Finalists have been announced for the 2013 Australian Cotton Industry Awards, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary.
The finalists were announced in a ceremony at the Australian Cotton Trade Show, currently being held at Moree in NSW.
The Awards recognise excellence and achievement in Australia’s cotton industry throughout the supply chain, from growers and ginners to product suppliers, consultants, agronomists and researchers.
The 2013 Australian Cotton Industry Awards finalists are:
Category Finalists Monsanto Grower of the Year, and AgriRisk High Achiever of the Year
- Hamish and Fraser Bligh (Brookstead, Qld)
- John and Ros Cameron (Bongeen, Qld)
- Tim, Katrina, Kevin and Rhonda Conlan (Tara, Qld)
- Graham and Kylie Cook (Boggabilla, NSW)
- Robert and Kate Flanagan (Hanwood, NSW)
- Glen and Julieanne Rogan (St George, Qld)
Chris Lehmann Trust Young Achiever of the Year, sponsored by Bayer CropScience
- Sophie Gulliver (Toowoomba, Qld)
- Susan Madden (Dubbo, NSW)
- Rhiannon Smith (Armidale, NSW)
Cotton Seed Distributors Researcher of the Year
- Graham Charles (Narrabri, NSW)
- John Marshall (Dalby, Qld)
- Janelle Montgomery (Moree, NSW)
Cotton Australia CEO, Adam Kay, praised the high calibre of entrants for this year's awards, which recognise individuals and farming teams that have contributed enormously to the industry.
"For a decade the Australian Cotton Industry Awards have highlighted the enormous contributions of our talented growers, researchers, suppliers, consultants and other industry participants, and this year's competition continues that great tradition," Mr Kay says.
"I don't envy the task ahead for the judges of this year's Awards. With such outstanding candidates, it will not be easy to select the final winners."
In coming weeks the panel of judges for this year’s Awards will travel to each of the major cotton-growing regions of Australia to continue the judging process, meeting and assessing candidates.
Winners of the 2013 Australian Cotton Industry Awards will be announced at the Cotton Collective event to be held on August 7, 2013 in Narrabri, NSW.
Cash prizes are on offer for the winners, with a travel bursary offered for the Young Achiever of the Year category.
“The 2013 Australian Cotton Industry Awards is not about who is ‘best’, it is about making a positive contribution to our industry," Mr Kay says.
“It’s also about celebrating and sharing the great work, personal achievements and commitment of people through the entire cotton supply chain.”
