Cotton industry looks beyond the next cropFuture Fit Cotton the theme for 2026 Cotton Conference

FROM the country to the coast, a sea of checked shirts and boots swept into Broadbeach last week for the biennial Australian Cotton Conference.

“Who’d believe that we’d break the record? We’ve got 3,070 registered participants at the conference,” Cotton Australia’s chief executive officer Adam Kay told this publication.

Noah Paulston and Kurt Maxwell.

“The hum and the buzz are phenomenal – it’s been a great few days.”

The conference brings together growers, researchers, agronomists, supply-chain partners, industry leaders, machinery and equipment specialists from across Australia and beyond for three days of learning, networking and industry celebration.

Trish Keft and Jennalee Kelly.

This year’s theme was Future Fit Cotton, with a focus on how Australian cotton can adapt, innovate and thrive in a changing production, market and policy environment while continuing to lead globally as a sustainable, high-quality fibre of choice.

The program combined leading research, real-world case studies, on-farm innovation and expert insights.

New Cotton Grower Services chief executive officer Peter Roozendaal.

Sessions explored the issues shaping the industry’s future, from weather, water and agricultural innovation to sustainability, digital agriculture, soils, markets and financial pressures, as well as workplace culture, mental health, teamwork and social media.

Mr Kay said he had received positive feedback about the diversity of the program.

Robert and Anna Warmoll.

“For the bulk of the conference, we’re running three sessions concurrently, so there’s something for everyone,” he explained.

“So, it doesn’t matter what you’re interested in, if it’s the weather or the weeds or the biotechnology – there’s something for everyone and that’s what gets everyone excited.”

Janine Powell and Angus Moore.

As always, the weather was a hot topic of conversation, with attendees keen to know forecast predictions and when (or if) it’s going to rain.

When asked about the upcoming season, Mr Kay said: “Across Australia, the crop size at the moment is probably going to be a little bit less than the previous season’s.

Ruth Redfern and Sophie Drysdale.

“It’s a little bit drier, so we’re expecting a national crop of about 2.7m bales, down from 4.5m last season but there’s still a couple of months until planting and things can turn around – we’ve got to be positive.”

There was no shortage of positive speakers at the Cotton Conference, with a stellar lineup sharing words of wisdom, handy tools and tips for businesses, employers and employees, as well as encouragement for people to look after both their physical and mental health.

Calum and Sophie Drysdale.

“I want to leave you with one thing: apart from being future fit, just stay fit,” speaker Mark Bouris told the crowd.

Guest speakers included big names like entrepreneur Mr Bouris and sporting legend Alyssa Healy, along with Trademutt co-founders Ed Ross and Dan Allen, while comedian Vince Sorrenti was the MC for the Australian Cotton Industry Awards dinner.

The daily sessions aimed to explore the important on-farm issues: productivity, risk, sustainability, markets and practical innovation.

Cotton Australia chief executive officer Adam Kay, sporting legend, former Australian cricket captain and commentator Alyssa Healy, who was a guest speaker at the Cotton Conference and director Northern region agriculture at The University of Sydney’s Narrabri campus Dr Guy Roth, who is also a Cotton Conference coordinator. Alyssa is married to Mitchell Starc (also an Australian cricketer) and his relatives, the Atkinsons live in the Narrabri region, including his grandparents Frank and Betty Atkinson. Readers might remember a previous story with Narrabri woolgrower Trevor Atkinson (Mitchell Starc’s uncle) participating in the Flock to Baggy Green project in 2019. Australian woolgrowers, including the Atkinsons, were invited to donate some of their wool to help create the next batch of Baggy Green caps as part of the project.

Market and global outlooks were covered by Hank Reichle, president and chief executive officer of Staplcotn, the oldest and largest cotton cooperative in the United States, and Rodrigo Catril, senior FX strategist with National Australia Bank, providing insight into commodity trends, financial pressures, and global demand signals shaping farm business decisions. ANZ’s Cameron Mitchell covered geopolitical risk for Australian cotton.

TradeMutt co-founder Ed Ross and Arthur Spellson.

Agricultural consultants, professionals and industry leaders also shared their knowledge, as well as a fresh crop of emerging young talent, including Wee Waa’s Lillie Hamblin.

Lillie is a photographer, co-founder of fashion label MOMO, and grows cotton with her husband Jayden and the Hamblin family. Passionate about bridging the gap between agriculture and fashion, Lillie uses social media to share the story behind Australian cotton in a way that is engaging and relatable, especially to those outside the agriculture sector.

Queensland Agriculture Minister Anthony (Tony) Perrett, Olivia Bange and Anna Madden.

The program also turned its attention to Northern Australia, exploring its potential as cotton’s newest frontier.

Mr Kay praised the committee for bringing together such a good mix of speakers and workshops.

“We’ve got a great committee; a committee that’s a cross-section of the industry who all work together to put the best program together that’s going to appeal to everyone; that’s why there is such diversity,” he said.

Pippy Nancarrow and Lillie Hamblin. Pippy is an artist and she donated a painting to the Cotton Conference’s charity auction, raising funds for Beyond Blue and Lillie was a speaker at the workshop titled Beyond the Farm Gate: Using Social Media to Build Trust and Reach New Audiences.

Conference chair and Macquarie cotton grower Angus O’Brien said the event provided an opportunity for the industry to step back, critique and celebrate its progress and look ahead to the challenges and opportunities on the horizon.

“In 2026 we’ll be exploring what cotton needs to do to remain future fit, from on-farm productivity and innovation, sustainability and science, to market access and global competitiveness,” he said.

Jono Phelps and Marcel van Doremaele.

The conference’s Cotton Trade Hall was once again popular, with more than 150 exhibitors showcasing the latest machinery, technology, products and services supporting Australian cotton.

In addition to the program, delegates enjoyed networking opportunities and social events, including an early morning run club.

Rob Bragg, guest speaker Steve Bradbury OAM and John Galagher at the Nutrien Ag Solutions event. The two-time Olympic medallist, often described as the “last man standing” following his remarkable 2002 Winter Olympics short-track speed-skating victory, inspired and entertained the crowd.

The event is overseen by a volunteer industry committee and raises funds for a nominated charity. This year’s proceeds will go to Beyond Blue.

On the final day, attendees were encouraged to wear blue or their Cotton Conference TradeMutt shirt to raise awareness and because each colourful shirt carried a bigger purpose, with 50 per cent of TradeMutt profits donated to supporting free professional mental health services for farmers and blue-collar workers.

Karen Kirkby.

TradeMutt is a social impact workwear brand, by tradies for tradies, and its signature funky shirts are designed to start conversations about mental health, helping to make ‘an invisible issue impossible to ignore’.

A highlight of the conference was the Australian Cotton Industry Awards dinner, held on Thursday night, with several local names among those recognised.

Wee Waa’s Lillie Hamblin spoke at the Cotton Conference in a workshop titled Beyond the Farm Gate: Using Social Media to Build Trust and Reach New Audiences. Lillie is a photographer, co-founder of fashion label MOMO and grows cotton with her husband Jayden and the Hamblin family. MOMO is a fashion label creating traceable cotton garments from paddock to product. Passionate about bridging the gap between agriculture and fashion, Lillie uses social media to share the story behind Australian cotton in a way that is engaging and relatable, especially to those outside the agriculture industry. Lillie hopes to inspire greater appreciation for the people and practices behind Australian grown cotton. She spoke at the workshop with friend, Rebecca Scurr, who is a fourth-generation grower and general manager, sales and marketing at family-owned Piñata Farms. Lillie, centre, is pictured at last week’s Cotton Conference with some family members who were there supporting her in the crowd – Phebe, Jeff, Jayden and Nathan Hamblin.

Narrabri’s Dr Katie Broughton, research scientist at CSIRO Agriculture and Food, was named Cotton Seed Distributors Researcher of the Year.

Also finalists for the award were local scientists Dr Shiming Liu, principal research scientist at CSIRO Agriculture and Food, and Dr Gunasekhar (Guna) Nachimuthu, senior research scientist (sustainable soils), Climate and Natural Resources Division of the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Australian Cotton Research Institute.

Wendy Phelps, Sarah Harvey, Shane Kable, Christine Connor and Susanne Kable at the HealthWISE health and skin checks stand.

Allan Williams, former executive director of the Cotton Research and Development Corporation in Narrabri, was recognised in the John Deere Service to Industry category.

Shaun Mureau, Hannah Hartnett, Emma Chorley, Ian Taylor and Brett Ross.

Alexandria Doyle, a grower services representative with Louis Dreyfus Company based in Emerald, was named the CRDC Chris Lehmann Young Cotton Achiever of the Year.

The award is named in memory of the late Chris Lehmann, a Narrabri local and one of the industry’s early consultants, the first independent cotton consultant in Australia as well as a passionate supporter of young people in cotton.

PJ Gileppa and Vicki Keeley.

Namoi Valley’s Natalie Aquilina was recognised as one of three finalists for the prestigious Young Achiever Award. She works as a technical agronomist with Cotton Seed Distributors.

A report on the awards night and Australian Future Cotton Leaders Program graduates will appear in next week’s edition.