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The Australian Cotton Industry’s BIG DAY OUT was a huge success with over 180 people attending, participants included landholders from all cotton communities such as St George, Dirranbandi, Dalby, Goondiwindi, Walgett, Narrabri, Moree Wee Waa, Warren, Bourke and Hillston.
The Australian cotton industry has a strong history of applying outcomes of research to meet its challenges.

The BIG DAY OUT was a combined initiative of the CRDC and the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC , that aimed to update past, current and future cotton growers on emerging research and provide growers the opportunity to get involved in the industry and see the inner workings of a leading farming enterprise first hand.

Andrew Parkes “Keytah” farm manager who was named the Australian Cotton Industry Innovator of the Year in 2008, spoke in detail about the changes that “Keytah” has been making to adapt to the current environment, such as moving towards 30 and 60 inch row spacing, the benefits of rotations and getting the most from your soil by reducing till activity.

The day showcased many other topics and speakers linking research and farm practice on important issues such as managing difficult weeds while preventing glyphosate resistance and spray drift, the carbon story – what are the realities and how to predict carbon budgets for alternative cotton farming systems, the roles of GM and conventional cotton – water use efficiency, profit, resistance management and GM stewardship, as well as managing fallows for greater water use efficiency while handling heavy stubble loads.
The day concluded with a discussion led by growers from across the industry which captured perceptions on where farming systems research needs to be directed for a sustainable future.