GRASS program gets cover for another three years

A program aimed at helping beef producers improve land condition, reduce soil loss and improve productivity has been extended for a further three years. NQ Dry Tropics can take the guess work out of the application process and help you to apply.

The Queensland Government is providing $8.68m through the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program to deliver the Grazing Resilience and Sustainable Solutions (GRASS) program from 2023-2026.

This is good news for Burdekin graziers. GRASS supports graziers with areas of poor or degraded land condition to develop and implement a tailor-made action plan for land management.

Graziers can apply to participate in GRASS and may be eligible to apply for incentive funding for works identified in their action plan for land management. This includes infrastructure improvements such as fencing, water troughs and erosion works.

Support will be provided for graziers to understand their obligations and access support to meet the reef protection regulations and have the opportunity to be acknowledged as low priority for compliance.

Burdekin graziers Stacey Kirkwood and Ian Collins are reaping the benefits from giving their land a rest through the GRASS program. They improved a scalded area from D condition to B condition in 18 months. Read their story here.

GRASS is funded through the Queensland Government’s Queensland Reef Water Quality Program and is delivered by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Burnett Mary Regional Group, Fitzroy Basin Association and NQ Dry Tropics.

To find out more about the program contact Carleigh Drew on 4799 3592 or carleigh.drew@nqdrytropics.com.au

Fencing, pipeline, troughs mean grazing pressure can be managed

For George and Marion Whalan, looking after the land at Ukalunda Station is about more than managing cattle — it’s about setting the property up for the future. The 7,100-hectare property south-west of Collinsville supports a mixed herd of Brahman, Brangus, Charolais and Santa Gertrudis cattle.

Like many graziers across the Burdekin, the Whalans understand that healthy landscapes underpin productive grazing businesses. In recent years they noticed parts of Paddock 1 were showing signs of decline due to preferential grazing, particularly on the more productive pulled flats where cattle repeatedly returned to graze the same areas.