Studies in Sustainability: The Cotton Industry in Northern NSW and Southern Queensland

The following resource was developed during a study tour conducted by Mr Graeme Harris, Agriculture Head Teacher,Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School with funding support from the Institute of Trade Skills Excellence. The resource will be of use to Senior Agriculture students for the Farm Case Study, Sustainability Elective and Agribusiness Elective, as well as Geography Students.

Cotton Industry Stakeholder Responses to Water Reforms.

Case Study: Jim Purcell, Aquatech, Narrabri.

Aquatech Consulting is a small firm of consulting engineers specialising in the investigation, design and construction supervision of water resources and irrigation projects.The firm is located at Narrabri in the heart of the north-western New South Wales irrigation area. Projects are undertaken throughout Australia and overseas.

Director, Jim Purcell, has more than 25 years experience as a consulting engineer in the water resources/irrigation field. Jim is supported by two project engineers and an office manager.

Changes in irrigation development and policies:

Listen to Purcell1.mp3 and answer the following questions

1.Describe the changes in water policy from the 1980s to present.

2. Why should storages be able to capture the “first flush” of stormwater.

3. What have been the impacts of Water Reforms.

4. What is meant by the terms Saleable, Transferable, Water Market?

5. Why might farms selling entitlements have impacts on the local community?

6. What is the main challenge for horticulture in the light of variable allocations.

7. How has Jim Purcell had to change his business over time?

Water Management:

Listen to purcell2.mp3 and answer the following questions

  1. What stipulations (controls) were placed on a irrigation licence for a property near Bourke?
  2. What measures of water application can be collected.
  3. What is meant by the term a water balance.
  4. What were the main problems encountered in attempting to develop a water balance and what data did they collect.
  5. How do water infiltration rates vary over time?
  6. What does the program “WaterTrack” do. * see website and manual. See Watertrack rapid cotton demo.

Manual Aquatech Whole Farm Water Management.pdf

  1. How can leakage be caused.
  2. Why does increasing price for water lead to greater efficiencies

Irrigation Systems

Listen to purcell3.mp3 and answer the following questions

  1. What efficiencies can be maintained by Surface Irrigation
  2. What determines the amount of water applied
  3. How can changing flow rates save water
  4. Why might small family farms not move to 6 hour watering methods?
  5. Lateral Move Systems are often quoted as being more efficient. Why might this not be the case?
  6. What is one advantage and disadvantage of using a Lateral Move irrigation System
  7. Do you think that changing would have a positive impact on water use and costs?
  8. Subsurface (tape or drip) systems may have significant problems. What are they?

The Future: Water Balance sheets, accounting.

Listen to purcell4.mp3 and answer the following questions.

  1. What does Mr Purcell predict will occur in the future with regards to sharing the water resource
  2. Why will water balance accounting be important.

Essay Topic: Discuss the impact of new technologies in improving water efficiencies in irrigated crop production

Case Study: Namoi Water- John Clements, Manager

Listen to namoi water1.mp3 and answer the questions

  1. What changes have occurred on farms in the last 10 years.
  2. What helps some people adapt to change
  3. Who does Namoi Water represent
  4. How is it funded
  5. What is its role
  6. What is the likely future activities of the organisation
  7. What impacts have political and media interests had on your organisation
  8. What changes have been made to water allocations
  9. How can Farmers make savings
  10. Why will the next round of water reforms cause greater problems to farmers and local communities.

Case study Cotton Research at the Australian Cotton Research Institute (ACRI), Myall Vale, Narrabri

The Australian Cotton Research Institute (ACRI) is home of NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) Centre for Cotton, and Pulse and Oilseed Improvement.

Located between Narrabri and Wee Waa - in the middle of New South Wales's main cotton production areas -ACRI is owned byNSW DPI. The facilities are shared withthe Cotton Catchment Communities Cooperative Research Centre(Cotton CRC) and theCSIRO Divisions of Plant Industry and Entomology.

Website

Interview with Steve Yeates and James Nielsen, ACRI Research Staff

Role of ACRI, GM Cotton, water efficiency

Listen to acri1.mp3 and answer the following questions.

  1. How has the drought effected the ACRI funding and research.
  2. Describe the characteristics of the range of cotton growers.
  3. What areas are cotton growers moving to, why?
  4. Why isn’t the Ord River Scheme in northern Australia not permitted to grow cotton.
  5. What has been the impact of Bollgard ( a gm cotton)
  6. Why is Partial Root Zone Drying (PRD) not beneficial in cotton?
  7. What problems exist with alternatives to surface flow irrigation?
  8. What are some of the losses of water before it gets to a travelling irrigator.
  9. What methods have been used to increase efficiency in the field?

Science impacts, skills, competition for water, diversification, rotations

Listen to acri2.mp3 and answer the following questions.

  1. What impacts have plant scientists achieved
  2. How have they been achieved
  3. Why are there differences between Furrow and overhead application
  4. What impact are skills shortages having on farmers
  5. What are top irrigators doing to achieve greater efficiencies
  6. Why is deficit level knowledge important
  7. How is most of Americas cotton grown
  8. Who competes for water resources
  9. What indicators are there about historical water flows
  10. Why have some producers moved to the Burdekin Scheme in QLD
  11. Why are farmers diversifying
  12. Why are legume rotations becoming important

Soils, future research

Listen to acri3.mp3 and answer the following questions.

  1. What factors impact on soil structure
  2. Why may corn be important in a rotation with cotton.
  3. What level of Australian production is expected in the future
  4. What are the future areas of research?
  5. What research is being undertaken in root development
  6. What association exists between yield and quality
  7. Why is cotton still favoured over other crops by many irrigators
  8. Compare the level of skills and training of people in the cotton industry with other industries.

Next Steps, Political Factors, Social Factors, Economics of forward selling.

Listen to acri4.mp3 and answer the following questions.

  1. How close is cotton to its physiological limit?
  2. How will optimising systems and inputs impact on production
  3. How do political factors effect agricultural development
  4. How can government policies impact on land prices
  5. What are some of the challenges faced in developing the Ord?
  6. How can security of water impact on farm income through forward selling.

Case Study

Cotton Catchment Communities Cooperative Research Centre (CCCCRC)

The Cotton Catchment Communities CRC is an industry partnership leading research, education and commercialisation in the Australian cotton industry. The Cotton CRC aims to provide innovative knowledge to stimulate economic, social and environmental outcomes at farm, regional and national levels.

CCCCRC website

Options for irrigators, community impacts

See article on Impact of drought on Wee Waa- Social and economic impacts

Listen to ccccrc1.mp3 and answer the following questions.

  1. What options exist for irrigators
  2. How do cotton prices and returns impact on management
  3. What have been the community impacts of drought

Structural adjustment, changing role of CRC, Resources, Extension, Skills, Corporations

Listen to ccccrc2.mp3 and answer the following questions.

  1. How do farms respond to structural adjustment
  2. What is the role of the CCCCRC
  3. Why is cotton difficult to grow
  4. Why is the plasticity of the plant important
  5. What effect has the drought had on research
  6. What is the lfe of the CRC
  7. What were the two previous CRCs and how has the role of CRCs changed
  8. How are projects selected
  9. What are some of the resources developed by the CRC and how often are they reviewed
  10. What role does extension support play
  11. What is the biggest issue confronting the industry apart from water
  12. What role do corporations play?

Case Study

Cotton Seed Distributors.- Wee Waa. Managing Director, Peter Graham.

Website:

Agribusiness, biotech, challenges.

Listen to csd1.mp3 and answer the following questions

  1. What is the function of CSD
  2. What links to other companies have existed and why have they changed
  3. What areas are Bayer selecting for?
  4. How did CSD protect CSIRO funding
  5. What are the main challenges for CSD
  6. How do growers become members and what advantages are there from becoming a member
  7. How has the drought impacted on inventory management
  8. Which crop has the highest Gross Margin
  9. What role does cotton play in managing soil structure
  10. What size crop do you predict in the future for average years
  11. What new selections are being made into cotton
  12. What is the role of biotech.
  13. What is one reason for the need for local research and plant breeding
  14. How has chemical use changed in the cotton industry
  15. What lessons are there for other agricultural industries.
  16. What is the role of the Australian Cotton Conference.

Essay: Evaluate the introduction of new technologies at an industry, grower and agribusiness level.

Case Study,

Auscott Narrabri.Meeting With Ben Stevens, Farm Manager and Bernie George, General Manager Namoi.

Operating under its program of “Safe, Sustainable Production”, Auscott operates world-class farming, marketing and processing enterprises in Australia. As an experienced company with almost 45 years of service to Australian agriculture, the company maintains a strong reputation as a supplier of cotton, grain and related processing, marketing and shipping services to both domestic and international customers. Auscott is actively involved in all facets of the Australian cotton industry from field production through to export markets, providing ginning, marketing, warehousing and shipping services for our own crops as well as for our many grower clients.Auscott is also a prominent marketer of cotton and grain commodities, offering an innovative range of products.Auscott has substantial involvement in and total commitment to the Australian cotton industry and local communities with a focus on being the ginner and marketer of choice in the valleys in which we operate. We are innovative growers, committed to the stewardship of natural resources through sustainable production practices and a high level of water use efficiency. They are a leader in the uptake of technology for cotton production and processing. Considerable research and development work supports our commercial activities. Our field and processing technicians actively cooperate and work with scientists and other technical providers to enhance our production and processing systems.

Auscott values its unique position as the most vertically integrated member of the Australian cotton industry and the benefit that this presents to our customers. We believe there is no substitute for industry experience, committed people and support for the communities and environments in which we operate.

Farming
Auscott produces crops in the Gwydir, Namoi and Macquarie Valleys of inland NSW. The company’s farming operations are world-class developments operated by highly skilled employees and supported by modern, efficient equipment. Australian cotton yields and quality are amongst the highest in the world with Auscott enjoying a position as a leading producer in each of the valleys in which it operates.
As a strong supporter of science and technology, Auscott pursues farming techniques designed around the profitable stewardship of natural resources. All the company’s farms are certified Best Management Practice operations. The company is a leader in soil management and integrated crop management in irrigated agriculture. While cotton is the main economic crop, the farms are also significant producers of rotation crops including wheat (bread, soft and pasta), canola, chickpeas (Garbanzo), sorghum and smaller quantities of some specialist seeds.
The company’s farming practices include minimum tillage and controlled traffic farming, retained stubble practices and satellite assisted precision farming techniques. Irrigation practices include laser levelled furrow irrigation systems, lateral move overhead irrigation and drip irrigation installations. High standards of water use efficiency are a key focus of the company’s agronomic staff.
Telemetry and other remote sensing / control systems are employed at various sites with irrigation scheduling based on up to the minute soil moisture data transmitted automatically from soil moisture probes strategically positioned across the irrigated fields.
The agronomic teams at each farm undertake significant research and trial programs, ensuring that the company is at the forefront of issues such as new varieties, new production techniques, enhanced irrigation scheduling and the latest developments in crop biotechnology.

Water trading, Licences, Continuous Accounting

Listen to auscott1.mp3 and answer the questions

  1. Has the Namoi River stopped before large irrigation dams were in place?
  2. How is ground water linked to the river
  3. How is water traded
  4. What volume is a licence
  5. How much is it worth, does it vary
  6. How is water allocated
  7. What is meant by the term
  8. General Security Water
  9. Supplementary Water
  10. Overland flow
  11. Can bore water ( ground water ) be traded? How have the water reforms effected bore licences
  12. How does Continuous accounting work
  13. Why are variable licence allocations unsuited to permanent crops?

Variability, managing efficiency, changing practices, energy efficiencies, technology.

Listen to auscott2.mp3 and answer the questions

  1. How does variability effect business planning
  2. How does summer rainfall effect the farm
  3. Why are long time frames important
  4. How does technology impact on water scheduling
  5. How can efficiency be managed
  6. How have irrigation practices changed
  7. What was the advantage of a new storage over buying more water
  8. What role do yield maps play
  9. What are the advantages for Auscott of Lateral Move Irrigation systems
  10. Why are EM (electromagnetic) surveys carried out.

Change and Challenges

Listen to auscott3.mp3 and answer the questions

  1. What changes have there been on the Auscott Narrabri Farm
  2. Why are water use efficiency gains challenging
  3. Will changes result in less cotton growers, Why
  4. Why have some corporate organisations moved out of Cotton Production recently.

Case Study (note that sound quality is poor for these interviews)

A & G Carrigan, Boggabri, NSW.

The Properties “Milchengowie” and “Dia-Lyn” are adjoining and located close to the Namoi River. Water is drawn from Bores and a River Licence.

Farm Overview:

Questions: Listen to Carrigan1.mp3 and answer the following questions.

  1. What are the crops that are now grown.
  2. How long has chickpeas been grown
  3. What are the main changes that have taken place in water availability?
  4. How has government water policy effected the farm.
  5. Why did Carrigans lose more of their allocation than their neighbour?
  6. What organisations monitor water use?

Farm Design

Listen to Carrigan2.mp3 and answer the following questions

  1. All irrigated fields collect tail water and surface rainfall and return it to the main storage. Why was this originally introduced?
  2. What benefits has this provided for the farm

Environmental sustainability.

Listen to Carrigan3.mp3 and answer the following questions

  1. What are the main reasons for less spraying in the cotton crop.
  2. What are the main options available when growing GM BollGuard Cotton for resistance management
  3. (THINK) Has the use of GM in Cotton had positive or negative impacts, Discuss your reasons

Water Efficiency

Listen to Carrigan4.mp3 and answer the following questions

  1. Why is overhead or lateral move irrigation not suited to the farm.
  2. What are the main limiting factors to production.
  3. How has the farmer responded in area sown to cotton as a result of the reduced water availability

Locate Milchengowie on Google Earth using the file milchengowie.kmz

Look at the photo Syphon.jpg

  1. What factors would effect the rate of flow through the syphon from the head ditch (channel) to the field?
  2. What would labour cost be like using this system?

Case Study, Price Farms, Mungindi

Glen and Sue Price with other business partners farm 4 properties near Mungindi on the Border Rivers (Barwon) between NSW and Qld. They also have two irrigation properties in the Saint George Irrigation Area. They have also previously sharefarmed an additional three properties however due to the drought the owners are less likely to enter into a share farming arrangement due to the need to share costs.

They also have approximately 500 hectares of dryland area and 4000 hectares of grazing.

The drought has had significant impacts on their operations with no cotton or sunflowers grown in 2007. This has resulted in a number of changes.

-Reduced income

-Significantly reduced land cropped under irrigation

-Some staff have moved to the mines in Qld so they are recruiting South African farmers as employees to address their skills needs

As the operation is conducted over two states there are differences and similarities in water use. Water licences are held in both states and Continuous Accounting (see Purcell study) is used where water can be carried over for up to 3 years and 200% of allocation and this is balanced against monthly usage. In the Saint George irrigation area the Prices do not carry water forward as the dry hot climate causes significant losses from their stored balance held in the state operated dams, thus to use the water with the least losses it is usually used in the year that it is first available. New South Wales storages (Copeton Dam) is in a much cooler area and is deeper so that evaporative losses are much less so they farmers will manage their water differently.