The History of Cotton Seed Distributors

• 1967
  

  Formation of Cotton Seed Distributors Ltd (CSD) on 5 April, 1967. The inaugural members of CSD are accepted and Frank Hadley (pictured right, with Paul Kahl) is elected Chair of the CSD Board.

• 1968
  

  Richard Williams is elected Chair of the CSD Board.

• 1971
  

  Commencement of CSD's relationship with CSIRO, through the significant financial investment towards the formation of a National Cotton Research Centre (which later became the Australian Cotton Research Institute).

• 1973

  • CSD hosts its first entomology seminar with international speakers.

  • CSD assists in the establishment and funding of Australian Cotton Growers Research Committee.

• 1980

  Introduction of Sicot varieties.

• 1983
  

  CSD completes relocation and officially opens 'Shenstone', Wee Waa.

• 1985

  Release of the first Siokra variety (also the first bacterial blight resistant variety).

• 1987

  CSD enters in an agreement with CSIRO to be the exclusive agent for the domestic marketing of their varieties.

• 1989

  • Richard Williams steps down as Chair of the CSD Board after 21 years, and is replaced by Frank Hadley.

  • CSD holds its first round of grower information meetings.

• 1990

  • Partnership with CSIRO agreement on variety supplies.

  • Deltapine varieties moved to Pioneer HiBred Australia.

  • CSD commences publishing the results of the Annual Disease Surveys.

• 1993

  CSD tackles plant disease with the release of two cotton varieties (Siokra V15 and Sicala V-2) bred for their improved tolerance to Verticillium wilt.

• 1994
  

  Cotton Seed International formed in order to pursue the protection of CSIRO varieties overseas.

• 1995

  First international sale of bulk seed.

• 1996

  CSD varieties containing the first generation of transgenic insect control, Ingard^®, are commercially released in Australia.

• 1997
  

  John Grellman (pictured) is elected Chair of the CSD Board.

  CSD overhauls seed processing to enhance precision of supply and quality assurance.

• 2001

  CSD varieties containing the Group M herbicide tolerance trait, Roundup Ready^®, are released for commercial use in Australia.

• 2002
  

  CSD releases Sicot 71, the first in a family of varieties combining wide regional adaptation, high yield, good fibre quality and high disease tolerance.

• 2003

  CSD varieties containing the second generation of transgenic insect control technology, Bollgard II^®, are released for commercial use in Australia.

• 2007

  • CSD varieties containing the Group N herbicide tolerance trait, Liberty Link^®, are released for commercial use in Australia.

  • Cotton Breeding Australia is formed by CSIRO and CSD.

• 2008
  

  James Kahl is elected Chair of the CSD Board.

• 2010

  Record planting of 599,630ha of cotton, and production at almost four million bales.

• 2012
  

  • CSIRO and CSD announce a five-year $35m extension to their existing agreement.

  • CSD, CRDC and Cotton Australia launch a joint extension program, CottonInfo.

• 2013

  CSIRO analysis shows industry yield improvements of 1b/ha/decade.

• 2014

  CSD develop 2020 Strategic Plan to achieve the vision of a 2 bale/ha yield improvement, while enhancing current fibre quality.

• 2016

  • CSD varieties containing the third generation of transgenic insect control, Bollgard^® 3, are released for commercial use in Australia, with the three-gene technology making up 95% of the Australian crop in its first season.

  • The industry records its second highest planting on record, approximately 460,000ha.

• 2017
  

  • CSD commences redevelopment of 'Shenstone' processing plant and seed treatment facilities.

  • CSD celebrates 50 years of service to the Australian cotton industry.