Future-proofing farming takes centre stage at Ag Forum
FUTURE-PROOFING farming will be in the spotlight at the 2025 Bundaberg Ag Forum on February 3 .
With topics ranging from the controversial Great Barrier Reef Regulations to the Paradise Dam debacle, and the role of Right to Farm within town planning, decision-makers and influencers will join with producers to explore opportunities and address barriers to sustainability.
“This is a critical gathering to explore pathways and methodologies to future-proof agriculture in Bundaberg region,” said Dale Holliss, Executive Director of the Bundaberg Ag-food and Fibre Alliance (BAFFA), which is facilitating the forum.
“Bundaberg farmers produce around 145 diverse crops and contribute $2 billion to the $8.2 billion local economy. Farming supports tens of thousands of jobs in our region, and is integral to our community and its way of life. Farming must be future-proofed, and this forum is bringing producers from all sectors together to take a collaborative approach.”
The event is hosted by Member for Burnett and LNP MP Stephen Bennett, Chair of the Queensland Parliament’s Primary Industries and Resources Committee.
The forum also is giving a “green light” to farmers on how to turn organic waste - such as manure, crop residues and food processing by-products - into renewable gas and fuels. Australia’s largest landfill biogas company LMS Energy will deliver a presentation plus a free two-hour workshop.
“Each year, LMS’s projects stop more than 4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere and Bundaberg farmers are being invited to be part of that journey,” said Mr Holliss.
“It is a natural correlation for our region’s producers, who are guardians of the land we all rely on for food and drink security, to turn farm wastes into income streams and also benefit our environment and communities.
“There also are opportunities for farmers to supply energy crops - such as Sweet Sorghum, Sunn Hemp, Soy and Faba beans and Chickpeas – for the generation of renewable fuels.”
Speakers at the forum include world-renowned Great Barrier Reef expert Dr Peter Ridd, who will speak on why Bundaberg region farmers should be exempt from the controversial State Government’s Reef Regulations.
The Palaszczuk Labor Government introduced the Reef Regulations in late 2019, saying they would address land-based sources of water pollution to the Great Barrier Reef, including agricultural sources of nutrient and sediment pollution.
But Mr Holliss said: “Bundaberg region has, ridiculously, been included in the government’s ‘reef regions’ impacted by these Regulations, and this is placing increasing levels of financial and bureaucratic pressures on our farmers without any environmental benefits.
“This needs to stop. Bundaberg region should be exempt from the Reef Regulations.”
Dr Ridd is a geophysicist with more than 100 publications and 35 years' experience working on the Great Barrier Reef.
Dr Ridd said this week: “There is ample justification for a science audit to be carried out on the evidence that was originally used to include the Burnett catchment in Reef Regulations. This presentation will contain compelling new information directly relating to the Bundaberg region and its oceanography that makes it absolutely clear that the farmers of this region should be exempt from the Reef Regulations – they have no impact on the Great Barrier Reef whatsoever.”
The business end of the proposed $4.4 billion Paradise Dam rebuild will come under scrutiny at the forum, with Sunwater Executive General Manager Cameron Milliner taking questions from the floor. The 300,000 megalitre dam was damaged by the 2013 flood disaster, causing a major threat to water security for farmers in the region.
A spotlight also will be put on the future of town planning and the Right to Farm in Bundaberg region, with an expert panel including Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn exploring the topic.
Mr Holliss said: “Getting this right will play an important role in future-proofing the future of farming in this region. Right to Farm focuses on ensuring best land use outcomes and minimising conflicts.”
Entry to the forum is free, and concludes with a free two-hour workshop by LMS Energy. Q&A sessions within all presentations will enable direct engagement from the audience.
Mr Bennett said: “I am excited to see the quality and depth of subject matter and presenters being proposed at the forum and have a deep appreciation and interest in the challenges confronting our region’s continued food and fibre production.
He added: “I share concerns around the future of water security in the region and the relentless targeting of farmers with some 20 major changes and 50 amendments to vegetation management laws over the last 10 years. The Bundaberg Region is the food bowl of Australia.”
Mr Holliss said: “The forum will provide an invaluable opportunity for producers to find out more about pressing regional issues as they relate to farming, and to work in a collaborative methodology to explore solutions that will work to future-proof all areas of the industry in Bundaberg region.”
Ends
Mt Rawdon Pumped Hydro Project
Bundaberg Ag-Food and Fibre Alliance (BAFFA) Executive Director Dale Holliss has welcomed the submission of the Mt Rawdon Pumped Hydro Project to the Queensland Coordinator Generals office for assessment.
“In April 2023 we became aware of the project and provided a list of issues and potential areas of concern with the proposed development to the Coordinator Generals office with particular reference to the impact on the nearby physical environment, groundwater and the potential effect on irrigators’ water security during the filling process.”
According to Mr Holliss the Evolution Mining and ICA partners have been very proactive in addressing BAFFA’s concerns and met with them and other groups several times to better understand the concerns and to address them during the EIS process. “I have been impressed with the level of consultation and also the genuine outcomes that have been presented to us” he said.
“Our greatest concern was that the 26,000 ML required for the first fill would impact negatively on the reliability of medium priority allocation holders (Irrigators) in the Bundaberg Regional Council Area given the current interim full supply level of Paradise Dam. Evolution Mining and ICA partners have somewhat allayed those fears by undertaking to temporary transfer water from existing allocation holders and also to access the Strategic Water Reserves that are available under the Burnet Water Resource Plan and if necessary to spread the take over a several year period.”
Water and Energy are the two most important factors into our food and fibre production process and whilst we are agnostic to the source of the electrons, having a pumped hydro in the region may be a blessing into the future as the nation decarbonises its energy systems.
We look forward to assisting the project come to fruition in a mutually sustainable way.
Parliamentary visit
At the invitation of Tom Smith MP, State Member for Bundaberg, Bundaberg Ag Food and Fibre Alliance (BAFFA) representatives Peter McLennan and Dale Holliss travelled to Parliament house to meet with Minister Glenn Butcher, Assistant Minister Shane King and other representatives on a wide range of issues impacting our agribusiness and farming operations.
BAFFA is extremely concerned that the urgency to rebuild Paradise Dam by the State and Federal Governments is waning and that the Olympic infrastructure and Clean Energy infrastructure requirements will be to the detriment of the timely rebuilding of Paradise Dam.
We requested that an indicative timeline on actual build commencement and finish date be released before the end of the 2024 water year.
We reiterated the Water Resource Plan operating rules that were agreed with SunWater when the Paradise situation was first publicly raised and are appreciative that SunWater has recently recommitted to these undertakings. Not the least of which is quarantining the unsold Paradise water from the announced allocation process.
The Bundaberg scheme has significant lift and relift segments and is a high electricity requirement scheme with significant electricity costs incurred to deliver water to irrigators.
The ‘no-one is worse off’ electricity cost pass-through trial for irrigation customers in the regulated Bundaberg distribution scheme commenced in 2020 and because the current price path has been extended by 12 months, we requested that the cost pass through trial also be extended for a further 12 months to match the end of the current price path.
With respect to mining in the Bundaberg Regional Council footprint BAFFA suggested that sustainable food and fibre production take precedence over resource-based activities in our region, and we strongly recommend that this region’s future land use be classified as being only available for food, fibre, and foliage production.
BAFFA remain strongly opposed to any mining activity that threatens agricultural land, water security and the livelihood of our farmers in the Bundaberg region.