NAB Agribusiness Awards for Excellence 2011 winners

Livestock and grain companies feature strongly amongst the winners of the NAB Agribusiness Awards for Excellence 2011, which have been announced at a gala dinner in Melbourne.

The awards are run by Monash University in association with National Australia Bank (NAB)Agribusiness. They are a highlight on the calendar of Australia’s agribusiness, food, fibre and beverage sector, recognising the importance of agribusiness to the Australian economy.

This year’s winners are:

Professor Helen Bartlett, Pro Vice-Chancellor and President at Monash University, says the winners stood out in a strong field of finalists.

“These individuals and companies are showing the types of innovation and best practice management that are keeping Australian agribusiness competitive, profitable and sustainable,” Professor Bartlett said.

Khan Horne, NAB’s General Manager of Agribusiness, says the awards recognise the importance of a focus on quality.

“Whether it’s an investment in the latest technology, in relationships with customers and suppliers, or in staff development, the award winners are constantly striving to better their performance,” Mr Horne said.

Winners: NAB Agribusiness Awards for Excellence 2011


Mr Robert Radford, R Radford and Son (left)
Mr David Hornery, Executive General Manager, Corporate, Institutional and Specialised Banking, NAB (right)

Agribusiness Leader of the Year Award - Robert Radford
Environment and Energy Management Award - R Radford and Son Pty Ltd
R Radford and Son Pty Ltd (Radfords) is Gippsland’s only large scale domestic abattoir. Its operations are critical to the region’s red meat industry in general, and pivotal to the region’s growing status as Australia’s main Certified Organic red meat producer in particular. Under Robert Radford’s stewardship, Radfords has continually grown and expanded, reflecting his confidence in and commitment to the business, the industry and the Gippsland region.


Mr Andrew Dufty, Melville Forest Partnership (left)
Mr Khan Horne, NAB General Manager Agribusiness (right)

Primary Producer of the Year Award - Andrew Dufty (Melville Forest Partnership)
Andrew Dufty is a partner in the family partnership at Melville Forest, a 1450 hectare property in western Victoria. Melville Forest is managed by Andrew with the assistance of his wife Kim. At the time of purchasing Melville Forest in 2000, the goal was to be in the top 1 per cent of wool producers by volume and to produce a wool clip with an average micron of 19μ - to produce in excess of 300 bales per year. This was achieved in 2006-07.

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Export Award - Field Fresh Tasmania
Field Fresh Tasmania, a division of Webster Limited, is Australia’s largest exporter of onions, with an average production of 50-55,000 gross tonnes. Ninety per cent of sales revenue is generated through export sales; in 2011 onions were sold to 16 countries. The company is fully integrated, from in-house seed production through to growing and marketing.

Innovation in New and Emerging Industries Award - MBD Energy Ltd
Launched in 2006 with a handful of private seed investors, Australian-based MBD Energy Ltd has grown to become a world leader in piloting the capture and recycling of carbon dioxide and other emissions into high value algal biomass for animal feed, human food supplements, fertilisers and biofuels.

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Technology and Innovation Award - SustainAg Global Ltd
SustainAg Global Ltd (SustainAg) is an agricultural machinery designer, manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler and retailer of specialist tillage, seeding and spraying equipment within the agricultural sector. The business has a retail operation in northern NSW and distributes its products through regional independent outlets across the country. After many years of extensive research and development in association with leading agronomic groups, SustainAg has designed the first truly flexible parallelogram planter, the Moisture Manager.

Rural Enterprise Award - Kangaroo Island Pure Grain
Kangaroo Island Pure Grain (KIPG) was established in 2009 to assist Kangaroo Island grain growers and farmers to achieve premium returns in producing pure, non-genetically-modified and traceable grain. KIPG now represents and is contracted with 94 per cent of all grain growers on the island. It receives, stores, classifies, markets and distributes grains, oilseeds and pulses to premium domestic and export markets, including Japan, South-East Asia and China.

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Agribusiness Employer of Choice Award - Australian Country Choice Pty Ltd
Australian Country Choice Pty Ltd is part of the Lee Group, a privately owned and operated company managed by third and fourth generation members from the founding Lee family. The company has grown from the foundation blocks of cattle production in the Roma district of Queensland to one of the country’s largest and most successful integrated supply chain organisations. Today this supply chain encompasses ownership, management or control from the farm paddock to the retail shelf.

Risk Management Award - Mundella Foods Pty Ltd
Mundella Foods Pty Ltd is a wholly West Australian owned and operated dairy products company established in 1974 by dairy farmers Peter and Anne Hector. Using fresh, local milk, Mundella Foods produces a range of premium pot-set yoghurts and soft cheeses. Committed to quality, taste and all natural dairy, Mundella Foods is a national leader in additive- and number-free dairy products.

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