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December 2011–January 2012 Australian Sugarcane — 1

December 2011–January 2012

COVER Australian SugarcanePO Box 766, Toowoomba, 4350. Phone: (07) 4659 3555. Fax: (07) 4638 4520. Email: [email protected] DELIVERY ADDRESS: 120 Herries Street, Toowoomba, Qld. 4350

EDITOR: Brian O’Connell PRODUCTION MANAGER: Mick Allan ASSOCIATE EDITORS: David Dowling GROUP SALES MANAGER: Norm Neeld Lloyd O’Connell OFFICE MANAGER: Catherine O’Connell

ADVERTISING: Norm Neeld Phone (07) 5450 1720 Fax (07) 5450 1102 E: [email protected]

CONTENTS OF ADVERTISEMENTS are the responsibility of the advertisers. All statements and opinions expressed in Australian Sugarcane are published after due consideration of information gained from sources believed to be authentic. The following of advice given is at the reader’s own risk, and no responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of the matter published herein. No portion in whole or part may be reproduced without permission of the publisher. Copyright 2011.

Published by Berekua Pty. Ltd., 40 Creek Street, Brisbane, Queensland. Registered by Australia Post Publication No. PP 424022/1582. ISSN 1442–5157.

PUBLISHED: APRIL, JUNE, AUGUST, OCTOBER, DECEMBER, FEBRUARY. AUSTRALIAN SUGARCANE ANNUAL

In Australia’s GM Sugarcane project a BSES/DuPont

alliance is working on a herbicide tolerant trait for

weed control. (Photo courtesy Dupont)

GM sugar is coming to town

Sugarcane quality monitoring

Intensive vs extensive farming

INSI

DE

Print Post Approved Publication No. PP424022/1582

DECEMBER 2011–JANUARY 2012Volume 15, No. 7 $6.60

FEATURES 4 GM sugar is coming to town

6 BSES weed management trials

8 Intensive vs extensive farming – feeding the world while reducing environmental

harm

10 Down to Earth: Nitrogen and phosphorus rates in sugarcane

12 Book Review – The History of Cane Sugar Production in Australia 1820–1995

14 Farm trends: Expanded outputs – reduced inputs

15 Australian agricultural markets in the future

15 ‘Beyoncé’ – an important pollinator in the North

16 A heritage rice–fish co-culture system in Australia’s north?

18 Sugarcane in-field yield and quality monitoring

19 Predicting the future for precision agriculture

REGULAR SECTIONS 2 Editorial

20 Modern Machinery Matters: Agricultural machinery business ‘outlook’

22 Classic Tractor Tales: Hofherr–Schrantz–Clayton–Shuttleworth

25 District Reports

30 Fishing: Our fishing future is on the line

mailto:[email protected]


2 — Australian Sugarcane December 2011–January 2012

GM sugar is coming to town

an announcement in October by the Indonesian Deputy agriculture minister bayu Krisnamurthi took many in the sugar industry by surprise. In 2012 – in what may well be an international first – the Indonesian government intends releasing genetically modified sugarcane seeds.

See articles starting . . . . . . . . . Page 4

Yield and quality monitoring

measuring yield and quality of sugarcane in the field during harvesting is seen as essential if the industry is to adopt Precision agriculture (Pa) methods.

See article . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18

Hofherr–Schrantz–Clayton–Shuttleworth

To most unenlightened non-tractor folk, the above name is probably suggestive of either one of these incomprehensible menu selections with which one is confronted in a typical yuppy Little collins Street restaurant, or some weird cocktail also available in one of the aforementioned establishments.

See article . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

In this issue...

Editorial...�

In this issue we review a recently released history of the australian sugar industry – Global Industry, Local Innovation: The History of Cane Sugar Production in

Australia, 1820-1995 by Peter Griggs.The book catalogues sugar industry machinations over

nearly 200 years. now all of us are aware that 2011 was a year of massive changes within the australian sugar industry. commentators observed that there were probably more sales proposals and rumours in one year than in the history of the industry – around 60 per cent of our milling capacity changed hands and the wheeling and dealing is not over yet!

but as you read Peter’s book you can’t help but be reminded of old adages like “there is nothing new under the sun” or “history repeats”.

Foreign investment is nothing new in all australian agribusiness sectors as british, american, new Zealand and Japanese companies have been players for decades.

In a new a new report by management consultants Ferrier Hodgson, foreign investors are reported to have spent a record $12 billion last year buying up australian farmland and agricultural businesses.

Ferrier Hodgson argues that foreign investment brings with it significant benefits including delivering capital and providing regional spending and employment. Foreign money also helps support rural land values which can provide a valuable exit strategy for farmers looking to wind up their involvement in the sector. Foreign investors also bring to regional communities foreign expertise and access to global markets.

The consultants also confirm what we have found in over 20 years of taking study tours to all parts of the globe – overseas companies like to do business in australia because:

■ We have a stable economic and political system; ■ We have a reputation for high quality and safe production; ■ We deliver high productivity and have well-developed managerial skills; and,

■ We have a strong history of animal health (e.g. no foot-and mouth disease).

These attributes are openly envied by farmers and agribusinesses around the world. We constantly hear comments to this effect even when visiting farming operations in ‘advanced farming nations’ in europe and north america. We have to ensure that these standards are at least met and maintained – if not exceeded – by all agribusinesses operating in this country, no matter what their origin.

coping with and building upon the many changes we currently face will be a measure of the resilience of our industry. mark Day, then chairman of the australian Sugar milling council, commenting in the 2011 aSmc annual

report on the significant rate of change in industry ownership, said:

“The (new) international connections will provide new ways to access services and gains. The question will be whether (local) organisations choose to seek out and take up these opportunities, or adopt a fortress approach to protect the past. I would suggest that the latter is a terminal approach.”

Chicken sandwiches and military alliances

and speaking of fortresses and opportunities, as we further extend our military ties with the uS with additional joint military exercises in the north, we must seize the opportunity to enhance the working life of all on the land. The uS army has developed a chicken sandwich which can sit in your lunch box, your glove box, your tackle box, or even in your tool box and it will remain fresh for two years.

apparently the trick to extending shelf life is figuring out how to lower the pH in the sandwich, then simply bind the water to something so that bacteria can’t use it, and add just a dash of ‘oxygen scavengers’, or iron filings, to absorb the oxygen so that it’s not available to bacteria, yeast and mould. all this keeps the bread, meat and filling from going rancid. Sounds great doesn’t it – you never need to be a few sandwiches short of a picnic ever again!

by�Brian�O’Connell,�Editor

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An announcement in October by the Indonesian Deputy agriculture minister

bayu Krisnamurthi took many in the sugar industry by surprise. In 2012 – in what may well be an international first – the Indonesian government intends releasing genetically modified sugarcane seeds. Two state firms will issue the seeds to farmers, refuting speculation that foreign companies might monopolise supply. The Gm sugarcane trait is intended to deliver enhanced drought tolerance.

currently there is 148 million hectares planted with Gm crops worldwide which represents an 87-fold increase between 1996 and 2010. biotech crops are the fastest-adopted crop technology in the history of agriculture.

In 2010, herbicide tolerance deployed in Soybean, maize, canola, cotton, sugarbeet and alfalfa, occupied 61 per cent or 89.3 million hectares of the global biotech area

The largest share of the GmO crops planted globally is owned by monsanto. In 2007, monsanto’s trait technologies were planted on 246 million acres (1,000,000 square kms) throughout the world. monsanto has a major Gm presence in the uS sugarbeet industry but is saying little about sugarcane.

To date more than twenty traits have been successfully inserted and expressed in sugarcane (Figure 1) and there are currently advanced Gm sugarcane field trials underway around the world (Table 1).

BSES and DupontIn australia a bSeS/DuPont alliance is working on an herbicide

tolerant (HT) trait for weed control.bSeS brings to the table:

■ a world-class Gm program;

■ Over 100 Gm events with more than 10 different gene constructs field tested;

■ approximately 20 per cent of clones have yields similar to controls;

■ Successful introduction of low gene copy number following bombardment (one to five per cent); and,

■ an excellent germplasm and breeding programDuPont, the agribusiness partner, offers:

■ experience as major international player in crop biotechnology ■ a significant trait development pipeline ■ Its own significant gene technologies ■ Optimum GaT trait technology for flexible weed control.The Optimum GaT trait will help growers achieve broader

spectrum weed control. It will deliver glyphosate and aLS crop safety while protecting yield with better weed control options. This will include contact plus residual herbicides and broader spectrum weed control to manage tough weeds (including glyphosate and aLS tolerant weeds).

under the conditions of the alliance the value derived from


GM sugar is coming to town ■ From an address by Frikkie Botha, BSES QCANES Manager

TaBlE 1: advanced GM Sugarcane field trialsCompany/group Trait(s) StatusPT Perkebunan Drought tolerance Final approval pendingSyngenta Weed and insect

controlField trials in brazil

Texas a&m Weed and viral control

Preparing deregulation application

bayer/cTc/IPb alternative sugars advanced field trialscenGIcaÑa Viral control advanced field trials (Over

100 ha)Sucrogen/uQ Sugarbooster Field trials (technology

sold)bSeS/DuPont Weed control Field trialsSaSrI/IPb Sugar content Field trials

FiGurE 1: More than 20 traits successfully inserted and expressed in GM sugarcane

Frikkie Botha.

the technology by industry will be determined and agreed – 50 per cent of that value will be left in the value chain and the remaining 50 per cent split between bSeS and DuPont.

Why weed control as the focus?In 2001 an SrDc project estimated industry losses of $57

million as a result of poor weed control – on average 15 per cent of our crop potential (assumed sugar price $250 per tonne and 13.5 ccs). The losses resulted from a combination of weed competition and the phytotoxicity effects of herbicide usage.

HT cane project reviewIn January 2010 the bSeS/DuPont Steering committee

agreed that continuation of the project would be dependant on the meeting of a series of targets before the end of 2011. Significant progress was made and the review brought forward to September 2011.

review outcome: ■ bSeS has made excellent progress and this is due to the high quality and dedication of the bSeS researchers.

■ notable advances have included impressive improvements in the efficiency of sugarcane transformation.

■ Herbicide tolerant lines have been developed and field-tested and show excellent tolerance to combinations of sulfonylurea and glyphosate herbicide treatments.

■ The herbicide combinations give excellent control of weeds without the need for multiple spray treatments.

■ The lines are stable and continue to show stable herbicide and yield performance in ratoon crops.

■ The DuPont participants remain highly confident about the ultimate success of the program and are fully committed to its future.

■ bSeS’ capabilities span the discovery and development process from trait genes to regulated field trials to variety commercialisation. This platform is unique in the industry and confers significant competitive advantage to bSeS.

So where are we with GM sugarcane? ■ There will be Gm sugarcane production within the next decade. This could be as early as 2012–13 (see Figure 3).

■ most of the major agribusinesses are now investing in Gm sugarcane.

■ With the exception of monsanto their investment is in partnership with some of the ‘traditional’ sugarcane research institutions.

■ The major cost associated with Gm crop development is in deregulation.

■ In view of this it is sensible to get the timing correct for stepping up the investment in this space.

■ The bSeS HT cane project is progressing very well. until we have much more certainty about the trait value and performance of the HT sugarcane lines we will not accelerate our spending on deregulation.

Contact Dr Frikkie Botha, QCANES Manager Ph: 07 3331 3333. ■


FiGurE 2: loss to industry from weeds

SrDc project 2001 estimated losses of $57 m from poor weed control, on average 15% of crop potential (assumed sugar price $250/t and 13.5 ccs)combination of: Weed competition and Phytotoxicity effects of herbicide usage

FiGurE 3: Time line

Sour grassa perennial grassy weed that

has taken hold in the wetter areas of the Herbert district over the past few seasons. as the name suggests it tends to grow in wet compacted (sour) areas of blocks.

eliminating soil compaction and improving soil aeration and structure by the addition of soil conditioners such as mill mud, mill mud ash mixtures and lime/gypsum seems to assist with managing this problem grass.

Soil tests were carried out in the sour grass areas (poor cane growth) and the normal growth areas where there was no sour grass. as indicated in research literature low levels of magnesium or low levels of both calcium and magnesium and poor soil structure seems to favour sour growth

Herbicide treatmentsSour grass screening trial established in ratoon Q208a on

29/09/11 ■ mSma 3 L/ha + Soccer 2.2 kg/ha + wetter. ■ Soccer 2.2 kg/ha + actril DS 1,5 L/ha + wetter. ■ asulam 8.5 L/ha + actril DS 1.5 L/ha + wetter. ■ Soccer 2.2 kg/ha + balance 100 g/ha + Spray seed 3 L/ha + wetter.

■ Soccer 2.2 kg/ha + balance 200 g/ha + Spray seed 3 L/ha + wetter.

■ Velpar K4 2 kg/ha + mSma 3 L/ha + wetter. ■ Krismat 2 kg/ha + mSma 3 L/ha + wetter. ■ Flame 300m L/ha + Soccer 2.2kg +mSma 3 L/ha + wetter. ■ Glyphosate 4 L/ha + 2,4-D advance 700- 1.2 L/ha + wetter. ■ Glyphosate 6 L/ha + 2,4-D advance 700- 1.2 L/ha + wetter. ■ Verdict 500m L/ha + wetter.

■ Fusilade 1 L/ha + wetter. ■ amigan 4 kg/ha + mSma 3 L/ha + wetter nb: Glyphosate used was roundup PowermaX 540 g/L The wetter used was Li700 at the 2% rate.

results to date ■ Glyphosate treatments at both 4 and 6 L/ha with the addition of 2, 4-D advance 700 @ 1.2 L/ha gave excellent control.

■ mSma (Daconate) provided an excellent knockdown effect


Whilst we wait for a GM solution to weed control work continues on conventional management.

BSES weed management trials ■ From the report by Greg Shannon; Northern Extension Leader

Sour grass infestations near Trebonne, Herbert.

Greg Shannon.

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with all herbicides it was trialed with. ■ regrowth of sour grass has occurred in all plots with the exception of glyphosate and a follow up treatment of mSma @3 L/ha plus Diuron @ 1 kg/ha is being trialed to obtain acceptable control.

■ The only treatment that could be recommended as a directed application for reasonable in crop sour grass management at this stage would be Krismat@ 2 kg/ha plus mSma @ 3 L/ha.Further screening of products will be carried out in fallow

fields during the coming wet season

Navua SedgeFirst reported in the cairns region in the late 1980s and has

since spread throughout all the cane growing regions of the wet tropics. It will compete with the cane crop and is well established on road sides and will smother out cattle pastures.

In an effort to develop herbicide management strategies for in crop control a herbicide trial was established by bSeS and HcPSL staff in a block of ratoon Q204a on the 26/10/11

Herbicide treatments – Navua sedge ■ Sempra 130 g/ha. ■ Sempra 100 g/ha + Starane advanced 1 L/ha + mSma 3 L/ha. ■ Sempra 100 g/ha + 2,4-D advance 700 1.2 L/ha. ■ Hero 250 g/ha + actril DS 1.5 L/ha. ■ Krismat 2 kg/ha + 2,4-D advance 700 1.2 L/ha. ■ Krismat 2 kg/ha + Diuron 1 kg/ha. ■ Krismat 2 kg/ha + Diuron 1 kg/ha + mSma 3 L/ha. ■ Velpar K4 2 kg/ha + mSma 3 L/ha. ■ asulam 8.5 L/ha + actril DS 1.5 L/ha + mSma 3 L/ha. ■ mSma 3 L/ha +actril DS 1.5 L/ha. ■ mSma 6 L/ha. ■ amigan 4.6 kg/ha + mSma 3 L/ha. ■ Hero 250 g/ha. ■ control.Li 700 at 2% concentration was used as the wetting agent.

results to date ■ Sempra treatments starting to take effect. ■ Hero – slower to take effect.

■ all treatments with mSma included are having an excellent knockdown effect.

■ Krismat+diuron+mSma – excellent to date. ■ Velpar K4 + mSma – excellent initial control. ■ asulam + actril DS + mSma – excellent knockdown. ■ ratings are continuing for crop damage and also the effect on other weeds and grass. ■


Navua Sedge near ripple Creek, ingham.

Navua Sedge after the various treatments.

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GLObaL food demand could double by 2050, according to a new projection reported in the journal Proceedings of the national academy of Sciences (PnaS). The analysis

also shows that the world faces major environmental challenges unless agricultural practices change.

Scientists David Tilman and Jason Hill of the university of minnesota (umn) and colleagues found that producing the amount of food needed could significantly increase levels of carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the environment, and may cause the extinction of numerous species.

These problems can be avoided, the researchers say, if the high-yielding technologies of wealthier nations are adapted to work in poorer nations, and if all countries use nitrogen fertilizers more efficiently.

In their paper, the scientists explore various ways of meeting the demand for food, and their environmental effects.

They found that the options are: ■ To increase productivity on existing agricultural land; ■ clear more land; or, ■ a combination of both.They also consider various scenarios in which the amount

of nitrogen use, land cleared, and resulting greenhouse gas emissions differ.

“agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions could double by 2050 if current trends in global food production continue,” David said. “This would be a major problem, since global agriculture already accounts for a third of all greenhouse gas emissions.”

“ever increasing global demands for food pit environmental health against human prosperity,” said Saran Twombly, program director in the national Science Foundation (nSF)’s Division of environmental biology, which funded the research.

“These assessments show that agricultural intensification, through improved agronomic practices and technology transfer, best ensure the latter with minimal costs to the former,” Saran said.

“The results challenge wealthy nations to invest

technologically in under-yielding nations to alter the current global trajectory of agricultural expansion,” she believes. “Identifying the economic and political incentives needed to realize this investment is the critical next step.”

The environmental effects of meeting the demand for food depend on how global agriculture expands.

Nitrogen use efficiencyThe research shows that adopting nitrogen-efficient

‘intensive’ farming can meet future global food demand with much lower environmental effects, vs. the ‘extensive’ farming practiced by many poor nations, which clears land to produce more food.

The potential benefits are great, the researchers believe.In 2005, crop yields for the wealthiest nations were more

than 300 percent higher than yields for the poorest nations.“Strategically intensifying crop production in developing and

least-developed nations would reduce the overall environmental harm caused by food production, as well as provide a more equitable food supply across the globe,” said Jason.

If poorer nations continue current practices, they will clear a land area larger than the uS (two and a half billion acres) by 2050. but if richer nations help poorer nations to improve yields, that number could be reduced to half a billion acres.

“Our analyses show that we can save most of the earth’s remaining ecosystems,” said David, “by helping the poorer nations of the world feed themselves.”

For more information: David Tilman, Email [email protected] or online at www.pnas.org ■


Intensive vs extensive farming – feeding the world while reducing environmental harm

Global demand for food could double by 2050, newly released projections show. (Credit: uSDa-arS)

Crop yields for wealthier versus poorer nations were more than 300 percent higher in 2005. (Credit: uSDa)

New ways of meeting demand for food need to be explored, scientists have found. (Credit: uSDa)

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IncITec Pivot Fertilisers’ estimates of nitrogen (n) and phosphorus (P) rates in sugarcane for 2010 have been added to the following tables.across many fronts, the 2010 season delivered significant

challenges.all sectors of the industry, from growers to millers and service

providers, were affected by the prevailing adverse weather conditions. In some situations, these weather events were unprecedented.

The weather experienced ranged from extensive, protracted rainfall and flooding to cyclones.

In terms of crop nutrition, this weather had a great impact on applied nutrient rates.

The effects of these weather conditions on crop nutrition included :

■ crop failure, where nutrient applications were then no longer required;

■ an inability to travel over blocks to apply nutrients with conventional ground equipment;

■ Instances of aerial application of nutrients at reduced rates, due to higher associated application cost considerations; and,

■ Large areas of standover cane.In general, cane growers have significantly reduced both

applied nitrogen and phosphorus rates in recent years, compared to the mid to late 1990s.

The industry has been proactive in improving nutrient use


Nitrogen and phosphorus rates in sugarcane

■ By Rob Dwyer, Technical Agronomist, Incitec Pivot Fertilisers

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Down to EarthIncitec Pivot Fertilisers and Australian Sugarcane present a series of articles looking at practical ways of sustaining your soils.

rob Dwyer.

TOTal – all rEGiONSAverage N and P rates (kg/ha) by year

Eastern Australia1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

kg/ha n 206 197 190 199 179 177 171 166 169 165 169 164 148 169 146kg/ha P 27 27 24 21 21 23 19 19 19 19 21 19 12 21 18

rEGiONS BY arEaAverage N and P rates (kg/ha) by year

Wet Tropics (Tully to Mossman, including Atherton Tablelands)1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

kg/ha n 169 151 138 144 151 149 147 137 145 142 143 145 127 132 120kg/ha P 28 25 22 19 23 24 20 21 20 21 24 20 11 18 16

Herbertkg/ha n 213 198 209 204 183 201 205 191 155 153 149 151 138 153 132kg/ha P 28 26 25 21 21 30 26 24 16 16 18 17 10 24 20

Burdekinkg/ha n 272 246 247 269 233 229 234 219 223 213 218 212 198 231 227kg/ha P 26 23 23 22 21 19 17 19 21 22 18 16 10 16 19

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efficiency by adopting best management practices.Given the reduction in inputs and unusual seasons, it is

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Incitec Pivot Fertilisers’ nutrient advantage Laboratory Services is both naTa accredited and aSPac certified and has a long history of providing high quality soil and plant analysis to sugarcane growers, industry and research bodies.

cane growers can choose from three soil analysis packages from nutrient advantage Laboratory Services – basic, Standard and complete. each test complies with reef regulation requirements.

consider using the complete test to ensure your adviser is fully aware of any potential soil health issues. This test includes analysis of nitrate nitrogen, chloride and trace elements, along with phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, silicon, exchangeable cations, organic carbon and pH. ■


rEGiONS BY arEaAverage N and P rates (kg/ha) by year Central (Proserpine, Mackay & Sarina)

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010kg/ha n 225 232 214 233 176 175 166 171 174 172 176 165 153 177 138kg/ha P 28 30 26 24 18 20 14 15 14 13 19 19 11 24 15

South Qld (Bundaberg, Maryborough, Isis, & Rocky Point - with Moreton up to 2003 only)kg/ha n 161 155 155 150 148 148 120 121 144 136 150 139 122 143 124kg/ha P 24 27 26 21 24 27 19 21 25 23 26 26 19 24 24

NSWkg/ha n 164 166 164 159 173 155 150 148 155 148 158 161 97 154 141kg/ha P 30 31 24 19 26 25 20 21 26 23 23 18 10 14 15

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2011 was a year of massive changes within the australian sugar industry. Industry leaders have variously described it as a period of “probably more sales proposals and rumours

in one year than in the history of the industry” (Don murday acFa) and “the fastest rate of change in industry ownership, in its history” (mark Day aSmc). around 60 per cent of our milling capacity changed hands and the wheeling and dealing is not over yet!

So I thought it wonderfully fitting that, in the midst of what many may have seen as thoroughly modern mayhem, a book is released that catalogues industry machinations over nearly 200 years. as you are reading old adages like “there is nothing new under the sun” or “history repeats” spring readily to mind.

and it is perhaps even a little ironic that this book appears on the scene just as cSr departs. amongst much else, Peter Griggs comprehensively charts both the controversy and the very real contributions associated with cSr over its 150 year plus history as a major player in the sugar industry.

This is in every sense of the word an epic tome – epic in its scope and depth of treatment and epic in its sheer size, over 900 pages.

author Peter Griggs had both a personal and a professional motivation for writing this book.

“my grandfather pioneered a cane farm near Giru in the 1920s.” explains Peter. “my father purchased this farm and operated it until 1959, when he and my mother moved into Giru. They lived opposite Invicta mill, so as a child I grew up in the shadow of a sugar mill, hearing all the sounds of a sugar mill on a daily basis and smelling the production of sugar.

“I also heard all the stories from my parents about what it was like to be a canegrower in that period pre-1960. my brother was the chief Sugar chemist at babinda Sugar mill during the 1980s and 1990s and my father-in-law worked at Inkerman mill as a boiler maker and then Purchasing Officer for Pioneer Sugar mills Ltd. Hence, there have been lots of family discussions about the australian sugar industry, both past and current trends.”

Professionally Peter’s motivation for writing the book stemmed from what he felt was a lack of a decent history of all sectors of the australian sugar industry.

“many of the histories to do with the sugar industry that I read as a university student ended around 1915 – when the industry was first regulated – or focussed upon the melanesian labour trade pre-1906.

“Little had been written about agricultural techniques, cane breeding, pest control, disease elimination, the refining or the milling sectors – other than individual mill histories, especially

in the period after 1915. I decided that one of australia’s major export industries needed a comprehensive history.”

academically Peter is interested in agricultural geography and agricultural history, so it made sense to write about the sugar industry, especially being geographically located at James cook university – a campus that is still surrounded by fields of sugarcane.

and on the historical side, Peters believes that much of our country’s history is told from the perspective of brisbane south, yet there is half a continent to the north and the history of that part of australia is linked to sugar production.

as mentioned above, we are in the midst of a period of significant change, particularly with industry ownership. Peter believes, and his book amply illustrates, that “change in the sugar industry is certainly one constant and so are the challenges that canegrowers have faced through time.”

coping with and building upon the many changes we currently face will be a measure of the resilience of our industry. I quoted above a remark by mark Day, then chairman of the australian Sugar milling council, commenting in the 2011 aSmc annual report on the significant rate of change in industry ownership. mark went on to say:

“The (new) international connections will provide new ways to access services and gains. The question will be whether organisations choose to seek out and take up these opportunities, or adopt a fortress approach to protect the past. I would suggest that the latter is a terminal approach.”

as Peter’s book shows, the australian sugar industry has a history of recognising opportunity and building upon it.

Global Industry, Local Innovation: The History of Cane Sugar Production in Australia, 1820-1995 – Peter D. Griggs. ■

Book review

The History of Cane Sugar Production in Australia, 1820–1995

James Cook university historical geographer and author, Dr Peter Griggs.

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THe economic research Service of the uSDa has recently published a new study of farm trends in the uS. Selected extracts follow.

Over the past 30 years, a series of inter-related changes in input use, business arrangements, farm structure, and production practices combined to expand output without increasing the use of total inputs.

moreover, by allowing farmers to increase uS agricultural production through increased productivity instead of expanded land and chemical use, many of these innovations helped to limit the impact of agricultural production on the environment.

■ use of two major inputs, land and labor, has decreased over time. From 1982 to 2007, land used in agriculture dropped from 54 to 51 per cent of total uS land area, while farming used 30 per cent less hired labor and 40 per cent less operator labor. meanwhile, new technologies (such as precision agriculture) – often requiring new or advanced management techniques – have been increasingly adopted, particularly by farmers.

■ Farmers have altered how they manage their risk. There has been a heavier reliance on contracting (the value of production under contract increased roughly 10 per centage points between 1991 and 2007) and a shift of production

to farms organised as partnerships and corporations (from 34 per cent of all farm product sales in 1982 to 43 per cent by 2007), allowing risks to be spread over a wider set of stakeholders. Federal crop insurance has also become a major risk management tool (farmers insured 100 million acres in 1989; by 2007, over 270 million acres were insured).

■ Despite declines in the use of land and labor, agricultural productivity has maintained a linear growth pattern. Driven by the increased use of technology, production practices have changed, such as the increased use of no-till (from five per cent of all planted acres in 1989 to 23 per cent by 2004) and the reduced use of pesticides on many crops. many of these changes have also lowered labor requirements, which have allowed some farms to increase the size of their operations.The study found that although production has shifted

dramatically to larger farms over the past 25 years, 97 per cent of all farms remain family farms, generating 82 per cent of the total value of uS agricultural production.

by 2007, roughly 30 per cent of principal farm operators were at least 65 years old, compared with only eight per cent of self-employed workers in non-agricultural industries. In contrast, the youngest farmers, those less than 35 years old, made up roughly five per cent of principal operators, down from 16 per cent in 1982. ■


Farm trends: Expanded outputs – reduced inputs

FiGurE 1: adoption of genetically engineered seeds 1996–2007

FiGurE 2: uS tillage practices

Australian ag markets in the future

A recenT study by rural Industries research and Development corporation (rIrDc) includes an analysis of the possible states of agricultural markets in the future.

changes in market characteristics may be affected by changes in populations and location of populations, economic growth, climate change, salinity, technological developments and biofuel policies.

The clearest suggested change in location of australian agriculture was an increase in agriculture in northern australia. Development of irrigated agriculture in northern australia would probably be in the cotton, sugar, rice, horticulture and vegetable industries.

Some scenarios suggest that the area developed could be one million hectares, but the study by the northern australia Land and Water Taskforce found that the additional irrigated agricultural area would be 20,000 to 40,000 hectares. One scenario also proposed further development of dryland cropping in northern australia.

Two key regions where change might be significant can be identified:

■ The murray Darling basin (mDb) is the source of around 40 per cent of australia’s total gross value of agricultural production (Garnaut 2008). Higher temperatures and lower rainfall projected under climate change could threaten the future of agriculture in the basin. under one extreme scenario, Garnaut (2008) projects the value of irrigated agricultural production could fall by 49 per cent by 2050 and 92 per cent by 2100.

■ northern australia has been identified as a region that could be developed for agriculture, particularly if water availability became problematic in the mDb. assessments of the potential for development vary from 20,000 hectares to one million, but any significant increase in agricultural production would require some supporting transport infrastructure.

GM cropsThe use of genetically modified crops is increasing around

the world. Gm crops have the potential to increase productivity through decreasing inputs and increasing yields. Gm crops could potentially lead to significant changes in cropping industries and also livestock through the use of Gm products in feed grains or Gm pastures.

If australia does not adopt Gm crops, australia will experience declines in the prices received for crops (improved productivity in other countries increases supply and dampens world prices) and reduced market share from lower production and exports.

australia may benefit from the production of conventional crops if a specific market remains for non-Gm crops, for example import restrictions or labelling requirements differentiate the products.

If australia adopts Gm crops, exports could expand and productivity is projected to improve. In 2018, the value of australian exports of oilseeds and wheat would be $918 million higher if Gm crops are adopted compared to if they aren’t adopted.

exports of agricultural products would be $747 million higher as the Gm crops lead to a shift in production towards Gm crops and away from other agricultural products. The estimated increase in exports would be lower if the eu restricted imports of Gm crops.

For more information: https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/11-096 ■


‘Beyoncé’ – a key pollinator in the North

A PreVIOuSLy un-named species of horse fly with a glamorous golden lower abdomen has been named in honour of american pop diva, beyoncé – a member of

the former group Destiny’s child that recorded the 2001 hit single, bootylicious.

according to the australian national Insect collection researcher responsible for officially ‘describing’ the fly as Scaptia (Plinthina) beyonceae, cSIrO’s bryan Lessard, the fly’s spectacular gold colour makes it the ‘all time diva of flies”.

“It was the unique dense golden hairs on the fly’s abdomen that led me to name this fly in honour of the performer beyoncé as well as giving me the chance to demonstrate the fun side of taxonomy – the naming of species,” bryan said.

“although often considered a pest, many species of horse fly are extremely important pollinators of many plants,” he said. “Horse flies act like hummingbirds during the day, drinking nectar from their favourite varieties of grevillea, tea trees and eucalypts.”

The rare Scaptia (Plinthina) beyonceae species of horse fly was collected in 1981, the year that beyoncé was born, from north-east Queensland’s atherton Tablelands together with two other previously unknown specimens.

according to bryan’s paper, published in the australian Journal of entomology, this discovery has doubled the known size of the Scaptia (Plinthina) subgenus and extended the known distribution of Scaptia into the northern Territory and north-western australia where they were previously thought not to exist.

Contact: CSIRO - Phone: 1300 363 400; Email: [email protected] ■

This horse fly with a ‘glamorous golden lower abdomen’ has been named Beyoncé Scaptia beyonceae. (Photo: Bryan lessard, CSirO)

https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/11-096


MODern agricultural practices face the challenge of producing sufficient food while minimising potential negative effects caused by excess resource or energy

use and pollution. The value of traditional agricultural systems – which have contributed to food and livelihood security throughout the world for centuries – need to be reconsidered.

Quantifying the ecological legacy of traditional agricultural systems may help us develop unique methods of sustainable agriculture. For example, traditional chinese rice–fish co-culture (rF) has been maintained for over 1200 years.

Field surveys and experiments have been recently completed that looked at the ecological mechanisms that contribute to the sustainability of this system – the rF co-culture was compared with the modern rice monoculture (rm).

It was found that rF requires 68 per cent less pesticide and 24 per cent less chemical fertiliser than rm. This was due to a mutually beneficial relationship between rice and fish through reducing pests and regulating nitrogen (n) levels. Hence, modern agricultural systems might be improved by exploiting natural synergies between species.

rice–fish co-culture is considered a sustainable form of agriculture, because it maximises the benefits of scarce land and water resources by using relatively fewer chemical inputs, by producing both carbohydrate and protein products, and by conserving biodiversity compared with modern agricultural ‘monoculture’ crop systems (such as, rice monoculture).

In the study area, despite other changes (i.e., improvement of farmers’ livelihood and intensification of agriculture) resulting from the rapid development of china over the past 30 years, over half of the farmers continue to practice rice–fish co-culture. although the value of rice–fish co-culture has been recognised, the ecological mechanisms underlying the sustainability of this system have not been studied in depth.

a six year field survey assessed and compared the ecosystem stability of rm vs. rF. In parallel, a five year field experiment determined the mechanism of the stability in rF.

Three treatments were compared without pesticide application: rm, rF, and fish monoculture (Fm). In addition to measuring rice yield (in rm and rF) and fish yield (in rF and Fm), we focused on the occurrence of rice pests in rm and rF and on the interaction between rice and fish in rF.

This experiment confirmed that the stability of rice yield is higher in rF than in rm in the absence of pesticide application. It was found that the higher stability of rice yield in rF is associated

with positive interactions between rice and fish (Pic a). Fish benefited rice by reducing insect pests, disease, and weeds. For example, although fish did not reduce some pests (e.g., the rice stem borer and the rice leaf roller) in this field experiment, they substantially reduced the numbers of rice planthoppers, rice sheath blight, and weeds.

The reduction in rice planthoppers was partly due to fish knocking against rice plant stems, which caused rice planthoppers to fall into the water where they were possibly consumed by the fish. Video recordings showed that the active contact of fish with rice stems might explain 26 per cent of the reduction in rice planthoppers; but it remains to be determined whether fish learn to knock the stems to feed on planthoppers.

In parallel, rice benefited fish in two ways. First, rice improved the environment for fish by providing shade and reducing water temperature during the hot season. This moderation in temperature and light was associated with a substantial increase in fish activity, which was 58 per cent higher in rF than in Fm. Second, rice acts as an n sink and helps reduce the concentration of ammonia in the water and total n in the soil; such reductions in n improve the water quality for fish.

another field experiment looked at how rF maintains the same yield stability as rm but with a lower input of chemical fertilisers. The fate of n after application to rm, rF, and Fm. Was also considered.


A heritage rice–fish co-culture system in Australia’s north?

■ From the Proceedings of the US National Academy of Sciences

At A glAnce…The Federal and Queensland Governments recently

announced that $10 million will be invested in establishing new irrigation industries in northern Queensland. There is to be an assessment of new irrigated agriculture technologies, and the potential for new irrigated agricultural schemes in the Flinders and Gilbert catchments.

This is of course of interest to the sugar industry which has previously looked at expanding sugar production into this area. But there may be other crops that could also be put into an economically and environmentally sustainable mix.

investment overview…The North Queensland Irrigated Agriculture Strategy

(NQIAS) is a $10 million investment that includes:

■ $6.8 million from the Federal Government, (including $800,000 from CSIRO), for CSIRO to conduct a comprehensive assessment of surface water storage options in the Flinders and Gilbert River catchments, and identify new irrigated agriculture techniques that could be extended right across northern Australia;

■ $3 million from the Queensland Government to undertake on-farm demonstration projects and systems analysis to develop practical farming approaches; and

■ $200,000 in shared funding for a feasibility study to develop a meat processing facility in north Queensland.

The strategy is designed to open the door for new diversified and sustainable agricultural development in the catchments and will provide investment confidence in new agricultural-based businesses.

As part of the water and soil assessments in the Flinders and Gilbert catchments, the CSIRO will specifically examine how much water can be taken, from where and when, as well as storage options.

The strategy will be overseen by a board of management co-chaired by the Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government and the Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.

It found that the reduced input of n fertiliser in rF might be explained by a complementary use of n by rice and fish (Pic b). Only 11 per cent and 14 per cent of the n in fish feed were assimilated into the bodies of fish in rF and Fm, respectively. In rF, but rice plants used much of the unconsumed n originating from fish feed. comparison of rF with and without fish feed indicated that 32 per cent of the n contained in rice grain and straw originated from fish feed. comparison of rF and Fm indicated that 2.1 per cent of the fertiliser n was assimilated into the bodies of fish in rF.

conclusion: The research shows that positive interactions and complementary nutrient use between rice and fish are the foundation of this ‘long-lived’ co-culture system. but

monocultures are planted in modern, intensive agricultural systems, with the positive interactions and complementary use of resources between species being largely ignored. maintaining high and stable production in these intensive agricultural systems usually requires a high input of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.

In contrast, rice–fish co-culture exploits synergies between species, thus minimising chemical inputs and maintaining high and stable crop production. The study indicates that modern agricultural systems might be improved by adding species to monocultures that result in positive interactions and the complementary use of resources.

For more information go to www.pnas.org ■


(a) Positive interactions between rice and fish: Fish remove pests from rice through feeding activity, while rice plants moderate the field environment for fish, which in turn promotes fish activity and pest removal.(B) Complementary use of N by rice and fish: unused fertiliser N promotes plankton in paddy fields that is consumed by fish. The unconsumed fish feed acts as an organic fertiliser, with the N in the unconsumed feed being gradually used by the rice. Thus, rice and fish use different forms of N, resulting in a high efficiency of N utilisation in rF.

http://www.pnas.org

MeaSurInG yield and quality of sugarcane in the field during harvesting is seen as essential if the industry is to adopt Precision agriculture (Pa) methods.

but developing and adapting the technology to achieve these measurements will require continued work and research according to a number of agricultural engineers from Toowoomba’s university of Southern Queensland and the associated national centre for engineering in agriculture (ncea).

They presented details of a number of research projects on in-field yield and quality monitoring, at the recent biennial conference of the australian Society for engineering in agriculture.

Measuring quality a mustnazmi mat nawi said most existing monitoring systems used

in Pa measure quantity and have no ability to measure quality.“This is a serious limitation in Pa technologies because of the

considerable quality variation across the paddock,” nazmi said.“an ability to measure sugarcane quality in the field would

accelerate the adoption of Pa methods, improve current payments systems, evaluate clonal performance, and eliminate consignment errors in data collection systems.”

nazmi, along with Guangnan chen, Troy Jensen and craig baillie have studied existing quality assessment methods, but most can only be used to measure sugarcane quality in the laboratory. They have assessed the potential of these technologies to be applied to in-field use.

Laboratory technologies such as refractometer, polarimeter,

chromatographer, biosensor and spectrometer were not suitable for in-field use.but they believe a few emerging technologies have potential. These include a particular version of the refractometer, which in past field trials was mounted on the topper of the harvester.

The poor results of the study were blamed on large amounts of trash and leaf hindering measurement, and if this concept is to be reinvestigated, new designs would be needed to discriminate between squeezed juice and leaf trash.

The researchers also believe that spectrometers which are well established in measuring quality of agricultural products post harvest, and also in some sugar processes, might be suitable if they could overcome problems of mechanical vibrations and dust and plant debris.

The authors also believe microwave energy (to measure moisture content of cane), has potential in the field, provided a juice extraction mechanism is developed.

Their research also looked at a biosensor to measure sucrose in the sugarcane field. but to date, this sensor is not commercially available.

it’s how you crunch the yield numbersmeasuring sugarcane yield during harvesting is a more

advanced technology, where sensors are fitted at a number of locations on the cane harvester, measuring volume of cane in the feed rollers, chopper power, elevator power, and sensors in the elevator to measure the mass of chopped cane being delivered to the bin.


Sugarcane in-field yield and quality monitoring

■ By Miles Noller

Sugarcane harvester schematic showing the location of various sensing points

research conducted by Troy Jensen and craig baillie of the ncea, Toowoomba, and b. Fokkema of the Wageningen agricultural university, The netherlands, found that existing sensors on harvesters showed consistent similarities, and that the results from the commercial sensors appeared to be highly sensitive to the way the data is managed.

“How the data is handled and manipulated may in fact have a greater bearing on the result than the choice of sensing concept,” Troy Jensen said.

“Other issues have also been identified (i.e. presentation of crop to harvester and speed of operation) that may also affect the accuracy of the various sensors.

“How the sensor values correlated to what was actually presented in the field is yet to be determined, and is the basis for on-going research.”.

Contact Troy Jensen NCEA Ph: 07 4631 1398. ■


Dr Troy Jensen from the National Centre for Engineering in agriculture, Toowoomba Qld.

Predicting the future for PA

A recenT report from IbISWorld showed that revenue for the Precision agriculture Systems and Services industry in the uS grew at an annualized rate of 1.3 per cent during

the five years to 2012. This rate hides solid growth during the earlier years as revenue grew every year except 2009. recession-related dips in that year reduced the prices of the largest crops known to benefit from precision agriculture, including corn, soybeans and wheat.

IbISWorld analysts believe that in the five years to 2017, steady growth is set to continue for the industry in the uS and we can safely extrapolate this world wide. revenue in the uS is forecast to increase from an estimated $1.3 billion in 2012. Farmers are looking to adopt technology that increases efficiencies and innovations within precision agriculture systems will make the technology more attractive.

according to the report the reluctance or inability of some farmers to grasp the concepts behind precision agriculture and its technologies will remain an obstacle during the period. nevertheless, farmers will increasingly accept precision agriculture, as penetration of broadband and mobile technologies in rural areas grows.

a rapid rate of technological change poses the most limiting factor for companies seeking to break into precision agriculture. In 2012, the four largest firms in the Precision agriculture Systems and Services industry are expected to consume roughly 31.3 per cent of revenue, indicating a low market share concentration. Despite operating in a growing, highly specialized industry and facing little competition from substitutes, the major firms are pressured by rapid technological change.

Over the past five years, concentration has increased, as large corporations such as Trimble navigation and Topcon have acquired specialized firms that produce relevant technologies. Over the next five years, rapid technological change will continue, and precision agriculture system technologies will become more widely available.

For more information visit IBISWorld’s Precision Agriculture Systems & Services report – www.ibisworld.com ■

http://www.ibisworld.com

AGrIcuLTuraL machinery manufacturers expect overall 2011 business in the uS, canada and worldwide to grow in the six to seven per cent range by year-end but then

taper off in 2012 through to 2014, according to the association of equipment manufacturers (aem) – the north american-based international trade group representing the off-road equipment manufacturing industry.

uS and CanadaFour-wheel-drive tractors sales are expected to be stronger in

2011–12 and then decline; and among two-wheel-drive tractors, business is predicted to grow the most overall for machines in the 40–100 hp range. For other types of equipment, while there is a wide range in response, demand is expected to remain in the plus column for most products 2011 through 2014.

One of the most buoyant product forecasts is for Self Propelled Sprayers:

In the just-released aem agriculture equipment ‘outlook’ survey agricultural equipment manufacturers overall fared very well in an otherwise struggling uS economy. recent growth has been positive in most categories, and exports to emerging countries are rebounding. Strong commodity demand and prices have translated into equipment sales. net uS

farm income is expected to be up 28 per cent in 2011, and net cash income to grow nearly 19 per cent.

In the aem ‘outlook’ survey, each business-activity forecast is the average of responses from manufacturers in each product line, predicting industry-wide expectations rather than individual company performance, and unit sales rather than company profitability.

australiaDemand for tractors and harvesters

remains strong and out-front mowers continue to break sales records. The australian farm machinery sales total over


Agricultural machinery business ’outlook’

Modern Machinery

Mattersis proudly supported by

Case IH’s Patriot 4430 Sprayer was named CropLife IRON Product of the Year in recognition of its ability to deliver efficiency in field.

FiGurE 1: agriculture equipment product-level detail for self-propelled sprayers

auD3 billion annually and the industry employs over 30,000 people across the country.

The Tractor and machinery association of australia (Tma) reports that sales at the beginning of 2011–12 were in good shape however supply is looming as an issue into next year. most manufacturers and importers are anticipating restrictions on supply for the coming season and farmers and contractors are warned that they need to get in early to avoid disappointment on new machinery purchases. This is a message that in the past has been put out there to trigger some early ordering but it has become more than marketing spin as globally, factories struggle with component supply.

There has been a recent spate of new machinery imports into the australian market through non-aligned importers and auction companies which is a cause for concern. There is little we can do to prevent these imports as farmers are apparently prepared to take the risk in buying new and late model used equipment from independent non-franchised sources. This equipment is not supported by the local representatives of the manufacturers and there are issues around specifications and safety concerns for the construction of some of this equipment, however there is no trigger to stop this equipment at the port or indeed at the point of sale.

On behalf of the industry, the Tma is looking at ways of differentiating the rogue imports from the manufacturer backed imported equipment sold through a dealer network.

BritainFarmers are estimated to have spent approaching £1

billion on farm equipment in the first six months of the year, an increase of nearly one cent on a year earlier. Tractors are generally the best indicator of activity and 10,649 units of over 50 hp were registered between January and august, an increase of three per cent on the previous year. The average power has continued to move up, to 142 hp this year.

The next major sub-sector of the market is combine harvesters and sales have also been very strong approaching 1000 units – the second highest level in the last decade. This has been driven by higher grain prices and a feature has been that smaller machines have been in demand.

Other machine types to have seen good demand include telescopic loaders and big balers whilst much cultivation and soil preparation equipment has also seen healthy increases in the number of units delivered to dealers. For some particular

products there have been delays in delivery as the recovery in sales in much of continental europe has led to pressure on factories.

EuropeThe boom of the agricultural equipment industry continues,

but the outlook gets more cautious. The november survey of european committee of associations of manufacturers of agricultural machinery (cema) shows that while the turnover inside and outside of europe is growing by five per cent, the new incoming orders are overall stagnating at a high level. component manufacturers have a more positive order intake.

The good demand lead to a moderate increase in the delivery time. On average customers have to wait for 2.4 months for a standard machine compared to 1.8 months in October of the previous year. Longest delivery delays are reported for tractors, harvesting and transportation equipment. This is often explained with extended delivery times for some key components. The machine manufacturers report delays in getting hydraulic and drive components as well as tyres from their suppliers.

For more information:Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) – www.aem.org Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia (TMA) – www.tma.asn.auAgricultural, Environmental and Amenity Machinery Association (AEA) – www.aea.uk.comEuropean Committee of associations of manufacturers of Agricultural Machinery (CEMA) – www.cema-agri.org ■


FiGurE 2: uK tractor registrations are taken as a broad indicator of the strength of the domestic market for agricultural equipment

Tractors must be licensed for use on public roads which allows an accurate count to be made. Sales of tractors, plus parts and accessories, account for almost one half of farmers’ total spend on equipment. Source: The agricultural, environmental and amenity machinery association (aea) – economics Department

self propelled sprAyer 2011 product of the yeAr

As reported by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), in 2011 there were significantly increased sales of self propelled sprayers around the globe. This reflects a growing awareness that these units can deliver both economic efficiencies and environmental benefits on-farm.

Case IH’s 4430 Patriot sprayer was recently named IRON Product of the Year by the American publication CropLife.

The awards are similar to a people’s choice award, with readers voting on a shortlist of agricultural equipment from all sectors introduced during the calendar year – the Patriot receiving more than half of all votes cast.

“The award acknowledges the 4430 Patriot as a machine which delivers contractors and producers improved efficiency in field along with the ability to cover more hectares and increase accuracy while lowering fuel consumption,” said Case IH Marketing Manager Kerry McCauley.

The sprayer features a Case IH FPT 8.7 litre engine, which delivers 12 per cent more horsepower than its predecessor. Rated at 325 hp, it has the ability to grow to 356 Hp to deliver power for tough conditions.

“These sprayers are well-known for their ability to ensure accurate application to enable operators to make the most of short spraying windows,” said Kerry.

With a forward-facing cab and rear engine, this range of sprayers provides optimum weight distribution in field to minimise compaction. Accurate and consistent chemical application is delivered via the optional and Case IH-exclusive AIM Command pulse width modulation spray technology (see October/November issue Australian Sugarcane).

To complete the efficiency package, the 4430 can be fitted with Case IH’s Pro 700 colour display for full guidance and application control.

For more information: www.caseih.com/australia

http://www.aem.org

http://www.tma.asn.au

http://www.aea.uk.com

http://www.cema-agri.org

http://www.caseih.com/australia

To most unenlightened non-tractor folk, the above name is probably suggestive of either one of these incomprehensible menu selections with which one is confronted in a typical yuppy Little Collins Street restaurant, or some weird cocktail also available in one of the aforementioned establishments.

but to those of us on a higher intellectual plane, that is, blessed with a knowledge of old tractors, we know of course that the HScS is in fact the name of a quirky Hungarian tractor.

It is not surprising that with such a mouthful as Hofherr-Schrantz-clayton-Shuttleworth, the company preferred to be known as HScS.

HSCS in the beginningThe origins of HScS extend back to the 19th century

and combined british and Hungarian interests – an unlikely combination at that time.

nathaniel clayton was a crusty english sea captain, but also an acknowledged expert in the field of steam engines. In 1842 he retired from his naval career and formed a business partnership with Joseph Shuttleworth – a respected engineer. They established a firm in Lincolnshire for the purpose of

designing and manufacturing marine engines. but in response to the rapid expansion of mechanised farming, the factory switched to the production of agricultural steam engines together with a range of portable threshing machines.

clayton and Shuttleworth Ltd experienced a dramatic growth of business and became one of the largest and most prestigious steam engine manufacturers of the period and ranked alongside such firms as Heinrich Lanz of Germany, J.I. case of the uS and marshall and Sons of england.

by the year 1862 clayton and Shuttleworth were exporting their machines from Lincolnshire to eager markets in continental europe as well as russia, africa and the Far east.

BudapestTowards the end of the 19th century, a group of wealthy

Hungarian magyar noblemen, who jointly owned vast tracts of Hungarian prairie farm land, had ambitions of establishing a farm machinery manufacturing plant in the nation’s capital budapest.

The principal shareholders in the proposal were matthius Hofherr and Janos Schrantz, both agricultural engineers of distinction. a decision was taken to approach clayton and


Hofherr–Schrantz–Clayton–Shuttleworth

■ By Ian M. Johnston

CLASSIC TRACTOR TALES

a brilliant cutaway drawing of an early HSCS. (iMJ archives)

Shuttleworth with an offer for them to purchase an interest in the new budapest enterprise, thus bringing with them their expertise and engineering skills. The englishmen enthusiastically embraced the proposal and thus in 1900 the firm of Hofherr-Schrantz-clayton-Shuttleworth came into being. The first units to bear the brand of HScS were a range of state-of-the-art threshing machines.

The Hungarian manufacturing facility prospered and diversified. In 1921 the first HScS tractor was introduced. The German firm of Heinrich Lanz a.G. had offered the services of its chief tractor design engineer Doctor Fritz Huber, to assist with the design of the new tractor. It featured a single cylinder hot bulb type engine, which was ideally suited to farmers with no prior mechanical experience.

The two stroke valveless configuration of the HScS engine was simple and reliable. almost any type of combustible fuel could be used, including lamp oil, used cooking fat and old sump oil drained from other vehicles. Starting the engine required the pre-heating of the hot bulb section of the cylinder head with a blow torch, prior to rocking the flywheel in a pendulum motion until the engine fired into life, generally accompanied by a shattering explosion and a spectacular emission of sparks from the tractor chimney.

HSCS in australiaIn 1934 Western australia was the first state to receive an

importation of HScS tractors. This consisted of three K50 ‘Steel Horse’ models. In total 80 HScS units were sold to Western australia farmers prior to the outbreak of World War 2. Wheat farmers in that state relished the fact that a ‘Steel Horse’ would consume only 12 gallons of fuel while performing hard work during a full eight hour day.

In 1949 following an absence of 10 years, HScS tractors (now Hungarian communist state owned) were re-introduced into australia by brown and Dureau Ltd. The most popular of the range, which included crawler tractors, proved to be the G35. In actual fact there were very few technical differences between the 1949 tractors and the original 1921 models. The transmission, brakes, steering and cosmetics had been improved over the years, but the engine remained basically the same single cylinder hot bulb design.

by the mid 1950s, australian farmers were tending to become weary of the noisy and bone-jarring characteristics of the single cylinder design. The smoother running multi-cylinder engines with their push button starts, were certainly more user-friendly and desirable than the single cylinder two stroke designs.

but those farmers who still remained dedicated to that reliable and simplistic concept, found that the Lanz bulldog company


a historic 1935 photo of three of five HSCS tractors ploughing at liebe’s farm, Wubin, W.a. (Photo courtesy Tracmach Museum, Wa)

a 1951 HSCS r30/35. an excellent example restored by Hedley Shaw of Tasmania. (Photo iMJ)

a 1952 35 hp HSCS G35 in the author’s collection awaiting restoration. (Photo iMJ)

had modernised their single cylinder tractors to the extent that they were now eminently more sophisticated than the HScS machines. accordingly, Lanz sales in australia remained healthy, while HScS tractor sales fell away until the tractor was quietly removed from the market during the mid 1950s.

Interestingly, in 1955 the Hofherr- Schrantz-clayton-Shuttleworth company was renamed Dutra. It appears the communist State was anxious to obliterate all references to a capitalist past. The factory switched its production priority to that of heavy dumpers and also trucks. In 1961 a range of heavy duty four wheel drive Dutra tractors was introduced, and were among the e arliest true heavyweight tractors of the post war era.

During the 1970s Dutra amalgamated with another state owned firm named raga and a licensing arrangement was entered into with the Steiger Tractor company of Fargo, north Dakota. The budapest company was renamed raga Steiger and produced a range of Steiger tractors largely for the east european market. ■


iAn’s mystery trActor QuiZQuestion: This is the view from the driver’s seat of which tractor?Clue: If ever there was a tractor lemon – this is it!Degree of difficulty: Easy for collectors of masochistic tractors.answer: See page 32.

an interesting 1937 25 hp HSCS l25 crawler, restored by Ferg innes and on display at the world famous Booleroo Steam and Traction Preservation Soc, Sa. (Photo iMJ)

HSCS was renamed Dutra by the Hungarian Communist Party. This 1969 Dutra DK4B is powered by a 125 hp Csepel (Hungarian built austrian Steyr) 8 litre 6 cylinder diesel engine. it was imported into New Zealand in 1969 by Drummond industries and is now owned by Bill and Stuart Sanders of Ohoka, New Zealand. (Photo iMJ)

TABLELANDSThe Tableland mill finished the 2011 season during the

second week of november crushing 644,879 tonnes in 24 weeks. Seasonal average ccs ended at 14.5 units. While this was a record high, crop yield was disappointing at 91 tcph – down 6.5 per cent from the 2010 season. crop rainfall for the 2011 crop was a staggering 1685 mm (mareeba aP), double that for the 2010 crop (Table 1). but as the majority of this rain fell during november to march, irrigation was still essential for crop establishment and finishing off for harvest.

TaBlE 1: Crop and rainfall statistics for the Tableland mill

Crop year Cane yield (tcph)

CCS *Annual rainfall (mm)

2009 88.6 14.15 1120 (91.4)2010 94.1 13.59 827 (95.4)2011 91.0 14.5 1685 (94.0)

*mareeba aP records – number in brackets is per cent of rainfall from november to march

Harvesting conditions on the Tableland were ideal with only a few wet days for the season. Three days were lost early in the season when wet weather on the coast prevented processing of Tableland syrup at South Johnstone mill. Since the finish of the harvest season, scattered storm activity has supplemented irrigation and prospects for a better than average crop in 2012 are looking good.

Tinaroo dam is currently at 75 per cent capacity and with prospects of an average wet season, the dam will easily reach 100 per cent capacity before the end of the wet season. This will ensure full water allocations for another two growing seasons.

Seven varieties made up 80 per cent of cane supply – Q200a (35 per cent), Q208a (19 per cent), Q231a (7.4 per cent), Q151 (6.9 per cent), Q135 (4.2 per cent), Q172a (3.9 per cent and Q220a (3.6 per cent). The two burdekin varieties KQ228a and Q208a were the standout performers producing 23 and 18 tsph respectively.

With only 14 per cent of the 2011 crop smut susceptible, the expectation is that this will fall to less than 10 per cent for the 2012 crop. This is a highly desirable position and ensures that smut will not become an issue affecting productivity.

Thirteen growers purchased 52 tonnes of approved seed from the plot located on the bundaberg Sugar farm at arriga. Four varieties made up 59 per cent of sales and included Q183a (17 per cent), KQ228a (16 per cent), Q231a (13 per cent) and Q237a (13 per cent). Four new varieties have been propagated for release in 2012 and include Q241a, Q238a, Qn01-1551 and Qn00-1511.

Drewe Burgess BSES Tablelands

December 20, 2011

MOSSMANWell what a difference 12 months can make. This time last

year we were paddling around in water and wondering if we would ever get back onto our paddocks to do any work.

although we had 350 mm of rain for December, the start of 2012 has seen one of our driest January’s for a long while. Local farmers have taken advantage of the recent dry weather and continued their weed management programs. Vine control and spraying out fallow blocks seem to be the main projects on the agenda.

If we can continue receiving this favourable weather for a few more months and not suffer any natural disasters, the signs are definitely there for the mossman region to harvest a better than average crop in 2012. It is still very early days but I am hopeful of a crop around the high 500,000 tonnes.

Local growers are also reminded that a Species management Plan for rodent control has again commenced and will provide growers with better options to control rats in cane crops and surrounding harbourage areas. The baiting window is from October 1 through to the end of June. This baiting window gives growers the opportunity to effectively bait the climbing rat which can often cause problems between march and June. under the plan a grower is required to ensure an integrated approach with effective weed control in both crop and harbourage. They must assess the extent of any rat problem before baiting and only bait with registered baits within label restrictions.

right across the sugar the industry the effects of the last few years have taken its toll on growers and we only hope that 2012 is the year where everything turns around and we can try and get back to some normality.

Gerard Puglisi Northern Region Director

January 20, 2012


Districtreports...

Brisbane ●

● CairnsAtherton TablelandMossman–Mulgrave

Innisfail–TullyHerbert

BurdekinProserpine

Mackay–Sarina

Bundaberg

Maryborough

New South Wales

Rocky Point

INNISFAIIL/TULLYboth plant and ratoon crops are looking good. The newer

varieties are performing well, so far, as rain has fallen at the right time. Farmers have been making use of a stretch of dry weather to complete farming operations and conduct major works on fallow blocks.

Tully farmers cashed up from the sale of their shares have been buying and redeveloping the mIS forestry blocks. Some farmers have also bought Tableland farms to transfer their banana plantations away from the wind prone coast and return the coastal paddocks to sugarcane. This is good news for productivity and maximising the crop under a good price – two essential criteria that do not often align.

The Diuron ban has caused a loss of efficiency as the optimum timing of application has been skewed; the flexibility for risk management reduced and costs increased, as alternative treatments are more costly.

John Blanckensee ACFA Innisfail Director

January 20, 2012

HERBERTOver the christmas period, the weather was hot, humid and

sapping our energy.Feral pigs are giving cane paddocks a hiding at present. a

large number have been culled, yet many more are roaming around, doing damage to headlands and chewing into the cane.

Farmers have been busy spraying grasses and vines.It is now halfway through January and we have had quite a

bit of rain in the last week. The heaviest falls have been along the coast. approximately 400 mm fell around Halifax while west in the abergowrie area the rain has been much lighter with falls around 69 mm in the last few days – quite a large variation.

It is high-time for farmers in the wet-tropics to see some increased production; as weather conditions play a major part in our productivity. Here’s to a more prosperous outlook for 2012.

Carol Mackee ACFA Herbert Director

January 20, 2012

BURDEkINa happy and prosperous new year to all and here’s wishing

for further progress between canefarmers and other industry participants in 2012.

2011 season ended in the burdekin with some of the lowest recorded ccs readings for the district and because one third of the district’s cane was left in the paddocks in 2010, a record crop being harvested in 2011. The high season’s tonnages of 9.55 million tonnes belied those ‘wasted’ tonnes that, due to the extended season, went up in smoke at season’s end. much of the standover cane simply burnt away and left the one year cane to harvest, too late in the year for optimum ccs or ratooning for 2012.

The season average of 13.6 ccs was well down on most previous years and reflected the lower readings averaged from the large volume of standover cane.

For burdekin canefarmers, the season started as a financial nightmare with one third of the district’s 2010 crop as standover (maximum of four per cent standover in previous years) and the added blow of the cSr/Sucrogen pricing debacle, where growers were forced to repay additional charges on industry

pricing shortfalls, as well as honouring their own personal pricing commitments.

a disastrous may start to the harvest should eliminate any suggestion of this happening again and confirm that the district’s mills must be maintained and improved to a standard that allows the crop to be harvested within the optimum harvesting period and according to the bSeS standard. anything less, is crippling the ability of farmers to optimise their productivity and financial returns. ccS and cane purity results for 2011 were severely affected by the early start, late finish and massive standover crop, all at a cost to the grower.

In thanking all for their cooperation and patience this year, craig Doyle, Sucrogen’s executive General manager, cane Products advises, “The wash down of the factories is under way...There is much to do and the later finish to the season means we will have another shorter-than-usual maintenance period.

“We are pleased to be the new owners of Proserpine mill...The sale transaction was finalised on 9 December, after a successful creditors’ vote the same day. Victoria mill Site manager russell brown was seconded to the Proserpine project for most of this year and will oversee the transition to Sucrogen ownership. The voluntary administration process delayed capital and maintenance at the mill by several weeks. However, we have plans in place to make up this lost time and will do our best to have the mill ready for the start of the crushing.”

In conjunction with the last board meeting for 2011, the acFa board members attended the bonsucro international sugar conference, held in brisbane. The conference was well attended and offered an opportunity for interaction with both sugar and related industry participants from around the world.

The acFa board also attended the QSL (Queensland Sugar Limited) aGm, as did local burdekin QSL representative, max menzel. With the emphasis on attendance by local representatives during the last QSL elections, it was disappointing that other burdekin delegates did not attend this meeting, to put forward issues to the board and staff of QSL. max put forward a number of initiatives and met with staff and board members to discuss the proposals at length afterwards. I took the opportunity to thank the outgoing chairman and staff members, alan Winney, neil Taylor and John bird and congratulated all on their professionalism and work for QSL and the industry, in John bird’s case, over very many years of dedicated service.

I also attended a sitting of the Queensland Parliament during the debate on changes to the weapons act and banning of pocket knives, etc. I was appalled to hear each member of the LnP argue the reasons why the legislation was unsuitable, and then say they would still vote to support it. I met afterwards with Katter’s australian Party members, Shane Knuth and Leader, aidan mcLindon, who opposed the legislation and also discussed the sugar industry issues at length. Farmers, fishermen, many workers and even youngsters in the defence force cadets carry pocket knives, Stanley knives, etc. at various times in the course of their normal activities; this is a government and opposition gone mad with over-governance on an Orwellian scale. Take care next time you go out to buy a set of steak knives, technically, you may be branded a criminal, as many Victorians have found since similar legislation was enacted there.

at year’s end, I met with George christensen, member for Dawson and John cobb, Opposition Primary Industry spokesman, to discuss issues of concern locally and in the industry generally.

I also attended meetings with local Katter party candidate, ron Wadforth and Hon bob Katter mP to discuss their industry policies and I was impressed with their emphatic support for


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the farming community, their understanding of the detrimental effects of deregulation and support for mandated ethanol use in fuel.

Derm reef protection unit held a showcase and forum in ayr and I met with ben baldwin and Peter Twine from SrDc to discuss outcomes for research in 2012 and beyond. a meeting with SrDc chairman, Ian causley and ceO, annette Sugden, provided a further opportunity to discuss and outline areas of interest for research and development in the industry.

Ongoing representations and meetings with Sucrogen staff, harvesting contractors and others continued throughout 2011with successful outcomes. Growers are reminded that all grouping and siding agreements need to be reviewed and any proposed changes will require early application in order to be processed ahead of the 2012 season.

Pricing information meetings and an acFa collective and branch meeting will be held to discuss outcomes of 2011 season and impacts on growers and proposed changes to the collective agreement for 2012, ahead of negotiations.

Margaret Menzel ACFA Burdekin Director

January 20, 2012

CENTRAL REGIONall crops are looking good and despite an early finish the early

ratoons are still visibly ahead of the later ratoons. Late planted Q208 has suffered some poorer strikes resulting from high late ccS in the billets. Since late December 2011 we have had a couple of good falls of 100 mm. mackay Sugar is looking at 5.5 million tonnes for 2012 and probably an early start. The problem of retaining skilled workers for mill operation and maintenance is ongoing.

Proserpine mill is now owned by Sucrogen which is focusing on renovating the mill, while eyeing and buying land to increase production.

Plane creek has seen similar actions to increase production and return former mIS forestry land to sugarcane.

Steve Fordyce Southern Qld

January 20, 2012

SOUTHERN REGIONIt’s all about water … and water. Possibly we should call

ourselves organic farmers in this region. Water is surely organic and it surely one of the big inputs to our sugarcane farming. Once again irrigation water pricing has become a major factor in the future of the sugar industry in the Southern region. Queensland competition authority price path proposals have been met with stunned disbelief.

In rounded-off numbers these proposals mean $100 per megalitre for channel water customers. Four ml/ha is a good allocation in the region. On the other side, river water consumers would have a price fall to the lowest per megalitre ever – a contrast to other differential pricing proposals but equally as astounding. many people will be checking the price of pipes and where to lay them through the neighbours’ riparian blocks, just to see if it’s possible to do it cheaper.

Qca spokesmen have outlined the cost structure and have identified electricity for pumping as the largest single cost. What the carbon tax will do when mixed in here is not a pleasant prospect. This is one of our region’s biggest issues and to take it up to the Queensland Government will require all rural industries to gather together their total economic worth and use this value to contain the governmental water and energy monoliths.

a brighter part of the water picture is rain. almost perfect scheduling by those in charge of rain has seen some of the most vigorous growth in the ratoons. Last year’s autumn plant has also kicked in and is most impressive. The clear days between bouts of rain have made the irrigation most effective, which at least makes the cost somewhat more bearable – in contrast to last year when the sunshine was missing.

rotation crops are still being worked on in the region. Soybean varieties, either earlier or later, are in the offing and larger seed varieties also. The earlier varieties are for allowing autumn cane planting and the later for avoiding the clash with ratooning. The larger seed size is for a developing niche. as ever, the return on soybean may not be sky-high, but the rotation is a real necessity. From a field walk recently, contact with soybean breeders shows a critical level of quantity is being watched with regard to the new varieties. not enough tonnes grown here and the rD& e will be lost. Sounds familiar doesn’t it!

recent speculation from brisbane regarding the future ownership of local milling assets has been quite publicly refuted by ISIS central Sugar mill. no offers are on the table! So rumours quashed and that sort of thing. maryborough farmers are just








































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waiting for it all to settle down with mitr Pohl. as would anyone, they are just hoping for stability and a fair deal. bundaberg Sugar has, in this region, not generated rumour and farmers are simply looking forward to a good growing season and good prices.

rocky Point looks set for a better crop in 2012. many poor performing paddocks have been planted to soybean which has consequently increased to around 400 hectares.

Looking at another aspect to rD&e, daily papers have taken to magazine style lift-outs for rural news. Great, I am so pleased to see us back in the ordinary world, but there is a kicker. check if the author has any speciality in rural affairs. recent articles floating about in the Southern region have me wondering if the average hard pressed journo has the time to get the technical facts dead right. are we going to allow ourselves to take make decisions on jazzy media coverage or stick with our sometimes pedestrian but accurate technical journals?

How about, local articles for local farmers by local extension people, with an article for each region, but a common issue for all regions.

regards and a happy new and good growing year.

Mike Hetherington ACFA Southern Region Director

January 20, 2012

NEw SOUTH wALES I would like to wish all members of acFa a happy new year

for 2012.Let us hope it rains at night and we have sunshine every day,

but if that cannot be arranged I think I would settle for no floods or cyclones.

The crop is progressing well on the Tweed although the richmond and clarence will have a very poor 2012 harvest due to the flooding in 2010–11 and the wet harvest in both years.

It will take the two southern mills longer to recover due to the fact that they harvest two year cane in the main and have had

two incredibly wet harvests.a lot of the fallow ground that was not planted in 2010 is

now planted and in most cases looks like producing a good stand of cane for either 2012 or 2013.

a lot of the fallow for this year is now planted to soy beans and we can only hope for reasonable weather to take advantage of the cash that these may produce.

acFa will be holding its aGm in nSW this year in conjunction with the GIVe conference in yamba from march 12–14. This has been organized to allow you, our members to take advantage of attending both of these excellent functions.

The details for the GIVe conference can be found at the nSW Sugar web site at nswsugar.com.au. On this site, you can find information on how to book for the conference and find accommodation. Get in early as accommodation may be scarce due to other conferences in yamba that week.

The acFa conference will be held at the end of the GIVe conference on the morning of march 15 and I would ask that all members of acFa who can attend to please do so. Following the aGm there will be lunch and time for some fellowship.

Robert Quirk ACFA New South Wales Director

January 20, 2012


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My electronic calendar has just flicked to December 7 and my mind turns to anniversaries. I have several memorable dates around this time of year although

somehow they are all over shadowed by Foxtel’s constant reminders of nippon airways first non stop round trip to Pearl Harbour.

Thinking of anniversaries naturally turns to reflections and that inevitably means reviewing the year as it closes.

I’d like to say it’s been a happy, fruitful, rewarding year of achievement and personal fulfilment. That’s what I’d like to say, regrettably it’s far from the truth.

my reflections on 2011 are vivid memories of floods, earthquakes and fires, and that’s just in some of the places I like to go fishing.

my social circle has dwindled a little as time and weathering lays claim to old friends. Suddenly finding a name on the speed dial that won’t answer ever again also gives cause for reflection.

On the fishing front I’m way behind for 2011. most of the places I wanted to fish are left unmolested, at least by me. The new 50 hp yami is perched on the back of the enterprise like an expensive ornament and ‘rimes With’ the punt, has a new yami 9 hp it hasn’t met yet.

Green GestapoI was hoping to see more boat ramps on the east coast this

year but I think all the funding went to building a bigger boat ramp on christmas Island. actually coastal boat ramps will soon be a waste of money if the Green Gestapo have their way and the proposed all encompassing national ‘no fish zone’ comes into effect. admittedly it’s well off shore for now and only fished by professionals and charter operators but you can bet your Wonder Wobbler we’ll see it linked to coastal green zones as soon as they can hide the smell of a raw prawn.

The last time we had a political ego rush and fisheries were shut down some bright spark with more tax revenue than experience guessed it would cost no more than $7 million to buy off – sorry – buy out those affected. $25 million later they are still paying and nothing has really been achieved.

The new green ‘no fish zone’ will give the worlds smallest continent – that’s us – 24 per cent of the world’s marine reserves and why? australian fisheries are probably the most sustainable in the world because the people who make their living from the sea make sure they are.

maybe it’s me. Perhaps I don’t have things in perspective. Perhaps I’m the only person in the country who thinks the right


FISHING

Our fishing future is on the line

■ By Phil Jackson — Fly, Tye and Tackle

Green zone – coming to a fishing spot near you.

to go fishing is more important than political recognition for the interpersonal relationship issues of a gender confused minority.

Given the economic, political and militarily volatile state of the planet I really can’t see the need for any government at federal level to get side tracked by an individual’s sexual preferences. Who really cares? I’d support land rights for gay whales as long as it didn’t affect my rights to take my grandchildren fishing.

yeah, I know, it’s all about me. I’ve raved on in the past about my fears for the fishing future for the average aussi but I never cease to be amazed by the next world saving wonder solution. Perhaps I could get a government grant to do a feasibility study into protecting the Great barrier reef with the surplus ceiling insulation left over from the last great idea.

Will 2012 be any better? Damn right it will. The travel bug I picked up on The cape last year has imbedded itself deeper than a greenie at a labour party conference.

July 1 is the eDD (estimated date of departure) for the next great adventure. Fish my way up the east coast to cairns, left onto the Savannah Way and roughly due west until the Indian Ocean makes it to sloppy to go any further (with detours to the Gulf, arnhem Land, Kakadu, the Kimberley and back across the Simpson, plus a few side tracks). I figure I’ll be gone four or five months.

regrettably the much loved ‘rimes With’ will not be coming on this trip. a new Stacer 359 Proline will burden the Kimberley Kampa from now on and ‘rimes With’ will move on to another needy fisho. The new long range touring vehicle arrived a couple of weeks ago and the last of the fitting out will be completed by King Springs on the Gold coast shortly.

The last truck was a dream building proto-type that took three years to fit out exactly the way I wanted so this one has come fully decked out right from the get go. apart from a few minor changes everything that went to The cape will go on this next trip. Invaluable lessons from last year – especially the effects of wind, tide and water temperature – has taken a lot of guesswork out of the planning for this year.

Truth be known there isn’t the same sense of adventure and heading off into the unknown as there once was. I’ve checked out every potential fishing spot and fuel stop for the entire trip on Google earth. In fact I would go as far as to say that Google earth and www.bom.gov.au are probably the two most valuable fishing aids the travelling fisho can have. Perhaps I should have said Google earth and the weather bureau in the country you’re fishing, because there will be precious little fishing territory left in this country shortly.

Lure selection for this trip will be pretty much the same as The cape although there will be a lot more poppers. Surface poppers are so under rated and misunderstood. admittedly they perform best in the obvious places around coral bommies and over shallow reefs


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FISHING

Surface poppers are so under rated and misunderstood but perform best in the obvious places – around coral bommies and over shallow reefs.

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but nothing beats blind casting poppers around any form of structure or even where two currents come together.

Don’t wait to see surface action, create your own. big poppers make a big splash and attract big fish but they are so tiring to work for any length of time. Small to medium poppers catch more fish and big fish will take smaller offerings just as easily.

One thing I will take more of this trip is recipes. I thought I could cook fish but after a while I realised I was limiting myself and there was so much more I could do if only I had come prepared. The pantry will carry a larger range of herbs and spices this trip and not just for the fish. If the feral animal survey in 2010 was any indication there’s a chance of picking up some camel back straps on the way home across the Simpson Desert (‘The Simo’). never tried slow roasted camel back strap done in the camp oven or camel steak over a charcoal fire? you really need to get out more.

On a serious note, I really am concerned about the fishing future for the average bloke. On a global scale I can’t see the need for me to sacrifice my rights – and not just the right to fish – to supposedly save the planet. I’ve seen the pollution in asia and taxing me in Oz is not the answer.

I can’t see how taxing me will reduce my carbon footprint.I can’t see my trailer or boat rego or the fuel tax I pay on

outboard fuel being reflected in boat ramps or other services for the recreational fisherman.

I’d much rather see the coast Guard and Volunteer marine rescue training and doing what they’re there for instead of running raffles and begging for donations to keep them operating.

It occurs to me that decision makers that run the country need some constructive feedback. When I’m disappointed with the food in a restaurant I tell the chef because his job depends on it. When I’m not happy with the servicing of my vehicle I tell the mechanic because his job depends on it. So, if you’re not

happy with the way our fisheries are being managed, or the way our primary producers are being threatened by imports from diseased ridden countries, or the way your tax contributions are being wasted, tell your local political representative. Their continued employment depends on it.

next time we’ll target a fish that not even a cat would eat but it’s awesome to catch on light tackle and fantastic bait for trophy fish. ■


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FISHING

Answer to iAn’s mystery trActor QuiZ

The lightweight small acreage tractor is a 1948 Newman WD2, powered by a 10 hp Coventry Victor single cyl. diesel engine with a capacity of 567 cc.

Newman tractors attracted few followers in Australia. They were an odd-ball machine that most farmers felt they could do without. During the Australian Tractor Test No. 136 the manufacturers claim of 10 hp could not be sustained. Despite selecting a further three identical models at random, the maximum power that could be achieved was merely 7.5 hp. (Photo IMJ courtesy J and T Brennan)

mussels And sweet leeksThis dish is a really sociable thing. Just whack it in a big

bowl and get your friends to dive in. Have a loaf of crusty bread with it and you have a very tasty, very simple meal.

Ingredients3 medium leeks, cleaned and roughly chopped3 cloves garlic, finely slicedOlive oil2 knobs (tablespoons) butter1/2 glass (about 3 ounces) Marsala, sherry, or white wine1/4 pint (140 millilitres) cream2 1/2 pounds (1.1kilograms) mussels, cleaned and

de-beardedA good handful of parsley, roughly choppedSalt and freshly ground black pepper

MethodIn a large pan, slowly fry the leeks and garlic in a good lug

of olive oil and butter.After five minutes, they should be very soft and sweet to

taste. Pour in the alcohol, turn the heat up, and simmer for 1 minute until the alcohol smell disappears, leaving you with the fantastic essence.

Then add the cream, bring back to the boil, and add all the mussels.

Simply boil with a lid on until all the mussels have opened, discard any that remain closed.

To make life easier, you could make the sauce in advance and keep it in the refrigerator until you need to cook the mussels. This is kind of handy if you are having a party as you’ll have more time to chill out with a drink.

When the mussels are cooked, stir in the parsley and correct the seasoning. Serve in a large bowl with some crusty bread.

Serves: Four.Prep Time: 25 minutes.Cook Time: 15 minutes.Difficulty: Easy.

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