Cotton farming april 2016

Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

APRIL 2016

www.cottonfarming.com

KBH CORP. — 67 YEARS AND COUNTING MY TURN: COTTON HARVEST, ‘WINNER’ SUCKERS

A ‘SILENT KILLER’ DROUGHT, WATER REALLOCATIONS TAKE TOLL ON CALIFORNIA COTTON

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Vol. 60 No. 4

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

APRIL 2016

www.cottonfarming.com

F E AT U R E S

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KBH Corp. attributes success to decades spent listening to its customers.

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SCGA AWARDS

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INCREASED DIVERSITY

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GINNING MARKETPLACE

Ginner of the Year, A.L. Vandergriff Pioneer Award and the SCGA Memorial Scholarship were presented at the SCGA Honors Banquet.

New appointments bring more diversity to the makeup of The Cotton Board.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY

Ross Rutherford, with Lummus Corp., talks about “Getting ‘Back To Basics.’”

A ‘Silent Killer’

SUPPLEMENTS

Drought and environmental water reallocations are taking a toll on California cotton. Signs like the one above are common throughout the Central Valley. Some acres have also been lost to nuts and other commodities like processing tomatoes. In spite of these challenges, California growers are expected to plant 201,000 cotton acres this year, including 155,000 acres of Pima varieties.

TCGA Annual Meeting and Trade Show

#RockCottonTexasStyle

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

April 7-8, 2016 Lubbock, Texas

TX1

4 Editor’s Note 10 Cotton’s Agenda 13 Industry News

16 Specialists Speaking 22 My Turn

ON THE COVER: Chad Crivelli is a diversified row-crop producer near Dos Palos, Calif.

Cover photo by Vicky Boyd.

Water Conservation and Profitability Award The Water Conservation and Profitability Award recognizes a Texas or Oklahoma cotton producer who successfully utilized and managed a profitable conservation water strategy during the 2015 growing season, using a subsurface drip irrigation system (SDI) and meeting other criteria as detailed in the guidelines. This award is sponsored by Eco-Drip and Cotton Farming magazine.

COTTON FARMING APRIL 2016

FIREWORKS DESIGNED BY FREEPIK.COM

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67 YEARS AND COUNTING

Cotton Farming

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Look for the TCGA Annual Meeting and Trade Show program and Eco-Drip’s Water Conservation and Profitability Award in the Texas and Oklahoma editions of Cotton Farming.

WEB EXCLUSIVE Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, Texas AgriLife Extension Service specialist, discusses the importance of reviewing and updating your estate plan in her Texas Agriculture Law Blog. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.

COTTON FARMING (ISSN 0746-8385) is published monthly January through December by One Grower Publishing LLC, 6515 Goodman Rd., Box 360, Olive Branch, MS 38654. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, Tenn. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Omeda Communications, Customer Service Department, P.O. Box 1388, Northbrook, IL 60065-1388 (Phone: 847-559-7578) (Fax: 847-564-9453). Annual subscriptions are $40. International rates are $55 in Canada/Mexico, $90 in all other countries for air-speeded delivery. Surface delivery not available due to problems in reliability.

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COTTON FARMING APRIL 2016

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Editor’s Note

Cotton Farming

Carroll Smith

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

Humble Achievers Give Credit To Others

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his month I had the pleasure of interviewing award winners, company managers and people in leadership positions in industry organizations. All are very successful in their careers. You would think with these personal accomplishments that it would be all about them. But that is not the case. Every one of them gave credit to others for any success they have achieved.

Barry Street, who was chosen by the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association as the Ginner of the Year, says one big factor that influenced his decision to buy a local, independent gin in 1988 was it came with two seasoned ginners — Jesse Munoz and Sammy Zarate.

“In 1988, I knew how to raise cotton, but these men taught me how to run a gin,” he says. “After Jesse retired, we hired Zack Trevino seven years ago. He attended the Ginner Schools and has learned a lot from Sammy’s experience and is knowledgeable about the newer technology.

And our ginner’s assistant, Lazaro Morales, has been here for 15 years and helps keep things in top shape. I also appreciate Velma Hartzog — my secretary who has been here since Day One and knows my business better than I do.”

Street also thanks his wife, SuDe, for doing whatever is needed to keep the farming and ginning operation running smoothly and for patiently enduring the long hours he has to spend away from home. He credited his son, Chase; his father, Billy; his uncle, Dale; industry organizations; the TCGA staff; and many others. He never once said, “Yes, you’re right, it was all me.”

Tim Tenhet, sales manager at The KBH Corp. in Clarksdale, Miss., says, “Many coffee hours are spent discussing what we can do better or differently, but ultimately, it is our customers who are telling us how they need the equipment to perform. That’s where the ideas come from. We are always open to listening to our farmers and dealers.”

And Jamey Deusterhaus, the recipient of the first Water Conservation and Profitability Award, gives credit for his success to the gifts of God, his family and good landlords. “We rely on Him more than we think we do, and my landlords support me and want me to succeed as well,” he says. “And I couldn’t be here without my dad and brother. The lessons learned from family stick with you and help you become a better farmer.”

These men, along with several others with whom I spoke, have much to be proud of in their careers. And, across the board, all are quick to remove the mantle of success from their shoulders and bestow accolades on others.

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

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COTTON FARMING APRIL 2016

Southeast Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Art Director Ashley Kumpe ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher Carroll Smith (901) 326-4443 Sales Manager Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Production Manager Kathy Killingsworth (901) 767-4020 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com Circulation Manager Charlie Beek (615) 377-3322 For circulation changes or change of address, call (847) 559-7578 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 2016 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

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COVER STORY

A ‘Silent Killer’ California’s drought and environmental water reallocations take a chronic toll on cotton.

BY VICKY BOYD MANAGING EDITOR

For 2015, the drought had an economic impact on the state’s agriculture of $2.7 billion, according to a research project led by Richard Howitt, a University of California, Davis, professor emeritus of agricultural economics.

Cotton Falls Victim To Drought At its peak in 1979, California’s cotton plantings occupied 1.6 million acres. This year, the state’s growers are expected to plant 201,000 acres, including 155,000 acres of extra-long staple or Pima varieties, according to a National Cotton Council planting intentions survey.

That’s still an increase from 2015, when California growers planted about 162,000 acres of cotton, including about 116,000 acres of Pima, according to figures from the California Pink Bollworm Program.

The number of cotton gins throughout the San Joaquin Valley also has fallen from a high of 299 in 1963 to just 29 today. But Roger Isom, president and CEO of the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association, says those numbers are a bit deceiving because modern gins are much more efficient than those from a few decades ago.

“We have much higher capacity gin stands today,” he says.

Signs like these are common throughout the Central Valley.

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COTTON FARMING APRIL 2016

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VICKY BOYD

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ver since he was 3 years old, Chad Crivelli — a diversified row-crop producer near Dos Palos, Calif. — has wanted to be a farmer. But California’s 5-year-old drought coupled with mandated irrigation delivery cutbacks have dampened this 36-year-old producer’s enthusiasm for the profession.

“This year is the first time ever that I don’t want to be a farmer,” says Crivelli, who farms with his father, Bill Crivelli, as well as on his own in Merced County.

But he is not alone. Faced with uncertain water supplies, farmers throughout California have been strained economically and increased fallowed acres by nearly 60 percent during the past four years, according to a NASA study.

In 2015 alone, the project documented more than 1.03 million acres in the California Central Valley that were left unplanted throughout the year, an increase of 626,000 acres compared to 2011.

The top six counties in 2015 by total fallowed acreage were Fresno, Kern, Kings, Tulare, Merced and Yolo. And both Fresno and Kings counties recorded increases in fallowed acreage of more than 95,000 acres apiece compared to 2011.

Twitter: @CottonFarming

VICKY BOYD

Zero Allocations The New Norm Industry leaders and growers point to a number of factors that conspired to create the proverbial perfect storm against cotton, beginning with the 1987-1992 drought.

During that period, both state and federal water contractors reduced deliveries to agriculture.

Even as a wet winter broke the dry spell, the 1992 Central Valley Project Improvement Act permanently redirected at least 800,000 acre-feet of water away from agriculture for environmental uses. And much of that water was formerly used to irrigate farmland on the San Joaquin Valley’s Westside. (An acre-foot, about 326,000 gallons, can meet the annual water needs of a family of four to five.)

On top of environmental water requirements, the current 5-year-old drought has reduced overall statewide water supplies. On March 1, statewide reservoir storage stood at about 11.9 million acre-feet or 66 percent of historic average for that date, according to California Department of Water Resources data. March 1 snowpack surveys were only 90 percent of historic average for that date, with typically the wettest months already passed.

For both the 2014 and 2015 seasons, the Bureau of Reclamation made zero water allocations to federal water contractors — including those on the Westside — south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

As of press time, the bureau had not announced allocations for 2016. But Johnny Amaral, deputy general manager of external affairs with the Westlands Water District west of Fresno, says they’ve been told to expect zero deliveries for the third straight season.

The last year for which Westlands’ growers received substantial surface supplies was 2011, when an unusually wet winter permitted the bureau to deliver 80 percent of contracts.

Amaral says the continuing drought is only a small part of the equation, pointing to the state’s reservoirs that were built to store water during wet years for use during dry periods. Instead, he places most of the blame on the CVPIA, the Endangered Species Act and biological opinions for protected fish.

“The travesty of all of this is we were above 100 percent (snowpack) or more in January,” he says. “February was a dry month and we lost some of that when all of that runoff was coming off. Instead of taking advantage of that, (the state and bureau) let over 700,000 acre-feet flow into the ocean just because of the biological opinions. It just defies logic and common sense.”

Because of environmental mandates, Amaral says the state could lose up to 2 million acre-feet of water this year.

Isom agrees. “The drought hurt us, but it’s not the only thing. We lost some acres to nuts and we lost some to other commodities like processing tomatoes. But far and above, it is the biological opinions.”

Between 2005 and 2009, when the biological opinions were being implemented, cotton production dropped to 190,000 acres from 667,000 acres. And Fresno County alone went from being the top producing county in the nation to No. 75, Isom says.

The loss of water supplies has spurred California cotton producers to become even more efficient than they were, he says. Producers today routinely harvest more than 3 bales per acre, using 2 to 2.5 acre-feet of water supplied by buried drip irrigation.

“It’s forced us to be innovative and find ways to get by with less water,” Isom says.

Chad Crivelli is a diversified California row-crop producer.

Trying To Weather Cutbacks Dan Errotabere, managing partner of the family owned Errotabere Ranches in Riverdale, says he expects zero deliveries from the federal water project. Because of winter-planted garlic, he had to make planting plans last fall and settled on about the same acreage for row crops as the previous season.

Errotabere Ranches weathered the 1987-1992 drought, but he says the ongoing environmental water requirements further amplify the current drought’s effects.

A third-generation producer, Errotabere has a diversified mix of row crops, including garlic, processing tomatoes and Pima cotton. He also has pistachio and almond trees, permanent crops that he began planting in 1999.

“Water costs were going higher and getting scarcer, so we had to pick the crops that dealt the best returns,” he says.

Errotabere is part of a trend, Amaral says, noting that many San Joaquin Valley growers during the past 10 to 15 years have transitioned at least part of row-crop ground into permanent crops because of potentially higher returns.

Almond and walnut acreage has increased by more than 200,000 acres statewide since 2010, according to the UC report. Most of the new plantings were in fields previously growing cotton, irrigated pasture, grains and hay.

How Errotabere’s Pima acreage will fare this year hinges on the water outlook at planting.

“It’s been tougher to keep it in place because of the relative costs of running cotton and the limited water supply,” COTTON FARMING APRIL 2016

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California’s complex plumbing system involves several reservoirs and canals designed to capture mostly winter precipitation in the north state, store it and then deliver it to southern areas where demand is greater.

The Central Valley Project, consisting of about 20 Northern California reservoirs, was built by the federal government beginning in the 1930s. Operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the CVP is designed to handle about 13 million acre-feet. An acre-foot, about 326,000 gallons, can meet the annual water needs of a family or four to five, according to the California Department of Water Resources.

The State Water Project, built in the 1960s and 1970s, was designed to handle about 4.23 million acre-feet. It is operated by the Department of Water Resources and serves mostly urban areas in Southern California.

In recent years, conveying Northern California water across the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, an estuary southeast of San Francisco, has become a challenge. A set of large pumps at the south end of the delta pull water across for eventual delivery into San Luis Reservoir. From there, water is conveyed via the California Aqueduct and other canals to Westside agriculture and Southern California.

But the pumps can only operate at maximum capacity if federally protected fish,

VICKY BOYD

Broken Plumbing

San Luis Reservoir, located south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, was designed to store water captured during winter and spring runoff for using during the summer. including the delta smelt and longfin smelt, are not nearby. If fish are present, the pumps must significantly reduce operation or completely shut down to avoid entraining, and possibly killing, the fish.

As a result, water project operators have not been able to fill San Luis Reservoir to average levels for several years. In the past, San Luis was filled during the winter and spring and provided water to agricultural and urban users to the south in the summer.

State and federal water project operators

Errotabere says. “It’s one of the last crops I plant and it’s the most vulnerable to later decisions.”

Only a few years ago, Errotabere Ranches also grew fall lettuce, but that crop was eliminated because of water cutbacks. Winter-planted garlic acreage as well as processing tomato plantings also have been reduced.

Errotabere says the operation is fortunate to have groundwater to partially make up for surface supplies.

But he acknowledged that users throughout the Central Valley are overdrafting the aquifer and can’t continue to do so indefinitely.

Cropping Decisions A Moving Target The Crivellis are in a bit better position because they receive water from federal exchange contractors, water districts with senior water rights. He says they were told they’d likely receive full allocations, but the challenge for the districts will be to convey Northern California water supplies through the delta to Merced County for delivery.

Crivelli says he never knows when the delta pumps will be running, which makes irrigation scheduling nearly impossible.

“There’s no scientific method, and it changes daily,” he says of water deliveries. “We only get so much per month, and that doesn’t necessarily coincide with when the plants need it.”

The farming operation plans to fallow a significant portion of its acreage and has moved more ground into drip irrigation because it allows for more precise water management.

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COTTON FARMING APRIL 2016

also must release flushes of cold water down several rivers, including the Sacramento, American and San Joaquin, when federally protected chinook salmon or steelhead trout are migrating upstream to spawn.

These requirements are part of biological opinions rendered under the Endangered Species Act. In addition, water project operators must maintain specific freshwater flows into the delta to prevent salt water from moving upstream.

Cropping decisions also have become a moving target, Crivelli says. “It’s difficult. We just watch the market and weigh that against crop prices and water use. And we’ve diversified water use year-round and not just in the big summer months.”

Prices for fresh-market tomatoes, wheat, corn and processing tomatoes all are less than they were last year, Crivelli says. And returns for alfalfa, once a profitable crop because of the large number of Central Valley dairies, are “horrible.” That leaves Pima cotton.

“What makes Pima cotton look a little more appealing is we’re going to lose the least amount of money on it,” Crivelli says, adding it appears a bit more drought tolerant than upland varieties.

Even as late as March, the operation had changed plans, splitting some of the already formed 80-inch processing tomato beds into 40-inch beds for cotton.

Crivelli describes the water reductions as a “silent killer.” Producers survey their crops during the season and little seems amiss. They also may figure since they’ve fallowed acreage, they’re not spending as much on inputs.

But he says when producers review production records after harvest, they note lower yields because of reduced or poorly timed irrigations and lower water quality. They also may not have accounted for fixed costs, which are incurred regardless of the acreage farmed.

“You look back at the end of the year and see you didn’t make any money,” Crivelli says.

Contact Vicky Boyd at 209-505-3612 or vlboyd@onegrower.com.

COTTONFARMING.COM

67 Years & Counting

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

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n 1949, U.S. President Harry S. Truman was inaugurated for his second term, world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis retired, and Doc Kirby, B.H. Bass Jr. and Duff Holcomb – three men from the Mississippi Delta – founded The KBH Corp. Bass bought out Kirby and Holcomb in the early ’50s, and the Bass family has held and managed the company for the next six-plus decades.

Over the years, KBH became a household name for cotton handling equipment and niche agricultural products, such as anhydrous equipment, flame cultivators, wick bar applicators and cotton trailers. In the mid-1980s, the company began its progression into the “big equipment” market with a full line of liquid fertilizer handling and application equipment and cotton harvesting products, particularly the module builder and boll buggy. Every piece of equipment is manufactured in Clarksdale, Miss.

Tim Tenhet, a Clarksdale native who was educated at Sewanee and spent nearly 10 years in a Washington, D.C., commercial real estate brokerage, joined KBH in 1991. He recalls a hot September day when Hamp Bass III, B.H.’s son, asked him to take a ride to Wayne Bush’s farm in Schlater, Miss., to witness something that could revolutionize how cotton is harvested.

“When we arrived at the farm, Hamp stopped the car, honked the horn and up popped Dr. Philip To, who was and still is a professor at Mississippi State University,” Tenhet says. “He was working on the first automated module builder along with MSU’s Herb Wilcutt, who had practical infield equipment experience. KBH had provided a grant to the MSU Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department to develop this automated system. This collaboration is a great example of how the private sector and the university sector worked together on this innovation that became an industry standard.”

Close Connection To Farmers Many of the ideas for new KBH products originate from farmer friends and customers, says Tenhet. For example, Byron Small of Senath, Mo., and Randy Branch of Baxley, Ga., invited the KBH team to view a video they had made of what later became the Cotton Spear. At the time, the men had applied for a patent and wanted to license KBH to manufacture, market and sell the product because of the company’s expertise and name recognition in the cotton handling business. “We are always listening to our farmers to learn what equipment needs they have that are not being fulfilled in the market,” Tenhet says. “That’s the crux of our method of developing new products.

“The next step in bringing the Cotton Spear to market was to research cost and manufacturing techniques. We Twitter: @CottonFarming

Tim Tenhet, right, KBH sales manager, and Jordan Moore, sales co-manager, are based in Clarksdale, Miss. then conducted market research to determine whether the pricing would support the manufacturing cost and whether the market would accept a spearing technique rather than the bottom-cradling technique. Many of our Cotton Spear sales are based on front-end loader applications where the modules are loaded onto a flatbed trailer instead of being picked up by a module-mover truck. The trailers can carry eight round modules, which doubles a farmer’s payload, as opposed to just four on a module truck. They don’t even have to strap the modules down.”

Diversified Product Line In recent years, KBH has diversified its product line beyond cotton to meet the needs of farmers whose operations are becoming more diversified as well. “A lot of our focus has been on developing bigger, faster, stronger, smarter fertilizer tenders that include multiple compartments, various axle configurations and wireless remote operating capabilities,” Tenhet says. “It’s all about maximizing efficiency for our customers, especially during planting and harvest when time is such a critical factor.

“Many coffee hours are spent discussing what we can do better or differently, but ultimately, it is our customers who are telling us how they need the equipment to perform. That’s where the ideas come from. We are always open to listening to our farmers and dealers.”

‘One Customer At A Time’ The entire staff at KBH takes pride in its team effort to produce a diversified, quality product line that fits the needs of its customers in today’s economy. “Our philosophy is to build our business with integrity, one customer at a time,” Tenhet says. “There is no better marketing in agriculture than word of mouth – the customer is always right, and we stand behind our equipment.”

Today, KBH is an international company that manufactures quality equipment, including the Cotton Spear, bulk seed handling equipment, hopper-bottom grain trailers, one-trip plows, and liquid fertilizer applicating and handling equipment. B.H. Bass’s grandson, Buddy, is the company president. Buddy’s brothers, Hamp IV and Brent, have farmed near Clarksdale for more than 20 years.

Their mother, Tish Gardner, who is an accomplished artist, retains an active leadership role in the business.

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Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

Protecting The Plant The National Cotton Council works to ensure cotton producers can operate in a regulatory environment based on sound science and common sense — and one that includes the availability of safe and effective crop protection products.

Are there chemicals facing scrutiny?

n The NCC recently submitted comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s registration review of specific sulfonylurea chemicals in herbicides important to cotton production. Thifensulfuron-methyl, tribenuron-methyl and rimsulfuron are used in pre-plant burndown herbicides, and trifloxysulfuron-sodium is a post-emergent. The NCC urged EPA to consider in its review these chemicals’ weed resistance management benefits. We emphasized producers’ need for multiple herbicides with different modes of action so they can continue rotating or combining MOAs. Late last year, the NCC and producer interest organizations also provided comments to A court verdict vacated EPA’s unconditional registra- USDA in suption of sulfoxaflor, the active ingredient in Transform, port of a deregulation decision used to control plant bugs and other insects. regarding Dow AgroSciences’ genetically engineered cotton that is resistant to 2,4-D and glufosinate.

There are several organophosphate pesticides under EPA review. NCC-submitted comments urged the agency to recognize the benefits of the insecticides dicrotophos (Bidrin) and dimethoate. These provide producers with an alternate chemistry to incorporate into their integrated pest management and resistance management programs targeting such pests as cotton fleahoppers, fleabeetles, stinkbugs and thrips. Comments also were submitted on tribufos, the active ingredient in DEF/Folex, a defoliation tool that has been critical in protecting lint from staining and excess trash.

The NCC also submitted comments on EPA’s

proposal to revoke the tolerances for chlorpyrifos after EPA was ordered by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to decide whether to place an effective ban on its agricultural uses by the end of 2016. We explained how chlorpyrifos is used to prevent yield and quality losses by controlling aphids, lygus and whiteflies, which can contaminate lint with a sticky secretion that interferes with textile processing. We urged EPA to consider all studies submitted on this insecticide and to continue on its historic path of reliance on credible data.

Any other products threatened?

n The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals also issued a verdict to vacate EPA’s unconditional registration of sulfoxaflor, used to control aphids and other insects, and remanded the registration to the EPA to obtain further studies and data regarding that insecticide’s effects on bees. Among NCC-conveyed concerns was that the court’s judgment potentially set a precedent jeopardizing crop protection products’ overall availability. The NCC also reviewed EPA’s preliminary pollinator risk assessment for imidacloprid and provided comments in support of this neonicotinoid insecticide that is being studied this year for its impact on honey beehive health.

Last year, the NCC asked EPA to consider scientific evidence for retaining flubendiamide’s registration — as it (Belt) provides highly effective control of such pests as bollworms and armyworms without flaring mite outbreaks. Last month, though, EPA announced its intention to cancel all remaining flubendiamide products resulting in Bayer CropScience seeking an administrative hearing to review the product’s safety data.

These are just a few examples of ongoing cancellation threats and why the NCC will continue to intercede when necessary so product availability is not compromised.

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

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COTTONFARMING.COM

Woods E. Eastland, left, is the recipient of the 2016 A.L. Vandergriff Pioneer Award.

He is pictured with wife Lynn Eastland and SCGA Executive Vice President Tim Price during the SCGA Honors Banquet.

WILLIAM LINDAMOOD

WILLIAM LINDAMOOD

Southern Cotton Ginners Association

George LaCour, center right, accepts the 2016 Cotton Ginner of the Year Award. He is flanked by Marti LaCour, far left, and Catherine LaCour. To his right is SCGA president Holt Shoaf, Milan, Tenn.

2016 SCGA Awards

Twitter: @CottonFarming

BRAD ROBB

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he Southern Cotton Ginners Association’s Awards Banquet held during the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show is all about honoring the cotton industry.

Three awards presented this year include the Cotton Ginner of the Year, the A.L. Vandergriff Pioneer Award and the SCGA Memorial Scholarship.

The Cotton Ginner of the Year award, which began is 1990, is based on three criteria. First is service to his or her customers, including quality of ginning, ethical business standards and other constructive activity. Next is service to all branches of the cotton industry through support and leadership of activities and programs. The third consideration weighs community outreach, as well as civic and philanthropic factors.

“George LaCour, Tri-Parish Gin, Lettsworth, La., represents of all of these criteria,” says SCGA Executive Vice President Tim Price. “He is committed to cotton, has an excellent relationship with his customers and knows the value of having a local gin.”

The A.L. Vandergriff Pioneer Award is given to a person who has developed an idea, an invention, a technique or a program that pioneering in nature. Woods E. Eastland, Staplcotn, Greenwood, Miss., who was instrumental in developing the seasonal pool and pool call marketing concept, is the recipient of this year’s award.

“Woods always puts the farmer first,” Price says. “His contribution to the industry helps cotton remain a viable part of today’s farmers’ operations.”

The 2016 SCGA Memorial Scholarship was awarded

Johnnie Bransford, Rick Bransford and Roger Bransford accept the 2016 SCGA Memorial Scholarship presented posthumously in honor of Richard (Dick) Bransford, Lonoke, Ark. The family is joined by Lee Todd, right, past SCGA executive vice president. to the University of Arkansas in honor of Richard (Dick) Bransford, Lonoke, Ark. “The University of Arkansas will award this scholarship to a deserving student who honors our industry,” Price says. “Dick loved his alma mater and has a tremendous legacy of honesty, integrity and service.”

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WESTERN REPORT

New Cotton Board members, Akiko Inui, left, importer alternate, and Ava Alcaida, board adviser, are sworn in at the March meeting.

Appointments Reflect Increased Diversity

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ne cannot help but notice Ava Alcaida’s intense concentration as she is fed an almost unmanageable amount of information about the Cotton Research and Promotion Program as part of the orientation process for her new appointment as an adviser to The Cotton Board.

Alcaida was appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to an advisory position as part of The Cotton Board’s initiative for diversity and inclusiveness. She traveled to Memphis, Tenn., to attend the orientation program and participate in her first meeting at the beginning of March, but she is not new to the cotton industry.

‘We Like Growing Cotton’ With her husband, Ray, Alcaida farms about 5,000 acres on Colorado River Indian Tribes land in La Paz County, Ariz. Ava is from the Mohave tribe of eastern Arizona, while Ray’s heritage is Chemehuevi, part of the Colorado River Indian Reservation Tribes south of Parker, Ariz.

“We took over the farm from Ray’s dad about 30 years ago,” says Alcaida.

Cotton was part of the mix on the farm at that time. Their current mix

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BY BRENT MURPHREE MARICOPA, ARIZ.

of crops includes cotton, hay, wheat, corn and onions, as well as a couple hundred head of cattle. They have not always grown cotton, though. There was a time when it did not make economic sense to produce cotton, but they added it back to the rotation when prices increased. Now, even with lower prices, they plan to continue cotton production on their land.

“We like growing cotton,” she says.

The area in which they farm is known for being a highly productive cotton environment, with turnouts ranging from 4 to 5 bales per acre.

Industry, Community Involvement Alcaida is very involved in the Farm Bureau, currently serving as

the La Paz County Farm Bureau president. She also serves on the Arizona Farm Bureau’s Financial Review Committee, National Governmental Affairs Committee and Arizona’s Ag in the Classroom initiative. She is a member of the Arizona Cotton Growers Association.

“I just like being involved,” she says. Outside of her work in the agriculture community, she serves as the secretary/treasurer of the Poston Rotary Club. Her husband, Ray, is a past president of the club, and they sponsor the local Little League, as well as other community events and organizations.

Alcaida is looking forward to her involvement as an adviser to The Cotton Board.

“We received a lot of information at the meeting, and it’s good to see the direction Cotton Incorporated is taking the industry,” she says. “It’s also nice to see that The Cotton Board is made up of such a diverse group of people from within the industry.”

The Cotton Board is fully invested in an effort to bring more diversity to the membership of its board, which is made up of cotton producers and importers. “We believe that diversity is smart business,” says Cotton Board CEO, Bill Gillon. “We’re not seeking a diverse membership solely for the sake of checking a box.”

Gillon believes that increasing the diversity of the board improves the input and scope of knowledge of the organization, building a broader base by which to make decisions that move cotton in the market. In March 2015, The Cotton Board voted to include two advisory positions specifically to increase diversity on the board.

In addition to Alcaida, the Secretary of Agriculture also appointed Haywood Harrell of Halifax, N.C., as an adviser to the board. And, of five open Cotton Board positions, four were filled by women or minorities.

Alcaida says that she is grateful for the opportunity to serve in this advisory capacity.

“I can’t wait to get into full swing and hopefully make a difference in the cotton industry.”

Brent Murphree is The Cotton Board’s Regional Communications Manager for the West. Contact him at bmurphree@ cottonboard.org.

COTTONFARMING.COM

Industry News Aldicarb Available For Use In Georgia In 2016 Farmers will soon be able to purchase AgLogic 15G Aldicarb Pesticide, which is essentially the same as Temik in formulation and performance. Ag Logic Chemical LLC, the registrant of AgLogic 15G Aldicarb Pesticide, is currently manufacturing the product with limited supplies.

AgLogic 15G will only be available for use in the state of Georgia during the 2016 season and sold exclusively through CNI and its network of authorized dealers.

“We have worked very hard to return aldicarb to the market, and that effort has been backed with strong industry support,” says Dr. Antoine A. Puech, president and CEO of Ag Logic Chemical in Chapel Hill, N.C. AgLogic 15G is registered for control of nematodes, thrips, aphids, mites, whiteflies, plant bugs, and other chewing and sucking pests.

The product is currently registered on cotton, peanuts, soybeans, drybeans, sugarbeets and sweet potatoes.

The unique selectivity and activity of aldicarb has been an important and well-documented asset in integrated pest management programs for more than 40 years. As Temik 15G gradually disappeared from the market over the past five years, researchers and other industry leaders have voiced their concerns about how deeply the loss has impacted growers.

“When aldicarb was available to cotton and peanut farmers as Temik 15G, it often formed the backbone of their nematode management program,” says Dr. Bob Kemerait, professor and Extension specialist, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Georgia. “We have a number of options available for nematode management; however, the importance, versatility and efficacy of aldicarb have not been forgotten.”

Enhanced product stewardship will accompany the introduction of AgLogic 15G. In addition to a restricted use applicator license, anyone who intends to purchase, use or sell AgLogic 15G must complete the Stewardship Certification Course online that is administered by Ag Logic Chemical LLC. “We are committed to educating qualified users, preventing misuse Twitter: @CottonFarming

Masters Scholarship Awarded At LACA Meeting From left, Randall Landry, Anna Meszaros and Denise Wright of Pest Management Enterprises LLC, and LACA Scholarship Committee Chairman Paul Templet (at the podium), were in attendance at the Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association meeting when the Masters Scholarship was presented to Alejandra Jimenez Madrid, a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in plant pathology and crop physiology at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Madrid is working in horticulture pathology on the identification of sources of bacterial wilt resistance to Ralstonia in Louisiana soils. Two additional scholarship recipients are pictured on page 21. and protecting this valuable asset for the future,” Puech says.

New Up-Top Plate For Spinner Nelson Irrigation has added a new plate to the Spinner that gives irrigators another up-top option for center-pivot irrigation. Nelson’s Pivot Spinner is a low-pressure alternative to fixed spray heads, providing higher uniformity, better overlap and lower application rates.

The Lime Plate was engineered for up-top usage and gives the Spinner increased throw with minimal crop interference. The pressure range for the Lime Plate is 6-15 pounds per square inch (0.4-1.0 bar). At 6 psi, the minimum nozzle size is a #24 nozzle.

At 10 and 15 psi, the minimum nozzle size is a #14. Nelson recommends using a 10-psi pressure regulator.

EPA Moves Forward To Cancel Belt Registrations The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a notice of intent to cancel registrations for all Bayer CropScience and Nichino America

products that contain the active ingredient, flubendiamide. The EPA says it is doing so because of adverse risks to aquatic invertebrates. Bayer markets the AI as Belt 480SC Insecticide, whereas Nichino uses it as part of the Vertica premix for vegetables. Among the more than 200 crops on which Belt is registered are cotton, soybeans, sorghum, peanuts and corn. It controls a broad array of worm pests.

The EPA’s latest move comes after it had asked Bayer to stop selling the product by Feb. 5. In a press release, Bayer said it refused the request and instead sought a review of the product’s registration in an administrative law hearing. Bayer said it believed the methods EPA used exaggerated environmental risk. In a written notice, the EPA said it had issued a time-limited registration with the understanding that if tests showed unreasonable environmental effects, the registrants would voluntary cancel all uses within one week of notification. Crops treated with flubendiamide according to label are still legal to be sold, and existing stocks of the product still may be sold legally, according to the EPA notice.

COTTON FARMING APRIL 2016

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CF0416 Layout_CF 11/13 template 3/11/16 10:09 AM Page 14

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Industry News Texas Economist Weighs In On Cotton Prices

PHOTO BY BLAIR FANNIN

Cotton prices are projected to remain range-bound in the near term due to large stocks held by China, coupled with depressed prices among all agricultural commodities.

“We’ve been stuck in the 60-cent to 67-cent (per pound) range for a while now,” says Dr. John Robinson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service cotton marketing economist at College Station. “In fact, futures have dipped to 58 cents.

There are a lot of similar things that were going on in 2015 that are repeating in 2016.”

Robinson says in 2015, wet conditions Dr. John Robinson prevailed for the start of the year, much like what has occurred in 2016. “And demand was weak in 2015, which continues to be the case for 2016.”

The Cotton Council projects some 9.1 million acres of cotton to be planted this season, “and it could be higher than that,” Robinson says. “If we have 9.1 million acres and start wet, then conditions remain dry, that makes one wonder: will we have a short crop or not?”

There’s potential for the highest prices for 2016 to occur during summer, depending on how dry and hot conditions are in Texas and the Southwest, he says. That could trigger a price rally temporarily, propping up prices into the 60-70 cent range.

“Otherwise, up until harvest we will see prices where they are now.”

Other market conditions include the demand for sportswear items that include more polyester than cotton.

“Polyester is considerably cheaper than cotton; it’s made from an oil extract,” Robinson says. “The sportswear demand has been due to the fact that there is a less-cotton blend.

The clothing has gotten lighter and women ages 25-40 favor these athletic sportswear items (with less cotton).”

China continues to hold more than 60 million bales of cotton and could be unloading some of that surplus, further depressing current market prices, Robinson says. Overall for 2016, Twitter: @CottonFarming

cotton farmers will have to maximize yields and make as many bales to the acre as possible to compensate for depressed prices.

Cost of production is in the 70-cent range, yet it is still rational to plant and produce cotton, providing growers keep a sharp eye on fixed expenses, Robinson says. “Crop insurance kicks in when the price declines below the cost of production, plus a 25 plus percent deductible. Overall, the market is not very cheery right now. A farmer will have to have a perfect year where they produce lots and lots of pounds to compensate for prices in the 60s.”

– Blair Fannin, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Texas Oil & Gas Leasing Handbook Available Editor’s note: Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, posted the following on her Texas Agriculture Law Blog.

Shannon Ferrell and I held an oil and gas leasing workshop in College Station. The program was well attended, participants asked excellent questions, and the final evaluations and comments were very positive from those who attended. The funding for this project was provided by the Southern Risk Management Education Center and the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture. We would also like to say a special thank you to Dr. Mark Waller, Tracy Davis and Dusty Tittle for their assistance in planning this workshop and to Dylan Felger for the layout and design of the handbook.

As part of this project, we wrote a handbook titled Petroleum Production on Agricultural Lands in Texas: Managing Risks and Opportunities to assist Texas landowners in dealing with many issues related to petroleum production. The first chapter discusses the oil and gas production process and highlights some of the impacts that might have on agricultural land.

The second chapter focuses on surface owners, outlining their rights

under the law and offering critical tips for protecting the surface of their land. The third chapter provides an overview of what rights come along with mineral ownership, including a discussion of the rights of mineral co-tenants. The fourth chapter deals with the oil and gas lease, breaking down a sample lease and offering a checklist of terms that mineral owners should consider. The handbook concludes with chapter 5 on pipeline easement negotiation.

To view the handbook, go to http:// agrilife.org/texasaglaw/ and click on the Feb. 29, 2016 blog post or call 806-677-5668 to obtain a hard copy.

Fund Set Up For Winter Storm Goliath Victims This was a difficult winter for New Mexico’s farm, ranch and dairy families as a powerful storm caused death and devastation across the eastern portion of the state. Winter Storm Goliath brought 80 mile per hour winds and 18 inches of snow the day after Christmas, affecting cattle, sheep and dairy herds. “Agricultural families stick together and help one another out in difficult times,” says Mike White, president of the New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau.

“Families are experiencing significant financial hardship as a result of the storm so we created a Cares fund.”

NMF&LB Cares offers monetary aid for agricultural families affected by the storm. “Not only do farmers, ranchers and dairymen need to replace the animals that were lost to the storm, they also need to rebuild barns and fences demolished by high winds,” says Chad Smith, NMF&LB CEO. “That makes it harder to pay for medical expenses or utility bills. We want these folks to know we’re there for them and have resources to help.”

Individuals and county farm bureaus are contributing to the fund in an effort to support their neighbors. Donations are tax-deductible, and 100 percent of proceeds go directly to help families impacted by Goliath. To support the Cares fund, make checks payable to NMF&LB. Mail to 2220 N. Telshor, Las Cruces, NM 88011, attn.: Cares Relief Fund.

Agricultural families in need can call 575-532-4703 for application form instructions. Applications will be accepted until May 1; monies will be distributed beginning June 1.

COTTON FARMING APRIL 2016

15

Specialists Speaking Planting And Early Season Decisions ARKANSAS Bill Robertson

FLORIDA David Wright

Establishing a healthy stand of cotton is the first step toward a successful season. Cotton does not tolerate difficulties encountered during its first weeks of growth very well. Variety selection and seed quality have a lasting effect on the crop’s early season vigor and overall plant health, which is critical in establishing high yield potential.

Producers should try new varieties on some of their land. However, planting the entire farm in new varieties is not recommended. Plantings of new varieties should be limited to no more than 10 percent of the farm. History tells us that generally in Arkansas, the earlier we plant the better we do. Optimum conditions for planting include a mid-morning 68-degree soil temperature at 2 inches for three consecutive days and a favorable five-day forecast. It is important to start with the best quality seed to increase the chances of getting the stands we want if conditions are less than optimum.

Regardless of the calendar date, park the planter if heat unit accumulation (DD60s) is predicted to be 15 or less for the five-day period after planting. Good results are often seen with an accumulation of 25 or more heat units during the five-day period after planting. There are many signals or signs that people use to indicate the “right” time to plant. Regardless of methods used, it is important to remember that planting early does not ensure earliness. Getting off to a good, quick start will pay dividends season long if we do it right the first time. brobertson@uaex.edu

Growers should use management practices necessary to maintain yields and avoid practices that may have the potential to increase yields but add significant cost to production. To potentially cut costs and increase yields, this is the year to consider applying variable-rate fertilizer and nematicides, etc., if maps are available.

Florida cotton acreage is expected to increase by about 22 percent this year to 105,000 acres. This increase is needed to get proper rotations with peanut back in place and help the yield of both cotton and peanut. Even though we are in a declining El Niño weather phase, growers should consider killing cover crops early since the last time we came out of a strong El Niño, we went into a very dry period.

Many of our growers use strip tillage and should plant two to three seeds per foot of row as lower populations can result in lower yields and longer fruiting periods. Planting cotton behind winter grazing normally results in higher yields with about 30 to 50 percent less nitrogen and potassium needed as cattle recycle large amounts of nutrients. It looks like an early spring in the Southeast, and growers should consider starting to plant in mid-April if soil temperatures are favorable.wright@ufl.edu

ARIZONA Randy Norton Planting time is upon us and, as of this writing, spring is shaping up to be a very good planting season. With warm temperatures and dry conditions, emergence and stand establishment should be uniform and swift.

However, as you all know, things can change. I think it is important that we are reminded of what constitutes optimum conditions for cotton seedling emergence and stand establishment in an effort to avoid conditions that may lead to poor or “skippy” stands and increased incidence of seedling disease.

Conditions that the seed experiences during the first 24 to 36 hours after planting are critical to the eventual emergence of that seedling.

Chilling injury during the first day will result in misshapen radicals (taproot) and enlarged hypocotyls also known as “thick shank.” These conditions will lead to slowed growth and emergence, leaving the seedling much more susceptible to seedling disease. Seedling diseases common to Arizona production systems include Rhizoctonia solani (sore-shin) and Thielaviopsis basicola (black root rot). Under heavy pressure, they can significantly reduce stands.

There are several factors that will lead to the aforementioned conditions besides cool soil temperatures, but a minimum soil temperature less than 55 degrees Fahrenheit is the largest contributing factor. Planting too deep, irrigation during cold weather, compacted soil and soil crusting from rainfall before emergence all can contribute to increased seedling disease and poor emergence. Some general guidelines for optimum planting conditions include a minimum soil temperature greater than 65 degrees F and a good, clear forecast free of precipitation for several days. Planting into minimum soil temperatures of less than 55 degrees F should be avoided if at all possible. In most Arizona locations, these planting conditions are reached in mid-March to midApril. Early plantings have more of a chance to experience choppy weather and seedling disease. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu

16

COTTON FARMING APRIL 2016

LOUISIANA Dan Fromme As we approach cotton planting in Louisiana, soil moisture conditions are very good. This is due to the ample amounts of rainfall that we received during the first part of March. Also, March temperatures have been a lot warmer compared to the past two years.

If this continues, soil temperatures at planting in April should be conducive to the cotton plant being able to get off to a fast start. 2016 cotton acres across the state are expected to increase by about 20 percent.

Now is a good time to review a few key practices to help everyone get off to a great start. It is always best to plant according to soil temperature and not the calendar. If a field is planted too early, your cotton crop may suffer a stand loss and cold temperature stress, which reduces yield potential. Germination can begin when mean daily temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit at seeding depths, but growth will be slow. A soil temperature of 65 degrees F at a depth of 4 inches for three consecutive days and a favorable five-day forecast following planting is best. Also, nighttime minimum temperatures should be forecast to be more than 50 degrees F for the following five days.

During the critical germination period, soil temperatures less than 50 degrees F can cause chilling injury to germinating cotton. Emergence will generally occur after accumulation of 50 to 80 DD60s or heat units after planting. Planting should be delayed if the five-day forecast predicts the accumulation of less than 25 heat units after planting. The minimum plant population in the final plant stand should be no less than two healthy plants per foot.

Creating a pest-free seedbed is critical to avoid problems from cutworms and spider mites. Pre-plant, burndown herbicide applications should be made at least four weeks before planting to ensure that no green vegetation is present in the field for these pests to survive. It is equally important to eliminate weedy host plants on field borders to reduce insect pest problems later on that might move into adjacent cotton fields. dfromme@agcenter.lsu.edu Continued on page 20 COTTONFARMING.COM

COTTON

Ginners Marketplace COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.

Getting ‘Back To Basics’ In sports, it is inevitable that a player (or a team) will go into a slump. In every case, the recipe for getting out of that slump and back into high performance is to break down the training routine to “focus on the fundamentals.” Only then, when that foundation is re-established, can the player or team begin to move toward higher goals. Players must train harder, and teams must evaluate talent and performance, oftentimes making changes to the line-up.

Across many regions of the United States during the 2015/16 ginning season, cotton gins faced a slump – some in bigger ways than others. Weather was the major contributing factor – from the unpredictable planting schedule in West Texas to the unfathomable unending rainfall throughout the harvesting/ginning season in the Southeast. This “stacked deck” of challenges required the ginning industry to look within itself to make the best of a bad situation.

with the result of reducing ginning costs. That has been great for the industry, and as long as the conditions justified it, there’s nothing wrong in taking advantage of the circumstances.

Then came 2015…and the circumstances changed…much for the worse. Whether crops came out of the field early, seed cotton was extra trashy or the endless rains sent overly wet cotton to the gins, the “ginning game plan” had to change — drastically. And here is where you had to get “back to basics.”

Gins had to come to grips with the limitations they had within their machinery make-up. Drying and precleaning machinery that processed 30-40 bales per hour now struggled to handle 20. Stick machines that had been bypassed for the past decade were suddenly put back into service, and some gins found they had not been repaired (or even touched) during their dormant

Adjusting The ‘Ginning Game Plan’ In recent years, whether the crop was small or large, the growing and harvesting seasons tended to be uneventful as a whole. As a result, gins were able to process at higher capacities, often bypassing specific machines, which, in turn, increased weekly throughput and reduced repair bills — all

Lummus Corporation has available the following quality, high-capacity used gin machinery.

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“As is” machinery can be repaired/reconditioned for an additional charge.

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COTTON FARMING APRIL 2016

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Cotton Ginners Marketplace

2 – Lummus Model 66 Lint Cleaners with Condensers

1 - Complete 2/141 Gin Plant consisting of: Unloading System with 15” diameter single-lane Powered Telescope, Rock Trap with Trash Vacuum, 72” Unloading Separator/Feed Control with Vacuum Wheel and Flight-Saver, and No. 50 Unloading Fan; First-Stage Drying/Precleaning System with Continental 3 MBTU Burner and No. 40 Push Fan, 54” Tower Dryer, 96” Continental Inclined Cleaner with Vacuum Wheel over 96” Horn 3-Saw Stick Machine (with double 96” x 24” Vacuum Wheels), Second-Stage Drying/Precleaning System with Continental 3 MBTU Burner and No. 40 Push Fan, 54” Tower Dryer, 96” Continental Inclined Cleaner with Vacuum Wheel over 96” Continental 2-Saw Stick Machine; Distribution/Overflow System with Continental 2-Stand Conveyor Distributor and 72” Automatic Overflow Hopper with Breaker Cylinder; Feeding/Ginning System with two (2) Continental 141-Saw Gins (converted) and 96” Comet Supreme Feeders; Lint Cleaning System with four (4) 66” wide Continental 16-D Lint Cleaners (two tandem arrangements); Condensing/Pressing System with 50” Moss Battery Condenser, 20” x 54” Continental Bespress, and Bale Handling System with Bale Push Cart (manual) and Bagger (powered); five (5) Smith 35/40 Centrifugal Fans (only one season of operation)

period. Hairy and semi-hairy leaf cotton varieties just didn’t “clean up” like they have in years past. On top of all that, smaller seed with brittle seed coats was making it more difficult to prevent seed from getting through the gin stands and to reduce seed coat neps in the ginned lint.

LEC-200 Electronic Seed Scale

Labor Issues Are Challenging Although addressing equipment issues is essential, the more fundamental factor is not a machinery issue — it is a personnel issue. Labor continues to be one of the greatest template 3/7/14 3:26challenges PM Page 1facing our industry. It’s not just about finding labor; it is about finding capable and knowledgeable labor.

The experienced ginning workforce continues to shrink.

Despite advances in technology and automation, cotton gins today must have personnel who understand the ginning processes and technology. Regardless of the weather, seed cotton conditions, or anything else, workers who can get the best performance out of the equipment will maximize the value of the final product for their customer, which leads to a successful operation.

The good news is that there are solutions to the challenges

The industry’s first ginning classroom on wheels. Call today to schedule this unique training experience to come to your gin.

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COTTON FARMING APRIL 2016

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we face, and the first step in getting “back to basics” is education. The National Cotton Ginners’ Association annual ginners’ schools are excellent places to start. Researchers from the three U.S. gin labs, along with staff members from select land-grant universities and gin machinery manufacturers, offer three levels of instruction that can lead to Ginner Certification, along with continuing education classes on new topics each year.

The classes are held at the U.S. Cotton Ginning Labs in Texas (Lubbock), New Mexico (Mesilla Park) and Mississippi (Stoneville). Dates for the 2016 schools are: Lubbock (April 4-6), Mesilla Park (May 3-5), and Stoneville (May 31-June 2). More information is available online at: http://www.cotton.org/ncga/ ginschool/index.cfm.

Ross Rutherford, product general manager, Lummus Corp. in Lubbock, Texas, contributed this article.

Contact Rutherford at 806-745-1191 or via email at ross.rutherford@lummus.com.

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Cotton’s Calendar 2016 April 7-8: TCGA Annual Meeting and Trade Show, Lubbock, Texas.

June 7-9: Cotton Incorporated Meeting, Dallas, Texas.

July 31-Aug. 3: Southern Southeastern Board Meeting, Amelia Island, Fla. Aug. 2-4: Cotton Board/Cotton Incorporated Meeting, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Aug. 24-26: NCC Board Meeting, Memphis, Tenn.

Sept. 21: Staplcotn Annual Meeting, Greenwood, Miss.

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2017

Cotton Ginners Marketplace

Jan. 4-6: Beltwide Cotton Conferences, Dallas, Texas.

Jan. 18-21: Southern Southeastern Annual Meeting, Charlotte, N.C. Feb. 10-12: NCC Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas.

Feb. 28-March 1: Cotton Board Meeting.

April 6-7: Texas Cotton Ginners Association Trade Show, Lubbock, Texas.

June 6-8: Cotton Incorporated Meeting.

Aug. 8-10: Cotton Board/Cotton Incorporated Joint Meeting.

Aug. 23-25: NCC Board Meeting, Peabody Hotel.

Dec. 5-7: Cotton Board/Cotton Incorporated Joint Meeting.

2018 Jan. 3-5: Beltwide Cotton Conferences, San Antonio, Texas.

Feb. 9-11: NCC Annual Meeting, Ft. Worth, Texas.

Feb. 28-March 1: Cotton Board Meeting.

June 6-8: Cotton Incorporated Meeting.

Aug. 8-10: Cotton Board/CI Joint Meeting.

Aug. 23-25: NCC Board Meeting, Peabody Hotel, Memphis, Tenn.

Dec. 5-7: Cotton Board/CI Joint Meeting.

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

COTTON FARMING APRIL 2016

19

Specialists Speaking Continued from page 16

MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds Corn planters are already rolling in Mississippi, and cotton planters will not be far behind. Nearly all farmers who are planting cotton in 2016 have made variety selection decisions by now. However, keep in mind when you are selecting a variety that you are selecting an entire package, which contains varietal genetics, trait technology (unless you are a conventional grower) and a seed treatment.

Most are aware of the issues we have seen in Mississippi with thrips resistance to thiamethoxam-based seed treatments. As a result, the vast majority of cottonseed will be treated with imidacloprid-based seed treatments in 2016. However, data collected by Mississippi State University entomologists in 2015 suggests that slippage in thrips control is occurring with imidacloprid seed treatments. Having said that, do not automatically assume that all seed treatments will fail with respect to thrips control this year. However, also do not assume that because you planted seed treated with imidacloprid that you are immune from thrips issues in your cotton. Regardless of the insecticide seed treatment that is on the seed, spend time in your fields scouting for thrips and be prepared to make a foliar application if thrips populations exceed established thresholds. darrind@ext.msstate.edu

MISSOURI Mike Milam Cotton planting in Missouri is drawing near. As the weather warms up, there is more field activity. It will be interesting to see how many acres we plant this year, but all indications are that it will be a larger crop than last year. I have heard estimates of 20 to 40 percent higher. Producers believe that they can make more money with cotton than with corn, soybeans, sorghum or alternative crops. With yields continuing to climb, I often wonder just how much yield we could make if cotton is planted earlier and we have excellent conditions during the season.

As far as weather conditions are concerned, it appears that as the El Niño system diminishes, the La Niña will take over. The forecasts that I have seen show higher temperatures this summer and an equal chance of above, below or average rainfall. Typically, a La Niña will result in dryer conditions.

This year it will be interesting to see how the producers who use reduced tillage and cover crops will fare. Some of the more experienced producers of no-till and cover crops have been able to get by with less irrigation due to the soil holding more water. Several of these producers indicate that their soil health systems have reduced their problems with resistant weeds. milammr@missouri.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins Hopefully, by the time you read this article, burndown herbicides will have already been applied. Depending on weather, we are likely to see some cotton planted during the last week of April. Acreage in North Carolina is expected to be down slightly. However, many growers in the predominate cotton areas of the state have indicated their acreage will remain stable, as cotton is one of our most competitive crops in North Carolina.

As we all know, cottonseed is a significant investment and requires careful attention to both weather and management so that optimal stands and seedling vigor can be achieved and the need for replanting minimized. Planting into adequate soil moisture when temperatures are favorable (25 to 50 DD60s expected within the first five days of planting) is ideal. Keep in mind that cottonseed is most sensitive to

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cool, wet conditions in the first few days after germination. If planting should occur during less than optimal conditions, adjusting the seeding rate slightly upwards will help account for suboptimal emergence or stand losses that may result.

With regard to weeds, it’s extremely important to start clean by applying pre-plant and at-planting residual herbicides. Monitoring for thrips presence and reproduction, and taking quick action with a well-timed foliar spray if needed, is important, especially if conditions, such as cool weather, herbicide injury, etc., aren’t favorable for rapid seedling growth, gdcollin@ncsu.edu

OKLAHOMA Randy Boman Late winter and early spring rainfall has been quite a blessing in the southwestern corner of the state. The good news is that soil moisture and reservoir levels are looking great. The bad news is that commodity prices are not good, especially for wheat. Some producers are looking at simply grazing out their wheat and taking an opportunity to plant cotton in fields that are in need of crop rotation to clean up winter weed problems. After grazing out the wheat, planting no-till cotton into terminated standing wheat residue provides a good option.

Several of the new XtendFlex varieties will be sold in 2016. Many of these varieties had fairly good performance in various tests in 2015.

The bottom line is that a good overlapping residual herbicide program should be planned and executed. For glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth squeaking through these residual herbicides, Liberty herbicide will likely be a critical over-the-top defense, especially if we don’t get the new dicamba products labeled for XtendFlex varieties. Therefore, planting varieties with Liberty tolerance will be an important consideration in 2016. Hopefully, we will get adequate rainfall amounts and distribution to make all of the factors align for excellent weed control as well as crop yield. randy.boman@okstate.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper We have just wrapped up our county meetings throughout Tennessee, and I can confidently say one of the most talked-about issues this year has been price. Although I am not an economist or a financial consultant, I do have a good feel for practices that tend to pay and those that do not. It is extremely important, in times like these, to focus on the basics. From conversations with a few of my colleagues and my recent personal experiences, a few too many jugs of “magic” have been poured into the tank at a premium.

As we look forward to a potentially challenging marketing year, keep a few things in mind before making that purchase. First, ask how it works. Most products worth incorporating have been thoroughly tested by the scientific community and the outcome from applying the product is clearly understood. Second, ask for data on the product from an independent study. Most companies with a working product quickly find institutions or independent companies to thoroughly evaluate the product through laboratory and field research. If the results are positive, you probably won’t have to ask for the data; it will likely have been provided during the pitch. With that said, it isn’t a bad idea to follow up with an online search to vet the testing source and to make sure the results were correctly reported.

If you decide you want to try the given input but aren’t terribly convinced with the answers to the above questions, establish a strip trial on your farm to evaluate the product. Most county agents would be more than happy to assist in the effort. Vetting products in this manner should keep you from making a potentially costly mistake in 2016. traper@utk.edu COTTONFARMING.COM

TEXAS Seth Byrd According to the Nation Cotton Council Planting Intentions survey, cotton acreage in Texas is expected to increase 5 to 6 percent from 2015. However, it is likely that most of this increase will occur in the southern part of the state where wet conditions prevented planting last year. It is at least expected that acreage on the High Plains will remain relatively stable. A slight increase could be seen with the low prices of other commodities leaving no attractive alternatives and the sugarcane aphid posing problems in sorghum.

As we approach the start of planting, pre-season weed control will be key to avoid issues later in the season, particularly from glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth. Starting clean, using residuals and making applications so that we’re overlapping the windows of activity will help keep the weed pressure down. Although rain in March added some moisture to the soil profile, take care not to chase the moisture too deep during planting. This could result in poor germination and emergence, particularly if cool nighttime temperatures less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit are present. seth.byrd@ag.tamu.edu

TEXAS Gaylon Morgan Cotton planting in the Rio Grande Valley started early with a portion of the cotton now in the cotyledon-1lf stage with low pest pressure at this point.

Some much-needed rain occurred the second week of March, and planting will wrap up promptly after the planters can reenter the fields. Planting in the Coastal Bend will begin when the fields dry after a big March 9 rain and will likely proceed quickly to take advantage of the planting moisture and warm temperatures. Some folks will be tempted to plant earlier than usual in the Blacklands due to warmer-than-usual air and soil temperatures and good soil moisture. However, we need to remember that late frosts are common in the Blacklands, and pay attention to the warm, long-term weather forecast and sufficient soil temperatures, above 64 degrees. The Rolling Plains is still 1.5 to 2 months from planting, but the soil moisture situation is promising at this point. Many producers are still trying to decide on varieties and should view the cotton variety results for the Rolling Plains, West Texas and Panhandle, which are available at Cotton.tamu.edu.

Regarding weed management, our guys know what needs to be done to manage glyphosate-resistant weeds, but the economics of

LACA Awards Scholarships In Agriculture At Annual Meeting

Kody Beavers, far right, an undergraduate honors student majoring in agricultural business at Louisiana Tech University, plans to become a certified agricultural consultant. Joining Beavers for the scholarship presentation are Marcus Guidroz, left, Crop Production Services; Cullen Minter, RiceTec; and Louisiana crop consultant Ray Young.

T Twitter witter:: @C @Cotton ottonF Farming arming

the situation are tough to justify. They will start strong with a good pre-plant burndown program followed by a PPI or pre- herbicide.

However, I am afraid the economics of weed management on the farm will fall apart in the mid- to late-season programs, especially if yield potential is low. We must remember that a few surviving weeds can lead to major weed problems for years to come. The weed management recommendations in Texas can be found at Cotton.tamu. edu. gmorgan@tamu.edu

VIRGINIA Hunter Frame Virginia cotton acreage should hold steady near 85,000 acres, despite the current market outlook. This is most likely due to other current commodity prices and nothing looking great economically. As we move closer to planting season, the most important environmental conditions to consider for planting cotton in the upper southeast coastal plain are soil temperature and nighttime temperatures for days immediately following planting.

It is not uncommon in late April and early May to have nighttime temperatures drop into the 40s, which can be a detriment to early root growth. Any setback in root growth at this stage could have lasting consequences throughout the growing season. Wait for soil temperatures to hit 65 degrees Fahrenheit by 10 a.m. and planting (if possible) when temperatures are in a warming trend five to seven days after planting. However, variety selection is the most critical management decision in order to make high yields. This year, given the current market, selecting varieties that are proven yielders over multiple years with a good fiber package will be the key to success.

I’ve been asked whether to use starter fertilizer (2x2 band at planting). The primary benefit we typically see is a boost in early season growth in cotton, though impact on lint yield has been sparse in Virginia. Producers in Virginia want to use in-furrow insecticides for thrips control, but do not want to have multiple liquid systems on the tractor/planter. From our data, I would say there is a premium for adequate control of thrips during early season growth in Virginia (this is coming from a soil fertility guy) and the most bang for your buck would be in-furrow insecticide applications. In addition to thrips control, pre-emergence herbicides with residual activity are critical, especially if you are dealing with glyphosate-resistant weeds. Cotton producers who use these two management strategies in Virginia typically set themselves up for a successful year. Now let’s hope the market starts to come around! whframe@vt.edu

One undergraduate and two graduate students, who are attending colleges and universities in Louisiana, were each awarded a $2,000 scholarship by the Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association at its annual meeting. The students were recognized for academic achievements and performance in agriculture studies.

Ray and Dorothy Young, RiceTec and Crop Production Services funded the undergraduate scholarship. Pest Management Enterprises LLC and Louisiana Land Bank ACA funded the graduate scholarships.

The recipients were Kody Beavers, Alejandra Jimenez Madrid (pictured on page 13) and Mary Helen Ferguson.

Mary Helen Ferguson, a Ph.D. candidate, is pursuing her degree in plant pathology and crop physiology at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. She graduated from St. Scholastica Academy in Covington, La., and attended Birmingham Southern College as a national merit scholar. Ted Gautier, Louisiana Land Bank ACA, congratulates Mary Helen during the scholarship presentation.

COTTON COTTON FARMING FARMING APRIL APRIL 2016 2016

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My Turn Cotton Harvest And ‘Winner’ Suckers

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h e n I l o o k as I could, I cried “uncle” and asked to get out and back on my return to the safety and security of the pickup.

While I licked my wounded pride and rubbed my childhood, it always seems bruises, the trailer quickly filled (it was a really that cotton was king of my good year), and now it was Mother’s turn. The memories. My family grew heavy trailer was unhitched from the stripper, and wheat, grain and cotton, Mother backed up so my Daddy and my brothers but, for some reason, cotton could hitch it to the pickup. And off we went, headholds the most memories ed to the gin dragging the heavy trailer behind us.

I’d be occupied with my coloring book and crayfor me. Grain harvest was always fun and if Mother ons, or whatever I deemed that I “had” to have or Daddy were driving a with me that day. Sometimes I’d sit in the seat, and Marcia big truck, I’d be in the cab sometimes I’d be in the floorboard. This was before Kiser headed to the grain eleva- seat belt laws, so I could roam wherever I wanted tor. I was fascinated by the in the pickup as long as I didn’t distract Mother.

After weigh-in, we would wind our way through weighing-in, dumping and weighing-out process.

I especially enjoyed pulling into the cool, dark ele- row after row of filled trailers to drop ours off. vator, watching the bed of the truck slowly lift and While I’m sure we never got to town at noon, it seems that Mother could always time getting a listening to the rustle of the seeds pouring out.

For me, though, cotton harvest holds most of my load to the gin just around lunch. Since she was too busy to cook and I was favorite memories. To be a little too young, after honest, I’m not sure if “My folks allowed me to tromp we dropped the trailer my two brothers would off, Mother headed to agree. I’m not even sure cotton with my brothers.” a local grocery store — my folks would agree. the Circle R. She would Cotton harvest is in the fall, and I remember it as always being cold. It was buy barbeque beef sandwiches and cold Cokes for dirty, tiring work, but for me, my memories are of a the family (and, boy, did they smell good on the way home!). Everyone got a Mars bar, but if I had warm, golden time — of being with my family.

Growing up in a small town certainly had its been good — meaning I hadn’t pestered her to her advantages as well as its disadvantages. Tulia, wit’s end — she would buy me a “Winner” sucker.

Winner suckers came in cherry or grape. They Texas, was a thriving agricultural town during my childhood. My friends and I described it as were a hard candy and typically lasted the whole the “golden age of agriculture.” Crops were good, afternoon. The most important thing about the rain came when it should and, for the most part, Winner sucker was slowly, slowly pulling back hailstorms were few. As the youngest child and the wrapper. If I’d been very good — and was very only girl, I was the consummate tomboy. Whatever lucky — there would be a small sticker declaring my brothers did, I had to do also. As I watched my “WINNER” on the back. I could cash the sticker in brothers “tromp” cotton in an open air trailer, my for a free sucker the next day when we stopped to heart’s desire was to be up there with them. One buy dinner. It might not seem as exciting as Willie cold harvest day, my folks relented and agreed to Wonka’s Golden Ticket, but it was to me.

I can still remember the taste of grape (my allow me to tromp cotton with my brothers.

I was in that trailer like I’d been shot out of favorite) on the back of my tongue 50 years later. a gun. My brothers, being brothers, basically But, more importantly, I remember the feeling ignored me. And the truth be told, I didn’t last I had of my family working together — working long — maybe one round. I found out being pelted hard — to make cotton harvest a winner. by cotton bolls was not a lot of fun. And at 6 years — Marcia Kiser, Lubbock, Texas old, I didn’t have the weight, or the strength, to mek357@sbcglobal.net tromp any cotton down. All I did was sink. As soon

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 Carroll Smith at csmith@onegrower.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

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