Third generation Rocky Point cane grower Ben Spann must have sugar in his veins after growing up on the family's 202 hectare farm east of Brisbane and west of North Stradbroke Island.
The Canegrowers Rocky Point deputy chair said he was very fortunate to have his childhood on the farm and he loved all aspects of the business from planting to harvesting and beyond.
"My dad and grandfather were cane farmers and I was lucky to grow up here," he said.
"I always knew this was what I wanted to do but my parents insisted I get a trade first, so I became a diesel fitter.
"While I didn't agree with them at the time, now I'm grateful I did as I also have a contract earth moving business and use those skills all the time."
Mr Spann, 42, said his farm which is spread over nine local properties has five sugarcane varieties planted which comprise Q240, KQ228, Q208, Q232 and Q252.
"I'm also part of Sugar Research Australia trial and have a paddock planted with 10 other varieties, two of which are up for approval," he said.
"And we have 25ha planted with soybeans which is our fallow crop. I am hoping to get 50 tonnes of it harvested this year.
"Every five years we pull out the cane and put in soybeans to revitalise the soil."
Mr Spann said his dad Larry took a step backwards from running the farm 12 years ago.
"There's a lot of interest from developers in buying properties around here for residential or commercial use," he said.
"But I wanted to run the farm and now my children are the fourth generation to live here."
Mr Spann said he hopes the 2024 harvest will be a cracker.
"Last we cut 12,000 tonnes and this year it looks like being closer to close to 20,000 tonnes," he said.
"The 2023 result was because we had a late finish in the 2022 crush and dry conditions which meant a reduced crop of 12,000 tonnes.
"Good rains this season means we are looking at much better result, it looks like it's getting close to being our best harvest, I hope we can achieve it."
Mr Spann said he believed cane farms such as his would always be needed.
"The world is always going to need sugar," he said.
"Last year sugar was around $750 a tonne which was up from the low of $400 which is the break even point to $500 a tonne.
"In 2022 it was around the $550 mark and this year we hope to get $730 to $740 a tonne."
With harvesting operation between July and Christmas involving an 80 plus hour week, Mr Spann said he relished being able to work only 50 hours outside this period.
"This is the slack time on the farm," he said.
"Generally I'm in charge of my own time, I get to spend time with family which is great."
One of the of challenges cane farmers have faced in recent years has been the impact of invasive species, Mr Spann said.
"We have experienced Red Imported Fire Ants, at once stage in 2023 we had close to 300 of nests across the properties," he said.
"We are part of the Fire Ant Suppression Taskforce and have used the approved baits.
"The last time I did a check for them I found limited nests, so hopefully through all our efforts their numbers are being reduced."
However, Mr Spann said no-one in the industry took the RIFA issue lightly.
And the threat of Fall armyworm is also on the radar of all the local farmers, Mr Spann said.
"Fall armyworm was detected at a nearby farm on their soybean crop," he said.
"But so far it's not with our soybean crop".
Looking to the future, Mr Spann said if any of his children wanted to go into farming he would support them.
But he's not going to push a fourth generation into a career they don't want.
"I'm big on letting children make this decision for themselves," he said.
