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Pest consultant Jarrah Coates is almost an industry veteran and he’s only just turned 40!

Northern Rivers-based Jarrah has worked in the Australian macadamia industry for almost two decades, alongside his father, renowned IPM consultant Alan Coates.

Jarrah runs the NSW arm of pest and nutritional consultancy Coates Horticulture, working collaboratively with researchers and other industry experts to help Australian macadamia growers farm productively and more sustainably.

He is highly respected for his passionate commitment to pest monitoring as a key IPM tool, as well as his support for low impact solutions and bio-control agents where possible.

This, together with his enthusiastic participation in ongoing experimental trial work on farm and his willingness to share his wealth of knowledge with growers and at industry events, earned him the AMS Young Achiever of the Year award.

Jarrah was “pleasantly surprised’’ to receive the prestigious honour. “It feels really good to be recognised and acknowledged by the industry,” he says.

“I love learning, being involved with research projects and interacting with knowledgeable academics.”

Over the years, Jarrah has made valuable contributions to several macadamia research projects, including the industry-wide IPM project and the interrow sub-project, alongside Richard Llewelyn and the BioResources team.

He was also heavily involved in trial work using the targeted, softer control indoxocarb for macadamia seed weevil, which proved a big success.

“It’s been fantastic to see the reduction in spray applications to control seed weevil.”

Recently, he’s been trialling the practicalities and usefulness of spray drop sheets to better monitor late season spotting bugs and avoid unnecessary spraying.

“Richard (Llewelyn), entomologist Christopher Carr and I decided to build on the original work done in this area. Because I’m IPM minded I’m reluctant to do a late FSB spray if it may not be required,” says Jarrah.

“I really endorse the holistic approach that IPM encompasses. It’s about using the whole suite of tools available to you, whether that’s cultural controls, biological controls, softer targeted chemical control options or a combination of these.

“While we try and reduce spraying, we still have to be conscious of profitability for the growers. That’s a balance that we try to focus on and get right.”

Northern Rivers grower Ross Arnett has worked extensively with Jarrah and describes his approach as “conscientious and methodical”.

“Jarrah plays an integral part in all our farm management practices regarding tree health and insect control. He’s helped us integrate biocontrol agents and without his monitoring expertise I probably would have sprayed unnecessarily for lace bug and fruitspotting bugs,” says Ross.

For Jarrah, the highlights of his career thus far are many and too long to list, however one of the main ones has been “getting to know all the different growers and working through the decision-making process together.”

“Another major highlight is seeing some of the research that I have been involved in reap benefits. It’s great to know that I’ve had some input into some of those projects and work that are helping growers farm productively and more sustainably.”

Congratulations to Jarrah on winning the 2020 Young Achiever of the Year!