EVOLUTION OF SUSTAINABLE SUGARCANE FARMING SYSTEMS IN THE HERBERT VALLEY

SINCE the first sugarcane was planted on fertile soils of the Herbert Valley more than 140 years ago, growers have continually developed efficient, sustainable and profitable methods of sugarcane production. This paper shows that developments in farming systems over time have displayed trade-offs between improved profitability and impact on the environment. The early farming systems of the Herbert sugar industry were relatively simple with low nutrient inputs, little compaction and compulsory fallowing. However, they exploited the natural fertility of the fertile alluvial soils on which the industry was first established. Successive industry expansions and the advent of mechanisation resulted in much larger areas opened up for farming and higher production levels for the district. However, there were some deleterious side effects, especially in terms of soil health. Some of these consequences are now being addressed through the adoption of more sustainable farming practices, developed and promoted by multi-organisational R&D teams including the Sugar Yield Decline Joint Venture and the Best Practice Nutrient Management group. Since 1997, many farming system demonstration trials have been established in the Herbert to promote the benefits of soil specific nutrient management, fallow cropping, wider row spacing (controlled traffic), pre-formed beds, well managed fallow legume crops and the use of double disc opener planters for establishing plant cane. The development of sustainable farming systems aimed at improving soil health by matching row spacing to machinery size, reducing tillage, adopting more precise nutrient management and incorporating GPS technology is introducing a new chapter to the evolution of sustainable farming systems in the Herbert, and growers are progressively adopting components of this new system.