But farm groups have slammed her comments as election grandstanding at a time when rescue plans are already being enacted.

Premier Anna Bligh says the 2007 Water Quality Report for the Great Barrier Reef has shown the catchments of the Great Barrier Reef have been extensively developed for agriculture, grazing, tourism, mining and urban development, leading to a significant increase in the quantity of sediments, nutrients and pesticides being pumped into the Reef.

"Regional bodies, industry groups and State and Commonwealth agencies have been working with farmers and other stakeholders to promote and implement better land management practices," Ms Bligh said

"However the 2007 Water Quality Report for the Great Barrier Reef clearly shows the situation is still not good enough."

She said end of river monitoring in priority catchments shows an estimated:

* 6.6 million tonnes of sediment discharged in the reef lagoon – four times higher than estimated pre-European settlement levels;

* 16,600 tonnes of nitrogen – five times higher than estimated pre-European settlement levels; and

* 4,180 tonnes of phosphorous – four times higher than estimated pre-European settlement levels.

In 2003 the State Government launched a 10-year Reef Water Quality Action Plan with the Federal Government.

"Work done to date as part of the plan includes financial incentives to help farmers improve land management practices and targeting diffuse pollution from broadscale land use," she said.

"However, since 2003 many external factors have deteriorated including the effects of climate change, coral bleaching and ocean acidification."

She says that plan now needs more grunt, including tougher regulations for farmers, and has called a joint Commonwealth/State Reef Water Quality Summit for Parliament House at the end of this month.

But horticulture group Growcom says it is the State Government which has failed to support the existing plans.

Growcom chief advocate Mark Panitz said that Growcom, Canegrowers, Queensland Dairyfarmers' Organisation, Cotton Australia and AgForce had formed a partnership with reef regional bodies and had worked for more than 12 months to secure funds from the federal government in order to assist rural landholders to implement management changes to benefit water quality and ultimately the Great Barrier Reef.

"Partnerships have been formed, there is already a clear plan in place, funding has been allocated, and actions are being taken," Mr Panitz said.

"The Queensland Government only has to get on board."

Mr Panitz said Federal Minister for Agriculture, Tony Burke, recently publicly acknowledged the impressive work already being done on farms in improving water quality, particularly in tropical fruit industries such as bananas and papaws.

"The Minister recognised that growers in far north Queensland have already invested their own hard earned funds to show that a positive difference can be made on farm," Mr Panitz said.

"This is in stark contrast to the Queensland Government which has talked much but offered little, ever since the reef water quality protection plan was launched in 2003."