Herbert Nutrient Management Project

This tailored nutrient and farm management solutions for the Herbert project helped growers understand soil test results, develop nutrient management plans and gain a first-hand understanding of nutrient loss pathways on their own farm.

Delivered by Herbert Cane Productivity Services Limited (HCPSL), the project took a multi-pronged approach to grower engagement and practice change to address environmental issues and improve the quality of water leaving a farm. Extension agronomists upskilled growers through one-on-one and group extension activities and offered tailored on-ground solutions to maximise profits while minimising environmental impact.

To date, the project has engaged 97 farms and 57 growers, managing 9,305 hectares, that had not been previously engaged in any Reef water quality improvement program.

Social monitoring in 2021 indicated that landholders felt changing their fertiliser management was a positive thing to do on their property. Landholders were also more confident in their ability to change their fertiliser management.

Learn more about this project though these participant stories:

  • Luciano Mammarella describes the main selling point of the project as the assistance received through on-farm visits
  • Rodney Robino explains his increased understanding about why some areas grow more cane than others.

This project was funded by the Queensland Government’s Queensland Reef Water Quality Program and Australian Government’s Reef Trust. Further resources can be found on the HCPSL website.