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IntroductionFacing the challenge of changeWhen the Moreton Sugar Mill in Nambour closed in December 2003, it left canegrowers with the challenge of deciding how to use their cane lands in the future.

If you are one of those canegrowers, this book will help you meet that challenge.

You may be wondering what the options are for your farm in the future. You may choose to explore non-agricultural options such as farm-tourism; you may be interested in continuing to grow cane for stockfeed. You may be looking at options such as share-farming or leasing your land. And you may be thinking about growing something other than cane.

The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland (DPI&F) traditionally has not been involved with canegrowers. However, this publication provides you with information about agricultural options other than growing cane for sugar.

How will this book help you?This book is much more than just a list of ideas about what else you can grow on land that used to grow sugarcane.

This book takes you step-by-step through a process that will help you assess your current situation and make decisions about your future options.

The book supplies technical information to help you assess the risks and advantages of future options and it will help you eliminate unrealistic options so that you can focus your efforts on what’s worthwhile.

Not every agricultural industry is included in this book—there’s a good reason for the options you will find here. This book tells you about well-established agricultural industries—ones that are generally best suited to the Moreton Mill area and less likely to have an adverse impact on surrounding communities—and it discusses the mainstream enterprises within those industries.

Don’t let yourself be limited to the enterprises listed in this book. You can use the steps described as a valuable tool to explore any option for your business, including options that aren’t detailed here.

How to use this bookThe book is divided into three sections.

Section A: Making the changeThis section is the main focus of the book. It guides you through making decisions about the future use of your farm. Follow this section through from start to finish.

Follow its step-by-step process through the stages of getting ready to decide, looking at options, finding out more about those options and making the decision to change your farming system to include new enterprises.

You can use this process to assess the suitability of any option you may want to consider as your future business.

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You need access to specialised equipment for planting, inter-row cultivation and harvesting, including:

• precision planter, preferably a vacuum planter or inclined plate planter

• boom spray to apply pesticides

• harvesting equipment including a puller, windrower and harvester

• belt elevators (to prevent damage)

• access to post-harvest storage, drying, cleaning and grading facilities. (Negotiate with suppliers before you plant the peanuts.)

Harvesting needs to be on time. Poor weather during this period affects quality and returns.

SoybeansSoybeans are used primarily in the edible bean market or the oil market. Different markets can specify certain varieties so investigate contracts before you grow soybeans and understand how the final price is determined.

When harvesting, choose belt elevators to handle soybeans and peanuts because the edible bean market only buys produce with little damage.

Soil contamination is common because soybean pods are set close to the ground and harvesting is close to ground level. Never grow soybeans in soils contaminated with organochlorines or organophosphates.

Eliminate pesticide drift (like endosulfan) onto other crops and pasture because residues affect meat and may damage Queensland’s international beef markets.

All pulse crops are sensitive to physical soil problems such as surface sealing and compaction. Soybeans are sensitive to waterlogging, even for short periods, so they need to be planted on free-drained soils or raised beds.

Soybeans need a lot of water during pod fill. You can time your planting to take advantage of wet weather but soybeans also respond well to irrigation.

Control weeds early on because the range of herbicides for weed control in soybeans is limited.

Fodder cropsThe climate and most soils of the Moreton Mill area suit the production of these fodder crops: sorghum, maize, soybean, cowpea and lablab bean. Fodder crops of wheat, barley and oats are possible but the short winter growing season limits their potential yield.

Cane and cane tops Cane is a coarse, roughage-type fodder that is only used as a last resort in times of extreme drought.

Sugarcane crops make better nutritional hay than tops, but are regarded in Australia as roughage or drought feed.

Healthy cane crops could be used as a productive forage for export markets that focus on the forage as a highly palatable roughage component of a mixed ration in which components, especially protein, are included.

MaizeMost maize grown for fodder is made into silage by dairy farmers. Contractors are available to cut and transport maize used for silage. However, maize silage usually cannot be transported economically over more than 30 km.

Fodder maize needs more nutrient and fertiliser than sugarcane.

Growing fodder crops of maize needs better growing skills than forage sorghum. Otherwise, factors are the same as maize grown as a grain crop (see Grain crops: Maize).