Australian Almond Conference Program | Page 24

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
Jenna Garwood
Brendan Sidhu
Isaac Jeffrey
David Madge
Brittany Oswald

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Jenna Garwood

National Residue Survey MRLS , Tuesday , Experts ’ Forum , 12 noon Jenna Garwood joined the National Residue Survey in November 2018 , bringing with her significant experience in agvet chemical regulatory policy , as well as agricultural chemical stewardship . Previously , Jenna held the position of Risk Manager at the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicine Authority , the regulator of crop protection products , where she was responsible for assessing crop protection applications . Jenna undertook her tertiary studies at Colorado State University and holds a Master in Tropical Plant Science from James Cook University .

Brendan Sidhu

Century Orchards & Laragon , Almond Board of Australia Director ACE Orchard Update , Wednesday , Grand Stage 12.15pm CEO Century Orchards , Managing Director Laragon Pty Ltd , Director Nut Producers Australia , Director Almond Board of Australia ( ABA ), Chair ABA Market Development Committee , Chair ABA Almond Centre of Excellence , Member of the Strategic Investment Assessment Panel , ( SIAP ) almonds , 30 years almond growing , President Waikerie Football Club , Committee member Industry Leaders Group ( Riverland ), Loxton Research Management Reference Committee , Riverland Energy Group , Immediate past Chair ABA , Immediate past Chair Grow Smart Training .

Isaac Jeffrey

National Irrigators ' Council Water Threats Opportunity , Tuesday , Grand Stage , 3pm Isaac Jeffrey was appointed CEO of National Irrigators ' Council in December 2020 . Isaac has a background in government , small business , and public and government relations . He spent over a decade in government holding roles which included Chief of Staff and Principal Private Secretary to various Federal Ministers . Isaac has a Master of Politics and Policy and a Bachelor of Business ( Honours ). He is a country boy at heart , having grown up in Gunnedah in North West NSW , and he is passionate about regional issues and empowering local communities .

David Madge

Agriculture Victoria The links between Orchard Hygiene and Pests , Tuesday , Experts ’ Forum , 9.15am After graduating from Adelaide University in 1981 with a Degree in Agricultural Science , David joined the Victorian Department of Agriculture ’ s horticulture group at Irymple . In 1987 he joined the crop protection group where he carried out field research and extension in integrated pest management for the grape and citrus industries and provided extension and industry development support for the organic industry . Since 2011 David has been investigating management options for the industry ’ s major almond pests – carpophilus beetle and carob moth . He is currently managing a five-year project to develop ‘ An integrated Pest Management program for the Australian almond industry ’, with a focus on these two pests .

Brittany Oswald

South Australian Research and Development Institute ( SARDI ) Hullrot and Trunk Disease , Tuesday , Experts ’ Forum , 11.45am Brittany Oswald is an early career researcher officer in the Horticulture Pathology group at SARDI . She completed a Bachelor of Agriculture with honours in Advanced Plant Science and has been working for 4 years in trunk disease research of almond and grapevine . Her research to date has advanced the understanding of trunk diseases , Phytophthora , and lower limb dieback syndrome in Australian almonds . Her research outcomes have featured in several industry articles and manuscripts .