NQ FIELD DAYS RETURN TO STRONG SUPPORT

(Above) Herbert District Delivery Officer Glen Park and Burdekin District Manager Terry Granshaw at the NQ Field Days.

(Left) Project Officer - Irrigation Management Armin Wessel demonstrates irrigation automation equipment.

NQ FIELD DAYS RETURN

TO STRONG SUPPORT

The Rotary NQ Field Days have made a return to Townsville after an eight-year break, attracting 5000 attendees and a strong showing from the sugarcane industry.

SRA was among 200 exhibitors at the event held at Reid Park from 7-8 April.

The NQ Field Days showcase best practice in all avenues of farming, agribusiness and related industries. The event featured exhibitor demonstrations, networking, technology and innovation, and education and information sessions.

SRA Burdekin District Manager Terry Granshaw said technology drew strong interest from growers who visited the SRA stand.

“They love the technology. We had a display showing automated irrigation which allowed visitors to see how the valves work,” Terry said. “I think people can struggle to understand the concept and what we're talking about when we actually just talk. Seeing is believing and then the touching and feeling, they understand how it works.” Team members from agricultural technology company, AutoWeed, were also at the SRA stand explaining their smart spot-spraying technology which is being trialled through a current research project. (Read more about the project in our story on page 10).

“The AutoWeed display was great,” Terry said. “I think people understand we’re trying to help them be more profitable and more productive by reducing herbicide use.”

Terry said the event provided a great opportunity to share the research and development work being led by SRA.

“We had a lot of conversations about what SRA does, our research, and where the levy goes.”

Varieties are always a hot topic at industry events, and the field days were no exception with the popular Q240A on display, along with Q238A, which is less commonly grown in the Burdekin and the Herbert districts where many attendees travelled from. “Q240A is extremely popular up and down the coast. But Q238A, only a small number of growers grow it in the Burdekin and Herbert.”

“It was interesting because the two varieties look very similar, and a lot of people couldn't pick which was which. So, one was a bit of a specialist variety, and the other was a very common variety. It was great to see growers trying to work out which one was which.”

Terry said it was exciting to see the Field Days return to North Queensland.

“It’s just a great community event. I think that farmers and industry and community come here to look at what what's happening in their own backyard. And SRA is a big part of that, so I think it's a great all-round event.”

Terry Granshaw

Proceeds from the Rotary NQ Field Days support community initiatives in Townsville and surrounding regions.