David and Julie Bellato operate Greenline Farming in Coleambally.
Their operation spans across four irrigation properties with 150 hectares dedicated to cotton cultivation annually.
Over the past decade, they have consistently achieved high yields since integrating cotton into their farming system.
Two other producers have been named as finalists for the award - Steve and Bridget McVeigh of ‘Loch Eaton’ in Dalby, Queensland and Scott and George McCalman of ‘Kuranda’ in Gunnedah, NSW.
The winner will be announced at Cotton Australia’s conference on the Gold Coast starting August 6.
The ceremony will also crown the 2024 Australian Bayer Cotton Grower of the Year.
The three nominees for that award are Kurt and Luke Von Pein from Pallathorpe Enterprises on the Darling Downs, Queensland, Scott Balsillie from Eastern Australia Agriculture in Dirranbandi, Queensland and Lindsay George from Lawson Grains in Moree, NSW.
The CRDC Chris Lehmann Young Cotton Achiever of the Year Award, the Cotton Seed Distributors Researcher of the Year Award, and the Incitec Pivot Fertiliser Services to Industry Award will also be announced at the conference dinner on the evening of August 8.
Cotton Australia’s CEO Adam Kay said the high calibre of nominees made the judging process extremely difficult, with all growers showing knowledge and skills that will easily transfer so that other growers can benefit.
“Each of the finalists have displayed a commitment to growing cotton and a readiness to trial new farming methods and adopt technology to continue to improve their crops and yields while focusing on soil health and other environmental outcomes,” he said.
The farming methods adopted by each of the finalists clearly demonstrate the diversity between cotton growing regions and the differing methods used to achieve the best results.
In an interview with Cotton Australia, Mr Bellato said a lot of effort has gone into efficiency.
Paired with a good season, he said this season was looking like “a real good year compared to last year”.
“We’ve had a great growing season since Christmas and looks like this year’s going to be a winner for us,” he said.
“I just think we’ve got a pretty good program with winter crop and summer crop.
“We try to put our winter crop back on our summer crop ground, so we just take our summer crop off without working the ground up.”
Mr Bellato said water use, layout and management plays a large role in a positive crop and yield.
“I think a lot of it is to do with the layout, getting the water on and off the fields quick, and ground preparations means a lot so when you’re planting, you’re planting into the right conditions.
“We don’t grow a lot so rotation means a fair bit. We are not getting disease.
“In our crop this year I had 200 hectares of maize and only nearly 100 of cotton.
“We’ve gone away from the syphons; we’ve gone to a bankless channel setup.
“Mainly for labour. Labour was very intense with syphons, but now with the bankless layout and the Padman structures, the drop boxes, the water is very efficient.
“We can get on and off and a lot quicker and it’s two hour ordering, so you can do it on the computer or the phone.”
Greenline Farming is a true family business, with the Bellatos and son Oscar all involved.
“My wife Julie works in the farm as well, she’s the bookkeeper, and I’ve also got a son Oscar who helps out in the busy periods with harvesting and sowing.
“He also runs his own fabrication business. If I need things made or repairs done, he’s there to help out with that as well.
“Fortunately enough, I’ve had a fellow who is a mechanical engineer who has worked for us and we’ve been able to build up our own toolbars and utilise some of the machinery.
“Our air cart can go on the back of three of our bits of equipment.”
This year’s nomination for the Cotton Australia award follows the Bellato family’s Southern Valley Cotton Grower of the Year award win in 2023.
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