Located in Mourilyan on the Cassowary Coast of Queensland, the property is owned and operated by Joe and Margaret Marano, prominent figures in the North Queensland sugar cane industry. Joe grew up around cane farming and spent years driving cane harvesters before purchasing farmland from his family. Joe and Margaret raised two children on the property, and today, their son Daniel works full-time on the property and their daughter Hayley works there on weekends. Together, the Maranos manage the 425-hectare property with a little seasonal assistance from part-time employees.

In 2021, the Maranos partnered with GreenCollar to work on a Nitrogen Use Efficiency Project. This was one of the pilot projects to explore how a successful Reef Credit project could work for the cane industry. The goal of the project is to help reduce Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN) levels in waterways and ultimately, in the Great Barrier Reef. The project covers around 290 hectares of the property and generates Reef Credits based on annual land management changes that reduce nutrient run-off.

While adopting the new initiatives, the Maranos continue to farm sugar cane, remaining committed to the industry. They have introduced wider cane row spacing to help reduce compaction caused by the harvesting equipment. They are trialling the use of permanent beds on their fields, using minimum tillage to further reduce their environmental impact and improve soil health. The Maranos have also added GPS guidance systems to machinery on the property. These systems help to reduce the number of passes required to cover an area, decreasing both compaction and operating costs.

Joe is a strong advocate for the cane industry, serving on several local and state Canegrower committees. In the past, he and his family have been involved in numerous projects and government programs to help improve water quality for the Great Barrier Reef, at significant cost to his own business. “Adopting new, environmentally friendly practices isn’t easy as it’s complex to maintain sugar cane yields,” says Joe. “It’s not as simple as reducing fertiliser”. Through land management changes, the Maranos have been able to make substantial improvements to environmental conditions. The Reef Credits, in turn, have helped the family sustain their business during poor seasons and in the future, Joe would like to upgrade machinery on the property to help futureproof his business.

Joe wanted to see how Reef Credits could help others stay in the sugar industry to ensure that it thrives and becomes more profitable. “I want cane to be a sustainable business choice for my kids,” says Joe. “So they don’t have to do work elsewhere to survive.”