The Dawson Valley Cotton Growers Association met in Theodore earlier this week to hold its Annual General Meeting and a General Meeting, which saw the return of local grower Andrew French as Chair.

Andrew provided a detailed update on the recent General Meeting held by Cotton Australia at Coogee, where key activities of Cotton Australia were reported, along with reports from all the CGAs and in-depth discussions on research priorities.

In his Chair’s report, Andrew reflected on the challenging nature of the 23/24 cotton season, where most growers reported disappointing yields due to seasonal conditions. On a positive note, the highlight of the year was the recent “Sticky Beak Tour” that growers undertook to the Darling Downs, where they visited several growers and looked at different irrigation technologies.

The Dawson Valley meeting also received updates from Cotton Info REO Kim Stevens, Cotton Australia Regional Manager Renee Surawski, and General Manager Michael Murray, along with an update on the ginning season, including information on the recent upgrades at the Moura Gin, which featured the installation of a new stand.

The meeting also had a special guest, Central Highlands and Irrigators President Alex Doyle, who travelled down from Emerald to join the meeting.

Key discussion items at the meeting included the Central Queensland Regional Water Assessment and the renewal of the Fitzroy Water Resource Plan.