Mr Millwood is an agronomist with Roberts and also participates in industry extension projects, including the recent Roberts potato industry forum and trade show held this year at Scottsdale.

The Growth Awards are presented by Syngenta in partnership with Case IH and Fairfax Agricultural Media.

They aim to recognise leading agriculture professionals, highlighting their outstanding contributions to the industry across three award categories: productivity; sustainability; and community and people.

Mr Millwood said he was honoured to be nominated for the awards.

“I am lucky to be working in such a proactive industry striving to achieve continuous productivity gains to remain not only profitable and sustainable but also with a high level of personal satisfaction,” he said.

“I am lucky to work in an industry where vegetable growers embrace innovation, the environment and the community through irrigation/drainage technology, mechanisation and continuous improvements in agronomic practices in relation to nutrition, pest and disease control.”

Roberts works closely with companies such as Syngenta along with growers to evaluate new chemistry in the field and to conduct field trials with growers.

“Tasmania ticks a lot of boxes for quality vegetable production, but remains as one of the highest cost of production areas in the world,” Mr Millwood said.

“In order to remain profitable and sustainable my agronomy role with the Roberts team is to ensure that we stay abreast of the latest research and development (R&D), technology and product solutions and aid that transition to the field to ensure continuous productivity gains within the industry.”

Syngenta territory head – Australasia Paul Luxton said he was inspired by this year’s group of national nominees.

“We see outstanding nominees each year, and this year is no exception. We’ve received an extremely high calibre of nominations from agriculture professionals who are all working to improve not only their own businesses, but the industry as a whole,” he said.

Northdown agronomist Stuart Greenhill was also nominated for the awards, but declined to comment on his nomination.

The winners will be announced at the Growth Awards gala dinner in Sydney on December 1. The winners will then have the opportunity to participate in a study tour to the UK and Europe in 2017.