growers@sgcotton.com.au Roger Tomkins - Greenmount Press

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Carbon and energy costs – a better bottom line The ‘Carbon and Energy Costs – A better bottom line’ session of the Australian Cotton Conference showcased four diverse speakers covering carbon farming, and energy and input efficiency in productive cotton farming systems. Speakers included current industry and leading national researchers: Dr Jeff Baldock, CSIRO, Francois Visser of University of Qld, Dr Lance Pendergast and Prof Snow Barlow of the University of Melbourne. Optimising inputs and managing cotton farming systems for productivity present ‘win-win’ solutions for growers, in terms of cost savings, productivity and profitability, and potential benefits from the government’s new Clean Energy Package and voluntary Carbon Farming Initiative. More work was needed though, particularly in providing information on the economics around changing practices, to help growers decide on the potential. Dr Jeff Baldock reiterated the potential for carbon accounting in Australian soils, but its variability means there won’t be one solution. He said it was important for farmers to understand requirements before engaging in carbon markets, and potential constraints which included implications on land values and uncertainty in carbon value. Francois Visser of the University of Queensland has been working on carbon footprint accounting for cotton farms, which was particularly important given the rise of sustainability labelling globally and the fact that it was increasingly being pushed back through the supply chain to the grower. He said the industry had an opportunity to use the cotton Best Management Practices (BMP) system to take Australian BMP cotton to the market – as ‘carbon light cotton’. Lance Pendergast of QDAFF presented case studies from his Irrigation Systems Energy Benchmarking work. One case study saw a grower make a $64,000 annual saving after investing in a pump efficiency upgrade. Lance sees potential for upgrades across the industry, in undertaking irrigation energy efficiency measurements and using benchmarks to help realise cost and labour savings. Prof Snow Barlow ended the session by providing a broad perspective, reminding the audience of the government’s Rob Holmes (left) congratulates new Cotton Australia Chairman Lyndon Mulligan and wife Davina. bipartisan commitment to reduce GHG emissions. Projected climate changes in cotton growing areas will see temperature increases and potential increases in land sown to cotton, especially in the south. There is uncertainty around water availability. Snow reminded listeners to not get distracted by the prospect of making big money from carbon credits, “see it within your farming business, working synergistically with productivity and input efficiency gains.” Snow focused on highlighting potential mitigation opportunities through reductions in nitrous oxide emissions from nitrogen fertiliser under the CFI. This R&D will ultimately help cotton growers manage increasing costs of production, a real challenge particularly given the introduction of the carbon tax and rising energy costs. The cotton myBMP Energy and Input Efficiency module provides a great resource of current relevant industry information. Session chair Hamish McIntyre of Cotton Australia reiterated that the industry looks forward to future farming systems that incorporate carbon and energy management, and provide farmers with an ability to offset cost of production and get recognition for good land stewardship. Moving round bale pickers presents a challenge With an estimated 80 per cent of this year’s cotton crop picked with the John Deere 7760 round-bale picker, there was plenty of interest in the conference session that focussed on this technology. Cotton Australia’s Field Policy Manager James Houlahan outlined the efforts Cotton Australia had made to gain permits and exemption for the road transporting of these machines that exceed the standard dimension and mass limits. James leads the cotton industry transport supply chain program and reported on the success of negotiations with the state transport authorities in achieving special permits for the ‘walking’ and ‘floating’ of the large John Deere 7760 round bale picker. Cotton Australia has been able to successfully negotiate with both Queensland and NSW transport authorities for special permits with strict operating conditions that allow the round bale cotton pickers to be safely transported on roads during the cotton harvest season. The safe loading, restraint and transport of the round cotton modules was also the focus of James’s presentation. There has been a significant amount of work been undertaken to test and assess load restraint systems for the safe cartage of round modules on semi-trailers. In a related session, Andrew Vanderstock, Operations Manager with Namoi Cotton and current Chair of the Cotton Ginners Association told the conference that contamination issues – in particular the plastic wrap on the round modules was an area that needs to be carefully managed so that plastic does not find its way into the ginning process and contaminate the lint. A growers panel of owner/operators of the John Deere 7760 round bale pickers provided the audience with the benefit of their varied experiences in using the new cotton harvesting technology and also some valuable comparisons of the differences between the older conventional picker technology versus the new round bale picker. 18 — The Australian Cottongrower August–September 2012
You’re in control of your future. With the 2012/13 Cotton Choices program you have more control of how and when you pay for your technology fees. Just like previous seasons, you can choose from three Cotton Choices to help you control cash fl ow and manage your production risks. Growers of Bollgard II ® stacked with Roundup Ready Flex ® or Bollgard II ® can choose a Price Discount on their technology fees, the added value of Late Crop Removal & Extended Terms until the end of July, or an End Point Royalty per bale at ginning. For more information on Cotton Choices visit www.cottonchoices.com.au or download the iPhone, iPad and iTouch app from the App Store. Alternatively, contact your Technology Service Provider (TSP) or call your Monsanto Regional Business Manager on 1800 069 569.
Page 1 and 2: August-September 2012 www.cottongro
Page 3 and 4: In this issue... 2012 Cotton Grower
Page 5 and 6: The trouble with buying old technol
Page 7 and 8: We’re with you from the beginning
Page 9 and 10: BE READY FOR ULTIMATE PRODUCTIVITY
Page 11 and 12: Roger Tomkins: 0409 100 036 Louise
Page 13 and 14: Field proven irrigation power John
Page 15 and 16: 16th Cotton Conference roundup AFTE
Page 17: Delegates may have found out more t
Page 21 and 22: 2013 FARM STUDY TOURS For More Info
Page 23 and 24: Water Matters… Series supported b
Page 25 and 26: Valley ® Strongest in the industry
Page 27 and 28: Nutrition feature… Impact of nitr
Page 29 and 30: (ADVERTORIAL) Local Trials Show Bio
Page 31 and 32: SOIL organic carbon (SOC) is an imp
Page 33 and 34: and minimise the loss of stubble-C.
Page 35 and 36: WORLD COMMODITY WATCH India Specula
Page 37 and 38: documented, the Chinese state reser
Page 39 and 40: 3100% Australian Cotton 3100% Austr
Page 41 and 42: for the position between the gin st
Page 43 and 44: The trial crop has yielded around s
Page 45 and 46: FIGuRE: 3 Relationship between EM34
Page 47 and 48: Temik, is in short supply and is sc
Page 49 and 50: The joys (or otherwise) of tractor
Page 51 and 52: in Australia), when it finally erup
Page 53 and 54: Germinating ideas By CSD Extension
Page 55 and 56: Evaluation of insecticides for cont
Page 57 and 58: NEW Holland’s most powerful tract
Page 59 and 60: Students visit cotton districts CAL
Page 61 and 62: District Reports… Central Queensl
Page 63 and 64: Darling Downs The 2012 cotton seaso

growers@sgcotton.com.au Roger Tomkins - Greenmount Press

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