Annual Vegetable
Industry Seminar
2025
The Annual Vegetable Industry Seminar is a Hort Innovation Vegetable Levy Funded R&D Seminar held each year to showcase emerging products and innovations in horticulture, as well as focussing on key areas for business and personal development of vegetable industry members.
Location: Sky Room
MC for Annual Vegetable Industry Seminar: Giaan Rooney
MC for the Potato R&D Forum: Peter O’Brien
SEMINAR & FORUM SPEAKERS
GIAAN ROONEY
Master of Ceremonies,
Hort Connections
Giaan Rooney’s memorable smile, natural beauty and ability to engage are almost trumped by her enormous energy for work. An adept speaker and presenter, Giaan is a person of enormous talent and professionalism.
PETER O’BRIEN
Project Coordinator,
PotatoLink
Peter trained as a horticulturist at Hawkesbury Agricultural College and gained hands-on experience growing potatoes, beans, and asparagus in NSW.
Carl Larsen
Associate,
RMCG
Carl is a socio-environmental scientist with 15 years’ experience in planning, delivery and evaluation of agriculture and natural resource management programs, integrated water management, climate change and stakeholder engagement.
John Murphy
CEO,
Murphy’s New Zealand
John Murphy is CEO of Murphy’s New Zealand, a family business growing garlic and shallots since 1962. Under his leadership, the company produces 500 tonnes of garlic and 300 tonnes of shallots annually across Marlborough and Canterbury.
Michael Hicklin
Production Manager,
LeaderBrand, New Zealand
Michael has been with LeaderBrand for over 15 years, working across agronomy, crop management, and operations. He now manages LeaderBrand’s largest farm in Gisborne, overseeing 2,000 hectares of vegetable and salad crop production.
Kim Ngov
Grower and Public Officer,
The Australian Cambodian Growers Association of NSW
Kim Ngov is a dedicated vegetable grower based in Kemps Creek, NSW, with over 18 years of on-farm experience at Wedderburn, NSW and a family farming legacy that spans more than three decades. Kim is also the Public Officer of the Australian Cambodian Growers Association of NSW, where he supports and mentors approximately 30 Cambodian growers, helping build skills and resilience across the community.
Ed Windley
Grower,
Kengoon Farming
Ed Windley is a vegetable grower and crop health specialist based in Kalbar, Queensland. With a background in agronomy and a lifelong passion for horticulture, Ed brings deep expertise in soil science, sustainable farming systems, and Integrated Pest Management.
Zarmeen Hassan
National Manager Biosecurity and Extension,
AUSVEG
Zarmeen leads the Biosecurity and Extension team at AUSVEG, working to strengthen on-farm biosecurity and build a resilient, sustainable vegetable industry. She represents the sector under the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed and supports growers in managing plant health, food safety, and emerging threats.
Cherry Emerick
National Coordinator,
VegNET
With over 20 years in Australia’s primary industries, Cherry brings a blend of operational and strategic expertise across food and fibre production, marketing, and industry development.
Richelle Kelly
Regional Development Officer, Far North Queensland,
VegNET
Richelle is the VegNET Regional Development Officer at Bowen Gumlu Growers Association, supporting growers across North Queensland from Mareeba to Charters Towers. Since joining in November 2024, she has focused on key issues including soil health, input management, grants, biosecurity, agtech, and reef water quality.
Garry Spotswood
Grower and owner,
AUSVEG
Gary Spotswood is a third-generation grower and owner of Mt Alma Fresh Organics in Inkerman, North Queensland. Alongside his wife Angela, Gary manages 430 hectares producing organic vegetables, beef, sugar, mangoes, and conventional sugarcane.
Ian Layden
Director Vegetables, Supply Chains & Market Access,
DPI (QLD)
Ian is currently the Director Vegetables, Supply Chains & Market Access RD&E in the Queensland Department of Primary Industries (DPI). He leads a group of about 65 staff working across horticulture systems and supply chains.
James Terry
Co-Founder,
CloudFarming (TAS)
James Terry is a fourth-generation Tasmanian grower and 2015 Nuffield Scholar with a background in Ag Science and industry leadership. As Co-Founder of CloudFarming, he combines hands-on farming with Agtech to address labour and efficiency challenges across 170 hectares of vegetables.
Troy Qualischefski
Director/ Owner & Manager,
Qualipac Produce
Qualipac grows broccoli, onions, pumpkins on their farms across Southeast Queensland. Qualipac have always been keen adopters of technology, though post -pandemic issues with input costs and labour challenges saw the need to take a more serious look at technology that could transform their operations.
Justine Coates
Managing Director,
Plus One Serve
Justine is the Managing Director of Plus One Serve and a passionate advocate for sustainable futures that benefit both people and the planet. With over 20 years’ experience, she has led strategy and stakeholder engagement across public, private, and global sectors.
Liam Southam-Rogers
Environmental Scientist and Chief Financial Officer,
AHR
Liam explores the effects of climate variability and change on horticulture, and of horticulture on the climate.
Shakira Johnson
Biosecurity Coordinator,
AUSVEG
Shakira Johnson coordinates the AUSVEG-PHA Farm Biosecurity Program, engaging with industry, research and government to enhance awareness, preparedness and resilience and minimise the impact of pests and pathogens not currently present or recently arrived in Australia.
Distinguished Professor Brajesh Singh
Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment,
Western Sydney University
Prof. Brajesh Singh’s research explores how soil biodiversity affects ecosystems and agriculture under pressures like climate change. His work informs sustainable practices, boosts productivity, and guides environmental policy globally.
Dr Nigel Crump
General Manager,
AuSPICA
Dr Nigel Crump is a potato pathologist with over 20 years’ experience working in the Australian potato industry. Nigel is the General Manager for the Australian Seed Potato Industry Certification Authority (AuSPICA), an industry-based organisation that operates the seed potato certification Scheme in South Australia, Victoria and northern New South Wales.
Abraham Montano
Sales Manager, Seed Potatoes,
Elders
Abe Montano is the Seed Potato Sales Manager at Elders, where he plays a pivotal role in advancing ag-tech adoption within Australia's potato industry. He has been instrumental in introducing and promoting HarvestEye™, a cutting-edge yield mapping and crop analysis system that provides real-time insights into crop performance during harvest.