Australia is expected to have a banner cotton crop this season, capping a comeback that has seen overall production nearly quadruple since 2007-08. This season’s estimated production of 2.3 million bales represents a 34 percent increase over last year.

Much of the additional crop will come from dryland plantings made possible by substantial rainfall. Australia has made a concerted effort to limit the amount of water available for irrigation to protect its inland river systems. There are also some concerns that crops will be planted in locations that haven’t been used for cotton in some time, potentially exposing them to harmful chemicals used by farmers who are unaware that cotton has been planted in neighboring fields, according to Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay.

“The big concern we have is that many users of phenoxy herbicides may not be aware that cotton has been planted nearby, which could expose sensitive cotton to the risk of phenoxy herbicide drift,” Kay said in a recent press release. “Because 2,4-D chemicals can drift for more than 10 kilometers under the wrong kind of weather conditions, everyone needs to be sure they know what is being grown around the district.”

To help avoid these types of problems, Cotton Australia was one of several organizations that funded the development of www.CottonMap.com.au, a Website designed to promote better phenoxy spray application practices.

“A quick glance over the fence before spraying won’t do the job,” Kay said. “The only responsible way to use herbicide this season is after checking CottonMap online at www.cottonmap.com.au.”

For more information, visit http://www.cottonaustralia.com.au/.