May 16, 2016
A Federal Government-funded project to improve the efficient use of nitrogen has been welcomed by rural industry groups.
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce launched the $5.8 million “More Profit From Nitrogen: Enhancing The Nutrient Use Efficiency of Intensive Cropping and Pasture Systems” project in Dalby last week.
The project is a partnership between the cotton, dairy, sugar and horticulture industries and will run until 2020.
It aims to improve the profitability of 600 irrigated cotton growers, 500 dairy farmers, more than 1000 fruit growers as well as sugarcane growers.
It will also help all four industries to reduce the impact of off-farm nutrients on water quality.
The Cotton Research and Development Corporation is the lead group but the project will also involve 15 other agencies and research partners.
“Cotton Australia is very pleased to see more than $5 million allocated to this project, which will help improve the productivity of irrigating cotton growers,” Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay said.
Dairy Australia will receive about $1.5 million under the program.
“Nitrogen is a significant cost to dairy producers and a significant component of their environmental foot print,” Dairy Australia managing director Ian Halliday said.
“This project will help producers improve their nutrition management and thus their profitability by increasing the productivity per unit of nitrogen applied.”
The dairy component of the nitrogen use efficiency project will involve a number of research partners who will contribute an extra $500,000. They are the Queensland University of Technology, University of Melbourne, Tasmanian Institute for Agriculture and the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
