Reef Rescue
Grazing and Grains Reef Rescue partnership
Safeguarding our industries and the reef
AgForce has partnered with the Australian Government, Natural Resource Management (NRM) groups and industry organisations to improve water quality entering the Great Barrier Reef lagoon.
The water quality can be greatly improved by providing producers with the tools, information, and financial assistance they need to adopt best management practices (BMPs) and build new infrastructure to reduce the amount of sediment and nutrient entering reef catchments from grazing land.
What is Reef Rescue?
The Reef Rescue program is a five year, $200 million investment by the Australian Government under its Caring for Our Country initiative, running from 2009 to 2013. This initiative, takes a coordinated approach to restoring the health of the Australian environment and building on improved land management practices.
It is completely separate to the Queensland Government’s reef regulations. To find out more about Queensland's Reef Protection legislation, click here.
The majority of Reef Rescue funds ($146 million) are allocated to Water Quality Incentive Grants to support voluntary action by farmers and land managers in catchments draining to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon to adopt better land management practices.
Click here to read more about Reef Rescue and how it relates to ReefPlan.
Industry benchmarking for ReefPlan and Reef Rescue
Peak industry bodies such as AgForce, Canegrowers and Growcom provided industry benchmarking of management practices across the six catchments draining into the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon in 2010.
The Federal and State Governments jointly invested $375 million into the health of the Great Barrier Reef and aim to increase the adoption of best management practices to improve water quality outcomes for the reef.
AgForce was contracted through the voluntary Reef Rescue program coordinated through Australian Government Caring for Our Country to provide grazing and grains industry benchmarking. Industry benchmarking was provided in 2010 and more will be presented in 2012. Benchmarking is also being collated by the Q2 Coasts and Country Paddock to Reef modelling group which is predominantly coordinated through the Queensland Government.
Annual trends are reported through the Reef Plan Great Barrier Reef Report Card.
Read more about industry benchmarking in the AgForce Projects Reef Rescue page.
AgForce acknowledges the partnership between Fitzroy Basin Association, DEEDI and industry in the development and implementation of Grains BMP. Rod Collins and Hayley Eames from DEEDI help administer the Grains BMP database and collated the grains industry benchmarking report for Reef Rescue.
For further information about industry benchmarking, contact:
Rodney Collins, QDAFF, P: 4992 9146
Kevin McCosker QDAFF, P: 4936 0326
Reef Rescue grants
Collinsville grazier Barry O’Sullivan (pictured left with his wife Leanne) says Reef Rescue grants are a win-win situation for cattle producers and the Great Barrier Reef.
He said the grant scheme funded by the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country enabled him to spell a part of his country previously over utilised by his herd.
“The reason we’ve been able to do this is we haven’t had to put more cattle in to pay for the fences,” he said.
“We’re trying to look after the country so there’s less detriment to the reef, but in turn we’re trying to make it work best for us; trying to get a win-win situation and make the most of the opportunity.”
Want to find out more?
Reef Rescue partners: Click here to read more about Reef Rescue's partnerships and grants.
Grains Best Management Practice (BMP) program: Click here to read more
Meet the people: Click here to read about how Reef Rescue has helped graziers.
To find out more about legislation around protecting Wetlands in Great Barrier Reef Catchments, click here.
This project is supported by AgForce, through funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country Reef Rescue initiative.
Safeguarding our industries and the reef
AgForce has partnered with the Australian Government, Natural Resource Management (NRM) groups and industry organisations to improve water quality entering the Great Barrier Reef lagoon.
The water quality can be greatly improved by providing producers with the tools, information, and financial assistance they need to adopt best management practices (BMPs) and build new infrastructure to reduce the amount of sediment and nutrient entering reef catchments from grazing land.
What is Reef Rescue?
The Reef Rescue program is a five year, $200 million investment by the Australian Government under its Caring for Our Country initiative, running from 2009 to 2013. This initiative, takes a coordinated approach to restoring the health of the Australian environment and building on improved land management practices.
It is completely separate to the Queensland Government’s reef regulations. To find out more about Queensland's Reef Protection legislation, click here.
The majority of Reef Rescue funds ($146 million) are allocated to Water Quality Incentive Grants to support voluntary action by farmers and land managers in catchments draining to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon to adopt better land management practices.
Click here to read more about Reef Rescue and how it relates to ReefPlan.
Industry benchmarking for ReefPlan and Reef Rescue
Peak industry bodies such as AgForce, Canegrowers and Growcom provided industry benchmarking of management practices across the six catchments draining into the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon in 2010.
The Federal and State Governments jointly invested $375 million into the health of the Great Barrier Reef and aim to increase the adoption of best management practices to improve water quality outcomes for the reef.
AgForce was contracted through the voluntary Reef Rescue program coordinated through Australian Government Caring for Our Country to provide grazing and grains industry benchmarking. Industry benchmarking was provided in 2010 and more will be presented in 2012. Benchmarking is also being collated by the Q2 Coasts and Country Paddock to Reef modelling group which is predominantly coordinated through the Queensland Government.
Annual trends are reported through the Reef Plan Great Barrier Reef Report Card.
Read more about industry benchmarking in the AgForce Projects Reef Rescue page.
AgForce acknowledges the partnership between Fitzroy Basin Association, DEEDI and industry in the development and implementation of Grains BMP. Rod Collins and Hayley Eames from DEEDI help administer the Grains BMP database and collated the grains industry benchmarking report for Reef Rescue.
For further information about industry benchmarking, contact:
Rodney Collins, QDAFF, P: 4992 9146
Kevin McCosker QDAFF, P: 4936 0326
Reef Rescue grants
Collinsville grazier Barry O’Sullivan (pictured left with his wife Leanne) says Reef Rescue grants are a win-win situation for cattle producers and the Great Barrier Reef. He said the grant scheme funded by the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country enabled him to spell a part of his country previously over utilised by his herd.
“The reason we’ve been able to do this is we haven’t had to put more cattle in to pay for the fences,” he said.
“We’re trying to look after the country so there’s less detriment to the reef, but in turn we’re trying to make it work best for us; trying to get a win-win situation and make the most of the opportunity.”
Want to find out more?
Reef Rescue partners: Click here to read more about Reef Rescue's partnerships and grants.
Grains Best Management Practice (BMP) program: Click here to read more
Meet the people: Click here to read about how Reef Rescue has helped graziers.
To find out more about legislation around protecting Wetlands in Great Barrier Reef Catchments, click here.
This project is supported by AgForce, through funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country Reef Rescue initiative.