Consistency breeds excellence for 2024 Syngenta Grower of the Year recipients
Processing up to 600 tonnes of fresh carrots each week, Rocky Lamattina & Sons are among Australia's most consistent carrot growers.
They're now also recipients of the Syngenta Grower of the Year award for 2024. This is part of the AUSVEG Awards for Excellence.
Rocky and his family were chosen from a stellar group of finalists. They were announced at this year's Hort Connections (see full list of finalists below).
Celebrating Excellence in Horticulture
"Any one of these finalists would be deserving of this award. I am inspired by their individual successes, resourcefulness and passion for innovation which will keep our industry strong," Syngenta ANZ Managing Director David Van Ryswyck said.
"Each and every one of them are exceptional growers who consistently deliver quality produce. They drive innovation, farm sustainably, and actively contribute to the broader industry."
"Their dedication and hard work make a positive impact. This extends not just to the industry itself but also to the environment and their communities. They can all take pride in their accomplishments thus far."
About the Winners
Ged Sippel, the Syngenta Business Unit Head for Vegetable Seeds across Japan, Korea and Australia, said the Lamattina family were deserving winners.
Rocky Lamattina & Sons is a private, Australian owned and operated company. Situated on 6,000 acres, their home base is in Wemen, 75 km south-east of Mildura on the banks of the Murray River. It was selected for its unique soil and cool climate.
Processing up to 600 tonnes per week, the family pride themselves on being the most consistent carrot producers in Australia. The continual development of Rocky Lamattina & Sons is based on:
- The best available technology
- Experience
- Hard work
It is operated with a personal and moral commitment that they believe can only exist in a well-managed family business.
"Their blend of traditional expertise and modern innovation yields consistent, high-quality products. Their embracing of sustainable practices is to be admired," Mr Sippel said.
"Their knowledge of the carrots business is virtually unmatched, spanning three generations. Yet they continue to seek improvement through capital investment. This helps drive efficiency in production, harvesting, and processing."
Mr Sippel said he took great pleasure in spending time with the finalists during Hort Connections 2024.
"As we proudly sponsor the Grower of the Year, we celebrate the relentless pursuit of excellence demonstrated by horticultural growers. Their dedication and industry-leading efforts truly inspire us."
The Finalists
Paul Meiers – Meiers Subtropical Plantation
Paul Meiers from Meiers Subtropical Plantation. This family-owned business is one of Queensland's largest passionfruit breeders and growers. They have been in the industry for 45 years.
They are based in Bundaberg where they have around 200 acres of passionfruit. They do everything "in-house":
- Seed propagating
- Grafting
- Breeding their own varieties
- Growing
- Picking and packing
Candy MacLaughlin – Skybury Farms
Candy MacLaughlin is the General Manager of Skybury Farms and a second-generation farmer. Skybury Farms was started by her parents. Candy joined the business 5 years ago.
In September 2023, Candy championed the launch of 'Papaya Week' with JV Partners Tropical Fruit Direct. She is also active on the board of Mareeba Kids Campus and a founding member of the JetBest Group Leadership Team.
Noel Mason – AG & HC Orchards
Noel Mason plays a crucial role in various aspects of the family's AG & HC Orchards operation, such as:
- Variety selection
- Orchard system decisions
- Young tree development
- Labour efficiency
- Overall orchard management
Through Noel's involvement, the extremely impressive and innovative orchard focuses on yield and driving down production costs. They consistently deliver high-quality fruit while maintaining worker satisfaction and retention.
Coolibah Herbs
Coolibah Herbs is a pioneer in salad production in Australia. A family-owned business that focuses on quality and attention to detail in all aspects of production from planting to final delivery.
Coolibah Herbs are also kicking goals in terms of looking after the environment through:
- Their biosecurity program
- Carbon reduction program
- The use of clean energy
Velisha Farms
Comprising a young and dynamic team, Velisha Farms pride themselves on being driven, innovative, and passionate, while mixing it up with a healthy measure of good fun.
Velisha Farms is led by Catherine Velisha, who joined the family business in 2004 and took over full ownership in 2017. They excel in the supply of brassicas, cucurbits and more, to supermarkets, retailers, food service customers and the wholesale market.
In part it's made possible through investments in cutting edge technologies and machinery. This helps keep them at the forefront in farm safety and education, and at the leading edge of industry change. Their holistic approach covers production, innovation, and industry.
Prima Fresh
Prima Fresh, a family-owned business established in 1958, is currently operated by Gerard Alampi and his dedicated team. Upon taking over the business in 2002, Gerard's vision was (and is still) to grow the best possible fruit for his customers. This includes the domestic markets, export markets and chain stores.
Holding 197ha across five properties, Gerard is deeply committed to the future of the industry. He actively promotes innovation and best practices.
Macadamia Farm Management
Macadamia Farm Management based in Bundaberg is responsible for managing 57 individual macadamia orchards encompassing 5,300 hectares.
Macadamia Farm Management strives to communicate macadamia's best farming practices to the community and other farmers. They are highly engaged in sharing production and practice management information to support and benefit the industry.
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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 drive positive change in agriculture and embed sustainability across all aspects of our business.
