Cotton Farming December 2019

Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

DECEMBER 2019

www.cottonfarming.com

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Missouri Farmer Wins $25,000 For Hayti Fire Department

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Texas Farm Bureau Names YF&R Finalists

The Truth About

NEMATODES Resistant Varieties Throw Invisible Pests A Curve Ball

®

S:7.125”

MAXIMIZE &

THRIVE

High yield plus great quality potential — PhytoGen® brand PHY 340 W3FE is a resilient, early maturing variety that delivers.

It’s an excellent complement to PhytoGen brand PHY 480 W3FE, with the assurance of bacterial blight resistance thanks to PhytoGen Breeding Traits™.

PHY 350 W3FE Third-party validated trials prove it: This variety offers excellent yield potential and exceptional fiber quality, including staple length, micronaire and semi-smooth leaf. PhytoGen Breeding Traits™ add bacterial blight and root-knot-nematode resistance.

An excellent complement to PhytoGen® brand PHY 480 W3FE.

To see more varieties designed for your conditions, visit PhytoGenYields.com. ® PhytoGen and the PhytoGen Logo are trademarks of PhytoGen Seed Company, LLC. ™ Enlist, the Enlist Logo and PhytoGen Breeding Traits are trademarks of Dow AgroSciences, DuPont or Pioneer, and their affiliated companies or their respective owners. The Enlist™ weed control system is owned and developed

by Dow AgroSciences LLC. PhytoGen Seed Company is a joint venture between Mycogen Corporation, an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC, and the J.G. Boswell Company. © 2019 Corteva. CP38-076-022 NATL (10/19) BR CAAG9PHYG095

PHY 480 W3FE This midmaturing variety outperformed DP 1646 B2XF and NG 5711 B3XF as the No. 1 brand delivering top yields and quality in 2018 Official Variety Trials throughout the Cotton Belt. Yieldstabilizing PhytoGen Breeding Traits™ include 2-gene root-knot-nematode and bacterial blight resistance.

T:10.75”

S:10”

PHY 340 W3FE

Vol. 63 No. 12

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

DECEMBER 2019

www.cottonfarming.com

F E AT U R E S

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8 Nematode Truths If you are a cotton farmer, what you can’t see can hurt you in terms of reduced yield and delayed crop maturity. Plantparasitic nematodes are tiny worms — most of which are invisible to the naked eye — that infect the roots of cotton plants. Clemson University nematologist Dr. John Mueller has studied these pests for years and is well qualified to discuss specific and big picture truths about nematodes in regard to cotton.

COVER CROP BENEFITS From beginning to end, cover crops come with a list of decisions to make about selection, termination and subsequent planting of the cash crop.

14

PRIDE OF THE BOOTHEEL

17

TEXAS 2019 YF&R FINALISTS

26

GINNING MARKETPLACE

Missouri cotton farmer wins $25,000 Transform My Community grand prize for the Hayti Fire Department.

The Texas Farm Bureau recognizes the three couples who will compete in the Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher contest.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY

J. Kelley Green, TCGA director of technical services, discusses the Occupational Health & Safety Administration reporting rules.

WEB EXCLUSIVE Clemson University researchers teamed up with other agricultural professionals and farmers who have implemented soil health principles to hold a conference to talk about tools used to promote healthy soil. Go to www. cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.

D E PA R T M E N T S & C O LU M N S

4 Editor’s Note 12 Industry News 6 Cotton’s Agenda 22 Specialists Speaking 10 Research & Promotion 30 My Turn ON THE COVER: Clemson University nematologist Dr. John Mueller illustrates the correct technique to sample for nematodes. Cover photo by Carroll Smith.

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DECEMBER 2019

2020 Southern soybean varieties Check out the latest offerings

Look for the latest issue of Soybean South following page 16 in the Mid-South and Southeast editions of Cotton Farming. To have industry news and content delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for the monthly e-newsletter at www. soybeansouth.com.

COTTON FARMING (ISSN 0746-8385) is published monthly January through December by One Grower Publishing LLC, 875 W. Poplar Ave., Suite 23, Box 305, Collierville, TN 38017. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, Tenn. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Omeda Communications, Customer Service Department, P.O. Box 1388, Northbrook, IL 60065-1388 (Phone: 847-559-7578) (Fax: 847-564-9453). Annual subscriptions are $40. International rates are $55 in Canada/Mexico, $90 in all other countries for air-speeded delivery. Surface delivery not available due to problems in reliability.

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DECEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING

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Editor’s Note

Cotton Farming

Carroll Smith

EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com Managing Editor Vicky Boyd vlboyd@onegrower.com

I

A Month to Reflect And Be Thankful

n the world of agriculture, a lot can happen in a year. During the early months, your equipment may be sitting idle in the shed most of the time, but your mind is already shifting gears in preparation for the upcoming season. There are many decisions to make that can influence the endgame.

One of the most important ones is choosing which varieties to plant that best fit your operation. Study your options carefully and gather as much information as you can before pulling the trigger and placing that order. Do your homework.

Once spring arrives, farmers are off to the races. Planters are rolling, and “busy beyond belief” is a weak description of what is actually happening out in the fields. And it doesn’t stop there. Next comes scouting, spraying, irrigating, troubleshooting, weather-watching and finally harvest. But once the picker is parked and the cotton has made it to the gin, you can slow down a bit. December has arrived.

For farmers, this is a month to reflect on what just happened and be thankful for everything that went right. Of course, the big picture items in regard to how the crop turned out are important, but sometimes a small, unexpected snapshot surfaces that makes you stop and smile.

A good example popped up on Twitter the other day. A farmer posted: “A guy came up to me at church profusely thanking me for allowing him to ride along during harvest. He was so excited he could barely talk. I realized maximizing harvest efficiency is pointless if stopping a few minutes to let someone come ride can add so much joy to their life.”

The reactions came pouring in as others shared their own experiences with harvest ride alongs, involving neighbors, friends, kids, themselves.

One comment was particularly spot on. “Some moments in life are priceless, irreplaceable and irretrievable.”

I believe these are the times on which to reflect as one year comes to a close and the next one is about to open.

During the holiday season, make a point to practice “random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty” to establish and maintain a positive foundation for the upcoming season.

Carroll

Southeast Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Art Director Ashley Kumpe ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher Carroll Smith (901) 326-4443 Sales Manager Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Production Manager Kathy Killingsworth (901) 767-4020 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com Audience Services Kate Thomas (847) 559-7514 For circulation changes or change of address, call (847) 559-7578 or email cottonfarming@omeda.com EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD David Burns – North Carolina David Lynch – South Carolina Bob McLendon – Georgia Larkin Martin – Alabama Mike Sturdivant Jr. – Mississippi Charles Parker – Missouri Jimmy Hargett – Tennessee Allen Helms – Arkansas Jay Hardwick – Louisiana Ronnie Hopper – Texas Ron Rayner – Arizona John Pucheu – California

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC Mike Lamensdorf President/Treasurer Lia Guthrie Publisher/Vice President ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COOPERATION: Cooperating with COTTON FARMING are various cotton producer organizations across the Cotton Belt. Many representatives of producer organizations serve on COTTON FARMING’s editorial advisory board. Opinions expressed and conclusions reached by contributors are not necessarily those of the cooperating organizations or the editors.

All statements, including product claims, are those of the person or organization making the statement or claim. The publisher does not adopt any such statement or claims as its own and any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher.

Copyright 2019 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

If you have comments, please send them to: Cotton Farming Magazine, 7201 Eastern Ave., Germantown, TN, 38138. Contact Carroll Smith via email at csmith@onegrower.com.

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COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2019

One Grower Publishing, LLC

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COTTONFARMING.COM

Maximize Cover Crop Benefits

BY AMANDA HUBER

C

More Biomass, More Benefits Gamble says small grains, oats, wheat and cereal rye have the potential to provide higher biomass. “Small grains have fibrous root systems to scavenge for nutrients and bring those back to the surface. Increased organic Terminate cover crops matter helps improve nutrient two to four weeks prior and water-holding capacity to planting to: in soils. This level of biomass • Help ensure time improves water filtration and to recharge subsoil prevents erosion.” moisture.

Legume species such as clo• Prevent nitrogen ver and hairy vetch can fix immobilization. nitrogen, some of which can • Reduce the risk of be provided to the subsequent cutworms and other crop, Gamble says. Legumes insect pests. also have enough biomass to • Reduce seedling prevent erosion and improve disease potential. water filtration.

“Another species of cover crop are the Brassicas, which includes tillage radish and canola.

These species have deep tap roots and helps break up soil compaction. They scavenge for nutrients deeper in the soil profile and help improve water filtration,” Gamble says.

Factors In Cover Crop Termination Knowing when to terminate the cover crop involves many considerations as well. “When Should I Terminate My Cover Crop?” authors Kip Balkcom, USDA ARS National Soils Dynamic Laboratory; Julia Gaskin, Extension specialist, University of Georgia; and Nathan Lowder, NRCS soil health specialist, say the answer depends on when the cash crop needs to be planted.

Another consideration is how wet the soil is and whether field work can begin without creating a mess. The amount of biomass and maintaining its benefits are also important.

Maximize Biomass Levels T h e a u t h o r s s a y, “ I n M a r c h a n d mass of cover crops can double in two to It may be worth delaying planting to take this burst of cover crop growth, especially if maximize weed suppression.

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April, biofour weeks.” advantage of the goal is to

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

over crops improve soil quality and provide benefits that help create a more sustainable production system for cash crops. Selecting a cover crop depends on the benefits the producer needs.

Audrey Gamble, Auburn University professor and Alabama Cooperative Extension soil scientist, says benefits depend on the biomass level provided by the crop.

Cover crops with less biomass offer protection against erosion and nutrient loss and improved water infiltration.

“As you increase the crop biomass, you see additional benefits such as conservation of soil moisture, increased organic matter and suppression of weeds.”

The biomass of a winter cover crop like crimson clover can double in two to four weeks during March and April.

Research shows that 8,000 to 10,000 pounds per acre of cover crop biomass is needed for effective weed suppression.

The options for terminating are many and include roll, spray and plant in one pass; or roll and spray; roll and crimp; or only spray to terminate the cover crop. Leaving a three-to-four-week window between termination and planting provides an opportunity to recharge soil moisture while maintaining benefits.

Set Up For Planting While planting into cover crop residue can be intimidating, it is possible to have a good stand, say Balkcom, Gaskin and Lowder in the bulletin, “How Do I Get Good Seed/Soil Contact in Cover Crop Residue?”

“Your strip-tillage rig needs a good, sharp cutting coulter ahead of the shank to slice the cover crop and prevent the residue from wrapping around the shank,” they say. “Make sure your cutting coulters stay sharp. These coulters perform best when running on firm ground; consequently, they should be mounted well in front of any sub-soiling shank.”

Another possibility is the use of row cleaners. The goal is to have the wheels of the row cleaners barely touching the soil surface to minimize disturbance while the residue is swept aside allowing the double disc openers good access to the soil.

Good Seed/Soil Contact Make sure to use the correct down pressure. “Down pressure springs or hydraulic systems can reduce bouncing and keep the seeding depth consistent. Seed firmers are another option to ensure good seed-to-soil contact.”

Finally, the authors say producers need to select closing wheels based on soil type. For clay soils, many producers prefer spiked closing wheels to prevent soil crusting. With sandy-textured soils, rubber closing wheels firm the soil and prevent soil moisture loss.

From beginning to end, cover crops come with a list of decisions to be made regarding selection, termination and subsequent planting of the cash crop. However, the benefits they provide are worth careful consideration.

DECEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING

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Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

Fostering Productivity The National Cotton Council-coordinated 2020 Beltwide Cotton Conferences will be held Jan. 8-10 at the JW Marriott in Austin, Texas.

How does the BWCC elevate U.S. cotton’s competitiveness? n The annual BWCC helps speed the transfer of proven technology to U.S. cotton producers and other industry members with the goal of enhancing their productivity and profitability.

This is accomplished by government and university scientists, Extension personnel, consultants and agribusiness personnel sharing findings from cutting-edge research, field trials and technology testing. In fact, the BWCC’s success can be attributed to the alliance of the NCC and its many partners.

Federal and state agricultural experiment stations, Cooperative Extension Service, universities, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cotton Foundation members, news media, and other regional and national cotton organizations all play an essential role to help increase U.S. cotton The 2020 Beltwide Cotton Conferindustry productivity. ences will be held Jan. 8-10 at the JW Marriott in Austin, Texas.

The BWCC features three days of individual reports, panel discussions, hands-on workshops and seminars that cover practical applications in cotton production and processing. Specifically, the performances of crop inputs and production systems are examined along with other production challenges and opportunities. The NCC believes that by helping industry members tailor new products and production/processing systems to their operations, the BWCC is fostering a healthy U.S. cotton sector.

The Conferences’ reports subsequently are made available on USB drives and online at www.cotton.org/beltwide/. Those who come to

the BWCC also gain valuable information from informal dialogue with their fellow attendees.

What about 2020 BWCC programming? n The half-day Cotton Consultants Conference will feature an expert panel of entomologists discussing timely topics ranging from Bt resistance to results of testing Bollgard 4. Among other key issues will be water restrictions, including the status of aquifers across the Cotton Belt; an update on precision agriculture technology; a discussion of Environmental Protection Agency’s role in the plant protection chemicals’ review and registration processes; and a briefing on a multi-state potash study.

The 10 BWCC cotton technical conferences will meet concurrently beginning the morning of Jan. 9 and conclude by noon, Jan. 10. The Engineering-Systems Conference, for example, will feature a panel discussion on sustainability while the Economics Conference will cover such topics as crop insurance, disaster assistance and trade. The Ginning Conference will include the latest on the development of systems to detect and eliminate plastic contamination, fiber quality preservation, the use of RFID technology, and new products from machinery manufacturers. There also will be two panel discussions that include fiber quality and the cotton industry’s emphasis on increasing length uniformity as well as a panel discussing methods to transfer technology to the ginning industry.

2020 BWCC attendees are encouraged to pre-register and secure housing at www.cotton. org/beltwide/. Registration fees before Dec. 16 are: $200 for NCC/Cotton Foundation members, university and USDA researchers, Extension personnel, associations and consultants; $400 for U.S. non-members of NCC or The Cotton Foundation; $500 for international participants; and $80 for students. To guarantee the special Conference room rate, all reservations also must be made on or before Dec. 16.

Gary Adams is president/CEO of the National Cotton Council of America. He and other NCC leaders contribute columns on this Cotton Farming magazine page.

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COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2019

COTTONFARMING.COM

Cotton Consultant’s Corner

Choose Wisely For A Strong Start, Big Finish Scott Asher, Ph.D. Regional Agronomy Manager, BASF Spring Hope, North Carolina

Harvest season is a rewarding time. It is the celebration of a little luck, lots of hard work and the result of many decisions that were made during the year in the effort to produce a successful crop. Taking time to reflect on the season is also an important task, especially with regard to your cotton variety selections.

Here are some things to consider in making choices for 2020.

• Did the cotton varieties I selected in 2019 help me reach my yield and fiber quality targets?

• Did they meet my expectations in terms of emergence, stand establishment, vigor and management style?

• Are there gaps in my variety lineup that need to be addressed to help me meet challenges, such as root-knot nematode pressure?

The Stoneville® cotton seed lineup offers trait packages that growers and consultants are looking for when making variety choices. We are seeing great performance across the Stoneville portfolio. It offers choices in traits, maturities, and disease and pest control packages tailored to the specific needs of our customers. The roster of GlyTol® LibertyLink® TwinLink® Plus varieties, such as ST 4550GLTP and ST 5471GLTP, continue to perform across the entire Eastern Cotton Belt. Also, our newly commercialized XtendFlex® varieties — ST 5600B2XF, ST 4990B3XF and ST 5610B3XF — have done extremely well, and we are excited to offer this technology in a Stoneville bag.

Getting a good stand was challenging in many parts of the Eastern Cotton Belt due to the weather and seed quality issues in 2019. Selecting varieties with good seed quality and early season vigor are important considerations to help ensure a strong start to the season.

Increased insect and disease pressure in some parts of the Eastern Cotton Belt will also be a driver in cotton variety selection. In parts of the Delta and the Mid-Atlantic, increased worm pressure will push cotton seed variety selection to three-gene Bt varieties, such as ST 5471GLTP and ST 4990B3XF. Damage from root-knot nematodes in 2019 will be on some growers’ minds as they search for high-performing resistance varieties, such as ST 5600B2XF. Minimizing risk, especially associated with weather, is something else to consider. One way to help reduce the risk or even maximize the opportunity that weather brings is to plant multiple varieties on the farm, especially those with different maturities. Some varieties are better able to withstand tough situations, and others have that top-end yield potential that can be achieved under optimum conditions. Planting the entire farm to one variety puts you at increased risk if it can’t handle challenging conditions or maximize favorable conditions.

Take time to celebrate and reflect on the success you achieved but don’t wait too long to start planning for the 2020 season. As part of that plan, consider Stoneville cotton seed varieties that are tailored to help you start strong and finish strong in 2020.

• B.S., agronomy, Texas A&M University. M.S. and Ph.D. in crop science with an emphasis in weed science, Texas Tech University.

• 2016 distinguished alumnus: Texas Tech University, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

• Held various technical, marketing and managerial roles during 20-plus year career with BASF. Currently manages the agronomic service team in the Delta, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast that support the Stoneville cotton seed and Credenz® soybean seed brands for BASF. • From a family farm that still operates today, raising cotton, corn and grain sorghum for seed in the Texas panhandle.

• Celebrated 20 years of marriage to Stephanie in September.

Recap: Start Strong And Finish Strong

▼

1. We are seeing great performance across the Stoneville cotton seed portfolio. Selecting varieties with good seed quality and early season vigor are important considerations to help ensure a strong start to the season.

2. The roster of GlyTol LibertyLink TwinLink Plus varieties, such as ST 4550GLTP and ST 5471GLTP, continue to perform across the entire Eastern Cotton Belt. Also, our newly commercialized XtendFlex varieties — ST 5600B2XF, ST 4990B3XF and ST 5610B3XF — have done extremely well.

3. In parts of the Delta and the Mid-Atlantic, increased worm pressure will push cotton seed variety selection to three-gene Bt varieties, such as ST 5471GLTP and ST 4990B3XF. Damage from root-knot nematodes in 2019 will be on some growers’ minds as they search for high-performing resistance varieties, such as ST 5600B2XF.

Sponsored by

Always read and follow label directions. Credenz, GlyTol, LibertyLink, Stoneville, the Stoneville design and TwinLink, are registered trademarks of BASF. XtendFlex is a trademark of Bayer Group. ©2019 BASF Corporation. All rights reserved.

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

DECEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING

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COVER STORY

Clemson University nematologist Dr. John Mueller encourages everyone to learn as much as possible about the different nematode species and their habits to form an effective, multi-year management plan.

The Truth About

NEMATODES Sometimes The Yield Reflects What Is Invisible To The Eye

8

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

I

f you are a cotton farmer, what you can’t see can hurt you in terms of reduced yield and delayed crop maturity. Plantparasitic nematodes are tiny worms — most of which are invisible to the naked eye — that infect the roots of cotton plants.

Clemson University nematologist Dr. John Mueller has studied these pests for years and is well qualified to discuss specific and big picture truths about nematodes in regard to cotton. He says you can drive by a field where nematodes are present and not notice anything unusual going on until the damage translates into a yield loss at the end of the season. But if you walk a nematode-infested field, you are more likely to see the unevenness of the crop or patches where the cotton plants are yellowing, wilted and stunted.

COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2019

“Yield losses of 10% within a field are common and often go unnoticed,” Mueller says.

“And yield losses in an individual field can exceed 50%.”

Signs Of Nematode Damage He shares some truths about nematodes and the damage they can cause.  Nematodes can occur on and cause yield losses in most soil textures. Effects on plant growth and yield increase if plants are under moisture or heat stresses, so they are worse on soils with coarse, sandy textures.  Nematodes often occur in scattered patches. These areas develop more slowly than the rest of the field. This makes crop maintenance, including herbicide application and especially defoliation and boll opening, COTTONFARMING.COM

Reniform-Resistant Cotton Variety Released With a growing focus on yield-robbing nematodes and the push to control them, PhytoGen has been working to commercialize varieties resistant to specific species of this pest.

During a late summer field day, Jason Woodward, PhytoGen cotton development specialist for the Mid-Atlantic region, announced an important development.

“PhytoGen is bringing traits for resistance to reniform nematodes,” he says. “We also have a good foundational product with regard to other pests we are managing, such as weeds and diseases."

Woodward says the company has been working on this piece of the trait puzzle for several years in-house.

“We now have the opportunity to highlight the technology and do proof of concept work to show we have the yield and have observed the benefits of nematode reductions,” he says.

“I believe the reniform nematode is an increasing problem of importance that people don’t appreciate until if affects their farms.”

Woodward says a limited amount of the seed will go to PhytoGen Horizon Network growers in 2020, followed by a full commercial launch in 2021.

PhytoGen’s Jason Woodward discusses in-house yield comparisons between nematode-susceptible varieties and nematode-resistant varieties.

difficult. Often “yield” is in the field but lost due to late maturity.  You cannot eliminate nematode damage by simply irrigating more. The damage from nematodes often blocks the vascular system so no matter how much soil moisture you have, the plant is still not taking up all it needs.

Nematodes are not the same; there are different species, such as root-knot, reniform, lance and sting. Although nematicides can work across different species, they typically are put out at planting and kill nematodes during the first week or two after that, Mueller says.

“On the other hand, resistant varieties will be active against the nematodes for most of the growing season.

That’s a big difference. It makes sense financially to use the resistant varieties, which are probably more consistent than nematicides in terms of control. But keep in mind that host plant resistance in cotton is specific to one species. For example, you must put a reniform-resistant variety in a reniform field and a root-knot resistant variety in a root-knot field.”

Important To Sample Correctly Another tip to effectively combat nematodes is to know what species is present in each field. The best way to make this determination is to pull soil samples and have them tested for nematodes at a lab.

Mueller recommends sampling by cropping history.

Make note of whether the sample comes from a corn area, a soybean area or a cotton area. Nematode sampling techniques, which are different than sampling for nutrient analyses, should also be followed. Here are some rules of thumb:  Take a predictive sample after harvest to allow most state laboratories to use their nematode thresholds.  Place the core sampler directly into the row. Insert the sampling tube into the soil about three inches from the stalk. You should feel roots snap as the probe goes into the soil.

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 Store samples in a cool spot out of the sunlight. Do not put them on the dashboard of your truck. However, they should not be allowed to freeze.  Send the samples as quickly as possible to the nematode laboratory. They do not need to be shipped in a cooler with ice if they are sent in a package with numerous samples and the outside temperature is not extreme.

How Nematodes Spread Another factor to consider as you put together a multiyear nematode management plan is to understand how nematodes move within and between fields. In general, any physical means that moves soil will spread nematodes.

The most common carrier is equipment that picks up soil particles. Nematodes can be spread via mud on vehicle tires or by implements such as discs and planters or any other equipment that is inserted into the soil.

“Old cultivators used to be the worst culprits,” Mueller says. “Anything that carries dirt from place to place helps them move around.”

Other means by which they move include wind, water that carries soil, and even birds and mammals. The Clemson nemotologit emphasizes that flooding will not “kill off” nematode populations.

“Nematodes don’t have lungs,” he says. “They can’t drown. But every time a flood dries down and drains off, it’s carrying nematodes with it.”

Mueller’s parting advice is to sample every field and then develop a crop rotation to initially knock down nematode numbers. Once you have gone through this process, then plant a resistant variety specific to the nematode species that is present, he says.

“If you still have high numbers, you may want to add a nematicide, but hopefully you have reached the point where you can control nematodes just with resistance. You have to have a two- to three-year plan. Effective nematode control is not a one-time thing.”

DECEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING

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RESEARCH & PROMOTION

Cotton Incorporated 2019 Year In Review

T

he 2019 crop has been challenging, making the role of Cotton Incorporated’s Agricultural and Environmental Research Department team critical in helping to mitigate risks and improve producer profitability. The unique mission of the department is to improve the profitability of U.S. cotton production by improving its market position through strategic sustainability initiatives, funding the creation of agricultural innovations, and driving their adoption by cotton producers.

It achieves this mission by pairing internal expertise with external research collaborators to develop innovations, new knowledge and production tools. These innovations

BY STACEY GORMAN affect yield growth, crop value (seed MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE and lint) and production efficiency.

The department’s research collaborators are almost entirely employed at public institutions where Cotton Incorporated resources are leveraged with other funds to objectively address U.S. cotton’s challenges and opportunities for the direct benefit of producers across the Cotton Belt.

Drs. Greg Holt and Mathew Pelletier examine cotton from a lab-based prototype of the feeder apron ejection system at the USDA-ARS gin lab in Lubbock.

U.S. Trust Protocol This year, the department has worked on projects aimed at advancing cotton’s position in the marketplace and within the sustainability community. Consumers continue to put pressure on brands and retailers to be more transparent with their supply chains. Cotton Incorporated sees this as a unique and advantageous opportunity for cotton.

It has partnered with the National Cotton Council to develop the U.S. Trust Protocol. The protocol’s mission of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is to validate U.S. cotton as the most responsibly produced cotton in the world while striving for continuous improvement to reduce its environmental footprint. The department funded projects this year to assist in producer enrollment in the U.S. Trust Protocol’s pilot platform, which launched in June. The full release is scheduled for 2020.

In addition to sustainability efforts, the department funds projects that provide a safety net of knowledge about ever-changing cotton production issues including variety selection, pest management, new input evaluations, more efficient use of resources and the investigation/mitigation of potential threats to U.S. cotton. Currently, plastic contamination threatens the value of U.S. cotton. In 2019, a multi-divisional strategy was put in place within Cotton Incorporated to address this problem.

detection and removal of plastic contamination at the gin level. One successful project in close collaboration with the Fiber Competition division has been an affordable machine vision system deployed on the feeder apron of the gin stand.

An initial prototype camera-based detection system was fine-tuned so that 85% of the time, it detected and ejected, with a “puff” of compressed air, samples of yellow round module wrap from cotton flowing down a slide simulating the feeder apron on a gin stand. The work resulted in a fullsize prototype that Lubbock gin lab researchers installed and tested at a commercial gin during the 2018 ginning season. Commercialization of this system is in process in 2019 with two gins testing the commercial prototype.

2019 has been a busy year, and these projects just scratch the surface of all the work being done by the department team. Every year, Cotton Incorporated sponsors more than 400 research projects with universities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and private cooperators across the United States.

Other areas of significant progress in 2019 include adding value to whole cottonseed, cottonseed meal and cottonseed oil; managing the diverse and evolving insect pests of cotton; expanding grower use of data in harvesting and ginning; and developing breeding tools and germplasm to continually expand yield.

For more information and reports on Cotton Incorporated sponsored AERD projects, please visit cotton cultivated.cottoninc.com.

Gin Prototype The primary department research focus this year is

Gorman is the The Cotton Board’s director of communications. Contact her at sgorman@cottonboard.org.

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COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2019

COTTONFARMING.COM

I CHOOSE

RESULTS

60 LBS/A ADVANTAGE on average vs key competitors in head-to-head testing 1

#1 COTTON SYSTEM planted by farmers

2

CONTROLS MORE WEEDS than any other crop system

3

1

2018 data as of May 15, 2019. Yield advantage calculated comparing Deltapine ® Bollgard ® 3 XtendFlex ® varieties (DP 1820 B3XF, DP 1908 B3XF, DP 1845 B3XF, DP 1835 B3XF, DP 1916 B3XF, DP 1851 B3XF, DP 1948 B3XF, DP 1840 B3XF) to PhytoGen WideStrike ® 3 with Genuity ® Roundup Ready ® Flex and Enlist™ varieties (PHY 300 W3FE, PHY 330 W3FE, PHY 340 W3FE, PHY 490 W3FE). N= 578 trials (Bayer internal trials and public testing) 2017-2018.

2

Traited U.S. cotton acres containing XtendFlex® Technology based on Bayer internal estimates.

3

Based on approved EPA herbicide labels as of Aug. 2018.

Performance may vary, from location to location and from year to year, as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible and should consider the impacts of these conditions on the grower’s fields.

XtendiMax ® herbicide with VaporGrip ® Technology is part of the Roundup Ready ® Xtend Crop System and is a restricted use pesiticide.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW GRAIN MARKETING AND ALL OTHER STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES AND PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. See the Products Use Notice for “I Choose Results” advertisement for Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System printed in this publication. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2019 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.

MDIC-19040-CF-120219

Xtend your yield | RoundupReadyXtend.com

+ Restricted Use Pesticide Low-Volatility Dicamba

Industry News Products Use Notice for "I Choose Results" Advertisement for Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship ® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship.

XtendiMax® herbicide with VaporGrip® Technology is part of the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System and is a restricted use pesticide. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling.

XtendiMax® herbicide with VaporGrip ® Technology and products with XtendFlex® Technology may not be approved in all states and may be subject to use restrictions in some states. Check with your local product dealer or representative or U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency for the product registration status and additional restrictions in your state. For approved tank-mix products and nozzles visit XtendiMaxApplicationRequirements.com.

Book Chronicles Oliver Family Saga In The Mississippi Delta This publication traces the struggles of five generations of Olivers, from the late 1800s to the present in the Mississippi Delta.

In the 1870s, James Samuel Oliver arrived in the Mississippi Delta by swimming across the Mississippi River — with a fresh bullet wound in his leg. He later journeyed deep into the swampy wilderness known as the Mississippi Delta. Oliver cleared timber and carved a plantation home near Indianola, Mississippi.

More than 140 years later, his great grandson, James Allen Oliver, traces the Oliver family history from the late 1800s until today in his book, “The Oliver Family, Mississippi Delta Legacy.” Oliver based his book on many years of research in county courthouses, libraries, graveyards and several generations of oral stories.

NOT ALL formulations of dicamba, glyphosate or glufosinate are approved for in-crop use with cotton with XtendFlex® Technology. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans or cotton with XtendFlex® Technology.

Use Of Chlorpyrifos In California Will End In 2020

B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states.

Check with your seed brand representative for the registration status in your state.

Cotton with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba. Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Contact your seed brand dealer or refer to the Monsanto Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs.

Insect control technology provided by Vip3A is utilized under license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. Bayer, Bayer Cross, Bollgard®, Deltapine ®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, Roundup Ready®, VaporGrip ®, XtendFlex® and XtendiMax® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® is a trademark of BASF Corporation. ©2019 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.

MDIC-19040-CF-120219

12

COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2019

explores the major influence and contributions of immigrants to the region, including the Irish and the Italians, as well as race relations between blacks and whites through the generations. The Oliver family was intertwined with the Williams family, a black family, since James Samuel first stalked the Delta.

James Allen Oliver, whose mother was a Faulkner, is a life-long Mississippi Delta native, who grew up at Goose Hollow southwest of Indianola. After a successful career in the global crop protection business, he developed and sold several off-patent product companies. He and his wife, Patricia Ruggeri Oliver, now live in Hernando, Mississippi, and own a number of Mississippi Delta farms, including some land that had been cleared by his great grandfather James Samuel almost 150 years ago.

Paintings by Carol Heathman Polasini and original photographs illustrate the book, which will be released the first week of December.

For more information, visit https:// oliverdeltalegacy.com/.

“My family members and friends represent many other Mississippi Delta families that helped shape the region for five generations. And the Delta helped shape us,” Oliver says.

Newspaper clippings and courthouse records substantiate many of the hardships the Olivers endured and overcame.

“The mortar bonding the bricks are the many family stories that have been passed down orally generation to generation since the late 1800s,” he says. “I felt I needed to put the family lore on paper before these stories are lost like the wild frontier the Delta once was.”

This unique Delta book also

The California Environmental Protection Agency says virtually all uses of the pesticide chlorpyrifos in California will end next year.

This announcement follows an agreement between the Department of Pesticide Regulation and pesticide manufacturers to withdraw their products.

Earlier this year, DPR announced it was acting to ban use of chlorpyrifos by canceling the pesticide’s product registrations.

Under the settlement, the companies agreed to the following: • All sales of chlorpyrifos products to growers in California will end Feb. 6, 2020.

• Growers will no longer be allowed to possess or use chlorpyrifos products in California after Dec. 31, 2020.

• Until then, all uses must comply with existing restrictions, including a ban on aerial spraying, quarter-mile buffer zones and limiting use to croppest combinations that lack alternatives. DPR will support aggressive enforcement of these restrictions.

Continued on page 20 COTTONFARMING.COM

Advertorial

Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System helps Tennessee cotton farmer take back control from glyphosate-resistant weeds ®

The number-one challenge each season for Barnes Farms, located near Kenton, Tennessee, is resistant Palmer amaranth, commonly known as pigweed. It has plagued Tennessee farmland for better than a decade and, recently, University of Tennessee researchers have documented Palmer amaranth to be resistant to four herbicide sites of action.* Since adopting the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System, however, this family farm once again has a good handle on weed management, including pigweed.

Rance Barnes

Rance Barnes, Jr., grew up on this farm, located in the Obion River Bottoms, with its rich Memphis silt loam soils on hilly fields and low-lying river bottoms with streaks of clay-type “gumbo” dirt. Cotton and corn are the primary crops, with soybeans thrown in on river bottom fields planted later in the spring due to slow-torecede floodwater or behind wheat on the hill ground.

Before adopting the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System, Barnes Farms operators found themselves making multiple Roundup® agricultural herbicide applications, trying in vain to control glyphosate-resistant weeds. They applied Gramoxone® herbicide under row-crop hoods in an attempt to kill weeds between the rows. And they hired extra employees during the summer to walk fields and pull resistant pigweeds.

TENNESSEE COTTON FARMER

Today, all of the farm’s cotton and the majority of its soybean acres are planted to the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System. While the system has been important for improving pigweed management on the farm, a key to making the system work effectively is application timing, Barnes says.

“The most urgent weed to control in our fields is resistant pigweed, so we want to be out there spraying about 10 days after emergence — that quick,” he says. “We are scouting for weeds as soon as the crops emerge, and at the first sight of pigweed, we spray.”

Barnes plants soybeans on 15-inch row spacings, allowing them to canopy quickly. After the first in-crop application of XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology, tank mixed with Roundup PowerMAX herbicide and an approved acetochlor product, plus an approved drift-reduction agent (DRA), the soybean fields are typically finished with herbicide application needs.

The System Is Working In cotton, Barnes likes for young plants to have some legs on them before he makes the in-crop dicamba application. That typically occurs about 15 days after planting, applying XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology, Roundup PowerMAX herbicide, acetochlor and an approved DRA. Most cotton fields will require a second dicamba application before rows are canopied over. For a layby application, Barnes will go in with an application of Liberty® herbicide and Roundup PowerMAX herbicide.

From burndown to lay-by application, just five herbicide trips are needed to keep his cotton fields clean, and just three for soybean fields.

“In the past, you’d get to the point where you did not want to spend any more money on weed management and would just let them go,” Barnes recalls. “The fact now that you ride around and don’t see pigweed in fields like you used to see them, it just shows you how much the system has meant to the farming community around here. The system is working.”

On the Barnes farm, cotton and soybeans get the same burndown treatment in early March of Valor® herbicide, Roundup PowerMAX® herbicide and a clethodim product for ryegrass control. Their soybean planter is followed with a spray rig to apply Gramoxone as a pre-emergence treatment. In cotton, the planter is followed up with an application of Prowl® herbicide and Gramoxone.

Within 10 to 15 days after the crops emerge, Barnes expects to be in the field again making the first in-crop application of XtendiMax® herbicide with VaporGrip® Technology (Restricted Use Pesticide).

Rance with Garrett Montgomery, Bayer, Weed Control TDR, discussing weed control in the field

Restricted Use Pesticide Low-Volatility Dicamba * Take Action. United Soybean Board (Sep. 12, 2019). Waterhemp management in soybeans. Retrieved from http://www.weedscience.missouri.edu XtendiMax® herbicide with VaporGrip® Technology is part of the Roundup Ready ® Xtend Crop System and is a restricted use pesticide. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS FOR USE ON PESTICIDE LABELING. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. XtendiMax® herbicide with VaporGrip® Technology and products with XtendFlex® Technology may not be approved in all states and may be subject to use restrictions in some states. Check with your local product dealer or representative or U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency for the product registration status and additional restrictions in your state. For approved tank-mix products and nozzles visit XtendiMaxApplicationRequirements.com ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW GRAIN MARKETING AND ALL OTHER STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES AND PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. See the Products Use Notice for “I Choose Results” advertisement for Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System printed in this publication.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2019 Bayer Group. All rights reserved. MDIC-19040-CF-120219

Pride Of The

DREW HARRIS

Bootheel Missouri Cotton Farmer Wins $25,000 ‘Transform My Community’ Grand Prize For The Hayti Fire Department

BY CARROLL SMITH

A

ug. 12, 2009, started out like any other late summer day for Pam and David Dowdy, who farmed in the Missouri Bootheel with their son, Matt. They were unloading grain bins and hauling corn to the river, so David left the house about 7:15 a.m. and headed to work. Pam says to this day she can take you to the exact spot in the yard where she came outside and hollered at him asking if they were going to come home for lunch or did they want her to bring it to the bins.

A short time later, she remembers seeing a fire truck go by, followed by an ambulance and the highway patrol. Their daughter, Amy Beth Dowdy, a rice consultant in the Missouri Bootheel, lived close by in a two-story house.

Thinking a bad wreck had prompted the rescue response, Pam called Amy Beth and asked

14

COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2019

her to go upstairs and look out the window to see if she could figure out what had happened.

“I don’t see anything, Mama, but if I find out something, I will give you a call,” she says.

A few minutes later, Pam saw a bulletin flash on the TV screen saying a farmer was trapped in a grain bin on County Road 659 in Stoddard County.

“I knew at that time it was either my husband, my son or the hired hand, Jeff, who had worked for us for several years and was like a second son to me,” she says.

Pam immediately drove to the grain bins.

“So many people were there,” she says.

“Helicopters, fire and rescue, neighbors and other farmers. One of the farmers caught me as I ran to the scene and told me it was my husband, David, and they were trying to get him out.”

CARROLL SMITH

EDITOR

Pam Dowdy shares her family’s story and advocates for grain bin safety at the Transform My Community check presentation ceremony.

COTTONFARMING.COM

CARROLL SMITH

Left to right: Drew Robey, Pioneer Territory Manager; John Klueppel, Pioneer Territory Manager; Jody Vancil, Corteva Agriscience Territory Manager; Tony Goede, Corteva Agriscience Product Manager; Brian Irions, Hayti Fire Department assistant chief; Andrea Jones, PhytoGen Cottonseed Territory Manager; Brad Jones, HFD captain; Matthew Pierce, Transform My Community grand-prize winner; Michael Bellew, HFD assistant chief; Glen Whitener, HFD chief; Randy Crawford, HFD captain; Maurice Redden, HFD fireman; Benny Jack Hall, HFD engineer; Pastor Danny Neal, HFD chaplain; and Robert Culler, HFD honorary fireman.

Pam says the fire department attempted to open the side of the bin with saws, but they didn’t work. They finally used a cutting torch, which is a last resort because of fire danger from the dust and fumigant residue.

After 2 ½ hours, they got David out, but he had passed away.

Stay Aware Of ‘Perfect Storm’ Pam explains that the year before, grain had been put in the bin under wet conditions, and the top eventually crusted over. David had climbed into the bin without his harness and was trying to break up the crust with a pole when it broke through and he sank.

“Our family decided we would continue to tell this story, wherever we went and no matter how hard it hurts, in the hope of saving one family from going through what we did,” she says.

“This fall is a prime example — a perfect storm — of what can happen next spring and summer. Because it’s wet right now, everybody is in a hurry trying to get the crop out. Next spring, they will be in a hurry to put in another crop, and in July, they will be in a hurry irrigating. People may not remember how it was wet this fall when they put up the grain. That’s exactly the scenario that set up what happened to our family.”

Pam says when they fixed the bin after the accident, the area that was cut out and replaced was shiny metal and the rest of it was rusted.

“One of the farmers in our area Twitter: @CottonFarming

Transform My Community grand-prize winner Matt Pierce celebrates harvest with his wife, Mary Hannah, and twin sons, Casen and Fisher. Matt says he applies Transform WG insecticide to control tarnished plant bugs in cotton to protect his yield potential. “Transform is a tool worth using on my farm.”

KATE DUNCAN PHOTOGRAPHY

told me that was the best thing for a testament,” she says. “He said every time he crossed the hill and saw that shiny metal it made him pause and think about safety before climbing into a bin. I would ask everybody to pause and think about what they are doing before getting in a bin and take proper safety measures to prevent a tragedy from happening to another family.”

Compelling Need Fulfilled Matt Pierce is a young cotton farmer from Pemiscot County, Missouri.

He had heard Pam Dowdy tell her family’s story and was inspired to enter the Transform My Community contest with the hope of winning the $25,000 grand prize to help the Hayti Fire Department purchase equipment for grain bin rescue efforts.

Pierce says Pemiscot County has about 450 on-farm grain bins with a

total storage capacity of 10.1 million bushels and three commercial elevators with a total storage capacity of 3.5 million bushels.

“Grain bin rescue statistics show 45% to 50% of all grain bin rescues result in a fatality and a recovery mission,” he says. “There are currently no fire departments in Pemiscot County that have the equipment to perform a successful grain bin rescue. The Hayti Fire Department has recently completed two grain bin rescue training classes and have 19 members certified in grain bin rescue.

It is funded by municipal taxes and one annual BBQ fund raiser. These monies are enough to support daily operation expenses with very little remaining for equipment.

“I am proud to have been chosen as the Transform My Community $25,000 grand-prize winner to allow the Hayti Fire Department to purDECEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING

15

chase the rescue equipment they need to make our agricultural county a safer place.”

The Transform My Community contest, sponsored by Transform WG insecticide, PhytoGen Cottonseed, Pioneer and Cotton Farming magazine, was open to cotton and sorghum farmers and consultants across the country.

Participants submitted a short essay about how their community organization could be transformed with a $25,000 donation from Corteva Agriscience. Entries were judged on compelling need, creativity and tie-in to the Transform WG insecticide theme.

Tony Goede, Corteva Agriscience Product Manager, awarded the grand-prize money to the Hayti Fire Department on behalf of Pierce during a check presentation ceremony held recently at the fire station in Hayti, Missouri.

“Corteva Agriscience is passionate about helping growers transform their fields and their communities,” he says. “That’s why we are a proud sponsor of this program and support Matt and the Hayti Fire Department for working so hard to help others.”

Small Department, Big Vision The Hayti Fire Department is a city owned, well-trained volunteer organization.

“Even a small department like ours gets calls for all types of incidents since we cover a large rural area, which is mostly farmland, in Pemiscot County,” says Glen Whitener, HFD chief. “In addition to structural fires, we respond to a variety of emergency situations such as grain bin rescue, heavy machinery extrication, cotton picker or combine fires, and chemical spills. This $25,000 grand-prize money will make a big difference to us.”

Equipment he plans to purchase for the department includes a grain bin rescue tube, anchor straps and plates, rescue pulleys, self-contained breathing apparatuses, rescue harnesses and a 10-foot enclosed trailer. Whitener says their vision is to share the equipment with other fire departments to benefit a larger area.

“Corteva Agriscience has been very generous to our small fire department in the Missouri Bootheel,” he says. “We will forever be grateful to them for helping make our community a safer place.”

Join Us In San Antonio!

NAICC ANNUAL MEETING AND AG PRO EXPO January 22-25, 2020

Henry B. Gonzelez Convention Center San Antonio, Texas For more information visit: www.naicc.org

16

COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2019

Transform My Community Runners-Up In addition to Matt Pierce being chosen the grand-prize winner of the Transform My Community contest, four runners-up were recognized for their outstanding entries. They each received a $1,000 donation to their cause.  AMANDA BROOKS, a cotton farmer in Yuma, Arizona, chose to feature Yuma Catholic High School in her submission to the 2019 Transform My Community contest. YCHS is a small, non-profit school in rural Arizona that features small-sized classrooms and a family atmosphere where students thrive. To continue to develop future leaders in the industry, the school is creating more classroom and greenhouse space. It is also adding a Plant Science 100 course to the college dual enrollment program. Visit the Yuma Catholic High School website to learn more.  Weslaco, Texas, cotton farmer ASHLEY DICKERSON submitted an entry on behalf of IDEA Public Schools — an organization dedicated to improving food access and overall health through its Healthy Kids Here Initiative.

IDEA serves more than 29,000 students in the community. It has three half-acre farms and four school gardens that produce high-quality fruits and vegetables grown on school grounds and delivered straight to the cafeteria.

Annually, each farm grows enough produce to provide about 2,830 meals. Visit ideapublic schools.org to learn more.  JACKIE NEVILLE is a sorghum grower in Andale, Kansas, who submitted an entry on behalf of the local FFA chapter, Renwick USD 267. The new chapter is bringing agricultural education to a district mostly occupied by students well removed from the farms surrounding them. It is staffed by two young instructors with a burning passion to share their love and knowledge of agriculture with these young adults. Funds to help the FFA program are an investment in the future of agriculture via new opportunities to educate in the classroom and hands-on activities. Visit the Renwick USD 267 Facebook page to learn more.  San Angelo, Texas, cotton farmer AUBREY WOEHL’s favorite organization is the Wall Volunteer Fire Department that provides emergency medical services to Wall, Texas, and assists the paid fire department in San Angelo. The Wall VFD is in the process of becoming the first volunteer organization in the area to purchase an aerial firefighting apparatus — a 75-foot quint fire truck — to offer fire suppression to multiple multi-story houses and structures, including two area cotton gins. They have training sessions twice a month to maintain the best possible service to the public. Visit the Wall, Texas Volunteer Fire Department Facebook page to learn more.

COTTONFARMING.COM

w

TEXAS FARM BUREAU

TFB Names 2019 Outstanding Young Farmers & Ranchers

F

ueled by passion, young fa r mers a nd ra nchers a re cultivating a bright future for Texas agriculture. This year’s Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher finalists recognized by Texas Farm Bureau display that passion, drive and dedication.

Each year, TFB’s Outstanding YF&R competition recognizes the accomplishments of some of the state’s top agricultural leaders between the ages of 18 a nd 35.

The YF&R contest rewards the ambition, fortitude and dedication displayed by these individuals.

The 2019 Outstanding YF&R finalists are: Matt and Jessica Hanslik of Halletsville, Braden and Jordan McInnis of Tennessee Colony, and Jesse and Karri Wieners of Groom.

“We are proud of these young farmers and ranchers,” says TFB President Russell Boening. “They represent a bright future for Texas agriculture and the next generation of Texas Farm Bureau leaders. The price of land, along with the costs of inputs and equipment, continue to increase, but these couples look for ways to be innovative and diversify their operations.

We’re honored to recognize them for their dedication to Texas agriculture.”

Finalists are chosen from each of TFB’s 13 districts. A panel of volunteer judges visited the finalists on their farms. The state winner will be named at TFB’s Annual Meeting Dec. 7-9 in San Antonio.

Finalists’ Profiles Matt and Jessica have a crossbred cattle operation and raise purebred Charolais cattle. They also grow corn and hay. The Hansliks are part owners of an all-natural fertilizer company that recycles dry poultry litter from poultry layer facilities and provides custom application for farms and ranches. Jessica is also a regional sales manager for a local egg producer. They have two children.

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

Braden and Jordan grow corn, wheat, cotton, soybeans, grain sorghum, oats and hay, and raise cattle in Anderson and surrounding counties. Braden started farming in high school and has continued to expand his farm since then. The couple also provides commercial spray applicator services and agricultural trucking in the area. They custom farm and have recently started clearing timber land in the area. Jordan is a high school agricultural science teacher and FFA advisor in Elkhart.

Jesse a nd K a r r i g row wheat, grain sorghum, alfalfa and cotton in the Texas Panhandle. They recently added a wine grape test trial and small vegetable farm to their business. They market the vegetables directly to consumers in their area.

They also do custom harvesting and custom farming. This year, they added seed flower production to their family’s farm. Karri also owns a photography business. The couple has four children.

Prizes To Be Awarded T h e w i n n e r o f t h i s y e a r ’s Outstanding YF&R contest will take home the title to a three-quarter ton, four-wheel-drive pickup with a diesel engine, sponsored by Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Companies; and a $5,000 cash award, sponsored by Farm Credit. The two runners-up each will receive a $500 cash award, sponsored by Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co. All three finalists will receive an expense-paid trip to the TFB Annual Meeting, Dec. 7-9, in San Antonio.

The state winner will also represent Texas in the Achievement Award competition at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual convention in Austin, Jan. 17-22, 2020.

For more information about the Outstanding YF&R contest and other young farmer and rancher opportunities, visit www.texasfarmbureau.org/ YFR. The Texas Farm Bureau contributed this article.

CCOY

Cotton Consultant of the Year established 1981

Wes Briggs 2015 CCOY AWARD RECIPIENT

“Working for good growers who do things the right way and on time without cutting corners has been a blessing.

Without them, none of the success I have enjoyed would have been possible.

“My employees and I work as a team. It’s a joint effort. I tell my guys to never get stagnant and always strive to be excellent when nobody’s watching.

“As for being selected as the recipient of the 2015 CCOY award, I am proud to be part of a legacy that was started many years ago. The past recipients have paved the way for guys like myself. It is truly an honor and very humbling.”

Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by

Cotton Farming DECEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING

17

TRAIT STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES NOTICE TO FARMERS Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product.

B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states.

Check with your representative for the registration status in your state. Insect control technology provided by Vip3A is utilized under license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS FOR USE ON PESTICIDE LABELING. IT IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba or glyphosate are approved for in-crop use with cotton with XtendFlex® Technology. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with cotton with XtendFlex® Technology. Cotton with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, dicamba and glufosinate.

Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Contact your dealer or refer to the Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs.

Bollgard®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, and XtendFlex® are trademarks of Bayer Group. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® are registered trademarks of BASF. Agrisure Viptera® is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship.

All other products, company names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Before opening a bag of seed, be sure to read, understand, and accept the stewardship requirements, including applicable refuge requirements for insect resistance management, for the biotechnology traits expressed in the seed as set forth in the Technology/Stewardship Agreement that you sign. By opening and using a bag of seed, you are reaffirming your obligation to comply with the most recent stewardship requirements.

18

COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2019

Texas Tech Grad Student Studies Experimental Cotton

T

he cotton industry is vital to Texas, with the state producing approximately 35% of the United States’ cotton crop, according to a 10-year average from the National Cotton Council of America.

Lubbock and the South Plains has an even loftier claim to cotton: it is the largest cotton-producing area in the world. There’s no doubt cotton is the cash crop that sustains West Texas communities.

But with generations of successful planting and harvesting, there’s one persistent threat to cotton and crop production in general: weeds, which compete with desirable plants, such as cotton.

“This new cotton technology isn’t set to be released until about 2023.”

“Weeds decrease yield and harvest efficiency,” says Delaney Foster, a master’s student in Texas Tech’s Department of Plant and Soil Science.

“They compete with our crops for light, nutrients and water, and water is our most precious and limited resource needed to grow crops.

"Weeds are prolific seed producers, which means we will be fighting them for years to come if not effectively controlled. They’ve adapted the ability to survive, and they are resilient plants.”

Herbicides were developed in the late 1800s to help combat weeds, with newer forms, dubbed “miracle” weed-killers, hitting their stride in the late 1940s.

Herbicides today are applied at lower use rates and are less toxic to mammals. But too much of a good thing turned bad and, eventually, weeds became resistant to some of the most effective herbicides.

To fight herbicide resistance, Foster is working on research led by Peter Dotray, Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Service in Lubbock.

HPPD-Tolerant Cotton Foster is looking at the herbi-

cide isoxaflutole in HPPD-tolerant cotton. HPPD, which stands for P-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase, is an enzyme inhibited by isoxaflutole.

Foster is testing how HPPDtolerant cotton responds to isoxaflutole applied pre- and post-emergence and looking at the efficacy of this herbicide to control weeds.

“Isoxaflutole is an effective herbicide used in corn that prevents weeds from coming up through the soil and may be another tool cotton growers will be able to use in the near future,” she says.

Focus On Practical Approach Foster established several cotton studies in 2019 in replicated smallplot research trials and is documenting the results.

The hope is that the herbicide she is working with will help increase crop resilience, sustain the longevity of herbicide effectiveness and help grower profitability.

“This research matters to farmers because, for one, they don’t want their cotton injured by herbicides; they want herbicides to be safe,” Foster says.

“They also want them to be efficacious; they want them to work really, really well. So our research is basically looking at how well this herbicide will work and how we can best recommend it to farmers once it is available.”

One thing that drew her to Dotray’s research project was the focus on practical long-term solutions that help growers manage weeds.

“I had the option to choose between a lot of different research topics at Texas Tech with Dr. Dotray, and this one was just the most interesting because it involves a systems approach that uses a new cotton herbicide to control troublesome herbicide-resistant weeds,” Foster says.

“This herbicide and this new cotton technology actually isn’t on the market yet. It’s not set to be released until about 2023, so it’s still in the early experimental stages.

“Our goal is to better understand how this new technology can best be used when it is released.”

COTTONFARMING.COM

Industry News Continued from page 12

To ensure consistency for growers and for enforcement purposes, DPR is applying the terms and deadlines in the settlements to seven other companies that are not part of the settlement agreement but are subject to DPR’s cancellation orders.

A few products that apply chlorpyrifos in granular form, representing less than 1% of agricultural use of chlorpyrifos, will be allowed to remain on the market.

Cargill Cotton Moving Back To Downtown Memphis Cargill Cotton has relocated to downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The business employs approximately 75 employees at the current headquarters in Cordova and will be moving downtown to One Commerce, 40 S. Main St. “Cargill Cotton is excited to be a part of the revitalization of downtown Memphis with the relocation of its global headquarters to One Commerce Square,” says William

Barksdale, managing director, Cargill Cotton.

Cargill is partnering with One Commerce Square Memphis Realty LP on the remodel and plans to be in the space by spring 2020.

Cargill has been in the Memphis area for more than 40 years, serving the region and its residents both as an employer and through community giving and volunteer programs.

Currently, there are 150 Cargill employees in the greater Memphis area, working at five facilities, including Cargill Cotton.

Over the past 10 years, Cargill has also donated more than $730,000 in financial support to a variety of non-profits in Memphis and surrounding communities focused on nutrition, food security, sustainability and building connected communities.

Dr. Andy Jordan Honored For Outstanding Leadership Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture honored the recipients of the 2019 Sustainability Leadership Awards on the eve of the

fifth annual Sustainable Agriculture Summit.

Presented as the capstone of the alliance’s fall meeting, these awards are given to farmers, organizations and individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership through their efforts to advance continuous improvement in the sustainability of U.S. commodity crop production.

For the first time in 2019, the alliance expanded its awards program to also celebrate the critical role that trusted advisers — like certified crop advisers, conservation districts specialists, Extension agents, Natural Resource Conservation Service field staff and retail agronomists — play in supporting farmers’ journeys of continuous improvement.

Recognizing outstanding leadership in supporting farmers in their pursuit of continuous improvement, the inaugural Trusted Adviser of the Year Award was awarded to Dr. Andrew Jordan, consultant and owner of Jordan Associates.

Widely recognized within the cotton industry as a pioneering sustain-

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Industry News ability advocate, Jordan dedicated a 30-year tenure at the National Cotton Council to enabling cotton producers to adopt new technologies and implement more sustainable practices on their farms.

Translating this expertise, he established himself as a trusted adviser not only to farmers but to the wider industry in 2007, championing the importance of documenting and demonstrating continuous improvement in the sustainability of U.S. cotton.

Most recently, Jordan served as a leading adviser on the newly released U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, which leverages Field to Market’s suite of sustainability metrics to enable cotton farmers across the country to deliver sustainable outcomes and contribute to the broader industry’s sustainability story.

Jordan has also contributed significant volunteer efforts overseas to design small-scale community water systems for developing countries.

“Congratulations to our awardees.

We know they will continue to be leaders in building an agriculture

to local growers, including areolate mildew, planter downforce and defoliation tankmixes.

Torrance joined Extension in 2015 and previously served producers in Decatur, Schley and Marion counties.

He serves as a member of the Georgia C o t t o n C o m m i s s i o n ’s R e s e a r c h Advisory Committee, which analyzes and makes recommendations on research programs funded by the commission.

He also participates in the UGA Cotton Team’s on-farm variety trials, a program designed to inform producers on yield and fiber quality data from the numerous commercial cotton varieties available to farmers statewide.

This is the 19th year the Georgia Cotton Commission has sponsored the King Cotton Awards to recognize the outstanding contributions of county agents to Georgia cotton producers.

The Senior Award is for agents with 10 or more years of experience, while the Junior Award, named the Allen B. Fulford Award, is for agents with fewer than 10 years of service.

system that supports resilient ecosystems and enhances farmer livelihoods,” says Rod Snyder, president of Field to Market.

Georgia Cotton Commission Announces King Cotton Awards The Georgia Cotton Commission recently recognized two University of Georgia Cooperative Extension professionals for their work in the cotton industry.

Stephanie Hollifield, Brooks County Extension coordinator, was presented this year ’s Senior King Cotton Award. Ty Torrance, Grady County agricultural and natural resources agent, was presented the Allen B. Fulford Award. Both were recognized at the Georgia Association of County Agricultural Agents annual meeting in Dublin, Georgia.

Hollifield, who also serves as an agriculture and natural resources agent, hosts producer education programs regarding agronomics and defoliation and conducts county research on cotton. She focuses her research trials on issues important

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Specialists Speaking Assessing The 2019 Cotton Season TEXAS Murilo Maeda As I write this mid-November, harvest has not been progressing as expected in West Texas and the Rolling Plains, primarily due to unfavorable weather conditions. In the Rolling Plains of Texas, Dr. Emi Kimura reports from Vernon that their first freeze this year happened two weeks earlier than what would normally be expected. She does believe this has reduced the yield potential of late-planted fields in the area.

Harvest activity in the Rolling Plains started slowly and will likely continue into December. Dr. Jourdan Bell also reports delayed harvest progress in the Texas Panhandle region due to snow, rain and more snow. A freeze Oct. 11 caught many producers in the region off guard as temperatures dropped to 18 degrees Farenheit in the northern Panhandle. Cotton in many fields is strung out and/or has many immature bolls that are “frozen” shut. Yields are much lower than previously hoped for, which seems to be the “bigger picture” across much of the West Texas region. Bell estimates that approximately 60% of the cotton is stripped in the region as of this writing.

In the Southern High Plains, the overall picture is more of the same.

In and around the Lubbock area, harvest has also been touch and go.

Unfavorable weather has kept many of our growers out of the fields, delaying harvest progress. As of this writing, I estimate about 15% to 20% of the area has been harvested. With some open weather forecasted for the next several days, field activity will definitely ramp up.

Our farmers do an excellent job getting cotton out of the field if conditions are right, and it is quite astonishing to see cotton literally disappear overnight. All things considered, it is very likely we will be harvesting well into December. mmaeda@ag.tamu.edu

OKLAHOMA Seth Byrd Aside from a few days of light rain and humid conditions, cotton harvest in Oklahoma has proceeded fairly well this fall. As I write this in mid-November, the majority of the irrigated crop in the southwest part of the state has been harvested and the dryland crop is becoming the focus.

In west-central Oklahoma and up into the panhandle, harvest is progressing. Barring unfavorable weather, the majority of the state’s crop will likely be in modules by the end of the year. This represents a drastic change from last year’s harvest, which drug well into the following year due to continuous rainfall and acreage increase.

The biggest takeaway from 2019 so far is that cotton is coming in “lighter than it looks.” In other words, fields that look like they should be running 3.5 to 4 bales per acre are actually producing 2.75 to 3.

From the few dryland trials our program has harvested thus far, this seems to be an issue isolated to irrigated fields. But only time will tell if this problem also becomes widespread on the dryland crop as well.

There are several theories as to why this is occurring. But it certainly does not appear to be a fiber quality problem as the early reports show positive fiber quality values, including 92% of samples falling into premium or the high end of the base range for micronaire. Further, from the small sample of fields I’ve surveyed, seed production or seed number per loc don’t appear to be abnormal. It may be that the slow start to the season coupled with the extreme hot temperatures the crop experienced during July and August took a toll.

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As the year comes to a close, be on the lookout for reports from on-farm variety trials conducted in Oklahoma in 2019 and mark your calendars for the Red River Crops Conferences scheduled for Jan. 2223 in Altus. For more information on this and other county meetings, contact your local county Extension office. seth.byrd@okstate.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper Generally speaking, yields have been exceptional in West Tennessee. Our previous state record was just over 1,100 pounds per acre. By the time harvest is finished, I suspect we may just break the record. But it should be noted that the previous record — 1,104 pounds per acre set in 2016 — was achieved on approximately 250,000 acres.

This year, we will likely exceed 400,000 acres within the state.

Unfortunately, quality has suffered due to rain through harvest, but quality on the whole is much better than in 2018. In short, it has been a challenging year — from seed quality issues to extremely wet conditions early and then dry conditions late — but overall, it will be remembered as a “cotton year.”

As I write this on Nov. 13, we still have a few variety trials remaining in the field, but the bulk of our research plots have been harvested and are either in queue to be ginned or in queue for classing. As soon as a critical mass of data can be compiled, a preliminary 2020 Tennessee Cotton Variety Guide will be posted to news.utcrops.com. Full variety trial results should be posted online by the end of December. traper@utk.edu

MISSOURI Calvin Meeks As I write this in November, the cotton crop in Missouri is finishing up a year that has been far too wet. Only 60% of the crop was harvested Nov. 7, putting harvest considerably behind the average of 91%. Our warm and sunny September really pushed the crop along and got it opening. It was especially a blessing with our below-average heat units this growing season.

Yields seem to be up from last year in the Senath area due to the lack of extreme rainfall that occurred late in the 2018 season. Another 1,200 pounds per acre yearly average looks to be possible again this year as long as harvest can progress at a sufficient pace. Hopefully, the clear weather forecasted for the next two weeks will allow harvest to wrap up before the end of the year.

There was some cotton that was harvested from the 2018 growing season in March 2019. Hopefully, the weather will be a little more cooperative late this fall to get harvest wrapped up before Christmas.

Any remaining acreage will most likely be weathered as the heavy rainfall and cool temperatures will delay the return of pickers to the field. The widespread re-growth issues that occurred late in 2018 don’t appear to be occurring this year.

With harvest wrapping up, it is time to look forward to next year with some growers already placing seed orders. Final results from the Missouri OVT-Clay trial are available at https://mizzoucotton.word press.com.

Continued on page 24 COTTONFARMING.COM

Can Extra-Long Staple Cotton Return To South Carolina?

BY DENISE ATTAWAY

Fiber Lengths Differ Pima cotton flourished in the Lowcountry of South Carolina before boll weevils wiped it out in the 1920s and the state’s cotton farmers began growing upland cotton.

Most Pima cotton today is grown in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.

Holladay is studying lint yield, gin turnout, fiber length and fiber strength. Fiber length affects yarn strength, yarn evenness and spinning process efficiency. Pima fibers measure between 1.25 to almost 2 inches long, while upland cotton fibers range from about 0.875 to 1.312 inches long. Fibers shorter than 0.5 inches long are not considered suitable for spinning and have no commercial value for the textile industry.

“In our study, the Bleak Hall Pima accession was found to have the longest fibers,” Holladay says. “It was grown in South Carolina prior to the 1930s. It had an average fiber length of 1.65 inches when ginned on the roller gin, and 1.49 inches when ginned on the saw gin.”

The Bleak Hall accession originated in Charleston. An accession is a group of related plant materials from a single species collected at the same time from a specific location.

Saw And Roller Gins Gins are used to separate cotton fibers from their seeds.

Saw gins normally are used to gin short-staple cotton, and roller gins are used to gin long-staple cotton. Most South Carolina gins are saw gins. Holladay says determining if the same gins can be used to process long-staple cotton is one objective of the study.

“Of the 50 varieties in the study, just six responded to Twitter: @CottonFarming

CLEMSON COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND LIFE SCIENCES

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ll cotton is not created equal, and a Clemson University student is looking to bring back a species that once dominated South Carolina cotton fields.

Sarah Holladay is a master’s student from Florence who is studying plant and environmental sciences with a focus in agronomy. She is working with Clemson Extension Service cotton specialist Mike Jones and U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service cotton geneticist Todd Campbell at the Clemson Pee Dee Research and Education Center to determine if Pima cotton can be productive in South Carolina after an almost 100-year absence. Holladay believes Pima could benefit the state’s cotton farmers.

“Pima is worth more than double the price of upland cotton due to its superior fiber quality,” Holladay says.

“Pima fibers are longer, stronger, finer and more uniform than upland cotton, making Pima cotton easier to process and spin into thread. The textile industry and export markets are constantly requiring higher quality cotton with Pima-like fiber properties.”

Clemson University students Grant Billings, Wyatt Rivers, Sarah Holladay and Chase Lowder conduct research at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center as part of their studies. the ginning method,” she says. “Five varieties performed better on the roller gin, and one performed better on the saw gin. More data are needed to determine which gin performs the best.”

In addition to using the same gins, Holladay says farmers also can use the same machinery to cultivate and harvest Pima cotton as they do for upland cotton.

Average Price Comparison Until she has some definite answers regarding Pima cotton, Holladay says South Carolina farmers probably will see more advantages by growing upland cotton.

“Upland has had more genetic improvements than Pima and generally yields more than Pima in South Carolina.”

Depending on quality, transportation and market demand, South Carolina farmers might profit from growing Pima cotton, says Nathan Smith, Clemson Cooperative Extension Service agribusiness economist.

“The 10-year and five-year average price for American Pima cotton was $1.42 per pound and $1.37 per pound, respectively,” says Smith, who is at the Clemson Sandhill Research and Education Center. “The 10-year and fiveyear average price for U.S. upland cotton was 72 cents and 66 cents per pound for the past five years.

“The difference over the past 10 and five years has averaged 70.9 cents and 71 cents per pound. Basically, there has been a 71 cent difference between the U.S. Pima and U.S. upland cotton price with Pima receiving the higher price.

The net revenue would depend on costs and yield to grow Pima cotton in South Carolina versus upland cotton.”

Denise Attaway is in public service and agriculture communications at Clemson University.

DECEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING

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Specialists Speaking Continued from page 22

Currently, much like yourselves, I have been picking like mad to try to get everything out before this cold and dreary weather sets in.

As of Nov. 7, all OVT trials have been harvested with the exception of the Clarkton location. When this reaches you, the preliminary data for other locations should be posted as well.

I encourage you to attend the Missouri Cotton Production Conference on Jan. 22. It will be hosted at the Fisher Delta Research Center in Portageville, Missouri, and the agenda is posted on the Mizzou Cotton Blog alongside the OVT results. meeksc@missouri.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Keith Edmisten This year was one of the most variable years for yield with very good yields in some areas and very low yields in others, primarily due to rainfall. Another factor for some was seed quality. Growers need to be mindful of the cool germ test values for their seed in the coming year. It is dangerous to assume you have high cool germ values based on the limited testing we have seen over the past couple of years.

The quality of the crop this year is good as of the middle of November, with average strength of 30.9, 4.67 mike and 36.7 staple. About 12% of the crop — most likely from drier areas — had high mike, but more than 80% was between 4.3-4.9. Defoliation and harvest conditions were better than several of the most recent years with 68.2% of the crop having a leaf rating of 3 or less and 67% of the crop having a color of 11, 21 or 31. keith_edmisten@ncsu.edu

CALIFORNIA Bob Hutmacher The past few years have been a roller-coaster kind of experience for many California cotton growers, with very challenging insect pests resulting in a difficult production year in 2017. This was followed by some truly outstanding yields in 2018, and now a more mixed range of yields in 2019 covering territory from less than 2 bales per acre to well over 4 bales per acre in some areas.

As we got into harvest this fall, it was apparent that many fields had a lot of early square and boll losses due to early lygus pressure.

This resulted in the need to manage many fields to get as much of a top crop as possible. In general, we have benefited from a long, relatively warm and dry fall that helped out in opening up many of those late-developing bolls.

For your 2020 cotton plans, decisions on variety choices, irrigation methods to consider and a need for soil amendments to build or at least maintain adequate soil structure and fertility are right around the corner. Cotton acreage on subsurface or shallow-placed drip continues to increase and can be a good way to stretch irrigation water supplies. With what appears to be a dry winter looming so far this year, drip irrigation also can be a good option that allows you to do targeted, timely irrigations in years when you need to stretch water supplies and if you need to practice deficit irrigation.

Cotton remains a relatively good rotation crop during which you can attack some weed management problems that develop or get worse during rotations with many other crops, particularly some vegetables. Available glyphosate-resistant varieties with good Fusarium Race 4 wilt resistance are widely available in the Pimas. Those varieties provide good options that can help with some of your weed control issues while addressing the need for Fusarium resistance.

In reviewing data from some university trial locations and field

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COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2019

calls last year, it is evident that there were a number of fields that could have benefited from greater attention to irrigation and fertility management. Low commodity prices can be a reason to cut back on soil fertility evaluations, particularly phosphorus and potassium. But some periodic assessments in university trials have pointed out that yield-limiting P and K deficiencies can occur (particularly in highyield situations) in both Pima and Upland cotton.

While the difficulties of the 2019 production season are still on your mind, think about which fields had the most severe growth and yield problems and use that information to help decide where alternative varieties with better vigor or conversely, more manageable vegetative growth, would best fit your operations. Basic seed cotton yield results of the University of Califonia cotton trials will be available by mid-December from your UC farm adviser or on the UC cotton web site:http://cottoninfo.ucdavis.edu.

The estimated lint yields will follow hopefully in early January after we complete ginning for the research trials. Basic fiber quality tables from these trials can also be accessed on the same website. Look at variety performance across a variety of conditions represented in these trials to give you a better handle on what you might expect in Pima, Acala and non-Acala California Upland plantings.

Since these trials are much more limited than in the past, it is important to also talk with neighbors about their experiences with varieties and consider seed company trial data to balance out your review of available information. rbhutmacher@ucdavis.edu

FLORIDA David Wright Another cotton season is over. The 2019 cotton season was better than the previous year, which had to contend with impacts of Hurricane Michael.

Even though we had a two months or longer drought across north Florida during the growing season, most of the cotton yielded and graded well, and the harvest season was successful.

Growers have started planting cover crops for next year’s crops.

Cover crops do more than control erosion as they are food for microbial populations, which increase with cover crops (provide soil health benefits) even if planted over a living perennial grass crop.

Variety test data is being summarized and will be presented at grower meetings over the winter. Low prices have growers looking forward to a new year with healthier prices and better international trade relations. wright@ufl.edu

MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds “If we never see another year like 2019, it will be too soon” is a sentiment that has been commonly expressed for much of this season. Our growers have faced challenges at nearly every turn in the road.

However, Mississippi growers are currently predicted to average 1,082 pounds of lint per acre, which is a testament to their skill and the genetics they plant.

While many things could have gone better this year, many things could have turned out worse as well.

I am sure much of December will be spent with family, in a duck hole or in a deer stand. Spend a little time in the off-season studying variety performance, too. Slippage or failure of the two-gene Bt trait packages to control worms has become commonplace in the Mississippi Delta.

When making variety selection decisions, don’t just consider overall variety performance. Spend time evaluating overall profitability, taking into account variety performance as well as the potenCOTTONFARMING.COM

Specialists Speaking tial need for insecticide applications for worm control compared to control from trait packages. The highest yield does not always make the most money.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Here’s hoping everyone has a safe and productive 2020 season. dmd76@pss.msstate.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson We all have another experience in growing cotton under our belt with the 2019 crop. As to be expected, the 2019 season presented several unique opportunities and challenges. While some got a later start than desired, the very timely rainfall patterns and a September that delivered more heat units than August resulted in a high-yielding crop with excellent quality.

The first half of the crop statewide was harvested with very little rain falling on an open boll. However, the last 10% of the harvested crop did not come out easy.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service October Crop Production report estimated Arkansas production at 1.47 million bales, up 337,000 bales above last year. Yield was expected to average 1,157 pounds per harvested acre, up 24 pounds from 2018. This would be our second highest yield on record behind the 1,177 pounds harvested in 2017 and 33 pounds above our five-year average of 1,124 pounds lint per acre. Harvested acreage was estimated at 610,000 acres, up 130,000 acres from 2018.

Plans for next year should be falling in place. Variety evaluation should be a priority. Evaluating the performance of newer varieties to the ones you grow and comparing notes with on-farm variety testing programs near you and the official variety trial or OVT conducted

by Dr. Fred Bourland will help provide the information you need to select the best varieties for your operation.

Visit the University of Arkansas System Division of Ag Variety Testing webpage at https://arkansas-variety-testing.uark.edu/ for variety

testing results from county and the OVTs. Contact your local county Extension agent for updates on this season’s testing programs and to get the dates and locations of upcoming county production meetings. brobertson@uaex.edu

ALABAMA Steve M. Brown My mother grew up in Mississippi near Aberdeen.

Her daddy was a one-armed cotton farmer and ginner who married and had six children. After his first wife died, he remarried and had another seven children. My mother was the last of the last.

My grandfather lost that arm in the gin. One of my aunts, probably embittered by suffering she’d witnessed, once exclaimed, “I wish I had the last cotton seed in the world. I’d put it in my mouth and SWALLOW it!” Thankfully, she couldn’t and didn’t … and cotton survives.

We’ve come a long way since the first half of the 20th Century.

While there’ve been numerous revolutionary advancements in cotton and crop agriculture, variety and technology developments are at the forefront of improving yield and quality. Superior genetics and pest management traits are linked with seed. Indeed, “The seed is where it’s at.” While my grammar is lacking (my mother was an English teacher), it is true that so much happens with the selection and planting of seed.

Information abounds regarding variety performance. Now is the time to begin to compile meaningful data from university official variety trials, county on-farm trials, company comparisons and gins. Also in the mix are what happened on your own farm and what you hear at the local coffee shop. All these are helpful in preparing for 2020.

A couple of parting thoughts: Competition abounds in the seed industry. Competition exists among retailers. As a result, we have multiple good options in regard to variety and technology choices and may find them at fair prices with good service. cottonbrown@auburn.edu

Your gin can be a helpful source as you begin to compile meaningful data about 2019 variety performance, says Auburn Extension cotton specialist Steve Brown.

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

DECEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING

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COTTON

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COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.

Don’t Forget About OSHA Reporting Rules The Texas cotton Ginners’ Association has received several calls this year with questions about two Occupational Safety and Health Administration reporting rules. Here is a quick recap of how each rule works.

First, there is the illness and injury reporting rule. Here are the basic situations you are required to report to OSHA: 1. Any fatality. Report within eight hours.

2. Any in-patient hospitalization. Report within 24 hours.

3. Any amputation. Report within 24 hours.

4. Any eye loss. Report within 24 hours.

The first and fourth requirements are pretty straightforward, but the other two can be a little tricky. An in-patient hospitalization is one where the employee is admitted overnight for treatment. If they are treated and released in one day or if they are admitted overnight for observation but not treated, the injury is not reportable. Be sure to call your association office if you have questions about an individual incident.

Amputations can also be tricky. Even the loss of a fingertip, if it is coded as an amputation by the treatment provider, would be reportable. This is one aspect of the rule that you must watch carefully.

How do you report? You can call your local OSHA office, the OSHA 24-hour hotline (800-321-6742) or use their online reporting system. For more information on the Illness and Injury reporting rule, go to the OSHA reporting page at https://www. osha.gov/report.html.

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Enter OSHA 300A Data Online The second rule involves the electronic submittal of the OSHA 300A data. This rule has been in effect for some time, and any gin that had 20 or more employees at any point during the year is required to report.

Basically, you have to enter the information from your OSHA 300A form into the OSHA online information portal. To access the portal and learn more about it, go to https://www.osha. gov/injuryreporting/index.html.

The portal opens each year Jan. 1 and closes March 2. You must enter your data during this time period. Since your OSHA 300A form has to be completed and posted in your office on Feb. 1 each year, it is a good idea to go ahead and key your information into the online portal as soon as you finish your OSHA 300A. That should give you plenty of time to enter the data before the online portal closes.

There is one portion of the 300A that gives some folks difficulty. When you calculate your average number of employees and the total hours worked by all employees, be sure to do this correctly. OSHA’s method of making this calculation is not the same as what many would do on their own. There is a worksheet included in the OSHA 300 and 300A instructions that will help you make the calculation correctly.

It is important to get this number right. If it is wrong, then

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your number of injuries per worker-hour could be off and cause OSHA to take a closer look at your operation.

The OSHA instructions for filling out the OSHA 300 and OSHA 300A can be found at https://www.osha.gov/record keeping/RKforms.html.

Understanding the OSHA reporting rules is an important step in avoiding problems during and after the ginning season.

If you have any questions about them or any other OSHA related matter, give your ginners’ association a call.

J. Kelley Green, TCGA director of technical services, contributed this article. Contact him at kelley@tcga.org.

* * * * *

The Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association Calls For Ginner Of The Year Nominations Now is the time to send in your nomination for the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association Ginner of the Year. This is the highest honor a gin manager can receive by peers in the industry.

Guidelines for the selection of Ginner of the Year include: 1. Service to customers by: • Quality ginning. • Ethical business standards. • Other constructive activities.

2. Service to all branches of the cotton industry through support and leadership of constructive activities and programs.

3. Other contributions to the people of the community, county and state such as: • Civic leadership. • Philanthropic work.

If you know someone who deserves this prestigious honor, send us a letter describing his or her attributes. Supporting letters from other industry individuals and organizations are encouraged. Nomination letters need to be sent to the TCGA office by Dec. 31.

Mail the information to the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association, Ginner of the Year, 211 W. Bagdad Ave., Round Rock, TX 78664-5803.

TCGA provided this information.

Cotton’s Calendar 2019 ¢¢Dec. 10-12: Cotton Board & Cotton Incorporated Joint Board

Meeting, Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, Louisiana

¢¢Dec. 18: PCCA Board, Delegate Body & Marketing Pool Com-

mittee Meetings, Lubbock, Texas

¢¢Dec 18: Staplcotn Board of Directors Meeting, Greenwood,

Mississippi

2020 ¢¢Jan. 8: North Carolina Cotton Producers Association Annual

Meeting, Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center, Durham, North Carolina ¢¢Jan. 8-10: Beltwide Cotton Conferences, JW Marriott, Austin, Texas ¢¢Jan. 15: PCCA Board of Directors Meeting, Lubbock, Texas ¢¢Jan. 15-19: Southern Southeastern Annual Meeting, Marriott Savannah Riverfront, Savannah, Georgia ¢¢Jan. 29: Georgia Cotton Commission Annual Meeting, UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center, Tifton, Georgia

Lummus Corporation wants to express its appreciation to ourr many loyal customers forr their continued support and business. We have experienced unprecedented growthh and expansion unlike anything seen in recent times. Thanks for allowing us to partner with you " !

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Regardless of the project scope, now is the time to contact Lummuss to discuss yourr goals and needs to ensure your success.

Cotton Ginners Marketplace

Just a short list of items we offer: All-new complete Gin Plants Ginning Machinery (individual machines, stand-alone systems, presses, etc.)

Press Consoles and Main Control Consoles Burner and Moisture Unit Gas Train/Contrrols upgrades Air Monitoring and Fire Detection Kits Gin and Feeder Controls

Gin Dor-Les e ÂŽ and E.E. Dor-LesÂŽ Press upgrades #

Hydraaulic Tramper/Pusher Conversion

Presss Rebuilds (strain rods, boxxes, es, sills, etc.)

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The horizon is limitless. And 2019 holdss many new offerings from Luummus that no one saw coming.

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Physical Address: 225 Bourne Boulevard • Savannah, Georgia 31408-9586 USA Mailing Address: P.O. Box 929 • Pooler, Georgia 31322-0929 USA Phone: (912) 447-9000 • Fax: (912) 447-9250 Toll Free (USA Only): 1-800-4LUMMUS (1-800-458-6687) Web Site: www.lummus.com • E-mail: lummus.sales@lummus.com

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Š 2018 Lummus Corporation

COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2019

COTTONFARMING.COM

SPECIAL REPORT

EPA Paraquat Requirements Spotlight Closed Transfer Systems

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Container breaching systems are another alternative. he liquid herbicide paraquat is widely used With this approach, sealed 1- to 2.5-gallon containers of throughout North America as an effective herproduct would be placed in an enclosed system and then bicide and pre-harvest crop defoliant but can be pierced so the liquid contents drain to the bottom before fatal if accidently ingested in small quantities as being fed through hoses to the application equipment. A well as cause eye damage and irritation to skin. water input valve can also be used to safely rinse out the In response to the risks associated with paraquat, the enclosure. The downside is that each grower would have Environmental Protection Agency has already pursued to purchase a container breaching system to use the prodsignificant manufacturer labeling and training changes. uct, and partial container use would not be possible.

For growers, the next step in the process is to address Probes inserted into containers for fluid extraction are changes required to safely dispense the restricted-use also commonly used for volumes ranging from 10 to 120 pesticide. They should quickly get up to speed on what the gallons. However, when the probe EPA has mandated in terms of new is extracted, it is a breach of the closed transfer systems required to closed system. Also, there is no safe safely dispense the herbicide and or compliant way for growers to avoid potential fines. rinse the container after use.

By September 2020, new container standards for paraquat will take Hand-Operated Pressure Pumps effect, with “closed-system packagGoatThroat Pumps, a Milford, ing for all non-bulk (less than 120 Connecticutt.-based pump designer gallon) end-use product containers and manufacturer, is developing a of paraquat,” according to the EPA. system to specifically comply with The agency will require “new EPA paraquat use requirements. closed-system packaging designed The small, versatile, hand-operatto prevent transfer or removal of ed pressure pumps are engineered the pesticide except directly into to work as a system, complete with proper application equipment. This everything needed to move liquids will prevent spills, mixing, pourNew EPA standards require growers to use from the source container through ing the pesticide into other conclosed transfer systems for paraquat by Sepmeasuring and into the mix tank tainers or other actions that could tember 2020. with a simple triple-rinse set-up. lead to paraquat exposure,” according to EPA’s website (https://bit. ly/2r4qFml).

Paraquat containers from manufacturers will need to be completely sealed with no screw caps, adaptors or other ways to open and decant the chemicals. To prevent accidental exposure or spills while transferring the liquid herbicide to smaller containers (for mixing or use), certified applicators must also use a closed transfer system that connects to the sealed container and cannot be easily circumvented.

Are All Systems In Compliance?

Closed transfer systems are specifically designed to transfer liquids safely while preventing accidental exposure to the concentrated/diluted pesticide or rinse solution. Although many types of closed transfer systems exist, many do not satisfy the new EPA mandate because they can be breached or circumvented.

Within this category are gravity-assisted inversion systems, which are inserted into containers using adaptors and flipped upside down. The adapter depresses a valve so the chemical flows freely out of the container. However, this type of system can be easily circumvented and the chemicals decanted if the valve is pressed when the container is not properly seated in the adapter.

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The hand pump version functions essentially like a beer tap. The operator attaches the pump, presses the plunger several times to build up a low amount of internal pressure and then dispenses the liquid.

A one-touch valve allows growers and pesticide handlers to execute a controlled, steady transfer of liquids from one container to another, and the flow rate can be adjusted from gallons to drops based on their needs. Other systems can be connected through no-spill connectors to extraction devices such as the Chem Traveler.

According to the company, because the pumps use very low pressure (<6 PSI) to transfer fluids through the line and contain automatic pressure relief valves, they are safe to use with virtually any closed container. The hand-operated pump also works with no access to electricity.

“Using a hand-operated, closed-transfer pump system will not only help growers meet the new EPA paraquat standards by September, 2020 but also enhance the safety and ease of use of many other chemicals growers are pouring and mixing every day,” says Dr. Kerry Richards, director of Delaware's Pesticide Safety Education Program.

GoatThroat Pumps provided this article. For more information, visit www.goatthroat.com.

DECEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING

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My Turn The Look, The Feel Of Cotton

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To this day, as I see my brother, Jim Tyson, managhat do you want to be ing the family’s day-to-day operations, I realize even when you more the many lessons I have learned from watching grow up?” individuals like him pour their heart and soul into a When asked this ques- crop, never knowing what the return will be in yield or tion in my younger years, money. Witnessing the sowing, laboring and trusting my response was never a farmer must do to reap a bountiful harvest amid “a farmer.” Not because I favorable (and sometimes not so favorable) conditions, didn’t want to be one, but has taught me that a constant renewal of fortitude and back in the day, not many commitment throughout each season must be part of a “girls” chose that vocation. farmer’s job description.

Elizabeth The discipline must bring with it a deeper call As a member of a to remember what matters most is not what comes fourth-generation farmTyson Callicott ing family who raised cot- out of the field but the motivation inside that keeps ton, corn, soybeans and farmers returning season after season — win, lose wheat near Jackson, Tennessee, the opportunity for or draw. I’ve often thought what satisfaction there me to join in the business was there. I was born with must be in farming knowing that one’s work makes a love for it and feel grateful to not just look at farm- a difference in this world and the land itself. No other crop raised on our ers for what they do, but farm has revealed this to for the extraordinary peo“Being a farmer...the best job me more than cotton. ple they are. anyone could ever choose.”

For many years, I most Though I’ve never actuenjoyed the end prodally worked in the field, I dearly treasure my time spent on the turnrow and uct — how the fluffy bolls made fields “look” like beyond. Growing up, I rode with my grandfather, snow or how it “felt” in the clothes I was wearing. It father and brother in tractors, pickers and combines, wasn’t until after I graduated from Mississippi State jumped in a lot of cotton trailers, and made trips to University and became an editor at Cotton Farming the gin, grain elevator and co-op where I heard con- magazine that I began to truly value how God had versations about weather, price and “what kind of weaved cotton into my life throughout every stage.

While working there, I learned about the crop’s season it might be.”

As I watched my family and other farmers work so growth process and the production practices of prohard to make a crop, especially cotton, I remember ducers across the Cotton Belt. I also continued my wondering how they did it. How did they get through interest in promoting cotton, which had begun in all the long, hot days of prepping, planting, spraying college with the Maid of Cotton contest where young and harvesting? How did they so graciously handle women vied to be a goodwill ambassador for the the times of waiting for rain or for it to stop? Their industry in the United States and abroad. Although tenacity made me “look” at what attention to detail I didn’t win the title, the honor of meeting and being it must take to farm such a labor-intensive crop and taught by so many educated and goodhearted folks is truly one of the best gifts I’ve ever been given. what kind of person could do such faithful work.

As I consider the opportunities I’ve had, I recogSurely it is someone with great courage, sheer determination and heroism to put aside the fear and nize that God let me be a part of the family farming worry such unpredictable factors can bring. No doubt business in a truly special way. Every time I look at a farmer is a person who can maintain calmness, sta- cotton, I can’t help but think about how it makes me bility and staying power when the going gets tough. feel…. All grown up and so grateful to know a little This kind of strength of the men (and women) in my about what it would be like to be a farmer. family surrounded me, made our farm such a special — Elizabeth Tyson Callicott place and afforded me a view of agriculture of which Memphis, Tennessee I was proud to be a part. Being a farmer could very lizcallicott@bellsouth.net well be the best job anyone could ever choose.

Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling unusual “farm tales” or timely stories from across the Cotton Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting story to tell, send a short summary to csmith@onegrower.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

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COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2019

COTTONFARMING.COM

Future Farmer Here?

We at Cotton Farming are honored to cover the family legacies of our producers — those deeply rooted or freshly planted.

We strive to stay atop the latest production strategies to keep your operations profitable, generation after generation.

“We received your November issue of Cotton Farming in the mail today and our little 9-month-old daughter loved looking through the pages with her daddy,” says Jeralyn Novak, who farms cotton with her husband, Ryan, in Atascosa and Wilson counties, Texas.

CottonFarming @CottonFarming

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Deltapine cotton has been proven for years and years on my farm. ®

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See John’s full story.

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STRONG COTTON Performance may vary from location to location and from year to year, as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible and should consider the impacts of these conditions on the grower’s fields. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW IRM, WHERE APPLICABLE, GRAIN MARKETING AND ALL OTHER STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES AND PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Bayer Cross Design and Deltapine® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2019 Bayer Group. All rights reserved. DP-19057-CF-BC-DEC2019JAN2020-MS