Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC
PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES
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AUGUST 2018
www.cottonfarming.com
MLM Farms Inc. Arkansas producer stays focused on efficency
Texas agronomists discuss 2018 RACE trials MY TURN:
The little gin that could
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Cotton Farming We succeed when you succeed. Our team of industry veterans works tirelessly to bring our readers the most up-to-date information straight from the fields. With a combined 146 years’ cotton experience, you can count on us at Cotton Farming to continue to provide profitable production strategies for your operation.
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Vol. 62 No. 8
Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES
AUGUST 2018
www.cottonfarming.com
F E AT U R E S
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THE ‘SEAL OF COTTON’ This iconic trademark has been helping consumers recognize products that contain cotton in textiles and nonwovens since 1973.
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2018 RACE TRIALS
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GINNING MARKETPLACE
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agronomists discuss this year’s variety trials under both dryland and irrigated conditions.
the official publication of the ginning industry
The number of active cotton gins in Arkansas rose to 33 in 2017, paralleling an increase in cotton acres across the state.
8 Efficiency Is Key Michael Mangrum is always looking for ways to do things faster and better at MLM Farms Inc. near Monette, Arkansas. He recounts his 2017 experience with Engenia herbicide, the benefits realized with a cover crop mix, his round bale picker co-purchase with neighbor Brandon Snider and other efficiencies he has brought to the operation. Mangrum also shares some of his travel adventures that help him recharge during the off-season.
DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS
4 Editor’s Note 12 Industry News 5 Cotton’s Agenda 16 Specialists Speaking 6 Marketing & Promotion 22 My Turn ON THE COVER: Arkansas cotton farmer Michael Mangrum is pictured in a field of NG 3522 B2XF. Cover photo by Carroll Smith.
WEB EXCLUSIVE The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences plant breeders have been awarded $935,000 to breed softer cotton and more resilient peanuts. Their goal is to make Georgia’s most profitable row crops more sustainable and productive. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.
CCOY NOMINATIONS DEADLINE EXTENDED To nominate a deserving candidate for the 2018 Cotton Consultant of the Year Award (co-sponsored by Cotton Farming and Syngenta), fill out the form online at cottonfarming.com/ccoy. The deadline for nominations has been extended to Aug. 15.
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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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AUGUST 2018 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
Always Stand In Against The Curve
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n 1983, Mississippi author Willie Morris published a collection of short stories titled “Always Stand In Against the Curve.” The content primarily focused on small-town baseball and football and the coming of age years for a Southern teenage boy. Being an avid Morris fan, I bought a copy and asked him to sign it to my son, Matt, who was just beginning to fall in love with baseball at the time. Although he was a little young to digest the content of the book, he placed it on his bookshelf to save for reading at a later date. I haven’t thought about this book in a while until Matt and I began discussing how appropriate it would be for my grandson, Jake. Since he lives and breathes baseball in Dallas, Texas, we decided his 14th birthday would be a good time to pass it on. The advice to hunker down and stand in against a curve ball coming at you instead of swinging wildly in a panic makes sense in the context of baseball. But it occurred to me this same rule would apply to any type of curve ball life throws at you. For example, farmers face challenges every day from adverse weather that sometimes seems to “come out of nowhere” or weed and insect pests that need constant monitoring and control to preserve yields for the end of the season. But despite these uncertainties, they are always ready to hunker down and stand in to make the best of what they have to work with. Arkansas cotton farmer Michael Mangrum, who is featured in the cover story on page 8, says one of the greatest challenges he believes U.S. producers face is on the trading front. His approach to standing in against the world marketplace curve ball is this: “I enjoy the farming lifestyle, but I am a businessman who wants to earn money by marketing my cotton fairly to other countries. To me, it’s important to get a price for my crop that I am comfortable with, sell it and then do it all again next year.”
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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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 2018 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.
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Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams
Securing Strong Statutes The National Cotton Council (NCC) believes that House-passed farm legislation more fully addresses the U.S. cotton and textile industries’ policy needs, and the NCC has concerns with some provisions in the Senate-passed farm bill.
What’s favorable in the House farm bill? n Among key provisions is one that continues the Agriculture Risk Coverage/Price Loss Coverage (ARC/PLC) with current reference prices – $0.367/lb for seed cotton. The upland cotton marketing loan rate is based on a twoyear moving average of the adjusted world price, not to exceed $0.52/lb or less than $0.45/ lb, and the loan rate decline in any given year is limited to 2 percent of the previous year’s loan rate. The extra-long staple (ELS) cotton loan rate is increased to $0.95/lb. The bill also continues: 1) the current $125,000 per-person payment limit for ARC/PLC payments, and that limit no longer applies to marketing loan benefits; 2) the availThe NCC continues to work with U.S. cotton’s supability of comporters in the House and Senate to achieve the inmodity marketdustry’s policy priorities in farm legislation. ing certificates; 3) a separate payment limit for peanuts; and 4) the current adjusted gross income test of $900,000 per person. The bill broadens the definition of family member for actively engaged determination for program eligibility to include nieces, nephews and first cousins. Although budget pressures did not allow all industry priorities to be addressed, the House farm bill maintains a viable safety net for cotton producers. The bill also strengthens the Economic Adjustment Assistance Program (EAAP) — which enables our textile industry to reinvest and modernize while maintaining
and expanding jobs, especially in rural areas of the Southeast.
Are there serious concerns with the Senate farm bill? n Among major concerns in the Senate bill are provisions lowering the current adjusted gross income test from $900,000 to $700,000 per person/entity; tightening actively engaged management requirements to only allow one person to qualify by providing management; eliminating mandatory funding for EAAP after July 2021, at which time that program’s funding would be dependent on appropriations; and not adjusting the upland and ELS loan rate provisions. More House and Senate bill details of the commodity program (Title 1) and other titles — conservation, trade and crop insurance — can be found in NCC-prepared key provision summaries at www.cotton.org/issues/2018/ovfb.cfm (House bill) and www.cotton.org/issues/2018/ snsumm.cfm (Senate bill).
What is the next step? n When this column was submitted for publication, the NCC expected that a House-Senate conference committee would be formed by late July for reconciling differences between the two farm bills. The goal is getting new farm law in place by or before the end of September when current farm law expires. The NCC, meanwhile, continues its work with U.S. cotton’s supporters in the House and Senate throughout the conference committee process to achieve the industry’s policy priorities in the final legislation. For example, the NCC strongly believes there should be no further restrictions or limitations on commodity program eligibility and that it is critically important to fully restore EAAP funding.
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
AUGUST 2018 COTTON FARMING
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MARKETING & PROMOTION
The Significance Of The ‘Seal Of Cotton’ Trademark BY STACEY GORMAN THE COTTON BOARD DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
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he Seal of Cotton has been vital in the success Cotton Incorporated has seen promoting brand awareness for cotton. Dukes Wooters, Cotton Incorporated’s first president, introduced the seal
in 1973. The initial idea for designing a cotton trademark came in 1971 when Wooters was looking for a symbol that would convert cotton from a commonplace agricultural commodity into an identifiable consumer brand. The logo, known as the Seal of Cotton, was created in 1973 by San Francisco-based creative agency Landor Associates, which also designed Levi Strauss & Co.’s patch and Coca-Cola’s trademark. At that time, cotton’s share of the textile market had dropped to 34 percent from 78 percent in 1960 due to the introduction of low-cost manmade fiber into the market. Within three years of the introduction of the seal, cotton’s marketshare had increased to 45 percent and today holds steady at about 50 percent. An Iconic Tool Since its introduction in 1973, the iconic Seal of Cotton trademark has been helping consumers quickly recognize products that contain cotton in textiles and nonwovens. It is currently used in a wide range of communications, including product packaging, window displays, point-of-sale displays, interactive digital experiences and television commercials. Supported by more than 40 years of Cotton Incorporated advertising, the Seal of Cotton enables brands and retailers to create a point of distinction in cluttered retail spaces. A 2016 Cotton Incorporated survey showed 94 percent of consumers say the Seal of Cotton helps them identify cotton products. In its 45 years of existence, the seal has become a globally recognized symbol associated with fashion, durability, quality and sustainability. It identifies and celebrates the many uses for cotton beyond textile fiber, appearing on products in the health and beauty, and industrial categories. “We’re excited to offer brands and retailers the opportunity to leverage the visibility of and positive connections to the Seal of Cotton trademark,” says Kim Kitchings, Cotton Incorporated’s senior vice president of consumer marketing. “By calling attention to cotton, you can tell a story that consumers identify with, in addition to aligning with the perceptions of quality and trust consumers associate with the Seal of Cotton trademark.”
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The Seal of Cotton was created in 1973 to build brand awareness. Reinforces High Expectations More than 3 in 4 consumers say brands using the Seal of Cotton help them make an informed purchase decision, make the shopping experience easier, care more about the quality of their products, are more trus tworthy and more authentic. More than 3 in 4 consumers also say brands using the seal help them make an informed purchase decision, make the shopping experience easier, care more about the quality of their products, are more trus tworthy and more authentic. Consumers expect quality in the apparel and home fashions they purchase. The Seal of Cotton enhances the fact that the cotton products they purchase will meet those expectations. Each impression made reinforces consumer recognition of cotton apparel and home textiles and positively affects the overall demand for cotton and its products. The data referenced in this story is from Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™ Survey and 2016 Seal of Cotton Survey. To learn more, please email Gorman at sgorman@cotton board.org. COTTONFARMING.COM
Cotton Consultant’s Corner
Rotate Chemistries To Control Plant Bugs Ryan Miller, Ph.D.
Market Development & New Technology Specialist Corteva Agriscience™ Little Rock, Arkansas I was born and raised in Central Florida, and after graduating college, I did several internships with citrus growers and crop protection companies. Although I didn’t grow up on a farm, I fell in love with the agriculture industry and decided to continue my education. After completing my Ph.D., I went to work for Dow AgroSciences, which later became Corteva Agriscience, as a market development and new technology specialist. As a technical resource for all existing and new technologies in our crop protection portfolio, my day to day consists of educating our territory managers on how to use the products in our Mid-South portfolio in the most effective way possible. Additionally, I frequently speak at grower meetings, demo days and scientific societies. Across the Mid-South, our cotton crop is looking good overall. We’ve had a lot of warm temperatures and sunlight, which are conducive for cotton growth and development. On top of that, we have some of the highest cotton prices we have seen in quite some time. Therefore, the 2018 season could be a good year for our cotton farmers. To protect the cotton crop, it’s important to control tarnished plant bugs, which target the plant’s reproductive stage. During prebloom, they feed either on the terminals or small squares, leaving yellow, brown or black discoloration on the squares. In a worst-case scenario the squares fall off the plant, or abort. This is potential cotton that is now lost. At the bloom stage, plant bugs can still attack the small squares and sometimes feed on the bolls themselves. We focus on trying to control this pest early season and during bloom so it doesn’t rob cotton farmers of yield. Transform WG insecticide received Section 18 emergency exemptions in several cotton- and grain sorghum-producing states again this year. We recommend using Transform in a full season approach with other insecticide modes of action that are active on tarnished plant bugs. Back-to-back applications of Transform at 1.5 ounces per acre during bloom, often followed by a third application of an imidachloprid or Diamond or Bidrin, have been extremely effective. It’s important to use Transform as a resistance management tool in a rotational program with other chemistry classes. Transform specifically targets plant bugs; therefore, it does not flare mites or harm beneficial insects. We’ve experienced good environmental conditions so far. Our PhytoGen varieties with WideStrike 3 Insect Protection and the Enlist cotton trait (W3FE) look outstanding. I am hopeful the excellent weed control coupled with effective insect management contribute to a great season for our farmers.
• B.S., crop science, Florida Southern College; M.S., weed science, University of Florida; Ph.D., weed science, University of Arkansas • Member of the Beltwide Cotton Society and makes presentations at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences • Member of the Arkansas Crop Protection Association and the Rice Technical Working Group • Member of the Southern Weed Science Society and the Weed Science Society of America • Married to wife, Erica • Enjoys golfing as well as hunting, fishing and traveling with his wife
Recap: Plant Bug Control Strategy
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1. During pre-bloom, plant bugs feed either on the terminals or small squares. At the bloom stage, they can still attack the small squares and sometimes feed on the bolls themselves. 2. We recommend using Transform WG insecticide in a full season approach with other insecticide modes of action that are active on tarnished plant bugs. 3. Back-to-back applications of Transform at 1.5 ounces per acre during bloom, followed by a third application of an imidachloprid or Diamond or Bidrin, appear to be extremely effective. 4. Transform specifically targets plant bugs; therefore, it does not flare mites or harm beneficial insects.
Sponsored by
® DOW Diamond, Isoclast and Transform are trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (“DuPont”) or affiliated companies of ® DOW Diamond, Clincher, Grandstand and Granite are trademarks The DowTransform Chemicalhas Company or anEmergency Exemptions for use on cotton in select states. Dow or DuPont. Transform WG is not registered by U.S. EPA for sale or useofon cotton. Section(“Dow”) 18 Specific affiliated company of Dow. Clincher CA, Clincher SF, Grandstand CA,cotton-producing Grandstand R, Granite GR be and GraniteToSC aremore about Transform, to see which states or political Applications for Section 18 Specific Emergency Exemptions in additional states may pending. learn not registered for sale use in 18 all states. yourExemptions, state pesticide agency to determine if a product subdivisions thereof haveorSection SpecificContact Emergency to seeregulatory the limitations on the use of Transform under the Section 18 Specific Emergency Exemption labels, is registered for or use yourcarry state. Always read anda follow label directions. ©2017 call Dow800-258-3033 AgroSciencesor LLC and to find a list ofsale retailers thatinmay this product under particular Section 18 exemption, email info@dow.com. ©2018 Dow AgroSciences LLC
COVER STORY
Focus On Efficiency Arkansas cotton farmer Michael Mangrum is always looking for ways to do things faster and better. BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR
D
riving across some of the land he farms southeast of Monette, Arkansas, Michael Mangrum is reminded of the Cornish family settling in this same area in the 1880s. Stories passed down by his maternal grandmother tell how his great-great grandfather and his brothers came from Oklahoma and settled in Craighead County. The circumstances under which they arrived were reminiscence of the Wild West. They included characters such as Isaac Parker — the infamous hanging judge from Fort Smith, Arkansas — and a lethal encounter with a disgruntled Kentuckian bent on seeking revenge for a family member. She also recalled keeping watch at night for wild panthers that roamed the countryside. Although past dramas have died down, the energy needed to operate this Arkansas cotton farm still abounds. Michael’s father, Murel Mangrum, took over the operation in the early 1980s. Michael, whose long-term goals did not include farming, received a zoology degree from Arkansas State University and planned to go on to optometry school. But before moving on with his career, he took off a year to
help his father full time. “After that experience, I decided to stick with farming and hit the ground running,” Mangrum says. “My dad soon retired and then passed away three years ago. The operation is now mine, and efficiency is my focus. I am constantly coming up with lists and looking for ways to do things faster and better.” Today, Mangrum farms 1,290 acres of irrigated no-till and minimum-till cotton and 60 acres of soybeans near Monette. One field is under a pivot, and the others are furrow-irrigated. All of the ground is precision leveled. The cotton varieties he planted this year include DP 1518 B2XF, DP 1614 B2XF, NG 3522 B2XF, NG 3729 B2XF and NG 3699 B2XF. When trying to decide which varieties to plant, Mangrum says he first considers historical yield data from his own farm. He then takes a look at university field trial results and listens to what his neighbors and area consultants have to say. “I have two or three go-to varieties that I plant, and then I like to try some new
Arkansas cotton farmer Michael Mangrum checks the boll load in this field of NG 3522 B2XF.
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COTTONFARMING.COM
Long-time employee Terry Shirley, center, and Jay Hawkins help Mangrum take care of the day-to-day operations at MLM Farms Inc. near Monette, Arkansas.
ones as well,” he says. When adverse weather conditions are not in play, his cotton typically yields 1,200 to 1,300 pounds per acre. Plant growth regulators also are part of Mangrum’s production strategy. “These varieties are bred to grow,” he says. “When you are planting behind cover crops or peanuts, the plant just takes off because of the amount of nitrogen left in the soil. You have to stay on top of the crop with PGRs or the cotton will get too big.” Cover Crops Mangrum recently began experimenting with cover crops that include a mix of rye, wheat and radishes on abut half of his acres. “I broadcast the seed in the fall before mid-November, run a big plow through the middles and then leave it for the next year,” he says. “I burn it down in the spring and then plant directly into it. I run a water furrow every other middle with a smaller plow and try not to disturb the soil. “In my experience, this practice has great benefits. The cover crop puts good microbes and nutrients back into the soil and also shades out a lot of the weeds. Other farmers in the area are experimenting with them, too. “I also like to put out combinations of micronutrients on my cotton to see if they produce better boll retention or better yields. I try some every year, but nothing has grabbed my attention yet.” Weed And Insect Control Mangrum says pigweed is his most troublesome weed pest in cotton. Last year, his weed management program began with a generic dicamba burndown. This was followed by an application of Engenia herbicide, which was the only dicamba herbicide labeled for use on dicamba-tolerant cotton and soybeans in Arkansas. “Engenia is lethal on pigweeds,” he says. “But this year, dicamba use was banned after April 15 so we went back to a Liberty and Roundup regimen. I’ve been able to keep my crop almost as clean with this program, especially when we apply Liberty when the weed is just a few inches tall. “I didn’t have any problems with Engenia last year, but I did my own spraying, used special nozzles, watched the pressure and wind conditions, and knew what my neighbors had planted around me. You have to be careful with it. “Because we couldn’t use Engenia this year, we came in right after planting with a standard tankmix of Liberty and Roundup. Then we try to get in a residual such as Dual, a generic metolachlor or BASF’s new residual herbicide called Outlook. It seems to last longer than the other residuals. “Liberty does not provide 100 percent pigweed control. Twitter: @CottonFarming
If you spray this weed when it’s more than 4 inches tall, Liberty burns it down, but it greens back up and keeps growing. We always have to come back with choppers. So although Engenia made it easier to control pigweed, our best bet at this point is Liberty, Roundup and the choppers. We just have to be efficient with our application timing.” Mangrum says tarnished plant bugs are his primary insect pest, and they are really bad this year. “Once plant bugs show up at pinhead square, they don’t let up,” he says. “The taller and bigger the cotton gets, the more of them you have out there. I spray Transform, Diamond, Bidrin, acephate or some combination of these every week. I always try to rotate the chemistries.” Matt Robbins, Mangrum’s crop consultant, contributes an extra set of eyes to the operation by scouting for insects and determining the nutritional needs of the plant. “Matt does our soil sampling and writes up the variable-rate fertilizer applications so we apply what is needed where we need it instead of making blanket applications,” Mangrum says. “This approach is much more efficient, and the crop is more uniform.” Harvest: Nailed It Another efficiency Mangrum brought to the operation was purchasing a John Deere 7760 round bale cotton picker with his neighbor, Brandon Snider. “Because of the size of our operations, we couldn’t afford to buy one on our own, so we put the pencil to it and bought one together,” he says. “At harvest time, one of my guys runs the shredder, and one of his guys runs the module hauler. Instead of having two basket pickers and two sets of ground crews, we have one efficient operation. “We have about 2,200 acres of cotton combined and can pick about 100 acres a day with the 7760. We have a few details to iron out for this year’s harvest, but we nailed it last year. Sharing the picker worked out perfectly.” When harvest wraps up, Mangrum gins his cotton at Monette Co-op Inc. and Kiech-Shauver Miller Gin Co. in Monette. AUGUST 2018 COTTON FARMING
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A Passion For Travel After graduating from high school, Michael Mangrum had the opportunity to spend two weeks in Europe followed by a month in India made possible by a Rotary Club scholarship. “In India, I got to travel to cotton-producing areas of the country,” he says. “I watched the Indians pick cotton by hand and take it to the gin by camel. Everything at the gin is done by manual labor. The workers sit on the floor and remove the seed from the cotton with little delinting machines. Then they put it in baskets and take it down to the press. “I then went to Costa Rica to do volunteer work and met people from all over the world who were backpacking through Central America. Traveling soon became my passion, and the next year I threw my clothes in a backpack and took off.” Mangrum says he starts thinking about his next destination while picking cotton in the fall. So far he has traveled to 45 states and 75 countries. “When I travel, I always try to make an agricultural connection,” he says. “I like to meet up with a local and strike up a con-
Arkansas cotton farmer Michael Mangrum, right, and a fellow traveler visit with a pomegranate and date farmer in Oman. “He invited us into his home for coffee, dates and fruit, and we discussed how different our farming operations were,” Mangrum says. versation either in English or through an interpreter. Farmers all around the world have invited me to their farms or huts or villages to see how they do things. I show them my operation via photos on my phone. They are amazed by the expanse of the cotton fields.” Mangrum says he typically travels during January and February. He says it’s his “mental getaway from farming.” “There is so much to see and such a big world out there,” he says. “I like to experience the local customs and traditions as much as possible. Traveling recharges me for the next year. When I come back, I am ready to go.”
During a trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Virunga National Park, Mangrum hiked through the jungle and spent time with the gorillas. “A few groups of them are acclimated to humans because they are surrounded by villages, and armed guards watch them all the time so poachers can’t get them.”
TRAVEL PHOTOS COURTESY OF MICHAEL MANGRUM; MAP BY VECTEEZY.COM
Internet Tools Outside the field, the Arkansas producer picks up efficiency tips from his peers via a farmer’s group on Facebook. “It’s a good tool to use if you have any questions about anything,” Mangrum says. “People post comments that provide good information about various production practices. There is also a section for posting used equipment for sale.” He also joined Farmers Business Network last year, which gives him online access to data shared by other farmers in the area about varieties they are planting or what they are paying for crop inputs. “The more farmers who join, the more data there is to access,” Mangrum says. “FBN is also trying to expand its horizons by finding marketing niches for the different commodities. It’s a good tool.” When asked what he envisions as the key to long-term viability for cotton farmers, Mangrum says he would like to be able to trade with more countries on an open market without any tariffs or restrictions. “I don’t want a handout, and most of the other farmers I know don’t either,” he says. “I enjoy the farming lifestyle, but I am a businessman who wants to earn money by
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Last year, Michael Mangrum and his neighbor, Brandon Snider, bought a John Deere 7760 round bale picker together to harvest their 2,2000 acres of cotton. marketing my cotton fairly to other countries. To me, it’s important to get a price for my crop that I am comfortable with, sell it and then do it all again next year.” COTTONFARMING.COM
Americot NexGen Trials — Delivering Vital Information for the 2019 Growing Season
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mericot’s expanded Research and Development team have been busy this season working a number of research trials throughout their assigned regions. These trials are designed to gather in-depth data on a number of NexGen varieties, both on current commercial varieties, as well as pre-commercial ones in the final stages of testing prior to commercial launch. “We’re looking at specific data including water efficiency, seed treatments, PGR management, heat tolerance, seedling vigor and emergence this year, which allow us to really understand how to best manage our products in specific regions,” says Dr. Doug Jost, Director of Research and Cotton Germplasm. “These trials allow us to provide the very best in cottonseed for NexGen growers now, and into the future.” Americot continues to invest in the cotton industry and is committed to supporting growers throughout the Cotton Belt. All we do is cotton. All the time.
DOUG JOST Director of Research & Cotton Germplasm South Plains/Rolling Plains, Texas This year has been challenging season to say the least. Many growers in the region had to opt out of planting cotton due to extremely dry conditions. Those that were able to get a crop in still struggle with receiving ample rainfall. That said, the NexGen varieties planted have performed very well to-date. Many comments have been received from growers regarding outstanding vigor from our commercial varieties. In years like this, vigor has become key in establishing an acceptable stand and our new experimental varieties are really holding up well in this season’s heat. I am very optimistic that our water efficiency trials will provide tremendous information this season, enabling us to place the best varieties in the toughest environmental conditions in West Texas. At this point, we continue to pray for rain and time to finish this year’s crop. SHANE HALFMANN Central & South Texas In my trials this season, I’m keeping my eye on NG 3729 B2XF. It looks promising in tough conditions throughout the Blacklands. This variety has produced an impressive plant for the conditions and was able to set fruit early before the extreme drought. It also looks good in areas where moisture was not a big issue. Late-season rains have proven very beneficial for our fuller season varieties in Coastal Texas. NG 5711 B3XF has responded very well to these rains and will finish very strong. Fields at or close to cutout were able to continue growing and add fruiting positions. I’m excited about several of the experimental BG3 varieties we’re testing in my region. We’ll be able to get very good data from all the trials across South and Central Texas. The trials are very representative of the different conditions across the region and we should see some excellent separation between not only NexGen varieties, but the competition as well. Due to the wide range of environmental extremes that my region has experienced this year, varieties that perform in yield and quality will
be very important moving forward. We want varieties that can be as versatile as possible.
CODY JONES Kansas/Oklahoma & High Plains/Northern Plains, Texas Our irrigated crop looks good across my region. Most started blooming mid-July with good to excellent fruit set and retention. There were some fleahopper damage issues, but minimal. The dryland crop is a total mixed bag, depending on rainfall – the dryland acres north and east of Amarillo caught some good rains and fields look pretty good. To the south and west, dryland acres are poor. NG 3780 B2XF is really showing well in plots thus far and I’m thrilled about the earliness it’s showing. NG 4777 B2XF also looks great with really good yield potential. August is a great time to note any disease issues, such as Verticillium wilt or bacterial blight, and will aid in choosing varieties for next year. NexGen has several varieties with excellent disease packages for growers noticing late-season disease pressure and want to pursue more tolerant varieties for next year. Also, keep an eye out on late-season fertility, especially late-season nitrogen, as an excess of N can delay maturity.
CHASE SAMPLES Mid-South Region Our bloom dates are on schedule (mid-July) except for the bad spots. Overall, fruit retention in the Mid-South has been incredibly high! If we can hold on to what we had in July, Mississippi, Arkansas and West Tennessee will have really, really good crops. NG 3729 B2XF, NG 5007 B2XF, NG 3522 B2XF & NG 3780 B2XF all look great across the region. NG 3699 B2XF looks great further north in the boot-heel of Missouri and Northeast Arkansas. NG 4689 B2XF also looks stellar in the Delta and more southern part of the MidSouth Cotton Belt. Several of the new BG3 experimental varieties are looking very good with great tests across the region, of which we’ll have a ton of data to learn from. In mid-July we were 6-10 NAWF so be sure and stay active with PGR management on later-maturing varieties.
KAREN GELDMACHER Arizona Yuma NexGen varieties were at cutout and preparing for defoliation in mid-July. Boll load and fruit retention standouts in this region include NG 3406 B2XF and NG 3729 B2XF. Hot temperatures combined with humidity produced Level 1 and Level 2 heat stress in the low desert growing zones, beginning on the 4th of July. NG 4777 B2XF and NG 4792 XF withstood Level 2 stress that can result in pollen sterility and fruit loss in other varieties. Heat stress data collection of the Americot advanced strain entries at the Maricopa Agriculture Center are suggesting tolerance within varieties, creating advantages for Arizona cotton growers.
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Industry News
As of July 1, the Crop Production Services, or CPS, name will be no longer. In its place will be Nutrien Ag Solutions. The new brand name will align retail business across the globe and strengthen the company’s long-term mission of helping growers increase food production, according to a news release. The name change will apply to all offices and operating facilities in North and South America that formerly were Crop Production Services, Agroservicios Pameanos and Utilfertil. The name change was prompted by the merger of Calgary, Canada-based Agrium with Potash Corp. in January. Farmers in the East had known the CPS brand in ag retail since 1983. Agrium bought the CPS retail chain in 1994. Shortly after in 1995, Agrium acquired Western Farm Service, which served farmers in the West. In 2009, United Agri Products Distribution Inc., Western Farm Service and CPS merged into one company called Crop Production Services.
Sign Up For 2017 Hurricane, Wildfire Assistance By Nov. 16 Producers affected by hurricanes and wildfires in 2017 may apply for assistance. Signup continues through Nov. 16, 2018. An NCCprepared summary, which includes an example of how the program will operate, is on the National Cotton Council’s website at www.cotton.org/ econ/govprograms/ag-disaster-asstprograms.cfm. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says, “We are making immediate, initial payments of up to 50 percent of the calculated assistance, so producers can pay their bills.” Additional payments will be issued, if funds remain available, later in the year. The program, known as the 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (2017 WHIP), was authorized by Congress earlier this year by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. Eligible crops, trees, bushes or vines, located in a county declared in a Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration or Secretarial Disaster
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COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2018
PAM CARAWAY
Crop Production Services Has A New Name: Nutrien Ag Solutions
The late cotton crop will reach peak water demand about Sept. 1, says William Birdsong, Alabama Extension agronomist.
Odd Weather Conditions Leave Cotton Producers Concerned Weather this spring disrupted planting for cotton crops in south Alabama, leaving farmers across the Wiregrass concerned. Cool temperatures in April halted planting until early May. Hot temperatures and low rainfall in May made for difficult planting. Many growers stopped planting because of the dry conditions. When rain did arrive in late May, it rained constantly for a large part of June. William Birdsong, an Alabama Extension regional agent of agronomic crops, says this mixture of weather conditions created an odd cotton crop season. “It was hard this spring to get cotton planted and emerged in the desired time period,” he says. “It was also a challenging spring to manage post emergence weeds.” Now, south Alabama is dealing with a split crop. Birdsong estimates that 50 percent of the cotton crops will be late. With what is essentially two different crops, farmers will have a challenge when it comes to making management decisions. “When it comes to the later-planted cotton, growers cannot treat this plant just like the cotton that was planted in late April or early May,” he says. “The cotton planted in late May through late June and some even in early July is a different animal than the early planted cotton.” Cotton normally develops slowly because it goes through a period where the temperatures are cooler. Later-planted cotton grows during times with much higher temperatures, causing it to change rapidly. Birdsong says late cotton crop management is urgent. “All nutrients, such as nitrogen, should be applied early, somewhere in the third to sixth true leaf. Nitrogen doesn’t activate until it rains. If we go through a period with no rain, that cotton is not getting the nitrogen it needs. This slows the cotton’s growth and development.” Birdsong says, “This late crop will reach peak water demand somewhere around the first of September — historically the second driest natural rainfall month for Alabama. This certainly is concerning when considering the dryland late planted crop.” Birdsong encourages growers to implement the proper management practices for this late cotton crop. For more information, visit Alabama Extension online or contact your county Extension office. Designation as a primary county, are eligible for assistance if the producer suffered a loss because of a 2017
hurricane. Also, losses located in a county not designated as a primary county may be eligible if the producer COTTONFARMING.COM
Industry News provides documentation showing that the loss was due to a hurricane or wildfire in 2017. A list of counties that received qualifying hurricane declarations and designations is available at https:// bit.ly/2JENtNo. Eligibility is determined by Farm Service Agency county committees. Agricultural production losses due to conditions caused by last year’s wildfires and hurricanes, including excessive rain, high winds, flooding, mudslides, fire and heavy smoke, could qualify for assistance through the program. Typically, 2017 WHIP is only designed to help with production losses. However, if quality was taken into consideration under the insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program policy, where production was further adjusted, the adjusted production will be used in calculating assistance under this program. Eligibility will be determined for each producer based on the size of the loss and the level of insurance coverage elected by the producer. A WHIP factor will be determined for each crop based on the producer’s coverage level. Producers who elected higher coverage levels will receive a higher WHIP factor. The 2017 WHIP payment factor ranges from 65 to 95 percent, depending upon the level of crop insurance coverage or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage that a producer obtained for the crop. Producers who did not insure their crops in 2017 will receive 65 percent of the expected value of the crop. Insured producers will receive between 70 and 95 percent of expected value; those who purchased the highest levels of coverage will receive 95 percent coverage. Each eligible producer requesting 2017 WHIP benefits will be subject to a payment limitation of either $125,000 or $900,000, depending upon their average adjusted gross income, which will be verified. The payment limit is $125,000 if less than 75 percent of the person or legal entity’s average adjusted gross income is average adjusted gross farm income. The payment limit is $900,000, if 75 percent or more of the average adjusted gross income of the person or legal entity is average adjusted gross farm income. Both insured and uninsured proTWITTER: @COTTONFARMING
ducers are eligible to apply for 2017 WHIP. However, all producers receiving 2017 WHIP payments will be required to purchase crop insurance and/or NAP, at the 60 percent coverage level or higher, for the next two available crop years to meet statutory requirements. Producers who fail to purchase crop insurance for the next two years will be required to pay back the 2017 WHIP payment. Once signup begins, a farmer must provide verifiable and reliable production records. If a producer is unable to provide production records, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will calculate the yield based on the county average. A grower with this information on file does not need to provide it again. For more information on FSA disaster assistance programs, contact your local USDA service center or visit www.farmers.gov/recover/whip.
AgSense Launches Updated And Simplified Remote Irrigation App AgSense is the remote agricultural management technology from Valley. The AgSense mobile app now offers a simplified, cohesive experience, with the addition of many intuitive features previously only available on the website interface. The enhancements give growers increased ability to remotely monitor and control their entire irrigation operation from anywhere at any time. These are the new options: • Groups – Multiple AgSense devices can be sorted into groups, making it easier to set up an irrigation schedule for all devices within a group. • Timed commands – New graphics and more control options for editing a device’s irrigation schedule with a single tap of the screen. • GPS enhancements – Growers can now set angles for stop-in-slots, end gun tables and speed tables with GPS pinpoint precision. • The new “yearly allotment” graphic improves tracking of a pivot’s water use throughout an irrigation season. • Monitor weather – The main login screen added a “demo weather” button to take users to a site showing data collected by AgSense Weather Stations at AgSense dealerships. The AgSense mobile app is available from Google Play (v1.19) and from the Apple App Store (v1.19).
CCOY 2018 NOMINATIONS Cotton Consultant of the Year
2018 CCOY Nomination Date Extended
Cotton consultants keep “footprints in the field” to help their farmers maintain a healthy bottom line. Each year, Syngenta and Cotton Farming magazine co-sponsor the Cotton Consultant of the Year award to honor the top consultant in the Cotton Belt. Nominees are voted on by past CCOY winners. The 2018 recipient will be recognized at the CCOY Award Reception March 1, 2019, at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis and featured in a special four-page insert in the March 2019 issue of Cotton Farming. The deadline for nominations for Cotton Consultant of the Year has been extended to Aug. 15. Don’t delay. Go to www.cottonfarming.com/ ccoy to nominate a deserving consultant today!
Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by
Cotton Farming AUGUST 2018 COTTON FARMING
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SPECIAL REPORT
Dryland Cotton Suffers While Irrigated Cotton Looks Good Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agronomists talk about this year’s RACE trials. BY KAY LEDBETTER
M
Importance Of Variety Stability “Region-specific variety trials are very important for producers’ on-farm variety selection,” Bell says. “When producers select a cotton variety, it is important that they consider the variety’s stability. “Stable varieties perform well over multiple years and under different management practices, especially under this year’s harsh dryland conditions. Because precipitation is extremely variable from year to year across the Texas High Plains, it is important to choose varieties with good early season vigor.” Bell says although this is important for irrigated and dryland systems, producers are “very interested in varieties that perform well on the expanding dryland cotton acres in this region.” Trial Locations This year’s Texas Northern High Plains and Rolling Plains RACE trials were planted with regional cooperators on dryland and irrigated farms. At each location, eight of the top cotton varieties in the region are being compared in large-replicated plots. Individual plot sizes are no less than 0.4 acres, so data is representative of farm-scale variety performance, Bell says. Trial locations are also selected to represent the diver-
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COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2018
PHOTOS BY DR. JOURDAN BELL/TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE
uch like producers’ fields across the High Plains, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service cotton trials are seeing a significant difference in performance this year between dryland and irrigated trials. “While cotton can tolerate hot and dry conditions better than many crops, this year’s drought is taking a toll on dryland fields,” says Dr. Jourdan Bell, AgriLife Extension agronomist in Amarillo. The 2018 Texas A&M AgriLife Randomized Agronomic Cotton Evaluation, or RACE, trials are conducted annually to provide regional producers a comparison of top-selling cotton varieties under different production environments. Dr. Emi Kimura, AgriLife Extension agronomist in Vernon, says the Rolling Plains is seeing a wide range of conditions, which make these trials very valuable, as no single variety excels in all locations. Kimura says June was very dry across the Rolling Plains when most of the dryland producers planted cotton, so she expects to see a difference in the varieties on drought tolerance.
Although residue helped retain moisture and allowed these dryland cotton trials to survive, there is a distinct difference in vigor among varieties in these Gray County plots. sity of conditions across the region. Irrigated trials in the Panhandle region are in Deaf Smith, Hutchinson, Ochiltree, Parmer, Sherman and Swisher counties. Dryland trials are in Gray, Hutchinson and Randall counties. One limited irrigation trial is located in Moore County. Irrigated varieties include NexGen 3406B2XF, NexGen 3517B2XF, NexGen 3780B2XF, FiberMax 1320GL, FiberMax 1888GL, Stoneville 4747GLB2, DeltaPine 1612B2XF and DeltaPine 1820B3XF. The dryland variety set adds NexGen 3500XF and DeltaPine 1522B2XF instead of NexGen 3517 and DeltaPine 1820. In the Rolling Plains, there initially were 15 locations — nine dryland and six irrigated — but several sites were lost due to dry conditions, Kimura says. The varieties planted on irrigated sites were NexGen 4689B2XF, NexGen 4777B2XF, FiberMax 2498GLT, Stoneville 5122GLT, DeltaPine 1522B2XF and DeltaPine COTTONFARMING.COM
Irrigated cotton variety plots in Sherman County are starting to shape up well. 1646B2XF, Phytogen 480W3FE and Phytogen 440W3FE. Under dryland, NexGen 4545B2XF, DeltaPine 1549B2XF, FiberMax 2574GLT and Stoneville 5517GLTP replaced some of the irrigated entries. Dryland Cotton “The persistent drought across much of the northern Texas High Plains has significantly impacted dryland producers,” Bell says. “On many fields, cotton is simply surviving. But tillage management is proving to be critical to dryland cotton stand establishment this year.” She says some dryland producers across the region achieved good stands under limited tillage or no-till fields in rotation with grain sorghum or wheat residue and have been able to take advantage of the small amount of stored moisture. However, under clean tillage, cotton seedlings burned up in early June. While producers generally replant after a failed cotton crop, there has not even been sufficient moisture for replanting under dryland conditions, Bell says. Irrigated Cotton Many of the irrigated cotton fields are in a corn-cotton rotation. Just like on dryland, the corn residue was beneficial for stand establishment and enhancing irrigation efficiency. In addition to protecting young cotton seedlings from wind injury, the residue serves as a blanket, minimizing evaporative losses from the soil surface. “We have seen the same thing in our variety trials,” Bell says. “Fortunately, there was rain in early June that was of great benefit to the dryland trial in Hutchinson County. But across the region, rainfall was too late for many of the dryland cotton fields.” By mid-July, she says, cotton is typically squaring in the northern Texas Panhandle, just slightly behind the Southern High Plains, where cotton is typically flowering. However, producers in this region plant early maturing or Twitter: @CottonFarming
Bare soil and a lack of moisture left some cotton fields, like this one in Gray County, with tiny plants struggling to make it. Many such fields had to be replanted. early mid-maturing varieties so they still gain sufficient heat units to finish out the crop. “Occasionally, we have a wet, cool fall like 2017 that impacts quality. But when we look at long-term weather patterns, we are normally warm and dry when cotton is maturing,” Bell says. “Our irrigated trials, as well as irrigated cotton across the region, are progressing very nicely.” Kimura says the Rolling Plains has received moisture recently. Although it was “not as much as we wanted, it will still help many cotton producers, especially those growing dryland cotton.” The maturity stage of cotton in the Rolling Plains varies widely depending on the planting timing and whether the fields are irrigated, she says. However, most of the dryland cotton is still at the squaring stage with very few flowering. Fleahoppers have shown up in some of the cotton fields, Kimura says, so producers are being encouraged to scout the fields often for insect issues. Fleahoppers can damage the squares and future lint yield and quality. Kay Ledbetter is an associate editor/communication specialist for TexasAgriLife Research and Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Amarillo and Vernon. AUGUST 2018 COTTON FARMING
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Specialists Speaking Cotton Crop Looks Promising Overall FLORIDA David Wright This has been an unusual cotton-growing season with rain since the middle of May and often little time to get into the field to manage the crop. However, most growers got the weeds under control and were able to apply sidedress nitrogen when needed. The crop is growing well and looks promising at this point. Cotton is blooming and fruiting with a good boll load in most fields. We could have an outstanding cotton crop this year if weather continues to be favorable. However, there will be insect and weed issues that emerge during the remainder of the season. Higher prices have a lot of growers looking for ways to optimize yields, and this is the first time I have seen this kind of excitement for cotton in a while. Growers should stick to proven management practices. wright@ufl.edu
MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds The speed at which this growing season is passing is amazing. Planting season seemed to never begin, and in a few short weeks college football will be upon us. As a whole, cotton in Mississippi looks outstanding. Some of our oldest cotton has been blooming since the third week of June, while our youngest cotton has been blooming for a couple of weeks. Mississippi growers have set the stage for a strong crop as overall retention was outstanding in many cases as of mid-July. The theme for Mississippi cotton production in August is finish strong. In many cases, irrigation and insecticide applications will cease in this month; however, do not be tempted to cut either of these short in an effort to save money. In a sense, that would be letting a nickel stop a dollar. Folks have been spending money all year to produce this crop, and it is tempting to try to save on the backend. However, things such as insecticide applications, which should be based on established thresholds and will cost us yield and money if exceeded, should be viewed as a sound investment in maximizing yield and profit. Closing out August with solid management practices is the first step of the last leg of the race. dmd76@pss.msstate.edu
LOUISIANA Dan Fromme As of July 11, the cotton crop is progressing quickly due to May and June being hot and abnormally dry. Irrigation started across the state during the latter part of June. A large portion of the crop is in the second and third week of bloom. However, some dryland fields across the state have already reached cutout. This year, fruit retention is good, and the crop has not experienced any fruiting gaps from plant bugs or cloudy weather. With fruit retention being good this year, controlling plant height with mepiquat chloride applications has been manageable. We should see some open bolls during the early part of August. Many of the dryland fields are in need of rain if we are to remain optimistic on the yield potential of this year’s crop.
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COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2018
Dr. Trey Price, plant pathologist with the LSU AgCenter, reports that no bacterial blight and a minimal amount of target spot has been found in commercial cotton fields. Also, Dr. Sebe Brown, entomologist with the LSU AgCenter, says plant bug numbers have been manageable so far this year. And bollworm numbers are lower compared to the past two years. dfromme@agcenter.lsu.edu
NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins As I write this on July 1, the cotton crop in North Carolina is generally in good shape. The challenging planting season left us with both an early planted and late-planted crop. With that said, timely rains and good temperatures during June resulted in vigorous early season growth. Excessive rains led to severe water-logging in some areas of the Blacklands, but most cotton appears to be growing well at this point. Hot temperatures over the past few days resulted in several fields beginning to wilt, even in those that received decent rains last week. This is a reminder that we are never more than a few days away from a drought. For growers with irrigation capabilities, timely applications and subsequent and frequent soil moisture and plant growth monitoring is necessary to avoid wilting and the associated yield loss potential. This is important throughout the entire bloom period. Later-planted cotton will likely be in peak bloom when this article appears. Applications for bollworms will also likely be underway the first part of August. Growers should be using the recommended egg threshold for WideStrike, Bollgard II and TwinLink cotton and the larval threshold for WideStrike 3, Bollgard III and TwinLink Plus cotton. It is critical to scout thoroughly and frequently for this insect pest and take any necessary action once thresholds are met. Additionally, a timely diamide spray can greatly improve yields, especially in twogene varieties, if applied before worms become established. For late-planted cotton, remember that our last effective bloom date generally falls between Aug. 20 and 31. Therefore, growers should manage for earliness in late-planted fields to maximize boll retention for those set before this date. guy_collins@ncsu.edu
TENNESSEE Tyson Raper Tennessee’s cotton crop entered July with the potential to be record-breaking. Abnormally warm conditions during the first 40 days pushed maturity. For fields planted in early May, scattered blooms were present by the last week in June. Most areas have been blessed with sufficient rainfall up to this point (July 12). Severe thunderstorms have lodged a few farms and put some low-lying acres under water, but affected acres are not widespread. Fruit retention has been good, and insect pressure has been average. We are watching reports of bollworms in adjacent states due to the two Bt-gene trait issues noted last year. I suspect we will be treating soon, but we have not had to treat yet. We are definitely a long way from the end of the season. Up to this point, however, the crop couldn’t be in a much better position. traper@utk.edu COTTONFARMING.COM
Specialists Speaking TEXAS Gaylon Morgan As of mid-July, excessive rains in mid-June removed the Rio Grande Valley and Coastal Bend from drought status. However, it was too much, too late, to improve the cotton crop and was quite detrimental to the sorghum crop. Some of the very late replanted cotton in the Coastal Bend has benefited from the rain. But the earlier planted cotton was heavily stressed, and the rainfall triggered a lot of premature defoliation caused by nutrient deficiencies and secondary pathogens. Much of the Upper Gulf Coast cotton did benefit from the heavy rainfall in mid-June and scattered showers since. However, nutrient deficiency symptoms became apparent following the standing water and compromised root systems in June. Where secondary pathogens have infected these plant leaves, premature defoliation is occurring in the area.
Irrigated cotton in the Southern Blacklands is looking good, and the 3 Bt-gene varieties are holding up to high bollworm pressure in this region. Dryland cotton in the Southern and Central Blacklands has suffered from moisture stress most of the year, and yield potential is quite low. The Northern Blacklands is looking fairly good with more rainfall. In the Rolling Plains, the crop is highly variable due to scattered rain showers and whether the rain was preceded by hail. Irrigated cotton is well into flowering, while dryland fields are approaching first flower. Across the Rolling Plains, yield potential is quite low due to limited moisture and high temperatures most of the season. Some recent rains have definitely been helpful to the irrigated cotton in this area but will not be sufficient to help the struggling dryland crop, unless more rain happens soon. On the positive side, for the past month or so reports of off-target herbicide movement has been minimal across the state, and we all hope it stays that way. gdmorgan@tamu.edu
VICKY BOYD
This cotton field photo was captured in late June near Snook, Texas, in the Brazos Bottom, which was formed by the Brazos River.
TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING
AUGUST 2018 COTTON FARMING
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Specialists Speaking ARIZONA Randy Norton
ARKANSAS Bill Robertson
In the first two weeks of July, we experienced some high temperatures with a few days of level two (L2) heat stress in the low deserts of Arizona. We are likely to see additional days of level one (L1) and L2 heat stress the remainder of the season. The effects are most pronounced after several consecutive days of L2 heat stress when the crop is at or near peak bloom. The main evidence of heat stress is fruit loss and typically appears as a layer of aborted sites at the same point vertically on the plant across the field. The fruit loss will be fairly uniform across the field and will coincide with the heat stress event. The fruit development stages most susceptible to heat stress are very small one- to three-day-old bolls. Fruit that survives heat stress may have partial seed pollination within the boll, resulting in misshapen or “hook-beaked” bolls. These often do not mature and open properly, making any cotton produced in that boll difficult to pick. Keep an eye out for this phenomenon in the field and be prepared to take corrective action in the event of significant fruit loss. Keep in mind that the fruit is a sink for carbohydrates produced through photosynthesis. If that fruit is lost, the energy produced by the plant is diverted into vegetative growth — sometimes in excess, which can complicate late-season management and harvest preparation. Properly timed plant growth regulator applications can help manage excess vegetative growth if this occurs in your field. Keep in mind, too, that other factors affect heat stress response and effects, including variety selection and management factors, such as plant water status. Water stress can exacerbate the issues associated with L2 heat stress. Maintaining a healthy crop through proper irrigation and fertility is very important. For more information on heat stress and other cotton management related topics, go to cals.arizona.edu/crops. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu
Mother Nature has certainly kept this season interesting. We have some April planted cotton, but most was planted in May. Our crop has run well ahead of schedule this season although we missed some opportunities for rain in June that would have gone a long way toward having it where we want to be going into flowering. Some cotton at first flower was running six to seven nodes above white flower (NAWF). Our target is nine to 10 NAWF at first flower. A lot of fields were at five or six NAWF after the first week of flowering. We will be happy with this crop at harvest if we avoid premature cutout by keeping NAWF values at five or better for three weeks. We can set a lot of cotton with three weeks of effective flowering with good retention rates. Tracking nodes above white flower (NAWF) from first flower to cutout (NAWF=5) can offer great insight on the crop’s condition and potential. As we approach this time of the season, we are interested in using this tool to aid in crop termination. The first fields planted are not always the first to reach cutout. Establishing the date of cutout (NAWF=5) for each field is important in identifying the last cohort or group of bolls that will contribute significantly to yield and profit. It is on this group of bolls and their development that we base our end-of-season decisions by heat unit (HU) accumulation or DD60s beyond the date of cutout. General termination guidelines include plant bug, cutout + 250 HU; bollworm and tobacco budworm, cutout + 350 HU; irrigation, cutout + 350 to 650 HU; stink bug, cutout + 450 HU; defoliating insects, cutout + 500 HU; harvest aid initiation, cutout + 850 HU. For more information, contact your county Extension agent. brobertson@uaex.edu
OKLAHOMA Seth Byrd The U.S. Department of Agriculture acres planted report estimated Oklahoma’s 2018 cotton acreage at 720,000 — a 23 percent increase from the acres planted in 2017. In the southwestern part of the state — the traditional home of Oklahoma cotton — the status of the crop is all over the board as of mid-July. Within a small area, there are fields in great condition approaching peak bloom and others with sparse, newly emerging plants after the first significant rain since planting. For fields in the better half of this status, August will be a pivotal month as peak bloom is a critical period for timely and adequate water supply. Meeting this demand and avoiding water stress will help ensure high boll retention and timely fiber development and crop maturity moving into the fall. Other considerations may be necessary for areas with poor stands, late emergence or cotton that is behind in development due to heat and water stress. Applying plant growth regulators can prevent plants from becoming too large and impeding harvest activities in fields with sparse plant populations. There are concerns about irrigation water availability in the water district surrounding Altus for the remainder of the season. This is because early season irrigation was necessary to stave off the oppressive drought and heat during May and June. Rainfall in August would provide tremendous relief from a water supply burden that has been carried almost fully by irrigation through the first three months of the season. seth.byrd@okstate.edu
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COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2018
MISSOURI Calvin Meeks The Fourth of July brought us flowering cotton here in the Missouri Bootheel. The latest Crop Progress and Condition Report shows 71 percent of the cotton is squaring and 33 percent is setting bolls, putting the crop ahead of the five-year average. We are ahead of last year, considerably so from a boll set standpoint as well. The cotton acreage is estimated to be 345,000, up from 305,000 last year. The cotton appears to have great yield potential, but I have concerns about sporadic rainfall. We have been considerably drier than during planting time, but thankfully rain is again predicted over the next few weeks. Cotton condition was rated 5 percent poor, 32 percent fair, 56 percent good, and 7 percent excellent in the latest Crop Progress and Condition Report. It also rated subsoil moisture supply 30 percent very short, 34 percent short, 34 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus, highlighting the need for adequate irrigation. Peak bloom occurred the last two weeks of July, and water demands tapered off as we progressed into August. Cotton during this period transitioned from needing 2 inches of rain per week to 1-1.5 inches during the final stages of bloom. Regardless, the crop is currently growing very rapidly, and a final plant growth regulator application will be needed to ensure sufficient crop earliness. Emphasizing plant bug and bollworm control for the remainder of the season should be on everyone’s minds as well as keeping an eye out for target spot. We hope the 2018 Missouri cotton crop will catch fall weather similar to last year. Rainfall during August will help finish out this crop and then a warm and dry start to the fall will allow for timely defoliation applications and a favorable harvest season. meeksc@missouri.edu COTTONFARMING.COM
COTTON
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As Arkansas Cotton Acres plate 3/7/14 3:26 PMRebound, Page 1 So Do Gin Numbers
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COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
The number of active cotton gins in Arkansas rose to 33 in 2017, paralleling an increase in cotton acres, according to statistics from the National Agricultural Statistics Service. “With a recovery in cotton acres the last couple of years, Arkansas is also seeing some gins come back to life,” says Scott Stiles, Extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “In 2017, we saw two more gins operate than in 2016, one each in Craighead and Lee counties.” Arkansas farmers planted 445,000 acres of cotton in 2017, up from 380,000 in 2016. Cotton acres had been in slow decline since 2000, with the exception of 2006, when growers planted 1.17 million acres.
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Higher Volume Gins Stiles also says the NASS numbers showed another trend: “The trend toward much larger and higher-volume gins is certainly continuing. A gin is definitely a massive investment in equipment that requires a lot of volume to make the numbers work.” Of the 33 operating gins in 2017, 23 ginned 20,000 bales or
Craighead and Mississippi counties had the largest number of working gins in 2017, each with seven. more each. In 2016, only 17 gins handled the same volumes. Craighead and Mississippi counties had the largest number of working gins in 2017, each with seven. Ashley County had
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four, St. Francis had three, and Lee and Poinsett counties each had two. Clay, Chicot, Crittenden, Desha, Greene, Lincoln, Monroe and Philipps counties each had one. Low Cottonseed Prices However, low cottonseed prices may put the brakes on growth, Stiles says. “We may find in 2018 that even increasing cotton acreage may not be enough to sustain gin numbers in the state,” he says. “From discussions at our winter production meetings, I did hear of at least one gin that did not plan to operate this fall. They cited low cottonseed prices as the reason. Earlier this year cottonseed prices fell to decade lows. Revenue from seed sales is the lifeblood for gins.” Cottonseed prices spiked in June 2014 to $460 per ton and sank to $130 per ton in November 2017. For more information about agricultural economics, contact your county Extension office or visit www.uaex.edu.
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This article was contributed by Mary Hightower, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Cotton’s Calendar 2018 n Aug. 7-9: Cotton Incorporated Board of Directors Meeting,The Phoenician Hotel, Scottsdale, Arizona n Aug. 15: PCCA Board Meeting, Delegate Body Meeting, Marketing Pool Committee Meeting, Lubbock, Texas n Aug. 20-22: National Cotton Council Mid-Year Board
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Meeting, Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee ■ Sept. 19: PCCA Board Meeting, Annual Meeting, Lubbock, Texas ■ Sept. 19: Staplcotn/Stapldiscount Annual Meeting, Greenwood, Mississippi ■ Sept. 24: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona ■ Sept. 25: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors Meeting and Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona ■ Oct. 10: Plains Cotton Growers Quarterly Board Meeting, Bayer Museum of Agriculture, Lubbock, Texas ■ Oct. 17: PCCA Board Meeting, Delegate Body Meeting, Marketing Pool Committee Meeting, Lubbock, Texas ■ Nov. 14: PCCA Board Meeting, Lubbock, Texas ■ Nov. 15: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors Meeting, Bakersfield, California ■ Dec. 4-6: Cotton Inc. Board of Directors Meeting, The Ballantyne Hotel, Charlotte, North Carolina ■ Dec. 19: PCCA Board Meeting, Delegate Body Meeting, Marketing Pool Committee Meeting, Lubbock, Texas
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AUGUST 2018 COTTON FARMING
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Cotton Ginners Marketplace
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My Turn The Little Gin That Could
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a n y o u s a y a annual festival where 3 or 4 bales are ginned in building watches the same way they were for 60 years. So after 104 over a communi- years, this building is still doing what it was built ty? Well, I think to do. What an amazing feat! And while the gin doesn’t operate commercially, it can and I know one that I would venture to say it operates for a “higher” does. These days in a part of purpose. It offers both its body and soul on a daily Texas where most people basis for the purpose of history and to share the don’t naturally think “cot- story of cotton and ginning for future generaton,” sits a building whose tions. Over the course of the year, we have about history was dependent 6,000 total visitors come through the museum and Steph on it. The 1914 Burton grounds to experience this history. Along with the preservation of the gin itself, I Farmers Gin is in little Jarvis Burton, Texas, population am always thinking about how we can best pre300. I am proud to say that serve the history and share it with our visitors. And as is true for so many museums these days, its preservation is part of my job every day. As museum director at the Texas Cotton Gin finding the best ways to do this can be quite chalMuseum, I help care for the gin along with one lenging. So I take a walk through the gin and fellow staff member and some great volunteers. think. Really, what better source of inspiration is With the gin as our amazing tool, we share its there than the gin itself with its hearty cypress beams and corrugated history and connection tin panels? with the larger story “Burton Farmers Gin is now the And as I walk of cotton in our state through the gin, my and across the United oldest operating cotton gin in mind wanders not States (and really the country.” only to all those who the world). But I get worked there but also ahead of myself as I often do. First let me backtrack and share some of to all the families and people who picked the cotton that was brought here. My grandma, Dorothy its history. From the late 1800s onward here in central Landua Schulenberg, was one of them. She and Texas, cotton gins were in every little community. her family were paid to pick the cotton grown by Often there were several gins in one place, as is their neighbors and it was part of what she did to the case for Burton. In 1913, there was enough help her family. One of the saddest things for me is that I never cotton being grown that the two existing gins in town weren’t enough and a third was planned by a asked her many of the questions I would now, partly because I didn’t even know what to ask at group of German farmers. Aug. 3, 1914, Burton Farmers Gin opened for the time. But each time I visit with folks and menbusiness and operated until the ginning season of tion my grandma, I share what I do know — that 1974. So for 60 years, the gin was a central part she was a part of the cotton history of this area. One of the things that helps me quiet that sadof the community and outlasted all other gins in town. And in fact, thanks to a revival in 1986, it’s ness is to remind myself of what I can do. Every outlasted even more than that. It’s truly one of a day I try my best to keep this history alive, and by doing that I am honoring her memory and the kind in the United States. Because of its unique situation of being in memories of many others. And I feel blessed to its original location, having its original ginning have this chance. equipment, and being run by the largest engine — Steph Jarvis; Burton, Texas of its age and type, it is now the oldest operating burtoncottongin@earthlink.net cotton gin in the country. The gin is run at least www.cottonginmuseum.org twice a year with the most activity being at our
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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