Cotton Australia CEO, Adam Kay, has announced the appointment of Doug McCollum as Policy Officer for Stewardship and R&D.

Doug, who hails from Goondiwindi, has a long-standing connection to the cotton industry. His first exposure to the industry occurred when he worked as a cotton chipper while still in high school.

Doug's career has included roles with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Qld Cotton, and DuPont Australia before establishing his own consulting business in 2019. He has been based in various locations, including St. George, Emerald, Goondiwindi, and Toowoomba. His work has taken him to extensive areas in northern New South Wales and southern and central Queensland. Doug has been involved in several recent projects, including his role as Executive Officer and project manager at Crop Consultants Australia. This involved managing projects within the cotton industry, such as the annual cotton consultant's surveys.

He has also worked directly with CRDC, as well as with Hort Innovation, Cherry Growers Australia, and Growcom Australia. These activities, coupled with his previous experience in the commercial sector, have given him a deep understanding of the importance of stewardship, sustainable farming practices, and the necessity of data-driven decision-making to enhance the international competitiveness of our agricultural industries.

Doug expressed his excitement about working closely with cotton growers to ensure their input into R&D planning for their industry. He also aims to assist in managing sustainability, addressing challenges such as spray drift, insecticide and herbicide resistance, and responding to issues driven by consumer expectations regarding cotton production for the global market.

Doug will initially work in the role 2 days per week before increasing his hours in April next year. He can be contacted on email [email protected]  or by phone  0427 270708.