National Farm Queen to be Crowned at Denbigh

A new National Farm Queen will be crowned on day one of the 53rd staging of the Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show, which is scheduled to take place from July 30 to August 1 in May Pen, Clarendon.
Coordinator of the farm queen competition, Janet Pullen told JIS News that the show was in its second year of a re-branding and restructuring exercise.
“We are looking forward to a really wonderful year,” she said, adding that “the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) is always pleased to be associated with the Farm Queen Competition as we recognise that our women play a very pivotal role in the agricultural sector”.
“We will continue to promote the very best of our women in the agricultural field and the sustainability of it to nation building and development as we move forward,” she continued.
She informed that only persons who had been selected as a parish farm queen would be eligible for the national competition. They must be between the ages of 18 and 30 years, with tertiary level education and involved in some form of agricultural development in their parishes.
Once again, this year’s queen will be judged in two sections – presentation of a technical paper, and poise and etiquette. She explained that before coronation night, each parish queen would be asked to research and produce a technical paper on developments in agriculture.
The contestants will make oral presentations on their papers on Thursday, July 28 at the JAS boardroom at 10:00 a.m. Prizes and trophies will be awarded to persons who excel in this area and members of the public are being invited to this presentation.
Prior to July 30, the parish queens will be staying in Kingston for one week at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel to participate in a number of activities. On Tuesday, July 26, the group will make courtesy calls on Governor General Sir Howard Cooke, Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, Leader of the Opposition, Bruce Golding, and the Minister of Agriculture, Roger Clarke.
Wednesday July 27, which has been designated “President’s Day,” will see the parish queens visiting with the JAS President and touring the Mavis Bank Coffee Factory.
This year, the Farm Queen Competition will seek to recognise 13 individuals, from each parish, who have made valuable contributions to the agricultural sector and rendered service to the JAS. The parishes in collaboration with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) are in the process of selecting the persons to be honoured.
The major prizes are $30,000 to the first place winner, the President’s Trophy and a trip to any Caribbean destination courtesy of Air Jamaica, $25,000 to the first runner-up and $30,000 to the second runner-up.
Sectional prizes of $6,000 each will be awarded in the following categories of most agriculturally aware, best personality, most congenial and best cultural presentation. Gift baskets and trophies will also be awarded. The parish queen with the best technical paper will receive the Dr. Omer Thomas trophy and a cash prize of $10,000.
The main sponsors of the competition are Digicel, Jamaica Pegasus, Juici Patties, Burger King, Jamaica Agricultural Society, Air Jamaica and BWIA.
The National Farm Queen Competition was established by the JAS in 1963 with the main aim being to recognise women farmers for their invaluable contribution to the sector and for their role as an integral part of the farm family.