Steve Buster will take up the position funded in partnership by the Department of Primary Industry (DPI) and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation.

This has been made as part of the DPI’s commitment to meet the needs of the southern cotton growers in Hillston, Condobolin, Griffith, Coleambally and Berrigan districts.

“Steve comes to the job with an impressive set of industry skills and knowledge enriched by a broad range of achievements,” DPI Southern Cropping director, Deb Slinger said.

“As the manager of large irrigated cotton, grain and horticulture operations and a cotton gin he has gained extensive agronomic and business management skills and have been awarded both Cotton Grower and Cotton Achiever of the Year.”

Mr Buster has also lectured at the University of New England and will apply his knowledge of cotton physiology to address issues of germination and emergence specific to southern growing systems.

“With a cooler start to a shorter season compared with northern cotton, it’s important to balance the need for early heat and the length of the season,” he said.

“New cotton growers in the south have already made valuable contribution to a developing industry.

“We are modifying proven systems and strategies which were developed over the past 60 years, to suit local conditions.”

The research teams which Mr Buster will be a part of, work with the teams in the north to review how effective those strategies would be in southern systems and delivery the information to growers quickly.