In May 2009, the Sweeter Banana Co-operative growers celebrated a milestone, members of the co-operative plus the central packing shed achieving Environmental Accreditation to the standard of Freshcare Environmental.
The growers recognised that there was a risk to the sustainability of the Industry without environmentally sustainable growing methods. Caring for our Country grant was applied to develop an Environmental Best Management Guide and training of growers in sustainable farming methods, developing on-farm environmental plans and formal accreditation under a recognised Environmental Programme.
Sweeter Banana has introduced a new logo that highlights our ‘spray-free’ bananas. Unlike our counterparts in Queensland, we do not apply chemicals directly onto bananas. To complete your environmental accreditation, your use of chemicals needs to be justified; this includes the chemical application for nematodes. It is essential to apply a solution if there are Nematodes present and not just as a precautionary measure to prevent them.