Passion for quality red meat was on the menu at last night’s Rabobank Red Meat Awards hosted by AgForce, where a family-owned beef business in Far North Queensland, a program linking schools to industry, Armidale lamb producers, a South East Queensland butcher, processor and restaurants were honoured for their contributions.
AgForce president John Cotter said the awards recognised the entire red meat industry by celebrating the leading achievers in the production, process, export, retail, education, and dining sectors.
"Society is always recognising gold medal winners in sports and the arts, but these awards celebrate the very important achievers who produce and value-add the quality red meat we enjoy," he said.
"In celebrating the red meat industry’s innovators, these awards showcase the important links between farm and their fork to consumers – a message reiterated in the new phase of AgForce’s Every Family Needs A Farmer campaign.
"The red meat supply chain not only provides fresh food backed by professionalism, environmental integrity and quality assurance, but it also creates jobs in rural, regional and urban areas and is an important contributor to Australia’s economy."
The winners of the 2009 Rabobank Red Meat Awards are:
Rabobank Beef Producer of the Year: Bingil Bay Beef, far north Queensland
The Blennerhassett family of Bingil Bay Beef in far north Queensland own and operate a breeding, backgrounding, fattening, processing and wholesale beef business which has supply contracts to eight IGA Supermarkets and 14 butcher shops from Weipa to Bowen and west to Mount Isa. The Blennerhassetts maintain a strong focus on balancing sustainability and profitability through landcare practices such as pasture improvement and minimising downstream environmental impacts on the Great Barrier Reef.
Rabobank Sheep Producer of the Year: Milly Hill Lamb, Armidale
Professional sheep buyer and small scale grazier Peter Strelitz of Armidale had an interest in marketing a branded product and in 2007 he began to custom process a few head each month for local customers. He built a value chain to meet demand and today more than 150 producers are aligned with Milly Hill Lamb supplying approximately 2000 lambs each week. The business has grown from a local home-delivered ‘lamb in a box’ to a multi-state lamb brand. The brand is built on the values of integrity, quality, consistency, transparency and even more importantly reliability.
Austrade Export Achiever Award: Teys Brothers, Brisbane
Operational efficiency is a priority for Teys Bros, who processed 930,000 cattle and employed more than 2800 people in 2008/09 at Beenleigh, Rockhampton, Bioela and Naracoorte plants in 2008-09. Recent innovations include the launch of the Teys Certified Angus brand in 2008; a halal processing program at Biolela to open new Middle Eastern markets; and continued innovation of the Teys Food Service’s product range and packing/processing technologies.
QRITC Education & Services Award: AgForce School to Industry Partnership Program.
The AgForce School to Industry Partnership Program is the only program of its kind in Australia linking school students and schools with the rural industry. Since its inception in 2004, the program has linked more than 55,000 Queensland school students with rural businesses and representatives to build awareness of the training and career options available; to support agricultural studies in schools, and to educate students and the broader community about where food and fibre comes from and rural communities.
In mid 2007, the AgForce Rural Champion Volunteer Program was established and has since grown to include over 55 volunteers across Queensland who have shared the many positive rural messages to more than 15,000 students in this first half of the year alone.
MLA Best Red Meat Retailer Award: Meat2Eat, Brisbane
Meat2Eat in Forest Lake, Brisbane, is operated by a husband and wife team, Tarnya and Steve Smith. Meat2Eat offers innovation through value-added features such as pre-vacuum sealing cuts in portion sizes for convenience. Meat2Eat recently expanded to include a deli and café, and employ a chef who supplies customers with cooking tips, easy recipes, and a line of freshly prepared meals to re-heat at home.
MLA Brisbane Dining Award: Regatta Hotel, Brisbane
The Regatta’s Boatshed restaurant has grown its reputation as a quality steak establishment over the last seven years through a high level of service, product knowledge and the diversity of red meat products on the menu. A menu featuring branded meat means customers can be assured of a consistent quality product every time.
MLA Best Regional Qld Dining Award: Fitzy’s Fibber Magee, Toowoomba
Affectionately known as ‘Fibbers’, Fitzy’s Fibber Magee has firmly established itself as an icon in regional Queensland’s pub and food scene. Toowoomba is typically a ‘meat and three vege’ town with a pallet that is developing slowly but surely, so a mix of old favourites and modern cuisine is a necessity and an opportunity for innovation. To meet growing customer demand, Fibbers completed a $4 million expansion in January this year and has expanded its menu to include a 13 dish red meat section.
Email a friend