Public Relations Case Study
Good Neighbours Campaign, 1999
Client: Australian Cotton Industry
PR Company: Cox Inall Communication
Cotton production is a significant primary industry in Australia, with a record harvest of more than 583,000 hectares being planted in 2011/12. Cotton is one of Australia’s largest rural export earners, which continually supports the viability of more than 50 rural communities across the country. With more than two and a half times the world’s average yields, Australia’s cotton industry is now considered the most water efficient in the world. Cox Inall Communications produced the Good Neighbours Campaign in 1999 for the Australian Cotton Industry in order to implement the Best Management Practices (BMP) for cotton growers. It has educated farmers and changed practices and perceptions towards cotton production for the benefit of the environment and the cotton industry.
In the late 1990s, Australian cotton growers were subject to continuing criticism due to the impacts cotton production has on immediate neighbours and neighbouring communities. Many concerns were raised regarding the environmental performance of the Australian cotton industry, such as pesticide residue detected in beef cattle (due to consuming cotton trash, or pasture). A high level of agrochemical residue was also found in surrounding rivers, which has been linked to fish deaths and other harm to animal and plant species. The health of communities where cotton is grown was also raised, due to spray drift and the high noise level of aerial spraying. Other issues included soil erosion, transfer of pesticides on soil particles, and insufficient storage and handling procedures of pesticides on farms.
The Australian Cotton Industry saw a need for a change in cotton growing operations. The Best Management Practices (BMP) was developed in 1997 to help farmers “identify and manage risks, create a safe workplace for staff, design cotton farms that minimise environmental impact, use pesticides in a
Client: Australian Cotton Industry
PR Company: Cox Inall Communication
Cotton production is a significant primary industry in Australia, with a record harvest of more than 583,000 hectares being planted in 2011/12. Cotton is one of Australia’s largest rural export earners, which continually supports the viability of more than 50 rural communities across the country. With more than two and a half times the world’s average yields, Australia’s cotton industry is now considered the most water efficient in the world. Cox Inall Communications produced the Good Neighbours Campaign in 1999 for the Australian Cotton Industry in order to implement the Best Management Practices (BMP) for cotton growers. It has educated farmers and changed practices and perceptions towards cotton production for the benefit of the environment and the cotton industry.
In the late 1990s, Australian cotton growers were subject to continuing criticism due to the impacts cotton production has on immediate neighbours and neighbouring communities. Many concerns were raised regarding the environmental performance of the Australian cotton industry, such as pesticide residue detected in beef cattle (due to consuming cotton trash, or pasture). A high level of agrochemical residue was also found in surrounding rivers, which has been linked to fish deaths and other harm to animal and plant species. The health of communities where cotton is grown was also raised, due to spray drift and the high noise level of aerial spraying. Other issues included soil erosion, transfer of pesticides on soil particles, and insufficient storage and handling procedures of pesticides on farms.
The Australian Cotton Industry saw a need for a change in cotton growing operations. The Best Management Practices (BMP) was developed in 1997 to help farmers “identify and manage risks, create a safe workplace for staff, design cotton farms that minimise environmental impact, use pesticides in a