Cotton Australia has welcomed the announcement of funding for two programs that will benefit growers.
Thursday, 26th May 2016 // Breaking News, Media Releases, Featured // Comments (0)
Cotton Australia has welcomed the announcement of funding for two programs that will benefit growers.
Earlier today Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce announced $650,000 would be made available to fast-track a feasibility assessment into using recycled water to expand agricultural production in south-east Queensland.
The funding is part of a $150 million funding commitment for feasibility assessments and construction of water infrastructure across the state.
"Currently Brisbane's urban water outfall runs into Moreton Bay. Some time ago the Queensland Government announced it would not recycle that water, so Cotton Australia, the Queensland Farmers' Federation and other groups argued for the potential of its use for agriculture to be investigated," says Cotton Australia General Manager, Michael Murray.
"We are very pleased that funding for such a feasibility project would be made available, given its potential to provide up to 100 gigalitres of water for high-value irrigation land on the Darling Downs."
"Making Brisbane's waste water available for irrigation would be a significant boost to farmers on the Darling Downs and the communities they support, and we welcome this news whole-heartedly."
“The study will build on a previous business case developed by agriculture and government in the late 1990s and early 2000s which, at the time, showed the project was feasible, but it did not proceed due to a decision then to reserve the waste water for Brisbane’s use.”
“Subsequently, both the Queensland Government and the Opposition have ruled out recycling water for Brisbane, which has presented a fantastic opportunity for agricultural and industry use.”
The cotton industry has also welcomed the announcement of an additional $60 million in new funding for the Federal Government's mobile communications black spot program.
There are more than 6000 mobile black spots across regional communities. More than $160 million had already been committed to fix about half of those, with the additional funding bringing the total commitment to $220 million.
"Cotton is one of the most technically advanced industries in Australian agriculture today, with growers relying on high-tech equipment such as GPS-driven pickers and tractors," Mr Murray says. “Our use of technology has made Australia’s cotton industry the most efficient in the world, yielding more per hectare on average than any other country.”
"Sadly, the power of that technology has been throttled by poor communications in rural areas, making it difficult to adequately process the extremely valuable useful data this advanced machinery generates."
"Cotton Australia has long argued that we could improve our industry even more, if only we had access to world-class communications networks."
"We welcome the announcement of additional funding to fix these black spots, which is a significant step towards the creation of adequate telecommunications networks that will benefit agriculture."
Cotton Australia is the peak representative body for Australia’s cotton growing industry.
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