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September 2026 * 3 MINS
Reproduced from an article in Queensland Country Life by Sally Gall, 17 September 2026, using our own images from the event.
Queensland’s top agricultural trailblazers have been officially celebrated at a state awards dinner in Brisbane on September 16, following the announcement of the five major winners at the inaugural Australian Agriculture Awards.
Launched earlier this year by ACM Agri and the National Farmers Federation, and proudly sponsored by Westpac, Nutrien Ag Solutions and Toyota, the Australian Agriculture Awards are recognising individuals driving innovation, sustainability, leadership and safety across the nation’s agrifood sector.
Announced at a special awards event at the Howard Smith Wharves, the Queensland winners chosen to advance to the national finals are:
- Women in Agriculture: Sonya Comiskey
- Nutrien NextGen Leader: Grace Griffiths
- Sustainability in Agriculture: Coggan family
- Westpac Innovation in Agriculture: Josh Gadischke
- Toyota Wellbeing and Safety in Agriculture: Joanna and David Bone
The awards were judged by a panel of national agribusiness leaders and farmers. In their comments, the judges said they were greatly impressed by the calibre of the finalists, and eventual winners.
Women in Agriculture
Central Queensland’s Sonya Comisky is a self-proclaimed ‘behind-the-scenes’ worker, identifying good ideas for the primary production industry that can be turned into practical outcomes. It’s her demonstrated ability to deliver real outcomes, by bringing producers together with technology providers and industry, that has seen her work rewarded with this award. Over several decades, she has been making agtech more accessible and valuable to Australian farmers, which our judges have recognised. In addition to her leadership, Ms Comisky has contributed generously through service and mentoring, working to support other women in agriculture to build confidence, networks and ambition.
Nutrien NextGen Leader
In an incredibly tight field of finalists, the judges were impressed by Grace Griffiths’ early career work as a cotton agronomist, grower and industry advocate. Based at Goondiwindi, Ms Griffiths told us she had a “real fire in the belly” for what she did in promoting agriculture as a career of choice, and it certainly showed with the judges. She is already having an impact on her sector and has taken on some key professional and volunteer roles in her industry and local community. The judges felt Ms Griffiths had established herself as an important emerging agricultural leader who would greatly benefit from the additional exposure the Australian Agriculture Awards would deliver.
Sustainability in Agriculture
The Coggans have been farming on the Western Downs for 90 years, which has given them plenty of time to hone their understanding of what it takes to be sustainable in primary production. That was recognised by the judges, who said the family had presented an outstanding nomination for the Sustainability in Agriculture Award. They operate across 14 properties and employ about 20 staff year-round. In an effort to address key challenges such as rising input costs and labour shortages, the Coggans have adopted a number of management changes and new technologies, being early adopters of SwarmFarm Robotics and Halter virtual fencing. “The Coggans demonstrate how technology can transform agricultural productivity, sustainability and resilience, providing a practical blueprint for the future of Australian agriculture,” the judges commented.
Westpac Innovation in Agriculture
Some people would be deterred by the difficult times the peanut industry finds itself in, through no fault of its own, but not Kingaroy’s Joshua Gadischke. He exemplifies transformative agricultural innovation by rescuing Kingaroy’s historic peanut industry and turning an import crisis into a high-value commercial opportunity. That was exemplified earlier this year when Plenty Foods opened a state-of-the-art nut powder plant that is giving growers from as far afield as the South Burnett and the Atherton Tablelands the chance to value-add. The judges were impressed by Mr Gadischke’s ability to use technical innovation to tap into the global protein health trend and produce a world-class, 55 per cent high-protein powder that outshines traditional plant and dairy alternatives. His vision at Plenty Foods is helping to support local peanut growers and create dozens of regional jobs while creating a sustainable blueprint for Australian food manufacturing.
Toyota Wellbeing and Safety in Agriculture
They might be small, but the family-owned and operated registered training organisation that Joanna and David Bone have built was very impressive to our judges. They spend much of the year on the road travelling to a growing network of clients they’ve developed in Queensland, NSW and out to the Northern Territory. Access to the sorts of models of farm safety training that the Bones have developed is severely limited in remote parts of Australia, and so the way they’ve tackled that especially impressed the judges. “Their innovative, fun, and scenario-based approach has empowered thousands of remote workers with life-saving skills, setting a vital new benchmark for workplace safety across northern Australia,” was how the judges summarised their entry.
The five Queensland state winners each received a cash prize of $2000 and will travel to Canberra in November to compete against other state and territory champions at the national awards ceremony.
The national winner will receive $5000 cash and the overall winner will be crowned the inaugural Australian Agriculture Medallist and awarded a Toyota Tundra Platinum valued at $181,000.
