The Downs Farmer Edition 3

Edition 3

July 2023

Hooked

on Murray cod page 4

Carbon capture project concern grows page 15

Embracing change to benefit the climate page 8

Furious reaction to visa changes page 14 V2 - TCHE01Z01MA

02

THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

a g r i c u lt u r e

WELCOME I’ve lost count of the occasions people have told me how much I talk.

They’re not wrong.

But this trait has meant I’ve never been any good at fishing.

I’ve always said this is because I prefer water skiing, but no one ever falls for that old line.

I’m pleased to say I caught not one, but two Murray cod at Condabilla Fish Farm recently.

Admittedly, it was using a net and they were captive in a pond.

So basically shooting fish in a barrel, but what fisherman ever let the truth get in the way of the biggest catch of the day?

What wasn’t as easy was getting my head around the different topics this edition covers – from viticulture to aquaculture to goats and the great big divisive topic, climate change. I think our team will have a story to pique just about any reader’s interest.

Now, I’m off to cook my Murray cod.

Cheers

Jac

Jacinta Cummins

CONTACT US EDITOR: Jacinta Cummins EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATOR: Alyssa Welke GENERAL MANAGER: Erika Brayshaw, 07 4672 9921, email erika.brayshaw@news.com.au ADVERTISING & PRODUCT MANAGER: Joshua Slade, 07 4599 3835, email joshua.slade@news.com.au WRITERS: Megan Masters, Morgan Burley, Michael Hudson, Jess Klein, Emily Devon and Chloe Cufflin All material published in Downs Farmer is subject to copyright provisions. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher.

DISCLAIMER: The information contained within Western Downs Farmer is given in good faith and obtained from sources believed to be accurate. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher.The Chronicle or News Corp Australia will not be liable for any opinion or advice contained herein.

150

The 10 agribusinesses who were successful in this year’s Food Leaders Australia AgriEmerging Markets Program, launched in Chinchilla on July 13.

Growing together Food Leaders Australia welcomes new intake for growth program

F

ood Leaders Australia, a membership group created to assist the food and agricultural sector, launched its newest cohort of the AgriEmerging Markets Program in mid-July.

The AgriEmerging Markets Program helps local agribusinesses in Queensland’s Western Downs grow their capability to enter new markets, with the program previously resulting in regional economic growth and business expansion.

The 10 agribusinesses who were successful in this year’s cohort intake include Coggan Farms, Drury Farming Company, Four Daughters, Fraser Valuers, Glenoch Farms, Knudsen Cattle, McVeigh Ag,

New Leaf Ag, Rangeland Quality Meats and Woods Holding Group.

They will participate in workshops, an overseas study tour and receive ongoing professional mentorship to support their businesses to grow.

Food Leaders Australia agribusiness development manager Rowena Beveridge says the program will support the newest cohort to improve business sustainability and growth in important value add areas.

“Guidance and leadership for our region’s key agricultural commodities is needed more than ever to meet growing global and domestic NetZero market demands creating an important value add proposition,” she says.

New Leaf Ag founder and successful participant Nigel Corish looks forward to undergoing a rigorous business review and welcomes the opportunity to grow his knowledge and business.

“Working in the cotton and broadacre cropping sector, ESG and sustainability are popping up more and more, but I felt I wasn’t completely up to speed with how my business can implement these regulations,” Nigel says.

“The program is going to provide me with the tools to innovate my business to align with emerging expectations and I am excited to do it alongside a cohort of like-minded producers.”

Krishna Venkatesan, Shell QGC

general manager upstream says: “Shell’s QGC business is delighted to support this important initiative ensuring agribusinesses continue to grow. The Western Downs is home to world class agricultural products and services.

“We want to support the industry to grow even further in the region.

“We look forward to these businesses showcasing their unique value and gaining further tools and insights to become more sustainable and expand.”

The AgriEmerging Markets Program is delivered by Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise’s Food Leaders Australia and supported by Shell’s QGC business as part of its social investment.

TSBE is set to collaborate The Palaszczuk government, in partnership with industry leaders, is embarking on an exciting initiative to enhance the international export of exceptional Queensland produce.

The Food and Fibre to Market: Industry Partnerships Program (FF2M) has allocated a significant investment of $600,000 to eight industry organisations and grower collectives. These funds will support

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Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) are proud to have been successful in securing a grant through this program. In collaboration with Meat and Livestock Australia

(MLA), TSBE looks to bolster Queensland’s market share of grainfed beef in the United States.

This partnership holds immense potential for the growth of regional beef producers and the expansion of Queensland’s footprint in US markets.

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THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

v i t i c u lt u r e

Michael Hudson

Cheers to a top drop

“

Stanthorpe’s Savina Lane Winery named the best in Queensland

The Granite Belt has the most varieties of wine grown in Australia

A

Southern Downs vineyard has been recognised at a prestigious industry award, becoming Queensland’s first grapegrowers to be named among Australia’s top 50, and it’s set to reopen to visitors in a matter of weeks.

At just over 3ha, Savina Lane Winery at Stanthorpe, owned and operated by Brad and Cheryl Hutchings, was ranked among Australia’s finest vineyards as a finalist in the 2022 Young Gun of Wine Vineyard of the Year Awards.

The couple’s comparatively small sized vineyard prompted further surprised reactions at the awards, with the vineyard being many times smaller than most vineyards recognised and 10 times smaller than last year’s winner from the Adelaide Hills wine region.

Brad Hutchings describes the Granite Belt region he calls home as “one of the best kept secrets in the Australian wine industry” and says the harsh winters resulted in a special elegance to their wines, with long and complex nuances to give it a special local charm.

The vineyard is more than 60 years

Queensland grapegrower Brad Hutchings at Savina Lane Premium Wines in the Granite Belt; and, below, Brad with wife Cheryl at the cellar door.

old and was started by Italian immigrants to the region, the Savina family, who came to Australia after World War II. Hutchings bought the vineyard more than a decade ago following a career as a agronomist and says the best part about growing in the Granite Belt is the small, tight-knit community that growers in the region share, with the wine barons regularly meeting to share a glass and complain about the weather which he says “is something all farmers do”.

“At the (Vineyard of the Year) awards everyone sort of turned their head and was like, ‘Who is this guy with two heads?’ so that was good,” Hutchings says.

“Most of the other top 50 came from more mainstream wine areas like the Barossa and the Adelaide Hills, but I find that we are very lucky in the Granite Belt to have our own ‘sense of place’.

“Our long, cool growing season gives us a unique texture as well as the fact we’re organic.

“The Granite Belt has the most

varieties of wine grown in Australia, about 65 different varieties, and it’s a relaxed region with a lovely climate.”

Additionally, Hutchings says the grape grower community around the region has around 36 different cellar doors which gives a fantastic local feel to the industry locally.

Awards panellist Max Allen said: “As thousands of Australian grape growers and winemakers struggle with the most sodden start to the growing season they’ve ever experienced – not to mention

the flood devastation suffered by many, and the ongoing fallout from the pandemic – it’s good to be reminded that many vignerons across the country are also looking beyond the here-and-now, to longterm sustainability, regeneration and exciting quality improvements in their vineyards.”

Savina Lane opens exclusively to tourists during winter, with bookings available from June 10.

You can book a wine experience at the vineyards cellar during the winter months via their website.

with MLA to take Queensland’s beef to US confidence in Queensland’s position, stating, “Queensland is an export powerhouse.

“In 2021-22, Queensland’s agricultural exports were valued at $10.7bn.”

With the FF2M program and strategic partnerships like the one between TSBE and Meat and Livestock Australia, the state is poised for even greater success in the international arena.

Queensland as a whole is a significant producer of beef domestically and recognised globally as a world leading exporter of highquality beef.

The industry represents a large percentage of the total value of Queensland’s primary industry commodities, contributing $1bn annually and supporting around 10,000 jobs across Queensland.

The Darling Downs plays a

pivotal role in the production of grain-fed beef, accounting for 60 per cent of Australia’s supply.

Our region boasts a rich agricultural landscape, supported by a thriving community of dedicated producers.

“With this investment from the Queensland Government and strategic partnership with MLA, regional Queensland is wellpositioned to leverage its

exceptional produce and expand its global market reach,” says TSBE CEO Greg Bowden.

“TSBE looks forward to spearheading this exciting endeavour and delivering outstanding regional products to discerning consumers worldwide.”

Considering the significance of the industry in Queensland and the value it creates for the economy, the jobs it supports and the fact we export

to more than 50 countries, our beef industry has a limited market presence of grain fed beef in the United States.

This represents a significant opportunity to grow Queensland’s market share of grain fed beef into the US market and presents a substantial prospect to increase Queensland’s overall exports and create further international trade related jobs.

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THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

a q u a c u lt u r e J A C I N TA C U M M I N S

Farmed cod scales up the menu Murray cod proves to be catch of the day for Condabilla Fish Farm

W

hen it comes to Australian aquaculture, images of salmon farms in Tasmania’s cold waters or ponds near the coast North Queensland spring to mind.

You don’t think of a fish farm out the back of Chinchilla, but it’s here among the broadacre crops and cattle properties that you’ll find Condabilla Fish Farm, which has been operating for over 20 years.

It is Australia’s second largest Murray Cod producer.

Mark Oliver and his wife Lanh Vuong managed the farm for two previous owners before taking on a 10-year lease with first option to buy in May, 2022.

They sell around two and a half tonnes of Murray Cod into Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane each week and will increase this to 3.3 tonnes by the end of 2024.

While many people have bad memories of Murray Cod as the muddy fish their grandad caught in the river that they had to eat for tea while wishing their parents would just buy fish and chips from the shop like their mates’ families, the quality of the modern farmed Murray Cod is light-years away from that distant memory.

This is why it has undergone a renaissance with culinary experts saying it deserves a second chance.

Mark says a well farmed Murray Cod is an extremely versatile product with its white flesh, a nice fat profile and delicious taste.

It is this refined taste, and the fish’s exposure on shows like Master Chef and My Kitchen Rules where chef Josh Niland’s “nose-to-tail” approach to using as much of the fish as possible, that has led to Murray Cod’s growing popularity.

Yet despite the increasing demand, Murray Cod are only a small part of Australian aquaculture.

This is because Murray Cod are not an easy fish to farm and while individual farms have progressed in leaps and bounds, an industry wide focus on advancing the industry is yet to materialise.

An example of this is the once-ayear spawning window for Murray Cod compared to Barramundi where industry has invested in technologies meaning Barramundi can be bred year round.

Condabilla has some natural advantages which give it an edge over other Murray Cod farms. The farm is Australia’s northern most Murray Cod farm and draws its water from the Condamine River.

This comes with warmer water

Farmed Murray cod have a cleaner taste than what was previously associated with cod caught in freshwater; the wheels which push fresh oxygen into the fish raceways around the clock are powered by 1.5 kilowatts; Lanh Vuong and Mark Oliver are Australia’s second biggest producer of Murray cod at their Condabilla Fish Farm.

Pictures: Jacinta Cummins

temperatures allowing for more consistent year-round growth.

When the water temperature is 9 degrees in Victoria in winter, it is generally 13 degrees at Condabilla and at that temperature the fish are still eating and growing well.

Mark and Lanh’s ethos is simple: They don’t want to be the biggest, but they do want to be the best.

In early 2022, they stopped farming Silver Perch and Jade Perch to focus solely on Murray Cod. With a focus on quality above

everything else, their fish are purged for six days in clear bore water, which is double the industry standard of two to three days.

The longer purge means the fish are cleaner and have a smaller bacteria load which in turn greatly reduces flesh decomposition.

The quality of Condabilla’s product has opened the door for their Murray Cod to be offered on the menus of fine dining restaurants like Altitude at Sydney’s Shangri-La, Fire Door in Surry Hills and Donna Chang in

Brisbane, all of which have been lauded for culinary excellence by both industry and food critics.

Condabilla sells the vast majority of its Murray Cod whole for $24-$30 a kilogram.

Purging and marketing their Murray Cod is only a small part of Condabilla’s pond to plate journey.

Condabilla’s unique methods used to farm their Murray Cod make them the only fish farm of their type in Australia.

Their ponds are larger than other fish farms with the largest being around 6.5 hectares.

The fish are grown in purpose built concrete raceways [think of rows of long concrete swimming pools] prior to filling the ponds.

The result is that only a small percentage of the large pond is devoted to growing fish, while the vast majority of the pond is a natural ecosystem.

“We don’t actually exchange water in any of our ponds and any waste

produced is assimilated by the large ponds,” Mark says.

“We’re basically creating our own little ecosystem in there, so there’s no discharge back into the environment.”

Before the fish are put out into the raceways, there is a lot of hard work growing them from eggs to fingerlings, then onto juveniles.

The large ponds house the broodstock (parent fish) where they are kept away from the fish in raceways and have a great supply of natural feeds like shrimp and other fish.

In late August spawning drums are placed into the ponds for the females to lay their adhesive eggs on.

The drums are shipped to a hatchery where they are hatched and grown to 0.8-1 gram fingerlings before coming back to Condabilla fingerlings in early December.

They are then grown in tanks until they are large enough to be moved to the raceways.

This is a particularly stressful time as they eat six times a day and are highly carnivorous.

If they are not size graded regularly, thousands of fish can be lost due to them eating each other.

The fingerlings cost around four times other species fingerlings and with only one spawning annually, they cannot just be replaced with the next month.

When they reach the raceways in the growout ponds, the size grading continues as they will eat each other until well over 1 kilogram.

While monitoring water quality and their health status is constant, feeding is still the main game.

Getting feeding right is the difference between profit and loss.

“From a profit standpoint, we want a two kilo fish because they are more profitable than a one kilo fish,” Mark says.

“After cod get to that kilo, even 1.5 TCHE01Z01MA - V1

THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

05

Clockwise from main picture: Lanh Vuong and Mark Oliver sell about two and a half tonnes of their Murray cod to wholesalers and restaurants in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane each week; Lanh scoops up fish from one of the ponds at Condabilla Fish Farm in between Condamine and Chinchilla; the cod are graded for size regularly and, if necessary, moved to another pond with similar sized fish to try and stop them attacking each other; the Murray cod are fed 40 per cent protein pellets daily. There are different size pellets for the fish at each stage in their development and growth. Pictures: Jacinta Cummins

“

They eat each other, they’re moody and there’s a lot of work involved

kilo in weight they become a little bit more relaxed, a little bit less violent toward their friends and their feeding becomes more regular.

They turn into lazy fish and grow quite well to reach that two kilo size when they are about two years old.

“The fine dining market we’re expanding into likes a two kilo fish not only for the fillets but for their good sized frame as they use as much of it as possible for broths, soups and other things.

“This appeals to us more than other markets which only want fillets meaning that there’s a lot of wastage.”

While Mark has worked in aquaculture more than 30 years, Lanh has a lifetime of experience to draw on as her family are fish farmers from northwest Vietnam’s Lao Cai province.

Her polished red manicure belies her essential role in the operation.

She oversees the feeding program, and as the fish feed constantly, she works seven days a week most weeks.

She explains the differences between fish farming in Australia and their farm in Vietnam.

For starters, the species her family farms eat grasses, but at Condabilla the fish eat fish meal based pellets which are 40 per cent protein and although there are automated feeding systems, the very labour intensive work of handfeeding is also critical for the optimisation process.

In Vietnam, Lanh’s family take live fish in oxygenated water to markets for customers to choose the fish they want and haggle over the price before it is killed, gutted and cleaned for them to take home.

Condabilla has a purpose-built processing facility and fish are packed weekly.

They are transported to Nolan’s

Interstate Transport depot in Gatton each Thursday to be trucked to Sydney and Melbourne that night or early the next morning.

Lanh and Mark recently visited the Sydney Fish Market for its Monday auction where wholesalers bid for their produce, something Lanh describes as eye opening.

“The Sydney Fish Market is huge, clean and well organised and watching the auction was very interesting,” she tells me.

Condabilla Murray Cod can also be found at the Condamine Hotel, Toowoomba’s Stoney the Fishmonger and in selected restaurants across the Western Downs and in Brisbane.

The outlook is bright for Condabilla with Mark and Lanh focused on sustainably expanding production to meet the growing demand for Murray Cod, but as

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output increases so does the need to attract the right staff.

Condabilla’s small team of half a dozen staff work like a well-oiled machine, but there have been challenges trying to on-board new staff.

“We’re lucky with who we have now, but when we have hired new staff recently it hasn’t gone to plan,” Mark says.

“Being out of town and a fairly demanding job, coupled with competition from other agriculture facilities and the gas industry, it takes a certain type of person to enjoy it, but hopefully we’ll find those people as our product speaks for itself.

“In the meantime, I’m very lucky to have Lanh working alongside me with our team and I try and make sure I don’t take her contribution for granted!”

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06 environment

THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

Jessica Klein

The Queensland Farmers’ Federation team meets with Granite Belt Growers Association committee members at Ashbern Farms to discuss EnergySQ initiative.

Ashbern Farms in Stanthorpe is one of several strawberry growers on the Granite Belt who contribute to the 6-15,000 tonnes of fruit produced a season.

Learning to be sustainable Initiative helping Southern Downs farmers reduce future greenhouse gas emissions

A

Queensland Farmers’ Federation initiative is at the forefront of growers’ minds across the Southern Downs, as it aims to educate the region on implementing environmentally friendly operational

processes to reduce future on-farm energy and greenhouse gas emissions.

Understanding how to incorporate future energy-efficient farming operations is high on the agenda for Stanthorpe’s Ashbern Farms property manager Richard Ross.

The Southern Downs and Granite Belt strawberry farm has signed up to join a Queensland Farmers’ Federation program for farmers in the Southern Downs and Goondiwindi council regions to improve and implement energyefficient on-farm operations.

The initiative called EnergySQ also aims to educate growers on how they can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Ashbern Farms produces fruit for nine months of the year and is currently powered by solar panels, which facilitate power across two setups, including a packing shed which houses produce cold rooms and to a residential site.

“This year we’ve gone to using variable speed drives on a new pump site. We’re always trying to improve the way we do things,” Ross says.

“The biggest thing that we want to do is understand our consumption better and see if there’s a way we can improve it. Understanding is the key at the moment.”

The biggest challenge Ashbern Farms has faced in reducing their energy consumption is irrigation and the timing of their operations, with the majority of on-farm energy consumption occurring during peak production times, which are between October to late May. “It’s really good to have these industry initiatives and support groups, as we often don’t have time to do these energy action plans ourselves,” Ross says.

Granite Belt Growers Association industry support officer Narissa Corfe says that since the Queensland Farmers’ Federation meeting earlier in the year with growers from the region, a small number of growers have since taken the program on.

“Most people want to know where they can save money, so initiatives like this are definitely a positive for the region,” Corfe says.

“Our team is very environmentally focused and are always looking at how to implement ways our growers can

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Southern Downs Regional Council mayor Vic Pennisi says the council has distributed the initiatives information through its networks and encourages food producers to access the intended benefits.

“Every dollar saved is another step to sustainability,” he says. “With escalating power prices and the cost of electricity being a major cost input for many producers, council is hopeful this program will be embraced and prove beneficial.”

The process involves a QFF representative to review on-farm energy consumption by observing electricity usage history, completing an on-site visit to determine any energy and greenhouse gas emissions opportunities, and any other emissions from on-farm operations.

Once this is complete, farmers are provided with an energy and carbon action plan for their consideration and implementation.

Further information about the EnergySQ initiative can be found on the Queensland Farmers’ Federation website.

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THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

a dv e rto r i a l

Dispose of waste safely Upcoming collection of unwanted agricultural chemicals

A

gsafe’s product stewardship programs, drumMUSTER and ChemClear, provide farmers with a reliable pathway for the safe disposal of their empty agvet containers as well as any unused or obsolete agvet chemicals.

If you have unused or obsolete agvet chemicals that you would like to safely dispose of, you can register them online at chemclear.org.au and they will be picked up when a collection is scheduled in your area.

Collections are conducted once registrations reach a level that can be supported – on average, collections are conducted in each state every two years.

There is currently a ChemClear collection scheduled for Queensland agricultural chemical holders that wish to dispose of their unwanted chemicals.

AgSafe’s ChemClear collects farmers’ unused or obsolete chemicals in each state every two years.

Simply visit chemclear.org.au to register your chemicals. Registrations are open until August 31 for an October collection.

Agsafe’s general manager Dominique Doyle notes that farmers’

committed engagement in the ChemClear program always impresses, but never surprises.

“Farmers understand that they are the custodians of the land, and they are always mindful of sustainable

farm practices. ChemClear enables farmers to safely dispose of chemicals off farms and out of rural communities,” she says.

ChemClear and its partners are delighted with the progress the

service has made since 2003 in which the program has collected and disposed of almost one million litres of obsolete, inherited and unknown agvet chemicals.

Using ChemClear also ensures that farmers and agvet chemical users will meet their responsibilities and obligations under any Quality Assurance, Farm or Environmental Management program.

ChemClear sends information to waste holders after they have registered, enabling them to segregate and continue to store their surplus chemicals securely until the planned run commences.

The program collects registered chemicals produced by 126 manufacturers supporting the Industry Stewardship Scheme.

Chemicals classified as Group 1 are collected free of charge.

As an additional service, ChemClear collects what is classified as Group 2 chemicals.

This category covers deregistered, out-of-date, mixed, unlabelled or unknown agvet chemicals produced by a manufacturer not signed to the ChemClear stewardship program.

There is a cost for disposal of Group 2 chemicals which is quoted to the waste holder once their registration has been processed.

For further information about Agsafe’s ChemClear program, visit chemclear.org.au to register your chemicals.

Dispose of your unwanted or obsolete agvet chemicals in one easy collection.

A collection is scheduled for Queensland AgVet chemical holders in October and November 2023. Simply register your unwanted chemicals for collection by 31 August at www.chemclear.org.au

Group 1 chemicals collected free of charge: • eligible drumMUSTER products • with readable labels • still in original containers • not mixed with other products • within 2 years of expiry or deregistration

Queensland Collection Oct-Nov 2023

Group 2 chemicals are those that have expired and are not part of the drumMUSTER program. Group 2 chemicals may incur a fee for service.

Registrations close 31 August

V1 - TCHE01Z01MA

08 environment

THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

jacinta cummins

A climate for change This dairy farmer uses trees to help his business accommodate changing weather patterns and increase milk production

D

avid Vonhoff knows that talking about climate change is about as popular as discussing the trio of taboo topics: sex, politics and religion, but this knowledge doesn’t stop him from doing so.

He delights in defying the stereotype of the old farmer who buries his head in the sand when it comes to changes in the weather patterns.

But David describes these changes as climate destruction rather than climate change.

“Australia’s always been a land of flooding rains and bushfires, but what used to be extremes are now happening more frequently, they’re more intense and they’re lasting much longer,” he says.

He points to the heavy rains which fell in the far north of South Australia in late June, forcing the closure of the Birdsville Track and leaving travellers en route to Birdsville for the Big Red Bash stranded at Mungerannie.

Closer to home, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) recorded that Queensland experienced the warmest June on record since 1910 with some of BOM’s data collecting locations also recording the warmest June night on record since 1910.

But while there is plenty of discussion when it comes to change in the climate and weather patterns, this

is not matched by practical, on the ground action to help Australia meet its target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

And according to critics, agriculture is one of the main offenders.

While David disagrees with this dire assessment of agriculture’s contribution to emissions, he sees a

huge benefit in adapting his business in response to changing weather patterns.

He has planted 20,000 trees such as Chinchilla white gums and tipuanas on the 607ha farm that he and his wife Cheryl have owned for 38 years.

This mammoth effort was achieved with the support of Landcare and its volunteers as well as some Work for the Dole participants and prisoners from a jail which used to be nearby.

While the trees were planted to redress salinity and water run-off, they’ve also provided an unexpected but significant economic boost to the Vonhoffs.

The shade they provide for their mainly Australian Illawarra herd during the summer reduces cow stress which can have a negative influence on milk production.

This “cow comfort” increases each cow’s milk production by up two litres a day with each of their 200 cows averaging between 6000 to 7000 litres of milk a year.

“This lift in production is worth about $56,000 a year to us,” David says.

The Vonhoffs supply Dairy Farmers with more than 1.3 million litres of milk each year.

The trees are also home to numerous birds which I can hear as David drives me around the farm on

his buggy.

The birds play a vital role in natural insect control with sandflies and mosquito numbers exploding after floods.

But it’s not just trees which have helped David deal with the changes he has observed since he was a child, grasses such as buffel grass and crops like lucerne are also key to his management strategies.

They slow water flow down during heavy rainfall which in turn minimises erosion, something which has plagued the farm’s hillsides.

On the flatter country, David has built a lot of “leaky weirs” using grasses, old tree trunks and even cars across the farm.

The “leaky weir” is a key concept in the Natural Sequence Farming (NSF) method developed by Peter Andrews which is now taught by his son Stuart Andrews to help farmers rehabilitate eroded farming country.

NSF’s key tenets are hydrology, soil fertility and biodiversity.

A “leaky weir” is engineered to slow water flow by creating blockages in water courses and gullies which allows sediment build-up where grasses can grow and naturally filter the water to clean it.

David uses the leaky weirs to not only slow water flow down but to ensure he uses all the rain he gets.

“When I was a boy, people used to

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THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

The majority of David Vonhoff’s 200 milking cows are Australian breed, Illawarra, with a few Jerseys in the mix; he speaks highly of multispecies, listing cow diet, increased nitrogen and improved soil health as benefits. Some of the trees planted on the Vonhoff’s dairy farm at Brymaroo, above. Pictures: Jacinta Cummins

“

ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I would tell them I was going to be a farmer or a gardener.

“Well it turns out I’m a farmer, but my garden starts at the front gate and extends out across my whole farm,” he says with a smile as he stands atop a hill surveying the landscape.

As part of his regenerative farming approach, David has shifted from growing oats and forage sorghums alone to multi species crops which are a mix of vetch, oats, barley, peas and brassicas.

The multispecies put a large

amount of carbon back into the soil which allowed for better water retention and produced a luscious, high protein crop which the herd grazed multiple times.

They utilised all the extra rain received in winter 2022, preventing waterlogging which occurred in other paddocks which didn’t have multispecies crops.

The multispecies also converted nitrogen in the air to bioavailable nitrogen to help the plants grow, cutting out the need for nitrogen fertiliser saving time and money and

reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

David has also explored other ways to reduce cows’ methane emissions with his herd used in a study which added activated carbon, better known as charcoal, to their feed to help them digest their food better and in turn, reduced their methane emissions.

Charcoal has long been used to treat poisoning but its proponents also claim it can alleviate gas and bloating by absorbing excess flatulence.

Dr Les Bowtell, a senior lecturer in the School of Engineering at the

University of Southern Queensland conducted the 12 month-long study and found adding the activated carbon to the cows’ pellets led to a 30 to 40 per cent reduction in their methane emissions.

David notes the irony in working so hard to reduce his farm’s footprint while New Hope’s Stage 3 expansion at its controversial New Acland Coal Mine was approved last August, something he believes will only increase emissions.

He and Cheryl have been involved in the ongoing legal challenges to the expansion because they fear it could affect the underground water supply they rely on. ““It’s a very frustrating process, but I’m doing as much as I can to adapt our farm to the changing weather so that my son and daughter-in-law have a viable business to take over,” David says.

“I’ve been fortunate to have other farmers like my neighbour, Sid Plant, help me learn along the way and I will always advocate to help other farmers do the same.

“It may not make me the most popular person around, but I will keep on doing it because I worry about what the country will look like for my grandchildren if I don’t.”

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THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

c l i m at e

El Nino now a 70% chance Taylah Fellows, Isabella Holland and Brendan O’Malley Courier Mail

T

he Bureau of Meteorology last week announced a delay in the formation of El Nino in Australia, confirming weather patterns had remained neutral so far this month.

But the latest climate driver update reveals Australia will remain on El Nino alert, with further warming of the central and Pacific sea temperatures “likely”.

It means El Nino still has a 70 per cent chance of forming later this year, bringing harsh, dry weather to

Queensland some time between August and October.

Senior climatologist Brad Jackson says the bureau is still waiting for atmospheric conditions to catch up to the warming sea temperatures before declaring El Nino – but says it is possible El Nino could be declared as early as next month.

“It’s hard to predict when that atmosphere is going to respond, creating the weather patterns for El Nino,” he says.

“We will monitor and see how it responds and as soon as we meet the criteria, we’ll be sure to announce that (El Nino) as soon as possible to help people prepare.”

The bureau expects that if El Nino does develop, Queensland will receive minimal rainfall throughout

spring and summer, particularly in western parts of the state.

While every El Nino is unique in character, it traditionally leads to lessthan-average rainfall as well as above-average temperatures, with the potential to “repeat for years”, Brad says. “If we do develop an El Nino system over winter and (it continues) into spring and summer, by (the following) winter that can break down, and again rebuild afterwards,” he says.

“Traditionally, El Nino events might occur three years running; the millennium drought gives us a clear indication of that.

“We had a triple La Nina – that is unusual but not unheard of, roughly happening every 20 years since the 1950s – so it’s possible.”

El Nino leads to less-than-average rainfall and higher temperatures.

Opinion MARK FURNER

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural CommuNITIES

Toowoomba leads state in ag rankings

A

s a city built on agriculture and primary produce, Toowoomba has always played a powerhouse role in the state’s economy.

This powerhouse status is highlighted by the latest AgTrends data released in June, showing Toowoomba is No. 1 in Queensland’s agricultural rankings with production valued at $1.36bn in 2022-23.

Overall, Queensland’s agriculture and fisheries sector hit an all-time

high valuation of $23.44bn during this period.

Beef remains king of the commodities in Queensland, with cattle and calves valued at more than $6bn, and sugarcane and raw cotton both topping $1.5bn.

Make no mistake, this outstanding result didn’t happen by accident.

We’ve seen incredible flexibility and innovation from our farmers, along with strong, unequivocal and ongoing support for them from the Palaszczuk Government.

These figures show Queensland’s farmers, nowhere more so than in Toowoomba, are succeeding not only at home but also abroad in our lucrative export markets.

This means income for local farmers as well as good jobs across the region, adding to the vibrancy of Toowoomba and further enhancing its strong economic contribution to the state.

I’ll continue to champion the cause of farmers in Toowoomba, and right across Queensland.

D r K i rst y Owe n Research Fellow at the University of Southern Queensland’s Centre for Crop Health

Nematodes a threat to crop production

D

id you know root-lesion nematodes can reduce yields of wheat, chickpea and mung bean crops?

Researchers at the University of Southern Queensland are seeking new sources of crop resistance, developing on-farm management strategies, and trialling new technologies to measure crop responses.

Root-lesion nematodes are

microscopic threadlike animals hidden in the soil.

They feed and reproduce inside plant roots where they cause damage.

Symptoms of attack by nematodes are easily confused with a dry finish to the season or not enough fertiliser.

What can farmers do about them?

Get soil tested for root-lesion

nematodes at PreDicta®B. Grow crop varieties that are resistant – they stop the nematodes reproducing – and tolerant, as these varieties yield well when the nematodes are present.

The Grains Research and Development Corporation together with UniSQ researchers publish crop variety responses to rootlesion nematodes in their National Variety Guides, which are essential for managing this persistent soilborne pest.

TCHE01Z01MA - V1

11

THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

a dv e rto r i a l

Keep your farm covered For almost four decades Fitton has been serving the farming sector

T

hings can change from season to season and year to year on your farm and insurance should be one of them.

At Fitton Insurance Brokers, we can help you find ways to both save money on your premium and ensure all the important elements of your farm business are covered.

Next year marks 40 years that Fitton Insurance Brokers have been in business serving the rural and agribusiness sector and our team is ready to get to know you and your needs personally to ensure you get the best coverage for your dollar.

Fitton Insurance managing director Ron Fitton says crop insurance is one area keeping the team busy currently, with many reviewing their cover to ensure crops are protected against loss.

Many clients are making the

decision to trade off higher excess costs to help them make savings on their premium, which they can then reinvest into coverage for changing areas in their business they may have been previously happy to self-insure.

This might be machinery breakdown insurance, transit

insurance or even looking at your property’s water needs because if things dry out, the bore pump will be working harder and that makes problems more likely than in wetter years.

Clients can book an appointment three to four weeks prior to their

At Fitton Insurance, your dedicated Client Broker will work with you to develop an insurance solution that suits you.

Our comprehensive Farm & Agribusiness insurance programs can provide you with the following: Farm Insurance Package Crop Heavy Motor & Earthmoving Machinery Livestock Business Insurance Package Public & Products Liability Other Specific Policies where required Get in touch with the Fitton team!

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policy renewal to go over their needs, and because Fitton Insurance works with seven different providers, customers can rest assured they are getting the best deal, not simply the only deal on offer.

Your dedicated Client Broker has your best interests at heart, and will

work with you to understand the type of cover you need in order to develop a robust and sound insurance solution that matches with both your lifestyle and your livelihood.

Visit fitton.com.au or phone (07) 4638 4233 for a free quote today

12

THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

livestock

JACINTA CUMMINS

Goats lead the field

Goats give Gore graziers value for money and diversity as they rebuild after the drought

A

ustralia has long been the land of droughts and flooding rains. More than a century after Dorothea Mackellar penned My Country, her homesick tribute still rings true.

Any farmer knows drought can bring both their business and their family to its knees: whether that be whispering desperate prayers seeking a miracle or in soul crushing defeat depends on each individual.

So, when the rains do arrive at last and dams are full and creeks are flowing again and photos of farm kids seeing mud for the first time go viral and relieved farmers phone the ABC to report how much rain they’ve got, it can be easy for those not on the land to think the problem is solved.

But often, this is just the beginning.

Having destocked to make it through, the farmer or grazier needs to buy livestock in an overheated market to rebuild.

While fourth generation grazier Matt Bartlett knows the relief that rain brings with it, he also knows the rain is closely followed by the question “Where to next?”

Matt had to work out what to change to be better prepared for future droughts and other risks.

Matt and his wife, Jess, had returned to Gore in 2016 for Matt to work alongside his parents, David and Sandy, in their sheep meal and wool producing business at their property Dunblane.

Unfortunately, the drought arrived at the same time.

In a typical year, the Bartletts’ 11,330 hectare aggregation comprising of Dunblane and Wyngarra and a leased block Orungal receives about 700mm of rain but in 2017 and 2018, they only recorded 300mm each year.

In 2019, the situation worsened when their annual rainfall was just 150mm.

The family had sold all its sheep

Matt Bartlett with his best working dog Sweep. Picture: Jacinta Cummins

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THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

except for about 70 stragglers which survived in the properties’ furthest reaches by the time the drought broke.

At capacity, the Bartletts were running 17,000 Merino wethers.

2020 was the year of fencing: despite having no animals, the Bartletts erected 35 kilometres of exclusion fencing, as part of a cluster of 10 graziers, with assistance from the Queensland Feral Pest Initiative to try and combat wild dogs, an ongoing challenge for sheep producers across the state.

Matt says the fencing was a healthy distraction at the right time.

“I don’t mind building a new fence, but I hate fixing up an old fence,” he says.

“We came out of the drought and were like ‘Well what’s next, what are we doing?’ and the fencing gave us so many opportunities.

“We wouldn’t have been able to do the goats or anything else really without it because of the dogs. The fencing is about regaining and getting control back over what you’re doing and not having to stress about going out in the paddock and finding dead or bitten sheep.

“In the past we’d lost 30-40 in a single attack. Even with the fence in the last six months we’ve lost up to 60 sheep to dogs.

“We thought we had the dogs under control and they were gone, but we’ve installed 4G cameras and there are still about 10 or so in the cluster so we’re baiting, trapping and shooting to try and get on top of them.”

The Bartletts also use donkeys to guard their sheep in the same way that graziers use Maremma dogs and alpacas to ward off predators.

After the fences were built and the Bartletts went to restock, Matt’s involvement with industry lobby group AgForce and the record high goat prices meant they could be a viable diversification option.

“Dad wasn’t so keen on the idea of goats, but I’d seen how pretty much all the guys out west had goats as a sideline business and it helped put a lot of kids through boarding school,” Matt says.

“It was sort of a gradual realisation that they were actually making a significant amount of money and just from talking with them, the idea was probably forming in my mind even before the drought but I didn’t realise it at the time.

“The sheep market prices were more consistent, but while their input costs increased over time, the prices haven’t kept up which has meant we as producers absorbed the costs and had a smaller profit to show for it.

“The goat prices were huge then (They’ve dropped back significantly since.), they cost less to run than

Despite early losses due to extreme cold, goats have adapted well to the Bartlett family’s Traprock country grazing operation, left; these kids, above, look relaxed but at muster time, they’re sure-footed escape artists; donkeys are used to help protect sheep from wild dogs.

“

These rangeland goats didn’t get to where they are today by selective breeding; it was survival of the fittest

sheep and they appeared easier to manage which was important as it’s only Dad and I here with casual staff on an as needs basis for things like shearing and dad’s not getting any younger.

“Going into goats was more than just economics, it was about having time to focus on other things in the business and achieving a better work life balance.”

David was hesitant at first, preferring to go into low maintenance sheep like Dorpers, but was happy for Matt to run goats alongside them.

Matt initially bought Rangeland Nannies from Longreach, Cunnamulla, Morven and Burke as well as 38 purebred Boer bucks to start with but 12 of them died during a particularly wet and cold snap their first winter.

“That was a tough day and a tough lesson at $1700 head,” Matt says.

They rotated these bucks in with different mobs of nannies in summer, autumn and winter to try and have kids being born at different times for cashflow, but despite other breeders telling them goats will cycle and get pregnant at any time, they had issues

with kidding percentage.

The mob that performed the best was joined from February to April.

Matt has since turned to second and third cross Boer goats sourced from commercial breeders in Dirranbandi, Morven and locally rather than a purebred Boer as he’s found a better fit for the Bartlett family’s Traprock country.

“There’s a lot to be said about hardiness and survivability,” he says.

These rangeland goats didn’t get to where they are today by selective breeding, it was survival of the fittest and I think that can’t be forgotten.”

These more commercial style bucks have helped improved kidding percentages and are running with the nannies year-round while the Bartletts build numbers up.

Matt anticipates they’ll be able to run 8000-10,000 does at capacity across two of their home blocks and have their 6000 sheep on the third block.

He plans to move to a controlled joining over February, March and April as of 2024.

The Bartletts’ geographic position put them within a three hour radius of

four different buyers including Grassland Goats at Moonie, Carey Brothers Yangan, through an agent in Warwick which supplies clients in Boonah and Brisbane Valley.

This creates options with supplying the market which western goat producers don’t have as they only have one close processor, Western Meat Exporters, in Charleville which can be an issue if there is a drop in market demand or glut in supply.

The nearest abattoir for these producers after Charleville is in Bourke and this facility only reopened for processing in late 2022 after various issues meant it sat vacant for more than three years.

A few years into the Bartlett family’s journey into goats, Matt has learnt more than a thing or two.

For starters, the transition wasn’t as simple as many people make it out to be but it has been worth overcoming the teething issues they’ve faced.

While he expected the goats would help reduce the regrowth in their paddocks, he has been astounded as just how efficient they are at controlling it.

“We would typically have to

chainpull our country for suckers like eucalypts and wattle about every three to five years, which is a huge cost in terms of labour, fuel and time, but the goats are just absolutely amazing,” he says.

“We’ve not had to pull a paddock that they’ve been in for an extended amount of time since we started running them and in some paddocks we’ve actually pulled them off as they were a little too enthusiastic!”

The other is that while goats require less frequent handling than sheep, they certainly make up for it when it comes time to muster them!

The Bartletts have purchased a Proway Bulk handler to take the physicality out of drenching and tagging the goats.

Matt has dabbled in drones for mustering but this is limited by current legislation so they’re mainly mustering on bikes with dogs.

Helicopter mustering may become viable down the track.

“Without dogs, it would be impossible,” he says.

“Sweep is my favourite working dog and honestly, she’s as valuable as any good worker when we are in the terrain that’s impassable for bikes.

“I’m biased but I wouldn’t sell her even if someone offered me $30,000 for her.”

But the biggest shock of all has been the penalising for goats “being overweight”.

“Goats only get their two teeth when they are 18 months so there’s more of a window than sheep but it’s still a young animal and with all the genetic improvements, we are trying to get them heavier faster for a quicker turn off but we’re not really getting the benefit of this because if it gets to a point where it’s too heavy, you lose on price.

“When we started running goats, it was a very hot, 17-kilo dressed market so we sold a lot for $9.80 per kilo dressed weight but this has since dropped back to about $5 and there’s a discount for anything bigger. “The 15-20kg bracket sells for $4 and anything from 20-25kg only makes $3 a kilo.

“I think this drop in price may be people associate a heavy goat with being an old stinker, so that’s a challenge for us as producers to not only raise good goats, but to educate the consumer heavier goats can still be tender and delicious instead of old and chewy.”

And Matt’s come to realise sheep still have a valuable role to play in the farm’s diversity.

“I will say Dad has been great in letting me get into goats and take ownership and I’m certainly happy we did it, but with the fluctuations in the goat market prices, the sheep still give us options even if we are not as focused on them as we were.”

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14 labour

THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

Morgan Burley

Visa changes a big blow Farmers left fighting for future after backpacker rule changes

F

armers are “very concerned” for the future of their properties and the agricultural industry after the federal government introduced further migration changes this month.

Kim Bremner and his family run two irrigation properties, specialising in the production of cotton, corn and wheat, on the outskirts of Dalby.

He claims the recent changes is proof the Labor Party is back to its “old tricks of whacking farmers every opportunity they get”.

“We’re really concerned that the federal government isn’t interested in helping farmers out with their employment,” Bremner says.

Five big modifications introduced on July 1 restrict a broad range of visa programs. These include a 25 per cent increase in visa charges for Working Holiday Makers, making Australia up to five times more expensive than countries like Canada and New Zealand, and a new wage threshold for temporary skilled migration.

The cap on student visa working hours was brought back, but at higher hours than previously, and participants in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme will be required to follow “same job, same pay” rules. And from next year, the requirement for British backpackers to undertake specified regional work to gain a second visa has been cancelled.

“It’s a recipe for deeper worker shortages. Every one of these measures makes it harder for people to come to Australia and contribute to our regions,” National Farmers’

Kim Bremner’s properties grow cotton, corn and wheat throughout the year, with the assistance of backpackers during harvest season. PHOTOS: Kim Bremner

Federation president Fiona Simson explains.

“The reality is every advanced economy relies on migrant workers for farm work. Australians just aren’t available and willing in sufficient numbers.”

Bremner says once the borders were fully opened to backpackers following Covid, his property had more than 70 applications for work.

However, now the incentives are not there for people to venture out of the cities, or even into Australia.

“I mean, is the government going to try to keep out a recession or not?” he says. “If they want to go into a recession, the way they’re doing it with the backpackers is a sure-fire way to reduce the amount of activity in the country.

“If you’re working in a bar in Brisbane and getting whatever money you want as a backpacker, what’s the incentive to go see the rest of the country and work west of the

ranges? It will make it harder for us.”

AgForce chief executive Michael Guerin says the government’s decisions would put “production at risk and lifts the cost of food for all Australians”.

“Agriculture is completely reliant on seasonal workers, with the level of demand not being able to be satisfied from Australian residents,” he says.

“Therefore, industry relies on backpackers, without which we would lose some of our food security and surety hitherto taken for granted in Australia. (We want to see) a true codesign process between industry, community, unions and government to set policies that allow agriculture and its communities to flourish.”

“

Every advanced economy relies on migrant workers

Need for more volunteer firefighters heats up Emily Devon

about and meeting new people.

“When you are part of the RFS you are not only helping your own backyard either, you could be called to help anywhere.”

High fire danger is predicted after fuels, built up during consecutive wet seasons and now dried out from frosts, are ready to burn.

QFES has reported that above average temperatures, combined with strong westerly winds that were present, helped fan the flames at the Tara fire.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued an updated El Nino alert which included a 70 per cent chance of El Nino forming, which could mean an earlier start to the bushfire season and provide generally hotter and drier conditions.

QFES says having as many people on the ground as possible would be vital to the preservation of land.

Dalby Herald

The Rural Fire Service is urging residents to volunteer ahead of what is expected to be a severe bushfire season for southwest Queensland, just days after a brutal fire caught ablaze in a small Western Downs town.

Residents are being asked to consider volunteering for the Rural Fire Service Queensland after a fire took over Tara at the end of June.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services says the large-scale bushfires scorched more than 500ha at the Western Downs town, highlighting the significant dangers still ongoing in the region.

While there are currently more than 26,000 RFS volunteers across Queensland, rural towns such as those in the Western Downs need ongoing support.

Jondaryan Rural Fire Brigade first officer and local cattle and grain

QFES seek more regional volunteers following the scorching at Tara; and, right, Fiona Schmidt, Damien Cooke, Scott Brown and Aaron Harth.

farmer Damien Cooke says more hands on deck would assist fire management greatly, and that despite having 20 people on his brigade there

were still many challenges they faced.

“It’s the same across the board and I think it has got a bit harder over the years,” Cooke says.

“For me, the reason you get involved in your Rural Fire Brigade is to give something back to your community while getting out and

People interested in joining their local Rural Brigade can express interest at the QFES website: qfes.qld.gov.au TCHE01Z01MA - V1

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THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

Water bore capping contractor Brett Wehl on a station west of Barcaldine that relies on groundwater from the Great Artesian Basin; and, above, Murweh Shire Mayor Shaun “Zoro” Radnedge.

“

Environment

Chloe Cufflin, The Western Star

Project faces murky water Local councils nationwide oppose Glencore’s carbon capture and storage trial in the Great Artesian Basin over water supply risks

A

regional Queensland council has presented a motion in Canberra to stop a carbon capture and storage project near Injune, citing major safety concerns to local water

supply.

In June, Murweh Shire Mayor Shaun ‘‘Zoro’’ Radnedge addressed more than 500 councils at the 2023 National General Assembly of Local Government, asking them to call on the federal government to take immediate action against the project.

He wants the federal government to stop a subsidiary of coalmining giant Glencore from moving forward with a project that would involve injecting its waste carbon dioxide from the Millmerran Power Station into the Great Artesian Basin – Australia’s largest groundwater basin.

Radnedge says the current threeyear trial being undertaken by Glencore’s Carbon Transport and Storage Corporation aims to demonstrate the effective permanent storage of liquefied CO2 in geological structures, which in this case is an underground freshwater reserve that could fill the Sydney Harbour 130,000 times.

“They want to turn the CO2 into a liquid and pump it into a geological structure, a similar process to V1 - TCHE01Z01MA

fracking,” Radnedge says. “They’re saying there’s no water bores within 50km of this, but what we’re calling for is more information and more stringency.”

He questions where the liquid CO2 will end up, reflecting concerns of

scientists familiar with the research.

“It’s a liquid, so it moves like a liquid,” Radnedge says. “So over time the 110,000 tonnes of liquid they plan to inject into the basin will move around and quite possibly escape from one of the other 35,000 bores,

defeating the purpose of the whole expensive exercise.”

Radnedge says his biggest concern is the potential risk to the agricultural industry, which relies on this basin to grow crops and maintain livestock.

“When you’ve got a water force underneath you (that you) rely on, if you damage that we’re in for a world of hurt,” he says.

“The biggest thing you need is water to keep stock and livestock alive. If we damage this water source and rely on rain, we’re really going to struggle.

“When you’re in the middle of a drought, you can always buy more feed, when it’s the other way around it costs far more.

“We need to protect our agriculture industry, it’s our main industry and we need to look after it. Our belief is that the government is there to put on the checks and balances.

“It’s really alarming we’re even thinking of doing that – every town in southwest Queensland relies on this water asset.

“Would they look to pump CO2 under the Great Barrier Reef? I don’t think so.

“The local community is saying unanimously they don’t want waste from a power station miles away dumped in our water supply.”

Radnedge makes it clear that CO2, while harmless, is not inert and can change the chemistry of the water when liquefied, which could impact crops and livestock.

“For farmers, this could have serious consequences, which could have consequences for our whole state,” he says.

“It’s just not worth the risk.”

The 537 councils at the assembly unanimously voted in favour of the motion to oppose CTSCo’s carbon capture trial.

Glencore’s CTSCo project general manager Darren Greer says the comments surprised him, and he labelled them “inaccurate and misleading”.

“It’s disappointing Mr Radnedge has never taken the time to meet or speak to us about our project and his claims about leakage of CO2 into agricultural bores lack any credible scientific evidence,” Greer says.

They don’t want waste from a power station miles away dumped in our water supply “Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a proven technology currently being used around the world today.

“We understand the critical importance of water access and management for the agricultural community.

“The CTSCo project can easily coexist with agricultural activities in the region.

“Glencore has been open and transparent about our project and the environmental studies which underpin our confidence that the CTSCo project will not adversely impact potable water sources in the Great Artesian Basin.

“The Australian government’s independent Expert Scientific Committee has reviewed our project’s Environmental Impact Statement and has noted that the impacts are expected to be local and minor.

“The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the International Energy Agency and the Australian government all support CCS as a key technology for meeting global emissions reduction goals.”

Glencore has addressed safety concerns previously in an open letter to the public, outlining how the trial impacts have been deemed by an independent body as “minimal and manageable” given the “small scope of the project and geological stability of the storage complex at the project location”.

The open letter further says: “Glencore understands the critical importance of water access and management and we have no intention of interfering with shallower aquifers used by the agricultural community.

“Our project is deliberately focusing on a very deep, low-quality sandstone section of an aquifer that is geologically isolated from shallower aquifers used by the agricultural community.”

16 social photos

THE DOWNS FARMER Tue.Jul.25 2023

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise

Jessica Watson OAM On July 5 Toowoomba heard – for the first time – from Jessica Watson OAM, who held the audience of near 200 people captive with her story of courage, determination and triumph.

Thirteen years on from her recordbreaking solo circumnavigation of the globe, Jessica has not lost the passion, and inspirational determination that saw her succeed in the ocean against all expectations.

Visiting as part of Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise’s (TSBE) Smart Logistics Symposium, Jessica shared interesting insights into the planning and logistics that went into her journey.

David Hanlin and Rowena Beveridge.

TSBE chair John McVeigh.

Anna-Louise Murphy, Codie McKeon, Jessica Watson, Hayley Warren, Abbey Willmington and Katie Craymer.

Mark Middlemiss, Daniel McNamara and Dan Fletcher.

Mandy Turner, Meg Spry and Bev Stroud.

Mark Mason and Katie Craymer.

Jessica Watson addresses the crowd.

Lance MacManus, Greg Bowden, Jessica Watson and Mayor Geoff McDonald.

April Cavanagh and Sara Hales.

Justin Heaven, Jo Capp and Lucas Wegener.

Rouz Fard and Cr Carol Taylor.

Jessica Watson speaks at TSBE Jessica Watson dinner, July 2023 TCHE01Z01MA - V1