Dear growers,
With Tropical Cyclone Jasper due to cross the Far North Queensland coast in the next 24 hours, please know that our thoughts are with you and we are hoping for the best possible outcomes for your farms, and for our industry. As TC Jasper is currently forecast to make landfall as a Category 2 system, it’s likely there will be damage in some places, but the scale and severity is near impossible to predict. We understand that good wishes can’t help you on the ground, but we will be there to advocate for you and seek assistance where we can – if it is needed – in the days that follow. Above all, we hope that you and your families stay safe and well.
Resources available now:
What will happen after TC Jasper passes through the region:
As many of you will know, it’s important that we work to get as clear a picture as we can of any damage in the days that follow a cyclone. This will inform advocacy and contribute to triggering disaster relief funding if needed. The DAF banana extension team, with support from ABGC, will be working to speak to growers in affected areas about their farms and any damage sustained. It won’t be possible to reach everyone immediately, and any on-the-ground assessments will be determined by what happens in the next few days (eg flooding, road access etc). But please know that this work is being done, as quickly as possible.
If you would like to speak to someone or report your own damage, there are a number of ways you can do this:
- You can self-report your damage directly via the Queensland DAF Agriculture Disaster Impact Survey. This form is simple and relatively quick to fill out. https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/a65512900348401a812e57d743e4c104 (please note, this is not a request for assistance, it helps inform the activation of disaster recovery funding)
- Contact the DAF Banana Extension Team: Tegan Cavallaro (tegan.cavallaro@daf.qld.gov.au or 0459 846 053) or Stewart Lindsay (stewart.lindsay@daf.qld.gov.au or 0428 112 657)
- Contact the ABGC team: Sonia Campbell (sonia@abgc.org.au or 0428 038 330) or via info@abgc.org.au
If you are in immediate danger, please call 000 as always.
Once again, to you and your families, stay safe.
