Sundown Pastoral win the Bayer Grower of the Year 2022 award at the Cotton Awards at the Gold Coast Convention Centre

Sustainability is one of the top agenda’s in the cotton industry and is becoming a vital step for all agriculture operations moving forward, in light of the recent Cotton Conference and Cotton Awards. Bayer Grower of the Year was not only awarded for continued research and sharing of knowledge, Sundown Pastoral’s quest to become one of the most environmentally sustainable agricultural enterprises has proven key to being the award winner for 2022.

The award winning cotton farm in Keytah, near Moree in New South Wales is headed up by Nick Gilliangham with a team of 20 full time staff, which Directors/Owners David and Danielle Statham work closely with. The 25,000 hectare farm operates with 10,000 under irrigation and half is utilised for cotton each year in a 100% rotation. An additional 10,000 is dedicated to dryland cropping whilst another 5000 is retained as native vegetation.

Tony Quigley won the Grower of the Year award last year and was on the judging panel this year and one of the judging panel this year, Tony said “Keytah had a track record for investing in research, they are certified to level 3 in the myBMP program, and they apply and share their learnings, which improves the industry as a whole. Firstly, the crop was very impressive with their 75cm farming system coupled with the new Sicot 606BRF variety a great fit. The carbon budgeting they’re doing there and being able to be neutral from a carbon point of view is very impressive. But also the traceability of their cotton product and how they’re being able to market that into the future, using both that carbon story but also the providence story.”

NDF Group has worked with Sundown Pastoral for over four years, supplying renewable energy technologies to various farming applications from Keytah to St Ronans. NDF Technical Manager, Kevin Herselman has created a strong working collaboration with David Statham to bring the latest technologies in renewables to his farming operation. He comments on the Cotton Conference and Awards:

Danielle Statham expressed Sundown’s gratitude to being nominated among a talented group of cotton farmers and were proud to run a farming business built on sustainability and traceability. She said “Australian cotton had the opportunity right now to be known as the smartest and cleanest fibre in the world. We hope to have everyone join in the climate positive, transparent and traceable journey with us.”

The cotton industry as a whole is working together to make bigger environmental decisions around their farming practices to ensure a sustainable future.

Image courtesy of Cotton Australia.