The Cream of the Crop Competition invites students in NSW secondary and tertiary education institutions to create a PowerPoint or a video which can be published on the web and win $500. The competition ask the students to promote the importance of agriculture to their peers, to encourage a better understanding of agriculture as well as promote agricultural careers and rural life.

1. How important is cotton
How much of the cotton industry do
we not realise in our everyday lives .
Hurlstone Agricultural High School Archibull 2011

2. Cotton is one of the
most important fibres
in our lives. We use it to
make jeans, cups, shirts,
tires and money!
Just how much Cotton is in our lives?
Hurlstone Agricultral High School Archibull
2011

3. Cotton?
Cotton is a natural fibre which grows on a plant
called a - you guessed it cotton plant.
For every kilogram of cotton between 7000L and
20,000L of water are needed. And this is before
it is harvested .
Hurlstone Agricultral High School Archibull
2011

4. Sustainable cotton
So now you know these few facts about how
much water cotton needs and we all know
about the world water crisis your probably
wondering if you can really have sustainable
cotton. But you can.
Hurlstone Agricultral High School Archibull
2011

5. What if we don’t have sustainable cotton
Cotton is what is known as a necessity so we
have to have a reliable source of cotton not only
so the farmers have a source of income but also
because if we don’t keep up with the cotton
demand;
Hurlstone Agricultral High School Archibull
2011

6. The farmers
There will be a
will try to
decrease in
increase cotton
cotton lint or
Cotton oil quality and will
fibre
production lose income.
will decrease
while the
requirements
will increase.
Hurlstone Agricultral High School Archibull
2011

7. What is the difference
Use the information below to answer the question in bold then check out your clothes
at home and see what you are really wearing.
Cotton is a very soft gentle fibre, it can easily be
used for hypo-allergenic materials such as
carpets, shirts and linen.
This is in comparison to wearing polyester which
comes in the form of plastic balls about the
same size as bean bag filling.
Which would you prefer to wear – plastic or
cotton ?
Hurlstone Agricultral High School Archibull
2011

8. Factors affecting cotton yield
Global warming – cotton is a plant that thrives
in a warm environment but it has to be
continually a similar temperature. The ideal
temperature is between 18⁰ C and 28⁰C with
plenty sunshine and regular water.
The Green house effect - as the green house
effect continues to grow, our world is getting
warmer and the warmer the world, the less
cotton can grow.
Hurlstone Agricultral High School Archibull
2011

9. Is it just the cotton industry being
affected by the lack of knowledge ?
No – the cotton industry isn’t affected as much
as some other industries when it comes to lack
of knowledge on the consumer’s behalf. Most of
us wouldn’t have a clue where our fruit, meat,
vegetables or clothes come from. But some
people have some idea that there is a difference
between cotton, nylon and polyester. The
following poem shows us where the lack of
knowledge is going to lead Australian
agriculture.
Hurlstone Agricultral High School Archibull
2011

10. AUSTRALIA SECONDS
THIS!!!
Author; Unknown.

11. When the shearing sheds are silent and the stock camps fallen quiet
When the gidgee coals no longer glow across the outback night
And when the bush is forced to hang a sign, ‘.gone broke and won’t
be back’
And spirits fear to find a way beyond the beaten track

12. When harvesters stand derelict upon the wind swept plains
and brave hearts pin their hope no more on chance of loving rains
When a hundred outback settlements are ghost towns overnight
When we’ve lost the drive and heart once more to see us right

13. When ‘pioneer’ means stereo and digger some backhoe
And the outback is behind the house. there’s no where else to go
And ‘ANZAC’ is a biscuit brand and probably foreign owned
And education really means brainwashed and neatly cloned

14. When you have to bake a loaf of bread to make a decent crust
And our heritage once enshrined in gold is crumbling to dust
And old folk pay their camping fees on land for which they fought
And fishing is a great escape: this is until your caught

15. When you see our kids with Yankee caps and resentment in their eyes
And the soaring crime and hopeless hearts is no longer a surprise
When the name of RM Williams is yuppie clothing brand
Not a product of our heritage that grew up off the land

16. When offering a hand makes people think you’ll amputate
And two dogs meeting in the street is what you call a ‘mate’
When ‘political correctness’ has replaced all common sense
When your forced to see their way, there’s not sitting on the fence

17. Yes one day might find your self an outcast in this land
Perhaps your heart will tell you then, ‘. I should have made a stand’
Just go and ask the farmers that should remove all doubt
Then join the swelling ranks who say don’t sell Australia out.

18. Hopefully
Hopefully you have learnt a little from our slide
because we certainty have learnt from building
our cow and all the other little bits and blogs
involved in making this presentation.
Hurlstone Agricultral High School Archibull
2011