The Silkwood Drainage Board has won the national Sugarcane Grower Group of the Year Award. Sponsored by SRDC, this award was one of nine categories linked to the Australian Farmer of the Year Awards, hosted by the Kondinin Group and ABC Rural news. 

The group investigated ways to reduce soil erosion and nutrient losses from cane farms, to improve farm productivity and reduce environmental impacts by improving farm drainage systems and installing sediment traps.

Ian Brooks from the group said that to reduce soil loss they installed sediment traps at the end of paddocks in irrigation channels and in creek beds to capture soil and prevent sediment entering water ways and local catchments.

“Our trials identified the relationships between methods used to farm the soil and the impending weather events and allowed us to develop an understanding of soil erosion and the management of that within the farm drainage systems,” Mr Brooks said.  “The results were impressive as the traps significantly reduced soil sediment movement and created positive social, economic and environmental benefits for growers and the local community.

“During the trials, growers saw crop productivity lifted and environmental impacts from soil sediment run off reduced in our local catchments,” Mr Brooks said.  The group published a Sediment Trapping Field Guide to educate other growers on the design and installation of sediment traps.

“This booklet has been distributed to various industry organisations for growers to reference. Direct grower interaction has occurred within our local area; however, further communication and extension will help expand industry adoption,” Mr Brooks said.

Note: SRDC funds grower group projects as a practical and successful way to apply scientific trials on farm, drive research adoption and promote outcomes to industry. To apply for SRDC funding of a grower group research, development or extension activity contact SRDC on 07 3210 0495.