Innovation and excellence hallmarks of Hort Connections 2022
Hort Connections brings together a ‘who’s who’ of people across the fruit and vegetable value chain, for Australia and New Zealand’s premiere horticulture conference and trade show.
Hort Connections brings together a ‘who’s who’ of people across the fruit and vegetable value chain, for Australia and New Zealand’s premiere horticulture conference and trade show.
Syngenta was front and centre from 6-8 June, helping celebrate some of the industry’s hardest workers while introducing three exciting innovations: YOOM™ cocktail tomato, SIMODIS® insecticide and MIRAVIS® Duo fungicide. More than 2500 people were in attendance, including 800 growers.
Syngenta ANZ Regulatory and Stewardship Lead Dr Jonathan Holloway was a keynote speaker, delivering resistance management insights as well as an introduction to SIMODIS®, our next generation insecticide for robust control of key pests in brassicas, cucurbits, fruiting vegetables and bulb vegetables.
Our trade stand provided a central point for many conversations, with the theme of Evolving Innovation in a Field of Potential, which referenced our strong footing in horticulture as well as our future pipeline. This proved to be a fitting backdrop for discussions about the newest innovation in the MIRAVIS® brand family, bringing the power of pydiflumetofen to more crops as the co-formulation MIRAVIS® Duo fungicide. The stand also helped showcase the recently introduced YOOM™ snacking tomato variety. Having delighted judges of the International Taste Institute in Brussels, back in 2020, this Superior Taste Recipient generated much interest at Hort Connections. Yoom™ was a particular focal point on the stand, with visitors having to guess how many of the snacking tomatoes were in a glass cylinder to win one of two $600 RM Williams gift vouchers.
Our support of Hort Connections has grown over the past decade, Syngenta being the lead strategic partner. During this time, we’ve supported the National Awards for Excellence being the naming sponsor of the Syngenta Grower of the Year Award. In recognition of our involvement and the achievements of past winners, alumni were among 100 guests at our dinner and drinks function, including past Growth Awards recipients. The event sparked many fruitful conversations and provided Syngenta with an opportunity to congratulate this year’s finalists, with Syngenta Vegetable Seeds Business Unit Head for APAC, Ged Sippel, making special note of their contributions to the industry.
The National Awards for Excellence, as announced at the Hort Connections Gala Dinner, were a highlight helping cap off a successful event. Syngenta ANZ General Manager Paul Luxton took pleasure in presenting the award for Syngenta Grower of the Year to Annaleise and Lachlan Donovan, second generation avocado growers. Donovan Family Investments has been growing avocados since 1991, with 300 hectares currently under trees, with Shepard, Hass and Lamb Hass being their main varieties between farms at Childers, Isis and at Bundaberg and leased properties at Bellthorpe on the Sunshine Coast. Their pack house is situated at the Bundaberg property, with the couple being known for their pride in quality, consistency and reliability.
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Syngenta is a global leader in agricultural innovation with a presence in more than 100 countries. Syngenta is focused on developing technologies and farming practices that empower farmers, so they can make the transformation required to feed the world’s population while preserving our planet. Its bold scientific discoveries deliver better benefits for farmers and society on a bigger scale than ever before.
Guided by its Sustainability Priorities, Syngenta is developing new technologies and solutions that support farmers to grow healthier plants in healthier soil with a higher yield. Syngenta Crop Protection is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland; Syngenta Seeds is headquartered in the United States. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook & X.
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