Celebrating innovation in the beef industry for National Ag Day

All Australians enjoy the world-class food and fibre grown in regional Queensland' but little is known about the innovative practices and careers across the agricultural sector.

For National Agriculture Day (Friday' 18 November)' CQUniversity hosted an event filled with fun' food' and technology for high school students to celebrate and learn about Australia's important beef sector.

More than 80 students from St Brendan's College and St Ursula's in Yeppoon had the opportunity to learn from industry mentors which included a researcher' vet' livestock nutritionist' and butcher.

After travelling to a local cattle farm' the agriculture students from Grades 9'10 and 11 were treated to a lunch from Parkhurst Quality Meats owner and sausage king Reggie Brooks.

The local butcher demonstrated how sausages are prepared before educating the teenagers on different cuts of beef' cutting techniques and cooking methods.

CQUniversity Agriculture Lecturer Dr Jaime Manning said the event gave students a 'taste' of the exciting careers available in the ag industry.

"The National Agriculture Day event allowed students to engage in interactive activities while learning about some of the science and technology that goes into producing their food and fibre'" she said.

"Through our research' we have found that many students assume the main jobs in agriculture involve hands-on farming. Yet there is actually an abundance of careers in the beef industry' including exciting off-farm roles that we need the next generation to pursue.

"The connections these events foster continue long after National Agriculture Day is over."

St Brendan's College Head of Agricultural Science Bill Oram said CQU provided a great opportunity to expose his students to agricultural situations beyond the classroom.

"I believe there has never been a more exciting time to be in Agriculture. My life's work has been in agricultural fields' farming' banking and now education'" he said.

"Increasing issues in society of food security and safety and the increases in rates of disease has fuelled a desire for students to study agriculture."