Local farmers are donating a bounty of fresh fruit to Bundaberg Region students to show them how end of year school celebrations can be both fun and nutritious.
The farmers, who themselves have recently battled heavy rains and crop losses, have supplied truckloads of watermelons, pineapples and bananas to local schools as part of the Health and Wellbeing Queensland Pick of the Crop program.
The program, which supports 13 Bundaberg Region primary schools, provides children with the opportunity to learn about vegetables and fruit and meet the farmers who grow them.
Littabella Pines and Beemart are just some of the Bundaberg businesses involved in getting behind growing tomorrow’s healthy adults.
Health and Wellbeing Queensland Chief Executive Dr Robyn Littlewood said the contribution of fruit from local growers was a great example of the generosity of the Queensland community.
“Helping our children associate celebrations with healthy food grows life-long habits and benefits to their health and wellbeing for generations to come,” Dr Littlewood said.
“It’s true we are what we eat, and we want all Queensland children to be healthy.”
The majority of Bundaberg based Pick of the Crop schools have taken up the offer of fresh fruit from Bundaberg growers, with a number of farms providing more than 1600 students with the opportunity to enjoy fresh watermelon, pineapple and bananas in their end of year celebrations.
Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers Managing Director Bree Grima said despite farmers experiencing large rain events and crop losses, their generosity was rooted in a desire to share their love of farming and the fruits of their labour.
“Our growers are incredibly passionate about connecting with local schools and students because we know tomorrow’s farmers are out there,” she said.
“By linking children with industry through a variety of ways we are teaching them where their food comes from.”
The Pick of the Crop program is focused on creating a love of nutritious vegetables and fruit in schools across Queensland.
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