As part of the $270M Reef Water Quality Program, the Palaszczuk Government has announced an investment of $20.75 million over the next three years to help farmers reduce harmful run-off and improve productivity while protecting the Great Barrier Reef.
The investment ensures the continuation of the Grazing Resilience and Sustainable Solutions (GRASS) program as well as the agricultural industry’s Best Management Practice (BMP) programs which includes the SmarCane BMP, Hort360 GBR BMP and Banana BMP initiatives.
Three regional NRM organisations will benefit from with funding allocated to continuation of the GRASS program until 2026.
Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Meaghan Scanlon said that farmers will continue to play a critical role in helping to protect our Great Barrier Reef.
“Both programs are aimed at helping our agriculture industry improve land condition, enhance production and, ultimately, reduce pollutants in reef catchments,” Minister Scanlon said.
“This funding forms part of our five-year $270.1 million Queensland Reef Water Quality Program to address water pollution, taking our total spend on water quality since 2015 to over $1 billion.
“We have allocated $8.68 million to Fitzroy Basin Association, the Burnett Mary Regional Group, NQ Dry Tropics and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to continue the GRASS program until 2026.”
“GRASS is aimed at improving land condition with a focus on increasing ground cover to reduce harmful run-off impacting the Great Barrier Reef. The program assists graziers to improve their land condition and enhance their production – a perfect example of achieving economic benefits and positive environmental outcomes together,” The Minister said.
“GRASS program funding also provides graziers and producers with support to better understand their obligations to meet the government’s Reef protection regulations.’
“The new investment in the GRASS and BMP programs is just part of the Queensland Government’s $125.1 million investment to support the agricultural industry in its efforts to protect the reef, with funding allocated from the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program.”
“This funding supports Reef regulations compliance and builds on the success of a range of voluntary programs and projects which also includes practice change projects, growing regional agricultural extension capacity, and water quality monitoring.”
“We are scaling up land restoration, supporting farmers to improve runoff, banning more single-use plastics, and driving sustainability with a $1.1 billion Recycling and Jobs Fund.”
“We will continue to build on these actions, while supporting the unparalleled science and management frameworks underpinning our conservation efforts.”
CEO of Burnet Mary Regional Group Sheila Charlesworth said GRASS in an important program, delivering significant environmental benefits.
“The Burnett Mary Regional Group has been developing action plans for land management in consultation with farmers to improve paddock management and pasture cover to enhance production, provide economic benefits and deliver environmental outcomes.
“The program has been very successful in achieving these objectives.”
More information about the GRASS program is available via the Queensland Government. And more information about the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program is available here.