Dr Nigel Crump awarded inaugural Ross Trimboli Award
At the World Potato Congress (WPC) Gala Dinner at the Adelaide Oval on June 25, the first ever Potatoes Australia award; The Ross Trimboli Award for Industry Leadership & Advocacy was presented by the Hon Clare Scriven MLC, Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development.
Named in honour and memory of South Australian industry stalwart Mr Ross Trimboli, who with his parents and brothers commenced farming on the Northern Adelaide Plains in the early 1950s, the award recipient, Dr Nigel Crump is equally as staunch an advocate of the Potato Industry in Australia and internationally.
Through single-minded determination Ross founded the Small Potato Farm, specialising in gourmet potatoes. The ladybird emblem is its trademark; the essence of the family enterprise-small and humble and heroes in all shapes and sizes! Ross was also a skilled wine-maker, exporting his acclaimed brand, Hazy Blur, across the world.
During a moving presentation in the William Magarey Room, Nigel was congratulated by the audience of 800 international and domestic delegates. A standing ovation in fact!
Nigel stated, “I am over-whelmed by this award; Ross was a truly remarkable advocate for the Australian Potato Industry and to receive this in recognition of Leadership and Advocacy in memory of him is an extraordinary honour.”
Nigel is a potato pathologist with over 20 years’ experience working in the Australian potato industry. He leads by example and freely shares his knowledge forging partnerships and collaborations nationally and internationally and in particular to combat poverty and food insecurity in developing countries. This is consistent with the values of the World Potato Congress; of which he is a Director.
Additionally, he is the General Manager of the Australian Seed Potato Industry Certification Authority (AuSPICA), which is an industry-based organisation that operates the seed potato certification Scheme in South Australia, Victoria and northern New South Wales. He is also Interim Chair of industry organisation Potatoes Australia Inc, the host of the Congress.
With a small team, he has united the Australian industry on the global stage.