Cotton Australia's chair rallies support for Cotton Collective 2023

Burnett reminisced about the 2022 Cotton Conference held on the Gold Coast, stating that it was the largest and most successful conference they’d hosted, especially after a period of reduced travel and limited face-to-face interaction. He revealed that planning for the 2024 event is already in progress, according to an announcement released by Cotton Australia.

However, he assured industry professionals that they don't need to wait until 2024 to reconnect, celebrate the industry’s success, rekindle old friendships, and explore the latest research and innovation.

The Cotton Collective’s programme will include national and international speakers discussing topics of great interest to farmers, such as global market drivers, industry lessons from Brazil and northern Australia, all aspects of industry sustainability, including traceability, marketing, human rights, certified cotton and data collection and use, staff attraction and retention, industrial relations, irrigation automation, pest and disease issues, spray drift, ginning maximisation, and Australia’s agricultural outlook.

The Cotton Collective’s preliminary activities will include a Toowoomba district bus tour and a welcome drinks evening on Tuesday, before the conference’s official opening. The Australian Cotton Industry Awards Dinner will be held on Wednesday night at the picturesque Princess Theatre.

Emphasising the importance of training and learning opportunities, Burnett reflected on his personal experience, stressing that a defining feature of being an Australian cotton grower is the willingness to share experiences, ideas, and collaborate on virtually every aspect of farm life. He stated that the 2023 Cotton Collective represents an ideal opportunity for this collaborative spirit to thrive.

He concluded by encouraging those who haven’t yet made a booking to do so promptly to avoid disappointment, cautioning that bookings typically surge in the final week and days leading up to the event. He expressed his eagerness to welcome attendees to Toowoomba from August 1–3, 2023.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)