1967

Formation of Cotton Seed Distributors Ltd (CSD) on 5 April, 1967. The inaugural members of CSD are accepted and Frank Hadley 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.
• CSD is a foundation sponsor of the first Australian Cotton Conference.

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.
• CSD integrates the Extension and Develoment team to support Australian cotton growers.

1997

• John Grellman is elected Chair of the CSD Board.
• CSD overhauls seed processing to enhance precision of supply and quality assurance.

1999

CSD employs Dr Stephen Allen and he immediately is seconded to the CSIRO Cotton Breeding Team as a visiting scientist based at ACRI.

2001

• CSD purchases Little Mollee a 460ha property on Culgoora Road, Wee Waa.
• 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 inAustralia.
• Sicot 71BR is released.

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.
• CSD and Syngenta release Bion seed treatment offered to combat BRR/FOV.

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.
• CSD initiates the Ambassador Network to look at management technologies and crop metrics to improve yield.

2016

• CSD varieties containing the third generation of transgenic insect control, Bollgard^® 3, are released for commercial use in Australia, making up 95% of the Australian crop in its first season.
• The industry records its second highest planting on record, approximately 460,000 hectares.

2018

• CSD officially opens new seed production facilities at ‘Shenstone’, Wee Waa.
• Cotton Breeding Australia partnership between CSD and CSIRO is extended to 2029.