Until 2028, Reef Catchments is working alongside trusted agronomists and industry leaders – including Farmacist, Mackay Area Productivity Services (MAPS), Sugar Research Australia and Nutrien Ag Solutions – to support growers in the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac region to make practical, profitable changes on farm. This initiative focuses on what matters most to growers: smarter nutrient and pesticide decisions that protect productivity today while safeguarding local waterways and the Great Barrier Reef for the future.
“The Reefwise Farming project is about real decisions, and real outcomes driven by grower experience and backed by industry expertise,” Reef Catchments Sustainable Agriculture Manager Todd McNeill explains.
The Reefwise Farming project will support up to 60 sugarcane growers across the region to improve nutrient and chemical management through practical, on-farm solutions that strengthen productivity while delivering water quality outcomes and help protect Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef.
Growers will have access to tailored, independent agronomy advice, 50:50 co-investment grants for equipment upgrades, practical learning resources, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities. By combining targeted agronomic support with fit-for-purpose technology, the project will help growers make confident, informed decisions at key points in the season.
Sugarcane growers across the region are invited to join the Reefwise Farming project and take advantage of these opportunities to strengthen on-farm management, improve productivity, and help protect local waterways and the Great Barrier Reef.
“Reefwise Farming gives growers the support, tools, and funding to improve farm practices — protecting productivity today and the Reef for the future.” says Reef Catchments Sustainable Agriculture Manager, Todd McNeill.
An Expression of Interest (EOI) process is now open for growers to participate in the project: https://reefcatchments.com.au/projects/reefwise-farming-project/. To take part in the Reefwise Farming project, applicants must have landholder consent and undertake practices that don’t duplicate previously funded outcomes. Applications will be considered in the context of any past funding, including the type of activity, timing, and level of investment. Projects that build on earlier work and demonstrate additional environmental benefits may still be eligible.
The $7.4 million Reefwise Farming Project delivered by Reef Catchments is funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust.