MEET THE BOARD
JAMES CALLIPARI RIVERINA REGION
DARREN MINTER SUNRAYSIA REGION
Q . How long have you been involved in the almond industry ? I have been involved in the almond industry since our first planting in 2006 , based in Griffith . Q . What prompted you to join the ABA board ? In 2019 ? I think I took over the Riverina rep position from Denis Dinicola after his stint on the board of over 10 years . Q . Do you have a highlight from either being on the ABA board or working in the industry ? Highlight of being on the board is meeting new people and interacting and learning from the experiences of others . Face to face meetings were welcomed again after COVID . Q . What ’ s one priority that you are hoping to see the ABA board focus on in the coming year ? In the coming year I hope the board can assist growers to navigate through challenges including high growing costs , water availability / policy advocacy , hive availability / affordability , Monterey decline as well as helping marketers diversify and seek new high value markets for Australian almonds . Q . What do you enjoy doing in your spare time ? Trying to get the kids ( twin seven-year-old girls ) involved in growing things in the veggie garden . I hope they find something they like doing careerwise , whatever that may be . As long as they appreciate what goes into food production I ’ m happy Q . What is the best way to eat an almond ? I still prefer natural , a handful with a couple of dried apricots are nice !
Q . How long have you been involved in the almond industry ? We planted our first almond trees in 1985 . I ’ m based at Nangiloc , south of Mildura . We also grow citrus . Q . What prompted you to join the ABA board ? Neale Bennett asked me if I ’ d be interested in joining and this is my third term . Q . Do you have a highlight from either being on the ABA board or working in the industry ? The almond industry is very united and camaraderie is very strong among all the players , which is very different to many other horticulture industries I ’ ve been involved with . Q . What ’ s one priority that you are hoping to see the ABA board focus on in the coming year ? Improved profitability for growers and better research into pest and diseases as there ’ s pressure to reduce the use of chemicals . Q . What do you enjoy doing in your spare time ? Travelling the world . Q . What is the best way to eat an almond ? Straight off the tree or roasted .
BRENDAN SIDHU RIVERLAND REGION
LUKE STOECKEL RIVERLAND REGION
Q . How long have you been involved in the almond industry ? Fifth generation broadacre farmer , second generation almond grower . Family first started growing almonds in 1998 . Q . What prompted you to join the ABA board ? The opportunity to have input into the development of the industry and represent growers of the Riverland , relaying any concerns or issues they are having . Q . Do you have a highlight from either being on the ABA board or working in the industry ? Seeing the development of the ACE orchard and what opportunities it gives for increased knowledge for growers . Q . What ’ s one priority that you are hoping to see the ABA board focus on in the coming year ? Achieving continued , well-managed bee availability and hive movement for pollination . Q . What do you enjoy doing in your spare time ? Water skiing and swimming . Q . What is the best way to eat an almond ? With a Texas style smokey seasoning or in a coffee .
ABA Marketing representatives and the chairman ’ s profile will be featured in the Autumn edition of In A Nutshell .
Q . How long have you been involved in the almond industry ? Did a stint from 1982 / 1983 for about five years . Got serious from about 1991 . Q . What prompted you to join the ABA board ? Encouraged at the time by my Chairman Tony Read . Had a couple of cracks at it before getting elected in about 2007 . I have always believed it important to support and help the industry as best you can . Q . Do you have a highlight from either being on the ABA board or working in the industry ? There are so many . Seeing great leaps and bounds in irrigation fertiliser efficiency , monitoring , increases in production per hectare . Building and opening up new markets . The re-engagement with Almond Board of California and the establishment of the Almond Centre of Excellence . Q . What ’ s one priority that you are hoping to see the ABA board focus on in the coming year ? We have two pressing issues - bees and water . Growers need access to bees for pollination , with the current Varroa Mite Management Plan we need to ensure that the borders are not closed . The Federal Government is trying to recover somewhere between 450GL to 800GL . This equates to all SA irrigation entitlements or if we say 700ML that is about 50,000 hectares of almonds . That is north of $ 1B per year . Q . What do you enjoy doing in your spare time ? Time with family . I do enjoy a red wine , fishing and a game of golf . Q . What is the best way to eat an almond ? My preference is either natural or roasted .