Very few economists are employed in Australian cotton research. Biological researchers often seem to believe that the job of economists is just to "put in the prices" after a new technology has been developed. Certainly, there is confusion amongst scientists about just what an economist does do, or can do. In this paper, I want to outline some of the areas where an expanded economic input into the Australian cotton research programme might be justified. This can be done under three headings: project selection/portfolio management; economic optimisation; technology design and research management.