St George cotton farmers recognised as April rainfall and flooding impacts growing season

St George cotton growers have celebrated excellence at their glittering annual awards despite a catastrophic deluge that threatened the entire season.

Agronomist of the year over 400ha went to John Mulholland at the St George Cotton Growers Awards

The St George Cotton Growers’ Association has celebrated their best of the 2023-2024 season as farmers face the impacts of April's flooding.

At the annual awards ceremony held last week Balonne Plains took out the Grower of the Year Over 400ha award while Grower of the Year Under 400ha went to Wangola.

The Agronomists of the Year over 400ha went to John Mulholland and the Agronomists of the Year under 400ha was awarded to Phil Lockwood.

Meanwhile the Service to the Industry award went to Mark Robertson and the Young Achievers Award to Lucy Sevil.

Lucy Sevil won the Young Achievers award at St George Cotton Growers Awards

St George Cotton Growers’ Association treasurer Brendan Murray said it was great to see local growers be recognised for their hard work.

“The awards are about acknowledging and celebrating the growers for the 2023 – 2024 growers season,” he said.

“For the grower award it is to highlight those that achieved successful and high yielding results for the season, while the Service to Local Industry is to acknowledge those that support the industry whether that be through a business that works with the industry or through community service.

“The young achiever is also to highlight someone involved in the industry and in this case it was celebrating someone who had completed her university studies while working locally in the town who is also a committee members of numerous other organisations, there is a big community involvement piece to that award as well.”

Mark Robertson took home the Service to Industry Award at the St George Cotton Growers Awards

Mr Murray said it was important to recognise the cotton industry after a difficult start to the year with heavy rainfall and flooding.

“We have received some respectable yields, however this region had that early April rainfall event and unfortunately that has affected the quality of the cotton,” he said.

“Being an irrigated crop the cotton loves a controlled environment, warm hot temperatures and a scheduled irrigation cycle which makes the South West region of Queensland a great area to grow cotton.

“Currently we are in the ginning phase, there are a few late paddocks yet to be picked around St George and Dirranbandi but that should be all finished by the end of June.

“During this phase the cotton is taken from the paddock to a cotton gin, it is refined and the seed and trash is removed so that will be on going until September.”

Originally published as St George cotton farmers recognised as April rainfall and flooding impacts growing season