CANEGROWERS Mackay has reiterated its existing Cane Supply and Processing Agreement and the certainty it has delivered local growers following the recent announcement of an agreement between Mackay Sugar and Queensland Cane Agriculture & Renewables.
The two parties agreed on the new Cane Supply and Processing Agreement on April 30, covering supplies to Mackay's three mills at Farleigh, Marian and Racecourse.
Canegrowers Mackay Chairman Kevin Borg said Canegrowers had been successfully providing stable representation in the Mackay region for almost 100 years.
"Mackay growers have always had the certainty of a Cane Supply Agreement that has been successfully negotiated and maintained by Canegrowers Mackay bargaining representatives," Mr Borg said.
He said that typically, Cane Supply Agreements offered similar clauses for all growers, irrespective of the representative body.
"Signing off on an agreement is the tip of the iceberg. The real challenge comes to a representative organisation when issues arise out of that agreement, and having the experience and resources to resolve those issues to the satisfaction of their members. Canegrowers has that expertise and experience," he said.
"Canegrowers has a strong track record with grower representation from the paddock to international markets, professional staffing and services, and has worked extensively with growers, the broader industry, and with government to build sugarcane's sustainability credentials."
Canegrowers Mackay had assisted with the development of the Sugar Plus Industry Roadmap, maintains a seat at the Greater Whitsunday Biofutures Leader's Working Group table and has developed and delivered the Smartcane Best Management Practice program.
"(The program) is the hallmark of Australia's sustainably produced sugarcane that is recognised internationally and which makes our cane supply more attractive to environmentally conscious sugar buyers," Mr Borg said.
"Since the establishment of the Queensland Cane Growers Association in 1926, which evolved into Queensland Canegrowers, growers have benefited from the strong, unified, collective voice that Canegrowers provides.
"Our experience is that there is strength in unity."
