BURDEKIN'S SWEETEST SCHOOL
BURDEKIN'S SWEETEST SCHOOL
Burdekin's Sweetest School competition is a unique event where schools showcase their skills in growing the best sugarcane.
This friendly competition not only highlights the agricultural talents of students and teachers but also fosters a sense of community pride and collaboration. Schools participating in this event have the opportunity to learn about the intricacies of sugarcane cultivation, sustainable farming practices, and the importance of the sugarcane industry to the local economy.
The competition encourages schools to engage in hands-on learning experiences, promoting environmental awareness and a deeper understanding of the farming process. Students get to witness the growth of sugarcane firsthand, from planting to harvesting, and develop a greater appreciation for the hard work and dedication required in agriculture. Through Burdekin’s Sweetest School competition, schools have the chance to not only compete for recognition but also to cultivate a passion for agriculture and sustainable practices among the younger generation.
The competition is expected to start in April this year, concluding in May 2025 to coincide with the Sweet Days, Hot Nights festival.
Participating schools will be given sugar cane to plant and nurture for twelve months, with industry experts judging the best cane produced.
The winning school will receive a trophy presented at the Sweet Days, Hot Nights Festival Australian Hand Cutting Championships and a monetary prize of $1,000 and bragging rights.
*Prize money sponsored by CANEGROWERS Burdekin
MEMBER BENEFITS
MEMBER BENEFITS
As a member of CANEGROWERS Burdekin you have access to a range of benefits. These benefits include:
Personal service
Your local CANEGROWERS Burdekin grower Board and staff are available for you to talk through the issues most important to you and your business.
Cane Supply Agreement
As your bargaining agent, CANEGROWERS will seek the best conditions and terms from your sugar milling company. Your local Burdekin team is backed up by the wider CANEGROWERS expertise and experienced legal counsel.
Water Perils Crop Compensation Scheme
The Scheme covers a loss due to cane being condemned, or the costs of mitigation to prevent cane being condemned, through water from any source after a controlled burn-off. The scheme has superior features such as less restrictions on when you can burn and compensation for CCS decline in burnt cane when the mill is unable to restart due to wet weather.
Fire Perils Insurance
You automatically have access to fire perils insurance cover. The policy provides cover for loss of crop due to accidental fire, transit, and hail. This cover is provided at a competitive price due to the economies of scale that CANEGROWERS brings to the table in terms of volume of cane tonnes to be insured.
Legal Advice
You have access to free initial legal advice through the CANEGROWERS in house Legal Advisor. This service can assist with issues such as native title claims, land resumptions, easements, dividing fences, trespass, aerial spraying, machinery performance and safety.
Regular communications and grower events
To support your business and influence community relationships. As well as the Australian Canegrower magazine, you will receive regular information from your local office, social media and directly to your email. CANEGROWERS also holds regular grower meetings and supports multiple industry events.
Discounted health insurance
Members have access to a 6% discount on health insurance with Queensland Country Health Fund (QCHF). Whether you are making the switch or are currently a member of QCHF you can take advantage of the 6% discount available to CANEGROWERS members.
Discounted fuel
Local fuel service distributor and servo operator Lowes has a special offer for CANEGROWERS members, 6 cents per litre off the board price at the BP Ayr Servo with the BP+ card. **Offer ends 30 June 2022**
CANEGROWERS Qld benefits
As a member of CANEGROWERS Burdekin you also have access to state wide benefits provided by CANEGROWERS Qld. These benefits include a marketing information service, cost of production tool, Qantas Club discount and more.
OUR MISSION
Mission and Vision
CANEGROWERS’ vision is to ensure a secure and profitable future for cane growers.
Our Mission
To be a truly effective, enduring and unifying force in maximising the profitability, productivity and sustainability of local cane growers, now and for the future.
Our Vision
To ensure a secure and profitable future for cane growers.
In order to fulfil our vision and mission, members are individually and collectively advantaged through CANEGROWERS Burdekin.
Lower input costs
Facilitating and/or offering servics to help members reduce and gain benefits from lower input costs... energy; water management; consumables; services; environment
Advocacy
Advocacy starts in the paddock, listening to the concerns of growers. These concerns are addressed at a local and state level, which are then advocated to policy makers & regulators at all levels of government … four local CBL Directors on the QCGO policy council
Greater productivity
Assisting members to continually improve their production performance and farm outcomes … CSA; farm management economics; BMP, performance benchmarking; technical support services
Canegrowers influence
Fostering unity of purpose to ensure strength of voice and influence in promoting member interests… representation; canenews; member communications.
MEMBERSHIP
MEMBERSHIP
As the leading representative in our region CANEGROWERS Burdekin provides a strong and effective local and national voice for growers supplying the Inkerman, Invicta, Kalamia, and Pioneer mills.
We are committed to maximising the returns to cane growers in the Burdekin, now and in the future.
By becoming a member, you will receive the support and services you need to boost production, to secure the best Cane Supply Agreement available, to get the most from our collective buying power and to help you cut and contain costs.
CANEGROWERS Burdekin is also about helping all growers tackle the big challenges of our time, such as escalating electricity, general rates, water and other costs. We use our associations and resources to offer members advantage through lower membership fees, a better range and choice of services and greater bargaining power.
Member benefits:
- We liaise with Mill and industry stakeholders on behalf of members
- Lobby at all levels of government on behalf of members
- Keep members informed with communications, courses and resources
- Secure the best Cane Supply Agreement
- Provision of insurance services
- Discounted payroll services
- Personal assistance to members
- Lowering / maintaining membership fees
Costs: Membership fees are based on a rate per tonne of cane supplied during a crushing season. Membership fees are reviewed annually by elected grower representatives.
You also become a member of CANEGROWERS the state-wide organisation that represents 72% of Queensland’s cane farmers. This means that you have the dual benefit of local people looking after your needs and the backing of numerous other CANEGROWERS throughout the state.
ABOUT
ABOUT
CANEGROWERS Burdekin Limited is the peak representative body for sugarcane growers in the Burdekin.
We are a member-driven organisation which is funded by growers, for growers, ensuring the interests of the cane farming community are represented.
CANEGROWERS Burdekin is part of the CANEGROWERS network that has been advancing and protecting the interests of cane farming families since 1926.
Growers need industry-wide representation and with CANEGROWERS Burdekin you secure representation at all levels. CANEGROWERS represents over 3,000 sugar cane growers from Mossman in Far North Queensland down to Rocky Point in South East Queensland. With CANEGROWERS as a member of Queensland Farmers Federation (QFF), National Farmers Federation (NFF) and the World Association of Beet and Cane Growers our voice is heard.
Our Organisation
History
The origins of CANEGROWERS Burdekin began in 1922 with the Primary Producers Organisation Act; an Act to promote the agricultural and rural industries by the organisation of the primary producers of Queensland in a completely unified national organisation, and for other incidental purposes.
This Act was replaced in 1926 with the Primary Producers Organisation and Marketing Act in which sugarcane was declared to be a separate commodity under the act and the Queensland Cane Growers Council, District Cane Growers’ Executives and Mill Suppliers Committees were established. Funded and managed entirely by growers, CANEGROWERS represented all Queensland sugar cane growers, directly and indirectly, on every key issue and body involved with the sugar industry.
The Mill Suppliers Committees were established to represent growers at a local level and the District Cane Growers’ Executives at a district level. After the deregulation of the sugar industry, CANEGROWERS Burdekin Limited was established in 2005, taking on the Mill Suppliers Committee and District Executive roles.
CANEGROWERS may no longer be a statutory body but the principles on which the local organisation was established are still relevant today, such as:
- Taking the initiative in rural matters pertaining to the particular locality,
- Bringing before the Policy Council, through the association’s representative, requirements and problems which are not purely local concern but are of common interest and concern, and
- Advising, supporting, and assisting the Policy Council in its efforts to promote the general prosperity of the primary producers.
With nearing 100 years of local growers shaping the evolution of CANEGROWERS Burdekin, we are by the growers, for the growers. The local organisation’s role has expanded over time, but the tradition remains; a member organisation for the interests of members, the representation of Burdekin sugar cane growers.
Canegrowers Homepage
ABOUT
CANEGROWERS Burdekin is the largest grower collective in the Burdekin and we represent members in all the four mill areas of Inkerman, Invicta, Pioneer and Kalamia. We are a member focussed not-for-profit organisation and provide strong leadership in the industry and wider community. Growers locally have been shaping the evolution of CANEGROWERS Burdekin for nearly 100 years and have brought us to where we are today, with a wealth of local knowledge and experience.
CANEGROWERS Burdekin is part of a nation-wide CANEGROWERS network, the recognised authority on the sugar industry, who has been advancing and protecting the interests of sugar cane farming families since 1926.
CANEGROWERS Burdekin provides representation, leadership, services and promotes industry unity in the interest of all members. Through the strong support of our members, we bring a collective grower voice to our efforts that are focused on contributing to a future for the whole industry. By working collectively we strive to solve your biggest challenges.
MEMBERSHIP
There are many issues which require good representation when it comes to managing a cane farming business. A farmer needs to be across a wide range of issues including layers of Government regulations, dealing with a sugar milling company in a monopolist situation, sugar marketing, the management of nutrient and pesticide application, water and electricity, workplace health and safety, transport, training, environment and best management practice.
When growers become CANEGROWERS Burdekin members, they can expect and receive strong representation to help them deal with these wide and varied issues.
SERVICES
CANEGROWERS Burdekin provides a range of services to members locally with additional services provided by the industry peak body CANEGROWERS.
Further to the exclusive member benefits, locally we offer business services to the community comprising of a payroll service and an insurance service, Solaris Insurance Brokers.