In July a group of us ventured up to Narrabri to visit some of the Cotton Industry (CSD and ACRI), the USyd Plant Breeding Institute (PBI) and the GRDC Farm Business Updates.
It was a great chance to learn about a different industry, the challenges they face, how cotton, wheat and canola are run in rotations and the challenges that farming businesses have from global context of export markets, cost of inputs through to on farm decisions around crop, variety, timing, machinery etc. + an opportunity to engage with local growers (and practice our communication).
Shout out to Tim Green from the AgriFood Innovation Institute (AFII) ANU for helping set up the visits and joining us on the trip!
A big thank you to our hosts at CSD, ACRI and USyD PBI for their time to show us the facilities, share their research and give us valuable insights into the various research and industries.
By Sadia Majeed
The Narrabri industry visit was a fantastic opportunity to step outside the university and gain a better understanding of Australian agriculture and the many career opportunities within the industry.
One of the highlights was visiting Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD), Australia’s sole supplier of commercial cotton planting seed, where we learned how high-quality cotton seed is produced, processed and prepared for growers. It was fascinating to see the highly automated seed processing and delinting facility and learn about the technology and quality control behind producing seed for the Australian cotton industry.
I also enjoyed hearing about the different career journeys of the people working there. At the Australian Cotton Research Institute (ACRI), it was inspiring to hear from researchers with diverse career paths, reminding me that there is no single route to success, and it was encouraging to see so many women working in agricultural research.
Another highlight for me was visiting the University of Sydney’s Plant Breeding Institute in Narrabri, where we met Dr Rebecca Thistlethwaite and the farm team and learned about their research in hybrid wheat breeding and developing climate-resilient crops.
Attending the GRDC Farm Business Update gave me valuable insight into the real-world challenges faced by growers. Learning how global grain markets, fluctuating fertiliser and chemical prices, climate variability and major investment decisions all influence farm profitability helped me better appreciate the complexity of farming today and reinforced the importance of research that delivers practical benefits for growers. I particularly enjoyed Vítor Caçula Pistóia’s presentation on global grain markets and Jane Foster’s session on communication and emotional resilience. Her practical strategies for managing emotions and staying optimistic were something I wished I had learned earlier in my PhD. Overall, the visit broadened my perspective on the connection between research, industry and growers, and I came away feeling inspired by the people, the innovation and the impact that agricultural research can have. A big thank you to Lauren and the ARC Training Centre for Future Crops Development for organising and providing this wonderful opportunity.
By Jamie Piroe
Thanks for organising this lovely trip, it was great to learn so much about the cotton industry and hybrid wheat.
My main take aways:
Seed companies act as translators between research and farming. They bridge scientific discoveries with growers’ needs, ensuring innovations are commercially viable and fit within real farming systems.
More general take away based on the farm updates as well: it became even more evident that plant breeding is about managing uncertainty. Breeders must anticipate future climate conditions, pest pressures, market demands, and policy changes years before varieties reach farmers.
I also reaaally loved seeing and touching the plants, what a lovely sensory experience.
By Cara Huang
Thank you, Lauren and Tim, for organising such a wonderful trip and for driving us throughout the visit!
My biggest takeaway was seeing the scale of research and development across the cotton industry. Before this trip, I hadn’t fully appreciated how many different organisations and roles contribute to bringing research into practice. Visiting these sites gave me a much clearer picture of the career opportunities available in industry after completing a PhD, and it was inspiring to see how research can make a real impact on Australian agriculture.
By Mary Ma
Thanks Lauren and Tim for making this trip happen and also thanks for the drive. It is a great opportunity to see how the cotton seed industry works, the lines on processing cotton seeds from start to end are fascinating. Also a good chance to listen to different industry people about their career pathways (plus Lauren and Tim’s career pathways), this gives me a much clearer picture on shaping my own way. I also really enjoyed the GRDC farm business update, it is a great chance to meet growers and other people in industry/bank/research who help growers hand in hand in various ways. It is a good chance to see how the agricultural world works outside of our lab and research field. All are very memorable and precious experiences. Huge thanks to everyone!
By Jamie Piroe
The Australian Crop Breeders Week was very interesting and engaging. The main purpose of my visit was to network and connect with, amongst others, breeders who could potentially participate in my PhD research. During my poster presentation, I received a lot of interest from different attendees, including breeders who were keen to learn more about my research. This was highly valuable for my PhD and I am looking forward to all the meetings and connections that have come as a result of attending Crop Breeders Week!