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District Reports… The Dights cleaned up the dryland awards. Jocelyn (left) and Sam Dight (centre) accept the first and second place in the Dryland Crop of the Year award from award sponsor Miles McColl, Total Ag Goondiwindi and awards president Jack Williamson (right), NuFarm, Goondiwindi. (Photo: Nat Fogarty, Vigour Graphics, Goondiwindi) Winner of the Farm of the Year plus Irrigated Crop of the Year, Graham & Kylie Cook, ‘Turkey Lagoon’, Boggabilla with award sponsor Paddy Martin, Namoi Cotton, Goondiwindi. (Photo: Nat Fogarty, Vigour Graphics, Goondiwindi) Service to the Industry Award winner Mark Sankey, Goondiwindi Hydraulics needs some help from colleague Trevor Brown to lift his trophy. (Photo: Nat Fogarty, Vigour Graphics, Goondiwindi) The Patricia Coulton Memorial Award being presented to Barry Goodfellow, Incitec Pivot, Boggabilla by Coulton family representative Sam Coulton. (Photo: Nat Fogarty, Vigour Graphics, Goondiwindi) fallow some fields after a season where almost everything was planted. With cotton prices being back a bit, some have been investigating other crops but other summer options are not very attractive at present. The dryland area is more uncertain with many farms not having much good fallow left after two big dryland cotton seasons. Good chickpea prices meant these were planted into some longer fallows and relatively good sorghum prices will mean there will be plenty of this in the dryland summer crop mix this season as well. In late July, close to 200 people attended the annual Macintyre Valley Cotton Awards Dinner in Goondiwindi. The big winners of the night were Graham and Kylie Cook, ‘Turkey Lagoon’, Boggabilla, who won the Irrigated Crop of the Year as well as Farm of the Year. Sam Dight was busy also, taking home first and runner-up in the Dryland Crop of the Year. Dryland Crop of the Year 1. Sam Dight, Holdfast Pastoral Co, ‘Holdfast’, 8.11 bales per hectare. 2. Sam Dight, Holdfast Pastoral Co, ‘Orton Park’, 6.83 bales per hectare. 3. Shane Boardman, Boardman Ag, ‘Backspear’. Irrigated Crop of the Year 1. Graham & Kylie Cook, Turkey Lagoon Pty Ltd, ‘Turkey Lagoon’, 12.38 bales per hectare. 2. Hugh and Jill Glouster, Rugby Trading Co, ‘Rugby’, 12.78 bales per hectare. 3. David & Kim Coulton, Morella Ag, ‘Morella’, 12.2 bales per hectare Farm of the Year Graham & Kylie Cook, Turkey Lagoon Pty Ltd, ‘Turkey Lagoon’. Service to Industry Mark Sankey, Goondiwindi Hydraulics. Patricia Coulton Award Barry Goodfellow, Incitec Pivot, Boggabilla. David Kelly August 1, 2012 62 — The Australian Cottongrower August–September 2012
Darling Downs The 2012 cotton season has become the season that never ends. Unfavourable weather conditions through June and July has pushed out picking into August. With a significant number of cotton modules and round bales still sitting in fields across the Downs, the season still has a way to go. At a time when most growers are trying to recover from a busy season many are still slashing and pupae busting old ground and preparing and fertilising the 2013 season fields. Gins have been overwhelmed with the volume of cotton produced this season with estimates of between 650,000 and 700,000 bales being produced. At this stage ginning won’t be finished until late November or even early December. Irrigated yields have been close to average ranging between 8.0 and 12.0 bales per hectare. Dryland crops, although varying significantly from north to south, have averaged between 3.5 to 5.5 bales per hectare. Dryland yields in the northern Downs have been particularly good. Quality of early crops has also been very good particularly for strength, length and microaire with most crops making base or better. Later crops have had problems with colour and lower strength which you would expect considering the rain that the Downs received later in picking. Forward estimates indicate that expected 2013 plantings will be significantly down on last season’s record crop. Irrigated crops could be down as much as a third and dryland production could be down by two thirds. Reduced area of available fallow ground, lower soil water profiles, greater winter crop plantings and price pressures (higher grain prices and lower cotton prices) are all impacting on expected plantings. Duncan Weir August 21, 2012 Gwydir Valley It has been an interesting couple of months for cotton growers in the Gwydir Valley with the picking process dragging on, many still have modules in fields awaiting room at the gins. Although extremely late, yields have been holding up in both irrigated and dryland crops which is encouraging. The yields look to be about average with a considerable range in yields across farms. Major influences in this result have been the speed of recovery from waterlogging as a result of the two flood events. Dryland yields are above average even when factoring in the amount lost due to extended periods of inundation. Many growers have still made budgeted yields across the entire area due to quite excellent yields being generated on the remaining area. What has yet to be seen is how fibre quality is going to be affected as the gins slowly chew through the modules within yards. Growers have been battling to turn country around, a combination of a late season and frequent showers have hampered efforts to manage stubble and control pupae. Favourable conditions are needed to allow trafficking on fields without too many adverse effects through compaction. Those planting into back to back situations this season will have less than ideal preparation for the coming summer. Winter crops have been set up well and another timely fall in late September would be welcomed to finish these crops off nicely. The general feel in the Valley is that the irrigated area will be up with Copeton Dam being full and many on farm storages in District Reports… healthy condition. Reduction in price has many dryland farmers doing their sums to assess their summer cropping program. But it is expected that the area planted to dryland with be significantly reduced this coming summer James Quinn August 6, 2012 Namoi Valley Picking of the 2012 crop is virtually complete, with only a few very late dryland fields delayed by the recent rain. Ginning the current crop continues and most gins in the Namoi will still be operating well into August. Overall yields in the Namoi have been variable. The best irrigated yields were in the western half of the valley. The best crops exceeded 13 bales per hectare with an average of eight bales per hectare. Irrigated yields in the eastern half of the valley were impacted by the cool season and disease. Dryland yields were very pleasing. Some dryland crops in the upper Namoi achieved over eight bales per hectare and an average of about 5.5 bales per hectare seems likely. Dryland yields in the western half of the valley were also exceptional. Quality has generally been very good but some colour downgrading occurred as the result of rain during picking, particularly on later crops. Winter crops are looking good following regular falls of rain. Planning and preparation for the 2012–13 cotton season is well underway. We have had a relatively wet winter but fine dry weather through late July and August has allowed ground prep to be completed. Dryland moisture profiles are in good shape following the wet summer and autumn period. I expect about 62,000 hectares of irrigated cotton will be planted in the Namoi and about 35,000 hectares of dryland. Surface water supplies are in very good condition. Keepit is full and Split rock is at 90 per cent capacity. This will enable most growers to plant and water a full area. Farm storages on the Barwon are in good shape but growers would like to see further flows to top them up. August–September 2012 The Australian Cottongrower — 63
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August-September 2012 www.cottongro
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In this issue... 2012 Cotton Grower
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The trouble with buying old technol
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We’re with you from the beginning
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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 and 18: Delegates may have found out more t
Page 19 and 20: You’re in control of your future.
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: District Reports… Central Queensl
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growers@sgcotton.com.au Roger Tomkins - Greenmount Press

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