Dear Growers

CANEGROWERS Herbert River board met with Wilmar this morning to discuss the start date for the 2022 season. CANEGROWERS Herbert River have tentatively agreed with Wilmar to commence the season on the 14^th June subject to ground conditions and weather.

We will be meeting again on the 7^th June to review the season start date.  

Frank Scardamaglia

Manager

CANEGROWERS Herbert River

Email: frank_scardamaglia@canegrowers.com.au

Phone: 0475 818 800

CANEGROWERS elects new Chairman

Representatives of every Queensland sugarcane region have elected Burdekin grower Owen Menkens as the new CANEGROWERS Chairman.

The CANEGROWERS Policy Council of 20 growers has met in Brisbane to elect a Board for a three-year term. 

Owen Menkens is a cane grower at Home Hill and prior to taking over the family farming business worked in accounting and banking. He succeeds Mackay grower Paul Schembri who retired after serving as Chairman since 2013.

Mr Menkens said it was an honour to be elected and he looks forward to working with and for growers. 

Read the full story here

First Policy Council for the New Term CANEGROWERS – QCGO Board Elected     

CANEGROWERS Herbert River Chairman Chris Bosworth, Deputy Chair Steve Marbelli and myself travelled to Brisbane early this week for the first Policy Council meeting of the new term.

The first item on the agenda included all policy council members (nominated Directors from each Canegrower district in Queensland) to vote for the Queensland Canegrowers board (QCGO). Please join me in congratulating Chris Bosworth for his appointment on the QCGO board.

Meeting with STL CEO and Chairman      

The CANEGROWERS Herbert River board met with the CEO and Chairman from STL this week. We discussed the Storage and Handling Agreement and what we see as issues for the Herbert River district in relation to the terminal at Lucinda.

Find Your Future in Hinchinbrook

Council would like to invite you to come along to this year’s Find Your Future in Hinchinbrook Careers Expo.

Find Your Future in Hinchinbrook 2022

Date:                     Thursday 9 June 2022

Time:                    1.00pm until 6.00pm

Place:                    TYTO Conference and Events Centre

This is a fantastic opportunity to engage with skilled workers looking for a career change, and local youth or school students who may not know what they want to do.

If you would like to be involved as a exhibitor, please complete the attached form, and return to Council as soon as possible.

Exhibitor applications need to be returned by Wednesday 1 June 2022.

Flyer

Exhibitor Application Form

Alignment opens markets for Queensland sugar

CANEGROWERS has successfully aligned the industry's Smartcane BMP program to a third international standard for sustainable sugar. The VIVE Sustainable Sugar Supply Programme will recognise Smartcane BMP accreditation as equivalent to its Farm Module. VIVE has support from sugar refineries in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Read the joint media release on the CANEGROWERS website

www.canegrowers.com.au/page/media/media-releases/2022/growers-forge-market-path-for-sustainable-sugar

Meanwhile the Smartcane BMP Facilitators gathered in Brisbane last week. The meeting discussed the success of the program to date and opportunities for the future as the team seeks to meet the continuing demand from growers wishing to be accredited. CANEGROWERS has achieved an interim agreement from the State Government to extend the current Smartcane BMP funding program for at least six months while a longer term agreement is sought.

Labour campaign  

The CANEGROWERS call for experienced farm workers to head north for winter and help with the 2022 sugarcane harvest has continued with CEO Dan Galligan speaking on interstate radio about the opportunities. It follows a media release targetting agricultural regions. People interested in working in Queensland are listed on the CANEGROWERS website and contrators and growers with jobs available are encouraged to list their vacancies. www.canegrowers.com.au/page/about/employment/work-in-the-industry

Job seekers and jobs list

A steady stream of positions and people looking for work are being listed on the CANEGROWERS website ahead of the start of the 2022 season. CANEGROWERS has also reached out to media in farming regions interstate to spread the word that harvest positions need to be filled across a number of regions.

Anyone is welcome to list a position on a cane farm or with a contractor. Reach the site via the CANEGROWERS home page or by clicking this link www.canegrowers.com.au/page/about/employment/work-in-the-industry

CANEGROWERS Herbert River Directors

Chris Bosworth     0418 983 507      ca_ltbosworth1@bigpond.com

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

Paul Marbelli         0408 180 552      Marbie08@bigpond.com

Leah Russo             0409 477 713      leahandsanto@bigpond.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