Boggabilla's Tom and Charm Arnott have been recognised for their tremendous work in the cotton industry, after being awarded the prestigious Bayer Cotton Grower of the Year Award for 2019.
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The Arnotts, who farm at Fairfield and Tambalaka in Boggabilla NSW, were awarded the title at the annual Australian Cotton Industry Awards dinner held in Griffith on Wednesday, July 24.
Bayer sales lead Mark Dawson, congratulated Tom and Charm Arnott and all other finalists on their steadfast commitment to water conservation, environmental responsibility, industry peers and local communities.
"On behalf of all of us at Bayer I would like to congratulate Tom and Charm along with the other finalists," Mr Dawson said.
"It's no secret that our industry is facing significant headwinds because of the ongoing drought but it has been inspiring to see how cotton industry leaders have responded.
"The award nominees are a true reflection of the resilience of the cotton industry and provide leadership to our next generation of cotton growers."
Mr Dawson highlighted the value of these awards as a means of recognising the critical role that Australia's leading cotton farmers play in the industry.
"This awards program has always been important to us," he said.
"I am proud of not only the winner of the award this evening, but all previous winners and finalists, who represent the excellence and dedication of Australia's cotton farmers."
The Arnotts began farming at Fairfield in 2002 and purchased a second property Tambalaka in 2016.
Since then, the Arnotts have implemented a five-year plan and a strict 50/50 crop rotation schedule that incorporates wheat, barley and chickpeas.
They put their success down to a continual focus on improvement across every aspect of their farming operations.
Their implementation of a range of technologies, including a telemetry weather system, moisture probes and storage gauges, has made the management of their water use more efficient, enhancing their ability to nurture the land and increase profitability.
The results speak for themselves with their cotton harvest averaging an estimated yield of 12.7 bales per hectare.
"It's a great honour to be here and congratulations to the other finalists," Mr Arnott said after accepting the award.
"We are proud to accept this award and would also like to extend thanks to our operations team. Their commitment and attention to detail is exceptional.
"Thank you to Bayer for the ongoing contribution made to cotton research and development and thank you to all of the Goondiwindi businesses that unfailingly support us", Mrs Arnott added.
Mr Dawson said he is looking forward to Bayer's continued investment in the industry.
"Bayer's sponsorship of this award is part of our investment in the future of the Australian cotton industry and the individuals who make it so successful. We look forward to continuing our commitment to the industry over the coming years" he said.
In more exciting news for local farmers, Moree farmer Murray Connor was awarded the ADAMA Chris Lehmann Trust Young Cotton Achiever of the Year.
