The Pirrone Brothers from North Queensland have taken out the top prize at the 2023 Horticulture Awards for Excellence at the Hort Connections Gala Dinner in Adelaide on Wednesday.
More than 1500 horticulture industry members from around the country came together at the Adelaide Convention Centre to celebrate the significant contributions of nine of the sector's leading growers, researchers and suppliers.
Vegetable growers Ross-Shane, Josh and Chris Pirrone were recognised for their achievements in the Australian horticulture industry with the Syngenta Grower of the Year Award.
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 three siblings run Pirrone Brothers in North Queensland and over the past decade have evolved the family business from sugar cane production to one of the state's most innovative vegetable producers.
"The Syngenta Grower of the Year Award is the highest honour in the Australian horticulture industry, and has been awarded to Pirrone Brothers in recognition of the business' rapid pace of innovation and dedication to knowledge sharing," AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote said.
"Over the past 10 years, Ross-Shane, Josh and Chris have built an impressive vegetable production business through ongoing experimentation and rapid adoption of new research and technology such as protected cropping, soil-less production and automation. As active participants in research trials, the brothers have also generously shared their learnings with other industry members.
"Ross-Shane, Josh and Chris Pirrone have already made a big mark on the industry in only 10 years and are very deserving winners of the Syngenta Grower of the Year Award."
Syngenta Australia New Zealand managing director Paul Luxton said the Pirrone Brothers join a long list of winners of this award who have continued to achieve success in their businesses and support the broader sector growth.
"We look forward to seeing what they achieve in their next decade," he said.
"The Horticulture Awards for Excellence provide an opportunity to celebrate and recognise the incredible contributions of these industry leaders.
"The horticulture sector is critical to the health and wellbeing of Australians and their families. Our award winners not only lift the capability and sustainability of our industry, but they also exemplify the great work Australian horticulture undertakes to ensure and improve the community's access to healthy, safe food."
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