AFI Awards

The Australian Flower Industry magazine Achievement Awards recognize excellence in the Australian cut flower and foliage industry

Australian Flower Industry Award Recipients for 2008

These award recipients represent a diverse group of people who have contributed significantly to the cut flower and foliage industry in Australia. Some have led the way for others to follow with breakthrough achievements; others are just starting out and are among the best and the brightest of their generation. AFI is privileged to acknowledge the four outstanding winners.

Industry Suppliers and Allied Trade Award

Job Roskam. Owner & Manager of Roskam Young Plants P/L in Clarinda, Victoria.

In addition to providing consultancy for Australian growers, Job has been a regular contributor to the FAQI magazine for years, providing advice, know-how and tips for growers across the industry.

Job started working on his father ’s 22,000 square meter gerbera farm in 1985 in the Netherlands and took over the company in 1994. From that point he started his own breeding program and the propagation of gerbera young plants. In early 2000, Job sold his nursery to his brother and moved to Australia to start Roskam Young Plants Pty Ltd in Melbourne. He became the agent for the Dutch breeding company Preesman and sells gerbera and rose young plants whilst also providing a consultancy service for Australia and New Zealand gerbera growers.

In 2003 Roskam started worldwide sales of gerbera cups and gerbera cup machines, with the aim of getting the highest quality standard gerbera all the way to the hands of the customer. He has high expectations for the industry and is constantly working to build and expand it.

Cut Flower and Foliage Growers – Sustainable Production Award

Steve Randall.  Owner & Manager of Randbiz P/L in Cabarlah, Qld.

Steve started working with flowers at his father ’s flower farm (Floranda Flowers) in 1990. In 1994 he started production on his own land, with the aim of using technology to reduce cost s while improving quality and production. Steve now grows 50,000 Gerbera plants and 50,000 chrysanthemums for cut flower production in 9000m2 of greenhouses. Using advanced technology he is able to produce the highest quality flowers.

He was the first flower grower in Australia to use the Priva Assist Tech, which is a Dutch program that can monitor labour, production and other costs in order to reduce cost of production.

With the drought in the early part of this decade, growers were under increasing pressure to reduce water consumption. Steve installed drains to catch water of his growing area and gutters on his greenhouses to catch rainfall . He dug a large pond to store the water and installed a dam liner to prevent percolation of mineral salts into underground aquifers. As nutrient, water and light were causing algae to bloom in his pond; Steve became one of the first Australian hydroponic growers to install an Ultrasonic Algae removal system and cover the pond with shade cloth to reduce light and other contaminants from entering the water. This has reduced the amount of Iodine needed to treat the water for reuse, and also stops the algae from consuming nutrients that could otherwise be used by his flowers. The end result is that Steve has now reduced his need for of farm water by 85%, has improved quality and yields, reduced the amount of fertilizers that he uses, and has a good grip (via the Priva Assist ) of what it costs him to produce each stem.

Cut Flower and Foliage Growers – Innovation Award

Greig Ireland NSW

Recently retired NSW DPI district horticulturist Mr Greig Ireland has been awarded for his tireless support and work in the ornamental plant and wildflower industry. Over his 38 year career Greig worked with a range of horticultural industries, from viticulture, to stone fruit, citrus, grapes, tropical fruit and avocados. He fully embraced and supported the north coast wildflower industry, bringing his expertise direct to individual growers, using his extensive practical knowledge of horticultural production, and his network of contacts, to solve and assist with a wide range of on- farm problems.

Young Achiever Award

Lana Mitchell of Backcreek Country Pty Ltd

This award recognises those growers who are making a difference to their industry, and are passionate about the future.

Lana is a commercial grower of Actinotus helianthi , the Flannel flower, for the cut-flower industry. In 2007 she won a federal government scholarship for innovative use of a hydroponic growing system which is resulting in some of the largest and tallest Flannel flowers on the market. She is on the Board of WildFlowers Australia, and in 2008 she had a feature article on wildflowers included in the Modern Wedding Flowers magazine annual which is a reference book for florists and students.

Lana organises and administers the National  Floristry Design Competition annually with TAFEs and floristry schools to promote and get students using Australian grown wildflowers. She also recently completed a RIRDC funded project that got the subject of native wildflowers included in the Australian floristry training package and the accompanying student text books - all to be implemented at the end of 2009. Also a member of the Wildflowers and Native Plants Advisory Committee with RIRDC (the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation).

Lana is working on the launch of a 3 year project to educate florists on the products available from the wildflower industry, and how they can be used in floral design. She has just recently become the editor for the Australian Flower Industry magazine.