PM Golding Receives National Farm Queens

Participants in the 2008 National Farm Queens Competition this morning (July 30) paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister Bruce Golding at Jamaica House. Mr. Golding used the occasion to encourage the contestants to continue doing well and to be role models for other young women in Jamaica.
The National Farm Queen Competition, is organized by the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) and the contestants are chosen based on their knowledge of agriculture. They are then judged in several categories including the knowledge of farm practices, agriculture, etiquette, and a written technical paper relating to questions from current agricultural issues, and a talent piece.
Several of the girls in the National Farm Queen Competition are students at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) at Passley Gardens, Portland; Ebony Park HEART/NTA Agricultural Training Institute, and Knockalva Agricultural School. Some are involved in backyard gardening and one contestant owns her own business, where she grows vegetables and does pre-seasoning packaging.
The winner of the 2008 National Farm Queen Competition will receive a scholarship to attend CASE to pursue an Associate Degree, a one year contract for employment at JAS and cash award of $30,000. There are also sectional prizes such as the ‘Best Talent Piece’, ‘Most Agriculturally Aware’, and the ‘Most Congenial’, stated the reigning Miss National Farm Queen Donnette Skervin who represented the parish of St. Thomas.