Cotton Australia recently took its message straight to the streets of Sydney, tackling common misconceptions about the industry with second-generation Coleambally cotton grower Joe Briggs.
Armed with a sign reading “Ask an Aussie Cotton Farmer,” Joe started conversations with commuters to find out what they knew about cotton. Most admitted they hadn’t thought much about where their cotton came from, but they were keen to learn.
With his laid-back nature, Joe quickly put people at ease, turning casual chats into a chance to share what really happens on cotton farms.
One of the most common questions was about water use, and Joe was happy to set the record straight.
"You’d be surprised—Aussie cotton uses 52% less water than it used to, and we’re some of the most water-efficient cotton growers in the world!" he told them.
For Joe, the experience was a chance to have open, no-nonsense conversations about modern cotton farming.
"Most people just don’t know, but they were really interested once we got talking. A lot of them had no idea where their cotton clothes came from. Some people thought cotton used a lot of water to grow, and they were pretty surprised when I told them the facts," he said.
Another hot topic was pesticides.
"Someone asked if we still spray heaps of chemicals, and I told them we’ve actually cut pesticide use by over 97% since the ‘90s. That blew their mind a bit!" Joe said.
The video from this activation has already racked up almost 40,000 views on social media, mostly from people in urban areas. More content from the day will be rolled out over the next few weeks, covering other key topics like land use and sustainability.
Cotton Australia is using platforms like Instagram and TikTok to get these conversations in front of younger city audiences—people who might not know much about farming but are keen to learn when given the chance.
For Joe, it’s simple—if growers don’t tell their story, someone else will.
"We’ve got a good story to tell, but if we don’t get out there and tell it, people will just believe whatever they hear. This was a great way to show people what really goes on." he said.
By taking cotton growers straight to the public, Cotton Australia is helping correct misinformation and build trust—one conversation at a time.
March 2025