Grants allocated for soybean and rice trials in Mossman

Far North Queensland growers are finding new hope through grants and promising crop trials as the Mossman region seeks a future beyond its traditional sugar cane industry. The sugar cane sector, which had been a mainstay for over 125 years, collapsed last year after the local mill closed and haulage deals ceased.

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I think the industry could be set for quite a bit of expansion.

The Queensland government has announced two new projects that will receive $300,000 from the Mossman Transition Plan. This $12 million fund was established by the state government in 2024 to aid the region's recovery post-sugar mill closure. Half of the grant, $150,000, will support testing the viability of a soybean-processing facility. This facility could supply local feed to Far North Queensland's dairy, beef, and poultry industries, led by Dairy Farmers Milk Co-operative.

The remaining $150,000 will fund rice trials in the area. Both initiatives were prioritized by the Mossman Advisory Committee. Grant Cutler from the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, who has overseen various crop trials, highlighted soybeans as a particularly promising option.

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We're all looking for a source of protein to be able to go into the cattle industry or the dairy industry, so I think this is a big opportunity for local growers.

"I think the industry could be set for quite a bit of expansion," Cutler said. "We're all looking for a source of protein to be able to go into the cattle industry or the dairy industry, so I think this is a big opportunity for local growers." He noted that small-scale DPI-led trials have already demonstrated that these crops can thrive in the region.

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If I can do that and still come out marginally ahead on a really wet year like this, I think hopefully other years will do well.

Drew Watson, a local grower, has planted approximately 40 hectares of soybeans. Despite facing multiple floods during the wet season, the crop has performed well, and he anticipates a profit. "If I can do that and still come out marginally ahead on a really wet year like this, I think hopefully other years will do well," Watson stated. He believes the region, with its good land, can successfully cultivate new crops, though making a profit remains the primary challenge. Watson's soybean harvest began this week.

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It's good country, you know, we should be able to grow something.