30 minute read
Specialists Speaking
Firm Up Plans For 2022 Growing Season
ALABAMA Steve M. Brown
King Kong once dominated the landscape. Now there is no Kong. In the past, we have had extended periods in which one variety occupied large portions of the Cotton Belt. Similarly, smaller regions have been overwhelmingly committed to a single “star” variety. A review of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual Cotton Varieties Planted report indicates that not long ago, one variety covered 50% of the acreage in several states. And before that, another memorable variety was planted in more than 70% of fields for several years in significant parts of the Belt.
That is not likely for 2022. Presently, there are no clear “Kongs” for most areas.
The result is that many growers will plant multiple varieties on their farm this year, which is not a bad thing. Diversifying a variety portfolio is a classic risk minimization strategy. Most growers should consider planting the bulk of their crop with three to five different options and devoting a few acres (but not too many!) to the latest, newest offering(s) as a means of gaining experience with coming varieties.
Deciding which varieties will make up your portfolio in 2022 requires study. Data from the Auburn University Variety Testing Program and onfarm trials are available at https://aaes.auburn.edu/variety-tests/. New to the site is the AU Variety Selection Platform, a database tool that allows a detailed exploration of yield results. It provides extensive information about each trial, including weather, management inputs, fiber quality, disease ratings, etc. The platform is a tool, one that takes time to figure out how to use proficiently. But time and effort will be rewarded with a wealth of information.
Small plot, OVT tests measure agronomic potential in a uniform, (hopefully) well-managed environment usually involving several dozen entries. Large on-farm trials compare a handful of the current best offerings from seed companies in grower fields under common, real-world conditions. The two types of trials should complement each other. The obvious thing is to look for varieties that trend towards the top and avoid those that do the opposite. cottonbrown@auburn.edu
ARKANSAS Bill Robertson
Most of our county 2022 Extension cotton meetings will take place in February. Following guidelines for COVID to ensure safety of attendees and speakers is changing the look of some of our meetings but is not impacting the delivery of our information. Land grant universities will continue to fine-tune the process to deliver unbiased information to stakeholders. Producers must continue getting the most out of their inputs. Watch costs, yet provide necessary inputs to protect yield potential.
Variety selection for yield and quality as well as desired technology traits is an important first step in establishing yield potential. There are several resources available to assist in selecting new varieties. A useful tool is the University Variety Testing Program. Results from the Arkansas trials conducted by Dr. Fred Bourland may be found at https://aaes.uark.edu/ variety-testing/. County demonstrations are another good source of information and are included with this data set. It is also appropriate to evaluate variety performance trials from neighboring states in the Mid-South.
Other practices to protect yield potential and manage costs include matching nutrient applications to the crop requirements, utilizing IPM tools to manage pests, fine-tuning irrigation scheduling, and using tools like Pipe Planner that can increase efficiency.
Following end-of-season termination guidelines coupled with variety selection and appropriate planting dates to get a picker in the field by mid-September is another important consideration. This will help to hold onto yield and quality potential while meeting our harvest completion goal of Nov. 1.
Contact your local county Extension agent to obtain information or to get assistance in improving efficiency and profitability. brobertson@
uada.edu
FLORIDA David Wright
Last season suggested how resilient cotton can be. Like every year, favorable weather is often key to making a good crop. Despite early drought at planting, we still had enough moisture to establish good stands. But too much rain in the remainder of the growing season slowed management activities. Regardless, most growers were able to apply nitrogen and potassium in fields where needed and cotton grew well. Harvests were good. For this year, planting cotton into cover crops or into winter fallow can lead to timelier planting.
Many of our growers use strip tillage, which helps conserve moisture. This is important because no more than 25% to 30% of our cotton is irrigated. If the spring is forecasted to be dry, consider killing cover crops early. Likewise, choose varieties based on yields from trials near your location. If you have fields with known nematode issues, look at varieties that have nematode resistance. Most of our growers do a good job managing weeds, even those pests that are hard to control. For fields that still have too many weeds, consult with county agents to develop a better strategy. This may include using other modes of action herbicides, high residue cover crops, directed sprays, etc.
Nitrogen prices are causing all of us to look at ways to better utilize nutrients. Legume cover crops can help reduce nitrogen needs, but the available N depends on growth stage of the legume crop at termination and duration between termination and cotton planting. Finally, as always, growers have creative ideas that will get them through the season. wright@ufl.edu
GEORGIA Camp Hand
Many people may not know this about me, but I am slightly musically inclined. When I was living in Auburn and working on my degrees, I played multiple instruments at the church I attended (Embrace Church). Not only did I do that, but throughout middle and high school I played the trumpet and French horn. Say what you will about “band nerds,” but at least it allowed me to travel throughout Europe with my friends performing in multiple countries. I digress, but why am I bringing this up?
The topic of this month’s Specialists Speaking is “Fine-tuning plans for 2022.” Whether it was in high school band or playing electric bass at church, the first thing we always did before a performance was tune our instruments. If one instrument is out of tune in a band, you can pick it out. This is why tuning is important. How do we tune our instruments before the upcoming production season? One of the best ways to do this, in my opinion, is to look back at previous years. What has worked? What hasn’t? Where are the problem areas in the field, and what is causing those issues?
Bayer Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Bayer products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Bayer’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. 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. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba, glyphosate or glufosinate are approved for in-crop use with XtendFlex® Cotton. 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 XtendFlex® Cotton. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your representative for the registration status in your state. Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba. Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Contact your seed brand dealer or refer to the Bayer Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs. Insect control technology provided by Vip3A is utilized under license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. Bollgard®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, Roundup Ready Flex® and XtendFlex® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® are registered trademarks of BASF. Agrisure Viptera® is a registered trademark of 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.
Showtime In The South
The 70th Annual Mid-South Farm And Gin Show
Located not far from the Mighty Mississippi, the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show is a not-for-profit educational opportunity for farmers and other folks involved in agriculture. This year’s event will be held in Memphis, Feb. 25-26 at the Renasant Convention Center, 255 N. Main St. This is the former Cook Convention Center.
Show exhibits open at 9 a.m. both Friday and Saturday. The annual show provides valuable information and features products and services offered by hundreds of exhibitors. It’s also a welcoming venue for farm families to spend the day and reunite with old friends.
Everyone is invited to attend the Southern Cotton Ginners Association and Foundation Annual Meetings, which begin Thursday, Feb. 24, 1:30 p.m., at the Peabody Hotel. Shannon Huff, Tennessee Farmers Cooperative; Ed Barnes, Cotton Incorporated; and Lauren Krogman, National Cotton Council, will discuss ag research and new opportunities.
Tim Price, show manager and Southern Cotton Ginners Association executive vice president, says, “The ag business segment of our industry continues to come forward with new machinery, new innovations and amazing new technology.
Ag Update Seminars
The show officially begins at 8:30 a.m., Friday, with the Ag Update meeting. Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN, 8th district) will provide a special welcome.
Ted Schneider, National Cotton Council chairman, will discuss cotton issues; and Joe Nicosia, trading operations officer and head of the cotton platform, Louis Dreyfus Co., will discuss the outlook for U.S. and world cotton.
On Saturday, the Ag Update meeting features Richard Brock, Brock Associates, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He will provide a grain market outlook, insight into grain marketing and challenges farmers face in the year ahead.
The Ag Update seminars are held each year on Friday and Saturday mornings.
Other Educational Opportunities
The National Cotton Council will conduct a Farm Bill seminar led by Reece Langley, vice president, Washington Operations, NCC, Friday, at 11 a.m.
The seminar will provide an overview and outlook on the challenges and opportunities for the next Farm Bill that Congress is expected to develop in 2023. It also will highlight how the cotton industry’s U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol can be a positive influence for farm policy that will benefit U.S. cotton producers and the entire cotton supply chain.
A special rice marketing educational seminar will be held Saturday, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Milo Hamilton, co-founder and senior agricultural economist, Firstgrain Inc., says, “This workshop looks at the rice price as trapped between uncertain input costs and other factors you may never have thought about before. We will be in Memphis to help you sort through your new crop rice price outlook.”
Show closing times are 5 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, respectively. At 9 p.m., Saturday, the popular Jamboree will kick off at the Peabody Hotel Grand Ballroom with music by The Krackerjacks.
See you in Memphis!
A Season To Remember
Nematodes, Thrips And That Haircut
On Dec. 7, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. Clyo, Georgia time, Clayton Waller parked his cotton picker, filed some miscellaneous paperwork and headed to town to tackle the one thing woefully behind schedule — a haircut. After a long harvest, he was getting a little shaggy, and everyone around him seemed to agree.
Waller grows cotton, soybeans, corn and wheat (100% dryland) with his father near Clyo, 40 miles north of Savannah. All things considered, 2021 was a reasonably productive year.
Since a grower can’t control the weather, it always comes down to managing inputs. For Waller, that begins with an honest review of his production strategy by considering the previous season and the many seasons that came before.
“Like any grower who has been in this business for decades or generations, one of the advantages of experience is hindsight,” he says.
Earliness
There are at least two early season pests with a couple of b-team insects Waller knows he can count on to show up to wreak havoc — nematodes and thrips. Then there are pesky aphids and mites. “Nematodes and thrips are the ones that will keep you awake at night wondering if your little plants are happy and growing,” he says.
For the past two years, Waller has returned to a tried and true at-planting input to manage early season pests — AgLogic aldicarb pesticide. Formerly marketed as Temik, the in-furrow granular pesticide has more than 50 years of scientific proof to back performance claims.
Nematodes
Root-knot nematodes are a constant nemesis along the Georgia coastal watershed. There are a lot of advantages to living close to the beach, but nematodes flourishing in sandy soils isn’t on the list.
That’s where AgLogic aldicarb shines when the planter hits the field, according to Waller. “You can use treated seed, resistant or tolerant varieties or anything else you can think of, but AgLogic is the one thing that really stands out year after year,” he says.
That became apparent about the third year Temik (now AgLogic) was temporarily unavailable, according to Waller. In the absence of an in-furrow nematicide/insecticide, crop vigor, especially during the early season, began to noticeably decline, particularly in the sandier portions of fields.
“There was no doubt it was due to nematodes,” Waller says. “During those years, we just didn’t have our ‘go-to’ product to take them out of the equation. When aldicarb became available again under the name AgLogic and we started using it again, we saw above the soil surface what was going on in the root zone.”
Thrips
Another problematic issue in the absence of aldicarb was thrips. “You know they’re coming,” Waller says. “They eat up your cotton and your time trying to manage them — especially if you have to resort to spraying when every other problem is going crazy. An in-furrow insecticide that gives you about six weeks of control makes it a lot easier.”
Treated seed is an option, and foliars will help, but there is no substitute for knowing what’s going to work.
“When we lost Temik aldicarb for a few years, we were stuck in a rut,” Waller says. “We couldn’t yield anything above an average of 700-750 pounds per acre for our entire planted acres at best. We might have some spots where cotton yielded over 1,000 pounds per acre. But other spots or fields would barely make 450 pounds in the same year. Now with AgLogic aldicarb we’re looking at yields that average 150-300 pounds higher across the board.
This increase could pay for a much-needed trip to the barber. And a trip to the beach to visit sand where it belongs.
Clayton Waller and his father grow dryland cotton, soybeans, corn and wheat near Clyo, Georgia.
Continued from page 17
How do we x them?
Of course, the No. 1 concern on everyone’s mind for 2022 is input costs. As I write this Jan. 19, the contract price for December 2022 cotton is just over 98 cents per pound. According to the University of Georgia Ag Econ budgets for 2022, that is more than the breakeven price for irrigated cotton production, assuming 1,200 pounds per acre. As we are tuning up for 2022, we also need to be “in tune” with what is happening in our areas and how we can maximize net returns. To help with this, your UGA county Extension agent and specialists are here to help! Reach out if you have any questions. camphand@uga.edu
LOUISIANA Matt Foster
e 2022 Louisiana Agricultural Technology and Management Conference will be held Feb. 9-11 at the Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, Louisiana. e Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association sponsors this annual event. On Feb. 10, two cotton-speci c topics during the morning session include a panel discussion on cotton seed quality/vigor and nutrient management in cotton. A ernoon session topics include cotton variety performance, nematode management in cotton, weed control in cotton and technical updates from industry. On Feb. 11, presentation topics include cotton row spacing/growth regulators, insecticide selection, ryvOn cotton and cotton picker yield monitors. is is a great event for anyone involved in the cotton industry to attend. Personally, I have always gained valuable, applicable information during my 10 years of attendance. To learn more, go to www.laca1.org.
mfoster@agcenter.lsu.edu
MISSISSIPPI Brian Pieralisi
It’s never too early to start ne-tuning plans for the upcoming growing season. Considering the curve balls experienced each year, strategic planning will help growers be better prepared for the unforeseen issues that arise. Obviously, weather is out of anyone’s control, but a solid marketing strategy, prepaid inputs and variety selection will put growers a step ahead in 2022.
December 2022 cotton futures are currently just south of $1. Consider securing a price for a portion of the crop now to hedge against market uctuations. Market fundamentals are strong, so locking in prices early can give some peace of mind as we prepare for planting. Setting prices on 50% to 60% of the intended acreage at a price that is pro table allows growers to “wait” on a better price and gives protection if prices drop.
Similarly, supply chain delays and shortages could cause more problems this year. Securing herbicides, equipment parts and other inputs will help relieve some stress as planting draws near. Glyphosate and glufosinate herbicides could be harder to obtain. is likely will cause Mississippi growers to rely on older burndown strategies to use glyphosate on in-season applications. For example, if glyphosate is normally used in ve applications annually, this year’s availability issues may allow for it in only two applications. It would be wise to save these applications for when the crop has emerged.
Mississippi small plot and on-farm variety performance and ber quality data is available at mississippi-crops.com. Variety performance can be evaluated based on region and agronomic practices across a wide range of environments. is data is useful for making variety selection decisions for growers who match their regions and agronomic environment. Wishing everyone a prosperous 2022! bkp4@msstate.edu
NORTH CAROLINA Keith Edmisten
is is looking to be a very unusual year with good prices along with increased input costs and limited availability of some inputs. Growers can make a few short-term management changes to try to deal with these challenges. Keep in mind that the chance of a response to a nutrient like potassium or phosphorus decreases as the soil test index approaches 50. Recommendations for a soil test index of 50 or higher are basically replacement recommendations. Growers may want to reduce or ignore applications where the soil test index is over 50. is may result in a higher recommendation for the 2023 crop year. Also remember that the only time we have seen a response to more than 80 pounds of nitrogen per acre is when yields exceeded 3 bales or where hurricanes have resulted in a lot of lost N.
In winter meetings, Dr. Charlie Cahoon will be talking about strategies to deal with the predicted shortage in herbicide availability for the coming season. Some of the strategies he will discuss include burndown programs that do not use glyphosate, saving it for in-season use, strong residual programs and alternate in-season herbicide programs, including the need for timely applications based on weed size.
keith_edmisten@ncsu.edu
TENNESSEE Tyson Raper
At this point, it appears the 2022 season will be quite di erent than the 2021 season. Input pricing and availability (mainly on the chemical side) look like they will both challenge our standard operating procedure. Currently, post-emergence herbicides are receiving the most attention. Fortunately, several of our pre-emerge herbicides are available. While the no-till system requires using post-emergence herbicides, it is possible to overlay residuals and limit the amount of post-emergence herbicide applications. is will call for timely
Tennessee specialist Tyson Raper says, “A side-dressed application of UAN at squaring is more e cient than a broadcast preplant urea application.”
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applications of residuals prior to breakdown of the previous application.
Fertilizer price has been a major concern. The 2022 season, in my opinion, represents an excellent opportunity to see just how much nitrogen you might be able to cut. Data from the Mid-South rarely reports a yield increase over 90 pounds of available nitrogen. Available is a key word here. Most of our soils contain about 50 pounds of nitrogen in the spring prior to making a nitrogen application.
The quantity and availability of nitrogen varies across most fields. But if you choose to rely on the nitrogen already present within the soil, you may be able to drastically reduce the amount of fertilizer nitrogen applied. Soil nitrate tests can provide insight into this amount, and most soil testing labs have specific instructions on collection and shipment of those samples.
One of the best ways to increase fertilizer nitrogen-use efficiency is to improve the application timing and select the best source; a broadcast, preplant application of urea is susceptible to numerous loss mechanisms. In contrast, a side-dressed application of UAN at squaring is much more efficient.
Many of these approaches will require more labor expense per acre and an increase in timeliness. Still, 2022 should represent a year when we can get into the black if we properly execute a fine-tuned plan. traper@utk.edu
TEXAS Ben McKnight
Throughout the first couple weeks of January, I’ve had the opportunity to travel across much of Texas, visit with growers at winter meetings and listen to their concerns going into the 2022 growing season. Perhaps the most frequently vocalized concern has been related to increased input costs. As I write this in mid-January, it appears there won’t be much relief for elevated input prices prior to getting the cotton crop in the ground, especially for growers in the Lower Rio Grande Valley who traditionally begin planting in mid- to late February.
Fertilizer input prices, particularly nitrogen, has been on everyone’s radar. In a recent conversation, a grower shared with me that the price of nitrogen inputs had quadrupled compared to last year’s costs. While these elevated costs may be a tough pill to swallow, there are some things we can do ahead of planting that will hopefully make our management decisions a little easier and profitable.
Perhaps the most consistent expenditure that returns value to a cotton farming operation is soil testing. In a year like 2022 is shaping up to be, having information about plant nutrients that may already be in the soil profile can help tighten the belt regarding fertilizer expenditures. Additionally, sampling deeper in the profile, 18- or 24-inch depths, may reveal more plant-available nutrient quantities than was anticipated. Crediting these plant nutrients to our yield goals and the subsequent savings associated with reduced fertilizer application may be a way for growers to keep a little extra money in their pockets on the front end of the season. For information on how to properly take and submit a soil sample for testing, get in touch with your county zgent or visit https://soiltest ing.tamu.edu/. bmcknight@tamu.edu
VIRGINIA Hunter Frame
Despite the COVID crisis and supply chain issues in 2021, Virginia cotton production had a banner year, harvesting roughly 72,000 acres with an estimated average yield just over 1,200 pounds lint per acre. If this holds, it will represent the second highest state yields on record with cotton prices more than $1 per pound lint. A fall where Mother Nature was very generous with clear skies and limited rain led to high fiber grades for Virginia cotton.
Moving into 2022, the conversation has turned to price increases in inputs such as fertilizers and chemicals (specifically glyphosate and glufosinate). I have fielded many questions on how much can producers cut back on their soil fertility program? As I sit here and look at cotton prices for December ’22, which are at 97 cents per pound lint, I do not know if 2022 is the year to cut back on phosphorus and potassium as any mining of soil exchangeable nutrients done this year will have to be replenished in subsequent years.
This means that to rebuild soil test P and K, higher rates will need to be applied in 2023 and 2024, when commodity prices could potentially fall below future prices for 2022 currently. Producers need to think about managing crops for high yields in 2022 given cotton prices remain high, and cotton is still profitable.
Regarding nitrogen management, there is some room for reduction although Virginia’s recommendations are based on the point at which response curves start to plateau. This means that cutting back will reduce yields based on data in the upper Southeast Coastal Plain and predicting N response can be difficult based on the weather. In other cotton growing regions, please consult your cotton specialist or soil fertility specialist. whframe@vt.edu
COTTON Ginners Marketplace
COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.
Tom Stallings of the Funston Gin in Funston, Georgia, is named the 2021 Southeast Cotton Ginner of the Year. The award was presented at the Southern Southeastern Annual Meeting held recently in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Southern Southeastern is a joint meeting of the Southern Cotton Growers and Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association. The award was presented by National Cotton Council President Kent Fountain.
Stallings began his career in agriculture working for Gold Kist after serving his country in Viet Nam and graduating from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia. Stallings worked with many farmers while at Gold Kist and had a dream of someday owning a cotton gin. In 1987, he put together a deal to purchase a small gin from the 50 farmers who owned it. That gin grew from about 3,000 bales per year to a high of more than 90,000 bales in 2001.
Stallings has held numerous leadership positions with the Southeastern Cotton Ginners, National Cotton Council and is a past president of the Cotton Warehouse Association of America. He has represented the cotton industry across the world in these various roles. He often sponsors local youth clubs and teams and is a longtime supporter of the Moss Farm Aquatic and Diving Center in Moultrie, Georgia. Tom Stallings (le ), who received the 2021 Southeast Cotton Ginner of the Year award, poses with Steve Sterling, president, Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association.
Lummus Ag Technologywants to express its appreciation to our many loyal customers for their continued support and business. With the challenges we face in our industry, we are continually workingto evolve and adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs.
Lummusoffersa wide range of products and services, all geared to help your operation be efficient and profitable. Regardless of the project scope, contact Lummus to discuss your goals and needsto ensure your success.
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The Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association awards the Southeast Ginner of the Year to deserving recipients who have shown leadership and meet the qualifications set out by the awards committee. The awardee must be a progressive ginner who endeavors to keep cotton strong in their community, is active in the industry, respected by his peers, active in civic a airs and generally supportive of the cotton industry. Nominations are submitted by other members of the association and selected by the award committee.
National Cotton Ginners Board Meeting Set During The 2022 NCC Annual Meeting
Online pre-registration and hotel reservations for those planning to attend the National Cotton Council’s 2022 Annual Meeting can be done at www.cotton.org/news/meetings/am/.
The meeting will be held Feb. 11-13, 2022, at the Marriott Marquis in Houston. Room reservations also can be made by calling the hotel at 1-877-688-4323. For air and car rental reservations, contact Peggy Robinson, the NCC’s travel consultant at Travelennium, at 1-800-672-6694 or probinson@travelennium.com. The meeting will include the National Cotton Ginners Board Meeting from 1-2:30 p.m. and the American Cotton Producers session from 2:30-4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 11. The program committee meetings will occur on Saturday, Feb. 12, from 9-10:30 a.m. The final event, the General Session, begins at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, and concludes by 10 a.m. that day. It will include the NCC’s planting intentions survey results.
The Saturday luncheon will feature a “2022 Election Outlook” by David Wasserman, who serves as House editor and senior election analyst for the non-partisan Cook Political Report.
NCC Contamination Prevention Videos
Plastic contamination poses a serious threat to U.S. cotton’s reputation in the global fiber market. The National Cotton Council has developed a YouTube video training series on the subject that consists of 12 chapters. The videos are available in both English and Spanish versions. Here are the topics: Introduction by Dr. Gary Adams, NCC president/CEO. Introduction to prevention of plastic contamination. A review of sources of potential plastic contamination and how they a ect the textile processing, resulting in decreased demand for U.S. cotton. In the field (producers, custom harvesters and harvester operators). A review of where to look for plastic contaminates in the field before harvest and how to properly store empty rolls of round module wrap. During harvest (producers, custom harvesters and harvester operators). A review of the importance of following the John Deere round module harvester guides and keeping open communication with the gin manager. Machine operation (producers, custom harvesters and harvester operators). A review of machine calibration and common problems seen on the John Deere 7760, CP690 and CS690 cotton harvesters that can lead to contamination from round module wrap. Module handling (producers, custom harvesters,
harvester operators, staging tractor drivers and module
truck drivers). A review of the best handling practices to prevent contamination when moving round modules in the field. How to stage modules in the field (producers, cus-
tom harvesters, harvester operators, staging tractor driv-
ers and module truck drivers). A review of optimal location/ alignment when staging round modules in the field. Loading a module truck (module truck drivers). A review of preferred module truck chain types and correct chainto-ground speed when picking up round modules in a field using a traditional module truck. Loading a flatbed truck (module loader drivers in the field). A review of best loading practices when using a flatbed trailer to haul round modules from the field to the gin. Unloading modules in the gin yard (module truck
drivers, drivers of module loaders at the gin, gin managers/
superintendents and gin employees). A review of the optimal location/alignment for staging round modules on the gin yard. How to handle round modules at the gin (gin man-
agers/superintendents, gin module feeder employees and
other gin employees). A review of how to avoid wrap punctures or tears before ginning. Unwrapping/cutting open modules (gin managers/
superintendents, gin module feeder employees and other
gin employees). A review of the importance of following proper wrap removal techniques and John Deere round module cut guidelines to avoid plastic contamination when unwrapping. Conclusion. This chapter is for everyone.
The National Cotton Council contributed to this article.
Cotton’s Calendar
Some listed events may be canceled or postponed due to COVID-19. Please verify the status with the individual organizations. Feb. 9-11: Louisiana Agricultural Technology & Management Conference, Paragon Casino Resort, Marksville, Louisiana. Feb. 11-13: NCC Annual Meeting, Marriott Marquis, Houston, Texas Feb. 22: Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Annual Meeting, Big Country Hall, Taylor County Expo Center, Abilene, Texas.
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HIGH CAPACITY VACUUMS
USED & FACTORY REBUILT GIN MACHINERY
PLASTIC BALING PRESSES
COMPLETE LINE OF REPAIR PARTS FOR MURRAY, MITCHELL, H.E., CONSOLIDATED, CONTINENTAL, MOSS, LUMMUS, HORN, & CMI
806-745-8156 1-800-776-8182 FAX: 806-745-0564 NORTHERNLUCUS@YAHOO.COM WWW.NORTHERNLUCUS.COM
Steeper Hoppers with 10-Gauge Steel 50% Larger Square Hydraulic Doors Conversion Kits for Most Seed Houses
Call Jim - (972) 381-8899 / cliffgranberrycorp.com
