Smartcane BMP is a world-class best practice system for sugarcane growing in Australia. Industry researchers and sugarcane farmers put together the standards based on productivity, profitability and sustainability. The program is voluntary.
Smartcane BMP is a proactive, continuous improvement program led by the Australian sugarcane industry. The Queensland Government has provided funding towards the industry-developed, industry-owned program.
Smartcane BMP is about improving the bottom line of individual cane farms through:
– Solutions to on-farm challenges.
– Access to the latest information and research in sugarcane.
– Identifying latest technology and practices to achieve more with less.
– Proving to community and customers that Queensland sugar is produced sustainably.
Driven by and owned by growers, verified by leading scientists
After rigorous verification by a team of independent scientists, the government has put its mark of endorsement on the Smartcane BMP program. It agreed that the system developed and owned by growers is robust and practical. The system works because it has been farmer-led and developed from the ground up.
What Smartcane BMP looks like
The industry has developed a series of seven modules covering the key aspects of sugarcane growing:
1. Soil health and plant nutrition management (core)
2. Pest, disease and weed management (core)
3. Drainage and Irrigation management (core)
4. Crop production and harvest management.
5. Natural systems management.
6. Farm business management.
7. Workplace health and safety management.
The practices contained within each module are categorised depending on ability to improve productivity, profitability and stewardship.
The Smartcane BMP modules have now been modified to align with the on-farm criteria used by Bonsucro which provides international standards for sustainable sugar. Bonsucro is designed to establish global market access across a wide range of production systems. Smartcane BMP can now assist Queensland growers to meet Bonsucro requirements:
Growers accredited in the three core modules of Smartcane BMP can access a new module (Module 8 – Managing People and the Environment) to cover Bonsucro requirements.
Success hinges on high grower adoption
A robust system and a high level of adoption of that system by sugarcane growers is the key to ensuring the sustainability of the industry into the future. Smartcane BMP will help Australia maintain its competitive edge in the increasingly competitive world market. Proof that Australia is a sustainable producer of quality sugar is becoming increasingly important to our customers. Smartcane BMP is the robust system which will be the platform of proof that can be used to show Australians and the world that our industry meets their expectations.