The pair from the Gunnedah region are among the 16 applicants selected by an industry panel, including graduates from past Australian Future Cotton Leaders programs.

Throughout the year, participants will undergo leadership training, meet with industry leaders and be mentored by already-established and well-recognised cotton industry figures. They will also develop and implement a small leadership project, which mutually benefits both the individual and the cotton industry. The first cotton leaders meeting will be held in Moree on June 19-21.

Nicholas Beer is “Premer born and bred and I’ve got a wife and three young children to throw into the mix”. He manages Merrilong Pastoral at Spring Ridge and is chair of the Upper Namoi Cotton Growers Association. He said he had considered the program in the past and felt it was now the right time to try his hand at it.

“In the last couple of years, I’ve started to get more involved in the cotton industry with the Upper Namoi Cotton Growers Association and I’ve been involved in the cotton conference so I thought it was time to get more heavily involved and a couple of people I know…spoke highly of this course and I just wanted to further my knowledge and up-skilling,” he said.

Merrilong Pastoral is owned by David and Gordon Brownhill and is mixed farming with both dryland and irrigated cropping. Mr Beer originally started out as a farmhand on the property in 2002 and stepped up to the management role five years later.

“You can never stop learning, which I’ve found out over the years. Every day is a school day,” he said.

“I’m looking to fine tune my management skills because we’ve got about nine staff out there plus seasonal staff.

“I’m looking for more contacts in the cotton industry – getting to know people and asking other growers and industry reps questions and learning how to grow cotton more sustainably.

“It’s nice to get out of your own fishbowl and ask people questions out of your area.”

Mr Beer said his project will focus on the succession plan of Upper Namoi Cotton Growers Association and he is keen to get started.

“The mentoring we’re going to get from industry leaders is very exciting,” he said.

“Dave Brownhill once said to me, ‘When you go away to a course or field day, if you can pick up one thing out of that course, it’s been worthwhile’. So if i can get one thing out of this course – hopefully I’ll get more – and it improves our business, it’s been very much worthwhile.

“Dave and Gordie, they always push myself and other staff to do these courses and roles on committees to better ourselves and the business. They’re always wanting us to get involved, which is nice.”

Sam Simons is also in a position where he feels it’s time to learn more about the cotton industry after working as an agronomist for 10 years on the Liverpool Plains.

“I am in that place where I am able to take on more responsibility and take on the next step. I feel like I can offer something to the industry,” he said.

“[The program] is going to develop me personally and professionally through the contacts I’m going to make. It won’t just be agronomists - it will be all facets of the industry – and they’ve all got a different set of skills. And hopefully I can pass that onto others down the track.”

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Mr Simons said past attendees of the course had only positive things to say

“I’m excited to see what the program entails and I know it’s going to challenge us and put us outside our limits, but we all want to develop our leadership qualities,” he said.

“I know some of the people who have been selected and I look forward to catching up with them and I think it’s a really good group we’ve got.”

Mr Simons has a few ideas for his project including putting together information on how to get started in industry.

“The idea is how young individuals can go about starting their own business. What do you need, what insurance do you need, and how do you tailor it to agronomists?

“There’s not a document as such. People are winging it a bit.

“I’ve been through it all as well, so it’s pertinent.”

The agronomist said he would also like to looking into “how to deal with different personalities” in his role. 

“For example, dealing with farmers, particularly in times of drought - how to approach different personalities with big decisions,” he said.

“I want to find another way of addressing that better.”