Come to the Pier this Saturday 17th April to celebrate Farmgate's first Anniversary!

Discover a diversity of produce including freshwater redclaw, organic meat, biodynamic eggs, chicken and dairy. Savour the flavours of some wet-season fruit - persimmon, rambutan and mangosteen. Munch on a ‘Yummy Bar' or select a delicacy from a range of healthy slices, cakes, jams and sauces. Mooch amongst the art and craft stalls for a gift for the littlies, a well-deserved treatment or a treat for your pooch. Live entertainment, face painting and much more.

Contact the Farmgate Campaigner Cathie for more information, see you there!

Stop the Press...NSDA recieves grant
NSDA has received a $20,000 Community Action Grant under the Australian Government's Caring for our Country Program. The grant is for a project to improve soil health to achieve more competitive farming management. A demonstration farmer will be supported to implement sustainable farm fertilisation and soil management practices to become a local model for innovative farm management. The technology applied will reduce fertiliser use, improve soil structure, moisture retention and water quality. It will also prevent soil erosion, wind blown soil losses and increase development of soil carbon. Ultimately it will delivery a competitive business model and help to prepare the farming community for the challenges of climate change. Workshops and field days will promote and facilitate the adoption of this sustainable farm management throughout the far north Queensland farming community. Contact the NSDA Secretary for further information.

NSDA 2010 AGM Snapshot
The AGM was held on 5th February at Cominos House where a new Management Committee was elected. Anthony Fermo (Biochicken) is the new President, Alessia Mortari is continuing as Treasurer and Jann Crase was appointed as Secretary. A huge vote of appreciation goes to Kate Sutcliffe as the outgoing Vice President. Kate made a significant contribution to NSDA in this role and we are very happy to have her as an active member. NSDA is still seeking a vibrant and energetic person to fill the role of Vice President on the committee, if you are interested please contact the Secretary.
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Sustainable TNQ organised a meeting at the end of March to consider the current and future threats to and opportunities for agriculture in TNQ and to explore how to continue to shift agriculture to a more ecologically, socially and economically sustainable footing. This is a key opportunity for NSDA to help support and drive this process to achieve a sustainable agricultural future for FNQ.

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Advance Cairns Tropical Foods Work Ramping Up

Over the last few months a whole range of activities have been delivered across the region as part of the DEEDI funded Advance Cairns project to 'Implement a Tropical North Queensland (TNQ) Food, Produce and Value-adding Market Improvement Strategy'.

Key events included:

• Two highly successful chef tours of the Tablelands and Cassowary Coast to showcase quality, local product, with another tour planned for April;
• An Organic Forum in Malanda to assist in the development of a feasibility study to identify future organic opportunities for the region, with over 50 attendees;
• A two day 'Commercialise your Food Product Workshop' in Cairns; and
• Branding workshops in Cairns, Mossman, Walkamin and South Johnstone to develop a major Regional Agri-Tourism Brand.

Queensland Strategic Cropping Policy and Planning Framework
The Department of Infrastructure and Planning released the draft Strategic cropping land - policy and planning framework discussion paper in February. The document states the Queensland Government's policy position as follows:

'The government considers that the best cropping land, defined as strategic cropping land, is a finite resource that must be conserved and managed for the longer term. As a general aim, planning and approval powers should be used to protect such land from those developments that lead to its permanent alienation or diminished productivity.'

Wet Tropics Water Resource Planning
The Water Resource Planning process for the Wet Tropics has begun with the proposed plan covering the Johnstone, Tully, Murray, Herbert, Mulgrave-Russell, Mossman and Daintree-Bloomfield Catchments. Water resource plans are subordinate legislation which provide the framework for sharing water equitably and sustainably between urban, rural, industrial, environmental, social and Indigenous uses. A detailed information report covering water allocation and sustainable management issues, the scope and basis for the plan and details of the planning process has been produced.

Submissions on the proposed draft plan, issues that should be considered in the plan's development, the information report, and the process for community engagement can emailed to Michelle Wood by 30th April.

Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce Final Report
The Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce Final Report was released in February to an array of responses ranging from supportive to derisive. The purpose of the Taskforce was essentially to identify new opportunities for economic development in the north based on water availability and sustainability, and to report on the potential impacts of new developments on water, the environment and the community. The Taskforce is a part of the National Water Initiative to improve sustainability of rural water use and water security. The NWI recognised the need to explore economic development opportunities in northern Australia within a strategic framework that balanced the principles of ecological, cultural and economic sustainability.
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Want to go on a low carbon diet?
In May a gardening workshop with Beth Shorter to promote carbon reduction initiatives for householders will be held at the very beautiful Machans Beach Community Garden. Further details will be posted on our website.

The Permaculture Edible Foods Demonstration Garden at the Cairns Botanical Gardens - Centenary Lakes (opposite Cominos House in Greenslopes St entrance) will host a workshop on May 1st with Jane Manyleaves showing us how to use the plants in the garden, how to grow, how to propagate (i.e. clump division, seed collection etc), how to prepare and cook the leaves, fruits and roots. Everything planted there is suitable for a Cairns suburban backyard garden.

The Biological Farmers of Australia's 2010 Organic Roadshows is coming to Atherton on May 8th. As organic produce becomes more firmly established in the Australian lifestyle, the BFA is taking the message out to regional communities nation-wide, providing up-to-date information for the already-initiated as well as the simply curious.

Climate Change Workshops for Organic Farmers

The Organic Federation of Australia has obtained funding from the Farmready Industry Grants program to undertake a project to assist organic producers to understand climate change risks and actions they can take to mitigate the risk. Thirty-six workshops specifically designed for organic producers will be run across Australia in all states. A workshop will be held in Cairns in August (date to be confirmed). Read more...