The Caamaño family have seen their fair share of farming’s ups and downs over the last 40-plus years. From farming vegetables, citrus, and now coffee in Queensland’s Far North, Debbie, José and family have seen cyclones, frosts and everything in between.

Farming comes with enough uncertainty. From crops, staff, machinery, audits, and getting produce to market, it can be difficult to take a step back and ask: “Where are we now? Where do we want to be? And how do we get there?”

For many young families, buying a home in the suburbs comes with dreams of renovations or extensions. For young farming families like Dimbulah papaya growers Ben Bozzo and Jaime Smith, those dreams look a little different. Their reno project was re-laying 3.3 kilometres of ageing irrigation pipe.

Twin Bull Kauri pine trees, with their six-metre-round trunks, stretch nearly 50 metres into the air amongst the lush rainforest that surrounds Lake Barrine. They’ve stood there for a thousand years.

As a grower, you are your business.

You know it all – from the soil, to the lay of your land, who to call when that tractor plays up, even everyone’s wages.

But what happens if you’re suddenly off-farm? Whether it’s due to illness, injury, a natural disaster, or simply on a long-overdue holiday. How would your business carry on without you?

Queensland’s horticulture industry is taking a big step forward with data-driven insights that promise smarter, more resilient farming. A new report from Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers highlights how growers are improving productivity, sustainability, and profitability thanks to the Farm Business Resilience Program. 

“We had to beat the rain,” said grape grower Walter Campbell. He was helping a neighbour with their harvest the previous afternoon, after neighbours had helped him some weeks earlier.

A new Carbon Outreach project, delivered by the Department of Primary Industries, has been established to provide independent information about what is happening in this space.

With a growing focus on sustainable strategies and regenerative farming practices, more and more growers are looking to improve the health of their soils as a base foundation for horticultural health.

When you think about what soldiers and farmers have in common, a few things come to mind: determination, selflessness, strategic thinking, and working together towards a better future.

Queensland horticultural growers will be better supported to tackle the complexities faced around climate risks, market challenges, and modern farm management with the announcement of a new project to be delivered state-wide from this month.

Fourteen Granite Belt growers became the envy of the region when they embarked on a seemingly ordinary bus tour from Stanthorpe to Gatton for the Lockyer Valley Growers Expo earlier this year.

Queensland horticultural growers will be better supported to tackle the complexities faced around climate risks, market challenges, and modern farm management with further support now available through Growcom’s Farm Business Resilience Program (FBRP) for horticulture.

After a summer of bushfires, cyclones, and flooding, many horticultural growers are no doubt taking a closer look at their insurance renewals.

After a summer of bushfires, cyclones, and flooding, many horticultural growers are no doubt taking a closer look at their insurance renewals.

Imagine a phone call or chance encounter at an event or workshop turning into the building of a dam, a pipeline, a new irrigation system, or an on-farm commercial kitchen.

Maria Lorenzo of Lakeland Produce in Far North Queensland found herself at a crossroads recently with her organic banana and papaya business. Needing to invest in both expanded water storage as well as enhancing her approach to producing her value-add product range, Maria was unsure of which project to tackle first.

Summer 2023/4 has proven to be volatile for Queensland growers. While parts of the state sweltered through heat and bushfires, the far north contended with Cyclone Jasper and flooding, and the Southeast received storms as a rather unwelcome Christmas visitor.

When thinking about the benefits of planning for your agribusiness’s future, it’s natural to think in financial terms. But in speaking with Mick and John Cranny from Valley Syndicate in Bungundarra, good planning also buys you time.

As another summer of heatwaves, bushfires, and storms bears down on Queensland, primary producers are using every available resource to protect their families, crops, and businesses.

Mackays Group operate a portfolio of large-scale tropical fruit farms in Queensland’s Far North. They are committed to minimising the environmental impact of their agricultural operations, investing in infrastructure and technology.

In the last 18 months Queensland primary producers have been affected by floods, impending drought, and most recently bushfires, with each event throwing a different set of challenges at our farmers.

Following a few good years of rain in the Lockyer Valley, Greg Lester and his brother Wayne from Morton Vale Farms knew from experience that a dry spell could be just around the corner. With the assistance on offer through Growcom’s Farm Business Resilience Program (FBRP) now was the right time to strengthen their farms’ drought resilience to secure their future in farming.

Ahead of storm season, growers in Mareeba and surrounds are invited to Forewarned is Forearmed, a workshop at the Mareeba International Club on Tuesday 3 October exploring the use of climate forecasting tools to support on-farm decision-making.

Queensland horticultural growers will be able to create, innovate and accelerate their ideas thanks to a new collaboration announced today between Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers (QFVG) and the FNQ Food Incubator.

North Queensland horticultural growers are set to be better supported to achieve their business and financial goals following the announcement of a new partnership between Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers (QFVG) and the Rural Financial Counselling Service North Queensland (RFCSNQ) today.

Tony and Irina Polsoni from Polsoni Pines, have been growing pineapples on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast for three generations.

Rita and Jim Carey have recently completed a Farm Business Resilience Plan with the assistance of Growcom’s Resilience Manager Karen George. Rita and Jim grow lychees on 15 ha of land near Mutchilba, North Queensland.

It was at the 2022 Hort Connections Conference in Brisbane that South Burnett avocado, garlic and rhubarb growers Michael and Beth Crane learnt about Growcom’s Farm Business Resilience Program for horticulture.

If there is one certainty in life, it’s that change is inevitable. Having a plan is the best way to remain resilient when unchosen change finds us.