The Upper Namoi Cotton Growers Association recognised the efforts of their members at an annual awards presentation, with the 2022 Grower of the Year award Dalara Pastoral and the manager of farming operations, Rob Davies, Myall Park, Blackville.
Dalara Pastoral was also nominated as the Dryland Grower of the Year winner.
The Irrigated Irrigated Grower of the Year - Andrew Watson, Kilmarnock, Boggabri, while the 2022 Innovator of the Year was Ashley Gabler, Berwicks, McDonald Creek near Willow Tree.
The 2021 Damien Haire Memorial Shield winner for Highest Ginned Yield was Mark Hamblin, The Willows, near Gunnedah.
Cotton Info's Emma Lambeth was one of the judging panel for the awards and said a holistic approach was used to evaluate the winners.
"From the entries we receive, the growers are interviewed, and their cotton crops are judged based on standard criteria.
"All entrants are considered Innovator of the Year and Cotton Grower of the Year.
"This is awarded by the judges based on what we see/hear during the crop judging process," Ms LAmbeth said.
The other judges were Bob Ford, Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD); Alec Macintosh, Cotton Australia; Jack Sharp, Bayer and Nick Stewart, CSD.
Upper Namoi Cotton Growers Association president Scott McCalman said the awards usually draw an excellent array across the Liverpool Plains.
"We get dryland growers, irrigators, innovators, we even have a fun award, and we recognise the efforts of our researchers," he said.
Mr McCalman said the Upper Namoi Cotton Growers Association members are multi-skilled, multi-faceted farmers growing massive diversity of crops.
"Cotton is just a part of the many crops they grow.
He said the Association's members contribute to further research and development in the cotton and other crop-growing industries.
"We have research dollars from our growers for every bale we produce going to Cotton Australia levies, and we also have funds going to the Grain Research and Development Corporation.
"The Association is a fantastic group of growers. Men and women of all ages, from students, to school leavers, we've even got some fantastic growers that are elderly.
He said the Association also maintained strong links with its communities through annual contributions.
"We throw a fair bit of money in local sponsorship of local community events, arts and sporting events and schools, school buses, all those sorts of things," he said.
Simon Chamberlain
I have comprehensive experience in rural and regional journalism, as well as more than six years as a media officer for several politicians and worked in local government. I rejoined The Land in May 2022 and have loved being back in harness, reporting on a massive range of topics.
I have comprehensive experience in rural and regional journalism, as well as more than six years as a media officer for several politicians and worked in local government. I rejoined The Land in May 2022 and have loved being back in harness, reporting on a massive range of topics.
