2CHAPTER A Sustainable Cotton Industry

Soil, water, plants, air and animals are all part of what makes adynamic and healthycotton farming system. As custodians of the land, Australia’s cottonfarmers strive to find the delicate balancebetween producing fibreto clothe the world andresponsible conservationof their resources.

For the last three decades, the Australian cotton industry has invested millions of dollars in improving its use of natural resources. These investments have been in research,development and delivery, on the farm andthrough the supply chain.

This enormous effort has paid off, with theAustralian cotton industry now recognisedinternationally as a leader in sustainable cottonproduction and a model for change in otherAustralian agriculture industries.

A recent 2012 study “Australian Cotton Industry:Third Environmental Assessment” trackedimprovements since 2003, and found theindustry’s major achievements to include:

• Development of an integrated research,development and extension systemdelivered to growers via an online BestManagement Practices program (myBMP)

THIS CHAPTER WILL LOOK AT FOUR IMPORTANT AREAS OF SUSTAINABILITY IN THEAUSTRALIAN COTTON INDUSTRY: THE MYBMP PROGRAM,WATER, BIOTECHNOLOGY ANDCLIMATE CHANGE.

• Substantial reduction in the use of chemicals,particularly insecticides and herbicides and thedisappearance of serious off-farm impacts inrivers and wetlands

• Major gains in water use efficiency calculatedat 3-4% per year

• Significant uptake of Integrated PestManagement (IPM)

• Major advances in cotton grower’s attitudesand action concerning natural resourcemanagement on-farm, particularly deepdrainage, riparian vegetation management,groundwater conservation and delivery ofecosystem services

Report: Australian Cotton Industry: Third Environmental Assessment

Lesson: Studies in Sustainability: The Cotton Industry in Northern NSW and Southern Queensland

Blog: Cotton Pickin –the Boggabri blog

MYBMP: MANAGINGTHE ENVIRONMENTON THE FARMmyBMP is the Australian cotton industry’senvironmental management program, a voluntarysystem for achieving best practice in the growing,ginning and classing of cotton.

myBMP is a web based system that acts as a one-stop-shop for best practice and scientificinformation. It links supporting knowledge, data andresources to best practice principles and guidelines,allowing growers, ginners and classers immediateaccess to cutting edge research as well as supportfrom industry and extension staff when there is anissue to solve or investigate.

THE BEGINNINGSIn the early 1990s, the Australian cotton industrycame under fire for its environmental performance,particularly in relation to pesticide use. A coordinated response by the Australian cottonindustry did more than address the immediateconcerns - it transformed an entire agriculturalindustry. Unfortunately, some of the negativeperceptions associated with this period of thecotton industry haven’t been updated in somepeople’s minds, particularly the older generations.Cotton Australia and others continues to work hardto change these outdated notions.

The first step in tackling pesticide use was to initiatethe first ever environmental audit of a wholeagricultural industry in the southern hemisphere. A major finding was that the Australian cottonindustry needed to improve its storage andapplication of chemicals and to improve growereducation on these issues – thus, the BestManagement Practices program was formed.

INITIAL PROGRAM DESIGNA three year, $6 million research project providedthe scientific basis for the initial Cotton BestManagement Practices (BMP) program. BMPcovered integrated pest management, on-farmchemical application management, the storage andhandling of pesticides and petrochemicals, as wellas farm design and land and water management.Best practices, risk assessments and action plansfor improvements were included in a paper-basedmanual that growers worked through to identifyareas of risk and improvement and implementaction plans.

A NEW ERA FOR BMPWhile the BMP system managed to completelytransform the farming practices of the cottonindustry, the industry decided it needed to put theprogram on-line to make it easier to update anduse. The new, on-line myBMP system waslaunched in 2009/10.

It allows growers and industry to access the latesttechnical data, information and research, findsolutions to challenges and provide a wide variety oftools to help growers operate at maximum efficiency.

Cotton farmers record, monitor and are audited in11 key areas of farm operations:

BIOSECURITY: the avoidance, managementand control of pests and diseases

BIOTECHNOLOGY: for GM cotton varieties

ENERGY AND GREENHOUSE GASES:efficient use of energy inputs like fuel andfertilisers

FIBRE QUALITY: for growing the best qualitycotton possible

HUMAN RESOURCES: managing staff andcontractors

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT: forweeds, pests and diseases

NATURAL ASSETS: managing vegetative andriparian assets

PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT: pesticide storageand use

PETROCHEMICAL STORAGE ANDHANDLING: petrochemical storage and use

SOIL HEALTH: ensuring healthy soils for thelong term

WATER MANAGEMENT: water quality,efficiency of storage and distribution, drylandand irrigated farming practices

There are many benefits to the cotton industry’scommitment to sustainability through myBMP –these include safer farm workplaces, healthiernatural environments, reduced input costs, better run farm businesses and improvedcommunity health.

www.mybmp.com: a web-based resource for best practice in Australian cotton production for growers, researchers and industry

Case Study: meet the Brownlies, cotton growers at the cutting edge of Best Management Practices on their farm

Fact Sheet: Cotton’s myBMP Environmental Program

Cotton grower Andrew Watson from Boggabri NSW

The myBMP website is an online tool for growersto assess and improve their farms

The Australian cottonindustry has achieved a40% increase in waterproductivity over the lastdecade through acombination of better watermonitoring and irrigationscheduling, evaporationcontrol and improvedirrigation techniques.

Australia’s cotton industry is now considered the mostwater-efficient in the world, producing “more crop perdrop” than any other nation at more than double theworld’s average yields.

Appropriate varieties, a massive research effort, use ofthe latest technologies and cutting edge on-farmpractices all combine to produce Australian cottonfibre that is farmed with less water per hectare thanever before. The Australian cotton industry nowproduces on average 1.9 bales of cotton permegalitre, compared to 1.1 bales per megalitre 10 years ago, representing a substantial improvementin productivity and water use efficiency.

Practical approaches to water use efficiency on thefarm include:

Zero and minimum till farming to help retain soilmoisture

Irrigation scheduling to ensure irrigation is onlydone as and when it is needed

In-field capacitance probes to monitor and transmitsoil moisture data from the field to a centralcomputer to help schedule irrigations

Thermal imaging and electromagnetic surveys toidentify “leaky” dams, pipes and channels so theycan be repaired

Using new efficient methods of irrigating such asoverhead lateral move sprinklers, bank-lesschannels, syphon-less channels and drip irrigation

Growing cotton varieties that are suited toregional conditions and use less water. Mobileelectromagnetic meters for easy and rapidassessment of soils for their suitability forirrigation construction

Holding water on farm for shorter time periods toreduce evaporation

Laser-levelling to ensure uniform, well drainedfields using GPS guidance equipment

Tail water recycling systems so that water isreused

Reducing evaporation by shortening row lengths

Positioning dams closer to cotton fields to reduceevaporation losses

Deeper water storages and head ditches withsmaller surface areas to reduce evaporation

Avoiding water storage on farm by onlypurchasing water as it is needed

Smaller water storage cells to reduce evaporation

Not putting water directly into dry storages whichsoak up water

Infield monitoring using probes to detect soilmoisture levels

Creating a ‘water budget’ to monitor water use

Lining storages and channels with clay or non-porous materials to avoid seepage

Covering water storages to reduce evaporation

Mulching and stubble retention to help retain soilmoisture, reducing the need for irrigations

Permanent wheel beds to reduce soil compactionand increase water infiltration

Avoiding water logging and over-watering

Doubling the size of syphons

Slowing the rates of water application to ensurewater soaks into the root zone where it’s neededmost, rather than running off

Installing monolayers for evaporation mitigationon farm dams

WATERRESEARCHANDINNOVATION

Fact Sheet: Practical Approaches to Water Use Efficiency in the Australian Cotton Industry

Lesson: A HSC on-line activity analysing irrigationsystems in the Murray-Darling Basin andassessing options for improved efficiency

Media report on water saving technology in practice

Case Study: A report on the use of an ultra-thin film (polymere) on water storages to mitigate evaporation

GAME CHANGERS

Deeper headditches to reduceevaporationphoto by Steve Burke

Accurate watermetering deliversonly what is neededto the fields

Neutron probesto measure soilmoisture

Monitoring syphon flowrates helps growers improvewater management

Doubling the size of syphonsphoto by Alexandria Galea

On-farm storages with evaporationprevention polymers(in the wind) – halfthe water is mirror flat and half has waves

Closed deliverysystems reducetransmission lossesand improve whole –farm water useefficiency

Irrigation schedulingto ensure water isonly applied whenthe crop needs it

Stubble retentionto hold soil moisture

Lateral moveirrigation systemssaves water

BELOW ARE 10 OF THE AUSTRALIAN COTTON INDUSTRY’S INNOVATIONS IN WATER-USE EFFICIENCY THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED COTTON PRODUCTION PRACTICES

Biotechnology refers to the use of cotton varietieswith transgenic or genetically modified (GM)traits. The use of biotechnology in cotton has made a significant contribution to thedramatic reduction in insecticides applied toAustralian cotton crops – 85% in the last decade.In fact, this environmental reason is the main onefor cotton growers to take up this technology ontheir farms.

Almost 100% of Australia’s cotton crop is nowgrown with biotech varieties that require far lessinsecticides than conventional cotton plants.Across the world, transgenic varieties nowaccount for 21% of world cotton area.

Apart from a dramatic reduction in pesticides,other benefits of biotechnology in cotton are:• increased populations of beneficial insects

and wildlife in cotton fields• reduced pesticide run off• improved farm worker and neighbour safety• a decrease in fuel usage• improved soil quality• reduced production costs• increased yield• further opportunities to grow cotton in areas

of high pest infestation

Australia was one of the first cotton producingnations (the other was the USA) to grow transgenicvarieties, starting in 1996 with Ingard®. This firstnew strain of cotton was developed and trialedover many years before its limited release in 1996.In the 1996-97 cotton season, Ingard constituted10% of the national crop and pesticideapplications were reduced by over 50%.

RESISTANCE TO BTA very small number of heliothis caterpillars arenaturally resistant to Bt and this can pose aproblem. If these insects survived, they could breedwith other resistant insects, creating a population of Bt resistant heliothis.

To combat this potential problem, the cottonindustry and government regulators have developedResistance Management Plans for each cottonregion, along with thorough testing of every cottoncrop throughout the growing season to monitor anypotential problems.

Practical examples of strategies in these ResistanceManagement Plans include:• planting conventional cotton alongside Bt cotton,

so that large numbers of insects will survive andswamp the resistant insects during breeding todilute the resistant population

• compulsory pupae busting to destroy insect nests• the planting of “trap crops” that attract natural

predators of heliothis in strips close to Bt cotton

These predators are then encouraged onto thecotton by a food spray, and in turn destroy theheliothis when they arrive.

There has been some misguided concern thattransgenic cotton could fertilise wild cotton plantscreating hybrids. However, researchers havemeasured pollen movement from transgenic cropsand found that there is no possibility of thisoccurring, nor the widespread movement of pollento other cotton.

Bollgard® Cotton and Conventional Cottonexposed to the same insect attack

Fact Sheet: Cotton and Biotechnology

BIOTECHNOLOGYFurther research led to a variety of cotton withtwo genes that produces two different proteins inthe leaves that are toxic to heliothis calledBollgard II®, introduced to Australia in 2004.

Scientists isolated a protein that occurs normallyin soil borne bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt) that attacks only the heliothis insects. Whenthe caterpillar ingests a small part of the cottonplant, the Bt protein disrupts the caterpillar’sdigestive system and it dies.

TYPES OF BIOTECH VARIETIESGROWN IN AUSTRALIAThe cotton industry currently uses anumber of types of transgenic cotton:• Bollgard II® (with two different genes

from the naturally occurring soilbacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt))

• Roundup Ready Flex® (with genes fromthe soil bacterium called Agrobacteriumtumefaciens)

• Liberty Link® (with genes from the soil microorganism Streptomyceshygroscopicus)

• Herbicide tolerant cotton (RoundupReady Flex® and Liberty Link®) canreduce the amount of soil cultivation and herbicide required on cotton crops to control weeds and facilitateshealthier soils through less soildisruption and reductions in residualherbicides

The crop on the left is apigeon pea trap crop toattract pests

Performance of transgenic and conventional cotton

Bollgard®Cotton

ConventionalCotton

Biotechnology - transgenic cotton varietiesrepel cotton’s biggest pest - the Heliothiscaterpillar

Over the last decade cotton varieties have beendeveloped with new features such as improvedfibre quality, disease resistance, maturity andregional adaptability – research is beingundertaken to develop varieties that require lesswater and/or are drought tolerant and havebetter fibre qualities like increasing flameresistance and reducing wrinkles in fabrics.

The use of transgenic cotton is a key component ofgrower’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM)strategies that use a combination of natural controlsand pest-specific chemistry to further reducepesticide use.

NEW VARIETIES IN THE PIPELINE

Drought ToleranceResearch Trials, 2006-07

Case Study: Meet a cutting-edge young scientist in the front line of managing resistance in Australia’s cotton biotech varieties

All there is to know about gene technology from the CSIRO

CSIRO’s perspectives on how the Australian cotton industry is putting together its sustainability building blocks

Lesson: a teaching unit that explores organic chemistry in cotton

Lesson: Cotton classrooms has a range of lessons and units on biotechnology

Cotton is an annual crop grown in regionsthat experience climate variability drivenby El Nino/La Nina cycles. Consequentlycotton growers have already developedhighly efficient and flexible farmingsystems that can meet the challenges of climate change. Despite being a very small contributor, the Australiancotton industry has invested in climatechange research to understand furtheropportunities for cotton farms to reduceor capture emissions.Current estimates from the Australian GreenhouseOffice (2006 Inventory) are that on-farm activities(excluding energy use) across agriculture areresponsible for around 16% of Australia’sgreenhouse gas emissions. This is more than thetransport sector and second only to the electricityproducing sector. Methane from livestock is thedominant agricultural greenhouse gas (70% ofagricultural emissions) with nitrous oxide fromfarming activities representing approximately12% of agricultural emissions.Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) from theAustralian cotton industry are small, representing: • Less than one third of one per cent of

Australian agriculture’s GHG emissions(ranging from 0.16-0.29%)

• Approximately 0.15% of the nation’s totalemissions in 2010/2011

The main sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissionsthat can be associated with cotton growing include:• Nitrogen from fertiliser and organic nitrogen

sources• Carbon dioxide from soils (biological

decomposition of crop and pasture residueswhich is increased by tillage and additionalmoisture and nutrient present in irrigatedsystems)

• Carbon dioxide from fuel and fertiliser (duringplanting, cultivation, harvesting, chemicals,pumping, fertilisers)

IMPACT ON AUSTRALIANAGRICULTUREAustralia’s climate is inherently variable butspecific climate change impacts are predicted to include increases in temperature andatmospheric carbon dioxide, decreases in rainfall and increased frequency of extremeweather events.

All major sectors in Australian agriculture arevulnerable to climate change, with potentialnegative impacts on essential natural resources,the amount and quality of produce and reliabilityof production.

Changes in the climate could have both positiveand negative impacts on our ability to growcotton. An increasing concentration in carbondioxide levels could potentially increasephotosynthesis and subsequent water useefficiency could in fact lead to higher crop yields.However, these benefits may be offset bydeclines in rainfall, increases in temperatureand/or increases in atmospheric evaporation.

COTTON ANDCLIMATECHANGE

Dr Sharon Downes, 2011 CSD Researcher of the Year Finalist

One of the world’s most pre-eminentplant breeders

AGRICULTURE

● STATIONARY ENERGY

● TRANSPORT

● FUGITIVE EMISSIONS

● INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES

● AGRICULTURE

● LAND USE, LAND USE CHANGE AND FORESTRY

● WASTE

% AUSTRALIA’SGREENHOUSE

GAS EMISSIONSBY SECTOR

IN 2006

COTTON INDUSTRY ACTION IN CLIMATE CHANGE

The cotton industry is funding or has funded a range ofinteresting climate changeresearch projects including:

Investigating the inter-relationship of potentialimpacts of changes in rainfall,carbon dioxide concentration,reduced water availability,lower humidity and increases in temperature

A number of projects tomanage climate change onfarm (eg plant breeding andnitrogen use efficiency)

Measuring the level ofgreenhouse gas emissions(N20 / CO2) from differentproduction systems

The development of calculatorsto assist farmers to estimatetotal greenhouse gas emissions

Practical examples of cottonproduction practices tominimise emissions andmanage soil carbon include:

Improved water use efficiencywhich reduces pumping andwaterlogging

A move to use of roundmodules which has led toenergy reduction in harvest andhandling through removal ofsome operations andmachinery

Placing nitrogen at depth incooler times in wet soils tomaximise nitrogen efficiency(and thus minimise losses tothe atmosphere)

Assessing and optimisingnitrogen fertiliser use and useof alternative sources such aslegume rotations

Using lower emissionsmachinery and assessing andimproving existing machineryand irrigation pumpingperformance

Alternative fuel sources

Improvements in soilmanagement through stubbleretention, reduced tillage andreduction in sprayingoperations

Fact Sheet: Cotton and Climate Change

Case Study: A Life Cycle Assessment of a 100% Australian Cotton T-Shirt, by one of Australia’s leading cotton scientists, Dr Peter Grace

Climate Change – These in-fielddevices measure the amount ofnitrogen used by the cotton crop