From The Field Cotton Australia

In this final episode of season one, meet Nigel Burnett.

Nigel is a cotton grower from Queensland, and is also the chairman of Cotton Australia. His role is to lead the overall strategic direction of the industry for the peak body. 
To do that, he brings to the table his years of knowledge and understanding as a multi-generational cotton farmer. 

Women play a significant role in the Australian cotton industry - not just on-farm driving machinery and tending to the crop, but also in other cotton roles like finance and bookkeeping, marketing, ginning, agronomy, and fashion - to name a few. 

In this episode, meet Alexandria Galea - an agronomist who comes from a long line of farmers and cotton growers in Queensland's Central Highlands. Alexandria is an emerging leader in her community, and plays an active role in her local Cotton Grower Association, helps organise local events for her community, and is an advocate on social media. 

If you've heard about the Australian cotton industry in the media, chances are you’ll have heard the debate about cotton's water use and if it's an appropriate crop to grow in Australia's climate. 
However, what's often overlooked is: having a healthy river system is just as important for cotton growers as being able to grow a crop.
Without a healthy river and ecosystem, the effects can be huge – not just for their environment, but also for their towns, and their ability to use the river as a recreation source.

In this episode, meet cotton grower Amanda Thomas, who is helping to re-stock her local river with fish fingerlings.

In farming communities, attitudes towards mental health and wellbeing are also changing.
Farmers often deal with huge challenges, with things like the weather, the cost of farming products, supply chain delays, and labour shortages adding pressure... That's not to mention the long hours that come with running your own farm. 
In southern New South Wales, a group of cotton farmers have banded together to help address mental health and wellbeing. Joe Briggs is one of those farmers, and in this episode he shares his story.

Cotton is a major contributor in the Australian towns the industry operates in, with farmers investing back into their community by supporting local businesses, hiring local people, donating to charities, and contributing to community organisations like schools and sports clubs.
But what’s it like to live in a cotton community? To find out, meet Queensland-based cotton grower Aaron Kiely.