Winners of the Irrigated Crop of the Year, Dell and Bruce Bailey, ‘Hazeldene’, Boomi celebrate with their agronomist Andrew Arthur, Griffiths & Arthur, Goondiwindi.

Almost 200 people attended the Macintyre Valley Cotton Growers Association (MVCGA) annual awards night to recognise outstanding achievements in the past year and thank those who’ve contributed to the industry.

MVCGA Chairman Ben Coulton said there was a lot more optimism in the industry now, with the cotton area predicted to more than double in the upcoming planting season but still a long way behind the seasons in the late 1990s.

“Back in 1998/99 the district produced about 440,000 bales from almost 70,000 hectares, a yield of about 6.2 bales per hectare. This season we will produce about 180,000 bales from 19,000 hectares, a yield of almost 9.5 bales per hectare,” Mr Coulton said.

Winner of the Irrigated Crop of the Year, based on yield and agronomic management was Bruce and Dell Bailey, ‘Hazeldene’, Boomi, with a crop of Sicot 71BRF that yielded 12.95 bales per hectare.

St George-based irrigation engineer Glenn Lyons shows how bankless channel irrigation works.

Close to 130 people attended this year’s Macintyre Valley Cotton Field Day which ventured to Norman Farming’s operations, south of Toobeah.

Macintyre Valley Cotton Field Day Committee president David Kelly said it was the most attendees the event had seen for close to five years, reflecting both a topical program and some renewed enthusiasm in the industry.

“The team at Norman Farming did an excellent job in presenting the changes they have made to their operation to keep producing a lot of crops during the drought - measures improving the capture and retention of soil moisture, using a variety of planting configurations to improve yield per megalitre and developing unique management strategies for different soil types.”  

“It is real food for though for those attending – as water availability is the major limiting factor for the industry.” David Kelly said.