Hort360 Great Barrier Reef Queensland

Queensland production horticulture growers in the reef catchments are eligible to participate and benefit from farming efficiencies implemented through Growcom’s Hort360 Great Barrier Reef (Hort360 GBR) project.

Hort360 GBR assists horticulture growers to address priority actions required to achieve best management practices across the Great Barrier Reef catchments – from Cape York down to the southern Burnett-Mary regions. The project provides an opportunity for growers to self-assess and/or work with a facilitator, to identify current on-farm practices and demonstrate improvements to management of nutrient, pesticide, sediment and run-off. In addition, the project provides a pathway for horticulture growers to achieve environmental certification as a best practice producer in three key areas; sustainability, productivity, and farm efficiency.

Hort360 is entirely voluntary. However, best management practice (BMP) programs such as Hort360 are recognised as a way for growers to demonstrate environmental stewardship of the Great Barrier Reef and, more broadly, the environment. Primary producers in beef, cropping and sugar are also using BMPs to benchmark current farm practices, undertake improvements to farm practices and demonstrate their production capacity at best practice management. This approach is supported by the Queensland Government looking for the best outcomes for water quality, GBR health and engagement with horticulture.

Key outputs of the project include:

One-on-one extension services to assist growers to undertake Hort360 and improve sediment, nutrient and pesticide management practices.
Provision of technical resources, such as fact sheets, case studies, workbooks and farm maps – to support Hort360 growers in their on-farm improvements.
Workshops, field days and other extension activities, connecting growers and stakeholders with the best technical expertise in the field.
Reef Certification through Hort360.

The Hort360 Great Barrier Reef project gives us confidence and certainty in managing our business. Being Hort360 Reef Certified demonstrates we meet community, customer and business expectations – it’s ticking all the boxes.

What is Hort360 Reef Certification?

The key purpose of Hort360 Reef Certification is to provide a quality, credible certification pathway for horticulture growers to demonstrate their environmental stewardship and industry best practice standards in the Great Barrier Reef catchments.

The Hort360 Reef Certification aligns and leverages off current systems (ie. Freshcare) used by horticultural businesses to provide a specific water quality outcome. This will ensure there is reduced administration effort for the grower.

It is important for horticultural growers, with much of Queensland’s fruit, vegetable and nut production close to sensitive marine environments such as the Great Barrier Reef, that they manage their enterprises to reduce impacts on water quality both on and off farm.

Hort360 Reef Certification Introduction
Provides an outline of the process.

Hort360 Reef Certification Rules
Sets out the Privacy, Paddock to Reef, Consent, Governance, General Rules, Uses of Hort360 and Hort360 Reef certification logos and Definition of Terms.

Hort360 Reef Certification Compliance
Provides the compliance and evidence framework for achieving Hort360 Reef Certification.

Hort360 Reef Certification Interpretive Guideline
Provides background information to support components and questions as per the compliance.

Hort360 Reef Certification Forms (Word docx)
Contains a checklist, record templates and action planning.

Hort360 Reef Certification Management Practices
Sets out the management practices within the Reef Certification. These practices form the Hort360 Reef Certification module and the reporting framework for Paddock to Reef, P2R.

Hort360 Data Privacy Consent Form (Word docx)
Growcom is seeking your consent for the provision of farm management practice change data and the locality where the change has occurred.