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Four fertiliser projects get Qld Govt funding

Grain Central October 3, 2024

Eco Growth is one of four companies to receive Qld Govt funding ahead of the October 26 election for fertiliser projects. Pictured is their stall at the recent PURE Grain field day at Pallamallawa in northern NSW. Photo: Eco Growth International

FOUR fertiliser projects have been named as recipients of funding under two recent Queensland Government investment rounds.

A day before entering caretaker mode, Qld’s Labor Government announced the latest recipients of the Backing Business in the Bush Fund and the Regional Economic Futures Fund.

Both programs offer funding support to regional businesses seeking to expand or upgrade facilities and seize opportunities presented by decarbonisation.

The BBBF offered financial $500,000 to $2 million for each project, while grants under REFF where between $50,000 and $12.75M.

Darling Downs-based cattle feedlot and organic fertiliser company Mort & Co secured funding under both funds.

In May 2023, Mort & Co received approval to build a feedlot at Gogango, west of Rockhampton, and it will receive $12.75M under the REFF to help develop an adjacent facility to manufacture fertiliser for use in the region, and improve the operation’s own environmental outcomes.

The site has also been promoted as including a $15M plant expected to repurpose the 43,000 tonnes of feedlot manure into granular fertiliser.

As part of the BBBF, Mort & Co will receive an unspecified amount to expand its existing organic fertiliser production near its Grassdale feedlot south of Dalby with additional granulators and an automated batching system.

Western Australian-based Eco Growth International, Carr Farming from the Southern Downs, and Toowoomba-based agtech company DataFarming have also received funds through BBBF.

Funds for Eco Growth, already a granular and liquid fertiliser producer, will go towards a new fertiliser manufacturing facility and equipment that will specialise in rock-mineral processing.

The facility will be located at Toowoomba and compliment the company’s existing sites at North Tivoli near Ipswich and Hope Valley, WA.

Carr Farming is a large-scale chicken producer headquartered at Elbow Valley, south-east of Warwick, and its grant will fund a project to develop organic granulated poultry fertiliser to replace use of imported fertiliser.

Precision agriculture company DataFarming will use its funding to build digital infrastructure linking fertiliser companies directly with growers.

Data Farming managing director Tim Neale said he anticipated this technology will increase adoption of sustainable fertiliser products and practices.

“DataFarming services over 45,000 farms globally, and we are seeing a shift in the way farmers use fertilisers,” Mr Neale said.

“DataFarming…is developing digital tools for farmers, agronomists, and fertiliser companies to rigorously test new sustainable fertiliser products on their own properties.

“The tools aim to increase demand for these products, making farmers more profitable and sustainable.”

Queensland Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick said the government was delighted to back regional businesses and support their expansion.

“It is important that small business across our vast state, including in regional, remote and rural Queensland, receive the support they need to meet the specific challenges they face and to capitalise on new opportunities,” Mr Dick said.

“We are proudly backing homegrown Queensland bush businesses, providing funding support so they can do what they do best – grow their regional economies and create good jobs.”

Source: Queensland Government

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  1. Charles Nason, October 4, 2024

    However the reality is that the above grants seem to be promoting production from manure etc which will not provide the massive amounts of N, P and K which our high-intensity systems require. N ( urea) from the Haber-Bosch process requires significant amounts of energy and at the moment is mostly imported from overseas. P, whilst we have good low-cadmium reserves domestically, seems to largely be owned and controlled by overseas countries. Whilst we export significant quantities of agricultural commodities, most of our inputs are imported. So when are governments really going to address food security and resilience?

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