Cane

This social monitoring data presents the opinions of cane farmers engaged in practice change projects to reduce sediment, nutrients and pesticides being lost to local waterways.

During 2019–2020, many growers engaged in practice change projects, with over 160 growers responding to surveys about their practice change journey.

The below graphs present data from projects that provided surveys at the start and at the end of a project in 2019–2020.

Not all cane farmers completed both surveys, so the graphs may represent different respondents and are not directly comparable.

Attitudes

“I think this farming practice is a positive thing to do on my farm.”

Before

ResponseNumber of responses
Strongly agree 72
Agree 59
Neither agree nor disagree 11
Disagree 2
Strongly disagree 1
Don't know 8
No response 0

153 cane farmers answered this question at the start of their project, in relation to their particular practice (e.g. changing my fertiliser management ).

After

Response Number of responses
Strongly agree 61
Agree 38
Neither agree nor disagree 14
Disagree 4
Strongly disagree 1
Don't know 0
No response 4

122 cane farmers answered this question at the end of their project, in relation to their particular practice (e.g. changing my fertiliser management).

Confidence

“I feel that this farming practice is easy to do on my farm.”

Before

ResponseNumber of responses
Strongly agree 56
Agree 72
Neither agree nor disagree 8
Disagree 10
Strongly disagree 0
Don't know 6
No response 1

153 cane farmers answered this question at the start of their project, in relation to their particular practice (e.g. changing my fertiliser management).

After

Response Number of responses
Strongly agree 49
Agree 59
Neither agree nor disagree 6
Disagree 6
Strongly disagree 0
Don't know 1
No response 1

122 cane farmers answered this question at the end of their project, in relation to their particular practice (e.g. changing my fertiliser management).

Motivations

“What were your main reason/s for implementing this farming practice?”

Before

Topic Number of responses
Government funding 12
Increased profitability 99
Increased production 53
To save money 39
To save time 31
To comply with regulations 102
Benefit local water quality 17
Benefit the environment 40
For my family 4
Other landholders 0
No reasons to change 2
Other 13
I don't know 1
I'd prefer not to answer 0
No response 0

153 cane farmers answered this question at the start of their project, in relation to their particular practice (e.g. changing my fertiliser management). Respondents were asked to choose up to three options.

After

TopicNumber of responses
Government funding 15
Increased profitability 76
Increased production 44
To save time 14
To save money 25
To comply with regulations 82
Benefit local water quality 7
Benefit the environment 22
For my family 3
Other landholders 1
No reasons to change 1
Other21
I don't know 0
I'd prefer not to answer 0
No response 0

122 cane farmers answered this question at the end of their project, in relation to their particular practice (e.g. changing my fertiliser management). Respondents were asked to choose up to three options.

Barriers

“What were your main challenge/s in relation to implementing this farming practice?”

Before

Topic Number of responses
Worried about production 60
Worried about profitability 55
I do not have the time 7
I need more information 23
It costs too much 13
No water quality benefit 15
It is not the way I manage my farm 4
Weather and seasonal issues 21
Lack of family support 2
Past failures 0
Constrained by contractors 3
No challenges/difficulties 7
Other 33
I don't know 3
I'd prefer not to answer 4
No response  0

153 cane farmers answered this question at the start of the project, in relation to their particular practice (e.g. changing my fertiliser management). Respondents were asked to choose up to three options.

After

Topic Number of responses
Worried about production 56
Worried about profitability 47
I do not have the time 4
I need more information 16
It costs too much 5
No water quality benefit 7
It is not the way I manage my farm 2
Weather and seasonal issues 36
Lack of family support 5
Past failures 2
Constrained by contractors 1
No challenges/difficulties 14
Other 34
I don't know 1
I'd prefer not to answer 1
No response 0

122 cane farmers answered this question at the end of the project, in relation to their particular practice (e.g. changing my fertiliser management). Respondents were asked to choose up to three options.