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Establishment Awards.
Celebrating excellence in crop establishment across Australian cotton growing regions.
About the Establishment Awards
The FastStart™ Cotton Establishment Awards recognise growers who excel in the critical first 70 days of cotton crop establishment. Open to both irrigated and dryland cotton growers, the awards celebrate those who focus on achieving strong, uniform plant stands and making the most of the tools, research and resources available through the FastStart™ program.
Entries are assessed by FastStart™ partners CSD and Syngenta throughout the season, with judging focused on establishment performance rather than final yield. The awards highlight the importance of laying the foundations for an efficient, productive crop through best-practice planting and establishment management.
Growers are encouraged to optimise key establishment factors such as planting conditions, row configuration, seeding rates and planter performance. Particular emphasis is placed on crop uniformity and even emergence, with entries judged on a combination of establishment percentage and Planter Uniformity Index (PUI).
The awards showcase growers who consistently apply proven establishment principles and demonstrate what best practice looks like in the field. By recognising excellence in establishment, the program aims to share practical learnings and encourage the adoption of strategies that support crop efficiency, resilience and productivity.
Establishment Award winners
Recognising growers who set the standard in cotton crop establishment.
John 'Cowboy' Cameron
John was our 2023/24 FastStart™ Cotton Establishment Award winner in the dryland category. His practical experience and deep understanding of the tools have helped him push the boundaries of crop establishment, setting a new benchmark for success.
► Watch John's storyJason Sinclair
Jason was our 2023/24 FastStart™ Cotton Establishment Award winner in the irrigated category. He shares what he loves most about the FastStart™ program and how its tools have helped him optimise his crop establishment.
► Watch Jason's storyPast winners
Growers recognised in previous years across Australia's cotton regions.
Past winners by year
2024–2025 winners
Congratulations to the winners of the 2024/25 FastStart™ Cotton Establishment Awards, who shared great feedback on how they use the FastStart™ tools:
- Darling Downs, QLD — Nathan Hewitt
- Gwydir, NSW — Henry Smith
- South-East QLD — Wayne Keller
- Southern NSW — Matthew Sands
- Central QLD — Greg Hutchinson
- Macintyre, NSW — Nick Druery
- Macquarie, NSW — George Pullen
- Namoi, NSW — Michael Cobb
- North Queensland — Jason Salvetti
2023–2024 winners
John Cameron and Jason Sinclair share the value they find in the FastStart™ Program. Read more.
2022–2023 winners
As part of the FastStart™ Cotton Program, CSD and Syngenta offered one irrigated and one dryland cotton grower a Kincrome Upright Truck Tool Box Tool Kit (232-piece). Eleven runner-up prizes were also on offer for each cotton growing region, with each grower receiving a Total Tools gift card valued at $1,000.
Major prize winners: Dryland — Neil Schimke, Gatton QLD · Irrigated — Matt Richards, Nobby QLD.
Regional winners: Central QLD — Matt Anning, Emerald · Balonne River, QLD — Scott Brimblecombe, St George · Darling Downs, QLD — Hamish Bligh, Brookstead · South-East QLD — Wayne & Noel Keller, Patrick Estate · Far-North QLD — Brett Lewis, Mareeba · Macintyre Valley, NSW — Will Coulton, North Star · Gwydir Valley, NSW — Will Carrigan, Moree · Namoi Valley, NSW — James Tydd, Wee Waa · Macquarie Valley, NSW — Sinclair Steele, Warren · Southern NSW — Joe Dal Broi, Benerembah · Northern Australia — Myles Gorman, Kununurra WA.
2020–2021 winners
Watch the 2020–21 winners video.