About the Australian Cotton Conference
The Australian Cotton Conference is a joint venture between two leading cotton industry organisations: Cotton Australia and the Australian Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA).
Now in its 30th year, the Australian Cotton Conference has evolved over three decades to become a fully integrated industry conference that encompasses all sectors of the cotton supply chain.
The Conference is overseen by a Committee of volunteers, made up of cotton growers, researchers, merchants and representatives from Cotton Australia and ACSA.
About Cotton Australia
Cotton Australia is the key representative body for the Australian cotton growing industry. The organisation helps the industry work together to be world competitive, sustainable and also tell the good news about the industry’s achievements.
Cotton Australia determines and drives the industry’s strategic direction, retaining its strong focus on R&D, promoting the value of the industry, reporting on its environmental credibility, and implementing policy objectives in consultation with its stakeholders.
Cotton Australia works to ensure an environment conducive to efficient and sustainable cotton production. It has a key role in Best Management Practices (BMP), an environmental management program for growers. This work has seen a significant improvement in the environmental performance of the industry, with huge improvements in water use efficiency, significant reductions in pesticide use, and millions of dollars invested into R&D. Cotton Australia is one of the partner organisations in the Australian Cotton Conference.
About Australian Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA)
Getting cotton to market in the most effective, efficient manner is the charter of the Australian Cotton Shippers Association - the organisation charged with representing the post farm gate interests of the Australian cotton industry.
With a suite of tools at their disposal - including high quality Australian Long Staple cotton plus the environmental and social credentials inherent in Australia's Best Management Practices program - ACSA's key role is to promote and enhance the export and value of Australian raw cotton to downstream customers around the world.
Internationally, ACSA also works with the wider textile industry to preserve the sanctity and integrity of contracts and to facilitate compliance with contractual obligations and adherance to arbitration awards.
ACSA also has a wide ranging domestic role, which includes promoting and supporting corporate responsibility, Best Management Practices and prosperity within the industry and the communities in which we operate.
Other domestic roles include communicating the fibre requirements of our spinning mill customers to Australian growers and plant breeders; promoting greater involvement of Associate Members in improving the integrity of the supply chain; developing better standards of cotton quality and presentation; promoting new cotton varieties and developing new market opportunities through differentiation of Australian cotton.
About the Committee
Tracey Byrne-Morrison – Conference Secretariat provides organisational and administrative support to Committee
Philip Firth – Lower Namoi & Gwydir cotton grower; Member Australian Cotton Conference Committee and Member Cotton Australia Human Resources Committee
Andrew Greste – Namoi Valley Cotton and grain grower; Cotton Australia and TIMMs representative for Lower Namoi Cotton Growers Association
Barb Grey – Mungindi cotton grower; Chair of Wincott; Director of Cotton CRC; member Australian Cotton Industry Awards Committee and sits on the advisory Board for Women & Leadership Australia
Adam Kay – Chief Executive Officer of Cotton Australia and fills many roles on a range of industry organisations
David Kelly – Extension & Development Agronomist for Cotton Seed Distributors; Cotton Australia Representative
Lyndon Mulligan – Gwydir Valley cotton grower, Cotton Australia Director and Cotton Australia representative for Cotton Breeding Australia Scientific Committee
Cleave Rogan – St George cotton and grain grower, Cotton Australia Director and member of numerous industry organisations and committees
Phill Ryan –Trading & Export Manager for Queensland Cotton, ACSA Director, Chairman Cotton Freight & Handling Committee, ACIC Board Member
Phil Sloan – Grower Services Manager for Cargill Cotton Australia; Director of ACSA; past Director of Cotton Australia; member of Macintyre Valley Cotton Growers Association and Field Day Committee
Arthur Spellson, Marketing Manager – Cotton & Logistics for Auscott Limited; ACSA Chairman, Australian Cotton Conference Vice Chairman
Andrew Watson – Boggabri cotton, grain, oilseed and legume grower; Cotton Australia Deputy Chairman; Cotton Australia Water Committee Chairman and Cotton Australia Communications Taskforce Chairman
