Grazing Resilience and Sustainable Solutions
The $15.48 million Grazing Resilience and Sustainable Solutions (GRASS) program supports graziers in the Burdekin, Fitzroy and Burnett Mary regions to improve poor (C) or degraded (D) grazing land.
Experienced extension officers work with graziers to develop and implement tailored action plans focusing on improving ground cover, pasture quality and enhanced production. GRASS also offers incentive funding to eligible graziers to undertake works identified in their action plan.
The program is funded through the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program and delivered by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI), Burnett Mary Regional Group, Fitzroy Basin Association and NQ Dry Tropics.
If you’d like to know more, including how you can participate, please read the GRASS factsheet 236.3 KB) .
Highlights
Since 2019, over 1,350 graziers have been engaged in the program driving improved land management across 5.3 million hectares of grazing land.
More than $6.95 million in cash and in-kind has been co-contributed by participating graziers towards 320 projects, leveraging the Queensland Government’s $3.65 million incentive funding for on-ground works.
An estimated 30,000 tonnes of valuable soil (fine sediment) has been kept on farms and out of local waterways, boosting farm productivity and improving water quality flowing to the Great Barrier Reef.
Independent review
In 2024-2025, an independent external evaluation was undertaken to assess the program’s delivery, impact and long-term outcomes. Reported findings included:
- improved land condition and productivity
- improved property management
- fast-tracked results
- highly valued support from delivery staff
- increased knowledge and confidence
- reduced run-off to the Reef
Read the summary of the GRASS program review 512.2 KB) or the GRASS full report 3 MB) .
Program reports
GRASS has been delivered in two phases, GRASS 1 (2019-2022) and GRASS 2 (current program).