Cotton Australia’s Annual General Meeting has taken place at the venue of the 2024 Cotton Conference on the Gold Coast with three sitting directors reappointed and one new board member elected to the position.

In accordance with the constitution, four positions were declared vacant, and the successful directors appointed were:

• Bernie Bierhoff
• Daniel Kahl
• Angus O’Brien
• Elizabeth Stott

Chair of the Cotton Australia Board Nigel Burnett began AGM proceedings, followed by a presentation of the financial results by board member Rob Dugdale.

The meeting acknowledged retiring Board member Fleur Anderson, who served on the Board for 11 years. Mr Burnett paid tribute to Fleur for her overwhelming contribution to the cotton industry.

“Fleur joined the board the same time that I did so I know how hard Fleur has worked to advance the Australian cotton industry. The industry has changed a lot in the past decade and Fleur has played a part in where the industry is today, one of the world’s most highly regarded growers of sustainable cotton.”

Fleur said she was proud to see the pace of change and reflect on what has been achieved. “There are still lots of exciting things ahead so stepping down is bittersweet but moving forward I am really confident in making way for new people coming in for the betterment of Cotton Australia.”

“I’ve made lots of friendships and I’m walking away, not from the industry but the board and I am looking forward to contributing in a new way.”

The board welcomed Daniel Kahl, a third-generation grower from Wee Waa in NSW who was a pervious Nuffield Scholar.

Daniel’s grandfather Paul, a WW2 fighter pilot, became a pioneer of cotton growing in Australia, moving his family from the US in 1960 and buying a farm at Wee Waa, where the family remains.

Daniel said his involvement in his local CGA helped steer him to nominate for the board. “I have been on local organisations and was looking for the next step in how to contribute to the industry. I threw my hat in the ring, but the other nominees were fantastic, so I was comfortable either way, and quite surprised when I was elected. I think the board and management have done a great job, so I will be adopting a watching brief initially and contributing in any way I can.”

Also at the AGM, the meeting discussed a motion for directors’ remuneration, to compensate board members for the time they commit to the industry through meetings and other roles and responsibilities expected of them. After strong support from the floor, the motion was passed, to be set at $20,000 inclusive of superannuation with a further $5000 set aside for committee chairs.