Jim Engelke

The co-operative that distributes water in the Ord River irrigation area has scored a big court victory over the state government, retaining its current water allocation to support the development of new cotton farms. The state government had wanted to slash the Ord Irrigation Co-operative’s annual water allocation by one third.

When farming activity started in the Ord River irrigation area in the 1960s, the initial focus was on cotton.

Development of a cotton gin in northern WA is set to proceed after ASX company Namoi Cotton, NSW wheat grower Ron Greentree and the federal government backed the project.

A $40 million cotton gin facility has been approved by an assessment panel, with the community hoping the project would activate the state's economy and agricultural industry.

Business News' inaugural list of those who live or spend much of their year in the north-west and influential policy and investment decisions in the region.