The 2025 Australian cotton industry awards are now open with growers and other industry figures encouraged to nominate themselves or someone else to acknowledge and celebrate the innovation, excellence and sustainability that Australian cotton is now known for around the globe.

With another big crop of over 5 million bales expected in 2025, and with fibre and seed expected to generate more than $3.6 billion, the Australian cotton industry continues to deliver major economic benefits to the Australian economy and more directly to the many rural and regional communities that produce cotton.

Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay said while growers often see challenging weather conditions, increasing input costs and evolving global regulations, the collaboration of cotton growers and their commitment to research and best practice, provide an excellent platform for the awards process.

“One of the key benefits of the cotton industry is the sharing of knowledge, what works and doesn’t work, and the commitment to continually improve. The awards process should be viewed in that way because it’s part of that process of telling others what’s working for them.

“Each year we see nominees in the five categories who have tried something new, have improved on old practices, or have implemented strategies no-one has heard of before, and the awards showcase that excellence and innovation. It’s a testament to our industry’s best practice program, that many of the award recipients are certified myBMP growers who have benefitted from that program and taken steps to improve the industry as a whole.”

Nominations are open in the following categories for 2025:

• Bayer Grower of the Year
• AgriRisk High Achiever of the Year
• CRDC Chris Lehmann Young Cotton Achiever of the Year
• Cotton Seed Distributors Researcher of the Year
• Incitec Pivot Fertilisers Service to Industry Award

Mr Kay said the awards process ensures innovative and talented growers are rewarded for their success but also the up-and-coming growers, researchers and also those who have delivered services to the industry over many years.

Individuals and teams can nominate others, or themselves through the online nomination form. The nominations close on the 2^nd of April.

The 2024 Bayer Cotton Grower of the year Scott Balsillie, farm manager for Eastern Australia Agriculture in Dirranbandi, said the entire awards process has been the highlight of his 25 years in agriculture.

“I have 100% support for the awards, and I encourage growers and others in the industry to nominate. It was a very rewarding process from the start of nominations, the on-farm interviews, to the awards night and beyond. I got to speak about the positive impacts of sustainable farming and they are messages the public needs to hear.

“Now I’m looking forward to helping judge the 2025 nominees in the Bayer Grower of the Year and the AgriRisk High Achiever of the year categories, during the farm visits. I want to see how other growers do it and learn ideas from them so we can improve our business further.”

Nominate now