Reef regulations
Reef regulations
Graziers in the Burdekin Dry Tropics catchment have now received the ReefWise Farming Reef Protection Package containing the Environmental Risk Management Plan (ERMP) documents from the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM).
Graziers on properties greater than 2000 hectares in the Burdekin Dry Tropics, Mackay Whitsunday or Wet Tropics catchments applying or supervising the application of herbicides containing tebuthiuron should have gained a Commercial Operators Licence or hold three national competencies for preparing, transporting chemicals and controlling weeds (RTC3704A, 3401A, 3705A), a requirement of the Reef Protection legislation as of 1 July 2010.
Queensland's new Reef Protection legislation came into effect on January 1, 2010.
The state government’s aim for the legislation is to reduce farming and grazing impacts on water quality entering the Great Barrier Reef, following Premier Bligh’s election commitment to implement such legislation.
The process has been extremely swift and while there is much debate over a number of issues and AgForce believes there are other methods for achieving these outcomes, the reality is that the Government had a strict timetable set and has stuck to it.
The impacted catchments are Wet Tropics, the Burdekin and Mackay/Whitsundays, and for these producers there are two elements involved. The first is record keeping for certain resdiual herbicides and fertilised pastures (from 1 January 2010), for some graziers chemical accreditation (from 1 July) and the second are ERMPs for grazing properties greater than 2000ha in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Catchment (from 30 September 2010.
The Department of Environment and Resource Management has reef protection officers ready to assist producers with their queries and AgForce will also provide assistance particularly with ERMPs as well as providing access to accreditation requirements for the chemical competencies.
If you are affected by the legislation and have not received your package please contact DERM or AgForce to obtain a copy of the required documents.
Need help interpreting the ERMP and your requirements?
AgForce Projects is delivering follow up field days across the Burdekin catchment to assist graziers with ERMPs.
These two hour information sessions specifically outline your requirements under the new legislation and provide you with tips and tools to assist in the completion of the ERMP document.
DERM has also employed reef protection officers (RPOs) to assist producers with their queries. RPOs are located at Cairns, Townsville, and Mackay; contact the Cairns office on 07 4039 8350, Townsville: 07 4799 7552 or Mackay: 07 4967 0810.
An online version of the ERMP is now available online and can be edited and saved to your computer. Click here to access the form.
ERMPs are to be lodged with government by 30 September 2010.
Using fertilisers on improved grazing pastures
Do you apply fertilisers or soil conditioners ro improved pastures where cattle graze?
If you are a grazier with more than 2000 hectares in the Burdekin Dry Tropics, Wet Tropics or Mackay Whitsunday catchments, you are required to conduct regular soil tests and record nitrogen and phosporus fertiliser use within ten days of application.
This requirement does not apply to hay, lucerne or silage paddocks where cattle do not graze. Pelleted pasture seed records are also not required.
Click here to access the approved recording form.
Using chemicals - accreditation or record keeping
Do you require Chemical Accreditation to meet Reef Protection regulations?
Herbicide and fertiliser record keeping requirements under the legislation have been a cause of confusion for some graziers. Visit www.reefwisefarming.qld.gov.au for more information. AgForce or RPOs can provide assistance.
For grazing properties greater than 2000 hectares, the use of tebuthiuron requres the applicator to hold chemical accreditation. Other soil residual herbicides used in grazing such as hexazinone, flupropornate, picloram granuals, 2-2-DPA, atrazine and bromozynil require records of use to be kept.
AgForce offers a correspondence course which meets all the requirements of Queensland's reef protection regulations to carry out chemical application in Burdekin, Mackay-Whitsunday & Wet Tropics catchments. This course is applicable to all four prescribed agricultural chemicals in cane and one in grazing (tebuthiuron).
Click here to find out more about AgForce chemical accreditation courses.
Want to know more?
Click on the following links for more information:
For more information call project officer Kate Dunn on 3236 3100 or 0429 123 099 or email Kate.
Graziers in the Burdekin Dry Tropics catchment have now received the ReefWise Farming Reef Protection Package containing the Environmental Risk Management Plan (ERMP) documents from the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM).
Graziers on properties greater than 2000 hectares in the Burdekin Dry Tropics, Mackay Whitsunday or Wet Tropics catchments applying or supervising the application of herbicides containing tebuthiuron should have gained a Commercial Operators Licence or hold three national competencies for preparing, transporting chemicals and controlling weeds (RTC3704A, 3401A, 3705A), a requirement of the Reef Protection legislation as of 1 July 2010.
Queensland's new Reef Protection legislation came into effect on January 1, 2010.
The state government’s aim for the legislation is to reduce farming and grazing impacts on water quality entering the Great Barrier Reef, following Premier Bligh’s election commitment to implement such legislation.
The process has been extremely swift and while there is much debate over a number of issues and AgForce believes there are other methods for achieving these outcomes, the reality is that the Government had a strict timetable set and has stuck to it.
The impacted catchments are Wet Tropics, the Burdekin and Mackay/Whitsundays, and for these producers there are two elements involved. The first is record keeping for certain resdiual herbicides and fertilised pastures (from 1 January 2010), for some graziers chemical accreditation (from 1 July) and the second are ERMPs for grazing properties greater than 2000ha in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Catchment (from 30 September 2010.
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| Map of the affected catchments |
The Department of Environment and Resource Management has reef protection officers ready to assist producers with their queries and AgForce will also provide assistance particularly with ERMPs as well as providing access to accreditation requirements for the chemical competencies.
If you are affected by the legislation and have not received your package please contact DERM or AgForce to obtain a copy of the required documents.
Need help interpreting the ERMP and your requirements?
AgForce Projects is delivering follow up field days across the Burdekin catchment to assist graziers with ERMPs.
These two hour information sessions specifically outline your requirements under the new legislation and provide you with tips and tools to assist in the completion of the ERMP document.
DERM has also employed reef protection officers (RPOs) to assist producers with their queries. RPOs are located at Cairns, Townsville, and Mackay; contact the Cairns office on 07 4039 8350, Townsville: 07 4799 7552 or Mackay: 07 4967 0810.
An online version of the ERMP is now available online and can be edited and saved to your computer. Click here to access the form.
ERMPs are to be lodged with government by 30 September 2010.
Using fertilisers on improved grazing pastures
Do you apply fertilisers or soil conditioners ro improved pastures where cattle graze?
If you are a grazier with more than 2000 hectares in the Burdekin Dry Tropics, Wet Tropics or Mackay Whitsunday catchments, you are required to conduct regular soil tests and record nitrogen and phosporus fertiliser use within ten days of application.
This requirement does not apply to hay, lucerne or silage paddocks where cattle do not graze. Pelleted pasture seed records are also not required.
Click here to access the approved recording form.
Using chemicals - accreditation or record keeping
Do you require Chemical Accreditation to meet Reef Protection regulations?
Herbicide and fertiliser record keeping requirements under the legislation have been a cause of confusion for some graziers. Visit www.reefwisefarming.qld.gov.au for more information. AgForce or RPOs can provide assistance.
For grazing properties greater than 2000 hectares, the use of tebuthiuron requres the applicator to hold chemical accreditation. Other soil residual herbicides used in grazing such as hexazinone, flupropornate, picloram granuals, 2-2-DPA, atrazine and bromozynil require records of use to be kept.
AgForce offers a correspondence course which meets all the requirements of Queensland's reef protection regulations to carry out chemical application in Burdekin, Mackay-Whitsunday & Wet Tropics catchments. This course is applicable to all four prescribed agricultural chemicals in cane and one in grazing (tebuthiuron).
Click here to find out more about AgForce chemical accreditation courses.
Want to know more?
Click on the following links for more information:
- Herbicide and fertiliser record keeping requirements
- Chemical accreditation correspondence program
- Chemicals requiring record keeping under reef regulations
- Approved record keeping form
- Queensland government 'ReefWise' farming website
- Request a 'ReefWise' farming property map.
- Request a free DEEDI land type cd
- Frequently asked questions
For more information call project officer Kate Dunn on 3236 3100 or 0429 123 099 or email Kate.