Supporter Information:
Cotton Australia is the peak body for Australia’s cotton growing industry, supporting over 1500 cotton farming families in NSW, Queensland and now into Victoria.
Website: www.cottonaustralia.com.au
Facebook: @CottonAustralia
Twitter: @CottonAustralia
ANZ is one of the five largest listed companies in Australia and is the number one bank in New Zealand. ANZ was named Canstar’s Agribusiness Bank of the Year for a third consecutive year, in recognition of their quality products and services, as well as their ongoing commitment to the agriculture sector and to regional Australia’s long term growth.
Website: www.anz.com.au
Facebook: @ANZAustralia
Twitter: @ANZ_AU
Friedrich (Fritz) Bolten
2021 Scholarship winner
Friedrich (Fritz) Bolten from Kununurra, Western Australia, received a Nuffield Scholarship supported by Cotton Australia and ANZ Bank.
Through his research, Fritz investigated solutions to executing time sensitive operations on heavy wet soils during monsoon weather conditions.
Fritz owns and operates an irrigated mixed grain and cotton farming enterprise, across 975 hectares of land.
“On farm, we can experience excessive delays and missed opportunities to plant crops as we wait for dry periods, which we use to form irrigation furrows only to have to reirrigate after the wet season,” Fritz said.
“As a sector we face unpredictable and extreme climate patterns, so it’s critical that we learn to farm smarter in these conditions whether that be through the utilisation of cover crops or different machinery.
“Through my Nuffield Scholarship, I explored the options and opportunities for utilising environmental and mechanical tools and techniques to reliably and sustainably execute timely operations on-farm.
“Seeking to enhance future productivity and sustainability amidst challenging climatic conditions, my research also focused on creating more trafficable and protected soils.
“This knowledge will hopefully open up a host of benefits for the cotton industry, from ensuring year-on-year production and maintaining continuous access to marketing pathways, to establishing a continuous cropping enterprise.”
Download the report here
Hear Fritz's presentation here