The winners of AusVeg’s 2015 National Awards for Excellence have been named, including Grower of the Year, Young Grower of the Year, and Rising Star of the Year.
The 2015 National Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner held on the Gold Coast honoured growers and other members of the Australian vegetable, potato, apple, and pear industries for outstanding achievements. The event, the biggest in Australian horticulture, drew around 1400 attendees.
NSW-based potato grower, John Doyle, was awarded the industry’s top prize, Grower of the Year, while Erika Watson, a vegetable grower and business owner from NSW, was presented with the Young Grower of the Year Award,
Queensland-based marketing and business development professional, Kees Versteeg, took out the Innovative Marketing Award, in recognition of his work to develop local and international markets for Australian vegetable produce, and Victorian vegetable grower, Adam Schreurs, was also recognised for his innovative pest management plan with the Environmental Award.
The 2015 AusVeg Women in Horticulture Award was presented to Queensland vegetable and potato grower, Kerri-Ann Lamb. Western Australian potato industry leader, Matt Cocciolone, of Beta Spuds was recognised for his innovative practices, winning the Industry Impact Award, and young Queenslander, Shaun Reina, cemented his position as a future industry leader by taking out the Rising Star of the Year Award.
Richard Dickmann, head of new business development at Bayer CropScience Australia, was recognised for his service to Australian horticulture with the AusVeg Industry Leader, while Adama Australia won the Productivity Partner Award, and Tasmanian-based consultant, Dr Doris Blaesing, was awarded Researcher of the Year.
