Industrial trials as part of CRC Project No. 4.03.03 showed cotton through the MLC with a combing ratio of 19 had 0.02 inches or 0.53 mm more length in terms of UHML (a 2% increase), a 1.34 increase in length uniformity (a 2% increase) and a 1.16% decrease in SFC (a 12% decrease) than standard lint cleaners (SLC). The results also showed that whilst there was no significant difference in nep generation through a SLC or MLC, neps were consistently lower for the MLC at lower combing ratios. Although trash levels as measured by HVI and AFIS were consistently higher for LC systems with lower combing ratios including the MLC, the differences were not significant and not reflected in lower classing grades. At the conclusion of this project it was proposed that upgrades to the MLC including reducing the diameter of the new draft rollers, reducing the draft distance between the condenser doffing rollers and the new draft rollers and revising the draft ratios between roller sets, would further improve fibre length and reduce the number of neps and trash.Overall the results from samples processed through the upgraded MLC indicated statistically significant improvements in fibre properties for cotton with fibre lengths ranging from 1.095 inches to 1.20 inches. Length (UHML), length uniformity (ML/UHML %), short fibre index (SFI), USDA leaf grade and neps (AFIS) all improved when this type of cotton was processed through the MLC, although the improvements were minor in terms of fibre value. The effect of the upgraded MLC was more muted on longer cottons e.g., UHML > 1.17 inches, although like the shorter cottons produced cleaner cotton in terms of leaf grade

Native fish populations in the Murray-Darling Basin are estimated at 10 % of pre-European settlement levels. Whilst multiple key threatening processes have contributed to this decline, the impact of fish losses at water diversions has been largely underestimated and remains unaddressed. There is mounting evidence that significant numbers of fish (ranging from hundreds to millions at individual diversions) are being lost from rivers through water abstraction. Whilst the true extent of the impact across the entire Basin remains uncertain, given the extent of water diversion from most rivers, it is likely that fish entrainment is significant and will need to be addressed if a recovery in native fish populations is to be achieved.Fish screens can be used to protect fish populations whilst maintaining irrigator entitlements. Although several different screening approaches are currently applied elsewhere in the world, most of which would be suitable for application in the Murray-Darling Basin, it is essential that technologies are designed with the needs of local fish species in mind. In particular, screens will need to meet certain design criteria (e.g. maximum velocities at the screen face, or be made out of suitable material) that ensure fish are excluded from abstracted water and do not suffer injury or mortality. Currently no such criteria or guidelines exist for the design of screens suitable for Australian native fish, and this study has been the first to collect data relevant to the Murray-Darling Basin.A combination of field and laboratory-based experiments at simulated intake screens was used to test a variety of approach velocities (velocities in front of and perpendicular to the screen face) and screening materials. It was found that the installation of fish screens has great potential to significantly reduce fish entrainment at intakes and, in some cases, mortality at an experimental intake was reduced from over 90 % (unscreened) to less than 2 % (when screened) in the laboratory. Approach velocities (measured 8 cm from the screen) of up to 0.4 m/sec (1.5 m/sec slot velocity through the screen) were effective in reducing entrainment of juvenile golden perch and silver perch in laboratory trials, with very little injury or mortality resulting from incidental screen contacts or impingement. In comparison, field observations of an assemblage of fish at a screen in a river demonstrated that even modest increases in approach velocity (from 0.1 to 0.5 m/sec) produced a significant increase in the rate of screen contact for fish smaller than 150 mm, with the impact being more marked the smaller fish were.

This report is the formal final report to the CCC CRC Project &#39Fibre to Fabric Training&#39 (CCC CRC Project Number ). This project initiative which was started under the Australian Cotton CRC was to develop a training course to give people employed in the cotton production including the ginning and merchant sectors an intensive introduction to the operations of a modem cotton spinning, fabric formation and dyeing and finishing mill and how fibre quality impacts upon these operations in terms of end-product quality and processing efficiency.

This project has sort to identify the potential to measure the value added from training of on farm employees. This has been achieved by reviewing the literature on valuing training and interviewing industry stakeholders to develop an understanding of the training system. Once the system was defined, opportunities to measure and improve the systems were identified.There is significant diversity in the labour productivity metrics such as area per employee (174ha to 290ha per employee), bales per employee (1260 to 2290) and cost of labour per bale ($23 to $36). These differences do require further analysis to allow meaningful benchmarks as machinery assets and use of contractors for farming and picking impact them. Although there are challenges to compare metrics between farms, in their current form they do provide useful measures for the same farm over time.The process of shifting employees towards their productive potential will require an understanding of the specific skills required for cotton production tasks on farm. The Cotton Basics course provides a logical breakdown of the task that are impacted by employee capacity. This project recommends that the Dreyfus Model of skills acquisition be used as scale of capacity for each of these tasks. By breaking down the employees role and ability to specific tasks and skill level, capacity development can be targeted and value to the farm business quantified

The goal of this project was to develop enzymes against one particular chemistry, namely the toxic metabolites of phenylurea herbicides like diuron. The reasons for this choice were that a scoping study conducted for the CCC CRC by Dr Ivan Kennedy, University of Sydney, identified diuron as the priority target for enzymatic bioremediation in the Australian cotton industry. We had already made good progress in isolating a gene/enzyme system that degrades diuron (and other phenylureas). However there are a set of aniline metabolites of phenylureas that are quite readily produced both biotically and abioticallyin the environment and which have problematic levels of vertebrate toxicity (albeit they are no longer herbicidal). In the case of diuron (and some other major products like linuron) the most troublesome of these is dichloroaniline. It might be problematic to commercialise an enzyme mix to degrade phenylureas that did not also degrade these aniline metaboltes.

This project is a joint initiative of the MDBC and the cotton industry to determine an appropriate model for the introduction of an industry wide environmental audit and certification scheme. The project is a component of a Murray-Darling Basin Commission (MDBC) programme to investigate the “Feasibility and benefits of introducing an appropriate audit and certification model to foster better management practice in natural resources management in the irrigation regions across the Murray-Darling Basin”. Another component of the MDBC programme is investigating related preliminary issues for the rice, dairy and viticulture irrigation industries, as well as Land and Water Management Planning Groups, Rural Water Authorities, Municipalities and Catchment Authorities throughout the Murray-Darling Basin. This project builds on the extensive work on environmental management that has already been undertaken in the cotton industry by the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC), and Cotton Australia. These organisations have played leading roles in developing and implementing environmentally responsible practices on cotton farms. In particular, CRDC and Cotton Australia have been responsible for the success of the industry’s programme for the safe use of pesticides, the BMP Programme. This report highlights the importance of implementing a comprehensive environmental programme in the cotton industry, and outlines the features considered essential for an effective industry programme. The report concludes that a certified industry environmental management system already introduced in the Executive Summary can effectively build on the current industry environmental programme, ensuring that current and future environmental and associated issues facing the industry continue to be properly addressed. The report outlines the advantages of developing the BMP Programme in line with an EMS, as well as the costs that this would entail. Recommended actions and timeframes for the implementation of an industry EMS are also included.

The 2003 - 04 season heralded the first full commercialisation of cotton varieties in Australia with the Bollgard II gene from Monsanto. Bollgard II contains the insecticidal proteins Cry1Ac and Cry2A which provide control of Helicoverpa spp. under field conditions.Based on limited experience, a range of perceptions have been aired which suggest that there is a need to change the management of Bollgard II in comparison to conventional cotton to ensure full benefits are obtained from this technology. To verify or clarify the existence of these perceptions and to identify key Bollgard II management issues, the Australian Cotton CRC Extension Networks' Insect Focus Team undertook an industry wide investigation

Economic profiles, supply chains and implications for the three case study communities

The initial grant benefits us in the following way:- CEFA provides $10,000 of seed-funding to our new Gwydir Education Foundations in the first three years' of its establishment. They match locally raised and donated funds: dollar for dollar up to $5,000 in the first year, 50c in the dollar up to $3,000 in the second year and 25c in the dollar up to $2,000 in the third year. So donors who contributed in the first year in particular know their donation will be matched dollar for dollar.- CEFA's partnerships with education institutions means that students who receive grants from their local education foundation and then study with a CEFA Education Partner can potentially have their local grant matched dollar for dollar. CEFA is partners with all universities in NSW, ACT and SA and we also have partners in QLD and Victoria. As a student at UNE, Ryan will be eligible to receive financial benefits of up to $1000.00 through their co-contribution- CEFA's &quote;Social Return on Investment&quote; research in 2011 indicated that for every $1 invested in CEFA and our local Education Foundations, we generate $3.10 of social and economical value. This value is mostly directed towards local rural and regional youth however we also benefit the Education Partners, Education Foundation committee members and the communities in which the Education Foundations operate.

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