EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Granite Belt Growers Association is overseen by a committee of nine members. Our Executive Committee has a wealth of experience, in a wide range of areas, across the horticulture industry, each offering a unique set of skills and viewpoint. Meet our experienced and enthusiastic Executive Committee below:
Connie Taylor
PRESIDENT
Connie and her husband of 25 years, Raymon Taylor, operate a family-owned business that has been producing leafy green vegetables for 95 years. Taylor Family Produce (TFP) have a key focus on soil nutrition, spending decades nurturing their lands for the cultivation of iceberg lettuce, wombok, celery, silverbeet, mini cos lettuce and cauliflower. TFP boast a year-round operation, having 2 beautiful farms in Southeast Queensland and share the management of these operations with Ray’s brothers Wayne and Geoff. Connie holds a diploma in Agribusiness Management and strongly advocates for Granite Belt horticulture, sitting on the board of directors with Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and is an active member of the Queensland Horticultural Council.
Richard Ross
VICE PRESIDENT
Richard is a Zimbabwean-born farmer with 10 years of broadacre cropping experience, covering Western Queensland and Northern New South Wales. For the past four years, he has been the summer cropping manager for Ashbern Farms Stanthorpe, producing field grown strawberries. Richard studied at Harper Adams in England, where he developed a passion for using technology to solve agronomic problems with out-of-the-box thinking. His driving focus is water efficiency and believes that “…the sooner we help each other, the better farmers we will be. Collaboration is better than competition.”
Deborah Gasparin
SECRETARY
Deborah has lived on the Granite Belt all her life. Raised on a 3rd generation family farm that produced apples, pears, stonefruit and cauliflowers. Deb has been part of the team at a local irrigation supply shop – Aqua Rural Supplies – for the last 12 years, maintaining the accounts and administration. When Deb is not at work, she and her 2 children venture out to the family farm (Kiara Downs) owned by her husband David and his 2 brothers who produce Wombok, Lettuce, Silverbeet, Cabbage and over 600 head of cattle.
David Andreatta
TREASURER
David runs a 450 acre gourmet tomato and capsicum farming operation with his wife Jessica at Ballandean. David operates a stand-alone tomato and capsicum packing facility for a number of growers in the region. David has a amazing passion for the farming community of the Granite Belt and believes the Growers Association can give our community a real voice across Queensland.
Nathan Baronio
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Nathan is a 3rd generation farmer working with his brother to run their family farm Eastern Colour. Eastern Colour specialises in protective cropping of strawberries in conjunction with the businesses long standing supply of apples and pears to the Queensland market. With a background in marketing and sales, Nathan is passionate about collaboration in order to increase marketing activities and sales performance of the members of the Granite Belt Growers Association.
Scott Carnell
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Scott and his family operate a tomato farm in Severnlea. Scott is extemely active within the local community and is a strong advocate for horticulture on the Granite Belt.
Angus Ferrier
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Angus is a passionate and innovative farmer who runs Rosemary Hill Orchard, a family-owned and operated stone fruit orchard producing early season peaches, nectarines and plums. Prior to joining the family orchard, Angus spent 10 years in the construction industry as a Project Manager.
Susan Giacosa
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Susan and her husband Terry operate Terry’s Sweet Persimmons, cultivating over 1000 persimmon trees in their Fuyu persimmon orchard. Susan also devotes much of her time as a quality assurance consultant, assisting growers with their numerous compliance obligations.
Michael Simpson
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Michael and his family operate a gourmet tomato farm in Ballandean. As a generational farmer, Michael has been a farmer his entire life, learning everything he knows from his dad, and passing his knowledge to his own son.
SUPPORTING LOCAL GROWERS
Membership is open to companies or individuals directly engaged in the growing of horticulture produce within the Granite Belt region