Finalists Announced for Australian Cotton Awards
May 26, 2011 Amid a wave of optimism surrounding white gold’s comeback, Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay unveiled the names of the finalists in the 2011 Australian Cotton Industry Awards at the Cotton Trade Show in Moree, heart of the nation’s cotton country.
With the cotton industry in resurgence, a strong field of candidates were nominated, with 12 finalists picked across five categories. Kay said the awards are not so much a contest but rather, a celebration of the industry’s innovation and progress.
“All of our finalists and talented people — researchers, growers, agronomists and young stars of the future — who contribute to our industry not only through their work but through an enormous personal commitment,” he said. “The awards are an opportunity to showcase this commitment and to share the visions and innovations of our highest achievers in order to strengthen the industry as a whole.
“Our finalists are always optimistic, dedicated and passionate about their work as well as major contributors to the broader industry and their cotton communities. The Australian Cotton Industry Awards showcase our exciting and dynamic industry, and point to a healthy future for the cotton sector.
“I want to congratulate all of the finalists and wish them well for the final rounds of judging over the next month.” Kay said.
Top honors will be announced during the Australian Cotton Industry Awards dinner and presentation night in Narrabri at the Crossing Theatre on Wednesday, August 10. Tickets for this event will go on sale at the end of June.
Finalists and categories include:
Monsanto Grower of the Year and AgriRisk Innovative Grower Award
• Donald and Douglas Crothers. “Booligar” is an irrigated cotton and dryland farming and grazing enterprise at Dirranbandi in the Lower Balonne region.
• Von Warner and Ed Willis. The Bullamon Plains Pastoral Co. operated by Ed and Bill Willis and Von Warner conduct an irrigated and dryland farming and grazing enterprise at Thallon in Queensland.
• Hamish Johnstone. Hamish Johnstone manages the Primeag Australia properties “Macintyre Downs”, “Wirrindi” and “Riverview’ on the Macintyre River at Goondiwindi producing cotton, seed sorghum and winter cereals on an irrigated and dryland mixed cropping and grazing enterprise.
• Gordon and David Brownhill. Merrilong Pastoral Co. is an irrigated and dryland farming and grazing business at Spring Ridge NSW. The team has established a no-till controlled traffic system since 1995 growing winter and summer grain crops and has commenced growing irrigated and dryland cotton in the current season.
• Craig and Sharron Saunders. Conducting an irrigated cotton, dryland wheat and grazing enterprise on three properties in the St.George Irrigation area. Craig has developed an innovative irrigation system with pipes through the banks which have adjustable flow rates. The system has resulted in a 20 percent water savings and significant yield increases.
• Stuart and Maxine Armitage. The Armitages conduct an irrigation cropping enterprise at “Wamara,” Cecil Plains on the Darling Downs. Some 200 – 250ha of irrigated cotton are grown annually on the 600 ha property. Crops are grown in long fallow rotations with opportunity crops of sorghum produced in a no till system with stubble retention.
Cotton Seed Distributors Researcher of the Year Award
• Kristen Knight, Monsanto Australia Entomologist, Toowoomba, QLD. Kristen leads the Monsanto Australia insect resistance management program in addition to managing the company’s research efforts into allele frequency, field survival on Bollgard II cotton, alternative refuges and the entomological assessment of new traits.
• Dr. Sharon Downes, Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO, Narrabri NSW. Sharon has made an outstanding contribution, over a relatively short timeframe, to the monitoring of resistance to the cry proteins in Bollgard II. She has made important scientific contributions to this research, for example identifying the value of and implementing the F2 and F1 tests.
• Dr. Warwick Stiller, CSIRO Plant Industry, Narrabri NSW. Warwick is a cotton breeder employed by CSIRO Plant Industry to develop new cotton varieties adapted to Australian management and conditions. As an important member of this team, Warwick has delivered new varieties for all production regions with higher yield, better disease resistance and with fibre properties sought by spinners.
Chris Lehmann Trust Young Achiever of the Year Award, sponsored by Bayer CropScience
• Fleur Anderson, Cahoots Communications, Theodore QLD. Fleur’s involvement in the community and industry has demonstrated her natural leadership abilities. She has an obvious enthusiasm and passion for the cotton industry, being president of her local grower association and leading by example in what has been a tough period for all growers in the Dawson Valley.
• Nick Gillingham, NG Agronomic Consultancy, Moree NSW. Nick was appointed to the position of farm agronomist in July 2005 and currently holds the role of cropping manager at “Keytah”, in the Gwydir Valley. Nick is part of the next cotton generation, taking on more responsibility each year and getting involved in industry activities at every opportunity.
• Dr. Rose Brodrick, CSIRO Plant Industry, Narrabri NSW. Rose has been involved with the cotton industry for over 10 years, starting as a PHD student and now as a scientist with CSIRO Plant Industry. Her research into physiology and management has helped to change the way cotton is grown with row configurations to improve water use efficiency.
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