Home > Cotton & Grain Consultants to look future-20/07/07

Media Release 20th July, 2007

Cotton and Grain Consultants to look to the Future of Irrigation

The Australian Irrigated Cotton and Grains industry is investing heavily into new irrigation related technology over the next ten years, leading to efficient and sustainable irrigation farming systems.

It is expected that this investment will exceed $500 million in the regions between Dubbo, New South Wales and Emerald, Queensland.

David Wigginton, Irrigation Knowledge Broker with the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC (Cotton CRC) said the rate and effectiveness of this investment will be strongly dependent upon the manner in which knowledge is transferred and shared within the irrigated cotton and grain industries.

“As part of the Cotton and Grain Irrigation Knowledge Management project we are calling for expressions of interest from consultants servicing the cotton and northern grains region who are interested in expanding their irrigation services to growers in the future”.

“The aim of this project is to develop new and innovative ways to deliver irrigation services to growers through private providers, leading to more viable and productive irrigation farming systems”.

“This project will provide successful applicants with personalised training through the new cotton and grains irrigation workshop series as well as one-on-one support for the 2007-08 summer season from the national project officer and local Cotton CRC water team member”.

“The project also offers the potential development of tools and procedures tailored to the requirements of the providers and investigation of other funding options such as local WUE incentives” said David.

“This is a great opportunity for consultants to get involved and work together in benefiting the industry as a whole”.

“Providers involved in this project will be advantaged through a more rapid increase in capacity to deliver irrigation services to a wider audience” David concluded.

The Expression of Interest Documentation is available from the Cotton CRC website http://www.cotton.crc.org.au/content/General/AdminResources/ProjectCalls.aspx with applications closing on August 1. More information is available from David Wigginton (07) 4631 1711 or 0427 789 498. david.wigginton@usq.edu.au

For Further Information: David Wigginton on (07) 4631 1711 or 0427 789 498