Horticulture industry leaders celebrated at Hort Connections National Awards for Excellence
9 June 2022
Australia’s leading horticulture growers and industry members have been recognised at the Hort Connections 2022 National Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner, with attendees from every sector of Australian horticulture celebrating the significant contributions of the industry and its members.
The National Awards for Excellence was held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday 8 June and provided the opportunity to acknowledge the dedication and determination of the industry’s leading growers, researchers and suppliers. The awards cover a range of areas in horticulture, including recognising outstanding growers in multiple categories, as well as researchers, innovative agribusinesses and the industry’s leading exporters.
“The National Awards for Excellence provide an opportunity for the industry to come together, recognise the outstanding achievements of our leading growers and industry members, and celebrate the great work that our industry undertakes to keep Australia healthy and safe,” said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.
“It was more important for the industry to meet up and reconnect with each other this year than ever before after the unprecedented challenges over the last two years due to the pandemic, and it was pleasing that so many people could come together, celebrate the industry’s successes and provide support to peers and colleagues.”
“Everyone who was nominated for an award this year has demonstrated their passion and commitment to the industry and has made a valuable contribution to its ongoing growth and success. I’d like to congratulate every individual and business who won an award at this year’s National Awards for Excellence and thank them for their continued dedication to our industry.”
The winners of the Hort Connections 2022 National Awards for Excellence were as follows:
- Annaleise & Lachlan Donovan, Qld – Syngenta Grower of the Year
- Damien Manno, SA – Corteva Agriscience Young Grower of the Year
- Rien Silverstein, Vic – Boomaroo Nurseries Women in Horticulture Award
- Michael Simonetta, Perfection Fresh Australia, NSW – Hort Innovation Exporter of the Year
- Peter Leach, Qld – Bayer Researcher of the Year
- Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Area Wide Management (FFAWM) program – Visy Industry Impact Award
- Sam Kisvarda, Flavorite Group, Vic – E.E. Muir & Sons Community Stewardship Award
- Marlon Motlop, SA – Butler Market Gardens Environment and Sustainability Award
The National Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner was the capstone event of Hort Connections 2022, the premier event in Australian horticulture. Delegates converged for the three-day event, which featured a trade show with around 200 local and global supply chain partners and presentations from the industry’s leading thinkers.
Photographs of the individual award winners can be found on the following pages. To request more information or an interview with award winners, please contact the AUSVEG media representative below.
Queensland avocado growers Annaleise and Lachlan Donovan named Syngenta Grower of the Year
Second generation avocado growers Annaleise and Lachlan Donovan have been recognised for their achievements in the Australian horticulture industry by receiving the Syngenta Grower of the Year Award at the Hort Connections 2022 conference in Brisbane on Wednesday 8 June.
The national award recognises outstanding achievement across all aspects of horticultural production, including growing, environmental management, staff management and quality of produce, and acknowledges grower commitment to innovation and advancing the Australian horticulture industry.
The award is supported by Syngenta, a leading agriculture company helping to improve global food security by enabling millions of farmers to make better use of available resources through world class science and innovative crop solutions.
The Donovan Family supply more than half of the avocados grown in Central Queensland, and have a strong vision for the industry, including making a significant contribution to export markets for avocados over the last 25 years.
“The Grower of the Year Award is the highest accolade in Australian horticulture and reflects Annaleise and Lachlan’s dedication to their business and their tireless efforts on behalf of the horticulture industry,” said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.
“Within the last twelve months, the Donovan Family became the first horticulture enterprise to be accredited through both Fair Farms and Reef Certification, both voluntary programs of industry body Growcom, demonstrating environmental stewardship and ethical employment practices.
“They have certified all ten of their avocado orchards, which are located in the Burnett catchment of the Southern Lagoon in the Great Barrier Reef, meaning they can demonstrate best practice with regards the management of topsoil, fertiliser and pesticide use, and irrigation practices.
“They are highly dedicated to the avocado and horticulture industry, with Lachlan Donovan serving on the Board of Australian Avocados for 13 years, and having participated in the development of a guide for growing perfect avocados through the Hort Innovation-funded project Improving market access for Australian avocados in Asia and the Middle East.
“Annaleise and Lachlan are very deserving winners of the Grower of the Year accolade, and we congratulate them on their tremendous success to date. I have no doubt we will continue to see great things from them for years to come.”
Hort Connections 2022 is a joint initiative between AUSVEG and the International Fresh Produce Association of Australia-New Zealand (IFPA A-NZ).
Image credit: Andrew Beveridge, asbCreative
SA self-starter Damian Manno wins crowned Corteva Agriscience Young Grower of the Year
South Australian hydroponic grower Damian Manno has been presented with the Corteva Agriscience Young Grower of the Year award at the Hort Connections 2022 National Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner in Brisbane on Wednesday 8 June.
The Corteva Agriscience Young Grower of the Year award is presented to a fresh produce grower and future leader in horticulture who champions the success of the industry and shows a commitment to innovation to help inspire the next generation of growers. The award winner demonstrates a high level of commitment to the industry and helps to enrich their community.
Corteva Agriscience is a global agriculture company. Through the delivery of best-in-class seeds, crop protection solutions and digital services, Corteva put farmers and consumers at the heart of everything they do; growing progress and ensuring the success of generations to come. To do this, they collaborate with stakeholders along the entire food supply chain, from farm to fork, with sustainability, innovation and responsiveness.
Damian has a strong commitment to quality and has developed his own innovative ‘herbaliscious’ basil brand, which provides basil to consumers with root stock intact for a higher quality product and better shelf life. He was also the winner of the 2022 AUSVEG SA Young Grower of the Year earlier in the year.
“Damian has proven himself a determined and successful grower, having set up his growing operation on his own without the support of an existing family business,” said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.
“Within only five years, Damian has expanded his business to comprise a significant basil and hydroponic strawberry operation, which is an extremely admirable achievement given where he started.
“Damian regularly links with Indigenous communities to develop new native vegetable lines and is currently looking at trialing ways to grow native produce lines, such as native yams and Warragul greens, at commercial scale.
“Damian is a well-respected, strong young grower who is an emerging contributor at the industry level. He is an active member of his local community and readily imparts his knowledge to other local growers to help them improve their growing practices and grow their own businesses.
“I congratulate Damian on his award and his commitment to improving his business and his local industry. The Australian horticulture industry needs more young people involved, and it is important that we recognise the achievements of young growers such as Damian to ensure we foster our next generation of leaders,” said Mr Coote.
Hort Connections 2022 is a joint initiative between AUSVEG and the International Fresh Produce Association of Australia-New Zealand (IFPA A-NZ).
Image: Corteva Agriscience Area Manager Dan Cornally accepting the award on behalf of Damian Manno
Image credit: Andrew Beveridge, asbCreative
Victorian stalwart Rien Silverstein wins the Boomaroo Nurseries Women in Horticulture award
Victorian orchardist Rien Silverstein has received the Boomaroo Nurseries Women in Horticulture Award at the Hort Connections 2022 National Awards for Excellence, held in Brisbane on Wednesday 8 June.
The Boomaroo Nurseries Women in Horticulture Award recognises a leading female member of the Australian horticulture industry who has demonstrated outstanding ability and success in her chosen field. Boomaroo Nurseries is a world-class vegetable seedling producer, supplying over 300 million seedlings to growers around Australia.
Rien Silverstein has a long history of industry service and dedication, having served as a board member of the Victorian Farmers Federation, Fruit Growers Victoria, Australian Women in Agriculture, Goulburn Broken Central Management Authority and many other organisations where her dedication to the improvement of the industry for all shines.
More recently, Rien has worked hard to improve conditions for employers and workers through participation in the Seasonal Worker Programme and Pacific Labour Scheme – the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme.
“Rien Silverstein is highly respected in the horticulture industry and a go-to person on a range of important issues that affect growers all over Victoria and the country,” said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.
“Rien is an inspirational and innovative leader in the fresh produce industry. Her ability to clearly articulate the needs of employers in the agricultural sector and the obvious respect she shows workers adds significant weight to her decision-making influence.
“She strongly advocates for the benefits of the PALM program and works to educate workers so they are less likely to be exploited by employers who are working outside the rules.
“Through her own business Silver Orchards, Rien has demonstrated outstanding ability and success in horticulture, with the business considered a leader in the Goulburn Valley horticulture industry.
“Rien also shows tremendous support to the wider industry, acting as a mentor to many and providing advice, knowledge and assistance to many entrees.
“Catherine was one of 11 strong contenders for the Boomaroo Nurseries Women in Horticulture award this year. There are so many passionate, dedicated women who are responsible for a range of roles throughout the industry, and this award recognises the key role that women play in ensuring Australian horticulture continues to be a strong contributor to the country’s agricultural sector.”
Hort Connections 2022 is a joint initiative between AUSVEG and the International Fresh Produce Association of Australia-New Zealand (IFPA A-NZ).
Image credit: Andrew Beveridge, asbCreative
Michael Simonetta from Perfection Fresh Australia crowned Hort Innovation Exporter of the Year
Michael Simonetta, Chief Executive Officer of Perfection Fresh Australia, one of Australia’s leading fresh produce businesses, has been awarded the Hort Innovation Exporter of the Year award at the Hort Connections 2022 National Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner in Brisbane on Wednesday 8 June.
The Hort Innovation Exporter of the Year recognises an individual or business who is committed to exporting and actively contributes to activities to assist the industry increase its exports.
Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for the Australian horticulture industry. It invests over $120 million annually in research and development, marketing and trade programs on behalf of industry to improve the productivity, profitability and global competitiveness of fruit, vegetable and nut sectors, as well as transformational investments that benefit the broader Australian horticulture industry as a whole.
“For over 40 years, Perfection Fresh has operated as a family business, with a long history in agriculture. Under Michael Simonetta’s leadership, the business has a focus on delivering fresh, flavoursome produce to customers in Australia and around the world,” said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.
“Michael and the Perfection Fresh Export team ship year-round, supplying in-season produce to key global markets. They export seasonal fresh produce lines to the United States, Middle East, Asia and New Zealand, and supply seasonal produce to the United Kingdom and Europe.
“Perfection Fresh has also worked hard to expand its global footprint by participating in the world’s most significant food trade shows and exhibitions across Asia and the Middle East.
“The horticulture industry is growing its focus on boosting the value and volume of exports to ensure growers can diversify their avenues to market and take advantage of growing international markets.”
“Michael and the Perfection Fresh team are an exemplar of the success that a business can achieve when it embraces the opportunities that are available in export markets. They are a deserving recipient of this award and I look forward to seeing them continue to develop new markets.”
Hort Connections 2022 is a joint initiative between AUSVEG and the International Fresh Produce Association of Australia-New Zealand (IFPA A-NZ).
Image credit: Andrew Beveridge, asbCreative
QDAF researcher Peter Leach wins the Bayer Researcher of the Year Award
Peter Leach, Principal Entomologist and Market Access Focus Team Leader at the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, has been recognised for his outstanding career by receiving the Bayer Researcher of the Year Award at the Hort Connections 2022 conference in Brisbane on Wednesday 8 June.
The national award recognises a researcher who has a track record of research or extension work that has advanced the industry offering long-term industry benefits, who actively communicates research outcomes and encourages uptake of outcomes on-farm and who contributes research or extension work that advances the reputation of Australian science internationally.
The award is supported by Bayer, an international life science company offering innovative products that serve the health of humans, plants and animals. With core competencies in the areas of health care and agriculture, Bayer takes on two of the greatest challenges of the twenty-first century – the health and the nutrition of the growing population.
Peter Leach has led a major portfolio of national market access disinfestation projects focused on fruit fly for the last 25 years. He is highly valued by industry for delivering high quality and effective research that has led to the successful negotiation of new market access for mangoes, avocados, lychees, summerfruit and citrus to Asia, the United States and New Zealand.
“Research and development is critical to the ongoing growth of the horticulture industry, and we are fortunate to have world-leading researchers and scientists willing to engage with growers to understand their needs and issues. The Bayer Researcher of the Year Award recognises researchers who make a real impact on growers and their businesses,” said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.
“The ground-breaking market access research undertaken by Peter Leach and his team has contributed to international standards that guide phytosanitary work worldwide and enabled fruit exports from Australia. Annual fruit exports to protocol countries developed by Peter’s team are now in the order of $110 million per year.
“Peter’s reputation is acknowledged nationally and internationally through his membership of the Australian Fruit Fly Technical Advisory Committee, Chairman of the International Plant Protection Convention Phytosanitary Measures Research Group and a member of the Technical Panel for Phytosanitary Treatments. Peter is a worthy recipient of the Researcher of the Year award.”
Hort Connections 2022 is a joint initiative between AUSVEG and the International Fresh Produce Association of Australia-New Zealand (IFPA A-NZ).
Image credit: Andrew Beveridge, asbCreative
Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Area Wide Management program win Visy Industry Impact award
The Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Area Wide Management program, which has reduced the impact of fruit fly on Australia’s horticultural industry, has won the Visy Impact Award at Hort Connections 2022 on Wednesday 8 June.
The Visy Industry Impact Award recognises an individual or business that has invested in creating or has implemented a system of technology or business practice outside of the industry norm that has resulted in a significant contribution to best farm practice or in cost savings through the value chain and is not in common usage by industry and will provide a commercial and competitive advantage.
The award is supported by Visy, packaging industry pioneers and critical providers of essential food supply chain services with an extensive range of sustainable packaging provides innovative solutions for almost every vegetable in the market.
The Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Area Wide Management (FFAWM) program, in collaboration with Plant Health Australia, utilises its communication and engagement platform to engage the community in identifying, detecting and reporting high risk exotic fruit fly incursions in the Goulburn Murray Valley region.
“Queensland fruit fly is one of the world’s major pests that threatens Australian exports of horticultural produce,” said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.
“The program massively reduced Qfly populations in the region through FFAWM and by supporting new technology, trialling Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) via aerial release in the region over a three-year period.
“Between 2017 and 2019 fruit fly pressure decreased, registering a 60 per cent reduction across the region (FFAWM) and a decrease of 83 per cent in Cobram (FFAWM and SIT) during 2019-2020 when compared with the preceding two years.
“Through a strong sense of team spirit, commercial growers, industry, community, research and government organisations have joined forces and taken ownership of the Queensland fruit fly situation to protect the region’s horticulture industry and to enhance its commercial, social, environmental and economic prosperity.
“The Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Area Wide Management program team has created a lasting impact on their industry and are well-deserved winners of the Visy industry Impact Award.”
Hort Connections 2022 is a joint initiative between AUSVEG and the International Fresh Produce Association of Australia-New Zealand (IFPA A-NZ).
Image credit: Andrew Beveridge, asbCreative
Sam Kisvarda, from tomato producer Flavorite, wins the E.E. Muir and Sons Community Stewardship Award
Sam Kisvarda, Chief Marketing Officer at Flavorite, one of Australia’s leading tomato producers, has been recognised for its support of important community causes and charities by receiving the E.E. Muir and Sons Community Stewardship Award at Hort Connections 2022 in Brisbane on Wednesday 8 June.
The E.E. Muir and Sons Community Stewardship Award recognises an individual or business that is proactive in developing or implementing a system or program of safe storage and use of on-farm materials above and beyond industry standards, engages in local or national community events and initiatives to develop wider industry and demonstrates the responsible planning and management of resources, leading to beneficial environmental impacts.
The award is supported by E.E. Muir and Sons, a major distributor of fertilisers, crop protectants, seeds and other farm supplies to the Australian agriculture industry, employing a fleet of highly trained staff who offer growers a complete package, based on the principles of quality and ethical service.
For six years, Flavorite has been a strong supporter of Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision, donating $100,000 every year through sales of specially-marked packs of cherry tomatoes and capsicums that promote the foundation’s cause.
“The Community Stewardship Award is an important category in the National Awards for Excellence, as it highlights those businesses that go above and beyond to make a positive contribution to the industry, community and the environment,” said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.
“Through its ongoing support of the Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision, Sam Kisvarda and the Flavorite team are using its business and the extensive reach of its produce to support the organisation, which funds medical research that will lead to new treatments and cures for bone marrow failure syndromes.
“The partnership between Flavorite and Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision is a shining example of how the fruit and vegetable industry can work together to make a significant contribution to such an important cause.
“In a year where there were many high calibre nominees for this category, Flavorite has proven itself a worthy winner for this prestigious award. I congratulate Sam and the Flavorite team for the work they have done to rise funds and promote such an important cause.”
Hort Connections 2022 is a joint initiative between AUSVEG and the International Fresh Produce Association of Australia-New Zealand (IFPA A-NZ).
Image: L-R: Sam Kisvarda, Flavorite Marketing Advisor Rruta Narula
Image credit: Andrew Beveridge, asbCreative
South Australian grower Marlon Motlop wins Butler Market Gardens Environment and Sustainability Award
South Australian vegetable grower Marlon Motlop has been recognised for their environmental and sustainability credentials by receiving the Butler Market Gardens Environmental Award at the Hort Connections 2022 conference in Brisbane on Wednesday 8 June.
The Butler Market Gardens Environment and sustainability Award recognises a business or individual who demonstrates a commitment to implement sustainable farming practices on-farm, develops innovative solutions to meet environmental challenges on-farm and shows leadership in promoting environmental issues in the local and wider community.
The award is supported by Butler Market Gardens, a family-owned farming that specialises in growing herbs and vegetables. The business is a committed member of the Australian horticulture industry and helps to support the adoption of sustainable, environmentally responsible growing practices.
Marlon is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young man who has taken a Native Australian product that has been grown for thousands of years by the country’s First People, and has turned it into a commercial enterprise and made it accessible for the wider Australian community.
“The Butler Market Gardens Environmental Award recognises the importance of adopting environmentally- sustainable growing practices for the future viability of the industry,” said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.
“Marlon has taken the initiative to provide opportunities for young Indigenous youth and assisting in their development towards understanding the horticulture and farming industry and seeing it as a viable career pathway.
“Marlon is wholeheartedly committed to Indigenous produce, as well as ensuring the sustainability of many species and products, and making sure they are available for future generations.
“He has assisted in taking many endangered plants, near on extinction, and created greenhouse environments which have significantly reduced the overall carbon footprint of his practices, and indirectly created a positive effect of the outdoor environment through less cultivation of land. His practices and learnings are consistently passed on to his younger growers each day.
“Marlon is already a leader within his community and is destined to be a future leader within the Australian horticulture industry. I congratulate him on receiving this award.”
Hort Connections 2022 is a joint initiative between AUSVEG and the International Fresh Produce Association of Australia-New Zealand (IFPA A-NZ).
Image credit: Andrew Beveridge, asbCreative
MEDIA CONTACT: Sophie Burge, Communications Officer, AUSVEG
Mobile: 0428 381 269, Email: sophie.burge@ausveg.com.au