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

Caltex appoints
precision oils
sales manager
CALTEx Australia has announced the appointment of
Michael Knight as National Sales Manager for the range of
Caltex Precision Spray Oils.
Michael is an experienced sales and marketing professional,
skilled in technical sales, customer focus and working
with distributors and resellers to create mutually profitable
partnerships.
He has significant technical experience in agricultural inputs
and processes in a variety of fields and industries nationally and
internationally including Australia, the US, Canada and South
America.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) from Charles
Sturt University, Wagga Wagga and has previous experience
at Caltex, Cyanamid and Schering with territory and product
management roles in Central Western NSW, Adelaide and
Sydney, prior to relocating to the United States in 2001.
Whilst working overseas, Michael was based in the south
of the US in Atlanta where his role included mentoring of
agricultural supply companies in the irrigation sector on attitudes,
values and the professionalism required for key account
management and building customer relationships.
Michael will be based in Queensland and travelling throughout
Australia assisting resellers with Caltex’s premium range of
Precision Spray Oil products including Canopy, D-C-Tron
Plus, D-C-Trate and Broadcoat in the cotton, broadacre and
horticultural markets.
Michael has hit the ground running, manning the Caltex
booth at the recent Australian Cotton Conference on the Gold
Coast, and is looking forward to bringing several new products to
market in the coming months.
Michael fills the
role previously held by
Stuart Paterson and
will work closely with
Caltex Precision Spray
Oils Technical and
Marketing Manager,
David Johnson, and
the technical and sales
support team.
Michael can be contacted
on: 0407 810 684 and
email Michael.knight@
caltex.com.au
Michael Knight.
news & new products
New cotton
technology
makes life easier
STEPHEN Perry is an old hand at growing cotton. A third
generation farmer from Brookstead, Queensland, he farms
a 1200 hectare cropping operation on land bought by his
grandfather in 1956.
This season he planted 500 hectares to Sicot 71, Sicot 74,
Sicot 75 and Sicala 340 – all Bollgard II varieties stacked with
Roundup Ready Flex. Remaining arable land is planted to corn
and sorghum.
“The new technology certainly makes life a lot easier,”
Stephen said.
“Cotton-wise, Bollgard II stacked with Roundup Ready Flex is
brilliant and it means we’re not out spraying all year.”
This in turn frees up labour and Stephen estimates they
have saved the time – and cost – of one person since using the
technology.
“That’s been our greatest benefit on farm – reduced pesticide
use and the freeing up of time.”
The use of Roundup Ready Flex cotton has also shifted the
pressure away from the timing of herbicide applications, as it
provides a greater window for application and Stephen can
target the weeds at the most optimal growth stage.
“When we were using pre-emergents it was a bit hit-and-miss,
particularly if we didn’t receive follow-up rain after spraying.
“We achieve far better results with over the top Roundup
applications, given we’re actually able to spray straight onto the
weed.”
By growing a cotton variety with Bollgard II, insects are less of
an issue and more time can spent managing some of these other
issues.
“We used to spray 12 to 15 times during a season for
Heliothis but haven’t needed to for some years now.
“Bollgard II tends to kill the grubs and keep heliothis out of
our cotton crops and is saving us a lot of time and money.”
58 — The Australian Cottongrower August–September 2012