Jack Huerkamp, left, and his brother, Joe, farm cotton in Noxubee County, Mississippi. “In this Black Prairie, we tend to have higher yields — usually around a 1,550-pound average,” Joe said. “Barring hurricanes, our grades are typically very good since our ground is so strong. We build terraces, catch the water in the winter and pump it out in the summer. Everything we do revolves around water management.”
FEATURES
15 FINE-TUNING PLANS FOR 2025
State cotton specialists discuss topics to consider before the rst seed goes in the ground. ey also share details of upcoming production meetings.
18 CONSUMER CONNECTION
Cotton Incorporated has created a new platform to serve up countless opportunities for consumers to engage and interact with cotton as a brand.
20 GINNERS MARKETPLACE
the official publication of the ginning industry
Review details of the 73rd Mid-South Farm and Gin Show to be held Feb. 28 and March 1 at the Renasant Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee.
2024 Cotton Consultant of the Year
Bill Webster of Harvest, Alabama, is the 43rd recipient of this esteemed award. Read more about him on page 11
THE COVER: Joe Huerkamp, left, and his brother, Jack, both have successful cotton operations in Macon, Mississippi. Cover photo by Brian Pride.
Webster
The National Agricultural Law Center will co-host its two annual conferences (Mid-South and Western) with the NASDA Foundation. Registration for both programs is now open. Go to www.cottonfarming. com for this Web Exclusive report.
Look for Soybean South following page 22 in the Southeast and MidSouth 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 .
Editor’s Note
Carroll Smith
Looking, Learning And Celebrating Our Industry
As the cotton ginning season is on its way to wrapping up, and the new planting season is on the horizon, one would think those in the cotton business are entering a “slow time.” Well, not really. It’s still busy, just a different kind of busy.
Now, we are in the midst of trade shows, production and organization meetings and award presentations. And that’s a good thing — look, learn and celebrate. There is not enough room in this space to talk about everything being offered, but here are some highlights. For example, the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show kicks off Feb. 28, at the Renasant Convention Center in Memphis.
Tim Price, show manager and executive vice president of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association, said the show gives attendees an opportunity to see what’s new and gain information critical to farmers and agribusiness.
“The show will have over 300 exhibitors with 25% being new exhibitors,” he said. “This highlights the continuing innovation of products and services in agribusiness to help farmers cope and improve their capabilities and efficiency in an environment that demands continuing evaluation and adaptation.”
Looking to the Southwest, the TCGA Gin Show opens Thursday, April 3, at the Lubbock Memorial Convention Center. Cotton Farming magazine has been the co-sponsor of this show for more than 25 years. This year’s theme is “Turning Cotton Great Again.” The TCGA Gin Show is one of the largest gatherings of cotton ginning equipment, supplies and affiliated businesses that provide parts or services to the ginning industry. The exhibitors are eager to inform visitors about their products and services related to everything cotton.
Kelley Green, TCGA executive vice president, said, “The TCGA Gin Show is a great venue for ginners across the Cotton Belt to come together and seek solutions to problems impacting the industry. We invite you to make plans to attend the 2025 event and celebrate ‘Turning Cotton Great Again.’”
In your local area, check with the county agent’s office to get the dates and locations of grower meetings close to your operation. These gatherings are an excellent opportunity to learn what’s new or how to optimize practices that are already in place.
This also is a time to honor those who have made great contributions to the cotton industry. Be sure to check out the 2024 Cotton Consultant of the Year award winner Bill Webster from Alabama on page 11. See why he has earned the respect of his farmers and his peers.
In closing, get on the cotton train in 2025, and don’t slow down. Embrace our industry, and enjoy the ride!
If you have comments, please send them to: Cotton Farming Magazine, 7201 Eastern Ave., Germantown, TN 38138.
Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com
Associate Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Carroll Smith (901) 326-4443
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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
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Mississippi Cotton Operations
Aim For The Best Yield With The Most Profit
BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR
In 1872, Ben Huerkamp moved from Germany to the United States and settled in Ohio. His son, Frank, farmed there until the 1960s when he got tired of milking cows in the frigid weather. Frank decided to swap cold for mud, moved south to east Mississippi and bought 1,000 acres.
Not being familiar with growing cotton, he partnered with the man from whom he bought the farm for several years while he got his feet under him as far as learning about this new crop. Today, two of his sons — Jack and Joe — farm cotton and corn in Noxubee County near Macon with their sons Brandon and Tyler, respectively.
“Jack and I grew up playing in cotton wagons, following the help around and bothering them and enjoying everything else
young kids do on a cotton farm,” Joe said. “All together, there were five siblings — three brothers and two sisters — and we all helped with the farm. We are very steeped in cotton.”
Jack and Joe both completed degrees in agricultural economics at Mississippi State while continuing to farm with their dad. As time went on, they bought land of their own. Jack and his wife operate Lamp Partnership, while Joe and his wife call their farm The Oaks. Each of the farms is about 75% irrigated.
The brothers both work with crop consultant Nelson Stevens, who grew up with them in Macon, and base their treatments on Stevens’ recommendations.
“He walks the fields and really covers the ground,” Jack said.
Long Time NPE Growers
They also participate in the Deltapine New Product Evaluators Program and have been since it began in 2008. Jack and Joe alternate growing the NPE candidates from year to year, but they both walk the plots and pay attention to the varieties throughout the growing season.
In 2024, Joe conducted the NPE trial at The Oaks.
“We had all ThryvOn varieties in the plots, and they were comparable to our other varieties,” he said. “We are seeing a progression where the yield is picking up on the ThryvOn varieties.”
Jack says he loves being in the program and building knowledge in agronomy.
“We learn about the new varieties from growing them on our land under our management,” he said. “We feel like it’s worth the effort.”
Outside of the NPE plots, Joe pointed out that the varieties they choose to grow on their farms every year have to fit their operations.
“We’ve got to plant what gives us the best return and the best yields,” he said.
Jack added, “When we are choosing varieties for the upcoming season, we look at yield, yield and yield. We also want good quality characteristics. We farm for the best yield with the most profit. That’s not necessarily the highest yield we can make.
“In 2024, I grew 2328 B3TXF, 2211 B3TXF, 2127 B3XFand 2333 B3XF. This year, nearly half my acreage will be 2211 and most of the remaining acres will be 2333. I also will plant a little bit of a couple other varieties just to see how they do.”
Joe said he planted a large amount of his acreage in 2024 to 2333 and plans for it to be his primary variety this season based on its yield performance.
“In this Black Prairie, we tend to have higher yields — usually around a 1,550-pound average,” he said. “Barring hurricanes, our grades are typically very good since our ground is so strong. Our farms are rolling. We are not in the hills. We build terraces, catch the water in the winter and pump it out — mostly with center pivots — during the summer. Everything we do revolves around water management.”
In the fall, the Huerkamps take their cotton to Bogue Chitto Gin on Deerbrook Road in Noxubee County. In fact, they were part of a group of farmers who pledged money in 2012 to get the facility built and expand the ginning capacity in the county. This past season, Bogue Chitto ginned more than 100,000 bales under the direction of general manager Aaron Litwiller and ginner Jonathan McBride.
“This gin has been an economic boost to our county and surrounding counties,” Joe said. “It’s allowed people to plant cotton when they couldn’t before.”
Cover Crops
Jack and Joe are also proponents of wide beds and cover crops. They use this practice on 100% of their acres.
“I plant black oats behind cotton because the cover crop goes in later in the year compared to planting one behind corn, and crimson clover doesn’t grow off very well at that time,” Jack said. “I’m also looking for a biological balance of fungi and
Although they have separate operations, Mississippi farmers, from left, Brandon Huerkamp and his father, Jack, along with Joe Huerkamp and his son, Tyler, farm cotton and corn in Noxubee County. The two brothers — Jack and Joe — became NPE cotton producers in 2008 when the program was initiated and still participate today.
When choosing cotton varieties to grow on their farms, the Huerkamps look for yield, yield and yield as well as good quality characteristics.
bacteria — a soil/nutrient balance.
“Your nutrient balance pushes your biologicals, which grow the best when all your nutrients are in balance. And most of the fertilizer comes out of biological activity by breaking it down and releasing it to the plant. The fungi and bacteria need to have access to a plant growing out in the field with living roots.
“The cover crop has root all through the winter, and in the spring the roots really build up. They send sugar down to the fungi and bacteria, and then the fungi and bacteria send fertilizer up to the plant.”
Jack also noted cover crops help with erosion and produce organic matter.
“Erosion itself is enough reason to plant cover crops, but as a bonus, you have these other advantages that go along with it,” he said. “My excitement right now is gearing everything up to enhance all of that.”
Inspired To Farm
Despite all the challenges involved with farming, Jack said he is inspired by watching the crops grow.
“From the time I drop the first seed in the ground, I can’t wait for the cotton to come up,” he said. “I watch the cover crop grow, too. I love to watch all my crops grow throughout the season, from the beginning to the end.”
Joe said he enjoys working with his son and is beginning to work with his grandchildren on the farm when they are not in school. “Working with them keeps me interested, and to stay in business in today's environment, we have to farm politics as much as we do row crops. Until the day I don’t enjoy it, I am going to keep farming.”
Since the turn of the century, farmers and ginners across the country have grown and processed some tremendous cotton crops. Factors contributing to this success include advancements in cotton seed genetics, boll weevil eradication and state-of-the-art ginning equipment and facilities. As the 2025 season begins, the TCGA Gin Show looks forward to “Turning Cotton Great Again.”
The TCGA Gin Show is one of the largest gatherings of cotton ginning equipment, supplies and affiliated businesses that provide
TURNING COTTON GREAT AGAIN
parts or services to the ginning industry. The TCGA Gin Show exhibitors are eager to inform visitors all about their products and services related to everything cotton.
The TCGA Gin Show is a great venue for ginners across the Cotton Belt to come together and seek solutions to problems impacting the industry. Make plans to attend the 2025 event to celebrate “Turning Cotton Great Again.”
For more information, visit www.tcga.org.
TCGA ANNUAL MEETING AND TRADE SHOW
APRIL 3-4, 2025
LUBBOCK, TEXAS
Cotton’s Agenda
Gary Adams
Sustainable Success
The 2025 enrollment period for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and the Climate Smart Cotton Program is officially open.
What is the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and why is it important for cotton growers?
■ The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is a voluntary sustainability program for U.S. cotton growers. It provides a traceability platform for all U.S. cotton, bringing quantifiable and verifiable goals to responsible cotton production. The program focuses on continuous improvement in six key sustainability areas: land use, soil health, water management, greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and fiber quality. By participating, growers can demonstrate their commitment to sustainable practices, meeting the increasing demand for responsibly produced fiber.
What benefits do growers receive from enrolling in the Trust Protocol?
■ Growers gain access to valuable data and resources that help them choose the best practices for their land and business. By tracking key metrics like water use, land use, and greenhouse gas emissions, they can gain insights into their farm’s environmental footprint. This information empowers them to make informed decisions, optimize practices, and demonstrate progress toward a more sustainable future.
Can you explain the Climate Smart Cotton Program and its levels of involvement?
■ The Climate Smart Cotton Program, led by the Trust Protocol, is designed to offer financial support to growers through three different levels of involvement.
At the first level, growers can become members of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. This foundational level provides $5 per acre, up to 706 acres, for enrolling in the Trust Protocol, uploading bales to the Protocol platform, and exploring new climate-smart practices.
The second level is all about implementing a climate smart practice change. Growers can receive up to $45 in financial risk-share for up to three years if they adopt new practices like cover crops, no-till, strip-till, or a nutrient management plan.
Finally, the third level involves carbon inset payments. This allows growers to contract for carbon inset sales based on the verified emission reductions achieved through their climate smart agriculture practices.
How has the program been received by growers?
■ Grower membership has increased each year since the program’s inception. We look forward to welcoming more growers in 2025 and providing them with valuable resources. These programs not only address the rising demand for responsibly produced cotton but also boost growers’ profitability and fortify their standing in the global market.
How can growers get started with the enrollment process?
■ Grower Enrollment Specialists are available to provide personalized, region-specific support. They can answer questions and guide growers through the process for both the Trust Protocol and Climate Smart Cotton Program. Growers can visit TrustUSCotton.org or email info@TrustUSCotton. org to connect with their region’s Grower Enrollment Specialist and learn more about how these programs can benefit their operation.
Gary Adams is president/CEO of the National Cotton Council of America.
The 2025 enrollment period for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and the Climate Smart Cotton Program is officially open.
Bill Webster
2024 COTTON CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR
Bill Webster grew up in Limestone County, Alabama, on the Tennessee Valley Regional Research and Extension Center farm in Belle Mina where his father “Dub” Webster was the assistant superintendent and later retired as director. At its peak, 13 families lived on the property, and everybody had a house. When Webster was young, he headed to the field after school to join the other workers handpicking cotton for 6 or 7 cents a pound. “I bought my first bicycle, which cost about $23, and my first shotgun picking cotton,” he said. Eventually, a 422 IH picker was converted to a plot picker, followed by a converted John Deere 9920, leading up to an automated Case IH 2022 today.
The eldest of four children — Bill, Vince, Shannon and Eric — remembered going to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, with his dad to buy huge, white oak woven baskets used to weigh cotton in the plots.
“When we got a plot picked, we would dump the cotton in the basket,” Webster said. “Then it was weighed and dumped over into the trailer. The money that was generated from the cotton went back to the station for operating costs.”
During the summers while pursuing an entomology degree from Auburn University, Webster scouted cotton for farmers in Limestone County. During that time, he decided to pursue crop consulting as a profession, so he opened his own consulting business — North Alabama Agri Services, Inc. — in 1981 and married his wife, Karoline, in 1984.
Jerry Allen Newby, a partner at Newby Farms in Athens,
Alabama, said Webster started scouting cotton for Newby Farms in the late 1970s.
“I was born in 1986, so he has been a part of our farm longer than I have been alive,” Newby said. “Bill and his crew do a great job for us and many other farmers in our area. We have the highest confidence in Bill and the job he does scouting our crops.
“He has witnessed so many changes in the cotton industry over those years, and he has helped us navigate through them all. Things like going from conventional to no-till, boll weevil eradication, ever-changing cotton varieties, chemical changes and regulations.”
Webster said he also has observed the change in size and speed of the equipment used in cotton production — from planters to sprayers to cotton pickers.
Alabama crop consultant Bill Webster, right, and his wife, Karoline, join their son, Carson Webster, in a local Limestone County cotton field. Carson works full-time and is a partner at North Alabama Agri Services.
“Examples include the speed at which planters can run now, the sprayers we have today compared to the old 600-A sprayers we used and the introduction of onboard module-building machines,” he said.
A further change that stands out to Webster is the improved genetic technology in cottonseed.
“In addition to weed and insect control, yields are up from what they were back in the day,” he said. “If we made 750 pounds per acre, that was a good crop. Now that would be a failure. Today, we are making a lot of 1,200- to 1,500-pound cotton. This year, on dryland, we had a lot of two-bale cotton, and we went long periods without any rain. In the past, that would have been 500-pound cotton per acre.”
Another of Bill’s long-time clients is Bragg Farms.
“Bill has been an integral part of our family’s farming operation for more than 30 years,” said Jeannie Bragg Harvey. “My father relied on his expertise, and I now rely on his wise counsel as well.”
Mike Tate of Tate Farms said, “Bill always has the grower’s best interest in mind when he makes a recommendation. He has an incredible knowledge of all aspects of cotton production. Bill’s work ethic, expertise and common sense make him very worthy of this recognition.”
Webster’s Consulting Business
A sampling of the services Webster provides to his farmers includes variety selection, recommendations for weed, insect and disease control, irrigation and defoliation. Including Webster, North Alabama Agri Services has three full-time employees: Webster, his son and partner, Carson, and Seth Williams. Agriscience teacher James Arnette joins NAAGS in the summer, and Webster also hires six college age kids to work seasonally.
On a typical day in the heat of the season, Webster gets up early in the morning to finish the reports he worked on the night before, emails them to his farmers and starts handling some phone calls. Then the crew comes in about 7:30 a.m.
“They work in pairs, so once we get on a schedule, they are pretty well running the same routes,” he said. “They go to about 4 p.m. because I want them off the road around here because the traffic is getting so bad. We are not rural anymore.”
Limestone County cotton farmer Matt Haney, said, “The services Bill offers to farmers in the area are highly sought ofter. He does his best to stay up to date with newly developed herbicides and insecticides. Bill’s hard work and dedication to his clients do not go unnoticed. I, along with many other farmers, are very thankful to have Bill and the wealth of knowledge he brings to the field.”
PHOTOS BY HEATHER BUSH/OAK & FABLE PHOTOGRAPHY
Elizabeth Newby Crow, Justin Crow, Jerry Allen Newby, Bill Webster, Carson Webster, John Newby and Jerry Newby.
Troy Harrison, Syngenta Crop Protection, left, pictured with Bill Webster.
Cotton consultant Bill Webster participates in helping his cotton farmers prepare for the upcoming season.
Bill Webster is joined by Alabama cotton farmer Matt Haney, left, and Associated Growers Co-Op gin manager Billy Sickler.
Retired Alabama cotton consultant Dwain Reed agrees. “Bill is one of the most knowledgeable people I know on how to raise a cotton crop,” he said. “He always makes recommendations based on scouting and product efficacy. His growers are some of the best in Alabama and are continually increasing the size of their operations. This tells me they are making the right decisions raising crops and many of these decisions are based on Bill’s hard work and recommendations.”
A ‘Bug Man’ At Heart
“I’ve always been fascinated with insect population dynamics,” Webster said. “Growing up on the experiment station, I got a lot of experience working with a few of the entomologists who were doing their research there — Dr. Floyd Gilliland, Dr. Ron Smith, Dr. Mike Gaylor, Charlie Burmester and Barry Freeman.”
Dr. Ron H. Smith, professor emeritus, Extension cotton entomologist, Auburn University, said, “Bill’s area of the Tennessee Valley is challenging for cotton insect management with a wide spectrum of insects and major resistance management issues. It is under these conditions that Bill’s career has thrived as he advised on thousands of acres of crops each season. I consider Bill Webster to be one of the Cotton Belt’s most prominent and professional consultants. There was an old tagline on the Atlanta Constitution newspaper that read ‘Covering Dixie Like the Dew.’ Bill Webster has covered row crops, especially cotton, in the Tennessee Valley for the past 30-plus years, ‘Like the Dew.’”
A Valuable
Resource To The Industry
Webster is personally and professionally admired in the cotton industry by farmers, consultants, university researchers, Extension and industry personnel. Perhaps Tyler Sandlin, Auburn University Extension agronomist, describes this sentiment best.
Cotton
Consultant of the Year Award Recipients, 1981-2023
1981 Bob Stanford, Flagstaff, Ariz.
1982 Jep Gates, Memphis, Tenn.
1983 Dennis Bouchard, Minter City, Miss.
1984 John Nickelsen, Shafter, Calif.
1985 Dwight Lincoln, Portland, Ark.
1986 Grady Coburn, Cheneyville, La.
1987 Stanley Nemec, Snook, Texas
1988 Robert Moore, Hartsville, S.C.
1989 Curtis Wilhelm, Harlingen, Texas
1990 Mills Rogers, Cleveland, Miss.
1991 Clyde Sartor, Vicksburg, Miss.
1992 John Christian, Raymondville, Texas
1993 Billy McLawhorn, Cove City, N.C.
1994 Dwain Reed, Courtland, Ala.
1995 Barry Aycock, Parma, Mo.
1996 Ray Young, Wisner, La.
1997 Lonnie Bull, Cameron, S.C.
1998 Chuck Farr, Crawfordsville, Ark.
1999 Bob Griffin, Jonesboro, Ark.
2000 Roger Carter, Clayton, La.
2001 Harold Lambert, Innis, La.
2002 Lee Hutchins, Sinton, Texas
2003 Danny Pierce, Princeton, N.C.
2004 Tucker Miller, Drew, Miss.
• Completed a Bachelor of Science in entomology from Auburn University.
• Started North Alabama Agri Services, Inc. in 1981.
• Consults on cotton, corn, soybeans and wheat in Limestone and Madison counties in Alabama and Giles and Lincoln counties in Tennessee.
• Served as past president, vice president and secretary-treasurer of Ag Consultants Association of Alabama.
Family Life
Bill Webster was raised on the Tennessee Valley Regional Research and Extension Center farm in Belle Mina, Alabama. He and his wife, Karoline, now reside in Harvest — a community in Madison County — with their black Lab, Avery. Three sons: M.D. Anderson nurse anesthetist Cody Webster (Whitney), crop consultant Carson Webster (Blair) and LSU rice weed scientist Dr. Connor Webster (Reagen). Four grandchildren: grandsons Merit, Rowdy and Lou and granddaughter Annie. When time permits, Webster enjoys duck hunting and following Auburn sports.
“Growers trust Bill, and I have heard them say, ‘No one knows cotton like Bill,’” Sandlin said. “When Bill shares information, it’s reliable and representative of what is taking place on a large number of acres. He has been a friend and valuable resource for many cotton growers, consultants, industry representatives and myself.” Despite being the recipient of a myriad of accolades, Webster remains humble.
“I wasn’t expecting this award,” he said. “I just love what I am doing and look forward to it every day. I take pride in it.”
2005 John Hunter, Lubbock, Texas
2006 Jack Royal, Leary, Ga.
2007 Danny Moore, Marion, Ark.
2008 Ray Young, Wisner, La. (Lifetime Achievement Award)
2009 Joe Townsend, Coahoma, Miss.
2010 Mark Nemec, Waco, Texas
2011 Virgil King, Lexington, Miss.
2012 Tim White, Jonesville, La.
2013 Bob Glodt, Plainview, Texas
2014 Stan Winslow, Belvidere, N.C.
2015 Wes Briggs, Bainbridge, Ga.
2016 Tim Roberts, Dyersburg, Tenn.
2017 Paul Pilsner, Wharton, Texas
2018 Mark Scott, Lubbock, Texas
2019 Eddy Cates, Marion, Ark.
2020 Drake Perrow, Cameron, S.C.
2021 James Todd, Plainview, Texas
2022 Hank Jones, Winnsboro, La.
2023 Eric Bell, Huntingdon, Tenn.
Bill Webster: Career & Personal Highlights
The Websters’ sons and daughters-in-law: From left, Reagen, Connor, Whitney, Cody, Blair and Carson.
War Eagle fans Bill and Karoline Webster enjoy following sports at Auburn University.
Fine-tuning Plans for 2025 Specialists Speaking
NORTH CAROLINA Keith Edmisten
I am sure it is hard for growers to get too excited about planning for the 2025 season with the prices we are seeing now. It looks like a year to pay close attention to inputs and focus on proven products. Of course, variety selection is always an important input, but especially so when the only way to avoid losing money is to have high yields.
The results of the official cotton variety results and the on-farm cotton variety evaluation are available on our Extension cotton portal (cotton.ces.ncsu.edu). We should have fiber quality data back within the next two weeks. The results will be discussed in upcoming winter cotton meetings, and the calendar for cotton meetings can be found on the same portal.
Think hard about what inputs you really need to produce a good crop. There are a lot of unproven products available. If you would like to try an unproven product, make sure you try it on small acreages to avoid spending too much money on a crop in a year with an unfavorable economic outlook. One of the most common claims we hear is that North Carolina Department of Agriculture fertility recommendations are too low. We have not found this to be true in our trials. Even doubling NCDA fertility recommendations have not increased yields compared to following NCDA recommendations. keith_edmisten@ncsu.edu
GEORGIA Camp Hand
Since this article is in a cotton magazine, I am assuming everyone knows the current situation as it pertains to the crop and its production. The cost of production has certainly exceeded the market price, and that has been the case for the past few years. Although this is the case, I’m sure many folks are gearing up to go again in 2025.
Bottom line — as it stands right now, we have got to make our inputs count in 2025. I have spoken previously on “unproven products” of which there are many. Now is not the time to blanket apply these things across the entire farm. Make sure we have plans to get the most out of our pest management applications, planting the highest-yielding variety (regardless of herbicide or insect technology) and not cutting the things we have to do to make the crop. At the end of the day, we still have to make cotton to sell it in an attempt to make some money.
We are currently in the middle of our county production meetings, with a few more left to go. If we haven’t gotten the opportunity to see you yet, there is still time! Our schedule is posted at ugacotton.com. It has been great getting back on the road and “Talkin’ Cotton” with everyone.
In the meantime, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out. The cotton team and your local University of Georgia county agent are here to help! camphand@uga.edu
ALABAMA Scott H. Graham
How to maximize cotton production in 2025. That will be the main focus of our Extension meetings this year. Overall, the best way to overcome low prices is high yields. As we talked about last month, high yields start with variety selection. Putting the right variety in the right field at the right time sets the tone for the rest of the year. From that point forward, all we are doing is trying to preserve our maximum yield potential.
Putting the crop in at “the right time” can be pretty hard to do. In a given year, cotton planting in Alabama can last from late April to early July. Of course, we would rather not be finishing up planting when we typically
expect to see our first blooms (July 4th), but sometimes it happens.
In 2024, we saw two pretty distinct crops across much of the state: an early crop, planted before May 15, and a late crop planted after about May 25. Generally speaking, the early crop did better than the late. Cotton at peak bloom in July (when rainfall was plentiful) did well and cotton at peak bloom in August (when rainfall was non-existent) did not.
For example, in one of our trials sponsored by the Alabama Cotton Commission, we planted cotton on May 2 and on May 23 at Prattville (Central Alabama) and Belle Mina (North Alabama). The early planted cotton averaged 1,397 pounds of lint, while the late-planted averaged 823 pounds (over a bale difference!). Based on this, there may be some thought as to planting the whole crop as early as we can.
Keep in mind that this agronomic advice is coming from a cotton entomologist, but if I were trying to reduce risk in 2025, I would want to spread out my crop as best I could. Putting all your eggs in one basket can be boom or bust. If the rains had been reversed last year (none in July and tons in August), our planting date study would have likely flipped. Spreading planting dates from late April to nearly the end of May may not give us the greatest potential to “blow it out,” but it will very likely keep us from “bottoming it out.”
Extension meeting season is upon us. Over the next several weeks, we will have multiple cotton production meetings in every region of the state. Get with your local regional Extension agent for dates and locations nearest you. As always, if I can ever be of any help, don’t hesitate to reach out and let me know! scottg@auburn.edu
ARKANSAS Zachary Treadway
It is Jan. 8 as I write this, and Arkansas is staring in the face of a serious winter storm. Forecasters are predicting up to 8 inches of snow for parts of the Natural State. With weather like this, it can seem like we are a lifetime away from cotton season, but it will be here before we know it. Beltwide Cotton Conference is next week, and county meeting season really gets going after that. Beltwide will be a fantastic opportunity to gather as specialists and discuss the season passed and the season on the horizon. The prompt for this edition is “Fine-tuning Plans for 2025,” and now is the time to be nailing down those particulars.
Soil tests are a very important place to start. With input costs at an alltime high, soil tests ensure that producers are making the optimal fertilizer application for their ground. While producers are looking for ways to lessen costs, soil tests are not a place to scrimp. Since being in Arkansas, I have seen numerous pieces of promotional material from our soil test lab with the slogan, “Don’t Guess, Soil Test.” It is a simple reminder that there is no need to take a blind shot when the service is available to make sure we get the nutrients exactly where they are needed.
It is also time to be finalizing variety decisions. It is vital to choose varieties that will provide optimal yields and fiber quality for your unique geography. The results of our large-plot variety trial programs are now published to aid in choosing varieties. Those results can be found at: https://aaes.uada.edu/variety-testing/. These trials covered a wide geographic range in hopes of providing results that are relatively local to most of the cotton growers in Arkansas.
Finally, it’s a good time to be making herbicide plans. Burndowns and pre-emergence applications will come first, and those are vital to ensuring that weeds can be controlled deeper into the growing season. I spent most of my academic career in weed science programs, and I learned that they only way to stay clean is to start clean, and that means applying burndowns and residual herbicides to make sure that the crop has a chance to emerge
TRAIT STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES
NOTICE TO FARMERS
Specialists Speaking
and grow unabated during the critical weed-free period. As always, if there’s any way I can help, please reach out. ztreadway@uada.edu
IMPORTANT NOTICE: No dicamba herbicide has been approved for use in-crop with this seed technology at the time this notice was printed. No dicamba herbicide may be used in-crop with this seed unless and until such use is approved or specifically permitted. For current approval statuses for in-crop dicamba use with this seed, scan the below QR code, call 1-844-RRXTEND or 1-866-99-BAYER, or contact the U.S. EPA or your state pesticide regulatory agency. Plants that are not tolerant to dicamba may be damaged or killed if exposed to dicamba herbicides.
Bayer 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. Commercialized products have 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 applicable regulatory requirements have been met. 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. 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 products with XtendFlex® Technology. 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 products with XtendFlex® Technology. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your seed brand representative for the registration status in your state. Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba. Plants that are not tolerant to glyphosate, dicamba, and/or glufosinate may be damaged or killed if exposed to those herbicides. 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®, Roundup®, ThryvOn® and XtendFlex® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group. 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.
MISSISSIPPI Brian Pieralisi
ere’s nothing easy about farming…and if it seems like things are going too good to be true, I would be looking for the “whammy” around the corner. It is time to start ne-tuning plans for 2025, which is a difcult task with stakes as high as they are in the agriculture industry. Margins are tight, markets are stagnant and weed control technologies are in jeopardy (to put it nicely).
A er a couple years of downward pro tability trends, I think it’s important to consider ways to o set costs. It could take getting creative. Look closely at variety trial data when selecting varieties. Some less-popular varieties could perform as well or slightly below with a lesser price tag. Also, I have gotten a lot of calls about more conventional cotton, or with less technology, and using cultivators, layby rigs and “bottle nose” sprayers. I know most of this equipment is buried under 20-year-old vines, etc., but could it be an option? Reducing nitrogen rates slightly and improving use e ciency could help with plant growth regulator/plant bug management, and possibly help with defoliation.
Lastly, taking advantage of good planting windows, spending time going over your planter and general timeliness with everything could go a long way this year. Hopefully things will turn around soon… and be a little more favorable by harvest! bkp4@msstate.edu
TEXAS Ben McKnight
Do not open a bag of seed until you read, understand and accept the stewardship requirements for the biotechnology traits expressed in this seed as set forth in the Bayer Technology Stewardship Agreement (“TSA”) that you sign. By opening and using this bag of seed, you are reaffirming your obligation to comply with the most recent regulatory and stewardship requirements.
As the growing season approaches, decision-making and planning for the 2025 season are in full swing. Variety selection is one of the most important decisions a producer will make all year and will steer many decisions, including weed control. Making weed control and herbicide program decisions for 2025 will be di erent compared to the previous year, especially since dicamba will not be a herbicide option in the upcoming year.
Many dicamba-tolerant varieties have good yield potential and ber quality characteristics and may have a good t in your region. Producers will continue to plant these varieties in 2025 even though dicamba can’t be applied over-thetop. Adjustments to overall weed control programs will need to be made moving forward. Starting clean and staying clean early in the season will be a big step in the right direction. Pre-plant residual herbicide products can provide excellent early season residual control in
many cases, but it is extremely important for applicators to fully familiarize themselves with the product labels, especially with requirements for herbicide activation. In many cases, herbicides will need a certain amount of rainfall or irrigation to be activated. Timing applications when conditions are best for this will enhance herbicide activity and, in turn, weed control.
Glufosinate still has good activity on many of our troublesome weeds including Palmer amaranth and tall waterhemp, but application timing is key to obtaining good results. Target small, actively growing weeds soon a er emergence to prevent herbicide failures due to weed size being too large. Additionally, tank-mixing a residual herbicide product with post-emergence products can stretch the period of e ective weed control if they are activated by the appropriate amount of rainfall or irrigation following application. bmcknight@tamu.edu
TEXAS Ken Legé
Most West Texas growers were ready to ip the calendar to 2025 a er a promising 2024 season fell apart in late July and August, leading to disappointing yields across the board. However, moods improved with the second-wettest November in the area that at least provided some base moisture on which to build for 2025 and allowed good establishment of cover crops for soil health and wind erosion mitigation.
Now we turn our attention to 2025, which is not without its own challenges. Realize there are things we can control (e.g., inputs, crop selection and rotation, variety selection, weed control, etc.) and other things that are beyond our control (e.g., the commodity market, the weather, government programs, irrigation capacity, etc.). Focus on the things you can control and plan how you can respond to the things that you can’t control.
Barring a Hail Mary pass late in the fourth quarter, growers are facing a season without a labeled dicamba product for over-the-top application on XtendFlex cotton for the 2025 season. Fortunately, we have alternatives with the Enlist system, and many growers can manage weeds e ectively with glyphosate and glufosinate. Some West Texas growers can successfully use a conventional system. ese alternative systems performed very well in 2024 and can certainly be used in 2025. Additionally, it is good that we know early in the season that in-season dicamba will not be available, because it gives growers plenty of time to chart a strategy. Don’t delay in planning weed control!
Regardless of which in-season weed control strategy you choose, residual herbicides should be the foundation. at starts with burndowns and yellows in the not-too-distant future. Overlapping residual herbicides with di erent modes
of action from burndown to canopy closure is key to a successful weed control program, regardless of technology used. e only di erence among those technologies is how to control the inevitable weed escapes from residual herbicides. Plan now so you aren’t faced with surprises down the road. What else can growers do to prepare for 2025? It’s prime time for variety selection. Most of 2024’s trial results are in, and growers should invest ample time evaluating their variety needs and which varieties will t each eld (yes, that’s right; this implies that one variety will not likely t every acre on your farm!). is is especially important if you’re facing a di erent technology system than what you’ve used before because it may require the use of a set of varieties for which you have no experience.
We had a successful 2024 Replicated Agronomic Cotton Evaluation trial season in the southern High Plains. ose RACE trials spanned every weed control technology system that will be available in 2025. While we haven’t compiled the nal report with interpretation verbiage, we’ve made available all the nal results from each trial. See https://lubbock.tamu.edu/programs/crops/cotton/extension-cotton-agronomy/ for detailed reports for each site. Additionally, the results from Texas A&M AgriLife Research’s small plot OVTs conducted by our new breeder, Dr. Carol Kelly, will be released and posted to https:// lubbock.tamu.edu/ when available. ese two public testing sources provide results across the entire southern High Plains from 23 trial locations that span the area’s geography, farming practices, soil textures, planting date ranges, irrigation capacity ranges, disease and nematode scenarios and yield potential ranges.
Every West Texas grower should nd a location that closely approximates their farming conditions and utilize those data to make decisions. Growers should also look at every one of those locations to compare their perspective variety(ies)’s performance. Just because a trial is not in your county or backyard doesn’t mean those data aren’t relevant to your farm. Compare the range of responses to get a sense of a variety’s performance stability. Don’t see a location that represents your farming scenario? Contact me about growing a RACE trial for 2025. ere is no better way to compare variety performance than in a replicated, large-plot, on-farm trial on YOUR farm using YOUR practices. Best wishes on a successful 2025 season! ken.lege@ag.tamu.edu
MISSOURI Bradley Wilson
Cotton turned out better in 2024 than expected with the challenges faced throughout the growing season. Average lint yields in our region were comparable to past growing seasons, which was unexpected. Fiber quality (color and leaf grades) may have been impacted from regrowth following defoliation in 2024. Acres in Missouri are believed to be approximately 400,000 in 2025.
While cotton prices remain low, it may be time to think about cost of producing a cotton crop. Variety selection is one of the basics but is an extremely important decision. Cotton small plot
Specialists Speaking
OVT’s and large-block, on-farm variety data can be found on the Fisher Delta Research Center website. We’ll be discussing variety selection and seeding rate over the next few months at meetings in Missouri. ere are various other inputs that help drive expected lint yields that include fertility, weed and insect applications. e 2025 growing season is going to be a year where we need to be cautious and use inputs wisely. In fertility, yield response has been rare beyond 80 pounds of nitrogen per acre in our regional cotton nitrogen trials. Responses to foliar fertilizers have not been observed when soil-applied fertilizers are following soil test recommendations. Timeliness is key when it comes to weed and insect control. We need to utilize scouting and have a plan to respond when applications are needed. brwilson@missouri.edu
The Right
Perfect Peanut Partner
Choice in A Cotton-Peanut Rotation
Cotton-and-peanut producers continually look for new ways to maximize efficiencies while growing two high-value crops that compete for time and resources. As growers finalize planting decisions for 2025, many have turned to PhytoGen® brand varieties because of their designed fit in a Southeast cotton-peanut operation.
Judson Herrington farms 4,000 acres of cotton and peanuts across Bleckley, Laurens and Twiggs counties in Georgia. He started planting newer PhytoGen® W3FE varieties three years ago to gain efficiencies when time matters most —during planting, harvest and herbicide application.
Herrington said the early season vigor with PhytoGen varieties is unmatched and allows him to plant cotton early — in late April —so that he can harvest those varieties in September before peanut harvest. Plus, the reliable vigor allows him to save on input costs with lower seeding rates while still getting an excellent stand.
He has substantially reduced his seeding rates in recent years, from 38,000 seed/A to 27,000 seed/A.
“That’s saving 11,000 seed per acre over 2,000 acres —that’s a lot of money,” Herrington said. “You can plant lower populations with PhytoGen and still see the same yield as competitive varieties.”
Because PhytoGen W3FE varieties are tolerant to Enlist ® herbicides with 2,4-D choline, Herrington uses the same sprayer across PhytoGen W3FE varieties and peanuts. He covers more acres with a sprayer, allowing him to make applications at the optimal time and better control weeds.
“We’re able to catch weeds when they are between 3 and 6 inches and get our PGR and insecticides applied more efficiently. Timeliness with those things helps us on yield,” he said.
Herrington said newer PhytoGen varieties have yield potential equal to competitive varieties. He typically aims for 1,500 to 1,600 pounds/A on his irrigated cotton ground.
“I especially like PHY 475 W3FE for Georgia. It fits on a lot of different soil types, and it will be our No. 1 PhytoGen variety next year,” Herrington said.
Judson Herrington
Cotton’s Consumer Connection
Over the past few years, a confluence of economic and political events has negatively affected global textile demand — especially for cotton. Cotton Incorporated knows that one key to growing cotton demand is demonstrating to consumers the importance and relevance of cotton in their everyday lives.
Cotton Incorporated’s research indicates that while consumers know and love cotton, they are often too busy to think about it. In response, Cotton Incorporated has created a new platform to serve up countless opportunities for consumers to engage and interact with cotton as a brand. The new platform focuses on bringing cotton to the forefront, in not only the digital or shopping journey but also the social media conversations being had around style, wellness and sustainability. This marks the start of a fresh marketing era for Cotton Incorporated, packed with more content, more moments and even deeper connections with consumers.
Cotton Incorporated markets directly to consumers to drive demand for cotton products, ensuring that cotton’s message reaches a targeted audience where they receive most of their day-to-day information. The Fabric of Now is Cotton Incorporated's new, always-on, modern marketing platform that lives within The Fabric of Our Lives® — a bold leap into the future of connecting cotton with consumers. The new era of cotton marketing kicked off in 2024 with a series of commercials that ran on TV, streaming and digital channels along with a robust social media companion effort.
Successful marketing efforts make efficient use of limited financial resources by focusing on a target audience that is most likely to buy and engage. Having a target audience ensures efforts are directed where they matter most and where they will likely influence behavior. The new, always-on marketing platform was designed to align with cotton’s target audience. The primary audience is “fashion females” (70% female, 30% male) ages 18 to 34. This audience wants to purchase natural, quality products, and they are influential in their own circles; meaning they share online reviews and tell their friends about products they love.
Cotton Incorporated has learned through extensive consumer research that this age group tends to lead extremely busy and often overwhelming lives and are receptive to messages that convey greater personal connectivity. And while they are more digitally connected than ever, many question how much online time is too much. The Fabric of Now platform is reaching this important market segment where and how they consume media with reminders that cotton is made for the activities of real life and enjoying moments with friends and family.
The Fabric of Now platform emphasizes the importance of slowing down. Today’s younger generation is overwhelmed by
a constant barrage of news, information and screens, leading them to seek moments to take a breath and be intentional in their lives and shopping decisions. For this audience, cotton stands out as the ideal choice — natural, breathable and sustainable — perfect for their need to select products that align with the desire for mindfulness.
These videos interrupt life’s busyness to give the audience a moment to slow down and be intentional, to consider themselves, their surroundings and choose products that serve them well. Cotton is a natural fit in this thematic approach; intentionally choosing cotton for yourself, home and family. Be intentional in cotton.
The new videos were created with purpose. Featuring a charming dog — since consumers tend to respond to ads with pets — highlighting the durability and comfort of cotton sheets and showing trendy young people enjoying a Friday night dinner without being bothered by their phones, the commercials emphasize cotton being part of the relaxation that consumers are craving.
“Every day, we learn more about our audience, fine-tuning our approach to make our connections deeper and more meaningful,” says Anne David, Cotton Incorporated Director of Advertising. “Always-on and just a tap away, Cotton Incorporated is working with you, for you, and alongside you, to keep cotton in demand,” she said.
Cotton Incorporated's Consumer Marketing Department activities and programs are created and implemented to motivate consumers to buy cotton products and to affirm cotton as the first choice among fibers. Each effort is intentionally designed to reach the consumer in a key part of their journey, from inspiring them to think about cotton, to leading them to make cotton purchases. To learn more about Cotton Incorporated’s connection to consumers, visit: cottonboard.org/consumers.
Stacey Gorman is the Cotton Board’s director of communications. Contact her at sgorman@cottonboard.org.
BY STACEY GORMAN WARREN, ARKANSAS
U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol Opens 2025 Enrollment
U.S. cotton growers can now enroll in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and apply for the Climate Smart Cotton Program for the 2025 crop year.
The Climate Smart Cotton Program, led by the Trust Protocol, offers additional financial support with three levels of involvement. Grower Enrollment Specialists are available to provide personalized, regionally specific support, answer questions and guide you through the process for the Trust Protocol and Climate Smart Cotton Program.
Visit TrustUSCotton.org or email info@TrustUSCotton.org to connect with your region’s Grower Enrollment Specialist to learn more.
Deltapine Announces Class Of ’25 Cotton Varieties
The Class of ’25 includes two Bollgard 3 ThryvOn cotton with XtendFlex Technology (B3TXF) varieties and two Bollgard 3 with XtendFlex Technology (B3XF) varieties.
“DP 2537 B3TXF could be a step change up in yield potential in B3TXF varieties, and DP 2541 B3XF, when planted in moderate/high irrigation fields in the Southern High Plains of Texas, has the potential for excellent yields,” said Eric Best, Deltapine cotton product manager. “We brought another nematode-resistant B3TXF variety to market and more products with bacterial blight resistance.”
Bollgard 3 ThryvOn Cotton with XtendFlex Technology DP 2537 B3TXF (evaluated as 23R9143B3TXF) is a midfull maturity variety that shows excellent strength of terminal and has an open canopy.
This variety demonstrated outstanding yield potential in the 2024 New Product Evaluator plots and will be the latest-maturing B3TXF product in the lineup targeted to the lower Mid-South and upper Southeast markets.
More than 60% of Mid-South NPE
Industry News
growers and 85% of Southeast NPE growers who evaluated this product approved its performance and rated it as likely to purchase and plant.
DP 2522NR B3TXF (evaluated as 23R9822B3TXF) is an early to mid- maturity variety offering resistance to both reniform nematodes and bacterial blight.
In 2024 NPE plots, this variety demonstrated stable yield performance potential on reniform nematode-infested fields across its targeted markets of the Coastal Bend of South Texas, the lower MidSouth and the Southeast.
DP 2525 B3XF (evaluated as 23R8027B3XF) is an early to mid maturity variety resistant to bacterial blight and moderately tolerant to Verticillium wilt for Northern High Plains of Texas.
In 2024 NPE plots, this variety demonstrated yield performance on par with DP 1822 XF and DP 1820 B3XF and the potential for improved fiber quality.
DP 2541 B3XF (evaluated as 23R8041B3XF) is a mid-full maturity variety that is resistant to bacterial blight and moderately tolerant to Verticillium wilt.
In 2024 NPE plots, it demonstrated improved yield performance in the higher-yielding environments of the Southern High Plains of Texas over DP 1646 B2XF and DP 2335 B3XF.
The Louisiana Agricultural Technology & Management Conference sponsored by the Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association will be held Feb. 12-14, at Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, Louisiana.
Presentations such as the Endangered Species Act Workplan and Implementation of the Strategies will be given. A legislative update from Governor Jeff Landry’s office will give attendees inside information that will help in decision making on their farms. There will also be a general session dealing with multi-crop agronomics and a general session on soybean best management practices.
Crop-specific breakout sessions on corn, cotton, rice and sugarcane will be held with industry updates scattered throughout. More than 30 of LACA’s sustaining members will be exhibiting, and the majority of these will be participating
in emerging technology presentations during the conference. Technical presentations during meals (breakfasts and luncheons) will be given by our sponsoring sustaining members, and in some cases, special guests will be presenting.
Paragon restaurants, from casual to fine dining, will be open for dinner. This conference provides recertification of consultant and commercial applicator licenses. Certified Crop Advisor CEUs are also available.
The program be accessed at www. laca1.org. Contact Denise Wright, at denise@laca1.org or at 337-945-3694 for further information.
One Ton Club Enrollment Is Open For Qualifying Farmers
BASF invites cotton farmers who yielded one ton or more of cotton during the 2024 season using FiberMax cottonseed to join its exclusive FiberMax One Ton Club, now in its 20th year. Club enrollment is now open, and members have the opportunity to win rewards, including a two-year lease on a Ford Super Duty F-350 Lariat truck.
Applications for the FiberMax One Ton Club can be submitted online, and printed forms will be mailed to qualified farmers. As an added incentive, farmers who attend the FiberMax One Ton Club members banquet in Lubbock, Texas, on April 3 are entered into the truck lease sweepstakes. The deadline to submit the application form is Feb. 28.
To qualify for the FiberMax One Ton Club, farmers must produce a minimum of 2,000 pounds of ginned cotton per acre on a minimum of 20 acres planted with 100% FiberMax cotton from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024.
The FiberMax One Ton Club is open to farmers in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Cotton acreage can be either irrigated or dryland. Farmers must provide an accurate and complete qualification form and gin recap sheets by mail or online by Feb. 28, 2025.
Ginners Marketplace
Showtime In The South Coming Soon!
The 73rd Mid-South Farm and Gin Show is scheduled for Feb. 28 and March 1 at the Renasant Convention Center, Memphis, Tennessee. It features cutting-edge technology, educational seminars, 4-H competition and more. Exhibitors from across the United States will display the latest machinery and equipment, technology and new products and services, representing all Mid-South crops. Tim Price, show manager and executive vice president of show sponsor Southern Cotton Ginners Association, said the show gives attendees an opportunity to see what’s new and gain information critical to farmers and agribusiness.
Ag Update Seminars
Over the years, as agriculture has changed, so has the show.
“Seventy-three years ago, the first Mid-South Farm and Gin Show in Memphis debuted as an educational exhibit, where industry experts could provide their perspectives on what the next year may bring,” he said. “The Show will have over 300 exhibitors with 25% being new exhibitors! This highlights the continuing innovation of products and services in the agribusiness to help farmers cope and improve their capabilities and e iciency in an environment that demands continuing evaluation and adaption.”
COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.
Many segments have been added, including Ag Update seminars featuring market outlooks for cotton and grains, and a broader forecast on issues impacting agriculture.
Price said 2025 is likely to present more challenges and changes farmers will need to address. “There’s something new every day for farmers to integrate in their operations, and we’re faced with navigating a changing environment for the best outcomes of our operations,” he said.
“Farmers are some of the most resilient people, able to adapt and innovate in challenging environments. The 2025 MidSouth Farm and Gin Show will bring it all together in terms of helping attendees understand the far-reaching impacts of geo-political events, federal regulations, and other issues, as well as provide outlooks for the year ahead.”
Ag Update seminars on Friday, Feb. 28, and Saturday, March 1, will provide outlooks for cotton and grains. Joe Nicosia, of Louis-Dreyfus, will headline Friday’s seminar, giving attendees direction on planting and marketing their cotton crop.
Saturday’s seminar features Richard Brock, Brock Associates, who will deliver an outlook for grains and economic policies that may impact agriculture. Both seminars start at 8:30 a.m. in the Cannon Center.
Other Educational Programs Scheduled
Many educational opportunities also exist outside the Ag Update seminars, Price noted.
■ An international trade forum, with AgriCenter International, University of Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Agriculture and others, will feature speakers and industry experts focusing on international trade issues and their impact on farmers and agriculture.
■ AgLaunch uses a farm-centric innovation platform to bring new ideas to agriculture. It will conduct a workshop where in-
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■ A special rice marketing seminar will help rice growers understand the dynamics of rice marketing and the opportunities available.
“All-in-all, we combine under one roof, an array of so much needed information — not to mention the farmer-to-farmer and farmer-to-exhibitors exchange, which is a well-known part of the Show’s history,” Price said.
The Mid-South Farm and Gin Show is sponsored by the Southern Cotton Ginners Association and Foundation. Show hours are Friday, Feb. 28, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, March 1, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A shuttle bus service from The Peabody, Doubletree and other downtown hotels to Convention Center will be available both days.
The popular Saturday night Jamboree (adults only) begins at 9 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at the Peabody Hotel. Music will be provided by The Krackerjacks — the party band of the South.
More information about the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show is available at www.farmandginshow.com.
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My Turn
Vintage Cotton Gin Visit Helps Fill The Gap
Ms. Smith has published me twice on this page (2020 and 2022) and now granted a third and final “My Turn” essay. I state final in that my three siblings and I sold our 188 acres of dryland cotton this past September.
My great grandparents (Dad’s mother’s parents) George and Lucinda Nance had seven children. They left the four girls with 380 acres of raw land each in the Rio Grande Valley, South Texas. The three boys got livestock acreage (cows, sheep, goats), also in Texas.
Dad served in WWII in the U.S. Navy, in the Pacific. I say in the Pacific, as he was in the ocean 14.5 hours off Guadalcanal of the Solomon Islands in 1942 when his Mahan-class USS Preston destroyer was blown out of the water by enemy warship guns. Discharged in 1946 without much in the way of education or skills, somebody made the decision that he would farm the 380 acres belonging to him and his two sisters, who inherited from their mother. A deal was made.
As sort of Rx to treat the hollow spot of no longer owning cotton land, my wife Diane and I went to tiny Burton, Texas, in December. Burton is 85 miles northwest of Houston where we live, pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Founded after the Civil War, Burton grew and thrived like so many Texas towns when the railroad came through. Its population today is 350.
For those who may not know, Burton is the location of the oldest “operating” cotton gin in the country, as a museum today. It began operations in 1914 as a cooperative association of 113 local citizens (mostly cotton farmers) and has been at the same location 110 years. Steam powered the first 10 years, it converted to a diesel engine in 1925.
The 16-ton, 125 horsepower Bessemer engine is the largest of its vintage still spinning today. The gin ceased operations in 1974 and became a museum in the 1990s. New saw blades were installed in 2023 for the five stands. The museum cranks up “Lady B” at least monthly to keep it humming.
The Burton gin averaged 851 bales a season in its 61 years. Texans are a people of superlatives. Besides having the oldest functional gin in Burton, Texas also claims the most productive gin in the United States. The Adobe Walls Gin in the Texas Panhandle can process up to 3,000 bales a day.
“After the sale of our family-owned land, I felt the farm’s absence.”
At the time, he knew as much about cotton farming as he did on firing a 21” torpedo or Mark 12 5”/38-caliber gun when he enlisted in the Navy eight years back. With a new wife partnership, the first two years had good cotton yields — bumper crops in fact.
Texas’ drought of record ran 1950-1957, when almost all of Texas’ 254 counties were declared disaster areas. Our ambitious father had bought and financed more land. With yields next to nothing and notes due, he went under. He gave up farming for the bottle per his failure as a farmer, crumbling marriage and health issues. He died of liver disease in 1966, and mother hired out the land to a local farmer.
From much discussion since mother’s death eight years ago, my three younger siblings and I decided to sell the land to simplify our lives. Although I never worked on our farm, I worked plenty with cotton for others. I stomped, pitchforked in a stripper trailer, pulled a rood (my respirator was a bandana) and ran the trailer suction pipe at a gin. This was all hard and dirty work — no fond memories there.
But, anyway, after the sale, I felt the farm’s absence. I usually managed to tell people where I was from and that we rented our land for cotton farming. Another factor that affected my mindset was parting with land that was family-owned for four generations — a part of our legacy now no more.
The museum grows cotton in a very small patch on the premises. The facility gins and bales cotton once a year, as part of the annual Cotton Gin Festival each April. The museum is open six days a week. A lot of school buses show up during the school year. There are other interesting things to do in Washington County, so make it a two- or three-day weekend.
The state legislature in 2009 designated it as the official cotton gin of Texas. For more gravitas, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Smithsonian Institution, National Trust for Historic Preservation and National Register of Historic Places all recognize the museum.
The town had its annual holiday season arts and crafts festival the day of our visit. This we browsed as well as toured the museum and gin. This was my first visit to Burton, at age 75. We plan to attend the spring event in April when picked cotton will be deseeded and baled.
The vintage cotton gin visit was effective in giving some closure to selling our land. As to the future, my cotton tie-in will be continuing to favor natural cotton fiber for clothing, sheets, towels, etc. Nothing new there.
— Dean Fisher Houston, Texas bdeanfish@gmail.com
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.
Dean Fisher
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