Trade And Biosecurity Pioneer Named Bayer Horticulture Researcher Of The Year
17 October 2025, AU: Working across horticultural research, biosecurity, trade and industry development throughout her 20 year career, Dr Measham has become a widely respected voice within the Australian and international scientific community.
As the former Director of Fruit Production Systems at the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Penny developed and implemented the Fresh and Secure Trade Alliance (FASTA), a $130 million collaborative research initiative funded through Hort Innovation’s Frontiers Fund, designed to protect and grow Australia’s horticultural exports.
Penny says she feels grateful and honoured to have received the prestigious award.
“Horticulture is fascinating to me,” Penny says.
“It brings together all the things that I love; science, trees, fruit and passionate people. I think it’s amazing that we have such a vibrant horticultural sector in Australia.”
Penny’s connection to the cherry industry goes all the way back to her PhD in plant physiology.
“My career really began by working very closely with the cherry industry on issues that were challenging them, using science to look after the crops they were producing,” Penny says.
As the newly appointed CEO of Cherry Growers Australia, Penny is relishing the opportunity to return to her roots.
“My role at Cherry Growers Australia now feels like coming home,” Penny remarks.
“To reconnect with growers in the industry who I’m now once again working closely with really feels like I’ve come full circle. It’s lovely.”
During her five-year directorship at the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Penny led several scientific teams whose work supported the Queensland and national horticulture sector.
Penny says a highlight of her career was developing and implementing the FASTA program, which in an Australian first, combined national research expertise in both regulatory market access and in-field insect pest management.
“Bringing people together to work on FASTA was about streamlining research, reducing duplication and providing efficiency in research for market access, with particular emphasis on the fruit fly,” Penny says.
“People are often amazed at how a very small fruit fly can create so much work, but the fruit fly is the largest impediment to growing export markets.
In its first year FASTA produced more than 50 project activities that delivered change for the industry across market access, new technologies and integrated pest management.
“I’m really proud of the FASTA program,” Penny says.
“It was a program that was years in the making and is now delivering real benefits for the horticulture sector.”
Those benefits include the chance to develop and progress the next generation of researchers.
“I would really like to thank Bayer for their recognition of science. Science is often undervalued, and working together to have this recognition is really important and inspiring,” Penny says.
“Undertaking science can be a really difficult pathway to enter for young researchers. I had a lot of support from both industry and other researchers throughout my career, and I’m at the point now where I can give back and support those who are coming through.”
Penny has taken up a number of supervisory roles for postgraduate students to pass on her knowledge and expertise. She has held teaching positions at universities and actively recruits high-profile industry speakers to show students where science is applicable in the real world.
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