Overview
CRDC delivers outcomes in cotton research, development and extension (RD&E) for the Australian cotton industry.
Our investments are governed by our five-year Strategic RD&E Plan 2023-28: Clever Cotton.
Clever Cotton
Clever Cotton sets out our vision for a sophisticated, prosperous and sustainable Australian cotton industry that is strongly connected to its value chain.
Clever Cotton commits CRDC to invest in RD&E to address and capitalise on challenges and opportunities for the benefit of levy payers, the cotton industry and the wider community. The strategy is aligned to the Australian cotton industry's sustainability framework, which recognises sustainability is integral to the industry's future success and provides a pathway for the entire industry.
Clever Cotton charts an ambitious course through three pillars of investment – Paddock, People, Planet – drawn from the sustainability framework. Each pillar contains three themes, creating nine key investment areas. By adopting this model, our RD&E focuses on industry priorities – including emerging issues and long-term challenges – to leverage higher investment returns and champion solutions to deliver the greatest impact.
Our goal is to add an additional $1 billion in economic value to the Australian cotton industry over the next five to ten years, recognising that this will be achieved progressively over future investment cycles. Not all outcomes envisioned under Clever Cotton will be fully realised within the 2028 horizon. Many RD&E investments, particularly those addressing complex system challenges – climate adaptation, natural capital and data integration – require sustained effort. CRDC is focused on building the foundations and capability needed to deliver enduring impact over the longer term.
Setting the RD&E priorities
CRDC works with the Australian cotton industry to determine the sector’s key RD&E priorities, and with Government to determine its overarching agricultural RD&E priorities. In turn, these priorities help to shape CRDC’s strategic RD&E priorities, formalised under Clever Cotton.
Funding
Cotton growers pay a R&D levy based on production. The main source of levies is from cotton ginned in Australia at a rate of $2.25 for each 227 kilogram bale of cotton (including $0.04 per bale for cotton industry membership of Plant Health Australia). If seed cotton is exported (i.e. not ginned in Australia), it is levied at a rate of $4.06 per tonne (including $0.07 per tonne for membership of Plant Health Australia).
Current investments
The 2026-27 investments are listed here: CRDC RD&E Investments.
