Australian cotton growers are set to reap the benefits of digital farming, thanks to a new secure, centralised data platform that will boost efficiency, strengthen traceability and deliver the transparency that today’s market demands.
The Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC) is developing the Australian Cotton Industry Data Platform in partnership with growers and the wider cotton industry to collect, connect, analyse and share data across the Australian cotton supply chain.
The platform will simplify and automate data management, reducing duplication and saving time for everyone involved – from growers and consultants to gins, merchants and brands – in response to evolving market access requirements for information about how raw materials such as cotton are produced.
The platform is a core initiative of the CRDC Strategic Plan 2023–28, Clever Cotton and marks one of CRDC’s largest investments, with $7 million allocated for designing, building and running the platform over the coming years.
Once built, the platform will create a more connected and future-ready cotton industry through better use of trusted and grower-controlled data.
CRDC executive director Allan Williams said the platform development was informed by extensive industry-wide consultation and collaboration.
“The platform has the potential to be game-changing for our industry,“ he said. “It will not only streamline efficiencies for growers but also unlock new opportunities to meet global demands in an increasingly digital world.
“With data more valuable than ever, we have worked closely with growers and the supply chain to ensure that this will be an industry-owned and grower-controlled platform that is safe, secure and reliable.
“This is about giving growers a trusted tool that is seamlessly integrated into existing processes, easing mounting reporting pressures and streamlining systems.”
The platform will deliver value for Australian cotton growers by:
• supporting better decisions by making insights and information more accessible
• saving time by automating data handling and reducing duplication
• simplifying compliance with regulatory and sustainability reporting, and
• boosting market access by improving traceability and transparency to meet global buyer expectations.
Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay said the data platform forms a key component of the Strategic Roadmap for Australian Cotton, led by Cotton Australia, CRDC and the Australian Cotton Shippers’ Association.
“The Strategic Roadmap aims to ensure the Australian cotton industry remains competitive in a changing global market.
“We want Australian cotton to be recognised as a global leader with the most sustainable, ethical and high-quality cotton available, backed up by credible evidence,” Mr Kay said.
“Data is one of five key pillars in the Roadmap due to the importance of providing evidence of our practices and improvements and the cotton industry data platform will play this crucial role.”
KPMG Australia has been awarded the contract to develop the platform, with the build phase now underway and beta testing expected from the 2025–26 cotton season.
Full functionality will be rolled out by 2028, with services introduced in phases. Over time, more tools and services will be added, so the platform’s value will continue to grow.
Growers are invited to a series of workshops run by KPMG Australia as part of the scoping stage of the project.
They’re now also being urged to get data platforms ready by understanding where their data is, how it’s used, and how it could connect.
* To find out more please visit www.crdc.com.au/dataplatform.
