qld.gov.au
Department of Primary Industries

We support producers to adopt best practice farming through a range of research and demonstration projects and help to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

Purpose

Map of Queensland showing project sites across Cape York, Wet Tropics, Burdekin, Mackay Whitsunday, Fitzroy and Burnett Mary regions.
Map of Queensland includes: Cape York region, Wet Tropics region, Burdekin region, Mackay Whitsunday region, Fitzroy region and Burnett Mary region.

We work with agronomists and producers to:

  • apply research and innovation to increase farm productivity, profitability, sustainability and resilience
  • minimise the loss of soil, nutrients and chemicals from farms and, by doing this, improve Reef water quality.

Water quality

By building capacity and understanding of best practice farming, we are supporting producers to achieve water quality targets under the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan.

Our projects are part of the Queensland Government's Queensland Reef Water Quality Program.

By adopting best practice our producers contribute to:

  • reduced erosion and carbon emissions
  • improved soil conservation and biodiversity
  • improved quality of water in Reef catchments.

Good water quality is also vital to protect our fisheries resources.

It is part of a sustainable future for recreational and commercial fishing, tourism, regional economic growth and our Queensland lifestyle.

Project locations

We are working with industry and producers to deliver 13 projects across the 6 regions that form the Reef catchment.

In addition to the 13 projects listed, we also have a communications and engagement project that promotes applied research and knowledge relating to farming best practice across all industries in Reef catchments.

Projects in each region

Cape York

13 – Integrated engagement and capacity building

Wet Tropics

1 – Advanced coastal farming systems

2 – Managing pesticides

3 – Banana nutrient trials

8 – Grazing extension

11 – Agriculture water treatment

12 – Agricultural economics

13 – Integrated engagement and capacity building

Burdekin

1 – Advanced coastal farming systems

2 – Managing pesticides

4 – Horticulture research and development

5 – Spyglass gully remediation

6 – Climate-smart grazing extension tools

7 – Mapping grazing land conditions

8 – Grazing extension

9 – Sustainable grains farming

10 – Grazing Resilience and Sustainable Solutions (GRASS)

11 – Agriculture water treatment

12 – Agricultural economics

13 – Integrated engagement and capacity building

Mackay

1 – Advanced coastal farming systems

2 – Managing pesticides

4 – Horticulture research and development

8 – Grazing extension

11 – Agriculture water treatment

12 – Agricultural economics

13 – Integrated engagement and capacity building

Fitzroy

6 – Climate-smart grazing extension tools

7 – Mapping grazing land conditions

8 – Grazing extension

9 – Sustainable grains farming

10 – Grazing Resilience and Sustainable Solutions (GRASS)

12 – Agricultural economics

13 – Integrated engagement and capacity building

Burnett Mary

1 – Advanced coastal farming systems

4 – Horticulture research and development

7 – Mapping grazing land conditions

8 – Grazing extension

10 – Grazing Resilience and Sustainable Solutions (GRASS)

12 – Agricultural economics

13 – Integrated engagement and capacity building

Highlights

In 2025, our projects contributed to these achievements:

  • Producers who adopted best management practices increased productivity by between $29 and $377 per hectare.
  • More than 1000 tonnes of sediment are being saved from entering Reef catchments.
  • There was a 70% improvement in the recordkeeping of agricultural chemicals.
  • More than 1430 stakeholders registered to use our online economic decision support tools.
  • Four water treatment systems were installed in environmentally sensitive areas to remove dissolved inorganic nitrogen from farm run-off.

Agricultural production

Our projects contribute to productivity and sustainability in agriculture within the Great Barrier Reef catchment.

Agriculture is a key industry for Queensland's regions and makes a significant contribution to our overall economy.

Based on statistics from the 2024–2025 financial year:

  • 71% of the land in Reef catchments is dedicated to agriculture
  • the total value of agriculture in this area is an estimated $8.9 billion
  • 96% of agricultural land is used for grazing
  • grazing is valued at an estimated $3.5 billion, horticulture at an estimated $2.6 billion and sugarcane at an estimated $1.6 billion
  • there are 20,033 agricultural, forestry and fishing businesses in Reef catchments
  • approximately 27,000 people are employed in jobs in primary industries in Reef catchments.

Last updated: 08 Jul 2026