Sweet Comp For Schools

By Joseph Borg, Chairman, CANEGROWERS Mackay

The dust has settled at Mackay Showground for another year, but CANEGROWERS Mackay is already looking ahead to the next Mackay Show, with plans for an excellent new schools competition underway.

It’s called The Sweetest School.

The competition involves schools growing a square metre of cane at school, using clean seed cane supplied by MAPS, and supported by a grower mentor and some education from other industry professionals.

Judging will occur as part of the Mackay Show in 2026, with a trophy and first prize of $750 going to the winning school. There will be monetary prizes for second and third place winners.

The comp is open to both primary and secondary schools, and the mentoring process not only gives the students the benefit of the voice of experience, but also builds connections to the farming community and the way things are actually done.

We are seeking schools to get involved and ready to plant in August this year. We are also recruiting CANEGROWERS members interested in mentoring student groups.

Engaging school students with the practices of sugarcane farming has been a focus point for CANEGROWERS in recent years. Where once many people were connected to farming, or at least learned about it in schools, there has been a shift away from connection to ag in schools, and in the community. Education resource packages and engagement opportunities have been developed in collaboration with The Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia’s (PIEFA), but Sweetest Schools is a hands-on, fun learning experience that links schools and the industry.

The competition has its origins in the Burdekin, where it is a part of the very successful Sweet Days Hot Nights festival. We are genuinely excited to bring this great learning experience to Mackay. Get in touch with us on 4944 2600 or email mackay@canegrowers.com.au.

The Agricultural Shows were for many years a significant event in not only the sugar industry calendar, but all local forms of agriculture and it is exciting to see that all our local show committees are working to bring back this long-held tradition. CANEGROWERS always has and always will support and sponsor the Cane sections, and it was excellent to see the cane sections in Mackay and Pioneer Valley Shows hotly contested, and it should be the same for Sarina Show in August. It is a credit to the organisers who volunteer and take time out from their busy schedule to deliver these events. Well done!

CRUSH UPDATE:
The crush got away to a relatively good start, although we weather spells since the start of June have hampered cane supply on occasion. A strong positive has been an comparatively higher CCS for this time of year, with the season starting at over 11 in both Mackay and Plane Creek milling areas, and trending upwards as the cooler weather takes effect. Cool weather is ideal for growers in harvest: it makes the plant create higher sugar content. Windy, fine conditions should help dry out paddocks.

Remember: Farms are workplaces
The crush is in full swing, and all types of agricultural machinery are on the move. Haulout tractors, harvesters and many other machines are on the move in sidings, on the road network and particularly on farms. And please: don’t use private farm roads and headlands for your off-road playground. When you are out on the roads in farming areas, please take your time when you encounter Haulout vehicles. They are slow: we apologise and thank you for your patience!

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Mackay Show Cane sub-committee hard at work rigging entries for judging and display. Photo credit: Kirili Lamb

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