State Nationals MP for Clarence Richie Williamson has welcomed the announcement by the NSW Government that it will provide extended recovery support to cane farmers to help remove dangerous flood waste found in cane paddocks at the beginning of the cane harvest.
Mr Williamson and his Nationals’ colleagues recently called on the NSW Government to step in and support local cane farmers across the Northern Rivers by helping with the financial burden of removing flood debris from their paddocks.
“Last year some 162 tonnes of flood waste was cleared from cane farms across the Richmond, Tweed and Clarence, but there is still a significant amount to be removed from the two-year old cane paddocks this year,” Mr Williamson said.
“I was recently contacted by local cane growers desperate for support after finding more unsafe waste in their paddocks at the beginning of this year’s harvest, and I advocated strongly on their behalf.
“I am pleased the NSW Environment Protection Authority has agreed to work with local cane farmers to remove the waste at no cost to them.
“This is welcome news for sugar cane farmers across the Northern Rivers with the cane harvest in full swing, and I thank the NSW Government for its action.
“This is a win for the farmers and the environment,” Mr Williamson said.
The NSW EPA will be developing a safe way to store and collect the debris in consultation with the local cane growers.
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