Wincott – the Women’s Industry Network Cotton – has achieved all the objectives of this project. Founded in 2002, it now operates successfully as a network for women involved directly and indirectly in the Australian cotton industry. Original funding from the Cotton Research and Development Corporation established the network and provided co-ordination for the development and research of relevant services. Wincott has progressed its goal to become self sufficient through sponsorship from our gold sponsors: Monsanto, ANZ, Grant Thornton, and silver sponsorship from: Telstra, Bayer Crop Science and Drummuster Wincott provides members with opportunities for personal and career development and fosters their mainstream industry participation, benefiting the industry at the same time with a new or improved talent pool. It caters for women at all levels of skills, confidence and aspirations, ranging from those who wish to learn more about cotton growing and the cotton industry through to women who may wish to undertake a broader role within the industry or in the wider agricultural or natural resource sectors. A number of Wincott members have used the skills gained through Wincott to take up important leadership roles in the industry or to contribute to their regional communities. The Wincott network is cost effective and uses existing industry structures and a wide range of resources to achieve its aims and objectives. In the final year of the project (2005–06), membership fees were abolished. Members used the skills, confidence and contacts they have gained from Wincott activities to seek other sources of sponsorship and project funding, meaning Wincott has achieved the important objective of becoming a strong and financially self-sustaining organisation. Wincott’s current database has 280 women on it, with membership stretching from Emerald in Queensland to Hillston in New South Wales, as well as metropolitan areas. Membership encompasses growers, consultants, researchers, partners of cotton personnel, spray applicators and many others. The current committee of eleven, is indicative of the strength & breadth of membership. They include growers, consultants, researchers and industry personnel from all the cotton growing regions. From its inception Wincott has organised information days, training courses, assistance with applications for grants and awards and regular newsletters and has an up-to-date website, launched at the Annual General Meeting in Narrabri in 2005. This has a range of information, from Wincott activities (including past newsletters) to cotton industry news and updates on cotton industry-related regulatory issues. It provides links to relevant cotton, agricultural and government websites. The number of visits to the Newsletters page on the Wincott website has increased considerably and the newsletters have been a successful tool for promoting Wincott-sponsored workshops and courses. Wincott has achieved widespread acceptance within the cotton industry because of its success in providing women with the confidence and knowledge to participate fully within the mainstream industry. Wincott has become a valuable means of disseminating information throughout the industry. Other cotton organisations now use Wincott to promote industry events such as farm health and skills shortage workshops and Wincott’s cotton industry ‘starter kit’, which provides basic, easy to understand details about the industry is being used by other industry organisations. After an approach by Grant Thornton Accountants, Sydney, Wincott is assisting with succession planning workshops in all cotton valleys in the second half of 2006. Wincott has also worked to strengthen the linkages between the cotton industry and the community and provides direct communication between industry, research organisations, government and other organisations that have a direct impact on the community’s perception of the cotton industry. This work has been aided by Wincott media releases, articles in rural magazines and newspapers and a stand at trade fairs and the Australian Cotton Conference to promote the organisations’s work. Through the Australian Women in Agriculture forum, Wincott has been able to promote science-based discussion and disseminate information on issues such as biotechnology, water use and environmental issues to women in other agricultural industries. Looking to the future, Wincott will continue its present range of activities and actively seek opportunities to provide further information and training opportunities for its members, while pursuing further sponsorships to enable new activities.