On behalf of our stakeholders, CRDC is committed to secure economic, environmental and social benefits for the Australian cotton industry and the community and to achieve sustainable use and management of natural resources, while making more effective use of the resources and skills of the scientific and general communities. All of this is to be conducted in a framework of improved accountability for research and development spending in relation to the cotton industry.
CRDC investigates and evaluates the cotton industry’s requirements for research and development, and prepares, reviews and revises its five-year and annual R&D plans on that basis.
This is achieved by continuing interaction with CRDC’s legislated industry body, Cotton Australia. In addition to being the industry’s peak body, Cotton Australia reviews annual planned R&D investments on behalf of the industry in advance of the CRDC Annual Operating Plan being formulated and submitted to the Australian Government.
Our industry body: Cotton Australia
Cotton Australia is the Corporation’s industry representative organisation under the Primary Industries and Energy Research And Development Act 1989. It was originally established in 1972 as the Australian Cotton Foundation. As the peak industry representative body, its membership comprises all Cotton Grower Associations, cotton processors and some service industry members. It is funded through a voluntary grower levy of $2.25 (2011- 12) on each bale of cotton produced. Its head office is located in Sydney, with regional hubs in Narrabri, Brisbane and Toowoomba. The Board of Directors sets policy and strategic direction and consists of 10 elected directors who are growers and/or ginners.
The R&D role
Cotton Australia provides advice to CRDC on research funding submissions received by CRDC each year, after canvassing the views of its grower representative organisations on the relevance of the submissions to their needs.
Cotton Australia advisory panels reflect the R&D programs established under the CRDC Strategic Plan 2008–2013 – Value Chain, Farming Systems and Human Capacity – and address each of the CRDC Strategic Research Priorities under those programs.
These panels consider relevant research applications in detail and report their views to the organisation and to CRDC at the annual research review meeting.
In addition to its role as CRDC’s industry representative body, Cotton Australia is formally responsible for liaising on research issues generally for the cotton industry and has advised the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC (closed June 30 2012) on its R&D program.
Other industry roles
Cotton Australia supports levy paying cotton growers in cotton production and marketing, represents and promotes the Australian cotton industry to the community. Directors and staff members are represented on a wide range of working groups, boards, committees, reference groups and Grower Associations, as well as the Australian Cotton Industry Council, the International Cotton Advisory Committee, the National Farmers’ Federation and Queensland Farmers’ Federation, and NSW and Queensland Irrigator Councils.
Cotton Australia exercises a formal role under the PIERD Act legislation to:
- Report to the Parliament, the Minister and its representative organisations on R&D activities that are co-ordinated or funded, wholly or partly, by the Corporation;
- Consult, and have regard to the views expressed by Cotton Australia when drafting its R&D plan;
- Provide a copy of the R&D plan and operational plan prepared by CRDC for the Minister
Further information can be found at www.cottonaustralia.com.au.
Key industry priorities represented in CRDC R&D investment decisions.
- Invest in the skills, knowledge and occupational health and safety of the human resources in the cotton industry and its communities.
- Improve the sustainability of the cotton industry and its catchments.
- Improve the profitability of the cotton industry.
- Create and support a strong, focused and committed research program.