Cotton Australia

If some of your cotton plants look like this, they may have been affected by spray drift from a Group I (e.g. Phenoxy) Herbicide. Young cotton is particularly susceptible, at a time when the use of phenoxy’s can increase for weed control in summer fallow programs. The problem is further exacerbated following summer rainfall that causes rapid weed germination and growth, needing timely control.

Cotton Australia runs an annual campaign to help protect Australia’s cotton crops from this problem that includes educating users of Phenoxy Herbicide products and working with the regulators to ensure the application directions are followed.

Cotton growers are encouraged to help overcome this problem by:  

• Writing to neighbours to let them know your cotton plans for the season (there's a template letter to make this easier, see links below)
• Mapping cotton fields at www.cottonmap.com.au so that neighbours can be made aware of susceptible cotton crops nearby 
• Reporting any incident (or suspected incident) as soon as it occurs to your closest Cotton Australia Regional Manager.  It is critical that incidents are properly logged and investigated and Cotton Australia has a straightforward process that is simple and confidential.  A reporting form is available on the links below.

More About CottonMap 

CottonMap is a website where cotton fields are mapped on-line so that potential users of Group I products are alerted to the proximity of cotton fields to any area requiring weed control over summer.  The 2011-12 season saw 640,393 paddock hectares mapped by 368 registered users of CottonMap, a very significant effort.

CottonMap is now accessible on smart phones and tablet devices, thanks to a joint effort between Cotton Australia, the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC), Grains Research Development Corporation and Nufarm. There's also been some improvements made:

• Mobile devices will be redirected to www.cottonmap.com.au/mobile, the smart-phone version of the site.

• Field submission updates have been added to better inform users of the status of mapped fields.

• A ‘news’ item area has been added to the home page that will host CottonMap updates.

• An email system has been added that allows all users to receive email updates (opt-out option is available).

• Last season’s fields will be in the accounts of registered users, so simply delete the non-cotton fields for this season (red X button) then add any new ones and resubmit at the bottom of the my-fields column.

• We know CottonMap passwords are not top-of-mind! Just remember your user name is your email address and you can force a system email containing your password as you log back in. Look for the “Forgot Password?” link.

• Current users with new email addresses (in 2012) will need to create a new account|

• New users will be prompted to register after they submit a new field(s)

To find out more and to map your fields, go to www.cottonmap.com.au

Users of Group I Herbicides are asked to remember the Phenoxy checklist:   

• Read and follow label requirements – it’s a legal requirement 
• Only spray in suitable weather conditions 
• Use coarse to very coarse nozzles on your rig to ensure large, heavy droplets are applied 
• Check www.cottonmap.com.au for cotton fields that could be potentially impacted by your herbicide spray 
• Notify your neighbours of when and where you intend to spray