Over the past fortnight, Cotton Australia has made representations to state and federal officials on proposed reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

As part of the Queensland Productivity Commission’s Environment Protection Reforms Inquiry, Cotton Australia met with the Commission to discuss the proposed reforms. Dawson Valley grower Greg Hutchinson and Gulf grower Lucas Findlay also attended, sharing examples of the regulatory requirements affecting their farming businesses, while Cotton Australia presented evidence about the potential impact of the reforms on Queensland’s agricultural productivity.

At the federal level, Cotton Australia met with officials from the newly established National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA), which is responsible for compliance under the EPBC Act.

The discussion covered several practical issues, including the need for cotton and irrigation-specific examples, whether these activities would be considered routine agricultural practices, how the self-assessment process will operate, and the level of information required for existing and new cropping land.

Following the meeting, Cotton Australia has accepted NEPA's offer to contribute cotton-specific content, with the aim of including more relevant guidance and case studies on the agency's website.