2022 Bayer Cotton Grower of the Year Field Day
04/03/2023
Over 200 people across farming, fashion, sustainability, technology, financial services and cotton industry groups met at Keytah Farm in Moree, NSW, for the Sundown Pastoral Company field day.
Recipients of the Cotton Grower of the Year award in 2022, Sundown Pastoral Company (SPC) - led by co-owners Danielle and David Statham - have made great strides in reducing the environmental impact of their cotton growing enterprise and harnessing technology to trace cotton fibres throughout the supply chain, through their Good Earth Cotton and FibreTrace platforms.
The day involved a series of panels that explored a range of topics, including:
- Consumer demands for supply chain transparency
- Changes in international importation legislation and export market expectations
- Compliance certifications for emissions reduction
- Tools for measuring a farm soil health, water use and carbon storage
- Digital traceability tools for cotton
- The carbon market as a revenue stream
The panel content and discussions delivered something quite unique for a cotton field day, with many seeing their roles in the supply chain from a fresh perspective. One cotton grower remarked “today has got me thinking about the things I do on my farm and how I can market what we do from an origins/value add perspective up the chain”.
With a broad mix of roles, motivations, businesses, advice and experience of attendees in the room, it is clear the need for connectedness throughout the cotton supply chain is now more important than ever.
The panels were followed by a trip out to the field to look at SPC’s automated irrigation technology and field innovations, led by SPC Farm Manager, Nick Gillingham.
