QUEENSLAND cattle producers in Great Barrier Reef catchment areas are being encouraged to participate in an innovation project that aims to improve reef water quality and increase farm profitability.
AgForce senior policy adviser Andrew Freeman said the Reef Trust III: Reef Alliance Grazing Innovation Project was about fostering innovation that could reduce erosion, sediments and nutrients from grazing lands in reef catchments, while also increasing farm profitability and increasing the number of graziers adopting improved practices.
"It's about developing innovative solutions to difficult problems, either through new practices or new technology, or by applying existing practices or technology in a novel way,” Mr Freeman said.
"There has been considerable research into understanding how graziers can help to improve water quality outcomes across Great Barrier Reef catchments, but more work needs to be done to validate the findings and apply it on the ground on grazing properties.
"An independent technical advisory panel will be established to assess applications and provide recommendations to the Australian Government for approval, while graziers implementing innovative practice change will be supported throughout the project by AgForce and Reef Alliance partners."
More than $1.6 million in funding is available for the Reef Alliance Grazing Innovation Project through the Australian Government's Reef Trust III: Reef Alliance - Growing a Great Barrier Reef.
Expression of interest (EOI) can be lodged online: www.agforceqld.org.au