Innovative practices showcased as 2017 Growth Awards Regional Winners announced

• 25 Regional Winners have been shortlisted from a pool of 50 nominees for the 2017 Syngenta Growth Awards
• Regional Winners are championing innovative and sustainable agricultural practices, including developing research trials to increase yield and quality
• The Regional Winners will now progress to the final stage of the Awards
• Seven Australasian winners will be announced at a gala dinner in Sydney on 30 November 2017
   

As Australasian agriculture faces increasingly complex challenges, 25 growers and advisers have been selected as Regional Winners in the 2017 Growth Awards in recognition for their pioneering work to pursue a better future for the industry.

Now in its fourth year, the Syngenta Growth Awards recognise growers and advisers whose innovative work is helping to ensure a sustainable future for Australian and New Zealand agriculture.  The Awards support the goals of Syngenta’s Good Growth Plan, which addresses the challenges of producing more with less, protecting the viability of farmland and promoting prosperous rural communities.  Under the Plan, Syngenta has made six specific commitments designed to increase crop productivity, improve land fertility, enhance biodiversity, empower smallholders, train farm workers on safe use and strive for fair labour conditions across the entire supply chain.

“Today, Australasian agriculture is facing greater pressure to produce more from less, in a sustainable way.  Our Regional Winners are leading the way in adopting new practices and technologies to increase quality and yields while minimising their impact on land and the environment,” said Paul Luxton, Territory Head – Australasia, Syngenta. 

“Across our top 25, we are seeing a consistent commitment to challenging complacency and investing in research and development initiatives to advance our industry,” Mr Luxton said. 

There is also a shared passion amongst the Regional Winners for promoting a more positive, stronger image of Australian and New Zealand agriculture. 

“It’s inspiring to see how our Regional Winners continue to push themselves in their quest to open up new domestic and international opportunities for industry participants and better tell the story of Australasian agriculture,” Mr Luxton said.

The Syngenta Growth Awards are presented in partnership with Case IH and Fairfax Agricultural Media and have three nomination categories: Productivity; Sustainability; and Community and People.

The Regional Winners have been chosen based on a rigorous selection criteria for each category and will now progress to the final stage of the Awards.

“It was a difficult task to select our top 25 from a pool of such high calibre nominees, but we are proud to announce our Regional Winners for the 2017 Growth Awards and celebrate their contributions towards increasing the productivity, sustainability and connectivity of our industry,” Mr Luxton said. 

Seven Australasian winners will be selected by an independent judging panel and announced at the annual Growth Awards gala dinner in Sydney on 30 November 2017.  The winners will then have the opportunity to participate in a world-class study tour to the UK and Europe in 2018. 

The 25 Regional Winners are:

New South Wales

Peter Calabria: Yenda Producers Co-Operative: Adviser

Kirrily Condon: Grass Roots Agronomy: Adviser

Fiona Hall: Caernarvon Cherry Co: Grower

Peter McKenzie: AgVance Farming Ltd: Adviser

James Quinn: Cotton Seed Distributors Ltd: Adviser

Mike Walsh: University of Sydney: Adviser

Queensland

Jamie Iker: Iker Spackman Ag Consulting: Adviser

Daniel Nicoletti: A I & D Nicoletti: Grower

Greg Platz: Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries: Adviser

Tom Woods Snr: Woods Grains: Adviser

Darren Zunker: Wyndhum Farms: Grower

South Australia

Ashley Keegan: FABAL Wines pty Ltd: Grower

Tasmania

Marty Smith: Viticulture Consultant: Adviser

Victoria

Andrew Bulmer: Bulmers Farm Fresh Vegetables: Grower

Tania Chapman: Colignan Producers Pty Ltd: Grower

Kate Wilson: Agrivision Consultants: Adviser

Western Australia

Ray Harrington: R & B Harrington Farms: Grower

Luke Marquis: South East Agronomy Services: Adviser

Michael Nixon: Riverlodge Assets: Grower

Grant Thompson: Crop Circle Consulting: Adviser

Duncan Young: JT Young & Sons: Grower

New Zealand

Pravin Hari: RC Hari & Sons: Grower

Paul Lysaght: Seed and Field Services (SI) Ltd: Adviser

Vaughan Redshaw: Fruitfed Supplies: Adviser

Bruce Shepherd: EastPack Ltd: Adviser

For more information on the Growth Awards visit: https://www.syngenta.com.au/growthawards

For more information or for an interview, please contact:
Courtney Williams
Communications Manager
Tel: +61 2 8876 8640
Mob: +61 409 499 925
Email: [email protected]

Syngenta is 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, our 28,000 people in over 90 countries are working to transform how crops are grown. We are committed to rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities. To learn more visit www.syngenta.com and www.goodgrowthplan.com. Follow us on Twitter^® at www.twitter.com/Syngenta