A new set of guidelines will help South Australian grain and winegrape growers manage smoke from broadacre stubble burns to reduce risk of damage to smoke-sensitive unharvested winegrapes.
The Broadacre Burn-off Smoke Management Guideline, launched today, was developed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) in collaboration with industry representative organisations Grain Producers SA, Wine Grape Council of South Australia, South Australian Wine Industry Association Inc., along with other grape and wine associations. Expert input was provided by the State Bushfire Coordination Committee and the South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS).
The guidelines support the CFS Smoke Management Policy, also launched today by CFS, by providing detailed information targeted specifically for both grain and wine grape growers to mitigate the impact risks of smoke from broadacre stubble burning on the quality of unharvested grapes.
The guidelines set out actions for each industry to take in relation to carrying out stubble burns. This includes considerations for grain growers for weather and conditions before burning, and for grape and wine organisations to communicate about the status of harvested and unharvested grapevine crops in their regions. There are checklists for both grain and grape industries to guide their activities.
The cooperation of both grain and winegrape industries was integral to the creation of the guidelines, which are expected to help reduce the risks of smoke taint on unharvested winegrapes.
The guidelines are available at Reducing smoke taint in grapes - PIRSA page on the PIRSA website.
Learn more about the CFS Smoke Management Policy at Farm fire safety & prevention on the CFS website.
Quotes
Attributable to Clare Scriven:
These guidelines represent a unified approach between two of South Australia’s vital primary industries of grain and grape growers to manage the risks around stubble burn-offs impacting unharvested grapes.
The role of burning stubble by grain growers is well understood, as is the risk of smoke taint to unharvested grapes. By following these guidelines, producers from both sectors can carry out their activities with minimal impact on the other.
Importantly, a key part of these guidelines is open communication between industry sectors to create a positive environment with grain and winegrape growers working together.
Attributable to Joe Szakacs:
Our emergency services are deeply invested in supporting agricultural production.
When emergencies occur or when we are endeavouring to engage in preventative action such as fuel reduction activities, our agencies are highly committed to being active with rural communities and agricultural producers.
We want to ensure that we’re providing support, guidance and input to assist all commodities, balance their production needs and risk mitigation in relation to fire prevention.
Attributable to CFS Executive Director, Business, Tammy Moffat:
The launch of these policies is an exciting milestone. The collaborative approach undertaken to develop these policies is a great demonstration of what can be achieved by working together, which is an underlying principle these policies aim to support.
The Fire Danger Season will be ending throughout the month of April 2023, which signals the start of stubble burning. Therefore, it is a particularly great opportunity to highlight the impact smoke will have on wine grapes with it being expected there will be many wine grapes still on vines in areas where stubble burning is common.
Attributable to Adrian McCabe, Chair, Grain Producers SA:
Grain Producers SA is pleased to support these guidelines which represent cross-industry collaboration.
For grain producers, it’s about following a simple set of instructions that should have minimal to no impact on their operations but could play a big part in protecting winegrape growers from the risks of smoke damage.
Attributable to Adrian Hoffmann, Winegrape Council SA:
Winegrapes are one of South Australia’s most valuable crops, and it’s vital all primary producers do what they can to minimise risks of smoke damage.
By following these guidelines, winegrape growers will create open channels of communication with their fellow producers, making it easy for everyone to do their part.
