Narrabri scientists named finalists for Cotton Researcher of the Year Award
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Cotton Matters
The 2026 Australian Cotton Conference program is now live, giving growers a first look at sessions under this year’s theme Future Fit Cotton. The program focuses on practical, on-farm priorities including productivity, risk, sustainability, markets and innovation, with a mix of industry and guest speakers.
Speakers include entrepreneur Mark Bouris on innovation and problem solving, Former Australian women's cricket captain Alyssa Healy on performance and leadership under pressure as well as TradeMutt/TIACS founders Daniel Allen and Edward Ross.
Latest News
Cotton Australia Chair Liz Stott and CEO Adam Kay attended the 45th National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) Members Council meeting this week, where key governance changes, funding discussions and major policy positions were discussed.
Over the last fortnight, Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay has met with several CGAs, updating members on CA’s work in the policy and advocacy space, discussing ongoing efforts to protect water rights, engaging with ABC management around failures to meet standards of accuracy and impartiality, and the ongoing work with the NFF and the government on fuel and fertiliser availability.
From 1 July 2026 a new NSW Code of Practice: Managing fatigue at work comes in effective which means SafeWork will expect business owners and managers to be able to demonstrate how fatigue is being identified and managed on farm.
Cotton Australia recently hosted a webinar on the upcoming changes to same day super requirements and Fair Work determinations. The recording is now available online.
Three leading scientists whose work is shaping the future of Australian cotton have been named finalists for the 2026 Cotton Seed Distributors Researcher of the Year award: Dr Shiming Liu and Dr Katie Broughton from CSIRO Agriculture and Food in Narrabri, and Dr Gunasekhar (Guna) Nachimuthu from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development at the Australian Cotton Research Institute.
Does water flow through your life, and are you interested in working collaboratively on how the Murray–Darling Basin’s water resources are managed? The Murray–Darling Basin Leadership Program brings together people from across the Basin who want to strengthen their leadership skills and contribute to a shared understanding of why the Basin’s water resources matter.
The next program begins in Moree in June 2026, with the first in‑person session scheduled for 20–24 July 2026.
CSIRO is running a short survey to learn how farmers use—or don’t use—long‑term climate information in everyday and long‑term decisions, including planning for more variable seasons.
Your answers will help improve the climate information available to support Australian cotton growers managing risk and change.
News in Brief
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The NFF is hosting a Farms in Focus Insights Webinar with CommBank Agribusiness and Harvard Professor Michael Hiscox from 2–3pm (AEST) on Wednesday 3 June. The webinar will share findings from the inaugural Farms in Focus survey, which gathered input from more than 500 farmers. It explores risks to farm viability, approaches to land, water and energy management, and where farmers see future opportunities. |
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The Australian Women in Agriculture National Conference 2026 brings together women from across Australia’s agricultural sector for three days of connection, learning and leadership. Held in Orange, NSW from 27–29 July, the conference will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, practical workshops and regional tours, alongside opportunities to build meaningful connections with women working across the industry. |
2026 Grower of the Year Nominees
2026 Cotton Grower of the Year Nominees – The Brimblecombe Family, Lockyer Valley
The Brimblecombe family operates a highly diversified enterprise, integrating cotton and vegetable production while investing in advanced irrigation systems, water recycling and spray technology to maximise resource efficiency.
