- National spotlight on Western Australian apple research
- Steele Jacob recognised for three decades of dedication to apple industry development
- Mr Jacob worked alongside the 'father' of the Pink Lady
The Cook Government has congratulated Western Australian researcher Steele Jacob, who received a national Award for Excellence for his contribution to developing iconic apples that have become household brands and are now grown around the world.
Mr Jacob was presented with the Apple and Pear Australia Limited Research and Extension Provider of the Year Award yesterday, recognising his more than 30 years of commitment to improving apple production in Western Australia and beyond.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) senior technical officer is a key member of the apple breeding team, which develops unique and tasty new varieties for consumers to enjoy and easy and profitable for farmers to grow.
Mr Jacob worked alongside the 'father' of the Pink Lady, Sundowner and Bravo branded apples, the late John Cripps, in the latter part of his career, and is proud to continue his legacy.
The long time Manjimup local is well known for his passion, affable approach, vast knowledge and willingness to go above and beyond to support industry development.
Mr Jacob is based at DPIRD's Manjimup Horticulture Research Institute - home to the Australian National Apple Breeding Program - where he can be found in the laboratory or the orchard of more than 50,000 seedlings.
As stated by Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis:
"Steele is a very worthy recipient of this award and it's great to see him achieve national recognition for his work.
"DPIRD's apple breeding team is known for its innovation and collaborative approach in developing exciting new varieties and supporting growers to produce premium apples that appeal to consumers at home and abroad.
"It is wonderful to see John Cripps' legacy continuing to transform the Australian apple breeding and marketing landscape."
