CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2024/25
The following report covers the financial year from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, including the 2024 sugar cane season, and provides a snapshot of our efforts in providing representation, leadership and services while promoting unity in the interest of growers.
The 2024 season crop estimate was 1,228,436 tonnes and Millaquin Mill commenced the pre-crush of non-relative plantation cane on Monday, 21 May 2024 which saw 72,902.84 tonnes of cane processed, followed by the commencement of core season cane on Monday, 10 June 2024.
The weather made it a peculiar season with sporadic rain and storms received across the district and only a couple of wet weather stoppages. In week 29, No.1 Mill failed due to some extremely high loadings of mud and cane stool. Mill staff were able to bypass No. 1 Mill and recalibrate the NIR to No. 2 Mill to complete the season, this was a very good outcome.
A record throughput for Millaquin Mill was achieved with a total of 1,205,229.24 tonnes crushed for the 2024 Season and a season average CCS of 13.59. Millaquin Mill ceased crushing operations on Wednesday, 11 December 2024. The conclusion to crushing was well timed and as the crushing finished, the rain began to fall setting up a good growing season for the year ahead.
Bundaberg Sugar was able to achieve a very credible performance by Millaquin Mill this year and our assessment was that mill availability was around 95%. This put Millaquin Mill near or on top of the performance of all Queensland mills. A total of 15 days was lost due to wet weather.
We work closely with Bundaberg Sugar management in representing growers’ needs and I would particularly like to acknowledge Guy Basile, Rob Zahn, Lincoln Williams and Micheal Green for their efforts during the year.
Bundaberg CANEGROWERS resourced a strong advocacy campaign targeting sustainable electricity pricing, transport, biosecurity, cane-firing, reef regulations, right-to-farm and water sustainability issues. Our leadership ensured that federal, state and local government politicians were aware of the impacts of policy and red-tape on our members, and our growers concerns in relation to these issues and many more.
This advocacy led to tangible outcomes including the announcement of new electricity time-of-use tariffs, the extension of the Sunwater electricity cost pass through trial and transparency on issues related to water security and the Paradise Dam rebuild. Bundaberg CANEGROWERS provided assistance to individual growers to complete Energy Audits and implement recommendations, we continued to assist individual growers with N & P Budgets and we were available to assist growers through the Reef Compliance Audit process to ensure their compliance with Reef Regulation requirements.
Bundaberg CANGEROWERS continued the pursuit of reversing the Environmental Protection (Great Barrier Reef Protection Measures) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 that included the Burnett Mary region in the “Reef Regulation” process for the first time in 2019. The inclusion of the Burnett Mary catchment is scientifically unjustifiable primarily because we cannot impact the reef which is to the north east of our river systems and prevailing ocean currents predominantly flow south, not north.
Energy is paramount to irrigated agriculture and electricity remains one of our largest input costs. Our Electricity Bill Check service has ensured growers remain on the best tariff to suit their situation and that new tariffs are promoted and understood. It is in everyone’s interest to keep input costs as low as possible.
Bundaberg CANEGROWERS has representation on the Coastal Burnett Groundwater Management Area Advisory Committee and continues to provide the secretarial requirements of that organisation. The committee provided feedback to the meter revalidation process and the potential charges of Area B license holders to Area B allocations.
Representatives also continue to participate in Sunwater Customer Advisory Committee meetings as well as the Paradise Dam Reference Group to ensure all irrigators are well represented and decisions that impact our growers are justified and necessary.
We welcomed the decision by the Crisafulli Government to reject Fox Recourses Mineral Development License (MDL) 3040 application after concerns were raised about the potential impacts of a future coal mine on the region’s agricultural industry, water recourses, environmental values, livability, and tourism industry. We remain opposed to any mining activity on agricultural land.
Through SmartAg Queensland, growers can access training to support their agricultural enterprise to attract, train and retain a skilled and diverse workforce. The SmartAg funding has provided our members with access to subsidised training programs including 28 Forklift course participants, 24 Chemical Safety Training participants and 21 Pilot/Escort Course participants.
CANEGROWERS Brisbane staff were welcomed to the district for an industry familiarisation tour including an on-farm talk by Mark Pressler, a visit to the Bundaberg Sugar Services Limited One-Eye Sett shade house facility as well as a tour of Millaquin Mill, including the cane analysis lab, and a tour through the Bundaberg Port Sugar terminal.
Charles Burke was appointed the position of Queensland Food Farmers’ Commissioner to assist producers and provide a point of contact for all matters affecting farmers. Mr Burke joined Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner and Member for Bundaberg Tom Smith in his first regional visit as Commissioner, speaking with Mark Pressler.
2024/25 saw both State and Federal elections taking place and Bundaberg CANEGROWERS representatives met with both State and Federal election candidates prior to election day to push for positive outcomes for the local sugar industry. Following both elections, we met with our local members to reaffirm our position on the many policies and regulations that can have a large impact on our growers.
I acknowledge and thank Colin Boyce and David Batt who are our federal members, Stephen Bennett and Tom Smith who are our members at the state level and Mayor Blackburn and Councillors who are our local representatives, for their support in 2024/25.
We work hard to keep all levels of government informed on a range of issues including reef regulations, electricity, water pricing and local rates with a goal to ensure that policies and decisions don’t create unnecessary burdens and make our jobs as cane growers harder than it has to be.
I also recognise our fellow industry service providers, Bundaberg Sugar Services Limited, Bundaberg Regional Irrigators Group, QSL, STL, Sugar Research Australia and Women in Sugar for their valued services and products. We have strong mutually beneficial and professional relationships with all our industry service providers including Bundaberg Sugar. We collaborate where we can but, when necessary, recognise that our members come first in every instance.
We also continue to provide support to the Bundaberg Regional Ratepayers Association which was formed to represent and support local residents and ratepayers.
At the end of the 2024 crush we farewelled Heather Best when Heather stepped back from her role as a Cane Analyst Auditor at Millaquin Mill. Heather has a remarkable story and career spanning several decades in the sugar industry.
CANEGROWERS Triennial Elections took place in April 2025 which saw all Directors re-nominate for their position on the Bundaberg CANEGROWERS Board. With no new nominations received Mark Pressler, Dean Cayley, Michael Cavallaro, Sam Ford and Anna Attard returned for another term. Mark Pressler was nominated to continue as Chairman for the new term.
I thank our members, staff and my fellow Directors for their valued input in achieving a number of milestones over the 2024/25 financial year.
To those who have lost family and loved ones in the past year, I offer the Board’s and staff’s sincere and heartfelt
Mark Pressler
Chairman