Cotton Australia General Manager, Michael Murray, recently attended and presented at the Queensland ESG Agricultural Industry Roundtable, organized by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and hosted by Agriculture Minister Mark Furner.

Attended by over 30 agricultural industry representatives, the forum heard about various agricultural industries' efforts to meet international sustainability expectations and shared experiences.

Cotton Australia had the opportunity to present its efforts, including myBMP, Environmental Assessments, Sustainability Reports, and the Australian Cotton Industry Roadmap.

Across industries, many common challenges were identified, including the identification, reporting, and ownership of data, traceability, the lack of clear financial benefits, and a general lack of understanding and consistency in the requirements of brands and consumers.

The Roundtable identified several key areas where government assistance could be beneficial, including the development and recognition of appropriate carbon footprint calculators, greater certainty around the methodology for recognizing soil carbon sequestration, and support for the production of “green” nitrogen.

As an outcome of the Roundtable, it is expected that an industry/DAF working group will be formed to address some of these issues.