A random audit for an Emerald cotton grower has been welcomed as an opportunity to make sure everything was still up to date – 18 years after their first audit.

Mike McCosker and his wife Susan have three properties; Marathon, Codenwarra and Lake Nash, near Emerald and this year they planted around 300 hectares of cotton.

The McCosker’s first achieved their myBMP accreditation in 2006 - something that Mike greatly appreciated because it ensured their farming operation was operating to the industry’s best standards.

Ellie Parkinson is one of Mike and Susan’s four daughters. They all played a part in maintaining myBMP status over the years with the family working together in a very efficient and organised way to ensure the best outcomes.

Central Highland Regional Manager Robyn Lehmann praised the family’s efforts. “Mike, Sue and their four daughters are very committed not only the best standards in their cotton growing and used this random audit to upgrade some things that have only recently been enhanced in the myBMP program.

“They put some new signs up and were extremely grateful to be given the chance to double-check everything in their farming systems.”

The myBMP program requires recertification every five years and every myBMP grower is subject to random audits which are part of the accreditation process. Mike is a big supporter of the program because he respects the research and development, the resources and the technical support that comes with myBMP.

Robyn said it’s a pleasure working with people like Mike and Sue to guide them through the process. “The myBMP program has step by step process and templates to assist in completing each module. Quite often we find that growers need to do very little to align with the myBMP standards and there are financial advantages through the Better Cotton program which offers a premium for each bale of myBMP cotton.”

The McCosker’s are only a couple of weeks out from harvesting their crop with expectations around 11 bales per hectare, the same as last year’s crop. In an interview with Queensland Country Life, Mike said early rain caused a bit of fruit loss, but they didn’t get much rain in the last three months resulting in the cotton opening up. Despite the challenges Mike is hopeful the quality will still be there in 2024.