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. 

Another well-received topic during the day was bankless channel irrigation, led by St George-based irrigation engineer Glenn Lyons, Thallon irrigator Ed Willis and Norman Farming’s Steve Klowes.  

Glen Lyons told the group, the system uses a below ground-level head ditch that fills up and spills into furrows. Checks in the tail-drain back tail-water up dry rows. 

Furthermore, there is no preparation required before watering – no siphons or rotobucks, meaning a 70 percent labour saving over siphons, and with no head ditch there’s less time spent turning machinery, which is opening doors for the use of wider equipment. 

Major sponsor of the event, Cargill Cotton’s Phil Sloan said it was very pleasing how well the day was supported - suggesting events like this are the reason the cotton industry has been so good at adapting to change. 

“This year we had car loads travel from Dalby, Moree, Mungindi and other places which is great to see,” Phil Sloan said. 

Phil Sloan also presented the 2008 Cargill Cotton Consistency Award for the highest whole-farm yield for the season.  

This years winner was Corish Farms, ‘Mundine’, which yielded 13.042 bales per hectare – the highest-ever yield in the awards long history.

David Kelly said there was about 19,000 hectares of cotton in the Macintyre this season – more than three times that of the previous season. 

“There is a good level of optimism out there – while prices are not great at the moment, when there’s a bit of water in the system, people are able to take advantage of good selling opportunities when they arise,” David Kelly said. 

Harvest of this season’s crop is expected to start in the area in late March.

The team from Coulton Farming, ‘Getta Getta’, North Star - Will Coulton, John Foot and Guy Ellman-Brown.

Major sponsor, Cargill Cotton’s Phil Sloan catches up with Ian Hayllor ‘Kensington Park’, Dalby.

Norman Farming’s Tony Taylor and Steve Klowes with Ben Taylor, ‘Booberoi’, Toobeah.