The reason for travel is to attend the 2014 Beltwide Cotton Conference to be held from the 6 – 8 January at the Marriott Hotel in New Orleans, LA, USA. Coordinated by the National Cotton Council (NCC) and its cooperating partners, this annual forum is recognised as the global champion for cotton technology transfer. The purpose for attending is to form collaborative relationships and gain the latest information on management of diseases and pests that are relevant to Australian cotton production.