Expectations for industries to manage resources in a sustainable manner raise the question of how industries can demonstrate their sustainability credentials.

The cotton industry in Australia had an early interest in pursuing improved safety and has included

presentations on cotton production health and safety at most annual cotton conferences since 1990

Cotton production is an important rural industry in Australia. Disease pressure from emerging pathogens such as Thielaviopsis basicola threatens to reduce production.

Within highly mechanised agricultural productions systems such as the Australian cotton industry, operational energy inputs represent a significant cost to growers.

Cotton production has grown to become one of Australia’s most important agricultural

industries, with several regional economies supported by its development. Growing