Since the beginning of the SEQ-IF (South-East Qld-Irrigation Futures) program
...getting underway in May 2006, with a focus on Rural Water Use Efficiency (RWUE), there has been good response and involvement from the Qld Turf industry around South-East Qld.
With approximately 30% of the SEQ turf producers having irrigation system evaluations (irrigator efficiency evaluations and/or pump efficiency
evaluations)...
10% being involved and receiving irrigation scheduling assistance, 10% being involved in weather monitoring information (including ETo via SMS trials)...
and 8% being involved in soil moisture monitoring trials on-farm and receiving feedback and data interpretation for their crop.
Although other trial work has also been underway relating to RWUE, an approximate total of 75% of the SEQ turf industry has been involved in RWUE on-farm trials including some of those mentioned above. Similarly, approximately 42% of the turf industry for SEQ has been involved in field days, seminars, workshops and visits to the farm from the IDO to promote the SEQ-IF program.
Over the recent 12 months, commercial operators have found a huge push towards the purchase of more water use efficient irrigation devices within the turf industry which can be attributed to the Rural Water Use Efficiency and SEQ-IF program’s information being communicated. With this push to more efficient application devices comes the need for more education for the industry which the QTPA is hopeful to accommodate in early 2009.
Please watch the QTPA website www.qtpa.com.au for further updates. With the employment of the FMS officer, almost 30% of SEQ turf producers have been involved in Farm Management Systems (FMS) workshops which is being incorporated into the QTPA TAP (Turf Accreditation Process) to be rolled out by the QTPA.
For a full list of services available, or for interest in future field days of seminars, please contact the QTPA.