and chemical clean and the Victoria mill will have its normal 12 hour stop on Thursday.

Frank Scardamaglia

Manager

CANEGROWERS Herbert River

Email: frank_scardamaglia@canegrowers.com.au

Phone: 0475 818 800

CANEGROWERS Herbert River Meeting - Abergowrie

CANEGROWERS Herbert River will be holding a branch meeting at the CWA Hall in Abergowrie.

DATE: Wednesday 22 September, 2021

TIME: 7.30pm

This branch meeting is for all CANEGROWERS Herbert River members in and around Abergowrie / Long Pocket and Lannercost. The entire CANEGROWERS Herbert River board will be attending the meeting. This is a great opportunity to find out what the current issues CANEGROWERS are working on and an update across the district and the Sugar industry.

CANEGROWERS Herbert River Podcasts

Sugarcane growers in the Herbert River district have a history of working together, for the benefit of businesses, grower families and the Hinchinbrook Shire community. Listen to our podcasts by clicking on the button below and learn more about their stories and experiences.

In our latest podcast learn about an exciting new project in the Herbert called The Fish Homes & Highways project. Funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust program, the project is being undertaken by Terrain NRM, in collaboration with Catchment Solutions, in the lower Herbert River catchment in the Herbert district and the Murray River catchment in the Tully district.

CANEGROWERS Marketing Information Service

Following the CANEGROWERS victory in securing choice for Queensland sugarcane growers, marketers began competing to provide their services to growers. CANEGROWERS provides a neutral information service to assist members to make informed decisions and reap the benefits of competition.

Click on the button below to login with your membership number.

Smartcane BMP hits 650

The Queensland sugarcane industry's Smartcane BMP program has now recorded 650 farm business accreditations in its three core modules. The new milestone has been reached just over a year after hitting 500 accreditations. Reaccreditations, due after five years, are also continuing involving around 20% of all accredited growers this year. CANEGROWERS manages the delivery of this industry-developed best management practice program with the support of Queensland Government funding. 

COVID info updates

There have been some recent changes to the requirements for farms with employees or contractors in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Queensland Government now requires a record of employees and contractors on a farm to be kept. One way to do this is with the Check In Qld App www.covid19.qld.gov.au/check-in-qld

Queensland Health requires a COVID Safe Checklist and a Workplace Health Management Plan to be submitted if any staff or contractors are employed from interstate OR are Queensland residents not staying at their permanent place of residence while they work. Links to these documents can be found on the CANEGROWERS website:  www.canegrowers.com.au/

It is not mandatory to have a Health Plan if you only employ staff and contractors who live locally and go home after work but it is recommended that you do so to satisfy WH&S obligations.

Seeking diversity in farm leadership

CANEGROWERS has participated in a forum of supporters of the National Farmers' Federation Diversity in Agricultural Leacership program. NFF established the program to particularly build opportunities for women and CANEGROWERS joined it two years ago seeking to provide opportunities for women in sugarcane busineses to be involved in the mentoring and leadership development opportunities the program offers.

The forum was an opportunity for all partners to join discussions with other industry bodies as well as interested agribusiness companies to track how the program is going and seek strategies to increase and expand diversity opportunities.

Through the course of the next year, CANEGROWERS will again be seeking interest from the sugarcane industry for participants who would like to be part of this valuable program. There's more about the program on the NFF website:
https://nff.org.au/programs/diversity-in-agriculture-leadership

Got powerlines across your farm?

CANEGROWERS members are able to access a 50% rebate on the cost of devices which make them more visible. The discount applies to up to 10 rotamarkers for each farm. These devices can help prevent accidents involving high vehicles and machinery. The deal is offered through CANEGROWERS membership of the Queensland Farmers' Federation and in partnership with Ergon Energy and Energex. For more information go to:
www.qff.org.au/media-releases/rotamarker-rebate-improve-farm-safety

Mid-season cane auditors' meeting

CANEGROWERS District Managers and cane analysis auditors held a mid-season catch up last week. Nine districts were represented. Cane analysis is the basis for cane payment and CANEGROWERS provides a critical function in ensuring the Cane Analysis Program, agreed between millers and growers, is maintained. As part of this CANEGROWERS provides expertise to support sound auditing process. During the meeting attracting candidates to the CQU/TAFE Cert III Laboratory Skill Sugar Stream course in Mackay was discussed. It could be a course suitable to upskill mill analysists and auditors.

HCPSL Clean Seed

HCPSL are aware that some growers are yet to collect their Approved Clean Seed from HCPSL because of the recent rains. If you are yet to collect your cane and don’t think you will be able to plant this year, could you please notify Sandra Coco (47761808) at the office ASAP, so that your cane can be reallocated to other growers.

HCPSL has the following varieties still available at the following HCPSL Approved Seed plots:

Q183- Stone River- very small amount available now.

Q208- Stone River, Macknade

Q219-Stone River

Q232- Macknade

Q240- Stone River and Macknade

Q250- Stone River

Q252- Abergowrie

Q253- stocks ran out yesterday and growers are urged now to hot water treat this variety.

Q200- Macknade and Stone River

Q231- Macknade

Q247- Abergowrie

KQ228- Stone River and Abergowrie

MQ239- Stone River

SRA10- Stone River

SRA14- Stone River small amount available and Abergowrie

WSRA24- Macknade and Abergowrie

SRA26- Toobanna and Central (Ingham) plot- lots still available

SRA28- Central (Ingham) plot- 200 stalk allocations for hand cutting

The HCPSL billet harvester is operating in the Macknade plot.  Whole stalk cutters are operating in the Abergowrie, Stone River, Toobanna and Central (Ingham) plots.

The Bambaroo plot is now closed and all cane has been sold.

Contacts for the various plots:

• Richard Hobbs 0400 544 301 for Abergowrie plot.
• Tony McClintock 0447 304 963 for Macknade, Central and Toobanna plots.
• Graeme Holzberger 0428 761808 for Stone River plot.
• Lawrence Di Bella 0448084252 for Stone River  or Central plots.

HCPSL Approved Seed plots will remain open for the next 2 weeks, after this time we will reassess the situation.

QSL Update

Early-Start Actively Managed Pool: The 2022-Season Early-Start Actively Managed Pool is now accepting nominations. This is a QSL-managed pool that prices 2022-Season sugar in the same manner as the Actively Managed Pool, but over a longer pricing window. Nominations will close 31 October 2021, with the pool's pricing window commencing from the first trading day after this date. For more information on the Early-Start Actively Managed Pool, please click here. 

Rolling reminder: Growers using the 2021-Season Target Price Contract are reminded that any unpriced tonnage in this product remaining after 20 September 2021 will be automatically rolled to the next contract. This roll may incur a cost in addition to the previous roll cost of $1.46 already applied for the July/October 2021 roll. Growers using the 2021-Season Individual Futures Contract and Self-Managed Harvest Contract are reminded they have until 15 September 2021 to price or roll any nominated tonnage in the October 2021 contract. Rolling is optional for these two products and can be done at any time prior to this deadline via your QSL Direct account. Roll costs may also apply. For an estimate of potential roll costs for the products mentioned above, please see our latest Indicative ICE 11 Prices table in the Daily Price email or click here.

 Video Sugar Market Update: Don't miss our next video market update, scheduled for Wednesday 15 September from 4pm with QSL Senior Manager, Marketing & Logistics Andrew Phipps. These 5-minute snapshots provide a great overview of the key themes affecting sugar prices for Australian producers, and are available to watch any time via our Facebook page.

Transaction Summaries: QSL Direct growers are reminded that they can find a handy summary of all their QSL transactions for the last financial year within the Financial Reports section of their QSL Direct accounts. Quarterly and Annual Grower Account Statements are provided for each season you have marketed with QSL.

CANEGROWERS Herbert River Directors

Chris Bosworth    0418 983 507      ca_ltbosworth1@bigpond.com

Jeff Cantamessa  0418 182 067      jeff@jefcan.com

Paul Marbelli        0408 180 552      Marbie08@bigpond.com

Steven Marbelli    0417 621 970      marbi.70@bigpond.com

Michael Pisano    0429 113 465       Pisanom220@gmail.com

Terry Motti            0417 636 863      tezmot71@gmail.com

Sam Torrisi           0408 779 598      Torrisi5@itnq.com.au

Zenan Reinaudo   0400 762 103     mzreinaudo@bigpond.com