Recently retired Grain Pool lupin specialist Peter Nelson has been publicly recognised by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) for creatively and professionally extending lupin management packages to Western Australian growers.

At a GRDC-supported luncheon in Perth during Grains Week 2004, he accepted the Seed of Light award (a work of art in glass), which acknowledges excellence in research communication.

Presenting it, GRDC Western Region Panel Chairman and Hyden grower, Dale Baker, said UK-born Mr Nelson quickly become the number one advocate for lupin growing when he moved to Geraldton with the Department of Agriculture in the late 1970s.

“Western Australia is now the world’s biggest producer and the man sometimes affectionately known as Mr Lupins can take much of the credit for that,” Mr Baker said.

After about 20 years with the Department, Mr Nelson was ‘seconded’ to the Grain Pool where he continued to promote the virtues of lupins across the state.

In the ensuing years, Western Australia’s narrow-leafed lupin crop reached one million tonnes a season, before being nearly wiped out in 1996 by the fungal pathogen anthracnose.

Although not back to previous highs, the crop managed to deliver close to three quarters of a million tonnes to CBH bins in 2003/04.

Mr Baker said Mr Nelson was much admired and respected by growers, researchers, agronomists, extension officers and advisors for his breadth of knowledge and his ability to translate theory into practice and then clearly deliver a worthwhile message.

Former lupin breeder and Department colleague, John Hamblin, described him as having a unique combination of technical knowledge, local experience, belief in what farmers told him and strong communication skills.

“These are what very quickly made him a highly respected extension officer in the Geraldton region and rapidly over the south west of the state as well.

“Much of Peter's knowledge and influence came from seeing farmers’ problems and successes in the field and then integrating his experiences across many farmers to form a strong view of the issues and changes going on in the lupin industry and then moulding everything into a clear message that usually worked,” Dr Hamblin said.