A series of four comprehensive harvester extractor trials was carried out at Tully Mill during the 1997 crushing season. Results confirmed the likelihood of increasing levels of soil and trash in cane as growers aim to maximise returns. Millers, on the other hand, face reduced throughput and increased costs. Sugar quality is a problem for both growers and millers, and a joint effort is required. This paper describes research and development of cane cleaning systems and advocates that all available research and development be focused on a 100 tonnes per hour (t/h) pilot-scale cleaning system at a cane siding. The systems developed should be incorporated into the cane harvest system.