Meet Our Team

Dr Peter Scholefield

BAgSc, PhD, CPAg, FAIAST
Director/Principal Consultant
peter@srhs.com.au

Biography

Peter's tertiary training at the Universities of Adelaide and Melbourne prepared him for a successful research career with CSIRO in Sunraysia and Darwin working with projects on grapes and tree crops.  Extension work in the McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills regions gave him a good understanding of the needs of growers.

As founding Director of Scholefield Robinson Horticultural Services Pty Ltd, he has provided growers with practical solutions to problems and participated in project teams in Australia and overseas.

Areas of Expertise 

• Extensive crop knowledge of grapevines, almonds and other nut crops, olives, avocados, citrus, tropical fruits.
• Has a good understanding of industry bodies and R&D corporations from working with specific projects for winegrapes, nuts, vegetables, and culinary herbs.
• Technical expertise gained in a wide range of production regions in Australia and overseas.
• Capacity to integrate the many technical facets of horticultural production into integrated packages.

Affiliations 

• Member, Australian Association of Agricultural Consultants, Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology CPAg status.
• Member, Australian Society of Horticultural Science, Australian Society Viticulture and Oenology, and American Society for Horticultural Science, American Society for Enology and Viticulture.

Range of Experience 

• Provision of contract technical and management services to major wineries, corporate vineyards and corporate almond growers.
• Provision of technical expert reports for prospectuses and information memoranda.
• Conducted numerous technical horticultural/viticultural management audits of projects for investors.
• Provided expert opinions for legal and loss adjustment matters.
• Worked on a wide range of projects investigating issues surrounding the supply and use of underground and surface water resources in horticulture.
• Project on the risk and economic impact of phylloxera in South Australia’s viticultural regions, for the Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board of South Australia, with EconSearch Pty Ltd.
• Leader of a project to develop a training program for Australian dried grape growers for Australian Dried Fruit Association and Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Dr Prue McMichael

BAgSc, MSc, PhD, CPAg
Principal Consultant
prue@srhs.com.au

Biography

A graduate of the University of Adelaide and the University of California, Davis, Prue's specialties are in Plant Pathology and providing advice on disease management and crop loss assessments for grape, nut, fruit, vegetable and nursery producers.  Her overseas experience includes an appointment as acting Vegetable Crop Extension Specialist in California.  Other interests include industry development, field research, research reviews, PBR trials, and quality management for a wide range of clients.

Areas of Expertise 

• Plant pathology and disease management.
• Crop loss assessment for grape, nut, fruit, vegetable, potato, onion and nursery producers.
• Industry development
• Quality and biosecurity management and assessment
• Forensic pathology
• Qualified Person for PBR applications
• Research reviews
• Field research

Affiliations 

• Fellow, Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology. CPAg.
• Member, Australasian Plant Pathology Society.
• Member, Australian Accredited Agricultural Consultants.

Range of Experience 

• Industry support - Secretariat, National Vine Health Steering Committee 2000 - June 2009.
• Expert witness and legal support reports - onions, table grapes, strawberries, hydroponic tomatoes, potatoes, stonefruit, flowers.
• Almond research - Bacterial Spot, Anthracnose, Angle Vale Leaf Tatter and Defoliation disorder.
• Biosecurity - pest categorisation, pest risk assessment, gap analysis (vegetables), Biosecurity Manuals (almonds, vegetables).
• Plant Breeders Rights trials and applications - potatoes, carrots, capsicums.
• Import Risk Assessment - table grapes from California.
• Assessment of plant disease, pest risks and economic impacts - composting facility, planting material, mangement.
• EPA Chemical Users Project Market Research.
• Review nut industries - exotic disease threats to Australia.
• Chair, Selection Panel APVMA Board 2005, 2007.
• Levy submission for Onion Industry, 2001.

Charles Drew

BAgrSc, MSc (AgEc), DipAgExt, CPAg, FAIAST
Principal Agribusiness Consultant
charles@srhs.com.au

Biography

Charles has a distinguished background as an agricultural and farm management economist, strategic planner and adviser to agribusiness, industry and government.  He joined Scholefield Robinson Horticultural Services Pty Ltd in 2001 after a successful consulting career with AACM/Dames and Moore/URS.  He also has widespread experience and recognised skills as an expert witness and graded arbitrator, and as an independent assessor and evaluator of agribusiness and natural resource management programs and projects.

Areas of Expertise 

• Agribusiness economics.
• Investment analysis and diagnostic review.
• Economic loss assessment.
• Agricultural extension.
• Program and project evaluation.
• Alternative dispute resolution (ADR).

Affiliations 

• Fellow (and past National President), Australian Institute of Agric. Science and Technology; Certified Practising Agriculturalist.
• Member, Graded Arbitrator and Accredited Mediator, Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia.
• Member, Australasian Association of Agricultural Consultants.

Range of Experience 

• Vanuatu – Feasibility study for Kava production and processing.
• Bushfire farm loss assessment and compensation negotiations.
• Economic loss assessments (>175) as an expert witness including fire in abattoirs, effects of farmer injuries or death, effects of malfunctioning machinery and agricultural chemicals, family conflicts etc.
• ADR: expert determinations - grape supply contracts; mediations - farmers and financiers, intergenerational farm transfer, chicken meat growers and processors.
• Feasibility studies, diagnostic reviews and development of strategic plans for a range ($1m to $30m) of agribusiness enterprises, for national industry bodies, and for industry extension services.
• Business plans for national nuclear collection of grape vines, regional beef cattle marketing schemes, regional grain processing and marketing.
• Review and evaluation of investment programs in RD&E and on ground implementation for NLP and NHT, for Catchment Boards, Regional conservation programs and for specific RD&E programs.

Lauren Thompson

BSc(AgSc&Mgt) UC Davis, CPAg
Senior Consultant
lauren@srhs.com.au

Biography

A graduate of the University of California, Lauren has experience in both California and Australia with a range of horticultural crops. Her work with corporate horticultural, agribusiness and irrigation companies in Australia and California, together with the role of Research, Development and Extension Leader for the processing tomato industry in Victoria and NSW, demonstrates the broad expertise that Lauren can provide to industries, projects and growers.

Areas of Expertise

• Contract research and other types of investigations on agronomic, economic and environmental issues involving horticultural industries and businesses.
• Development and delivery of science-based strategies for improving crop productivity and quality, with an emphasis on annual horticultural crops.
• Development, implementation and evaluation of extension strategies and training programs.

Affiliations

• Member, Aust. Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (AIAST).
• Member, Australian Association of Agricultural Consultants (AAAC).
• Member, Irrigation Australia Limited (IAL).
• Member, American Society of Agronomy (ASA).
• Member, Soil Science Society of America (SSSA).
• Member, Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN).

Range of Experience 

• Preparing advice for irrigator clients and government agencies on water availability and policy.
• Provision of agronomic advice to individual farming businesses and a vertically integrated food processing business, including training of employees.
• Delivery of workshops on drip irrigation and fertigation of processing tomatoes and other horticultural crops in Brazil (for Unilever), Canada, USA and Australia.
• Conducting R&D for a rural water authority regarding feasibility of subsurface drip irrigation in their district (subcontracted to RMCG).
• Preparing export reports for legal matters and planning applications.
• Determining R&D priorities for the Northern Victorian Fresh Tomato Industry Development Committee.

Adrian Loschiavo

BAgSc, BSc(Hons)
Consultant
adrian@srhs.com.au

Biography

Adrian studied Agricultural Science at La Trobe University, Melbourne and completed Honours studies at the University of Adelaide in grapevine pathology.  Previously, Adrian has worked as a research officer focused on Eutypa dieback of grapevines and in vineyard management within several Australian wine regions.

His sound technical knowledge, combined with his vineyard management skills, has provided the experience to identify efficiency improvements and solve problems associated with wine grape production.

Areas of Expertise 

• Technical and practical expertise in all facets of viticulture and vineyard management.
• Independent wine grape quality assessment.
• Wine grape loss assessment.
• Vineyard performance benchmarking.
• Vineyard management and agrochemical support.

Affiliations 

• Member, Australasian Plant Pathology Society.
• Member, Australian Association of Agricultural Consultants, Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology.
• Member, Australian Society Viticulture and Oenology.

Range of Experience 

• Grower services - Provision of contract services providing technical information and practical advice to independent growers and corporate vineyards.
• Winegrape quality assessment - Working with grape growers and fruit purchasers to provide an independent assessment of fruit quality including purity and condition.
• Winegrape loss assessment - Objective assessment of loss caused by frost, split or herbicide damage.
• Benchmarking - Independent assessment of vineyard performance including irrigation efficiency, capital and operating budgets.
• Support - Providing vineyard management and agrochemical support to independent growers and corporate vineyards.

Andrea Francis

BSc, GradDip EnvSc
Technical Officer
andrea@srhs.com.au

Biography

Andrea studied Science (major in Soil Science and Plant Nutrition) at the University of Western Australia and has also completed a Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science at Murdoch University. Previously, Andrea has worked at Rural Solutions SA as a Land Management Consultant and was involved in a diverse range of projects including Designated Primary Production Area Mapping, Land Condition Monitoring Survey, and the Soil Acidity Program. She has also worked in a number of roles at the NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation including in soil data management and soil survey. Her current work at Scholefield Robinson includes general technical support to senior consultants and administrative staff.

Areas of Expertise 

• Assistance with field work including soil sampling, crop monitoring, field trials and measurements
• Literature reviews, internet and database searches on specific topics
• Data management
• Technical support to senior consultants

Cheryl Jenkins

Admin Manager

Biography

Cheryl is responsible for office management, administration and all financial matters including analysis of financial data, cash flow projections, invoicing, processing payments, monitoring financial performance and payroll.  She is responsible for preparing and maintaining statutory records and returns for superannuation, workcover and taxation and liaises with the company's accountant and external business advisor.

She oversees Scholefield Robinson's operating policies and procedures and maintains the company's professional indemnity, public liability and general business insurance policies and also maintains all administration and library filing systems and databases.

Prior to joining Scholefield Robinson she worked for 13 years as the Administration Manager of a sporting association and preceding that was employed for 9 years by the (now defunct) Australian Wine and Brandy Producers' Association which was part of the coalition that formed the Winemakers' Federation of Australia in 1989. 

Garth Swinburn

BHort, NDH, DipAgEcon, CPAg
Managing Director/Senior Consultant
garth@srmildura.com.au

Biography

Garth Swinburn is Managing Director of Scholefield Robinson Mildura Pty Ltd.  He graduated in horticulture from Lincoln and Canterbury University and has post graduate qualifications in agricultural economics from the University of New England.  Since 1982, he has worked in production horticulture in temperate crops, primary industry development and fresh produce marketing in New Zealand, Chile and Tasmania.

Garth joined Scholefield Robinson in 1998 and has built the capacity of the Mildura business in the warm irrigated horticultural regions of Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.  He provides technical support in property management, expert reports for legal cases and investment projects, economic viability analysis of horticultural industries, loss assessment and Plant Breeders Rights (PBR) registrations.  His expertise are in wine, table and dried grapes plus tree crops such as citrus, stonefruit and almonds.  Garth is a member of AIAST and AAAC.

Areas of Expertise

• Horticultural crop management and technology
• Industry analysis
• Economic analysis and loss assessment
• Due diligence and property appraisals
• Qualified Person (QP) for Plant Breeders Rights applications

Affiliations

• Member, Australian Association of Agricultural Consultants
• Member, Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology CPAg status.
• Member, Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology

Range of Experience 

• Irrigated horticultural crop management, including grapevines and tree crops such as citrus, olives, almonds, summerfruit and avocados.
• Expert reports for investor documents for table grapes, wine grapes, citrus, olives and nut crops.
• Industry analysis projects addressing production and post-production issues.
• Business plans for horticultural developments and existing enterprises.
• Plant Breeders Rights applications for grapes, citrus and other crops.
• Legal cases and crop loss assessment for spray damaged crops, defective materials and injury due to adverse weather conditions.
• Measurement and monitoring of wine grape quality in vineyards.
• Market analysis of produce, supply and demands, prices and returns.
• Preparation and delivery of seminars, workshops, training courses in horticulture production and technical topics.

Alison MacGregor

BAgSc, MAgSc
Consultant
alison@srmildura.com.au

Biography

Alison is a graduate of the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University.  Prior to joining Scholefield Robinson Mildura Pty Ltd she worked for 17 years with the Department of Primary Industries, Victoria.  Alison initially held the role of Regional Chemical Standards Officer, followed by 15 years in Research and Development, principally in viticulture.  She has specialised skills in issues relating to chemical efficacy and residues, disease and pest management, spray application, assessing or minimising off-target contamination and residue traceback.

Areas of Expertise

• Chemical use, hazards, environmental contamination and residues in horticultural products.
• Field trials to assess insecticide, fungicide or adjuvant efficacy or residues.
• Spray application research and training.
• Integrated Pest Management.

Affiliations

• Member of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, CPAg.
• Member of the Australian Association of Agricultural Consultants.
• Member of Australasian Society for Ecotoxicology.
• Member of Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

Qualifications & Awards

• Bachelor of Agricultural Science, University of Melbourne, 1987
• Masters of Agricultural Science, La Trobe University, 1999
• Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training, Sunraysia Institute of TAFE, 2003