Month: April 2017

In recent months, Australian Bananas have been everywhere! On our small screens, city streets, shopping centres and even our mobile phones! And, we are about to see even more of them. Hort Innovation Marketing Manager Elisa King outlines some of the future planned marketing.   …

More than 500 reef water quality ideas were gathered at the Wet Tropics Major Integrated Project (WTMIP) innovation workshops held in Innisfail and Tully on 2 and 3 March. The Queensland Government is funding the WTMIP, which will be implemented in the Tully and Johnstone catchments,…

Growers facing financial hardship are being urged to make the most of  free financial counselling on offer, which could provide vital assistance to see them through difficult times. Rural financial counsellors like Nick Birchley are available to assist growers, through the Queensland Farm Finance Strategy,…

By Sonia Campbell When Tablelands banana grower Dennis Howe was looking to employ someone to help manage his family’s ever-growing agribusiness, he took a punt on pint-sized accountant Kim Mastin. She was 27, had little background in agriculture, but had an honesty and directness that…

By Sonia Campbell When Doug Phillips took on the role of Chair of the Australian Banana Growers’ Council (ABGC), he had no idea the challenges that would lie ahead. He stepped into the role at a time when growers in Queensland’s far north were still…

The departure of Doug Phillips as Chair of the Australian Banana Growers’ Council (ABGC) in November signalled a significant changing of the guard for the council. Mr Phillips stood down from the helm during the ABGC’s annual general meeting in Tully on 30 November, after…

Banana farming brothers Matt and Ben Abbott, of Rabbits Organics, will use funding received in the latest round of Reef Trust grants to trial an under-tree slasher, that has never previously been used in the banana industry. The slasher is fitted with a pivoting head,…