The report, collated by soil specialist Dr Peter Bacon and commissioned by Cotton Australia, claims that subsidence caused by mining is waterlogging and disrupting cotton crops, particularly around Emerald in Queensland.

The report said that for the area around Emerald, a 2m seam could create surrounding subsidence of as much as 1.3m.

“The reason why we got the report done is because there are a number of proposals from mining companies to mine under irrigated cotton. And they’re telling the irrigated cotton farmers that it’s alright it will all be okay, but I think they’re demonstrating a total lack of knowledge about our industry, and a complete lack of understanding about intensive irrigated agriculture,” Cotton Australia chief executive officer Adam Kay told ILN.

According to the report, 94% of irrigated land in Central Queensland is covered by mining exploration or other licenses, and global research proves that subsidence would be a certainty following mining on these leases, but the Queensland Resources Council contends that only one in 1000 of the licenses will turn into a mine.

QRC chief executive Michael Roche thanked the industry for providing evidence-based research on the issue, but contended that the report provided no new information.

“The report's major finding – that underground mining causes subsidence – isn’t really news given that much of the research referenced in this report was commissioned and paid for by the mining industry,” Roche said in a statement.

“Up for debate are two key questions. First, can the effects of subsidence be managed; and secondly, is it clear that if there is an impact, that the coal industry will be held responsible?

“To both questions, the QRC contends the answer is ‘yes.’”

But Kay argues that the mining industry is not being honest with cotton growers.

“Patting us on the head and telling us it will all be okay, we’ve done it before and we know what we’re doing isn’t a good enough response for us.

“Our industry is not anti-mining or anti coal seam gas we are really open minded on this but when we see in this instance that it is definitely going to be impacting our growers we have to stand up and let people know that we are not comfortable with this,” Kay said.

Kay said the major issue was the waterlogging of cotton crops due to a disruption in the land carefully flattened by growers for their crops.

One of the major proposed projects in the area is Bandanna Energy’s Springsure Creek mine. Despite Bandanna proposing and funding an agriculture project on top of the mining area, Kay maintains that the project would be damaging to Australian cotton growers, referencing research cited in the report that said subsidence can occur outside the boundaries of the mined area.

“We have dry land cotton farmers there, rain growing cotton farmers, and all the information when we look at it will say that any sort of subsidence causes waterlogging and everything we do in the industry is trying to avoid that… even though its not an irrigated situation, waterlogging is the enemy of the crop we are producing.”

Bandanna Energy chief executive officer and managing director Michael Gray declined to comment on the report.

Roche said it was important to understand that the two industries co-existence was possible and would see the mining industry held to the highest standards of rehabilitation and performance.

“The coal industry accepts that scrutiny on irrigated country will rightly be far more intense,’ Mr Roche said.

“While it is understandable that farmers on the most productive country want to see their investments recognised and protected, calls for total bans are generally made by people who don't understand how the industry is regulated or the level of investment made in land rehabilitation.”

“Queenslanders have made it plain that they expect the state’s two great export industries to co-exist and the release of today's report is a milestone in a better understanding the challenges and benefits of co-existence,” Roche said.

The final Central Queensland Regional Plan is scheduled for release late this year and Kay said he hoped the plan would take the impact of subsidence on current agricultural production into consideration.