THE Home Hill Chamber of Commerce continued with their new format for their monthly meetings in May, with informative speakers providing interesting insights into developments taking place in the Home Hill community in the coming months.
One was the coming sugar crushing season at Inkerman Mill, with Production Superintendent, Chris Scovazzi discussing the programs undertaken by Wilmar Sugar in the lead-up to the June start to the crushing while Home Hill High School Principal, Frank Kingma and teacher Louise Nicholas detailing information on recent developments in Horticultural Education at the school, which resulted in a grant of half a million dollars to the project.
The school representatives explained that Agricultural Practices was an applied Senior subject which provides opportunities for students to explore, experience and earn knowledge and practical skills valued in agricultural workplaces and other settings. Students build knowledge and skills about two areas – animal studies and/or plant studies with safety and management practices embedded across both areas.
The school project received funding from the Australian Government Local Schools Community Fund with the support of former Member for Dawson, George Christensen and support and donations from members of the local community.
The school is in the second year of the project and are well under way with harvesting of crops with the support of local Agronomists. Their products are being used in the school tuckshop, at local restaurants and Meals on Wheels and fresh vegetables can be purchased through the school.
Inkerman Mill Production Superintendent, Chris Scovazzi spoke of this year’s Burdekin crop estimate, which is set at 7.94 million tonnes – slightly higher than last year’s total throughput of 7.88 million tonnes Inkerman’s crop is estimated at 1.74 million tonnes – also up on last year’s 1.69 million tonnes
(Our front page story carries details of points raised by Mr Scovazzi in his address to the Chamber.)
