Carbon positive, water efficient and growing within an ethical and traceable supply chain are the signatures of Good Earth Cotton pioneered by innovative growers David and Danielle Statham who run Sundown Pastoral Company in New South Wales and Queensland.
Their Keytah farm at Moree, NSW, hosted the Painted River Project and Bank Art Museum Moree in March 2022 to facilitate conversations and creativity around the use of water and natural resources in the sustainable production of food and fibre as the essence of life.
There are 1600 cotton farms operating across Australia in what is a successful, high-pressure industry on farms that are amongst the biggest in the world. Collectively these farmers apply technology including high-yielding seed that has been genetically modified using a naturally-occurring protein to maximize production while using integrated pest management to reduce chemical usage by 97 percent (ie once they sprayed up to 16 times to control insects, now only 1 or 2). Technology also has driven water-use efficiency measures that grow more cotton with less water. David Statham said these changes have occurred alongside increasing community awareness of the need to conserve natural resources and protect ecosystems. Seventy percent of water flows are allocated to environmental flows to protect natural habitats, river systems and wetlands which feed the Murray Darling River System.
Keytah farm manager talking cotton with Painted River Project artists – Moree 2022 Photo by Sally Tsoutas