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Will cotton be the next no-till crop? How will this be done and what are other key innovations in cotton growing that make it an attractive cropping option?
The chance for cotton growers to answer these questions will be at the Cotton Industry’s BIG DAY OUT at “Keytah” Moree on February 26.

“Keytah” farm manager Andrew Parkes was last year named the Australian Cotton Industry Innovator of the Year. ‘Innovation’ will be the key word for the day.
The BIG DAY OUT is a combined initiative of the CRDC and the Cotton CRC that not only aims to update current cotton growers, but hopes to appeal to those farmers who have not grown cotton recently, but might be looking to get back into the industry. The program has been constructed to be of value to a range of enterprise structures that make up the industry. Whether you have small acreages or large, you will find something to stimulate your thinking at the BIG DAY OUT.

The BIG DAY OUT presents the opportunity for anyone involved in the industry to see the inner workings of a leading farming enterprise first hand. They day will showcase the links between research and farm practice on important issues such as managing difficult weeds while preventing glyphosate resistance, handling heavy stubble loads, managing fallows for greater water use efficiency and predicting carbon budgets for alternative cotton farming systems. The program includes Q&A sessions with researchers so participants can hear the most recent and relevant findings as well as seeing “Keytah’s” practical knowledge in action on the farm tour.

However the information flow will not just be one way. CRDC is looking to capture growers’ perceptions on where farming systems research needs to be directed for a sustainable future. A panel discussion will be led by growers from across the industry, the forum represents a real opportunity for growers to influence the thinking behind research investment decisions.

Topics will include:
• Farming moisture through fallow management;
• Weed strategies for hard-to-control weeds, such as fleabane, that minimise the risks of glyphosate resistance;
• Roles of GM and conventional cotton – water use efficiency, profit, resistance management and GM stewardship;
• Machinery for the new cotton farming system;
• The carbon story – what are the realities?

The BIG DAY OUT will be held at “Keytah” Moree on Thursday, February 26 from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm. Free buses depart; Narrabri Cotton Centre 9:00 am and Moree Golf Club 10:00 am; returning at the end of the day. Contact your local Cotton Extension Officer for details of group travel arrangements in other regions. For more information or to RSVP, phone Yvette Cunningham at the Cotton CRC; 02 6799 2471.