Cotton Australia, ACSA and CRDC are collaborating to develop a Strategic Roadmap for the Australian Cotton Industry that will help the industry remain competitive in a changing fashion and textiles market.

Five key topic areas will be addressed with broad consultation across industry, farmers and stakeholders: traceability, industry data, sustainably-certified cotton/myBMP program and Australian cotton marketing.

The industry will together work out where we’d like to be on these key topics, how we’ll get there, who’s responsible and how any new initiatives may be funded.

The global landscape for cotton and textiles has changed, with new legislation affecting market access, companies required to report on social and environmental impact and global frameworks requiring evidence of social and environmental governance back to farm level.

With the European Union and the United States taking firm action to ensure products entering these markets are sustainably sourced, and free from human rights issues, Australian cotton is at risk of losing access to export markets if the industry fails to prepare for the future.

Our brand and retail customers, their shareholders and governments are demanding supply chain traceability, and certified sustainable raw materials backed up by data to support claims.

“I believe the panel process will provide high level industry expertise the ability to collaborate and find consensus on each of the Strategic Roadmap issues. This important process, put simply, is about responding to our customer requirements and enabling Australia Cotton to secure market access by demonstrating our commitment to a sustainable and responsible supply chain,” Cotton Australia Chair Nigel Burnett said.

Growers, industry, external stakeholders and technical experts will be consulted throughout the process with a cross-industry Steering Committee, working groups and a survey that will be open to all of industry.

For more information and a fact sheet on the roadmap, please click here.

The development of the Australian Cotton Strategic Roadmap is funded by the Australian Government under the ATMAC program.