TCGA Interns Report On Their ‘Real-World Experience’

from Ginners Marketplace August 2023

The Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association chose two interns to join the organization this summer and have an opportunity to experience the cotton industry. Both are with member gins throughout the summer.

Josiah Keck is a student at Texas A&M University majoring in agricultural systems management. He will graduate in 2025. Keck is originally from Iowa. His family moved to College Station in 2016. He makes and sells knives and started his own company (Keck Knives) in 2020. Keck has also worked for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension as a student worker. He is interning at Petersburg Co-op Gin and Smith Gin Co-op in Odem, Texas.

Riley Gryder is a student at Texas Tech University majoring in mechanical engineering. His expected graduation date is May 2024. Gryder is from Mertzon, Texas, (west of San Angelo) where he is the owner and financial manager of Rocker G Cattle Company (30 cow/calf) ranch. Gryder is a member of the Texas Tech Honors College and is interning at Edcot Gin in Edmonson, Texas, and Edcot Co-op Gin in Odem.

TCGA provides college students with a chance to show their value to potential employers. They will gain valuable “real-world experience” and take the next step in their careers. Below are their reports as they navigate their summer internship.

Josiah Keck

“I have been working for Myles Ramsey, manager of Petersburg Co-op Gin, for the first half of my internship. I have been learning the process of cotton ginning from Mr. Ramsey. The first week I helped take apart augers in the distributor. Next, I took apart the hangers, which are attached to the augers. I cleaned and replaced chains around the sprockets and checked for any damage around the drive shaft, sprocket and ball bearings. Later that same week, I helped one of my co-workers clean out and replace the gin stand saws.

“Mr. Ramsey also took me on several tours. We toured PYCO Industries, RAM Manufacturing and where the cotton samples go to be graded. PYCO was one of the most fascinating to me. PYCO is where the cotton seed, after being ginned, goes to be made into cottonseed oil. There I learned about the process of how a cotton seed is turned into oil. What was very fascinating to me was the lint around the cotton seed. PYCO has three cleaning processes of taking the lint o the seed, and they later turn the lint into bales. One of the coolest facts I learned from the lint is that Samsung buys some of this lint to make their devices.

“During my time at Petersburg Cotton Gin, I have been asking lots of questions about the sales side of cotton. I talked to one of the Plains Cotton Cooperative Association workers and learned about the pool and grades of cotton. PCCA buys portions of cotton to add to their pool. The pool helps get more leverage in the cotton market.

“The first part of my internship was a blast! I learned a lot from Mr. Ramsey and appreciated the time he put into teaching me the ins and outs of a cotton gin. The second part of my internship will be at Smith Gin Co-op in Odem, Texas. I am very excited to get to see how gins are run during the season. Thank you, Aaron Nelsen, and the TCGA for this amazing internship.” which has had a tough season.

Take A Hard Look At Insurance Costs And Safety Culture At The Gin

“While at the Johnson Gin, I had the opportunity to work with Kevin Williams and learn what happens inside of gins to keep them running. Pulling wires and putting in new control panels was our main focus here at Johnson Gin, as well as at Top of Texas Gin. Working under Malcom Jones, I was tasked to shadow a group of skilled electricians as we installed new module feeder and shaft monitoring control systems. While the job isn’t done, I plan to revisit Top of Texas Gin in the coming weeks, along with Adobe Walls Gin and Lonestar Gin in Pampa, Texas.

Riley

Gryder

Distractions have become “routine” in our daily lives. Our phones go o , we get text messages and we’re bombarded by the never-ending news cycle. Everything seems to be trying to get our attention, and it’s easy to lose sight of what’s important. Things can sneak up on you, and those are the ones that will jump up and bite you.

tions have been aware of this and have brought it to the attention of our memberships. But I think many of us got distracted by the other things going on and have now been hit with the reality that it’s not getting better.

“Overall, I have had many great experiences with many people. I learned more in two weeks than most learn in a lifetime. I would like to thank Aaron Nelsen for giving me this opportunity and Phillip Kidd for organizing and allowing me to have these opportunities. I greatly appreciate the TCGA and cannot wait to learn more about cotton growing and ginning all over Texas.”

In the last year or so, we’ve seen huge increases in our costs. As I write this, we’re getting news of the highest inflation in more than a generation… maybe two.

“As my first month as a TCGA intern came to an end, I am proud to say that I have learned far more than I expected to. Assigned to Phillip Kidd at Edcot Gin in Edmonson, Texas, I have traveled around the Panhandle working alongside many great people such as Landon Kidd, Daniel Jenkins, Steven Birkenfeld and Malcom Jones. Learning the ins and outs of ginning, I have toured and worked at three Windstar gins –Edcot Gin, Johnson Gin and Top of Texas Gin.

While I’m personally seeing some of the things that increased so much ease down a bit, it’s not common for costs that have gone up this much, this fast, to come down or come down very much. We will likely have to learn to live with some of them.

The Cost Of Insurance

One of the costs that snuck up on many gins in the past year or so is the cost of insurance. Normally, this is a once-a-year expense we get hit with.

The past renewal cycle or two have been more than a bit of sticker shock for many in the ginning industry. Your associa-

“My internship began with a hands-on tour of Edcot Gin led by Landon Kidd. Throughout the week, I had the opportunity to learn about trading seed, lint and even got to tour BC Supply and MTS in Lubbock. The second week, I stayed in Turkey, Texas, with a great host and manager — Daniel Jenkins. While traveling back and forth to the Johnson Gin in Silverton, I saw how the Caprock a ects cotton growers in the area. With di erent planting dates, it looks like some farmers might have a higher yield of cotton compared to the Caprock,

TCGA provided this information.

This is a simplified explanation, but insurance companies are going to do what they need to in order to stay in business. They must make money like we do. The companies take our premium and invest it. They pay claims with it, and they expect to have some left over. If losses are low and return on investment is good, you have happy insurance companies. We get stable premiums and competition.

If they have poor investment returns and higher-than-expected cost of claims (read inflation), you have unhappy insurance companies. They may decide to pull out of the market and/or significantly increase rates. This is where we are today.

Your ginners associations and the National Cotton Ginners’ Association have been concerned about this for some time. We need healthy insurers and competition, but we really can only help one side of the insurance problem…losses. NCGA has put together a list of questions to ask yourself, so you can evaluate

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Take A Hard Look At Insurance Costs And Safety Culture At The Gin

The Cost Of Insurance

This article is from:

Ginners Marketplace August 2023