Cotton farming april 2017

Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

APRIL 2017

www.cottonfarming.com

STANDING ON SOLID

GROUND West Tennesseans Committed To Family And Farming Cotton

®

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Vol. 61 No. 4

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

APRIL 2017

www.cottonfarming.com

F E AT U R E S

6

SSP UPDATE FOR THE WEST

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PLANTER, PICKER CAPACITY

18

GINNING MARKETPLACE

Farmer-led committees are instrumental in allocating State Support Program funding for projects in each Western state.

Now is the time to consider ground speed, field efficiency and field capacity for planting and harvesting systems.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY

Register now for the upcoming Ginners School.

The Western Ginners School is May 2-4 in Mesilla Park, N.M. The Stoneville Ginners School is June 6-8 in Stoneville, Miss.

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On Solid Ground

Clinton Evans and his son, David III “Buddy,” are fifthand sixth-generation cotton farmers, respectively, in West Tennessee. They grow all conventional cotton — Seed Source Genetics’ UA 222, which averaged 1,130 pounds of lint per acre with a 3-cent premium over loan rate in 2016.

Clinton also shares the family’s rich history of a cotton legacy he hopes his grandchildren will continue in the future.

SUPPLEMENTS TCGA ANNUAL MEETING AND TRADE SHOW | | APRIL 6-7, 2017, LUBBOCK, TEXAS

Texas Cotton Leads The Way

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

4 5 6

Editor’s Note Cotton’s Agenda Western Report

12 Industry News 16 Specialists Speaking 22 My Turn

ON THE COVER: Clinton Evans and his son, Buddy, farm 750 acres of conventional cotton in West Tennessee.

Cover photo by Carroll Smith.

Water Conservation and Profitability Award

2016

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 2016 growing season, using a subsurface drip irrigation system (SDI) and meeting other criteria as detailed in the guidelines. This award is sponsored

by EcoDrip and Cotton Farming magazine.

Cotton Farming

Look for the TCGA Annual Meeting and Trade Show program and Eco-Drip’s 2016 Water Conservation and Profitability Award in the Texas and Oklahoma editions of Cotton Farming.

WEB EXCLUSIVE Jason Bond, Mississippi State University research/Extension weed scientist, offers tips to control Palmer amaranth early. Because of warm weather in March, this pest has already emerged in many fields.

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.

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

APRIL 2017 COTTON FARMING

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Editor’s Note

Cotton Farming

Carroll Smith

®

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

You Can’t Do The Wave

By Yourself

A

popular pastime for fans at stadium sporting events is doing “the wave,” especially if their team is winning. It starts with a group of people jumping up, throwing their arms in the air, and then sitting back down. Another group nearby follows suit, then another and another. Viewed from a distance, these antics look like a wave rolling through an ocean of people.

The purpose of doing the wave is to indicate excitement and enthusiasm for their team. It’s a group effort and impossible to replicate with just one person.

While writing and producing this issue of the magazine, I heard many success stories related to cotton. What struck me is nobody claimed to be solely responsible for their outstanding accomplishments. Each successful person shared the credit with others for their contributions to the effort.

Tennessee farmer Clinton Evans, who is featured in the cover article, shares his family’s rich cotton legacy established by his ancestors that he and his son, Buddy, strive to continue today. The care with which those who came before him respected the land and the cotton they grew still influences how he runs the operation today.

Evans also mentions Ceolia Parker, an 83-year-old man who “has enthusiastically operated a module builder for many years and never missed a day. Parker spent much of his childhood on this place and shares my love for cotton.”

In Texas, Ron Craft, owner/operator of New-Tex Gin in Plains, was recently named Ginner of the Year by the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association. When asked what was the key to being a successful ginner, he was quick to say, “It’s not Ron Craft. Although I am proud of this honor bestowed on me, it really goes to the entire team at New-Tex Gin. Most of our employees have been here a long time, including the office manager with 20-plus years and the gin superintendent with more than 40 years.”

And Lummus Corp.’s General Manager Ross Rutherford, who regularly contributes to the betterment of the ginning industry, pays tribute in the My Turn column to his former professor, Dr. David B. Parnell, for nurturing him and countless other students at Texas A&M. “I am a better engineer…and a man…because of him,” Rutherford says.

What these people have in common is personal success and a deep love for cotton. They would gladly “do the wave” to express their passion. But they all will be the first ones to say, “You can’t do the wave by yourself.”

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 2017

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 (847) 559-7324 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 2017 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

One Grower Publishing, LLC 6515 Goodman Rd., Box 360, Olive Branch, MS 38654 Phone: 901-767-4020

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Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

Meeting The Need The National Cotton Council (NCC) believes it is crucial that a meaningful safety net for cotton be included in the next farm bill.

What is the current economic situation? n During the past few years, U.S. cotton producers have struggled with cotton prices not adequate enough to cover their production costs. Although prices have improved from the lows seen in 2015, many producers are still struggling to cover their total production costs.

What is the NCC’s farm bill development focus? n First of all, the NCC continues working to get a cottonseed policy in place as a bridge until the new farm law is enacted. Regarding cotton’s policy needs in the next farm bill, Tom Lahey, a Kansas cotton producer and NCC delegate, recently testified at a Senate agriculture committee hearing that cotton is the

Lahey also testified that in addition to a meaningful safety net, the U.S. cotton industry relies heavily on a properly functioning marketing loan program. So maintaining that policy with minor adjustments is a priority.

Our industry also will work to prevent any further tightening of payment limits and eligibility requirements. We believe these provisions already are too burdensome and restrictive in light of the size and scale of production agriculture necessary to be competitive in today’s global market. Additionally, there is a need for enhanced cotton crop insurance policies, including improvements in quality loss provisions. I encourage industry members to read Lahey’s complete testimony, which is available from the NCC website’s home page, www.cotton.org.

Are proposed budget cuts being fought? n The NCC joined more than 500 organizations on a letter to the leadership of the House/ Senate budget and appropriations committees strongly urging them to reject calls for additional cuts to policies within the jurisdiction of the House and Senate agriculture committees.

Such cuts would hinder development of new farm law and undermine that legislation’s effectiveness. House Agriculture Committee leadership reinforced that plea in its FY18 Budget Views/Estimates Letter to the House Budget Committee. That panel was asked to consider the 2014 farm law’s contribution to deficit reduction — an estimated $104 billion in savings achieved or more than four times what had been pledged. only traditional “program” crop that does not have any long-term price or revenue protection policy in 2014 farm law. Thus, strengthening cotton’s safety net is imperative, specifically bringing cotton back into Title I commodity policy. Doing so will enable cotton producers to access many risk management tools that other crops employ to help them withstand periods of price declines and depressed market conditions.

The NCC also joined with other Crop Insurance Coalition members in urging opposition to any proposed cuts to crop insurance.

Letters seeking protection of crop insurance programs recently were sent to: 1) the House/ Senate budget and appropriations committees, 2) Agriculture Secretary Designate Sonny Perdue and 3) Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney.

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.

Twitter: @CottonFarming

APRIL 2017 COTTON FARMING

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WESTERN REPORT

Cotton Incorporated’s State Support Program is exploring ways to add value to cottonseed, including using cottonseed meal as food for fish and shrimp.

State Support Program In The West

A

lthough cotton producers in the West have seen a decrease in Cotton Research and Promotion Program (CRPP) State Support Program (SSP) funding over the past few years due to the decline of cotton production in the region, the SSP continues to finance important projects in California, Arizona and New Mexico.

Following closely the mission of Cotton Incorporated, the SSP strives to improve the demand for and profitability of cotton. However, strategies and activities created under this program are designed to address the specific needs of individual cotton-producing states. Every year, approximately 7.5 percent of the producer funds collected by the CRPP are returned to each state.

These funds are divided among the states according to production levels. Each state’s grower-led committee sets priorities, requests proposals from local research institutions, and allocates its share of the SSP funds.

Once projects have been identified by the committee, they are managed by the Agricultural and Environmental Research staff of Cotton Incorporated.

Focus On Fusarium, IPM This season, California producers focused on Fusarium and insect control where they can leverage their

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COTTON FARMING APRIL 2017

BY BRENT MURPHREE MARICOPA, ARIZ.

SSP funding with cooperation from Cotton Incorporated core funding.

“Strides have been made in breeding for Race 4 Fusarium wilt resistance,” says Steve Wilbur, California State Support Committee Chairman.

Along with researchers in Texas, California is looking at improvements in cotton varieties that can resist old and new cotton diseases.

California cotton producers are also concerned about insect pressures.

“Why are we still studying aphids, lygus and whitefly?” asks Wilbur.

“They morph, they change and many of our crop protection tools are being taken away.”

Continued research helps producers understand how to use the crop protection tools and what thresholds need to be used to keep pests

in check. Diligently following these thresholds is important for economic insect control.

The Arizona SSP also makes insect research a priority. Through the work of Dr. Peter Ellsworth, his University of Arizona team and cooperating producers, pressure from whiteflies has decreased despite the changing availability of protection tools and some evidence of creeping resistance. “ Ti m i n g i s e v e r y t h i n g , ” s a y s Ellsworth. “And thresholds provide important guidance to ensure our crop chemicals work effectively and efficiently. They are like the guardrails on the highway that prevent you from careening off the side of a mountain. While there is leeway within your lane, adhering to thresholds is important in order to keep insects in check. Strict adherence can determine the success or failure of the treatment and the crop.”

Root Rot And Aflatoxin Research Arizona has also had success managing cotton root rot with help from the SSP. Cotton root rot can develop anywhere in Arizona, but the more seriously infected fields have been in Eastern Arizona. Using information from research done in Texas, effective programs have been developed for use in Arizona.

Additional program funds are helping with cotton variety trials and in developing biological control of aflatoxin in Arizona cottonseed.

One of the most auspicious SSP projects has been New Mexico’s success with breeding glandless cotton varieties. Two high-yielding varieties have been submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for release. As part of a cotton sustainability project, glandless cottonseed meal was used to grow shrimp in a demonstration project in Las Cruces, N.M. Researchers have established a small processing pilot plant to identify value-added potential of glandless cotton.

For more information on the SSP, please visit www.cottoninc.com/StateSupport-Program.

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

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COVER STORY

S TA N D I N G O N

SOLID GROUND West Tennesseans Committed To Family And Farming Cotton

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

F

“

arming must be sustainable, and raising cotton is how I can make that happen,” says Clinton Evans, who farms with his son, David III “Buddy,” in West Tennessee as Clinton Evans Farms. Last year, the father-and-son team grew 750 acres of cotton and 550 acres of soybeans.

In 2009 as the cotton market began to decline, Evans looked for ways to trim his production costs without sacrificing yield and quality. A good farming friend of his, Randall Taylor Jr., suggested that he try planting some conventional cottonseed from Seed Source Genetics in Bishop, Texas, to see how it would perform on his farm.

Evans decided to give it a shot.

“That year I planted 165 acres of Seed Source Genetics’ CT 212 and made 2 bales per acre,” he says.

“From 2009-2012, I grew CT 212 and CT 210. In 2012, the company acquired UA 222, a mid-early variety developed by Dr. Fred Bourland, a cotton breeder at the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. I only had five bags to try, so I planted it in front of the house so I could watch how it grew. I planted the rest of the crop to CT 212.

“Although 2012 was a dry year, UA 222 showed a 250 pound-per-acre yield increase over CT 212 and had excellent fiber quality. The next year, I wanted to plant UA 222 exclusively, but it was in limited supply. Ed Jungmann with Seed Source Genetics sent me some 66 percent low-germ seed, which is all he had at the time. I planted it and had the best year ever.

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COTTON FARMING APRIL 2017

Buddy, left, and Clinton Evans grow 750 acres of conventional cotton and 550 acres of soybeans in west Tennessee.

It averaged 1,275 pounds per acre. I’ve been raising UA 222 for the past four years. It’s drought tolerant, high quality with good mic and a long staple and has averaged 1,120 pounds.”

In 2016, Evans planted 750 acres of cotton that picked 1,688 bales, an

average of 1,130 pounds per acre. In addition to cotton, he grew 550 acres of soybeans. When describing how the beans turned out, Evans says, “They did what beans do here in West Tennessee — yielded 40-50 bushels per acre.”

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Pest Control Strategy The primary weeds on Evans’ farm are Palmer pigweed, teaweed, morningglory, sicklepod and lambsquarters. His weed control strategy begins with a pre-emerge herbicide application of Treflan, Cotoran, Caparol and Command at planting. Envoke and/ or Staple are applied postemergence over-the-top. Evans runs a cultivator when needed, followed by a hooded application of diuron and ET. “We also have some good, sharp hoes,” he says. “And in 2017, we plan to try some new pre-emerge herbicides — Brake, Zidua and Outlook.”

Because Evans grows all conventional cotton, he stays in close communication with his neighbors who plant GMO crops tolerant to herbicides, such as glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba.

“I always remind my neighbors I am planting conventional varieties, so we won’t have a problem with herbicide drift,” he says. “We also are protected because our farms are somewhat isolated, and we have tree line buffers around the fence rows.”

Troublesome insect pests that threaten his cotton include the usual suspects: thrips, plant bugs and bollworms.

John Joyner,” Evans says. “He has a trained eye and has scouted my cotton for the past seven years. The key to controlling insect pests is to locate them early. Orthene over-the-top typically works best for thrips and plant bugs. For bollworms and bollworm eggs, Orthene and a pyrethroid tankmix are effective.”

As the season wraps up, Evans uses conventional cotton pickers and module builders at harvest time.

“In 2016, our cotton averaged 1,130 pounds of lint per acre with a 3-cent premium over loan rate,” he says.

Pictured here is the fruit load on a lower fruiting branch of UA 222. This variety begins setting fruit on the fifth or sixth node, then comes back and sets fruit on the lower branches.

“When it comes to scouting for insects, I rely on my consultant,

Farm Bill Footnote Like all U.S. cotton farmers, Evans is concerned that the current Farm Bill does not properly support the American farmer and has weakened cotton’s infrastructure.

“We as farmers are the ones riding this market wave, and it has gotten hard to float,” he says. “Some are actually sinking. Cotton deserves more attention in the next Farm Bill because it has historically been and continues to be a major crop in the United States. It is time for our lawmakers to put a Farm Bill together that an American farmer can stand on and be proud of.”

A Passion For Cotton Spans Generations

BY CLINTON EVANS COTTON FARMER, BROWNSVILLE, TENN.

I

was born Nov. 14, 1959, in Haywood County, Tenn., raised on this farm and spent my childhood in Davie Place — my family’s ancestral home built in the mid1800s by my great-great-grandfather, John Wesley Davie. My mother, Cynthia Moody Evans, continues to live there today.

I fondly remember the sharecroppers with their mules, planters and plows. I went to the field with them when I was a small child. As I matured, my father, David C. Evans Sr., let me help in many ways on the farm.

Fortunately, it came naturally to me. I believe that is where I grew to love the dirt. I am 57 and have only been away from this farm for one year while attending the University of Tennessee, Martin.

After my short college career, I moved home, started farming with my family and married Lee Ann Morris, my childhood sweetheart, in 1980. We began restoring my great-grandfather’s home here on the farm. The house was built around 1890. We have lived in Papa Dee’s house Twitter: @CottonFarming

for 37 years, and it is the hub of our activities — farm and family related.

Known as Papa Dee and Grandma Kittie Evans to the relatives, Grandma Kittie had been a Davie. Stern Papa Dee must have been, as the saying goes, “one hell A FARMER’S STORY of a farmer!” He died in 1947, leaving Grandma Kittie to carry on until her death in 1962. During their marriage, they acquired a large amount of land in west Haywood County that was inherited by their children.

Over the years, some of the land was sold. But the home places are still here, and my brother, John Wesley Davie Evans, and I farm the ground today.

When my father became ill with pancreatic cancer in his late fifties, my brother and I took over the farming operation. We were blessed to have Daddy for 17 more Continued on page 14 APRIL 2017 COTTON FARMING

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SPECIAL REPORT

Planting And Harvesting Capacity In Cotton Production Estimated From Days Suitable For Fieldwork

BY TERRY W. GRIFFIN, PH.D., KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY; MICHAEL J. BUSCHERMOHLE, PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE; AND EDWARD M. BARNES, PH.D., COTTON INCORPORATED

Editor’s Note: As Tennessee cotton specialist Tyson Raper says on page 21, the forecast points to increased cotton acreage in 2017. With this scenario in mind, Raper says, “The take-home message is to consider picker capacity now.”

M

achine capacity information is crucial for making machinery management decisions. It is used to predict how equipment will perform for a specific farming operation and determines the timeliness of that operation. Machinery capacities have improved over time; however, optimal decisions for planting and harvesting equipment selection remain heavily dependent on climate conditions.

Days suitable for fieldwork (DSFW) were evaluated during cotton planting and harvesting windows for 13 cotton-producing states. Additionally, scenarios for different planting and harvesting equipment configurations were analyzed to give an approximate indication of how many acres cotton producers can realistically expect to cover for each state under various equipment configurations.

These results are valuable to farmers, practitioners, and researchers for decision-making including determining the number of acres that can be planted and/or harvested in a given year. They also are important for farm decision makers when selecting machinery and allocating acreage.

Data Collection Days suitable for fieldwork data were collected from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Data were generally available from 1996-2013, although a few states (Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi and Kansas) had 30-plus years of data.

DSFW is determined by weather conditions such as rainfall and temperature that influence the condition of the soil surface, thereby affecting the ability of machinery to conduct fieldwork.

Weekly DSFW were collected for 13 of the 17 cotton-producing states. Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas do not have historical DSFW data available. USDA reports DSFW at the Crop Reporting District level for only Kansas and Missouri, and only statewide DSFW for the remaining 11 cotton-producing states. Since cotton production only occurs in relatively small areas of Kansas and Missouri, DSFW for southeastern Missouri and south-central Kansas were chosen rather than state-level data.

The relevant planting and harvesting dates for

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COTTON FARMING APRIL 2017

Table 1. Ground speed, field efficiency and field capacity for typical planting systems Planter Configuration

Speed Miles per Hour

Planting Field Efficiency %

Field Capacity Acres per Hour

12-Row Seed Tender*

5

74

17

18-Row Center Fill

5

66

23

24-Row Center Fill

5

61

28

*Seed refilled by individual row unit Data source: Buschermohle et al. (2016)

Table 2. Ground speed, field efficiency and field capacity for typical cotton harvest systems Speed Miles per Hour*

Picking Field Efficiency %

Field Capacity Acres per Hour***

Six-Row Round MB**

4.2

83

8.0

Six-Row Basket

4.2

75

7.3

Six-Row Basket (old)

3.6

75

6.2

Harvester Type

* Speed based on first gear picking speed ** MB = Module Building *** Based on data from Faulkner et al. (2011), 8 acres per hour is also a reasonable estimate for an eight-row stripper with a field cleaner under medium-yielding conditions (2 bales per acre, 4 mph). For higher-yielding conditions (3 bales per acre, 3 mph), the stripper harvester capacity drops to 6.5 acres per hour. Under low-yielding conditions, an eight-row stripper can exceed 12 acres per hour, so values for the six-row round in Table 4 would need to be multiplied by 1.5 Primary data source: Willcutt et al. (2009).

each state were selected from the 2010 USDA NASS Agricultural Handbook, Number 628, as “most active.”

Griffin et al. (2015) provide additional details on how DSFW was calculated.

Planter, Harvester Configurations Tables 1 and 2 represent the parameters used for the different planter and harvester configurations evaluated.

Field efficiency represents the percent of the time the machine is in the field actually planting or harvesting (as opposed to turning at the end of the field, or time spent loading seed or unloading cotton). Note that field efficiency does not take into account travel time between fields.

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Field capacity indicates how many acres per hour could be covered by the specific machine configuration. A 10-hour day was assumed for planting and reduced to an eight-hour day for harvesting as dew often limits when it can start and end each day in many states.

Median Weather Year Tables 3 and 4 present the planting and harvesting DSFW, respectively, for an average year measured as the 50th percentile or median. It should be noted that “field capacity” is reported for the median DSFW and should be interpreted as an upper limit on the number of acres that can be planted or harvested during the season.

Planning for a median weather year is overly optimistic. And machinery selected based on the median year would not be able to complete field operations 50 percent of the time. Decision makers should plan for a year worse than the median.

Additional research is in process to define a worse-case scenario.

Also included in the tables are estimates of how many acres could be covered for a specific machine configuration during a typical (median) weather year. Note that additional data analysis has shown that days for fieldwork definitely vary on a yearly basis. In worse-case scenarios (20th percentile of DSFW), expect a reduction of approximately 300 acres or more in a season for a given machinery configuration.

Setting Expectations As a planting example using Table 3, a producer in Alabama could expect to cover up to 3,723 acres per season with a 12-row planter or 6,132 acres with a 24-row machine. Similarly, from Table 4, a producer in Tennessee with a round module-building picker could expect to cover 2,048 acres in a season, or 1,587 acres with an older machine.

Note that farms employing higher-capacity equipment are subject to a larger loss of acres in bad weather years. For example, when a day is lost with a 24-row planter, 280 acres are not planted as opposed to being 170 acres behind schedule when using a 12-row planter.

These machine capacities are not meant to be exact but should be useful in setting expectations on how many acres can be covered by a given machine in a season.

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

Table 3. Days suitable for fieldwork (DSFW) in a median year during typical planting times in the state listed and estimated acres a given machine configuration could cover per season.

Acres per Machine for Planters Described in Table 1 Assuming 10-hour Work Day State

Begin Planting

End Planting*

Calendar Days

Median DSFW*

% Days Suitable

12-Row

18-Row

24-Row

AL

24-Apr

24-May

31

21.9

71%

3,723

5,037

6,132

AR

30-Apr

23-May

24

13.8

58%

2,346

3,174

3,864

GA

2-May

31-May

30

23.9

80%

4,063

5,497

6,692

KS

20-May

15-Jun

27

18.5

69%

3,145

4,255

5,180

LA

24-Apr

17-May

24

16.1

67%

2,737

3,703

4,508

MO

29-Apr

23-May

25

13.6

54%

2,312

3,128

3,808

MS

27-Apr

19-May

23

13.8

60%

2,346

3,174

3,864

NC

1-May

20-May

20

16.1

81%

2,737

3,703

4,508

NM

20-Apr

10-May

21

19.8

94%

3,366

4,554

5,544

OK

11-May

10-Jun

31

20.6

66%

3,502

4,738

5,768

SC

1-May

20-May

20

17.4

87%

2,958

4,002

4,872

TN

1-May

25-May

25

17.7

71%

3,009

4,071

4,956

VA

25-Apr

11-May

17

9.6

56%

1,632

2,208

2,688

Average

70%

2,914

3,942

4,799

* For both planting and harvesting dates reported by USDA and especially for planting dates, the “most active” planting date windows are likely much longer than any typical farmer would plan for or actually plant. Metrics reported by USDA NASS as the “most active” dates reflect statewide trends and local harvest or planting activity is likely to be only during a subset of these dates.

Table 4. Days suitable for fieldwork (DSFW) in a median year during typical harvest times in the state listed and estimated acres a given machine configuration could cover per season.

Acres per Machine for Harvests Described in Table 2 Assuming 8-hour Work Day State

Start Harvest

End Harvest

Calendar Days

Median DSFW*

% Days Suitable

Six-Row Round

Six-Row Basket

Old SixRow

AL

20-Sep

20-Oct

31

23.3

75%

1,491

1,361

1,156

AR

29-Sep

6-Nov

39

33.8

87%

2,163

1,974

1,676

GA

10-Oct

2-Dec

54

45.4

84%

2,906

2,651

2,252

KS

25-Oct

15-Dec

42

28.5

68%

1,824

1,664

1,414

LA

23-Sep

23-Oct

31

22.8

74%

1,459

1,332

1,131

MS

27-Sep

9-Nov

44

28.9

66%

1,850

1,688

1,433

MO

27-Sep

29-Oct

33

26.8

81%

1,715

1,565

1,329

NM

10-Oct

15-Nov

37

26.5

72%

1,696

1,548

1,314

NC

25-Oct

30-Nov

37

31.8

86%

2,035

1,857

1,577

OK

15-Oct

9-Dec

56

30.1

54%

1,926

1,758

1,493

SC

15-Oct

13-Nov

30

24.3

81%

1,555

1,419

1,205

TN

30-Sep

10-Nov

42

32

76%

2,048

1,869

1,587

VA

8-Oct

20-Nov

44

32

73%

2,048

1,869

1,587

Average

75%

1,901

1,735

1,474

* For both planting and harvesting dates reported by USDA and especially for planting dates, the ‘most active’ planting date windows are likely much longer than any typical farmer would plan for or actually plant.

Metrics reported by USDA NASS as the ‘most active’ dates reflect statewide trends and local harvest or planting activity is likely to be only during a subset of these dates. This is particularly true in a state like Georgia, where the active cotton harvest time is extended to shared labor with peanut harvest.

To view references, go to the website news.utcrops.com and click on

“Planting and Harvesting Capacity in Cotton Production.”

APRIL 2017 COTTON FARMING

11

Industry News Georgia Farmer To Lead The National Cotton Council In 2017

Ronnie Lee, a cotton producer from Bronwood, Ga., was elected National Cotton Council chairman for 2017.

Named during the NCC’s annual meeting Feb. 10-12, he succeeds Shane Stephens, a Greenwood, Miss., warehouseman.

As the managing partner of Lee Farms, Lee raises cotton, corn, peanuts, small grains, hay, pecans and cattle in Terrell, Lee, and Sumter counties. He also owns and operates McCleskey Cotton Co., a ginning and warehousing operation with locations in Bronwood and Albany. His gin is one of the owners of Chickasha of Georgia.

Lee is involved in multiple agricultural businesses. He owns RCL Flying Service; LGT LLC; McCleskey Saw and Machine Co. LLC; and Adela Logistics, all of which support local growers and their products. Prior to focusing on these closely held businesses, he was a vice president with McCleskey Mills Inc., a peanut shelling company in Smithville, Ga. An active U.S. cotton industry leader, Lee has been a NCC producer delegate since 2003 and served on the NCC’s Board of Directors in 2015. He also served as vice chairman of the American Cotton Producers in 2014 and currently is a director of Cotton Incorporated. The Georgia farmer has been involved in regional, state and local organizations as well.

Lee, who attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, has three sons — Ron, Chandler and Neil — all of whom are actively involved in the family businesses. He is a member of Bronwood Baptist Church.

Leaders Inducted Into Louisiana Hall Of Distinction

Two farmers and a forestry leader have been inducted into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction, which honors those who make extraordinary contributions to Louisiana’s agriculture industry.

Mayther Ray Young of Wisner in Franklin Parish, Buck Vandersteen of Alexandria and the late James Graugnard Sr. of St. James were inducted on March 2 during a ceremony at L’Auberge Hotel in Baton Rouge.

After graduating from both

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COTTON FARMING APRIL 2017

Tim Roberts Named 2016 Cotton Consultant Of The Year Congratulations to Tim Roberts, Dyersburg, Tenn., who was named the 2016 Cotton Consultant of the Year by his peers March 3 at a special reception in his honor. Syngenta’s Rex Wichert presents the traditional green jacket to Tim as Cotton Farming publisher Lia Guthrie looks on. The CCOY award, which was established in 1981, is sponsored by Syngenta and Cotton Farming magazine.

Louisiana Tech and Louisiana State University, Young established his own farm, which he operates with his son, Jesse. Young pioneered no-till technology now used on farms throughout the South. He is also a successful and well-respected crop consultant.

Vandersteen headed the Louisiana Forestry Association for 34 years and served as president of the National Council of Forestry Association Executives. He also helped establish the Passage of the Forest Productivity Program, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the Forest Stewardship Council and the American Tree Farm program.

Graugnard was posthumously honored for his lifelong accomplishments in agriculture. He helped grow the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation and was instrumental in forming the Louisiana Farm Bureau Service Co.

CFBF President Comments On Central Valley Project Report After the federal Central Valley Project reported March 22 it expects to deliver only 65 percent of contract water supplies to its agricultural water contractors south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California Farm Bureau Federation President Paul Wenger says the

announcement shows how operation of the state’s water system needs an overhaul.

“In the alternate universe of California water, we can have floods, full reservoirs and a huge snowpack and still not have full water supplies.

It boggles the mind,” Wenger says.

“Operation of our water system remains out of whack. We need to continue efforts to improve and expand the system. In Congress, passage of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act last year marked an important step in addressing the system’s inadequacies.

Congress must now follow through with measures such as Rep. David Valadao’s Gaining Responsibility on Water Act, which would offer longer-term ability to store and move water.”

Wenger says farmers and ranchers will also press Congress to modernize endangered-species laws “to balance the goals of environmental restoration with the ability to provide the resources needed to grow food and farm products.”

At the state level, he says, California must move as quickly as possible to invest money from the Proposition 1 water bond into storage projects that provide the state with more ability to store water in wet winters such as this.

COTTONFARMING.COM

Industry News Valor EZ Herbicide Now Available In Liquid Formulation

growing season for use on cotton and soybeans.

Valent U.S.A. Corp. has released Valor EZ herbicide, a liquid formulation of Valor SX. The company says Valor EZ is easy to mix with in-tank suspension properties and an ideal residual partner for the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System. The new formulation helps provide growers a residual herbicide that is easy to use at all stages of the application process.

Valent U.S.A.’s Frank Carey says Valor EZ is a liquid formulation of flumioxazin, the active ingredient in Valor SX. “Because Valor SX was a dry material, you had to make a pre-slurry before putting it into the tank,” Carey says. “The liquid formulation can be poured directly into the tank, which increases the speed and ease of mixing. It’s also tankmix friendly.

“The particle size in Valor EZ is smaller so it doesn’t settle out as quickly in the tank if you lose agitation. Because it’s suspended in the tank like the dry material, it still requires agitation, but the mixing step is more efficient for the farmer.

Valor EZ is a flowable so it goes first in the mixing order. And the active ingredient is the same as Valor SX, so Valor EZ still provides excellent control of a broad spectrum of weeds, including tough-to-control waterhemp and Palmer amaranth, for four to six weeks.”

Valor EZ is available for the 2017

Bayer Introduces Shared Risk Program For Cotton Farmers Bayer supports farmers and defends their economic sustainability with the 2017 Shared Risk Program for those who plant FiberMax and Stoneville cotton seed.

“It’s important for our industry to reduce the risk growers face each season and to give growers the flexibility to manage to their highest yield potential for maximum profit opportunity,” says Kerry Grossweiler, Bayer campaign manager. “The 2017 Shared Risk Program gives growers added economic confidence.”

Bayer says because FiberMax and Stoneville growers chose the right science for success and because they provide quality management, the company defends their economic sustainability with the 2017 Grower Shared Risk Program.

Kevin Corzine, who farms cotton with his brother, Justin, and his dad, Keith, in Stamford, Texas, participated in the 2017 Bayer Shared Risk Program-West. In this region, the program offered: • Replant protection on irrigated or dryland acres.

• Crop loss protection on irrigated or dryland acres.

• Dryland protection for producers who suffer crop loss due to drought.

Dryland protection is provided at two

yield levels: less than 200 pounds lint per acre and 200-399 pounds lint per acre.

“Where we farm in east-central Texas is a dryland scenario,” Kevin says. “Many years we make 350-375 pounds of lint per acre on some fields.

No one has ever offered us protection in that 200-399 range. In 2016, one of our fields made 350 pounds per acre and another one made 375 pounds per acre so we submitted claims for those fields. That’s why we are excited about this program.”

For more information, visit www.

FiberMax/SharedRiskWest.

Missouri Bootheel Farmer Invents Cotton Tail Hoods In addition to farming cotton in the Missouri Bootheel, Patrick Turnage invented the patent-pending Cotton Tail Hoods, which are now available through Perkins Sales in Bernie, Mo. The hoods are designed for John Deere, Case IH and Kinze planters.

Turnage says with Cotton Tail Hoods, farmers can combine both planting and broadcast chemical applications into one efficient process.

“Cotton Tail Hoods reduce the risk of drift so you can spray with confidence,” he says. “Each individual hood is mounted to each individual row unit. Because it’s not a rigid, 40-foot structure, each hood can flex and contour to the ground.”

For more information , visit perkinssales.com or call 877-293-5794.

Missouri Bootheel cotton farmer Patrick Turnage invented Cotton Tail Hoods.

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

APRIL 2017 COTTON FARMING

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Continued from page 9

years — some hard, learning years. Wesley and I farmed together through 2003 and then divided. He and I continue to farm all the Davie/Evans ground.

Last year, a neighboring landowner and friend not related to the family was looking for an old home to move to her farm. I discovered she bought the home of my great-great-grandfather, James Evans, Papa Dee’s father.

It has been placed on a hill across the road from Davie Place to be restored. The homes are literally facing each other 1/8-mile apart, which is amazing.

I have read a lot about family legacy and succession.

Lee Ann and I established a trust in 2012 from which we operBeing surrounded ate the farm. If our by reminders of the grandchildren wish to continue the legpast and hope for acy of farming, they the future is why would become the seventh generation of my love for cotton Davie/Evans farmers. is so strong.”

Lee Ann and I have raised our two children here on the farm. David Clinton Evans III “Buddy,” 35, and Anna Clinton Evans McKinnie, 25, both took advantage of the opportunity to get their college degrees. Buddy majored in ag engineering at Mississippi State University, and Anna majored in education at Union University. Cotton played a major role in their educations and helped get that “paper” in their hands.

Buddy is married to Brooke, a homemaker, who also graduated from Mississippi State. She homeschools our three grandchildren: Oaklee, Tanner and Wiley.

Our daughter, Anna — a teacher, is married to Duncan McKinnie, who works in the ag industry. Duncan graduated from UT Martin. We enjoy spending time with our family boating and skiing, which is a great stress reliever.

Lee Ann also came from a family farming background dating back five generations. Her father, Billy Frank Morris, was farming their ground when he passed away at the early age of 38. She was only 10. Her mother, Sara

“

As a reminder of bygone cotton days, a one-row John Deere basket picker that belonged to Evans’ great-uncle, Dee Evans, is still chained to an old oak tree where it has grown into the trunk.

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COTTON FARMING APRIL 2017

Clinton and Lee Ann Evans, Brownsville, Tenn.

Harris Morris, kept the farmland and rented it to a close family friend. He and his sons worked the ground for 40-plus years. After the death of Lee Ann’s mother, our son Buddy — a registered surveyor who has his own business — was helping me more and more on the farm. In 2015, he decided to make farming a major commitment.

I am also blessed to know Ceolia Parker, an 83-yearold man who has worked for me in a variety of ways. He has enthusiastically operated a module builder for many years and never missed a day. He spent much of his childhood on this place and shares my love for cotton. Rickey Perkins, another man who liked to farm and had come from a farming background, was helping me part time. I hired him full time and started working Lee Ann and her siblings’ family ground, doubling our acres from 650 to 1,300.

Cotton has always been a big part of this farm. Most of the cotton equipment is still here, from mule-drawn to modern. There is even an old, one-row John Deere basket picker that belonged to my great-uncle, Dee Evans — Papa Dee’s son, which is now literally part of the landscape. Dee mounted the basket and header on a 4020 John Deere tractor. When he finished picking cotton, he always chained it to an old oak tree where it stands today grown into the trunk.

Being surrounded by reminders of the past and hope for the future is why my love for cotton is so strong.

COTTONFARMING.COM

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Specialists Speaking Planting Considerations FLORIDA David Wright Most of the early season management has been decided as far as varieties, planting methods and planter configurations by this time. Growers like the spring that follows the planning they have done to get things set up for the year. Most make changes to a planter or some piece of equipment to fine-tune their operations.

It is challenging to complete planting before moisture runs out. Farmers also hope to have enough good planting weather to get planted on time. Both cotton and peanut are planted from mid-April to mid-May. There are often days when the soil is too wet or too dry and winds are too high to apply herbicides. If seedlings emerge before a residual herbicide is applied, it complicates weed management.

It is important in today’s resistant weed environment to apply residual herbicides, which often do an excellent job of controlling a wide range of weeds. They also reduce costly over-the-top applications when weeds have gotten ahead of weed management. Extension specialists and consultants are always ready to help if problems do occur. Every year is a new and exciting year with different challenges! wright@ufl.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson The first step toward a successful season is establishing a healthy stand. Cotton does not tolerate difficulties encountered during its first weeks of growth nearly as well as most of our insect and weed pests. Variety selection and seed quality have a lasting effect on the crop’s early season vigor and overall plant health, which are critical in establishing high yield potential.

In Arkansas, history generally tells us 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 a good, uniform stand if conditions are less than optimal. And as seed size decreases, the importance of having good soil temperatures increases.

Regardless of the calendar date, park the planter if heat unit accu-

mulation (DD60s) is predicted to be 15 or less for the five-day period after planting. Good results are often seen with 25 or more heat units being accumulated during the five-day period after planting.

Producers should try new varieties on some of their land. However, planting the entire farm in new varieties is not recommended. They should be limited to no more than 10 percent of the farm.

There are many signals or signs that people use to indicate the right time to plant. Regardless of your method, 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

ARIZONA Randy Norton Deciding on the appropriate time to begin planting cotton in the spring can be a difficult decision. Warm, early spring days will sometimes provide an “itch” to get into the field and start planting. However, warm spring days can also be followed by very cool nights that lead to less-than-optimum soil temperature conditions for seedling germination and emergence.

Cool soil temperatures result in slow germination and increased susceptibility to seedling diseases caused by soil-borne fungi. A cold front moving through an area can dramatically slow seed germination and seedling emergence, making them more susceptible to seedling diseases from pathogens such as Rhizoctonia solani (damping off) and Thielaviopsis basicola (black root rot), both soil-borne fungi.

The most effective way to avoid seedling diseases is to plant into conditions that promote rapid germination and seedling emergence.

Research shows that a soil temperature greater than 65 degrees Fahrenheit at 8 a.m. is optimum for planting. The range of 60-65 degrees is good, 55-60 degrees is marginal and below 55 is considered poor.

The three-day forecast following a proposed planting date is also important to consider. If inclement weather, such as precipitation or a cold front, is expected during those first three days post planting, it might be better to delay planting and wait for better weather. Conditions experienced by the seed in the first 24-48 hours after planting are critical to proper germination and seedling emergence. Real- time soil temperatures for each of the Arizona Meteorologial Network

Early season vigor and overall plant health are important in establishing high yield potential.

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COTTON FARMING APRIL 2017

COTTONFARMING.COM

Specialists Speaking weather stations can be found on the AZMET website (cals.arizona. edu/azmet) by following the “Agricultural Stations: Current Conditions� link on the home page.

More than ever, economic realities pressure us to make the most efficient and productive planting decisions possible. Increased cost of seed in recent years provides incentive to avoid replanting situations by monitoring soil temperatures and weather forecasts and planting into conditions as close to optimum as possible. Find additional information related to optimum planting conditions and related early season topics at cals.arizona.edu/crops. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu

for growing and managing these varieties and all of the associated aspects of that process. However, several points should be considered, including yield potential, ability to control weeds in a convenient and cost-effective manner, protection from misapplication or off-target movement, applicator clean out, and application restrictions.

There are certainly other considerations; however, this list should provide a good starting point. Once you address these and other areas of your management strategy and determine how a given technology may or may not fit your system, you will likely have the answer as to what technology you should purchase. darrind@ext.msstate.edu

LOUISIANA Dan Fromme

MISSOURI Mike Milam

Currently, cotton acres are expected to increase compared to last year in Louisiana. As we proceed into planting, cotton farmers have experienced abundant rainfall and wet soil conditions during March.

The trend in reduced seeding rates continues and reflects using more precise planters and the desire to manage high-value seed costs by reducing the number of seeds per acre. An efficient and well-timed planting operation can result in a $10-$25 savings of seed cost and technology fees.

Plant 2.75 to 3.25 uniformly spaced seeds (drilled or hill-drop) with good seed-to-soil contact, warm soil temperatures and adequate soil moisture. Plant on the high side of these recommended rates when planting early into cooler soils. The minimum plant population in the final stand should be about two plants per foot or 30,000 plants per acre. Planting less than 2.5 seeds per foot can significantly delay maturity.

Once planting is complete and cotton seedlings have emerged, producers will want to concentrate on managing the cotton plant from the first- through fifth-leaf stage. Reaching the fifth true leaf stage as quickly as possible and unscathed from thrips is important in producing good cotton yields. In Louisiana, yields can be reduced by 200-300 pounds of lint per acre from severe thrips damage. Seed treatments for controlling early season insect pests through the fifth true leaf stage play a valuable role in getting off to a fast start.

Depending on environmental conditions, seed treatments may last anywhere from 14-22 days. Oftentimes under cool spring conditions, reaching the fifth true leaf stage is delayed and seed treatments no longer offer protection. Under these circumstances, foliar sprays are needed even though a seed treatment was used at planting. However, make sure economic thresholds are exceeded before applying a foliar application for thrips control. Avoid automatic or convenience applications if economic thresholds have not been reached. Such practices can create pest problems, particularly from spider mites. dfromme@agcenter.lsu.edu

As I am writing this, we are experiencing a warmer-than-normal winter. I would guess we are two to three weeks ahead on the development of our trees and shrubs. However, the weekend forecast is for rain, snow and a hard freeze. Since wheat is earlier this year, it is vulnerable to freezing conditions. We are expecting increased cotton acreage this season, and producers are eager to get started.

My best-case scenario would be for earlier planting rather than later. We need warm soils, and I would like to see the cotton emerge in five to 10 days. We had some issues last year with cool, wet conditions after planting. We also had to replant some fields with cover crops, because the fields did not dry down in a timely fashion.

Producers need to read the dicamba and 2,4-D labels very carefully. Cleaning out equipment will also be more important this season. As far as pre-plant, pre-emerge and residual herbicides are concerned, we recommend rotating modes of action to help avoid resistance. A chart for the different modes of action is located at http:// weedscience.missouri.edu/publications/2017_Updated_ClassificationPoster.pdf.

With provisional labels for the new products, we essentially only have a brief time to get the technology right. Dicamba and 2,4-D are both tools. Keep in mind that glyphosate resistance took about 10 years to develop. We must be better stewards of our technology to make it last longer. Producers cannot afford to make the same mistakes they made with glyphosate. milammr@missouri.edu

MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds Cotton planters will soon be rolling through fields in Mississippi. There are a few things that justify particular attention with this year’s crop. Almost everyone is aware thrips control has become increasingly difficult with insecticide seed treatments. While we have seen a shift toward imidacloprid seed treatments, we are also seeing slippage in thrips control with these products.

We have a number of growers who have chosen to overtreat seed with acephate or spray acephate in-furrow. The complicating factor in this situation is that once a bag is broken and overtreated, it cannot be returned. Regardless of how you attempt to manage thrips, timely scouting and subsequent insecticide applications when thresholds are reached are vitally important.

Herbicide-resistant cotton varieties have certainly been the talk of the winter/spring meeting season. There are a multitude of strategies Twitter: @CottonFarming

NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins As I write this on Feb. 27, the outlook for cotton in 2017 appears to have shifted to the positive since December, likely due to the uptick in prices. Attendance throughout our winter county meetings was the highest it has been since I returned to North Carolina, which I hope is a good sign for cotton acreage intentions. Many farmers have said they are getting back into cotton this year, and/or will increase their acreage from 2016.

By the time this is published, variety decisions will have been made and seed ordered. The end of April usually triggers cotton planting in North Carolina, depending on weather. There are several things that producers should consider to protect their seed investment. First, it is always wise to document each lot number of seed, any seed treatment, seed size (number of seeds per pound as seen on the bag), and both warm and cool germ values.

Warm germ values and seed size are generally printed on the bag.

Obtain cool germ by contacting your dealer or seed company. These values provide an idea about seedling vigor and likelihood of successful stand establishment under marginal conditions. Farmers should adjust seeding rate and planting depth accordingly. Avoid planting in marginal conditions, especially if cool germ values are low.

Continued on page 21 APRIL 2017 COTTON FARMING

17

COTTON

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U.S. certified ginners, gin managers and superintendents are urged to register for one of the schools.

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Specialists Speaking Continued from page 17

As we observed in 2016, farmers should watch the weather forecast for likely heat unit accumulation during the planting season.

Avoid planting in poor conditions (wet, cool, etc.) when possible, especially within the first two to three days of planting into good moisture. One of the more common errors we encounter is planting too deep. Planting depths greater than 0.75 inches generally result in an unnecessary burden on seedlings, which prolongs emergence and decreases the likelihood of adequate stand establishment. This is especially true for smaller-seeded varieties or if cool germ is low. Planting deeper than the optimal depth only works in warm, moist soils where conditions are ideal and a surface crust does not form.

Lastly, it is generally a good practice for producers to save 2-3 pounds of seed for each lot number they purchase. Store this seed in a cool, dry place at least until a stand has been established, or even longer, in case you encounter problems and need to re-evaluate seed quality. gdcollin@ncsu.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper Given the increased cotton acreages forecasted for 2017, picker capacity has been a topic of conversation over the past few weeks. Many within the MidSouth sold basket equipment several years ago with plans to purchase a module-building picker if cotton made its way back on the farm. Now that cotton is coming back, how much cotton can you typically feed through one picker in Tennessee?

Drs. Terry Griffin, Mike Buschermohle and Ed Barnes recently published picker and planter capacities relative to estimated days suitable for fieldwork. Their publication, “Planting and Harvesting Capacity in Cotton Production,” can be found posted to our blog site (news. utcrops.com), on the Cotton Cultivated website or on pages 10-11 in this issue of Cotton Farming.

The authors assumed a six-row, round module building picker would average 8 acres per hour, a six-row basket machine would average 7.3 acres per hour, and an old, six-row basket picker would average 6.2 acres per hour. Harvest time per day was calculated at 8 hours per day. Days suitable for fieldwork between Sept. 30 and Nov. 10 in Tennessee totaled 32 days.

The take-home message is to consider picker capacity now. It is unlikely the 2017 harvest season will be as favorable as 2015 or 2016. Numbers provided in the mentioned article serve as a solid starting point but should be adjusted based on your typical harvest window and acceptable level of risk. traper@utk.edu

TEXAS Seth Byrd As of mid-March, preparations for the 2017 cotton season are underway across much of West Texas.

Tillage operations and preplant residual herbicide applications have already taken place in many fields.

Although temperatures have been mild for much of the past several weeks, little precipitation has fallen across the region, and currently there’s no strong chance of precipitation in the short-term forecast. Dry weather appears to have kept many of the winter annual weeds under control, but some moisture heading into planting would be welcome.

It seems the new herbicide technologies have been rapidly adopted, and much of the cotton acres on the High Plains likely will be planted to varieties containing one of the new trait packages. Even with these traits, early season weed control will still be critical. By the amount of tillage activities and yellow herbicide applications observed already, it Twitter: @CottonFarming

is clear that producers understand the benefit of starting clean.

Beyond weed control, soil fertility is another preseason focus. The results of soil sampling performed in the fall or winter can be useful to ensure appropriate fertilizer rates and products are applied based on requirements for the yield goal of each specific field. Splitting these applications into separate times of the season or growth stages will allow for efficient nutrient use by the crop. Planting will likely still be at least a month away by the time this issue reaches you, but we hope to start the season with clean fields, good fertility and, of course, some rain. seth.byrd@ag.tamu.edu

TEXAS Gaylon Morgan Producers in the Rio Grande Valley started planting early this year, but it’s been slower than normal with recent rains. The Coastal Bend began planting the first week of March with about 20 percent planted by March 10. Unlike the previous two seasons, planting conditions have been more normal without extreme weather events, and so far not much replanting has been necessary.

Also because of good conditions, thrips have not been a major problem in these regions. The Upper Gulf Coast will likely be planting by mid-March with soils warming quickly and not too much rain.

In the Rolling Plains, cotton was still being ginned due to late harvest and good yields. Fortunately, fiber quality was holding up fairly well.

Weeds, new herbicide-tolerant traits and their associated herbicides remain the primary discussion point among growers and a focal point at educational meetings by allied industry and Extension. Most growers are embracing the XtendFlex and Enlist Cotton and see the new herbicides as their best option for managing glyphosate-resistant weeds. However, others are sticking with Roundup Flex and GlyTol LibertyLink varieties because of lower risks and lower seed prices.

Regardless of the herbicide-tolerant traits, starting clean and overlapping soil residual herbicides are critical components for a successful weed management program in 2017. The latest products and application recommendations are available in the Weed Management in Texas Cotton publication posted at cotton.tamu.edu. gdmorgan@tamu.edu

VIRGINIA Hunter Frame Moving into mid- to late April, Virginia producers are applying the last burndown treatments to kill small grain cover crops and winter annual weeds.

Moving into the season, it is critical that air and soil temperatures are optimal at planting and at five to 10 days after planting to have optimum emergence and stand establishment.

In 2016, the end of April was marked with above-average temperatures, followed by the first two weeks of May having below-average temperatures and wet soil conditions. Cotton planted during the end of April suffered and did not start actively growing until the middle of May. In Virginia, temperatures can fluctuate drastically, so producers must watch weather patterns to ensure optimum performance to attain adequate plant populations and minimize delays in development.

In addition to early season weather, pre-emergence (pre) herbicides with residual activities are recommended for cotton in Virginia.

However, weather can also impact weed control performance and crop injury. Virginia cotton producers should contact Charlie Cahoon (cwcahoon@vt.edu), Extension weed scientist, with concerns about pre herbicides and their crop safety, soil type and modes of action.

Protecting cotton from early season weeds and dodging weather events is the name of the game in Virginia cotton during the end of April and early May. whframe@vt.edu APRIL 2017 COTTON FARMING

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My Turn Planting The Seeds, Ginning The Talent

W

hen it comes to blew up grain dust and gasified cotton gin trash in working in the the late ’80s and early ’90s. His students worked cotton industry on dust abatement from cotton gins and other agri— and cotton cultural facilities well into the new millennium, ginning in particular — you striving to more accurately model what happens either immerse yourself in as dust particles disperse to surrounding areas. All it, or you just get a little wet these projects helped make a tangible difference in and move on. I would be one the “real world.”

I first met Dr. Parnell in the fall of 1979. We of those “immersion” types.

This industry gets in your were in a meeting, and he was leaning back in his blood. It becomes not only a chair. With a Travis Club Senator cigar in the side job, but also a vocation. But of his mouth (he chewed, not smoked, them), Dr. Ross does that nurturing of Parnell rattled off a barrage of words, sprinkled Rutherford where industry passion come from? with some technical terms I didn’t know at the For me and countless time. As I listened, I thought, “I hope I can get as others, it came through Dr. Calvin B. Parnell excited about engineering as this guy does.”

The next real encounter with him was the 1982 Jr., Regents Professor in the Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering at Texas spring semester when I took his infamous “proA&M University. Dr. Parnell retired in 2016 after cessing class,” known as AGEN 318. So much information…so much work… a career in research, Extension and education “I hope I am paying it back and the tests were brutal.

I was never so overjoyed, that spanned six decades. to Dr. Parnell.” or should I say relieved, During this time, he epitto get a “B” in all my life omized the ideals of the land-grant college system: exploring new concepts, and wanted to learn more from this man. While getting those concepts into the public sector, and working for him in graduate school, the research, teaching those concepts to future generations. data analysis and technical writing we did were Much of his focus during that time was cotton- gratifying. One of his favorite anecdotes is about related, which made him a natural choice to be my writing. Although I am flattered, I also know the first and only (to date) holder of the Endowed he can lay it on a little thick at times — so I keep it all in perspective.

Chair in Cotton Ginning and Mechanization.

My biggest regret is going to work for Lummus Dr. Parnell has authored or co-authored more technical articles, made more presentations, and in March 1986 before finishing my master’s thegiven more expert testimony than time and space sis. The job got in the way, and I never finished in this article will allow. He’s won a multitude of it. He was as disappointed as I was but used my awards from numerous technical societies and example to encourage other grad students: “Don’t organizations. But outside of love of God and his be a Lumpy! Get your thesis written!” Through wife, children and grandkids (don’t get him start- my teaching at the NCGA Ginners’ Schools and ed about the grandkids), he’d be proud to tell you writing research papers for the annual Beltwide about his most satisfying professional accomplish- Cotton Conferences, I hope I am paying it back to Dr. Parnell while also “paying it forward” to future ment — his students and their successes.

They form an unending line that began in the engineers, ginners and industry personnel.

I know I speak for all his “disciples” when I say a 1970s with baby boomers and continues today with millennials. Although retired, he still advises some sincere “thank you” to Dr. Calvin B. Parnell Jr. for of his graduate students that have yet to finish. his lifetime of devotion to our industry and to us. I Dr. Parnell’s students introduced the new-fangled am a better engineer…and a man…because of him. “module builder” to skeptical cotton farmers in — Ross Rutherford, Lubbock, Texas on-site demonstrations in the early 1970s. They www.lummus.com helped develop a new configuration of the cyclone ross.rutherford@lummus.com dust collector in the late ’70s and early ’80s and Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling unusual “farm tales” or timely stories from across the Cotton Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting story to tell, send a short summary to csmith@onegrower.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

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