A NEW board tasked with overseeing Queensland's Panama TR4 Program for the next three years has met for the first time.
The state government and the Australian Banana Growers' Council has teamed up to jointly fund and deliver the program, designed to protect Australia's $600 million banana industry.
The program was developed after the soil-borne disease was first detected in the Tully Valley in 2015.
Since then, there has been three more detections on neighbouring farms, with the latest being in February 2020.
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Queensland agriculture minister, Mark Furner, said the state government last year committed a further $12 million until June 2023 to control and contain Panama.
"The ABGC will begin co-funding the program this year through grower levies, eventually contributing 50 per cent of funding for the program in 2022/23," Mr Furner said.
Under the new arrangement, industry and government will have equal decision-making responsibilities.
"As a partner in this unique arrangement, the Queensland Government is committed to the banana industry, which is an economic powerhouse in Far North Queensland," Mr Furner said.
"I am incredibly pleased that industry will be sitting at the table with Government to make key decisions on the future management of the disease, and the program."
Board member and ABGC director, Andrew Serra, said the ABGC had secured the support of banana growers to proceed with the jointly funded and delivered model, to ensure the best possible protection to the national banana industry.
"Panama TR4 remains one of the greatest, if not the greatest, challenge facing our industry," Mr Serra said.
"The collaborative efforts of growers, government and researchers have been able to limit the spread of this disease since 2015, but the work needs to continue to protect the livelihood of our growers and the wider industry.
"I encourage all growers to take the opportunity to provide input to the board through their ABGC representatives, when necessary."
The board members are:
- Malcolm Letts, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) (Chair)
- Stephen Lowe, ABGC
- Andrew Serra, ABGC
- Jim Pekin, ABGC
- Mike Ashton, DAF
- Lynne Turner, DAF
The board's first meeting was conducted using video link technology. They will meet quarterly and report all key decisions and deliverables to growers.
