The Australian cotton industry is achieving new levels of best practice farm operation and improving its international reputation for sustainably grown, high quality cotton thanks in part to an increased take-up of the myBMP program.

The latest figures show that an estimated 45% of the Australian cotton crop will be myBMP certified cotton this season with more farm owners and managers lining up to undertake the certification process, assisted by Cotton Australia (CA) regional managers and independent auditors.

CA’s General Manager Michael Murray credits the hard work of the myBMP team and regional managers throughout the growing areas for promoting the voluntary program and assisting growers in their journey to certification.

“One year ago, we were able to recruit a dedicated myBMP officer who services NSW growers, with another resource made possible part time in Queensland. This was made possible by a grant from Better Cotton which is the world’s leading sustainability initiative for cotton, driven by their mission to help communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment.

The appointment of the first full time myBMP Sustainability Implementation Officer in Australia, Macquarie Valley based Mel Swift aligned perfectly with the effort by myBMP to increase the number of certified growers engaging in best practice farming.

Australia’s myBMP manager Rob Crothers said the new role and an increased commitment by Australian cotton growers to the principles of myBMP has seen a surge in the numbers certified or registered for the process, and often younger farmers are driving the change their parents began.

“Last year we had around 400 certified myBMP Farms and this year we have close to 550 farms fully myBMP certified, and that’s because growers recognise that the process improves their business, while also bettering emerging global standards for sustainably grown cotton.

“We have also noticed a trend among younger growers who have completed the myBMP certification process begun by their parents.”

One such grower is 24-year-old Jordan Morrison from Wee Waa who convinced his father Russell and brother Nick to get behind it. “A lot of things we were already doing on farm, and it was a matter of being ticked off or certified on. It also helps contribute to our social licence with the general public and benefits the industry as a whole.”

One grower close to completing her myBMP certification, is Liz Stott, a Cotton Australia Board Member and a cotton grower with husband Dallas in Leeton, NSW. “This process has helped us to implement better systems in our farm, and it’s about going beyond compliance and actually demonstrating that we, as Australian cotton growers, are committed to best practice.

“Capturing all that in a document or in data means we can then share that with the broader market to show that we are compliant legally obviously, but also that we are very committed to the future and our responsibility as guardians of our land,” Liz said.

“It’s very important for us as growers to understand the global marketplace, where we fit within that, and just look at the trends. We can’t bury our head in the sand and think ‘on no - we’ll be right! We have to get on board and look to the future and myBMP is part of that.”

myBMP background

myBMP’ is a voluntary farm and environmental management system which provides self-assessment mechanisms, practical tools and auditing processes to ensure that Australian cotton is produced according to best practice. The original BMP program began in 1997 and was reviewed and redeveloped in 2006-07 with the new online ‘myBMP’ system re-launched in 2010.