Sugarcane might just be one of Australia's most fascinating — and underrated — rural industries. Worth $2.5 billion to the economy each year, it's a crop that touches more of our everyday lives than most of us realise.

Across Australia, approximately 3,700 cane farm businesses grow around 30 million tonnes of cane each year, which is then crushed and processed at 21 sugar mills to produce 4.5 million tonnes of raw sugar and a host of other by-products. And those by-products might surprise you — beyond the sugar bowl, sugarcane is used to make ethanol, electricity, molasses, mulch, plastics, clothing and even pharmaceuticals.

Sugarcane is also a ratooning crop, meaning it regrows for up to five or six years before needing replanting. To keep the soil healthy and break up the monoculture, many farmers rotate with other crops like soybeans, peanuts or horticultural produce — a reminder of just how much thought and care goes into every farming decision.

The complete paddock-to-packet journey is a fascinating one, from planting through to the exporting of raw sugar crystals to international markets, or refining and packaging sugar for use right here at home.

At George the Farmer, we love helping kids (and adults!) understand exactly where their food comes from — and sugarcane is no exception. Thanks to the support of CANEGROWERS, we've put together a full suite of resources to bring this incredible industry to life in the classroom and at home:

Whether you're a teacher looking for something engaging this term or a family curious about where your sugar comes from, these resources are a great place to start. Head over and explore — the Sugarcane Train is waiting!