TOP NEWS

Government Inaction Has Flying Foxes In Fight For Survival

James Cook University (JCU) researchers are calling for urgent government support to protect the spectacled flying-fox from extinction as new and escalating threats push the species closer to the brink. Despite their reputation as noisy and messy neighbours, spectacled flying-foxes play a vital role in the survival of Australia’s rainforests, travelling vast distances to pollinate flowers and spread seeds at levels unmatched by any other species. JCU adjunct associate professor Noel Preece sai

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Ingham Pauses To Honour Fallen Police Officers

National Police Remembrance Day Today, the community of Ingham came together to pay tribute to the brave men and women of the Queensland Police Service who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. The National Police Remembrance Day Service, held at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church, offered a solemn and poignant moment for reflection, remembrance, and respect. Since 1861, 151 Queensland Police officers have lost their lives while protecting and serving communities across the state.

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HINCHINBROOK Cadets Shine At ESCAPE Week In Brisbane

Each year, a team of Hinchinbrook Emergency Services Cadets travels to Brisbane to attend the prestigious ESCAPE Week, a program that brings together cadets from across Queensland to experience life at multiple emergency services. This year, three Hinchinbrook cadets participated: two senior cadets attending as leaders and one as a program participant, accompanied by Cadet Coordinator Mark Regazzoli. The week kicked off at Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ), Bribie Island, where cadets underwent an

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Compassion On Wheels

The Hurley Bus Since launching in December last year, the Hurley Bus has already completed more than 400 bookings, providing free transport for elderly, frail, and palliative community members. The service, run entirely by volunteers through the Ingham Palliative Carers Committee, offers a safe, reliable, and compassionate way for people to stay connected and attend important appointments. The eight-seat bus is wheelchair accessible and travels throughout Ingham, the surrounding districts, Card

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Team Activity Picks Up

March 20, 2025

Simon Hood, Wilmar Manager Grower Marketing

As the ground dries out and activity picks up on farm, so does the activity of our Grower Marketing team. We are in the process of organising our popular shed meetings where we come on farm and update growers on our recent results, the global sugar market and new products or services we can offer.

This will be followed up in June with a regional tour by our Senior Sugar Trader Peter Bingham to deliver an in-depth analysis of global production and consumption forecasts and consequent price expectations. If you’re interested in attending one of these events near you, please reach out to your local consultant to register your interest.

While talking with growers, consultants have also been setting up the pricing mechanisms for the 2025 season and checking that GEI nomination estimates line up with initial crop estimates. For growers who want to control their pricing more closely we recommend using the Grower Managed Production Risk Scheme (GMPRS) for the last third of your 2025 season crop over the Production Risk Pool.

While the Production Risk Pool has been performing well over the past few years there is no guarantee of gaining a higher return versus pricing yourself and we have seen many growers achieve above average returns. Those growers who don’t market with Wilmar are unfortunately missing out even further, with our Production Risk Pool currently forecast to pay more than $23 a tonne higher than QSL’s Harvest Pool for the 2024 Season.

A quick reminder for growers that all Call, Target and GMPRS pricing for the 2024 season needs to be completed by 18 of April. On a similar timeline, the set-up of Call and Target pricing for the 2025 season needs to complete by the end of April, so the GMPRS nominations can be opened at the beginning of May. We are also getting plenty of enquiries about the opening of nominations for the 2026 season Managed Pool Plus, so stay tuned for further announcements on that opportunity.

When not helping growers with pricing and pooling information, the Grower Marketing consultants are out and about in the local communities. We are proud to have extended our sponsorship budget this year to include a range of sporting teams and community activities through the regions.

Recently several Wilmar Sugar and Renewables staff including our Burdekin Business Development Manager, Owen Richards, participated in an International Women’s Day Fun Run organised by Mater Chicks in Pink. The Sugar and Renewables team raised more than $1,200 for breast cancer research.

Wilmar Grower Marketing’s Owen Richards, back right, was part of the Sugar and Renewables team that
participated in an International Women’s Day fun run. He’s pictured with (back, from left) Sarah Harding,
Renay Wyllie, Paula Scarabel, Peter Larsen, Helen Burbidge, Yvette Drysdale and Raymond De Lai. At
front are Clara Richards, Casey Drew and Miles Newman. Photo supplied

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