Stockyard Beef’s Molly Sage accepting the community hero award with ALFA president Barb Madden and Jordan Minniecon from Lallemand, who sponsored this year’s award.

AN education program run by Southern Queensland’s Stockyard Beef has been awarded the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association’s Community Heroes Award at a dinner in Tamworth last night to kick off the SmartBeef23 conference.

The award recognises and rewards feedlots across Australia for their outstanding contributions to local communities and the environment. Other finalists included AA Co’s Aronui Feedlot, which had two entries with an annual cricket day and a charity auction for the Dolly’s Dream Foundation and Central Qld’s Barmount Feedlot who opened its gates with a carcase competition and field day.

Stockyard’s initiative 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. The program’s mission is to enrich the community and 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 Of the program.

Marketing and brand development manager Ali Hart said 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 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,” Ms Hart said.

As the winner of the ALFA Community Heroes Award, Stockyard Beef has received a $5,000 cash donation which can be used towards a local charity, business, or to further develop their feedlot initiative to create more impact.​

“We have chosen to split the prize money equally between our two local primary schools to further improve the facilities for our local children and accelerate the adoption of agricultural-based learning opportunities for these individuals,” Ms Hart said.

ALFA president and 2021 ALFA Community Heroes award winner, Barb Madden from Smithfield Cattle Company, said the Community Heroes Award plays an important role in highlighting the impact feedlots have in supporting rural and regional Australia.

“Stockyard Beef’s initiative, alongside all the finalists, demonstrates the extraordinary efforts lot feeders go to, to give back to their local communities and the land,” Mrs Madden said.

“We, as lot feeders, often make these contributions organically, because our communities are such an innate part of who we are and are vital to the success of all feedlot businesses.

“The Community Heroes Award gives these initiatives a platform to be seen, recognised and rewarded for their efforts. It is always inspiring to see the fantastic achievements of our members showcased through this award.”

• To read more about the winning initiative and all entries, visit www.feedlots.com.au/communityheroes

Source: ALFA