Cotton farming, february 2015

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Cotton Farming

®

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

FEBRUARY 2015

www.cottonfarming.com

FAMILY SUPPORT HELPS JASON WALTZ’S

ONE MAN SHOW

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Always follow IRM, grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. Details of these practices can be found in the Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers printed in this publication. Š2015 Monsanto Company.

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Vol. 59 No. 2

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

FEBRUARY 2015

www.cottonfarming.com

F E A T U R E S

6

10

FULL SPEED AHEAD

12

A MEMPHIS TRADITION

26

GINNING MARKETPLACE

TCGA’s Tony Williams says this year’s trade show in Lubbock has an appropriate theme.

Don’t look now, but the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show is just around the corner. As always, the show will have something for everybody who attends on Feb. 27-28.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY

Dusty Findley of the Southeastern Cotton Ginners’ Association loves to reminisce about the days when gins were smaller, but he also marvels at the productivity of today’s larger gins.

The Good Life

Every cotton producer approaches the crop season in a different way. And you could say that South Carolina producer Jason Waltz falls into that category. He has a new wife Michelle and a larger family now, but that’s a plus for this farmer. He is a one man show when it comes to the job, but he loves the support he receives from his family.

D E P A R T M E N T S

4 Editor’s Note 9 Cotton’s Agenda 18 Specialists Speaking

&

WEB EXCLUSIVE It was a time for nostalgia at the Cotton Consultant of the Year reception at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences in San Antonio.

Cotton Farming Editor Tommy Horton offers a recap of the event plus some memories of the past 16 years. Viewed from any angle, this is a special group of dedicated consultants. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for his report.

C O L U M N S

29 Industry News 30 My Turn

WEB POLL RESULTS

In which of the following ways has your operation benefited the most from precision agriculture and data management? Go to www.cottonfarming.com for the results.

CornSouth ON THE COVER: South Carolina producer Jason Waltz and wife Michelle love their life on the farm.

Photo by Eric Gibson.

Look for the Corn South supplement following page 16 in the Mid-South and Southeast editions of Cotton Farming.

COTTON FARMING (ISSN 0746-8385) is published monthly January through December for $40 per year by One Grower Publishing LLC, 1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, TN 38119. Periodicals Postage paid at Memphis, TN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sunbelt Fulfillment Services, 307 Southgate Court, Brentwood, Tenn. 37027-7987 (Phone: 615-377-3322) (Fax: 615850-5319). International rates are $55.00 in Canada/Mexico, $90.00 in all other countries for air-speeded delivery. Surface Delivery not available due to problems in reliability.

COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2015

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Editor’s Note Tommy Horton

Cotton Farming

®

EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor/Editorial Director Tommy Horton thorton@onegrower.com Senior Writer Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com

Young Farmers Offer New Enthusiasm

W

e have known for a long time that young cotton farmers are different from their fathers in many respects. Maybe that’s a generational fact of life on the farm, but there is no denying that we are witnessing a remarkable transition today in agriculture. The young farmer isn’t afraid of change, and he certainly isn’t intimidated by technology and all of the bells and whistles that go along with it.

I mention all of this because of our cover story on pages 6 and 8 about South Carolina producer Jason Waltz. He and many other young farmers are tackling ag issues with a new approach and perspective. If anything encourages me about the future of agriculture, it’s the way this younger generation has embraced farming. These folks appreciate the past but are forging their own path in the process.

Waltz is like many in his generation. He is aggressive in all aspects of farm management decisions and isn’t afraid to try new varieties or techniques – if they increase yields and fiber quality. I met him at an industry meeting in December, and I was very impressed by his calm but positive attitude.

Maybe it comes with youthful enthusiasm, but Jason isn’t disturbed about low cotton prices. Concerned? Yes. However, he is moving full throttle toward scrutinizing every dollar he spends and finding ways to be profitable. I was particularly impressed when he talked about how he’d love to duplicate the huge yields that producers in the West and Southwest often achieve.

He knows that he isn’t likely to deliver a six- or seven-bale crop anytime soon. But he likes to think big and push the envelope. It never hurts to have dreams that other folks might deem ridiculous. And that is what this next generation of farmers brings to the table. They like to solve their own problems and showcase an independence that is refreshing.

Waltz isn’t the only young farmer with this kind of approach to farming.

Through the years I have met many others with a nearly identical philosophy. They are a rare combination of the old and new. They learned the basics of farming from their fathers and grandfathers. Now, they are involved in their own careers and are fearlessly moving forward.

Keep this thought in mind. No matter how challenging or insurmountable the odds might seem in cotton production, we have young farmers out there ready to do battle. They make the future seem very promising.

So, can Jason Waltz deliver a seven-bale yield someday? Don’t be shocked if he makes it happen.

Southeast Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Art Director Carol Watson

ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher Carroll Smith (901) 767-4020 Sales Manager Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Production Manager Kathy Killingsworth (800) 888-9784 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com Circulation Manager Janet Owens (229) 386-8809

For circulation changes or change of address, call (800) 888-9784

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD David Burns – North Carolina David Lynch – South Carolina Bob McLendon – Georgia Larkin Martin – Alabama Mike Sturdivant Jr. – Mississippi Charles Parker – Missouri Jimmy Hargett – Tennessee Allen Helms – Arkansas Jay Hardwick – Louisiana Ronnie Hopper – Texas Ron Rayner – Arizona John Pucheu – California

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC Mike Lamensdorf PRESIDENT/TREASURER Lia Guthrie PUBLISHER/VICE PRESIDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COOPERATION: Cooperating with COTTON FARMING are various cotton producer organizations across the Cotton Belt. Many representatives of producer organizations serve on COTTON FARMING’s editorial advisory board.

Opinions expressed and conclusions reached by contributors are not necessarily those of the cooperating organizations or the editors. All statements, including product claims, are those of the person or organization making the statement or claim. The publisher does not adopt any such statement or claims as its own and any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher.

Copyright 2015 ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

One Grower Publishing, LLC

If you have comments, send them to: Editor, Cotton Farming Magazine, 1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, Tenn., 38119. Or send e-mail to: thorton@onegrower.com.

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COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2015

1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, Tennessee, 38119 Phone: 901-767-4020

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COVER STORY

S.C. Producer Jason Waltz Grows Cotton As A

One Man Show

BY TOMMY HORTON EDITOR

E

very cotton producer has his own special way of growing the crop each year. You might say that South Carolina’s Jason Waltz has an unusual – but effective – approach. He does it all and rarely relies on anybody else for advice.

In today’s environment where farmers lean on consultants, marketing experts, scouts, entomologists and agronomists, Waltz is a one man show.

He wears all the hats.

Think about that for a moment.

Here is a young farmer who grew up watching his father Glen deliver a crop each year in the St. Matthews area, just southeast of Columbia, S.C. In 2006, Jason starts farming on his own and hopes to put into practice what he learned from his father. In 2012, Waltz’s father then decides to retire and hand over the entire operation to his son. Now, the son is responsible for 1,500 cotton acres and 400 peanut acres.

“Farming has to be in your blood, and that’s how it is for me,” says Jason. “It’s the only thing I have known in my life.

“No matter how difficult things may have been through the years, I have never thought about doing anything else for a career.”

Strong Family Support By any measuring stick, this young farmer has a major responsibility for the foreseeable future. Now, try to imagine a scenario where Jason marries his wife Michelle back in October.

They each have two children from previous marriages, and now there are four children living together in this new “blended family.”

Maybe it’s understandable that Jason is a one man show in his farming career. He certainly has more than enough family support with wife

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Waltz Farm Operation: • 1,500 cotton acres.

• 400 peanut acres.

• Located in St. Matthews, S.C. • DP 1252 B2RF planted in 2014.

• Yields ranged from 1,500 to 1,900 lbs.

• Deltapine NPE farmer since 2006.

• Married to wife Michelle.

• Four children.

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Cotton Consultant’s Corner

Breaking Barriers Dr. Robert Lemon PhytoGen Cotton Development Specialist Dow AgroSciences, East Texas I recently was visiting with some Upper Gulf Coast growers, reflecting on the outstanding cotton crops we’ve made over the past three years.

We’ve had numerous growers break the three- to four-bale per acre barrier – dryland! And even more amazing, in the Blacklands!

So, folks ask me, “Why are we able to make so much cotton these days across East and South Texas?” First, the dreaded boll weevil is no longer in our “management equation.” Rather than manage around the weevil, we’re able to manage the crop and retain the perimeter bolls and the “top crop.” Second, Mother Nature has to cooperate, and the grower has to make good decisions. And last, but certainly not least, it takes the right variety to bring it all together. That variety has been PhytoGen brand PHY 499 WRF. I’m an old-school guy (some people would simply call me old), and, for me, it’s all about consistency. I know what you’re thinking, “Dr. Lemon always talks about consistency.” And you’d be correct.

Why? Because it’s what makes you money year in and year out. Think about the past three years and how they differed. One thing remained the same. One thing remained consistent – PHY 499 WRF. When I first joined Dow AgroSciences in 2011, I focused on “good ole” PhytoGen variety PHY 375 WRF. I also introduced you to PHY 499 WRF and told you it had all the characteristics to become “the dominant player across the Cotton Belt.” Well, I finally got something right – PhytoGen variety PHY 499 WRF has been the No. 1 planted variety in 2012, 2013 and again in 2014.

I wish I could predict the weather this well! The bottom line is PHY 499 WRF consistently performs under challenging conditions.

Introducing PHY 333 WRF I now want to introduce one of our newest varieties, PhytoGen variety PHY 333 WRF. This early maturing variety has exceptional yield potential and superior fiber quality. Planting two or more varieties, especially of differing maturities, makes good agronomic sense. With the addition of PHY 333 WRF and its excellent fiber quality package, we have the perfect complement to the midmaturing PHY 499 WRF. In the South Texas Extension RACE trials, PHY 499 WRF and PHY 333 WRF took the top two positions at four out of five locations. And in the Corpus Christi “Monster” variety trial, PhytoGen occupied six of the top seven positions (PHY 499 WRF, first; and PHY 333 WRF, fourth). Now that’s the measure of consistency.

As you start to make your variety decisions for 2015, focus on the consistent performer and build your variety plan around PHY 499 WRF. And use the early maturing, high-yielding PhytoGen brand PHY 333 WRF as the complement on the balance of your acres.

As a final note, I want to extend a sincere thank you to our loyal growers of PhytoGen cottonseed. And remember: When you think cotton, think PhytoGen.

• BS, MS and PhD in Agronomy – Texas A&M University • Dow AgroSciences cotton development specialist for PhytoGen since 2011 • Past partner and consultant for AgriThority • Past Texas AgriLife Extension professor and state cotton specialist • Recipient of the Extension Cotton Specialist of the Year Award • Recipient of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service Superior Service Award • Dr. Lemon and his wife have two children in college. Lemon enjoys hunting, fishing and watching Aggie football.

Recap: Breaking Barriers

▼

1. Over the past three years, we’ve had numerous growers break the three- to four-bale per acre barrier on dryland.

2. PhytoGen brand PHY 499 WRF consistently performs well under challenging conditions.

3. PhytoGen variety PHY 499 WRF has been the No. 1 planted variety in 2012, 2013 and again in 2014.

4. PhytoGen variety PHY 333 WRF is early maturing with exceptional yield potential and superior fiber quality.

5. PHY 333 WRF’s excellent fiber quality package makes it the perfect complement to the midmaturing PHY 499 WRF. 6. In the South Texas Extension RACE trials, PHY 499 WRF and PHY 333 WRF took the top two positions at four out of five locations.

7. In the Corpus Christi “Monster” variety trial, PhytoGen occupied six of the top seven positions (PHY 499 WRF, first; and PHY 333 WRF, fourth).

Sponsored By

®PhytoGen and the PhytoGen Logo are trademarks of PhytoGen Seed Company, LLC. PhytoGen Seed Company is a joint venture between Mycogen Corporation, an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC, and the J.G. Boswell Company. ©2015 Dow AgroSciences LLC

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Jason Waltz, wife Michelle and their four children enjoy farm life and seem to thrive on a busy daily schedule.

Michelle and four young children back at the house.

“If I make it or lose it, it’s nobody’s fault but mine,” he says with a laugh.

“Like I said, I pretty much do everything by myself on the farm. But it is wonderful to have a wife and family as your support team. It isn’t any fun being by yourself.”

For the record, Jason’s children are:

Fulmer has been with the operation for many years and keeps the farm running when Jason is taking care of major decisions.

Plenty Of Soil Variability One fact is clear about the Waltz farm. It has numerous challenges because of soil variability. Hills and terraces are part of the terrain, and

“As far as I’m concerned, the true cotton farmer will plant cotton no matter how low the price goes.”

– Jason Waltz, Producer, St. Matthews, S.C. son Jase (9) and daughter Jayden (8).

Michelle’s children are: son Cole (9) and daughter Cameron Griffin (6).

A Special Life On The Farm Even though Jason prides himself as a farmer who wears many hats and tackles all of the big jobs by himself, he knows the importance of a strong support team.

“Hey, I help Michelle wash the dishes at night,” he says. “Well, I take that back. She washes them, and I do the drying. I also help fix breakfast in the morning for the kids.”

And what does his wife think about her life as a farmer’s wife with four children in the house?

“Jason is very easy to get along with, and is a very positive person,” she says. “I knew what I was getting into when we got married. This is just our lifestyle, and we wouldn’t change anything about it.”

As independent as Jason is in his approach to farming, he still talks to his father every day. And he relies heavily on assistant Wayne Fulmer and farm worker Federico Hernandez.

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FEBRUARY 2015

about 50 percent of the acreage is irrigated with center pivots.

In order to maximize his yields, he implements a lot of precision ag technology, such as grid sampling and soil sampling. This approach helps in achieving maximum efficiency in the crop’s development. And, yes, he knows that he faces big challenges this year because of low cotton prices.

“As far as I’m concerned, the true cotton farmer will plant cotton no matter how low the price goes,” he says. “I certainly won’t be switching out of it.”

It would also be a fair statement to say that Waltz has benefitted from his participation in the Deltapine New Product Evaluator program. Since 2007, he has tested new varieties on his farm every year.

He is not a farmer prone to planting numerous varieties. Once he decides on one, he pretty much sticks with it until he’s ready to try something else.

For several years, he planted DP 0920 B2RF, and that was his “go-to variety” because it consistently delivered high yields and excellent quality.

In recent years, he has stayed with

DP 1252 B2RF, which he planted in 2014. The yields ranged from 1,500 pounds to 1,900 pounds per acre, and averaged about 1,285 pounds because of dryland acreage involved.

On his best fields, there was the potential for even higher yields, but boll rot problems affected the final numbers. Staple grades hit 36 and 37.

As for being responsible for all farm decisions, Waltz wouldn’t have it any other way.

“That’s the way I like it,” he says.

“But, at the same time, I love having a family and my workers who help me.

“I wake up every morning, and I’m not overwhelmed at all. I try not to take anything for granted and stay on course.”

Contact Tommy Horton at (901) 7674020 or thorton@onegrower.com

County Agent Calls Waltz A ‘High Intensity’ Young Farmer One person who can appreciate the way Jason Waltz farms is county Extension agent Charles Davis, who has worked in the St. Matthews area for 25 years.

He has watched Jason grow up and is impressed at how the young farmer has approached his career.

“He learned a lot from his father Glen, and he’s done a very good job,” says Davis. “He reads as much as he can and is always trying to find good information to improve the crop.”

The veteran county agent doesn’t hesitate in calling Jason “a high intensity kind of farmer.”

“When it’s time to take action, he’s ready to move,” he adds. “Sometimes, I try to throttle him back. He’s just very serious about farming.

And because he makes all of his own decisions, he will admit when he’s made a mistake, and then move on from there.”

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Cotton’s Agenda Mark Lange

Successful Self-Investment U.S. cotton has weathered several storms but also capitalized on many opportunities, and fortunately the industry is prepared to meet the challenges presented by future business climates.

Are you optimistic about the cotton industry’s long-term future?

■ The U.S. cotton industry has and will continue to benefit from an extraordinary self-investment. That investment includes the National Cotton Council of America, U.S. cotton’s central organization that keeps cotton strong in the highly competitive fiber and oilseed markets at home and abroad. This is possible because the NCC is guided by visionary and politically active leaders and a professional staff that manages complex legislative and regulatory issues and oversees highly effective research, education and foreign market promotion programs.

The investment in the NCC, combined with those in its export promotions arm, Cotton Council International, and Cotton Incorporated along with support from major agribusiness allies through The Cotton Foundation, provide a very sound infrastructure for U.S. cotton’s continued good health.

Another reason why I am optimistic is that I’ve witnessed unity among our industry members and the willingness to work toward common goals. I’ve also seen tireless efforts among many leaders who have stepped up Sound trade policy and vigorous export to help the NCC promotion continue to be among NCC priorities. address issues ranging from crop insurance implementation to cotton flow by chairing and serving on various NCC task forces and committees.

Where is the industry’s near-term focus?

■ Priorities include trade policy, environmental and regulatory issues, and, of course, active work on the new farm law’s implementation.

Regarding trade, the NCC will continue to 1) monitor World Trade Organization activity and make known any concerns such as distorting practices initiated by China and India and 2) deal with current challenges such as the Turkish anti-dumping investigation. Export promotion will continue to be a top priority. With Cotton Council International’s recent revitalization and re-launch of its 25-year-old flagship brand – COTTON USA – U.S. cotton is being aggressively positioned in the current competitive world marketplace.

Also requiring the NCC’s attention will be regulatory and environmental matters ranging from defining “waters of the United States” to modification of the existing worker protection standard. The boll weevil and pink bollworm eradication programs, though, are examples of a winwin for industry and the environment.

Additional work is needed but thankfully those efforts are nearing the finish line due to outstanding industry vision, leadership and diligence. U.S. cotton’s future also will be enhanced by the vision that led to the Cotton LEADS™ sustainability initiative that’s raising awareness of the responsible growing practices among U.S. and Australian cotton producers.

What about key staff successions?

■ At the NCC’s annual meeting early this month, I will be succeeded by Gary Adams, the NCC’s vice president of Economics and Policy Analysis. Gary has a thorough understanding of industry issues and will effectively advocate NCC policy positions. Another significant staff change has Reece Langley, former vice president of government affairs for USA Rice Federation, succeeding John Maguire who headed up our Washington operations for three decades. Reece, who has been in place since October, grew up on an Alabama cotton farm and was actively involved in development of the last two farm bills.

Mark Lange is the president and chief executive officer for the National Cotton Council of America.

He and other NCC leaders contribute columns on this Cotton Farming page.

COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2015

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SPECIAL REPORT Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers Commercialization is dependent on multiple factors, including successful conclusion of the regulatory process. The information presented herein is provided for educational purposes only, and is not and shall not be construed as an offer to sell, or a recommendation to use, any unregistered pesticide for any purpose whatsoever. It is a violation of federal law to promote or offer to sell an unregistered pesticide.

‘Full Speed Ahead’ For TCGA This Year

As of October 1, 2014, Bollgard II® XtendFlex™ cotton has been approved for import in Australia, Mexico and Canada. Growers should refer to http://www.biotradestatus.com/ for any updated information on import country approvals.

TCGA EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Only 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 necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization.

B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your Monsanto representative for the registration status in your state.

Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate.

Bollgard II®, Genuity Design®, Genuity®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup Technology®, Roundup® and XtendFlex™ are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Dedicated to Cotton. Committed to You.® and Deltapine® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Company. LibertyLink and the Water Droplet Design® is a registered trademark of Bayer. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2015 Monsanto Company.

DP-15012 CF LC Feb 2015

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2015

BY TONY WILLIAMS

T

he Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association extends to you an invitation to join us at our 108th Annual Meeting and Trade Show in Lubbock, Texas, on April 9-10.

Our theme for this year’s event is “Full Speed Ahead” as we move forward in 2015, which is setting up to be a promising year for the Texas cotton industry.

Our show is the largest gathering of cotton gin equipment manufacturers and other businesses who provide parts or services to the ginning industry. We have visitors each year from the U.S. Cotton Belt and around the world who attend to learn about the latest developments in cotton ginning and to make purchases of equipment or services they need at their gin.

2015 is shaping up to be the most promising year for the Texas cotton industry since the drought started in 2011. Many cotton-growing regions in the state have been receiving good moisture and are poised to have a great start in the production year.

Excellent Outlook In 2015 Texas ginners see the opportunity for a bountiful harvest in the near future and are preparing for what could be record runs for many of them.

The last few years were challenging for Texas ginners and other industry businesses, but they have persisted and made the choices that will allow them to benefit from what we see coming.

The week starts with the Southwest Ginners School, which is conducted at the USDA-ARS Cotton Ginning Laboratory in Lubbock. This school is a collaborative effort of the National Cotton Ginners’ Association, USDAARS, regional ginner associations

and gin equipment manufacturers and industry suppliers.

Many years ago, we moved the school to just ahead of the trade show, so that gin employees could attend both events. This creates a great opportunity to give your full-time employees additional ginning knowledge and for them to see the latest industry developments.

On Wednesday, we have TCGA’s annual golf tournament at Meadowbrook Golf Course, and, depending on the weather, we can have upwards of 300 golfers. The reports we hear are that it’s a relaxed event where you can see friends and have fun.

The trade show starts at 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 9, and is conducted at the Lubbock Civic Center where more than 130 exhibitors will be eager to inform you about their products or services.

The day’s show will conclude with the “Taste of Lubbock” event where you can enjoy food, drink and time to catch up with friends.

Show hours on Friday are from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and during this time Plains Cotton Growers, Inc. has its Annual Meeting, which always includes informative speakers. The day concludes with TCGA’s Awards Dinner and Casino Night at the Overton Hotel. We always look forward to Saturday and the return trip back to our homes.

So, join us in Lubbock in April where we are eager to meet new friends. For more information about the show, visit our website at www.tcga.org.

See you soon.

Contact Tony Williams via email at tony@tcga.org or call the TCGA office in Austin, Texas, at (512) 476-8388.

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Your crops will eat this stuff up.

WATER MOVES IN THROUGH THE COATING

N DISSOLVES INTO SOLUTION INSIDE THE GRANULE

N MOVES THROUGH THE POLYMER INTO SOIL

ESN® SMART NITROGEN® has a unique controlled-release technology that provides season long nourishment to your crops, typically with a single application. The polymer coating reduces the risk of nitrogen loss to the environment, and allows you to apply ESN at up to three times the seed-safe rate of urea. Best of all, it improves crop quality and yield. Get the facts from your retailer, or visit SmartNitrogen.com.

©2014 Agrium Inc. ESN; ESN SMART NITROGEN; AGRIUM WHOLESALE, GROWING TOGETHER logos and designs are all trademarks owned by Agrium Inc. 1/15-41470-CF

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SPECIAL REPORT

Mid-South Farm & Gin Show Everything you need for a profitable 2015 season. Be there when the doors open!

BY TOMMY HORTON EDITOR

I

f you’re a farmer or ginner, this is the time of year for finding new information that can make a difference during the 2015 cotton production season.

And you’d be hard pressed to find a better event to visit than the annual Mid-South Farm & Gin Show in Memphis, Tenn., on Feb. 27-28 at the Cook Convention Center.

You name it, and you’ll probably find it during this two-day extravaganza that showcases a diverse collection of equipment and ag technology. As if walking the exhibit hall for two days weren’t enough to occupy a visitor’s time, Ag Updates and seminars will offer more detailed information.

Tim Price, show manager, says it’s all about delivering a product that is relevant to attendees.

“What we’re saying this year is that technology adoption is no longer discretionary spending,” he says. “Farmers and ginners need to put this into

their budgets. It will help them become more efficient.”

Price says it is obvious that low continued on page 16

Getting Back To The Basics: Conventional Cotton Seed

• Plant Early • Yield More • Make More $ Seed Source Genetics offers COLD TOLERANT, high yield, conventional cottonseed at a low cost to producers in the Mid-South, Southeast and Texas. Our goal is to make cotton farming profitable again.

* New Varieties available from Seed Source Genetics for the 2014 growing season in limited supply. • UA103 • UA222 Varieties • HQ 110 CT • HQ 210 CT • HQ 211 CT Currently • HQ 212 CT • HQ 310 CT • CT Linwood For more information contact:

Booking All Varieties

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Edward Jungmann • 5159 FM 3354 • Bishop, TX 78343 Office: 361-584-3540 Mobile: 361-548-7560 Fax: 361-584-4472

eejungmann@gmail.com www.seedsourcegenetics.com 12 COTTON FARMING

FEBRUARY 2015

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TCGA TCGA Annual Meeting and Trade Show April 9-10, 2015, Lubbock, Texas

FULL SPEED AHEAD – THE BEST WAY TO APPROACH THE 2015 COTTON GINNING SEASON IN TEXAS! This season holds the most promise and potential since the drought began in 2011. That is good news for ginners who depend on what farmers can produce.

So, when you visit this year’s TCGA Trade Show, you’ll find equipment representatives, producers and ginners with a positive attitude about the upcoming season. You’ll also learn about the latest technologies now available to ginners. Could it be a record crop year? Some industry observers think so.

Make your plans now. Don’t miss this year’s show in Lubbock.

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continued from page 12 cotton prices will have an impact on planted acreage in the Mid-South.

However, he points out that producers and ginners still have a desire to learn about new technology.

“It’s very encouraging to see this kind of attitude,” he says. “Our attendees know they need these tools to survive in today’s environment.”

Busy Week Of Activities Although the show will begin on Friday morning (Feb. 27), the festivities actually start on Thursday (Feb. 26) with the Southern Cotton Ginners Association (SCGA) annual meeting at the Peabody Hotel, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Speakers include Pat Westoff (Food Agriculture Policy Research Institute-University of Missouri), Tommy Valco (USDA-ARS) and Gary Adams (National Cotton Council).

Later Thursday night, a big crowd is expected for the SCGA Honors reception and banquet at the Peabody, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Scheduled to be honored are ginner Gregg Sain of Kennett, Mo., Larry Davis (SCGA) and Don Van Doorn (Lummus Corp.).

The show, featuring more than 400 exhibitors representing every state and

16 COTTON FARMING

FEBRUARY 2015

several foreign countries, will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Kicking off each day’s activities is the Ag Update, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Scheduled to speak on Feb. 27 will be Sledge Taylor (NCC chairman), Carl Brothers (Riceland Foods) and Memphis merchant Joe Nicosia (Louis Dreyfus Commodities).

On Saturday morning, Richard Brock (Brock Associates) will present his annual update on grain markets.

Seminars Offer More Information Two special seminars are scheduled for both days of the show.

On Friday at 1:30 p.m. on the mezzanine level, the Mid-South Ag Forum will convene for the second consecutive year. The theme of this presentation will center on successful technology being adopted on the farm. Scheduled to speak are Jason Krutz, irrigation specialist at Mississippi State University, and Trey Koger, researcher and farmer of Belzoni, Miss.

On Saturday at 1:30 p.m., a special rice marketing seminar will be hosted

by Milo Hamilton, co-founder and senior agricultural economist of Firstgrain, Inc.

Mid-South Farm & Gin Show Information • Feb. 27-28 at Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tenn.

• Ag Updates at 8:30 a.m. each day.

• Speakers include NCC chairman Sledge Taylor, merchant Joe Nicosia, Carl Brothers (Riceland Foods) and marketing expert Richard Brock.

• Exhibits open at 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Saturday.

• For more information, contact Tim Price or Andrea Steadman at (901) 947-3104 or go to www.farmandginshow.com.

Price says attendees can pre-register for the show by going to www.farmandginshow.com. They can click on the “attendee registration” button, complete the form and then print it out. They should bring that form to the show to obtain their name badge. Or, they can scan the email document on to their smartphone.

For more information about the show, call the SCGA office at (901) 947-3104.

Contact Tommy Horton at (901) 7674020 or thorton@onegrower.com.

CF0215 Layout_CF 11/13 template 1/15/15 9:48 AM Page 19

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18 20_CF 11/13 template 1/22/15 8:22 AM Page 18

Specialists Speaking Winter Preparation Necessary For ‘15 FLORIDA David Wright

NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins

Winter meetings are starting with producers undecided what to do this year since most of the crops are at a price that would be break even at best with average yields. However, producers tend to be optimistic and are trying to figure out crop mixes to continue good rotations. Many of the new cotton cultivars are capable of 1,500 to 1,700 pound-plus yields with good management and good weather.

Yields in this range can allow producers to make a profit in cotton. Many producers have made high yields and should consider fields that have typically produced high yields in 2015.

Our rotation data indicate that cotton behind peanuts or corn will typically produce 100 to 300 pounds per acre more lint than cotton behind cotton. In addition, peanuts after winter grazing will typically produce 200 pounds per acre more lint than cotton planted into cover crops without grazing or on bare soils. wright@ufl.edu

As mentioned in my last article, I have recently joined the faculty at N.C. State University as Extension Associate Professor for cotton and began my duties on Jan. 5. This position was made possible through a strong effort on behalf of the N.C. Cotton Producers Association, with additional support from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and N.C. State University.

I’m excited to be joining the Cotton Team here and working with NCSU cotton specialist, Dr. Keith Edmisten, and other faculty, as well as county agents and consultants. The primary focus of my new position will be working closely with producers, county agents and consultants to start and implement a robust on-farm variety testing program, along with other on-farm research. This on-farm variety testing program was recently launched at the N.C. Joint Commodities Conferences and will be discussed in detail at the upcoming county meetings in February.

A list of county meeting dates, as well as other important production information, including results from Official Variety Trials, can be found at http://cotton.ces.ncsu.edu/. guy_collins@ncsu.edu

MISSOURI Mike Milam In the last issue of the Cotton and Wool Outlook, Missouri was projected to have 1,097 pounds per acre. This was only nine pounds off of our record yield in 2008. To recap last year, Missouri producers got off to a slow start due to cold, wet conditions.

More than half of our cotton was planted after the optimum planting date.

We had a few bumps in the road during the season, and the heat units were lower than we would have liked, but I wasn’t too concerned because they were very close to what we experienced in 2008. The plant mapping that I did showed we had good boll set and few missing positions. Overall, the harvest season was good.

I just received the January Cotton and Wool Outlook this morning, and now the forecast is 1,117 pounds per acre. If this stands, it is 11 pounds over the old record. At any rate, we will take it. I thought that we had a good crop, but you can’t be sure until you get it out of the field. milammr@missouri.edu

LOUISIANA Dan Fromme At the present time, soil moisture conditions are excellent due to the rainfall that has been received during the past four weeks. When fields begin to dry, Louisiana cotton producers will need to choose a burndown program to control winter vegetation.

Guidelines for managing winter vegetation with herbicides are available by viewing the 2014 Louisiana Suggested Chemical Weed Management Guide. This guide is available in the publications section at the LSU AgCenter website (lsuagcenter.com).

Louisiana cotton producers were vigilant in preventing the spread of herbicide-resistant weeds throughout the state, and now is a good time of year to review key strategies going into the new season. To manage herbicide-resistant weeds and prevent development of resistance, weed scientists at the LSU AgCenter recommend the following practices. Use tillage, cultivation or other possible cultural practices such as crop rotation when possible.

The use of a residual herbicide should always be included in a weed resistance management program. Also use tank mixtures at effective rates with different modes of action. dfromme@agcenter.lsu.edu.

18 COTTON FARMING

FEBRUARY 2015

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson Variety selection is perhaps the most important decision a producer makes. Once planted, no amount of worry, work or money can make up for a poor decision. Our recommendation for planting is that roughly two-thirds of your acres be planted with varieties that are proven on your farm. Of the remaining acres, limit new varieties to no more than 10 percent of your total acreage.

The remaining 25 percent should be dedicated to those varieties in which you have limited experience. This strategy provides stability while allowing for evaluation of new varieties. A number of tools are available to assist in selecting new varieties. The primary source is the University Variety Testing Program. Results from the Arkansas Trials conducted by Dr. Fred Bourland may be found at http://arkansasvarietytesting.com/home/cotton/. County demonstrations are another good source of information and are included with this data set. brobertson@uaex.edu

TEXAS Mark Kelley As cotton harvest winds down with approximately 95 percent of the cotton harvested in the Texas High Plains and Panhandle regions, fiber quality, for the most part, is still holding. Some exceptions due to the winter precipitation include color grades going from mostly 21 to some 31s. Also due to environmental conditions during harvest and lateness of some of the cotton crops, bark content was reported in nearly 25 percent of the approximately 2.3 million bales classed at the Lubbock USDA-AMS classing office and 21 percent of the 947,684 bales classed at Lamesa.

Still, micronaire is holding around 3.9 to 4.3 at Lubbock and Lamesa, respectively. As for other quality parameters, length, strength and uniformity are holding at around 35, 30 grams per tex and 80 percent, respectively. Although the moisture has posed some problems during the 2014 harvest season, it has provided for moisture that should help fill the profile and, if May rainfall is

CF0215 Layout_CF 11/13 template 1/15/15 2:18 PM Page 21

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Specialists Speaking sufficient for planting, most of the region should be in good condition for moisture to carry the crop through early germination and development. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Crop Conferences are kicking off, providing producers with information related to variety performance, disease and root-knot nematode resistant varieties, weed control and insect outlook, as well as valuable information on the 2014 Farm Bill and 2015 market outlook.

For more information, contact the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office, or call me at (806) 781-6572. mkelley@ag.tamu.edu

ALABAMA Charles Burmester On Feb. 1, I will have worked 35 years for Auburn University in northern Alabama. As I have been packing my office and preparing to retire, I once again realize how quickly cotton farmers must change to stay in business. Changes come more quickly now, and new technology and larger equipment are allowing farmers to plant, grow and harvest more acres with fewer people.

Most cotton production questions come to me now by e-mail or cell phone and need an answer that day. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work with many outstanding farmers. I probably learned as much from them as they did from me. Now it is time for me to change. It has been a great ride. burmech@auburn.edu

TEXAS Gaylon Morgan In the Rolling Plains, cotton harvest was extremely prolonged this season due to poor drying conditions and misty rain in much of November and December. Unfortunately, these weather conditions have not accounted for much precipitation accumulation, but every bit helps as the Northern Rolling Plains remain in a severe drought. In early January, as much as 10 percent of the Rolling Plains cotton remained in the field due to poor stripper harvesting conditions in December.

Fortunately, the cotton classed at Abilene has not shown a big dropoff in color or quality characteristics. Some areas had higher than normal leaf levels due to poor defoliation, and some bark contamination has been observed. In South Texas and East Texas, we have received good rainfall this winter. Soil profiles should be nearly full in the Rio Grande Valley and Coastal Bend and saturated in East Texas and the Upper Gulf Coast. gmorgan@ag.tamu.edu

OKLAHOMA Randy Boman The winter months are always the best time for studying and learning the lessons of the previous crop year. Although we are running somewhat behind due to the poor harvest weather pushing plot harvesting later than normal, we should be able to get our variety test results posted online by the time this article goes to print. The year is winding up as the best one in Oklahoma since 2010, although production was significantly constrained by exceptional drought.

In spite of the late harvest in some areas, fiber quality has held up well when examining Abilene Classing Office data for the state. As we move into the near future of new herbicide tolerance, the variety trials conducted across the Belt in 2014 will provide us with our first snapshot of this new germplasm performance.

Based on presentations at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences, it is noted that results from various trials indicate that dicamba-tolerant germplasm performed very well compared to current elite varieties.

We are optimistic that we can continue our trajectory of excellent yield and fiber quality coupled with enhanced weed control. randy.boman@okstate.edu

20 COTTON FARMING

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MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds We have officially rung in a new year; however, producers throughout the country are facing the same dilemma they face every year. In a nutshell, the question I am hearing more than any other is, “What crop can I survive with in 2015?” After several years of relatively favorable markets, recent downturns in prices are making folks sharpen their pencils a little more when figuring budgets and potential profits this year.

Although cotton prices are certainly down like those of many other crops, outstanding yields over the past several growing seasons have at least kept cotton in consideration for 2015. A key to producing the best possible yields is placing the right variety in the right conditions. As everyone knows, varieties are turning over quicker than ever before, so it can be difficult to determine what the right environment is for a given variety given the short life span of modern day varieties.

Use as much data as possible when selecting a variety and be sure to plant several varieties in order to spread your risk. February also brings burndown applications in Mississippi. Most folks have their favorite flavor of herbicides for these applications. However, all have the same goal, and that is to maximize control and minimize cost.

Control of winter weeds is critical as these species may harbor insects that are troublesome to seedling cotton. darrind@ext.msstate.edu.

VIRGINIA Hunter Frame Coming out of the best cotton production year ever in Virginia – 1,239 pounds lint per acre – producers are hesitant because of commodity markets for 2015. Conversations are taking place on what to plant: soybeans, corn, cotton or peanuts? In the cotton production area of Virginia, planting corn can be risky as coastal plain sandy soils with low waterholding capacities can severely limit corn yields in a drought. With three high rainfall years from 2012 to 2014, we are waiting on a dry year to hit sooner rather than later.

That leaves cotton, soybeans and peanuts. High fertilizer and other input costs, coupled with a price near 60 cents per pound of lint, make cotton hard to pencil out compared to soybeans and peanuts. The new Farm Bill is favorable to peanuts, but the contract situation will most likely dictate if cotton acreage will be planted to peanuts.

Next are soybeans, which are cotton’s largest competitor and the state’s largest crop on an acreage basis. A rough estimate is that producers will need to average 1,100 pounds of lint to compete with 40 to 50 bushels per acre for soybeans at current prices. This is not an unreasonable yield if Mother Nature continues to cooperate. The flexibility of Virginia producers allows them to remain economically viable. whframe@vt.edu

NEW MEXICO John Idowu The 2014 cotton season ended very late due to weather conditions. Late-season rain caused regrowth problems, leading to a very late harvest of some fields. Some of the gins in the state were still busy with 2014 harvest in January. Last season’s yield was slightly above average for farmers – especially in southwestern New Mexico.

Some flooded fields recorded severe yield losses. It is difficult to predict cotton acreage for 2015, especially with the current weak prices. Acreage in New Mexico will likely be reduced compared to the 2014 season. jidowu@nmsu.edu

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SPECIAL REPORT

USDA To Invest In Young Farmers

“The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program is critical for cultivating the next generation of farmers and ranchers.”

support for new farmers and ranchers is at www.usda.gov/newfarmers.

Funding for the BFRDP program is authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers.

Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for ruralmade products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/.

– Krysta Harden, Deputy Ag Secretary

USDA’s Communications Department contributed this article.

and ranchers, and at least five percent to projects that serve socially disadvantaged, limited resource or farm worker audiences in the country.

All applicants are required to provide funds or in-kind support from non-federal sources in an amount that is at least equal to 25 percent of the federal funds requested.

Priority Topics For The BFRDP Program

D

eputy Ag Secretary Krysta Harden has announced the availability of more than $18 million in funding to help educate, mentor and enhance the sustainability of the next generation of farmers. This support is available through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP), administered by USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Winning awards from last year’s application cycle will be announced in the near future.

“The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program is critical for cultivating the next generation of farmers and ranchers, who will be integral to sustaining America’s agricultural future,” says Harden.

“Leading community and service organizations are on the front lines when it comes to identifying and training new farmers and ranchers. Strong partnerships with these groups are the key to our success.”

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program awards several grants to organizations implementing programs to train beginning farmers and ranchers, including workshops, educational teams, training and other technical assistance throughout the United States.

Deadline Approaching Fiscal Year 2015 applications for BFRDP are due March 13, 2015.

Eligible applicants are collaborative, state, tribal, local or regionally based network or partnership of public or private entities, including state cooperative Extension service; communitybased and non-governmental organizations; colleges or universities (including institutions awarding associate degrees); or any other appropriate organization providing services to beginning farmers and ranchers.

At least five percent of the funds must go to specific projects that serve military veteran beginning farmers

Special Webinar Offered NIFA will host a webinar for interested applicants on Wednesday, Feb. 11, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (EST). No password or advance reservation is required. A recording will be posted on the NIFA website shortly after the event.

From 2009 to 2012, 145 awards were made for more than $71 million through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. Additional information about USDA

• Basic livestock, forest management and crop farming practices.

• Innovative farm, ranch, and private, non-industrial forest land transfer strategies.

• Entrepreneurship and business training.

• Financial and risk management training (including the acquisition and management of agricultural credit).

• Natural resource management and planning.

• Diversification and marketing strategies.

• Curriculum development.

• Mentoring, apprenticeships and internships.

• Farm financial benchmarking.

• Assisting beginning farmers or ranchers in acquiring land from retiring farmers.

• Agricultural rehabilitation and vocational training for veterans.

• Farm safety and awareness.

• Other similar subject areas of use to beginning farmers or ranchers.

COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2015

21

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VIEWPOINT

Neonicotinoids – Crucial For Cotton

BY DR. PHILLIP WAKELYN CHEVY CHASE, MD. that applying neonics doesn’t improve soy yields. Anyone who knows anything about soy could tell immediately that the study ignored Extension research documenting precisely the opposite. The fact is, neonic yield benefits have meant • hundreds of millions of dollars in additional income to soybean farmers over the last decade, as well as other farmers, including cotton farmers.

Today, EPA is targeting soy production. Will cotton Maryland be next?

The same kind of politicized science in Europe resulted in veryone producing cotton, especially in the MidSouth, remembers the days not so long ago when a ban in the European Union (EU) on neonics at the end of Temik (a carbamate pesticide) was used in our fur- 2013 on the basis of questionable evidence. In December rows as the main line of defense against thrips. 2014, a scandal erupted when a Brussels-based blogger disEveryone knows how careful one had to be to avoid contact covered a “smoking gun” memorandum left on the Internet with the mixture – how hazardous it could be to farmers by a Dutch toxicologist. It detailed a deliberately engineered and workers. Around five pounds of Temik per acre plan by a group of environmentally committed scientists working for a green pressure group, was applied to achieve a good stand the International Union for Conserof cotton. vation of Nature (IUCN) in 2010, to All that changed with the introducproduce a series of papers that would tion of neonicotinoids, or “neonics,” “demonstrate as convincingly as possiwhich selectively target pests while ble” that neonics were causing widegreatly reducing the volume and frespread damage to the environment quency of pesticide applications. Perand had to be banned. acre pesticide load went from around In other words, these “scientists” – five pounds of Temik to a few ounces who were all working for a task force per acre of neonics. Now neonic-coatthat was funded by the EU itself – had ed seeds are planted that pose no already reached their conclusions threat to farmers, workers or farm before any of their studies had even animals AND at the same time probeen started. The ban on the use of tect the cotton from an even wider neonics has already done huge damage array of pests – including wireworms to agriculture all over Europe. In the and plant bugs. Some even suggest UK, for instance, oil seed rape (OSR) that neonics’ impact on cotton producfarmers have lost 43 to 46 percent of tion has been comparable to the highly successful USDA-sponsored boll For several years, neonicotinoids have their crops to the ravenous flea beetle.

While OSR isn’t cotton, the implicaweevil eradication program in the been an important component of U.S. cotton production. tions for the cotton industry are clear. early 1970s.

As a recent study that reviewed data But there are warning signs that this critical tool may soon be lost. Environmental activists from more than 1,500 field studies for all crops from 1993 to have been putting enormous pressure on the Environmental 2014 by AgInfomatics underscored, adverse impacts to the Protection Agency (EPA) to ban neonics, which they claim cotton industry would extend well beyond the farm – to ginare the main culprits in honey bee population declines. The ning, transporting, warehousing and exporting. Without evidence that the insecticides are the main cause is sketchy neonics, cotton farmers would be forced to choose between at best. In fact, this “bee-pocalypse” is complete fiction. Bee reverting to older, discontinued pesticides or shifting to populations were steady in the United States – at about 2.5 alternative crops that provide far less local employment.

America’s cotton farmers need to be heard loud and clear million hives – since before neonics were widely used, and bee numbers are growing around the world. Real world in Washington so that highly questionable concocted “sciexperience and multiple field studies also demonstrate the ence” doesn’t stampede politicians and bureaucrats into neonics pose no harm to bees around the farm. These decisions that could devastate our cotton crops and produce “inconvenient truths,” however, have been lost in the politi- a real “community collapse disorder” in the cotton-growing regions of the country. cal strong-arming going on in Washington.

In October, EPA – co-chair with USDA of the pollinator protection initiative – issued a slap-dash study concluding Contact Phil Wakelyn at pwakelyn@gmail.com.

• Involved in environmental health, safety and oilseed regulatory issues for the National Cotton Council.

• Served more than 35 years as NCC’s Senior Scientist of Environmental Health and Safety.

• Since 2006, he has also consulted on cotton and textile sustainability issues.

• B.S., Emory University; M.S., Georgia Tech; and PhD, University of Leeds (England).

• Co-author and co-editor for several books on cotton.

E

22 COTTON FARMING

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SPECIAL REPORT

Labor Problems Delay Overseas Shipments

BY CHING LEE CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU

C

alifornia agricultural exporters say the ongoing labor dispute between West Coast dockworkers and shippers continues to hamper their ability to send products to their overseas customers, resulting in delayed shipments, increased costs and lost sales.

Work slowdowns and other disruptions at West Coast ports hit exporters especially hard during the last several months – the peak of the holiday shipping season. As months-long contract talks between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association dragged on and cargo backups became more severe, exporters say they heard from many frustrated customers who didn’t receive their products in time for the holidays.

They say truck drivers trying to deliver products to the ports face long waits and often have to turn back because they are unable to get the cargo onto ships. These delays have resulted in demurrage charges, storage fees and other penalty costs.

Increase In Surcharge Costs Pat Andersen, president and CFO of Andersen and Sons Shelling, a walnut packer in Tehama County who ships to markets in Australia, South Korea, Germany, China and the Middle East, noted one of the trucking companies he uses recently doubled its port-congestion surcharge to $300 per container, on top of the regular cost of $1,000 to deliver a container to the Port of Oakland.

If these problems continue, he’s concerned there will not be enough truck drivers willing to make trips to ports “and deal with the nightmare that’s down there.” He noted he’s had to pay more overtime and work weekends to load containers so that trucks could be at the gate right when the port opens.

“A lot of drivers are starting to quit

because they’re just done and tired with it,” Andersen says. “Who wants to go and sit in line for eight hours and not get anything done?”

Tim Merrill, sales and marketing manager of Omega Walnut, a processor and packer in Orland, says transportation costs alone to the Port of

Alternate Markets?

Greg Braun, president of Border Valley Trading, a hay exporter with operations in the Imperial and Central valleys, says finding alternative markets domestically for some of his products would be much more difficult. He noted that while alfalfa hay can be

Labor disputes at West Coast ports are causing delays in shipment of products.

Oakland have increased 25 percent.

The backlog has become so serious that he’s had to adjust his production schedule and stop packing because he hasn’t been able to ship enough product out, and he’s run out of room at his facility. He says off-site storage has been cost-prohibitive and problematic, but adds, “there will come a point when I will have no choice.”

“What that means is our costs go up,” Merrill says. “I can’t raise those costs this year because I made a commitment to my growers, but I’ll have to recover that loss.”

Due to problems at the ports, Andersen says he’s shifted more of his business to the domestic market.

“I have to move a certain amount of product every day so I can get paid, so I can turn around and pay my growers,” he says. “If I can’t ship as much product out because of the slowdown at the port, then that means I don’t get as much money in, which means I can’t pay my growers on time.”

moved to other markets, some specialty products such as straw and grass hay are suited for very specific export markets. He estimated the port slowdowns in Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland have cost him more than $4 million in losses during the last two months.

For those trying to ship fresh citrus, port congestion has become “a bigger problem” now that peak export season is ramping up, says Bob Blakely, vice president of California Citrus Mutual.

He says he’s heard from various shippers who have had orders canceled due to disruptions at West Coast ports.

Citrus usually ships out of Long Beach and Oakland. The fruit is kept in refrigeration and is typically on the water for two to three weeks; therefore, a delay of an extra week “can make a big difference,” Blakely says.

Ching Lee is an assistant editor of California Farm Bureau’s Ag Alert.

Contact her at clee@cfbf.com.

COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2015

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BELTWIDE

COTTON CONFERENCES

Consultants Honor NC’s Stan Winslow degrees from Iowa State University and a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin.

The Joint Cotton Breeding Committee, comprised of representatives from state experiment stations, USDA, private breeders and National Cotton Council, establishes the award’s criteria each year.

Stan Winslow (center), 2014 Cotton Consultant of the Year, receives a plaque from Syngenta’s Josh Kelley while Cotton Farming Publisher Lia Guthrie looks on.

S

tan Winslow of Belvidere, N.C., winner of the 2014 Cotton Consultant of the Year (CCOY) award, was honored by his peers at a special reception last month at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences in San Antonio.

A crowd of more than 150 attended the event at the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel. The award is co-sponsored by Cotton Farming and Syngenta.

Winslow and his wife Lou Ann, along with nine family members, were in attendance. Publisher Lia Guthrie joined Syngenta’s Josh Kelley in presenting the traditional CCOY winner’s green jacket and special plaque to Winslow.

“I have to say that this is easily the highlight of my career,” Winslow said in accepting the award. “It’s just a very special honor to be a member of this group of previous winners.”

Winslow is the president of Tidewater Agronomics, which he started in 1998. He also is a past president of the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants and the North Carolina Ag Consultants Association.

The CCOY award program was begun in 1981.

Guy Collins Named Top Specialist Guy Collins, Extension associate professor at North Carolina State University, is the 2015 Extension Specialist of the Year.

24 COTTON FARMING

FEBRUARY 2015

Collins recently accepted his new position in North Carolina after serving in a similar capacity in Georgia for the past five years.

Bayer CropScience has sponsored the award since 2008.

Prior to his recent transition back to North Carolina, Collins spent the majority of his time working at the University of Georgia’s Tifton campus.

That is where he supported and educated the state’s producers on the latest cotton management techniques, as well as providing them with relevant research information.

The award and specialists’ dinner have been fixtures at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences since 1984.

Scheffler Wins Genetics Award Dr. Jodi Scheffler, a geneticist with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, is the recipient of the 2014 Cotton Genetics Award.

Scheffler, based at the Jamie Whitten Delta States Research Center in Stoneville, Miss., currently is lead scientist of a project aimed at developing ultra-early Verticilium-resistant elite lines. She received a plaque and monetary award.

Prior to joining USDA-ARS in 1999, Scheffler conducted post-doctoral studies and worked as a scientist and technical consultant at institutions in Germany and the United Kingdom.

She earned her bachelor’s and master’s

Snider Wins Physiology Award University of Georgia Assistant Professor John Snider has received the Outstanding Young Cotton Physiologist award for 2014.

The prestigious national honor was awarded to Snider primarily for his work on alternate irrigation methods.

Snider received a plaque and $1,000 award from Dow AgroSciences, sponsor of the program.

Bayer Announces Four Varieties Bayer CropScience has announced four new FiberMax and Stoneville cotton varieties for the 2015 season.

FM 1900GLT – This variety offers the newest FiberMax germplasm for the High Plains and Rolling Plains of the Southwest for producers who are looking for excellent storm tolerance, high yields and excellent fiber quality. It is a GlyTol LibertyLink TwinLink variety with full tolerance to Liberty herbicide and glyphosate, plus broad-spectrum lepidopteran insect protection with two Bt genes.

FM 2007GLT – This is a new variety bred specifically for south Texas, but it has shown wide adaptation for the Rolling Plains. It is an earlymedium maturity GlyTol LibertyLink TwinLink variety with excellent water-use efficiency and storm tolerance.

ST 5115GLT – This variety is geared toward the Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast and responds well to irrigation and has a high lint turnout. It has excellent vigor, which is advantageous for a geography that sometimes faces cool, wet springs. It also features GlyTol LibertyLink TwinLink technology for full tolerance to Liberty herbicide and glyphosate, plus broad-spectrum lepidopteran insect protection with two genes.

ST 6182GLT – This is a full-season variety bred for the Southeast, south Delta, southeastern Texas and Mid-Atlantic regions. It has the ability to fight through long, unpredictable growing seasons and deliver high lint turnout. It is well adapted for dryland and irrigated acres on light or heavy soils. It also offers GlyTol LibertyLink TwinLink technology.

CF0215 Layout_CF 11/13 template 1/15/15 2:21 PM Page 25

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COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.

Gins’ Objective: Doing More With Technology Fall and winter are probably my favorite times of the year. The obvious stuff aside – trees changing, a nip in the air and football – I love the harvest. The time of year where all the work farmers and ginners have done since the last harvest comes together. I love watching the marvels of engineering do what they were designed to do – make money. It’s also a time I wax a bit nostalgic. I think about all that has changed in our industry over the years, and how gins are doing so much more with less.

I admit that I don’t get to the field and in the gins nearly as much as I would like to. There always seems to be another article to write, meeting to attend or crisis that needs resolving.

However, during the last few years, I’ve made it a point to visit gins during the fall. It never ceases to amaze me the changes in technology year-to-year and the increased rate at which that technology is being adopted.

Nostalgia Of Small Gins I’ve been working directly with ginners for about 25 years now, and the area of the country in which I started working had a LOT of small, older gins. These gins ranged from seven bales per hour to 30 bales per hour with an average near the 12- to 15-bale range. The biggest of those gins back then did 30,000 bales or so, and many ginned less than 5,000 bales.

Even the smallest gins had 10 to 15 workers for each shift. There are a number of those gins still around, and they provide a GREAT service to their customers and may put out the best samples in the industry. But, the pressures of the economies of scale seem to have taken a toll on those small local operations.

As I’ve talked to some of my members in recent weeks and even years, I’ve commented on the technology that has found its way into our business.

26 COTTON FARMING

FEBRUARY 2015

Everything from apps on cell phones to touch screen glass control panels (only a couple of physical buttons to run the whole gin) have become more commonplace. Its just scary. The one thing that almost everyone has told me when I ask about these goodies is that they felt like they had to go this route. Not that they wanted or even needed to gin faster than the guy down the road, but the pressures of labor, quality and availability dictated decisions.

Impressive Advancements What used to be handled by two or three gin plants is now handled by one or two gin stands. What previously required 40 buttons (or more) and a good bit of training can now be done with a touch screen and PLCs and very little training – meaning the gin can do more now with less.

The one area that has continued to need a lot of labor is the press. It is seeing big changes as well. Over the

past few years, we’ve seen a number of changes in tying bales. Bagging bales and pulling samples have slowly but surely eliminated employees on the press as well as allowed the gin to run more with even less.

Now we have 40 or even 60 bale perhour gins being run with less than 10 employees on a shift. A gin that runs 80,000 bales may only have 25 or so employees. When my great-grandfather owned a gin in South Carolina in the 1930s and 1940s, I’m sure he never could have imagined a single gin stand that could process more than the whole county’s production where he lived.

Maybe I’m just getting old. In some ways, I do miss the old gins. You could hear the seed roll spinning on the gin saw teeth almost singing. The suck pipe was swinging in a trailer. Then again, I don’t miss banging my head or having to climb over one machine to get to another because everything was shoehorned into a tiny box. If you ever

26 27 28_CF 11/13 template 1/20/15 8:45 AM Page 27

swung a suck pipe, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d know it was more art than science and could work even a strong kid to death. No, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss that at all.

Things change. We see it all around us, and change can be good. I become nostalgic sometimes and miss those â&#x20AC;&#x153;good old days,â&#x20AC;? but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so proud to be part of an industry that has had the ability and flexibility to see the need to change and adapt. It is these changes and adaptations that will keep us moving forward â&#x20AC;&#x201C; allowing us to do more with less and continue to lead the rest of the world.

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We know gin machinery and the conditions in which it has to perform, and our brushes and channel saws are manufactured to an exacting standard for the modern cotton gin.

Dusty Findley of the Southeastern Cotton Ginnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association contributed this article. Contact him at dusty@southern-southeastern.org.

Cottonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Calendar 2015 Feb. 6-8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; NCC Annual Meeting, Memphis, Tenn.

Feb. 19-20 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; USDA Ag Outlook, Washington, D.C. Feb. 27-28 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mid-South Farm/Gin Show, Memphis, TN. April 9-10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; TCGA Trade Show, Lubbock, Texas.

May 13-15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ACSA Meeting, Santa Barbara, Calif.

Aug. 24-26 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; NCC Board Meeting, Charleston, S.C. Sept. 16 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Staplcotn Annual Meeting, Greenwood, MS. Sept. 16 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PCCA Annual Meeting, Lubbock, Texas.

Oct. 21 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PCCA Board Meeting, Lubbock, Texas.

Nov. 18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PCCA Board Meeting, Lubbock, Texas.

Dec. 16 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PCCA Board Meeting, Lubbock, Texas.

Come see us at the Mid-South Gin Show

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28 COTTON FARMING

FEBRUARY 2015

29VABC_CF 11/13 template 1/20/15 3:41 PM Page 29

Industry News PhytoGen Introduces New Varieties For 2015

• PHY 725 RF

Bayer Expects Registration Of Insecticide/Nematicide

• PHY 755 WRF • PHY 805 RF

PhytoGen has announced its lineup Bayer CropScience anticipates the For more information, go to of new cotton varieties for 2015, and www.phytogen.com. registration of its newest insectithey will have three-gene insect trait cide/nematicide for the 2015 cotton and technology and industry leading rootpeanut season in the Southeast. Velum BASF Ready To Launch knot-nematode (RKN) and bacterial Total insecticide/nematicide will delivEngenia Herbicide blight resistance. er wide spectrum control of nematodes Cotton and soybean producers will and early season insects.

One of the most broadly adaptable new varieties being launched with out- gain a new tool for controlling more Velum Total is a blend of active standing yield potential is PhytoGen’s than 190 broadleaf weeds, including ingredients that work together to comkey glyphosate-resistant weeds.

PHY 333 WRF. bat nematodes and stop insect damage.

USDA has announced deregulation Applied in-furrow at planting, univerThis variety is an early to midmaturing option with excellent fiber of a dicamba-tolerant trait for cotton sity trials show that Velum Total enquality and high hances root health yield potential, and helps establish especially on irristrong early season gated, fertile soil. growth, decreasing PhytoGen’s the need for addiPHY 495 W3RF tional foliar sprays is the first threeto control damaging gene Bt product insect pests. on the market, an A full launch is excellent option expected in 2016. for producers conFor more informacerned with yield tion, go to https://losses due to cotwww.bayercropton bollworm. science.us/prodPhytoGen’s ucts/insecticides.

PHY 417 WRF and PHY 427 Dow Announces WRF are early to mid-season va‘Transform My rieties that feaCommunity’ ture full rootContest knot-nematode PHY 333 WRF. WRFF. For outstanding yield potentia t ti Cotton farming is resistance. Both pick this broadly adaptable variety in our lineu more than a job. It’s are short-season Contact your sales rep at 800-258-3033 or vis a way of life deeply varieties that fearooted in communiPhytoGen.com to learn more. ture strong yield ty. Transform WG potential and insecticide from fiber qualities.

Dow AgroSciences PHY 417 WRF is helps protect cotton best suited for The PhytoGen Logo is a trademark of PhytoGen Seed Company, LLC. DOW Diamond and the WideStrike Logo are trademarks of yields and the rich The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. PhytoGen Seed Company is a joint venture between Mycogen Texas and OkCorporation, an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC, and the J.G. Boswell Company. L38-076-131 (08/14) BR 010-34789 DAAGPHYG4057 heritage of cotton lahoma while farming. Now it can PHY 427 WRF help transform one fits the Midlucky winner’s community. Dow and soybeans, which clears the way for South and Southeast.

PhytoGen is also introducing the the introduction of Engenia herbicide AgroSciences will provide a $10,000 award to help make the winning first early season variety for West from BASF. Engenia herbicide will control the idea happen.

Texas, PhytoGen PHY 222 WRF. It’s “Transform My Community” is open the earliest maturing variety in toughest broadleaf weeds post-emerthe lineup, specifically bred for consis- gence in dicamba-tolerant cotton to cotton producers and cotton consultants. They are encouraged to tell their tent high yield potential along with and soybeans.

A registration decision by the U.S. stories about why a charity or organistorm tolerance.

Many PhytoGen varieties are re- Environmental Protection Agency zation would benefit from a $10,000 (EPA) for Engenia herbicide is donation on behalf of the winner. turning for 2015, including: The contest is co-sponsored by anticipated soon.

For additional information on BASF Cotton Farming magazine. Deadline • PHY 339 WRF Crop Protection products, interested for entries is March 31.

• PHY 367 WRF For additional information, consulpersons may contact their sales repre• PHY 375 WRF sentative or visit the company’s web- tants and producers can visit www.• PHY 499 WRF TransformMyCommunity.com. site at http://agproducts.basf.us.

• PHY 575 WRF ®

®

COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2015

29

30_Don Cameron My Turn #2 1/19/15 12:31 PM Page 30

My Turn The Time Is Now

A

nother bearish couple of weeks in China at more CCI events as cotton supply and well as a National Cotton Council Leadership demand report is Exchange Program. It is hard to beat scorpions released and on- and donkey for lunch at China’s largest textile going issues continue with mill with the great Ronnie Lee or seeing Cannon Turkey – our second lar- Michael sing karaoke in some small “out of the gest market. Cheap oil way town” of nine million people. As a group, we means cheaper polyester. saw firsthand the advantages U.S. cotton brings A generation of our great- to the world’s largest cotton consumer.

The bad news from the road was nothing new. est leadership is retiring in Phil Burnett, Mark Lange, The world’s two largest importers of cotton are Jordan Wally Darneille and John China and Bangladesh. India has now surpassed Maguire – not to mention us as China’s largest supplier. Our market share Lea others. Cotton has dipped in Bangladesh has slipped below 10 percent. A pribelow 60 cents per pound, mary reason is our inability to land the volumes of and the Commerce Department reports slumping cotton required in a prompt and timely manner. retail sales. It feels like the entire world has Trade rules and risk management require that drawn a bead on my most important commodity, buyers open a letter of credit before cotton can and the one I cannot live without, the U.S. cotton even be shipped. Often it is three to four months producer. Things are tough all over. Fortunately, before U.S. cotton arrives. This hampers the industry’s ability to this is a familiar envisell cotton to our ronment for us. ‘...U.S. cotton is still most important marIt is a privilege to folkets as the time low Phil Burnett this the fiber of choice.’ delays can become month, but it is bittervery costly. sweet to see him go. He I don’t know the solution to the issue of cotton touched last month in this column on something that nobody can deny. This industry’s ability to flow, but I know that there is one. I also know that innovate is its secret to success. As president of the future of our industry depends on it. My opinCotton Council International (CCI) during this ion would be that the revenue model for our warelast year and also president of the International house industry has to tip towards paying the serCotton Association (ICA) since October, I have vice provider to ship cotton as opposed to paying seen the vital role the U.S. cotton industry plays him to store it. I understand that it is not a simple in today’s world. My CCI Cotton Days trip to notion. At the end of the day, we have to be able to Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand fully illus- ship cotton to our customers when they need it.

I also know that the industry requires an indetrated the importance of continuing to push cotton pendently owned and operated warehouse system as the pure and responsible choice that it is.

The good news from the road is that U.S. cotton that is at the point of production whether it be is still the fiber of choice. Without fail, in every stand-alone warehouses or gin-owned and operatmarket we were applauded for the quality of our ed facilities as it is too expensive to warehouse cotton, the level of our bale packaging, the PBI elsewhere. All in this industry need the opportunisystem as well as the very consistent job that the ty to enjoy and experience prosperity. As competiUSDA does with classing. No other country can tion for acres continues to mount, now is the time offer the opportunities and advantages that U.S. to make sure that U.S. cotton remains the most cotton brings. There were consistent and disheart- competitive cotton from every angle – whether it ening grumbles about contamination, but I think is quality, price, service or innovation. the necessary national interest groups are – Jordan Lea, Greenville, S.C. addressing this issue. jlea@easterntrading.net During June, I was lucky enough to spend a Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling unusual “farm tales” or timely stories from across the Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting story to tell, send a short summary to thorton@onegrower.com or fax to (901) 767-4026. We look forward to hearing from you.

30 COTTON FARMING

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CF0215 Layout_CF 11/13 template 1/15/15 2:21 PM Page 27

There’s nothing like the feeling of heading out to your field in your favorite shirt. The one that just feels right. That’s what it’s like to grow PhytoGen® cotton. It’s about the reassuring sight of our early vigor. It’s about relying on our consistent yield. It’s about feeling comfortable knowing you’ve made the right choice.

800-258-3033 PhytoGen.com ® PhytoGen and the PhytoGen Logo are trademarks of PhytoGen Seed Company, LLC. ®DOW Diamond and the WideStrike Logo are trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. PhytoGen Seed Company is a joint venture between Mycogen Corporation, an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC, and the J.G. Boswell Company. L38-076-118 (09/13) BR 010-34388 DAAGPHYG3072

CF0215 Layout_CF 11/13 template 1/16/15 11:12 AM Page 36

New Product Evaluator

Billy Elliott | Lake Village, AR

Always follow IRM, grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions.

Details of these practices can be found in the Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers printed in this publication. Š2015 Monsanto Company. DP15012-CF-DE-1555, 1311, 1034-Elliott-FEB