Right to clear land assured

ANY suggestion that the Federal Government will intervene and ban farmers from tree clearing is just utter nonsense.There have been media reports which gave the impression that Federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg would “stop Queensland farmers clearing land in an effort to protect the Great Barrier Reef”.The Liberal National Coalition Government will not be stepping in and banning farmers from undertaking tree clearing on their own land.Any media reports which claim we will are overblown nonsense.

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Funding to help farmers help reef

I welcome today's announcement by the Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt that the Turnbull Government is investing a further $11 million in new projects to improve the health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.This will help farmers with the great work they do to manage effects on the environment, and it will help the Reef to withstand pressures such as the current coral bleaching event.The funding, to be delivered under Phase Three of the Reef Trust, will help local farmers reduce the impact of agricultural practices on the Reef.

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Still time to apply for agriculture grants

Farmers and fishers have another fortnight to apply for a share of $2.2 million in small grants to increase industry capacity and support the adoption of productive management practices.Our farmers are some of our most dedicated conservationists and sustainable land managers. They manage pests and weeds, often at their own cost, to the benefit of the entire community.

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Calling on our allies to seal a sweet deal

I'M urging our allies on many battlefields to once again recognise the historically strong relationship between Australia and the United States and come up with a sweet deal for sugar in the US Trans Pacific Partnership.Negotiators head to Hawaii next week for what could be the final round of talks, and we need a strengthened sugar trading relationship.Queensland sugar cane growers will be understandably devastated if we do not see an outcome of a commercially significant agreement on sugar with the US.

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