December 2023
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Excellence in n rresearch
The future of ag
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Lighting the way Charleville-born and bred Kylee Tindale-Smith was welcomed into The Lighting the Way Ambassador Program by the Royal Flying Doctor Service at its 80-year anniversary celebration. STORY PAGE 15
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$1b on agenda By Fiona Gowers Emerald cotton grower Ross Burnett of Barkool has been reappointed to the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC) board for his second three-year tenure to September 2026. Mr Burnett primarily farms cotton on his myBMP-certified property and has developed extensive hands-on knowledge of cotton production over the years. Beyond the farm gate, Mr Burnett has been an active advocate for cotton, representing the industry at local, state and national levels. He has a passion for sustainability and re-
RFDS chair Russell Postle, Kylee Tindale-Smith, board member Emeritus Prof Robert Stable, deputy chair Georgie Somerset AM, and board member Bruce Scott AM.
search, implementing both in his farming business and being a grower representative for the industry in these areas. Indeed, the new CRDC board has wasted little time in building the coporation’s vision to grow Australia’s cotton industry by $1 billion over the next five years. Clever Cotton is a strategic plan that guides all CRDC’s research, development and extension (RD&E) investments from 2023 to 2028. Mr Burnett says the initiative reflects the current focus and agility of Australia’s cotton industry. STORY PAGE 3
Weir done
Labour win
The largest weir built in Australia since World War II has been completed, capturing enough water to fill more than 34,000 Olympic swimming pools. Rookwood Weir in central Queensland will yield 86,000 megalitres of the precious resource annually after local protests led to additional funding to raise its height and capacity. Almost three years after construction began, the $568.9 million project located near Rockhampton was unveiled on Wednesday 22 November. STORY PAGE 2
Mt Alma Organics in the Burdekin is attracting and retaining more rural workers at its burgeoning organic fruit, vegetable, cane and cattle operation with newly installed on-farm accommodation. With housing and labour shortages making it difficult for Mt Alma Organics owners Angela and Gary Spotswood to secure workers, the husband and wife primary producers used a Sustainability Loan from the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority to fund the on-farm worker accommodation. STORY PAGE 9
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