AGENCY SUPPORT PLAN
The CSD Agency Support Plan is an agreement between CSD and the agency organisation. CSD is looking to partner with agents who are actively engaged with us, promote our brand, services, products and the cotton industry to their clients.
Cotton seed sales market share and market expansion
CSD asks for assistance from our agents to achieve our market expansion goal of making cotton the dominant summer cropping option (in the relevant regions).
This is based on a three year rolling average of company and branch market share for seed sales, irrigated and dryland cotton acreage. It is also based on CSD’s geographic divisions of the Australian cotton industry.
Education and expansion
We asks our agents and their staff to collaborate and undertake regular upskilling activities alongside our CSD team, to ensure consistent messaging and servicing of the Australian cotton industry, and to boost engagement between CSD and the agency network. CSD also asks our agents and their staff to attend or complete marketing initiatives and programs such as the CSD Growing Better Series, pre-season meetings and relevant quizzes/webinars (such as the CSD Agency Quiz and the FastStart™ Cotton Accreditation Course).
EXAMPLES OF THE “EDUCATION AND EXTENSION” SECTION COULD INCLUDE:
- Holding a pre-season, in crop or post crop field day/meeting. This can be part of a summer or winter cropping meeting, but should include a section on cotton. CSD Extension staff are available to present updates at these meetings.
- Targeting your client base via emails, newsletters or social media about CSD’s Growing Better Series or other extension meetings.
Communication
CSD asks for assistance in facilitating communication and compliance to the cotton industry, by passing on information and materials (such as publications, flyers and email campaigns and web based video presentations) to the agent’s cotton grower clients throughout the season.
EXAMPLES OF MEETING THE COMMUNICATION SUPPORT OF THE PLAN ARE:
- Attendance at CSD’s Growing Better Series Mastering Cotton Forum or alternative seminars/meetings (if the MCF is cancelled for any reason).
- Promotion of CSD’s awareness programs (spray drift, defoliation etc.) by emailing the provided communications to your client base, and/or sharing the details on social media.
- Completing orders and paperwork requirements on time.
Co-operation with CSD
CSD asks for agent assistance with extension activities and programs, as well as active support with product performance enquiries, and logistics of seed delivery. CSD also asks for collaboration and attendance at field walks, meetings and events, and support for CSD Extension and Development activities, i.e., CottonInfo initiatives, and other activities that will promote the cotton industry.
EXAMPLES OF THIS INCLUDE:
- Ensuring that eligible growers are aware of, and registered on time for CSD’s Industry Support Program (ISP), and ensuring that any product performance enquiries are conducted on time (see key dates at the front of this handbook).
- Supporting the local CottonInfo Regional Extension Officer by providing crop and industry information for the ‘Crop Check’ updates; and supporting CottonInfo and CSD meetings.
- Supporting the local CSD Extension Agronomist with field days and sourcing trial sites, if required.
- Promotion, utilisation and development of the CSD Digital and Data tool offering.
- Promotion of the benefits of CSD membership.
- Assisting with CSD variety trials and data collection.