ALFA's Community Heroes Award, sponsored by Lallemand Animal Nutrition, is back for the third year running. This heart-warming award recognises and rewards feedlots across Australia for their outstanding contributions to local communities and the environment.
The overall winner will receive a $5,000 cash donation that can be directed towards a local charity, business, or feedlot initiative, further enriching their communities.
The winner will be announced at SmartBeef23 on October 11 and 12.
Kerwee Feedlot's Education Program
A commitment to the development of local schools and the careers of young Australians in regional Queensland has propelled the growth of the Stockyard Beef Education Program. The program’s mission is to enrich the community's educational landscape and help to secure a vibrant future for the feedlot industry.
The program covers primary and secondary years and has three streams of support:
Funding of resources and facilities for local schools
Financial and in-kind support of agricultural studies in the curriculum
School based placements and work experience at Stockyard’s Kerwee Feedlot
Part of a vertically integrated supply chain, Stockyard’s Kerwee Feedlot breeds, raises and grain feeds cattle across two properties – Kerwee Feedlot in Jondaryan, Queensland, and Kingsgate Station in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales.
Established by Del and Robin Hart A.M, Kerwee Feedlot is renowned as one of the most modern feedlots in Australia and the nation’s longest-held cattle feedlot under single ownership – still 100 per cent owned and operated by the Hart Family.
With this in mind, the team behind the brand are proud to give back to the local community, and one of the ways they are doing just that is through their Education Program.
Stockyard’s Beef Sustainability Officer, Molly Sage said the program was initially borne out of a desire to support local school fundraising efforts but had grown to include supporting agricultural studies and providing pathways to meaningful careers in agriculture.
“For primary schools, our support is focused on providing the necessary resources for the schools to maintain a high-quality learning environment for local children, many of whom have parents who work for Stockyard.
“With a growing gap between urban and regional education, this work has greatly improved the supply of invaluable resources including reading materials, sporting equipment, and computers for the students at Bowenville State School and improved school facilities including new gates for Jondaryan State School.” Ms Sage said.
For secondary schools, Stockyard supports agriculture lessons with donated cattle and regular visits from Stockyard livestock team members to help facilitate practical, firsthand and real-world learning. This is complimented by on-farm tours for high school students, facilitated in conjunction with AgForce Education and Schools Program.
“Our work has inspired young individuals to pursue agricultural careers, with tangible outcomes seen through five paid school-based placements at Kerwee Feedlot in the past 12 months.
“Providing pathways to meaningful careers not only keeps kids engaged, but they are also far more likely to stay in the region. This is a win for our local communities as we keep bright kids in the region, but it is also a win for our industry as we are providing a steppingstone for careers and inspiring the next generation of agricultural leaders. This makes for a thriving, sustainable community and industry,” she said.
“We are also working to build the connection between the origins of food for local children and build their understanding of the important role feedlots play in the global food supply.”
Taking place throughout the year, the rolling program has grown organically over time, deepening Stockyard’s support with the local school community.
Ms Sage said, what initially began as a one-off donation several years ago has now ‘snowballed’ into an all-encompassing program.
“As a business active in the local community, we also keep our eyes open for schools and community groups that may need assistance,” Ms Sage said.
Ms Sage encouraged other feedlots to follow in the footsteps of Stockyard Beef to provide pathways to better education in the regions and employment for young people within the sector.
About the ALFA Community Heroes Award
Australian feedlots are vital to the fabric of rural and regional Australia by creating jobs, supporting families, and contributing to local economies and the environment. This award recognises and rewards those feedlots that are actively nourishing their local communities and environment by going above and beyond to support their community, that ‘give-back’ and better the environment around them. The winning initiative will receive a $5,000 cash donation towards a local charity, business, or feedlot initiative to assist in further development and impact of the initiative.
With thanks to our ALFA Platinum Member sponsor, Lallemand Animal Nutrition for their support of this Award.
