There’s a lot of cane on Scott McLean’s cane farm of course. But oats, soy, sorghum, cattle, or even flourishing birdlife isn’t out of the ordinary either. It’s all part of Scott’s holistic approach to farming, which sees him taking some big steps back to look at the whole picture of his farm, then zoom in on the details to identify where he can make an impact.

Bessie Orr and her husband Sam, generational farmers, blend traditional knowledge with innovative techniques in irrigation, productivity, weather monitoring, and nutrient management to advance sustainable farming practices and support their community.

Bill MacDonald, an experienced cane grower, has successfully increased production and improved environmental stewardship through innovative mound planting techniques, cost-effective modifications to equipment, and active participation in promoting best management practices within the sugar industry.

Sustainable Table speaks with cane farmers John & Michael Attard about the journey they took from conventional farming, using chemical fertilisers and pesticides, to utilising natural systems to regenerate soil health.

Andrew Vassallo, an award-winning Australian farmer, implements sustainable farming practices such as cover cropping, data-driven irrigation, and environmentally mindful chemical use, leading to improved soil health and productivity. His participation in knowledge-sharing groups and careful monitoring of environmental impacts demonstrates the effectiveness of collective, conscientious efforts in achieving environmental improvement.

Ron has built himself a high-rise sprayer that will give him more flexibility in his spraying routine, saving him time and money, and reducing any potential runoff into waterways. It will also make record keeping simpler and easier with a new variable rate control GPS system.

It's said diversity is strongest at edges, those places where different systems meet: fresh water and salt, wetland to grassland to forest. Alligator Creek farmer Jason Bradford is the custodian of such a place. His mixed cane growing and grazing operation overlaps with Sandringham Wetlands, running across ponded pasture to natural savannah and mangrove wetland to an estuarine area at the confluence of Sandringham and Alligator Creeks as they meet the Coral Sea.

Utilising a micronutrient-focused approach, the McLean family farm in Australia improved soil health and crop yields, effectively overcoming challenges associated with conventional farming practices.