Organisers for the Bayer Cotton Grower of the Year Field Day have released the full agenda for the event and announced the guest speaker – a farmer known to many because of his amazing efforts to swim the English Channel, raising the profile of mental health in rural communities.

The Guest Speaker, supporting the Royal Flying Doctors Service ‘We’ve Got Your Back’ campaign is sheep station manager Brendan Cullen, who lives on a property east of Broken Hill with his wife Jacinta and their 3 kids.

Brendan is a well-known farmer, fitness fanatic and mental-health advocate who is using his own journey through depression to help people, particularly in rural and remote locations. His mindset and dedication to mental health issues led him to swim from England to France (The English Channel) in 2022, covering a total distance of 64km in 17 hours.

He followed that up the following year, completing the journey for a second time with a team of likeminded individuals.

The Field Day will be held at the property of the winner of the 2024 Bayer Grower of the Year, Scott Balsillie, farm manager for Eastern Australia Agriculture in Dirranbandi on the 5th of March from 9am with busses organised from Moree, Mungindi and Lightning Ridge, to provide transport options for anyone wanting to attend.

Scott oversees Eastern Australia Agriculture's myBMP-certified operations at Clyde in Dirranbandi and Kia Ora in St George with Clyde producing up to 2,000 hectares of irrigated cotton, while Kia Ora grows up to 4,500 hectares.

Scott, whose family has been involved in cotton since his grandfather and uncles started growing cotton in the Miles/Chinchilla area in the 1980’s is passionate about improving water use efficiency.

The day includes a farm tour, panel discussions, and various speaker sessions with vital information for industry on new Ag tech, workforce issues, Environmental, Social and governance issues and the global market trends for Australian cotton. (click here for the full agenda)

Anyone interested in attending the Bayer Grower of the Year Field Day for 2025 is asked to register. Assistance and advice can be provided with transport and accommodation needs.

• Grower of the Year Field Day Agenda
• Register for the event