Burdekin Nutrient Management Project (RP161)

The Burdekin Nutrient Management Project, known as RP161, is funded by the Queensland Government’s Queensland Reef Water Quality Program and Australian Government’s Reef Trust and delivered by a local agronomy firm Farmacist. The project has been working alongside local sugarcane farmers since 2016 to fine-tune their nitrogen rates in line with the industry standard, SIX EASY STEPS, while maintaining their productivity and profitability. Since 2016, 237 farms have received one-on-one agronomic support to create spatially mapped whole-farm nutrient plans.

As a result, the project has achieved significant practice change outcomes, including over 25,000 hectares of improved sugarcane nutrient management with 353 tonnes less nitrogen applied across this area.

As reported in social monitoring through this project in 2021, almost all landholders felt that changing their nutrient management was a positive and easy thing to do on their property. These are positive indicators for long-term behaviour change.

In a video highlighting the benefits of involvement in the project, Vince, a local cane farmer, said that he: