Herbert River Cane Auditing Team Upholding Transparency And Accuracy In Cane Testing

The Herbert River Cane Auditing Team continues to demonstrate professionalism and integrity in their role, ensuring accuracy and fairness in the assessment of cane quality throughout the crushing season. Their main function is to test and audit cane juice and fibre under the Cane Analysis Program (CAP), a critical component of the Cane Supply Agreement (CSA). This program underpins how cane payments are determined, making the auditing team’s work essential to maintaining trust between growers and the miller.

The auditors operate as a bipartisan team, with both the growers and the miller sharing the employment costs, reinforcing the impartial nature of their work. Every week, the cane auditors present detailed auditing reports, providing transparency around the testing outcomes. Their commitment to accuracy ensures that the process remains fair and reflective of the true quality of cane being delivered.

While the Herbert River and Burdekin regions follow almost identical auditing processes, the Burdekin does have additional procedures which relate to burnt cane. However, aside from these minor adjustments, both districts adhere closely to the same CAP guidelines, ensuring consistency across the regions.

One of the greatest strengths of the cane auditing system is its transparency. Every grower, or their representative, has the right to engage directly with the cane auditors to question results or request a full breakdown of data to understand how results were derived. This open process allows for accountability at every stage, fostering confidence in the system.

All growers also have full access to the Cane Analysis Program (CAP) document. For those who do not yet have a copy, Canegrowers Herbert River encourages them to contact the office to obtain an electronic version.

One way to further enhance cane testing accuracy and efficiency is through the adoption of Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) technology, which provides rapid and precise analysis of cane quality. Unfortunately, the mill has not shown interest to date, citing that NIR is not currently National Measurement Institute (NMI) approved. Nevertheless, Canegrowers Herbert River will continue to advocate for NIR to be introduced in the future, recognising its potential to modernise and strengthen the cane testing process for the benefit of all stakeholders.

To further enhance understanding of the cane testing process, Canegrowers Herbert River has extended an invitation to growers interested in participating in a mill and juice lab tour before the end of the crushing season. This initiative provides a valuable opportunity to see the testing process firsthand and gain deeper insight into how results are calculated.

Growers who wish to take part in the upcoming mill and juice lab tour are encouraged to contact the Canegrowers office on (07) 4776 5350.