Cotton Farming December 2020

Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

DECEMBER 2020

www.cottonfarming.com

■

West Texan Reflects On The Circle Of Life

■

BWCC Adds New Sustainability Conference

Improvements in

Texas Cotton Nutrition Researchers Explore Potential For Optimizing Application Timing And Plant Growth

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Vol. 64 No. 12

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

DECEMBER 2020

www.cottonfarming.com

FE ATURES

8 14 18 24

12

26

Cotton Nutrition

Texas Tech and Texas A&M researchers explore the potential for optimizing application timing and plant growth in cotton.

Their efforts include conducting research farm studies. So far, results suggest current cotton fertility can be underestimated in regard to nutrient intake during the middle and latter parts of the growing season. They also laid out the potential to optimize nutrient application to improve plant growth.

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

4 Editor’s Note 5 Cotton’s Agenda 10 Industry News

16 Research & Promotion 20 Specialists Speaking 30 My Turn

27

Virginia’s cotton and peanut harvests lagged in early November due to a series of disruptive weather events.

TEXAS HONORS AG LEADERS Two cotton couples are in the running for this year’s Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher finalists recognized by Texas Farm Bureau.

SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE A BWCC session well received in the past expands to a full conference that will look up and down the supply chain from farm level to products on shelves.

CA EYES MARKET STABILITY Farmers and industry leaders weigh in on trade challenges, water shortages and market conditions unsettled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

CLEMSON SOIL LAB ON CALL The Clemson Agricultural Service Laboratory helps farmers gain a clearer vision of their soils’ health by providing snapshots of soil fertility.

GINNERS MARKETPLACE

the official publication of the ginning industry California’s governor signs family leave bill, and the National Cotton Council posts contamination prevention videos on YouTube.

WEB EXCLUSIVE Arizona “Connect by Story” podcaster Erin Kuiper shares what she calls her family’s “complete comprehensive list” of things farm kids know, including how to build a cottonseed fort. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.

SUPPLEMENT ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

Take a ‘1,000-foot’ look when selecting varieties

ON THE COVER: A field of West Texas cotton lined with modules headed for the gin salutes the dedication of the region’s farmers. Cover photo by Mary Jane Buerkle.

PICKING, DIGGING DELAYED

Choices, choices

DECEMBER 2020

Look for Soybean South following page 24 in the Mid-South and Southeast editions of Cotton Farming. To have industry news and content delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for the monthly e-newsletter at www.soybeansouth.com.

COTTON FARMING (ISSN 0746-8385) is published monthly January through December by One Grower Publishing LLC, 875 W. Poplar Ave., Suite 23, Box 305, Collierville, TN 38017. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, Tennessee, and at additional mailing offices. 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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DECEMBER 2020 | COTTON FARMING

3

Editor’s Note

Cotton Farming

Carroll Smith

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

A

Hope For The Future

s we prepare to close the book on a year that has challenged every fiber of our being, we look forward to starting a new chapter full of hope.

Perusing the pages of this issue of Cotton Farming will confirm there really is hope for the future.

In the cover story on page 12, researchers at Texas Tech and Texas A&M are working to improve the understanding of how cotton absorbs nutrients. They are exploring the potential for optimizing application timing and plant growth.

Katie Lewis, an associate professor of soil chemistry and fertility in Texas Tech’s Department of Plant and Soil Science with a joint appointment with Texas A&M AgriLife Research, wants to update the literature because of the potential effect it could have on the cotton industry in general and farmers specifically.

“The application of fertilizers based on updated recommendation rates and timings that match the crop’s nutrient demand across the growing season, can improve yield output as well as nutrient use and cost efficiencies,” says Texas Tech graduate student Irish Lorraine Pabuayon.

The Texas researchers say this could potentially be “a major breakthrough for the cotton farming industry, allowing farmers to produce higher yields with less or more targeted treatments, thus reducing costs.”

Recognizing young farmers who are passionate about agriculture and dedicated to serving the industry also gives us hope for the future. Two cotton couples are among the finalists for the Texas Farm Bureau’s 2020 Outstanding Young Farmers & Ranchers Award.

Slayton and Abby Hoelscher are implementing minimal and no-till practices on their farms to enhance microbial activity and reduce soil erosion. Alton and Adriennne Synatschk are active in Texas Farm Bureau and Lamb County Farm Bureau. Read more about these enthusiastic young farmers on page 14.

As the 2021 Beltwide Cotton Conferences approaches, be sure to register for the convenient, live-stream event to take advantage of the wealth of information that will be available. A new addition to the program is the Sustainability Conference. Lori Duncan, the conference chair, says, “The new conference is designed to explore the cotton supply chain from the farm level to having cotton products on the shelves.” A robust program is on tap all three days of this conference, so don’t miss it.

In California, cotton farmers and industry leaders say the “market may be stabilizing amid trade challenges, water shortages and market conditions unsettled by the COVID-19 pandemic.” For more details, see the article on page 24.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!

Carroll If you have comments, please send them to: Cotton Farming Magazine, 7201 Eastern Ave., Germantown, TN 38138.

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COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2020

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 Audience Services Kate Thomas (847) 559-7514 For subscription changes or change of address, call (847) 559-7578 or email cottonfarming@omeda.com 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 2020 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

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COTTONFARMING.COM

Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

Capitalizing On Convenience, Access The National Cotton Council urges cotton producers and others to take advantage of the virtual 2021 Beltwide Cotton Conferences’ wealth of information that can help make key production/ marketing-related decisions for the upcoming growing season.

What’s the participation incentive?

■■ Convenience is the primary incentive as the

2021 Beltwide Cotton Conferences will offer livestreamed individual reports, panel discussions, and poster presentations from the half-day Cotton Consultants Conference and the 11 cotton technical sessions. From any device screen, participants conveniently can access new product information and results from production-processing trials and other research that can be tailored to improve and maximize individual farming operations.

Those planning to participate in the Jan. 5-7 virtual event must register at the BWCC’s website, www.cotton.org/beltwide — with conference access details to be emailed to registrants closer to January. Registration fees for the 2021 BWCC have been reduced: $180 for NCC/Cotton Foundation members, university and USDA researchers, Extension personnel, associations and consultants; $500 f o r n o n - U. S . research, Extension, associations, and consultants; $350 for nonNCC/Foundation members; and $75 for students.

2021 Beltwide Cotton Conferences participants can access Registration will remain open a wealth of timely information from any device screen. after the conference for on-demand access of all recorded content.

The 2021 BWCC final program will be posted on Dec. 3 at www.cotton.org/beltwide. The forum will begin at 8 a.m. Jan. 5 with the half-day Cotton Consultants Conference that is open to all registered participants. Topics planned for that session range from weather models’ influence on cotton

physiology decisions to updates on dicamba availability and cotton leafroll dwarf virus control. The 11 BWCC cotton technical conferences, which now include the Cotton Sustainability Conference, will meet concurrently beginning the afternoon of Jan. 5 and conclude by 5 p.m. Jan. 7. Those sessions will offer insight on topics ranging from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recently launched Partnerships for Data Innovation to updates on the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol.

What about the U.S Cotton Trust Protocol?

■■ COVID-19 also has led the NCC to employ

a virtual format to escalate U.S. cotton producer enrollment in that sustainability initiative. The Trust Protocol conducted a series of webinars to increase producer awareness of the global cotton supply chain’s increasing scrutiny. The series also examined how significant producer participation in the Trust Protocol can give brands and retailers the critical assurances they need to source U.S. cotton.

Producers can register for any of three regional December webinars at https://trustuscotton. org/enrollment-webinar-live-sessions/. The site also will list future webinars. A YouTube tutorial on the enrollment process is at https://youtu.be/ AcbwQfHx3B8. More information can be obtained by emailing growers@trustuscotton.org.

Other virtual events being planned?

■■ To minimize risks to U.S. cotton industry mem-

bers due to the pandemic, the NCC’s 2021 Annual Meeting also will be held in a virtual format. Our staff soon will distribute a schedule and calendar meeting notifications. We anticipate Annual Meeting committee meetings will occur during the weeks of Jan. 25 and Feb. 1 with Board and General Session meetings slated for Feb. 11-12. All NCC Members are invited to attend the General Session.

Please direct questions to info@cotton.org.

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

DECEMBER 2020 | COTTON FARMING

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Wet Conditions Delayed Harvest In Virginia Remaining Peanut Crop Fared Better Than Cotton

V

irginia’s cotton and peanut harvests lagged behind in early November due to a series of disruptive weather events. And the threat of additional rain further dampened farmers’ efforts to get in the field.

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service Nov. 9 crop report, Virginia’s cotton and peanut harvests were just 35% and 65% complete, respectively.

At that time last year, Virginia farmers had completed the peanut harvest and harvested 74% of the state’s cotton.

“Peanuts and cotton are both extremely late,” says Mike Parrish, a Virginia Cooperative Extension agent in Dinwiddie County.

“That was compounded by wet weather in the spring that pushed back the planting season, and dry weather in the summer that slowed growth. As we faced the challenges of more rainfall, farmers just weren’t able to get on the ground to harvest their crops.”

Cotton Quality Affected

Shelley Barlow, a Suffolk cotton grower, says she delayed the bulk of her harvest in hopes that a streak of beneficial weather would allow her slow-growing crop to mature. But as rain continued to threaten her cotton, she realized another pause in harvest was likely.

“We’ve been trying our best to wait until the cotton is at an optimal stage, but then you look at the calendar and realize you have to go whether it’s ready or not. Another rain event only slows us down from getting back into the field. It also diminishes the quality of the cotton.”

Barlow notes in mid-November that she had harvested 100 of her 400 cotton acres but said the quality “was probably the worst” she’s ever produced. The NASS report indicated 43% of Virginia’s cotton was in poor or worse condition.

Peanuts In Better Shape

Isle of Wight County farmer Steven Crocker says his peanut

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COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2020

crop was about three weeks behind schedule due to wet conditions. With saturated soil and wet peanuts preventing farmers from running combines through their fields, harvest had been “a struggle for everybody,” he says.

While the quality of standing cotton was a concern, Virginia’s remaining peanut crop fared better despite late harvests. Fortyfive percent of the crop was in good condition, and 44% was in fair condition.

Parrish says that 10 days of dry weather preceding mid-November rain allowed farmers to make progress on each harvest.

When another dry spell was forecasted, he anticipates that trend will continue.

“After this wet period comes through and the ground dries back out, we’ll finish up the bulk of these harvests,” Parrish says.

“We’re just hoping everything stands up and will be able to be harvested.”

The Virginia Farm Bureau contributed this article.

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Industry News

TRAIT STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES NOTICE TO FARMERS Bayer Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Bayer products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Bayer’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba, glyphosate or glufosinate are approved for in-crop use with XtendFlex® Cotton. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with XtendFlex® Cotton.

B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states.

Check with your representative for the registration status in your state. Roundup Ready® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate. Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba.

Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Contact your seed brand dealer or refer to the Bayer Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs. Insect control technology provided by Vip3A is utilized under license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. Bollgard®, Bollgard II®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design® and XtendFlex® are trademarks of Bayer Group. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® are registered trademarks of BASF. Agrisure Viptera® is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship.

All other products, company names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Before opening a bag of seed, be sure to read, understand and accept the stewardship requirements, including applicable refuge requirements for insect resistance management, for the biotechnology traits expressed in the seed as set forth in the Bayer Technology/Stewardship Agreement that you sign. By opening and using a bag of seed, you are reaffirming your obligation to comply with the most recent stewardship requirements.

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COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2020

LSU AgCenter Names Interim Specialist Plant pathologist Paul “Trey” Price, an assistant professor based at the Macon Ridge Research Station in Winnsboro, Louisiana, is serving as the LSU AgCenter’s interim cotton, corn and grain sorghum specialist.

Price says he often finds inspiration during his farm visits.

“It’s really good fuel for imagination and research ideas if you go on farms and you see what’s happening in the real world and you see what’s happening outside,” he says. “I really like to focus on things that we can apply to growers and their program that keeps them in business, that’ll solve their problems.

“If I can save a grower a dollar by coming up with a solution, our program has paid for itself. If we could save a dollar an acre across the state of an input cost, just think — just add that up.”

Contact Price at PPrice@agcenter.lsu. edu or 308-235-9805.

Precision Seed Placement Technology Now Available Precision Planting LLC has introduced two seed placement optimization technologies. They provide growers with greater seed placement precision, improved crop emergence and stand uniformity, and increased yield potential — all from the comfort of their tractor cab.

The SmartDepth technology uses a proprietary calibration process to ensure every row unit is planting at the same depth, removing row-to-row variability, according to a news release. The technol-

ogy also saves farmers time when they change depth settings on the planter. In addition, they can adjust depth more often, in 0.1-inch increments, by simply pushing a button on their Precision Planting 20|20 in-cab display.

A number of field-level factors account for determining optimal seed planting depth, including soil type, moisture levels and future weather forecast. The true planting depth of each row unit can often vary, even with the same depth setting across the planter. Research conducted by Precision Planting reveals that row unit variations can be 0.5 inch or more across planters, based on block checks.

SmartDepth can be paired with Precision Planting’s SmartFirmer, a seed firmer sensor that measures how much moisture is available for seed uptake.

Both technologies are available to farmers through Precision Planting premier dealers and require a Precision Planting 20|20 monitor and integration to operate across any planter equipment. The SmartDepth technology is available to farmers on a limited basis for the 2021 planting season.

Visit precisionplanting.com for more information.

Mississippi State Scientist Receives International Honor Raja Reddy, a world-renowned crop expert with Mississippi State University, was recognized with a premier, international award for cotton science.

Naming Reddy Researcher of the Year by the International Cotton Advisory Committee, spotlights his work to improve the quality of crops that feed, clothe and fuel the world.

Specifically, he focuses on climate change impact on cotton and other crop physiology, growth and development.

An MSU professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Reddy also directs the university’s Soil-PlantAtmosphere-Research unit, or SPAR. He is a scientist in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.

Reddy recently presented a virtual lecture on cotton and climate change as part of the World Cotton Research Conference’s plenary monthly lecture series, which is sponsored in part by ICAC. Continued on page 23 COTTONFARMING.COM

COVER STORY

Improvements In Texas Cotton Nutrition Researchers Explore Potential For Optimizing Application Timing And Plant Growth

T

he past 30 years have seen tremendous technological and biological advancements in cotton. This progress has resulted in growing yields each year — depending on the weather — that has help boost the industry worldwide.

The development of herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant cotton cultivars through breeding has brought about not only increased yield but better management practices by farmers.

These enhancements have shifted the focus from treating for pests to improving irrigation efficiency and maximizing lint quality.

Updated Literature Needed

One area that hasn’t changed, however, is the understanding of how cotton absorbs nutrients, with producers still using the same methods that have been in place for decades. But a group of Texas Tech and Texas A&M researchers is hoping to change that.

“As a new assistant professor, I began reviewing literature related to cotton nutrient requirements and noticed that it was extremely outdated,” says Katie Lewis, an associate professor of

soil chemistry and fertility in Texas Tech’s Department of Plant and Soil Science with a joint appointment with Texas A&M AgriLife Research.

“I realized at this point (updating literature) was something I wanted to do because of the potential impact it could have on the cotton industry and more specifically farmers.”

Lewis’s work was recently published in the paper, “Dry Matter and Nutrient Partitioning for the Past 30 Years of Cotton Production.” Co-authors included Irish Lorraine Pabuayon, graduate student and Plant and Soil Science chair; and Glen Ritchie, chair of Texas Tech’s Department of Plant and Soil Science.

Nutrient Uptake Timing

The results suggest current cotton fertility can be underestimated in regard to nutrient intake during the middle and latter part of the growing season, as well as laying out the potential for optimizing nutrient application to optimize growth.

“Based on the results from the research, application rates of most nutrients can be reduced and can be applied later into the season,” Lewis says.

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COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2020

DR. JOURDAN BELL/TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE

“Early in the season, cotton plants put most of the carbohydrates they produce through photosynthesis — and most of the nutrients they take up through soil water — into the roots, stems and leaves,” says Texas Tech’s Glen Ritchie.

COTTONFARMING.COM

Pabuayon says, “The application of fertilizers based on updated recommendation rates and timings that match the crop’s nutrient demand across the growing season can improve yield output as well as nutrient use and cost efficiencies.”

Lewis estimates the average lint yield of cotton produced in the United States is 1.5 times better than it was 30 years ago.

Most of that is due to improvements in irrigation and weed and pest control.

Ritchie adds that the number of acres where the most efficient irrigation methods are implemented increases each year, and producers are using fewer inputs.

Lag In Nutritional Information

tions were followed by subsequent drought and high temperatures during the middle of the growing season.

This caused stress on the plants at the beginning of the reproductive season and led to more favorable growing conditions at critical stages of development in 2018 than in 2019.

As a result, the more modern cultivars tested in this research were able to partition (divide) a greater percentage of dry matter (yield without water content), nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium into the fruit than older cultivars, which emphasized the need for partitioning to increase cultivar production potential.

There also was an increase in the amount of sulfur partitioned to the leaves, potentially contributing to sustained plant growth and improving lint yield due to its role in protein, enzyme and chlorophyll synthesis.

The uptake and partitioning of magnesium and calcium were similar to the levels seen in the 1990s.

But because of time, labor and cost restraints, updating nutrient requirements and fertility management has not kept up with other production improvements. Most common is nutrient intake and partitioning.

The most customary nutrients applied to cotton include The Nutrient Index nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium and “With greater yield potential, plants require greater nutrients,” sulfur. Plants take these nutrients in through the roots. Then Lewis says. “However, because plants have been bred to be more they are partitioned, or distributed, to different parts of the efficient, they require lesser amounts of nutrients per pound of plant, such as vegetative and reproductive structures. yield produced. This is referred to as the nutrient index.”

“Early in the season, cotton plants put most of the carbohyBecause modern cultivars are more efficient in the uptake and drates they produce through photosynthesis — and most of partitioning of nutrients, they are able to retain more fruit earlier the nutrients they take up through soil water — into the roots, in the growing season, resulting in more fruit and fewer stems and stems and leaves,” Ritchie says. leaves. Management practices can now “As the plants begin to produce be adjusted to further increase fruit fruit, they compartmentalize more production since plants can produce This could potentially be a and more of these carbohydrates and more with less nutrient application. major breakthrough for the nutrients into the developing bolls.

“The improvements made in the The plant even begins to break down areas of genetics and management cotton farming industry. chemicals and tissues in other parts technologies led to the development of the plant to provide materials to of newer cultivars that shift their make the fruit. As a result, the plant resource allocation priorities such funnels every possible bit of energy and nutrients into the fruit.” that allocation of each essential element to the fruit is favored at Based on the research results, application rates of most nutri- the expense of more leaves and stems,” Pabuayon says. ents can be reduced and can be applied later into the season.

“The application of fertilizers based on updated recommendation rates and timings that match the crop’s nutrient demand 2018-19 Studies Conducted across the growing season can improve yield output as well as For this study, researchers chose typically planted cotton nutrient use and cost efficiencies.” varieties from Paymaster, Deltapine and FiberMax representing This could potentially be a major breakthrough for the cotton various time periods from the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. They farming industry, allowing farmers to produce higher yields with planted all three varieties during 2018 and 2019. less or more targeted treatments, thus reducing costs. Pabuayon Paymaster HS26 was released in 1995, FiberMax 98 was says that as soon as a functioning fertilizer recommendation plan released in 2000 and Deltapine 1646 was released in 2016. All is established based on these findings, producers can use it for produce high-yielding, high-quality cotton cultivars compa- existing and future production systems. rable to those from other seed companies but with different growth habits.

Plans For The Future During each year, the plots planted on roughly 2.5 acres at Lewis says she plans to conduct a similar study every 10-15 the Texas Tech Research Farm were fertilized with: years so the literature and knowledge in this area continues to  97 pounds of ammonium nitrate (nitrogen). be evaluated and distributed to producers. She also wants to  ~199 pounds of phosphorous pentoxide (phosphorus). evaluate fertilizer application rates and timings based on these  66 pounds of potassium oxide (potassium). results to ensure improved use efficiency.

In both years, the potassium and phosphorus were applied “Future directions can focus on expanding the reach of this prior to planting. The nitrogen was applied 40% before plant- study to other locations outside the region and to crops other ing and 60% after planting in both years with varying times of than cotton,” Pabuayon says. application prior to planting. Soil samples were collected 30 “Information about the actual fertilizer rates and timings that days prior to planting both years. are being adopted by producers throughout the state can be collected and used by researchers and Extension specialists to tailor Modern And Older Cultivars the updated recommendation to be as site-specific as possible.”

In terms of precipitation, more was received in 2019 than in 2018 due to several rains occurring after planting. These condi- Texas Tech University contributed this article.

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

DECEMBER 2020 | COTTON FARMING

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Abby and Slayton Hoelscher

Adrienne and Alton Synatschk

Cotton Couples Among Finalists For TFB Outstanding YF&R Award

E

ach year, Texas Farm Bureau’s Outstanding Young Farmers & Ranchers competition recognizes the accomplishments of some of the state’s top agricultural leaders between the ages of 18 and 35. The YF&R contest rewards the ambition, fortitude and dedication displayed by these individuals.

The 2020 Outstanding YF&R finalists are Slayton and Abby Hoelscher of Wall, Alton and Adrienne Synatschk of Olton, and Matt and Jessica Hanslik of Halletsville. Two of the couples — the Hoelschers and the Synatschks — grow cotton.

“These young men and women work hard. They serve Texas Farm Bureau, their communities and Texas agriculture with strong dedication,” says TFB President Russell Boening. “We’re honored to recognize their passion and drive to provide food, fiber and fuel to families across the world.”

Finalists are chosen from each of TFB’s 13 districts. A panel of volunteer judges visited the finalists on their farms.

Cotton Couples

Slayton and Abby Hoelscher grow cotton, corn, grain sorghum, peanuts and hay in Tom Green and Haskell counties.

Slayton is a first-generation farmer whose passion for agriculture began with a small garden and grew to a thriving farming operation.

The couple is implementing minimal and no-till practices on their farms to enhance microbial activity and reduce soil erosion. Abby also works at Mueller Metals and Spring Creek Products in San Angelo.

The Hoelschers serve as the District 6 representatives on TFB’s YF&R Advisory Committee. Slayton also serves on the Tom Green County Farm Bureau board of directors, and he is the county YF&R chair. They are also both active in state YF&R

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COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2020

events and county activities.

Alton and Adrienne Synatschk grow cotton, corn, grain sorghum and wheat. They raise stocker cattle, maintain a cowcalf herd and operate several custom businesses — spraying, swathing and trucking. In addition, Alton farms in a separate partnership with his two brothers. Adrienne also works at the Olton Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture. The couple has four children.

The young couple is active in TFB and Lamb County Farm Bureau. Alton servers as the president of Lamb County Farm Bureau and is a past participant of TFB’s AgLead program, a two-year leadership development program that teaches members about agriculture and leadership from a new perspective.

Adrienne is in the current class of AgLead.

Matt and Jessica Hanslik have a crossbred cattle operation and raise purebred Charolais cattle in Lavaca County. They also grow corn and hay.

YF&R Prizes

The winner of this year’s TFB Outstanding YF&R contest will take home the title to a ¾-ton diesel pickup courtesy of Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Cos.; and a $5,000 cash award, courtesy of Farm Credit.

The two runners-up will receive a $500 cash award courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co. The state winner will represent Texas in the national Achievement Award competition hosted by the American Farm Bureau Federation in January 2021.

The national winners and runners-up also will be rewarded for their achievements.

The Texas Farm Bureau contributed this article.

COTTONFARMING.COM

2021 Auxin Herbicides Best Management Practices Training

BY CHARLIE CAHOON JR.

NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY

A

s most have heard, the recently approved federal labels for dicamba-containing products labeled for over-the-top use on dicamba-tolerant cotton and soybeans still require annual training.

Therefore, North Carolina State University Extension, in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, will continue to provide instruction to the state’s famers, applicators and retailers via the Auxin Herbicides Best Management Practices training.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 sessions will look differently than in the past.

Here are the available options:

For Zoom link and passcode, please contact your county agricultural Extension agent.

Live Zoom Training Sessions Date

Time

Day of week

Jan. 12

10 a.m.

Tuesday

Jan. 21

10 a.m.

Thursday

Jan. 29

10 a.m.

Friday

Feb. 4

10 a.m.

Thursday

Feb. 8

10 a.m.

Monday

Feb. 18

10 a.m.

Thursday

Feb. 24

10 a.m.

Wednesday

March 2

10 a.m.

Tuesday

March 11

10 a.m.

Thursday

March 15

10 a.m.

Monday

March 24

10 a.m.

Wednesday

March 29

10 a.m.

Monday

• Pre-recorded video: Drs. Charlie Cahoon and Wesley Everman will provide county agricultural agents with a prerecorded video of the 2021 Auxin Herbicides-Best Management Training.

Agents can incorporate this video into winter meetings (live or virtual). If used in conjunction with a virtual meeting, the NCDA&CS requirements for active participation must be followed.

If incorporated into a face-to-face meeting, agents will capture attendance normally with hard-copy rosters or scanning pesticide license upon entry.

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• Live Zoom: Drs. Charlie Cahoon and Wesley Everman will offer 12 live Zoom training options. The sessions will be held weekly from mid-January through late March. All live Zoom events will start at 10 a.m. CST. Attendees will use the same Zoom link and passcode for each individual live Zoom meeting.

• Slide set: Drs. Charlie Cahoon and Wesley Everman will provide county agricultural agents with the 2021 Auxin Herbicides-Best Management Training slide set. Like the prerecorded video, agents can deliver the slide set at regularly scheduled winter meetings (live or virtual).

If used in conjunction with a virtual meeting, the NCDA&CS requirements must be followed for this option as well. If incorporated into a face-to-face meeting, agents will capture attendance normally with hard-copy rosters or scanning pesticide license upon entry.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Dr. Wesley Everman — Extension weed specialist and associate professor, Crop & Soil Sciences NCSU Extension — contributed to this article. For more information, contact Dr. Charlie Cahoon at charlie_cahoon@ncsu.edu.

Attendee Requirements For Live Zoom Training 1. Registration is required before attendee can join the live Zoom training. This can be completed just before the Zoom session.

2. Attendee must include name, email address, phone number, county and NCDA&CS certification/license number at registration.

3. To receive credit for a virtual training, NCDA&CS requires the following of all attendees: • Identity verification at the beginning of the course and after any breaks.

• Active participation by each attendee throughout course to ensure attendee is present. Polling questions will be used for live Zoom meetings.

• Attendance must be taken at the end of the course.

• No partial credit is given for those who arrive late or leave early.

DECEMBER 2020 | COTTON FARMING

15

RESEARCH & PROMOTION

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WH AT IF YOU CO U L D F I X IT? We believe you can in 5 easy steps. See how on the opposite page.

2020 Is ‘One For The Books’

A

s I sit down to write this article and reflect on the year, I struggle to come up with the words to summarize 2020.

The phrases I typically use to describe it may not be appropriate here. But I think it should suffice to say 2020 has been tough.

Between a trade war and labor issues in China, the coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc on cotton demand, and unprecedented weather across the Belt, 2020 has tested every sector of the cotton industry.

Cotton producers know about tough years. Even when prices are low and input costs are high, everyone still depends on farmers to feed and clothe the world.

Industry Comes Together

However, I think most cotton producers must also be optimists by nature. How else could they continue to put their livelihood on the line year after year?

So I’ve found myself searching for the bright spots in this unimaginable year, and I keep coming back to the people and organizations that form the backbone of the U.S. cotton industry. We are a tough lot, and historically our industry doesn’t withdraw during difficult times.

In fact, the Cotton Research and Promotion Program was designed to help overcome adversity by a group of cotton producers who faced declining market share, low prices and new competition from man-made synthetic fibers.

But instead of backing down, they rallied together to ensure a future for cotton.

Cotton Incorporated’s Efforts

2020 marked the 50th anniversary of Cotton Incorporated — the research and marketing company founded by U.S. cotton producers and importers. The cotton industry has changed significantly over the past five decades, including the way the crop is produced and harvested to the fiber’s ability to perform in a range of apparel and home textiles.

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COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2020

BY STACEY GORMAN WARREN, ARKANSAS

For 50 years, Cotton Incorporated has existed to lighten cotton producers’ burden. Through ongoing research, cottonseed marketing and consumer promotion, Cotton Incorporated helps producers grow the crop more profitably and creates a market demand for the fiber.

During its 50th year, Cotton Incorporated has been a leader in rebuilding and retooling the downstream supply chain for cotton products. This revitalization is critical to regain consumer demand and strengthen producer prices.

Cotton Incorporated has quickly adjusted and adapted plans in 2020 to address the immediate needs of the cotton growers and importers it serves.

Addressing The Pandemic

To better understand the pandemic’s effects on consumer habits and attitudes, the Corporate Strategy and Insights department conducted multiple surveys on the impact of COVID-19 on consumers’ shopping habits. The Global Supply Chain Marketing team is leveraging that information and sharing it with companies, organizations and associations in the world supply chain to help build cotton demand.

The Nonwovens Department worked with the retail-brand community to find sourcing solutions to the serious personal protective equipment shortage that emerged early this year.

COTTONFARMING.COM

H OW TO

R EDU C E YO U R COST O N COT TO N S E E D

1 Watch the new meter comparison video at precisionplanting.com/cotton

2

U.S. cotton farmers are an integral part of our industry’s strong foundation.

Gorman is The Cotton Board’s director of communications. Contact her at sgorman@ cottonboard.org.

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

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2020 will be a year we all remember for quite some time. We were forced to slow down, look around and identify things that were truly essential in our lives.

The tireless, often underappreciated, hard work of America’s cotton producers is essential. Having access to the fruits of their labor and the ability to stay comfortable in cotton have also felt essential to me.

I hope all the cotton producers out there have confidence that the work being done by the Cotton Research and Promotion Program on their behalf can be included in the “essential” category, too.

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Embracing What’s Essential

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The Consumer Marketing team quickly launched a new advertising campaign, sharing a simple message: stay home, stay safe and stay comfortable in cotton.

The videos illustrate how the pandemic has changed the way we live our lives. They also recognize the farmers, essential workers and health care professionals working on the front lines.

The Ag Research team traveled the country, often living in travel trailers to stay safe from COVID-19. They visited research plots, checked in with cooperator researchers and visited farmers in every cotton-growing state.

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DECEMBER 2020 | COTTON FARMING

17

Sustainability Conference Debuts

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

T

he National Cotton Council will conduct the 2021 Beltwide Cotton Conferences virtually Jan. 5-7, 2021, (Tuesday-Thursday) due to continued concerns regarding COVID-19’s spread.

Beltwide, coordinated by the NCC, annually brings together university and U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers, regulatory agencies, Extension personnel/agents, consultants and industry sales/support personnel.

The goal is to exchange information about new products and production/processing systems that can be tailored to individual farming operations for maximum efficiency.

Program Topics

The 2021 Beltwide begins at 8 a.m. Central Time, Jan. 5, 2021, with the half-day Cotton Consultants Conference that is open to all attendees. Among topics planned for that session are a National Weather Service discussion of prediction models/longrange forecasting. In addition, university cotton physiologists will describe weather models’ influence on cotton physiology decisions, including growth regulator use and leaf shed practices.

Environmental Protection Agency officials will review the availability status of dicamba and other plant protection chemistries. In addition, a panel will discuss Bt resistance management and EPA’s new proposed requirements.

Participants also will get an update on cotton leafroll dwarf virus and products from various agribusiness companies.

New Technical Conference

The 11 Beltwide cotton technical conferences, which now include the Cotton Sustainability Conference, will provide updates on research and current/emerging technology. Those sessions will meet concurrently beginning on the afternoon of Jan. 5 and conclude by 5 p.m., Jan. 7.

Lori Duncan, Sustainability Conference chair, says, “In the past couple of years, the National Cotton Council has hosted a half-day sustainability session, which was well attended and well received. With the cotton industry’s focus on sustainability, along with the launch of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, the time seemed right to expand the session into a full conference.”

Duncan says the new conference is designed to explore the cotton supply chain to communicate to the audience what is being done with cotton from the farm level to having cotton products on the shelves.

Many definitions of sustainability have been globally circulated. What does it mean in the context of the Sustainability Conference?

“Sustainability in the cotton world is not a destination, but a continuous journey,” Duncan says. “It means using our natural resources and inputs more efficiently. It also involves reducing or mitigating environmental effects, all while maintaining or improving yields, quality and profitability.”

Soil health is the focus for the first day of the conference

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COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2020

with perspectives offered from the Soil Health Institute, academia, government, Cotton Incorporated and a grower panel discussion. Most of day two will focus on the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol with panel discussions and viewpoints from throughout the supply chain. Brands and retailers, academia and cotton growers from around the Belt will convey where they currently in their sustainability journeys.

Also on the agenda are a tutorial on how to enroll in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, an explanation of how it has partnered with Field to Market and an update on the protocol verification process.

“The third day of the conference features presentations on international standard development, apparel industry contributions and plastic leakage,” Duncan says. “The remainder of day three will be dedicated to research exploring the way cotton production influences sustainability metrics, including greenhouse gas emissions.”

Registration Required

Those planning to participate in the 2021 live-stream Beltwide Cotton Conferences must register at www.cotton.org/beltwide/, which will be updated as program information becomes available.

Registration will continue after the virtual 2021 conference concludes to permit registered participants access to the event’s on-demand content.

Registration costs for the 2021 BWCC have been reduced due to the virtual format:  $180 for NCC/Cotton Foundation members, university and USDA researchers, Extension personnel, associations and consultants.  $500 for non-U.S. research, Extension, associations and consultants.  $350 for non-NCC/Foundation members.  $75 for students.

To view the preliminary program, visit https://bit.ly/33h64Mp. The NCC contributed information for this article.

COTTONFARMING.COM

OWN THE EARLY

OW N THE E A RLY

Always read an d follow la be l dire c tions. Stonev ille is a re giste re d tr a de m a r k of BA S F. © 2 0 2 0 B ASF Corpo r ation. All r ights reser v ed .

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10/28/20 8:44 AM

Specialists Speaking

2020 Cotton Season Recap FLORIDA David Wright

There was promise for a great cotton crop in Florida this year until late in the season after the weather had been good for the rest of the growing season.

As cotton began opening, several tropical storms and hurricanes delayed both peanut and cotton harvest with peanuts being harvested first as is normal. Peanut harvest was delayed two to three weeks and pushed cotton harvest out even further.

Several fields of what should have been near-record cotton yields were zeroed out due to high amounts of hardlock with seed sprouting in the boll. Several weeks of rain in September and October had degraded it.

However, later-planted cotton that was not open in the wettest period made good yields. Cotton was a mixed bag with many growers having good yields in areas that had less rainfall as bolls were opening.

Cotton needs to be rotated with peanuts to keep nematodes and diseases down for future years and does better without irrigation than many other crops. Better prices will keep cotton in rotations in the Deep South with a better chance to be profitable.

Farmers who had cotton planted after winter grazing had better yields than those fields with just cover crops without grazing. However, the yields were not record-breaking but still had 200 pounds per acre more lint than in fields not grazed.

Many cotton farmers are trying winter grazing ahead of cotton planting and realizing higher yields with fewer fertilizer needs. Planting winter grazing could be a challenge as harvest was delayed. But several growers spread seed for winter grazing before peanuts were dug, and these fields were ready to graze in early to mid-December.

Growers adapt to challenges and learn to manage crops under lessthan-ideal conditions. They also have learned to spread peanut vines more uniformly to get better stands of winter grazing. wright@ufl.edu

ALABAMA Steve M. Brown

Wide-row cotton intrigues me because of the possibilities for reduced seed/technology costs, hardlock, boll rot and picker expense. The first several factors are easily quantified; the last is somewhat elusive. But if you can pick similar yields with four or five heads versus six, you should save money. In research and on-farm demonstrations, it’s simple to use multiples of existing planter spacings such as 30 or 36 inches to test 60- or 72-inch row widths.

In 2019, we observed 60- and 72-inch row cotton. Mathematically, 60inch rows make great sense. Existing wheel spacings fit; 30-inch planters abound; and a six-row picker width exactly matches that of four 60-inch rows (or a four-row picker fits three wide rows). Obviously, tool bars can be extended (with some trouble) to pick six wide rows. Our thought was 60-inch rows may be too wide. Admittedly, our observations were made on a sandy, minimally irrigated site.

In 2020, we investigated 48-inch rows at two sandy, coastal plain locations. We subsoiled under the row and included two varieties, DP 2055 B3XF and PHY 400 W3FE — the former tall and aggressive, the latter compact. We imposed three plant growth regulator regimens: aggressive, moderate, and none based on conditions and variety. We made an error by planting equal seeding rates on per-acre basis rather than DOWN the row (seed/ft basis), negating the opportunity to reduce seed/technology costs by 33%. We saw that 48-inch rows are a little tight on a tradition-

20

COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2020

al 72-inch tire spacing. We understand row spacing and planting pattern must take into account the whole farming system. We’re testing a concept.

At Brewton, Alabama, standard 36-inch row cotton produced 1,484 pounds per acre, the 48-inch row cotton 1,475 pounds per acre. This despite more than 25 inches of rain and lots of wind in September and October. Varieties and PGR programs produced similar yields in standard rows; in 48inch rows, the aggressive variety produced about 120 pounds per acre more than the compact variety. We’re awaiting results from Headland, Alabama.

We’re thinking outside the box — investigating a way to lower costs and possibly improve yields in adverse conditions. cottonbrown@auburn.edu

MISSISSIPPI Brian Pieralisi

Cotton harvest in Mississippi is wrapping up as of Nov. 16 for the 2020 season. It has been a story of triumph and struggle for some cotton farmers, with most operations falling somewhere in the middle.

Cotton was off to a good start in Mississippi through July, with many growers hoping for record-breaking yields. Obviously, this wasn’t the case for all Mississippi cotton farmers. Repeated tropical rains caused yield losses and extended the harvest season. Some cotton didn’t fill out the top crop, which wasn’t anticipated when making preharvest estimates.

Most of the greatest yields were associated with cotton following corn the previous season. The point here is that there was no one reason to blame the missing 200-300 pounds of lint.

Now is the time to plan for the 2021 cotton season. Variety selection is still the No. 1 decision driving a successful 2021. A list of MSU’s Official Variety Trial and on-farm county demos will be available soon at https:// bit.ly/32UHGj4 to show how these varieties performed in different regions and locations across the state.

Take a little time this off-season to review the data to make informed decisions regarding varieties. I anticipate a push to some three-gene Bt cotton next year with preliminary data suggesting yields are competitive to two-gene Bt cotton. As always, look at return on investment for your operation, considering costs associated with different production scenarios at https://bit.ly/3faRieq.

Drier weather has dominated most of November, which is a great time for soil testing. Analyzing your soil test results in the fall will allow time to make fertilizer applications or plan for these applications in the early spring. If nematodes also are a problem on your farm, notice the performance of nematode-tolerant varieties when evaluating MSU variety trials.

Stay safe and good luck in 2021. bkp4@msstate.edu

TEXAS Ben McKnight

Looking back on 2020, I am fairly certain that everyone has experienced a year full of many challenges, and this remains true for Texas cotton growers. South, East, and Central Texas saw a wide array of challenges depending on the region. Only 2% of a great cotton crop in the Lower Rio Grande Valley was harvested when Hurricane Hanna impacted approximately 140,000 acres in late July.

Beginning the season in drought conditions, the Coastal Bend saw a complete turnaround with exceptional yields and good fiber quality.

Areas of the Upper Gulf Coast also started the growing season dry, but timely rainfall in May and June improved the condition of dryland acres in this region.

COTTONFARMING.COM

Specialists Speaking In certain areas of the Blacklands, yields were below average due to a dry July and August. Early September rains following defoliation slowed the harvest in the Blacklands and negatively impacted fiber quality in several areas within the region.

Harvest is underway in the Rolling Plains, and the early planted irrigated cotton acreage is looking good, according to Dr. Emi Kimura, Extension Agronomist in Vernon, Texas. Irrigated variety trials in this region finished out with 2.5- to 3.7-bale yields. Kimura indicated that a yield reduction in late-planted cotton was expected due to an early freeze in the region.

Reports from the Abilene Classing Office indicate a high percentage of excellent color grades. Over 50% of the cotton classed at Abilene so far is in the 3.7- to 4.3-mic range; however, higher levels of bark are also being reported.

Keep in mind that winter is a great opportunity to collect and submit soil samples to determine soil nutrient needs for the upcoming 2021 growing season. Visit https://soiltesting.tamu.edu/ or get in touch with your local county Extension agent for more information on proper sampling techniques and how to submit samples. bmcknight@tamu.edu

TEXAS Murilo Maeda

As we progress through the end of harvest season, we have seen variable results from across the state. We had a lot of heat stress in the low deserts of central Arizona that had a significant impact on the crop.

The Yuma crop came out early and actually did better than expected. University variety trials in that region of the state conducted on grower cooperator fields all picked 1,700 to 2,000 pounds of lint per acre. The eastern part of the state has been a mixed bag. University trials in that part of the state have ranged from 1,500 to 1,800 pounds.

The Pima cotton in the Safford Valley has been around 1,000 to 1,200 pounds per acre this year. Most of the Pima production in the state in 2020 was in the Safford Valley. The crop in central Arizona will likely be a little bit lower than our statewide average, primarily due to heat stress and lack of precipitation across the state. Overall, statewide yields will probably turn out average in the range of 1,500 to 1,800 pounds lint per acre.

This year, however, will be a fair shot better than the 2019 crop, which was off by a bale or more in just about every region of the state. The interesting thing is that 2019 was just the opposite of 2020 in terms of heat stress levels.

We had very little heat stress and very low heat unit accumulations in 2019.

Insect pressure was generally light. In visiting with growers and pest control advisors across Arizona, there were not a lot of insecticide sprays for pests again in 2020. There were some instances of lygus treatments and whitefly treatments, but nothing widespread.

MURILO MAEDA

Last month, I mentioned that after our first strong cold front of the season in early September, we would be looking to fair, open weather going into harvest. Although precipitation has been minimal since then, late November brought with it a two-day snow and ice storm that had most of the region in the teens and 20s for a few days.

Despite this causing some cotton to fall off to the ground and considering some places had more than an inch of ice, things could be worse (remember, it’s 2020!). Cotton that still had green leaves seems to have fared much better overall, but varietal differences were also quite evident in the field.

With all of that weather behind us for now as I write this in mid-November, I estimate harvest to be about 60% to 70% completed. With fair weather forecasted for the next several days, we should have little cotton on the stalk by the time this issue reaches you. This will be the last you hear from me before the beginning of the new year.

Despite all the challenges we faced in 2020, it has made us better, and we continue to be hopeful for the new year upon us. I hope harvest has been blessed, and that family and health are plentiful this holiday season! Stay safe. mmaeda@ag.tamu.edu

ARIZONA Randy Norton

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

DECEMBER 2020 | COTTON FARMING

21

Specialists Speaking One thing that continues to cause concern about our cotton production in Arizona is herbicide-resistant weeds. This problem continues to grow each year. We see more and more fields that have large populations of pigweed escapes. Growers need to take this very seriously, or we’re going to end up like other parts of the Cotton Belt with high costs associated with efforts to clean up fields that have become out of control. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu

CALIFORNIA Bob Hutmacher

As we head from November into December of 2020 in the San Joaquin Valley, rain and snow so far have been in short supply, with few hints that we will go into 2021 with the beginnings of a good irrigation water supply.

However, since the majority of our wet weather occurs between late November and mid-March, there is a lot of time for rain and snow and improved conditions.

Uncertain irrigation water supply situations will likely again result in a range of grower strategies for pre-plant irrigations. These decisions in turn will impact irrigation scheduling strategies for the remainder of the growing season.

This “set-up” to the growing season could again make decisions on which fields to plant or fallow, timing of pre-plant irrigations, and first post-planting irrigation more challenging. Hopefully, some substantial snowfall and rain in coming months will reduce the need for difficult decisions.

Changes in cropping patterns in the past couple of years include the expansion and contraction of alfalfa, safflower, cotton and small grains acreage. It may be useful to develop some new ideas about where cotton could fit into your production plans and allocated acreage.

Irrigation water availability issues may make it valuable to try out a range of cotton varieties that differ in required or desired growing season length. All cotton varieties can be managed to shorten up the growing season by reductions or delays in irrigation, more aggressive plant growth regulator applications and other management efforts.

But varieties and types of cotton (upland, Acala, Pima) differ in how much you can shorten the growing season and resulting effects on yield reductions and fiber quality. Furthermore, while we know about the high salt tolerance of cotton compared with many other field crops, relative salt tolerance and production of Pima cotton under saline conditions has not been recently studied.

Some of these comparisons might warrant strip tests or other on-farm variety comparisons as you plan your planting season. Cotton remains one of the more versatile annual crops due to its relative tolerance of salinity and moderate levels of water stress. rbhutmacher@ucdavis.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson

We all had high hopes for a great 2020 as the season began. Numerous issues both on-farm and off-farm presented several unique opportunities and challenges. This season was not cheap and hardly anything about it was easy.

In August, many believed we were on track for a great crop. Several hurricanes and harvest delays took some of the shine off the crop. However, we are still going to end up with a pretty good crop based on latest yield projections.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service November Crop Production report estimated Arkansas production at 1.30 million bales. Based on conditions as of Nov. 1, yield is expected to average 1,200 pounds lint per harvested acre on 520,000 harvested acres. This yield projection surpasses our previous high of 1,185 pounds lint per harvested acre established last year.

Plans for next year should be falling in place. Variety evaluation to begin the process of variety selection should be a priority. Evaluating the performance of newer varieties to the ones you grow and comparing

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COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2020

notes with on-farm variety testing programs near you and the official variety trials or OVTs conducted by Dr. Fred Bourland will help provide information needed to select the best varieties for you.

Visit the University of Arkansas System Division of Ag Variety Testing webpage at https://arkansas-variety-testing.uark.edu/ for variety testing results from county and the OVTs. Contact your local county Extension agent for updates on this season’s testing programs and to get details regarding upcoming virtual meetings. brobertson@uaex.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Keith Edmisten

Nearly everything went wrong is what I am calling 2020. If I said this out loud someone would probably think I was talking about things like COVID-19, civil unrest, the election or Jerry Jeff Walker dying, but I am talking about the cotton crop in North Carolina. First the planting season was cool with only one short period of decent planting conditions. This reduced our acreage substantially as many growers opted to take prevented planting and left the crop we were able to plant with delayed maturity. We saw how important cool germ is for us in our research plots comparing seed lots with good warm germ and different cool germs.

We still weren’t too worried about the remaining crop, all we needed was decent rainfall patterns to set the crop over a shorter bloom period.

Well that didn’t happen, we hit a serious dry period in July in many areas that led to aborting what was the top crop at the time in most fields.

Some fields that got a hit or miss rain in July turned out fairly well. Rains resumed in August and we began setting fruit again. Now we had a top crop, no middle crop and a bottom crop. We thought well things could still be ok as long as we have a good fall, to mature this delayed top crop, avoid an early frost and avoid a hurricane taking out the bottom crop.

Even an average fall without a hurricane could result in a pretty good crop. No such doing! September and early October temperatures were a good bit cooler than normal and the top crop did not mature as well as we needed to have a good crop.

I feel bad to poor mouth this crop given what our friends along the gulf had to endure but Will McCarty taught me to never miss a chance to poormouth a crop. Unfortunately, the weather this year gave us legitimate reasons to do so. 2020 gave us the worst planting conditions I can remember and also the coolest fall to try to mature a late crop. Thankfully we did not have to deal with a major tropical storm this year or I would have had to call 2020 the year everything went wrong. keith_edmisten@ncsu.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper

To start, it is difficult to complain about the challenges 2020 has given Tennessee when considering the experiences the year has handed our neighbors in the Southeast; we are fortunate in Tennessee, considering.

Still, 2020 could have given Tennessee a better hand.

Late April and early May of 2020 provided no good opportunities for planting. Fortunately, a window did open up mid-May. Dry conditions at the end of our effective flowering period slowed vegetative growth and sped maturity.

Yield across the state has largely been dictated by planting date and quantity of rainfall during late July and early August. Given our late planting dates, a warm fall would have allowed us to compensate for some of the mid-season stresses. Unfortunately, we did not receive the long fall we wanted. With all of that said, we will likely still average around 2 bales to the acre for the state and quality has been good.

Although harvest has been interrupted a few times, we’ve been given a good, dry window prior to Thanksgiving week to hopefully wrap things up (or get very close). traper@utk.edu COTTONFARMING.COM

Industry News Continued from page 10

Darrin Dodds, head of the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, says the award is a testament to Reddy’s long tenure as a leading cotton researcher.

“Dr. Reddy is a world-renowned expert in plant physiology and has been a valued faculty member in MSU’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences for more than three decades,” Dodds says.

“It is fitting that he is recognized with this award as he has spent his career performing cutting-edge research in environmental plant physiology. His contributions to Mississippi State University and the greater body of scientific research will last for decades to come.”

BASF Updates Engenia Label, Introduces Two New Products On the heels of the Environmental Protection Agency’s reregistration of Engenia-brand dicamba, BASF has updated the label to reflect application changes.

The company also hopes to launch two products that can be used in conjunction with Xtend crops.

The new Engenia herbicide registration includes updated label enhancements to further reduce the potential for off-target applications. They include:  An approved pH buffering adjuvant to be tankmixed with every Engenia application, eliminating any need to measure the spray mixture’s pH.  A down-wind application buffer of 240 feet in counties without Endangered Species Act restrictions. The downwind buffer distance in counties with ESA restrictions is 310 feet.  Calendar-based cut-off dates instead of growth-stage based application deadlines, simplifying its directions for use. The new cut-off dates are June 30 for soybeans and July 30 for cotton.

BASF continues to work with the EPA and state agencies to create state-specific training materials. The company will offer training for the 2021 season to ensure farmers and applicators understand the new Engenia herbicide label requirements.

BASF also plans to launch Sentris buffering technology and Engenia Prime herbicide. Sentris, which will launch in time for use in the 2021 growing season, is a liquid buffering agent that when added

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to a dicamba spray solution will increase and stabilize the solution pH and reduce the potential for volatility.

Engenia Prime is a three-way mix of Engenia (dicamba — Group 4), Zidua (pyroxasulfone — Group 15) and Pursuit (imazethapyr — Group 2). Engenia Prime is not yet registered and is awaiting EPA approval.

Tennessee Commissioner Of Agriculture Recognized The Tennessee Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta — the international honor society of agriculture — has honored Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Charlie Hatcher with its 2020 Alumni Award. Hatcher is a 1984 graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.

The award was conveyed in person at a physically distanced gathering recently by Rob Holland, director of the UT Center for Profitable Agriculture and interim assistant dean of UT Extension.

A virtual celebration for all 2020 award winners and student initiates was also conducted online recently.

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CCOY Cotton Consultant of the Year established 1981

California Cotton Farmers Look For Market Stability

Danny Moore 2007 CCOY AWARD RECIPIENT

“I want my farmers to be able to trust me with anything. This does not happen overnight. It takes time. I want a farmer to think I am looking at his crop as if it were my own. That’s the way you earn trust and respect.

“My advice to young people who want to become consultants is you can’t be scared of work — mentally or physically.

You need good values as well as confidence in yourself and the decisions you make. The farmer definitely needs to believe in you.

“Being named the Cotton Consultant of the Year was special to me. A great honor.

It was very humbling to be mentioned in the same breath with the other past winners of this award.”

Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by

Cotton Farming 24

COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2020

BY CHRISTINE SOUZA

A

bout halfway through their harvest, California cotton farmers said the market may be stabilizing amid trade challenges, water shortages and market conditions unsettled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kern County farmer Jake Cauzza, who grew about 500 acres of mostly Pima cotton and some Acala, said things are starting to turn around.

“In the past few months, the mills and spinners are coming back,” Cauzza said.

“We’ve had some more purchases and, talking to my cotton broker, we’re looking at like more of a 15- to 30-cent positive gain in price, so we’re looking to get back to normal. We have a lot more Acala planted around here this year compared to the last five or 10 years just because that price has stayed somewhat stable, whereas the Pima price has pretty much crashed.”

Early Season Conditions

Farmers report good crop quality, average to better-than-average yields and very little pest pressure.

When growers made planting decisions early this year, trade challenges, reduced water availability and an oversupply of cotton inventory from 2019 led to about a 30% reduction in total acres planted.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it expected California farmers to grow about 186,000 acres—146,000 of Pima and 40,000 of Acala or upland cotton — down 53,000 acres from 2019.

“A lack of water played a big role, oversupply from 2019 played a role, and the fact that cotton wasn’t moving even before COVID happened due to the Chinese tariffs,” said Roger Isom, president and CEO of the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association.

Isom said he estimates this year’s California cotton production will reach about 280.5 million pounds.

Rick Borges, who farms near Tulare, said he was happy with his decision to plant only Acala cotton in 2020.

“The COVID pandemic led to closures

back in March, and I didn’t get the cotton planted until April,” Borges said, adding that the pandemic didn’t affect his planting decisions. “Once we got to the end of March-first of April and it was still raining, that’s when I made the decision to not plant Pima.”

Had springtime weather been dry, he said he probably would still have planted Pima.

“The way it turned out and the price for Pima cotton right now, I am much better off,” Borges said.

Pleased with the quality of the Acala crop this year, he added, “I’m not happy with the price, but at least it is moving in the right direction right now.”

Premium Pima

Mark Bagby, communications director for the Bakersfield-based cotton cooperative Calcot Ltd., said American Pima — a premium cotton that goes into products such as sheets, pillows, towels and dress shirts — commands a higher price than Upland cotton, but “at the moment is coming down off of its highs.”

He said the price for Pima around Nov. 1 was $1.10-$1.15 a pound, whereas Upland or Acala was about 75 cents.

“One of the things that Pima has struggled with is we have ample supplies and no market,” Bagby said.

Retail Outlets

People in the cotton business said textile and retail sales have been hit hard by the pandemic. In the spring and summer, retail outlets were closed or closing, textile mills were closed and it was difficult to ship product overseas.

Isom said retail reports from the summer show that “the single biggest drop was clothing.” He described permanent store closures and bankruptcies of retailers that feature California Pima cotton as “devastating.”

“The most important thing is that we get those back open,” Isom said. “Prices have just recently started to rebound, so it’s going to be tough for a while.”

Bagby said the challenge of not havCOTTONFARMING.COM

California farmers report market conditions for cotton may be stabilizing as mills reopen overseas.

VICKY BOYD

ing retail outlets to sell cotton products “makes you wonder what the future market is going to be.”

“Is it going to be done mostly through discount outlets and by big-box stores or by a mix of retailers?” he said, noting a rise in popularity of secondhand clothing and clothing exchanges.

To aid cotton farmers suffering from pandemic-related losses, the U.S. Department of Agriculture offered relief payments through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program — initially to growers of Upland cotton and later to Pima growers as part of a second installment of the program. Bagby said the aid equates to $15 per acre or about a penny a pound.

World Cotton Consumption

The United States is the third-largest producer of cotton, with production this year expected to be 17 million bales, he said. The world’s largest cotton producer is India, with anticipated production of 30 million bales, followed by China with an expected production of 27.3 million bales.

Bagby said China is the world’s largest consumer of cotton at 37 million bales a year and must import what it doesn’t produce.

“The trade-related tariffs have affected cotton quite a bit, and China has been looking at alternative suppliers like Australia and Brazil, so our market share has shifted,” he said. “Every year, the markets just kind of move around and we have to find the best homes we can for the bales that we have.”

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

Bagby said he anticipates a slowing of world cotton consumption next season.

Borges said he’s hopeful conditions will improve for California cotton growers, and fellow farmer Cauzza agreed.

“The trade war with China has hit us hard, and then COVID hit and everything stopped,” Cauzza said. “I know

China was getting low in inventory, so they’re looking to buy. Now, we’re seeing some positives in the market, but we’ll see what happens.”

This article originally appeared in Ag Alert, the weekly newspaper of the California Farm Bureau Federation.

Getting Back To The Basics: Conventional Cotton Seed

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Clemson Lab Offers Soil Analysis

Products Use Notice for “Choose Results” Advertisement for Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System Bayer is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Bayer products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Bayer’s Policy for Commercialization of BiotechnologyDerived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba, glyphosate or glufosinate are approved for in-crop use with products with XtendFlex® Technology. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans or products with XtendFlex® Technology. may not yet be B.t. products registered in all states. Check with your seed brand representative for the registration status in your state.

Roundup Technology® includes glyphosate-based herbicide technologies.

Performance may vary, from location to location and from year to year, as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible and should consider the impacts of these conditions on the grower’s fields.

Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba.

Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate.

Contact your seed brand dealer or refer to the Bayer Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs.

Insect control technology provided by Vip3A is utilized under license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. Bayer, Bayer Cross, Bollgard II®, Bollgard®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup Technology® and XtendFlex® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group.

LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® is a trademark of BASF Corporation. ©2020 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.

26

COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2020

BY DENISE ATTAWAY CLEMSON UNIVERSITY

C

lemson University experts say pictures growers should focus on now are those that give a clearer vision of their soils’ health.

Soil tests can help by providing snapshots of soil fertility. These tests are available from the Clemson Agricultural Service Laboratory.

“Fall and winter are the best times for growers to have their soils tested,” says Shannon Alford, Ag Service Laboratory director. “Testing now gives growers plenty of time to get their soils ready for spring planting.”

Soil tests cost $6 per sample. The basic soil test provides information regarding soil pH, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and more. Growers who test now have plenty of time to apply lime, fertilizer and other nutrients needed to grow profitable crops in the spring.

“Each soil report is tailored to the specific crop and soil results,” Alford says. “When growers have their soils tested, they will be given crop-specific recommendations to assist them in making fertility decisions for optimal crop yields.”

Separate soil samples should be collected for areas cropped or fertilized differently or those with different soil types or textures.

For large areas, one soil sample should represent 10 acres or less. For home gardens, lawns or ornamental beds, just one sample is required per uniform area.

To collect soil samples:  Use a soil auger, spade or shovel.

Samples from cultivated areas should be taken from the surface to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Samples from pasture or turf should be taken only 2 to 4 inches deep.  Soil cores should be about the same size throughout their depth. No adjustments are needed if using a soil probe. If using a spade or shovel, take a thin slice from the side of a V-shaped hole. Take sub-samples from at least 12 locations within the sample area.  Place the subsample in a clean plastic bucket and mix thoroughly.

Fall and winter are the best times to test soil and get it ready for spring planting.  Do not heat a moist soil sample to dry. Spread soil out on newspaper and let air dry overnight. Crumble and mix before it hardens.  Label or number each soil bag. Fill bag to fill line (the equivalent of 1-2 cups). Do not use the same number for more than one sample.

A soil analysis form should accompany each sample. These forms can be found at https://bit.ly/2IN02vq. Samples, payments and completed forms can be sent to the Ag Service Lab by any of the following methods:  Ship samples to 171 Old Cherry Road, Clemson, SC 29634, via the U.S. Postal Service, United Parcel Service or FedEx.  Contact the local County Cooperative Extension Office to see if it is open and available for dropoffs.  Leave samples in the dropbox on the lab’s loading dock at 171 Old Cherry Road, Clemson, SC 29634. Forms for all sample types are available at the dropbox. Leave samples and payment. The dropbox is checked multiple times per day. Ring the doorbell during regular business hours to alert someone to check for your dropoff.  Order a soil sample mailer kit online, one per sample. This mailer is recommended for one or two samples only, and only for soil. The mailer includes a form, instructions, soil sample bag and postage-paid envelope for return.

Instructions for ordering a soil sample mailer kit are available at: https:// bit.ly/3kGCQMh. Once clients receive their reports, they can call the local Cooperative Extension Service county office for consultation.

To reach the Ag Service Lab, call 864-6562068 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, or email agsrvlb@clemson.edu.

COTTONFARMING.COM

Ginners Marketplace COTTON

COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.

California Governor Signs Family Leave Bill Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 1383 (Jackson), which expands employee job-protected leave.

Under current law, employers with more than 50 employees are subject to the California Family Rights Act and the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. CFRA and FMLA time off can be taken in increments as small as one hour and provide employees with 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave.

Here is a description of the qualifying circumstances: • The birth of child and bonding with the newborn.

• The placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care, and bonding with the child.

• Caring for an immediate family member (spouse, child or parent — but not a parent “in-law”) with a serious health condition.

• Medical leave when the employee is unable to work because of a serious health condition.

• Qualifying exigencies arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter or parent is on covered active duty or call to covered active-duty status as a member of the National Guard, reserves or regular Armed Forces.

Significant Changes Included SB 1383 expands the California Family Rights Act by applying the 12 weeks of leave to all employers with five or more employees. An employee is only required to provide an employer with “reasonable notice,” and an employer must track the time off as “CFRA leave” or it may not count against the 12 weeks.

SB 1383 also changes requirements for qualifying for CFRA leave by amending the definition of family member for whom the employee can take leave. It now includes a child of a domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild, sibling or domestic partner.

Additionally, SB 1383 removes the requirement that a “child” be under the age of 18 or a dependent adult child. This means that the Family and Medical Leave Act and CFRA’s qualifying requirements no longer conform with each other. A qualifying employee of an employer with 50 or more employees could take three months of leave under CFRA to care for a domestic partner, child of a domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild or sibling.

Lummus Ag Technology is pleased to announce the debut of its new Parts website, featuring online parts ordering capability for domestic customers. The new Parts website address is:

https://shop.lummus.com The new site features hundreds of our most common repair parts, and we are continually adding to it.

And while you are online, check out the all-new Lummus Ag Technology website at www.lummus.com, featuring updated information related to the broad range of Lummus product offerings in Machinery, Parts, and Technical Service. Just more ways Lummus is prepared to serve you now and in the future.

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© 2020 Lummus Ag Technology DECEMBER 2020 | COTTON FARMING

27

The employee could return to work and then take another three months off under FMLA for the employee’s own medical condition or the medical condition of a qualifying person.

Legal Implications The leave mandated under SB 1383 is enforced through a private right of action that includes compensatory damages, injunctive relief, declaratory relief, punitive damages and attorney’s fees. Any employee who believes an employer did not properly administer the leave, interfered with the leave or denied the leave, can commence litigation.

The requirements of SB 1383 go into effect Jan. 1, 2021.

The California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association provided this information.

* * * * *

Cotton Ginners Marketplace

NCC Contamination Prevention Videos Plastic contamination poses a serious threat to U.S. cotton’s reputation in the global fiber market. The National Cotton Council has developed a YouTube video training series on the subject that consists of 12 chapters. The videos are available in both English and Spanish versions. Here are the topics: • Introduction by Dr. Gary Adams, NCC president/CEO. • Introduction to prevention of plastic contamination. A review of sources of potential plastic contamination and how they affect the textile processing, resulting in decreased demand for U.S. cotton.

• In the field (producers, custom harvesters and harvester operators). A review of where to look for plastic contaminates in the field before harvest and how to properly store empty rolls of round module wrap.

• During harvest (producers, custom harvesters and harvester operators). A review of the importance of following the John Deere round module harvester guides and keeping open communication with the gin manager.

• Machine operation (producers, custom harvesters and harvester operators). A review of machine calibration and common problems seen on the John Deere 7760, CP690 and CS690 cotton harvesters that can lead to contamination from round module wrap.

• Module handling (producers, custom harvesters, harvester operators, staging tractor drivers and module truck drivers). A review of the best handling practices to prevent contamination when moving round modules in the field.

• How to stage modules in the field (producers, custom harvesters, harvester operators, staging tractor drivers and module truck drivers). A review of optimal location/ alignment when staging round modules in the field.

• Loading a module truck (module truck drivers). A review of preferred module truck chain types and correct chainto-ground speed when picking up round modules in a field using a traditional module truck.

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• Loading a flatbed truck (module loader drivers in the field). A review of best loading practices when using a flatbed trailer to haul round modules from the field to the gin.

• Unloading modules in the gin yard (module truck drivers, drivers of module loaders at the gin, gin managers/superintendents and gin employees). A review of the optimal location/alignment for staging round modules on the gin yard.

• How to handle round modules at the gin (gin managers/ superintendents, gin module feeder employees and other gin employees). A review of how to avoid wrap punctures or tears before ginning.

• Unwrapping/cutting open modules (gin managers/superintendents, gin module feeder employees and other gin employees). A review of the importance of following proper wrap removal techniques and John Deere round module cut guidelines to avoid plastic contamination when unwrapping.

• Conclusion. This chapter is for everyone.

The National Cotton Council contributed to this article.

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29

My Turn The Circle Of Life

T

he beginning of And somehow, Santa always found his way to that 2020 brought an farmhouse to bring my cousins, and my sister and me end to a century most of what we asked for. of farm ownerAfter all the visiting was over and goodbyes were ship when we sold the fam- said, Granddaddy D would open his wallet and give ily farm in Eric, Oklahoma. us all a “dollar for ice cream.” After his passing, that All of the grandchildren — duty fell to my Uncle Dub — affectionately known as including me — are mostly the Ice Cream Uncle — and then to my dad. removed from the area, and With grandkids of my own, I, too, now open the the time was right. wallet and continue the tradition. However, inflation A neighbor whose farm has hit the ice cream funding just like it has everyCurtis adjoined ours bought the thing else.

Stewart property after having leased My granddad handing out a dollar for a treat was a it through the years. Their simple thing, but it was much more than the money. farm had also been designated a Centennial Farm.

His gesture represented the love of family. My grandNot that it didn’t hurt to part with something that dad enjoyed being able to provide the little pleasures had been the center of the Stewart family since my in life he and Grandmother did not have during their granddad came to Oklahoma as a boy with his moth- childhood and through the Great Depression. er from Georgia. He was the youngest of several There also was a gas well on the property in brothers. After his father died in an accident at the Oklahoma. When the royalty check came in, my Mason Jar factory they grandmother would take us owned over there, he and to the little diner in town “As we age, we look back on his mother traveled out and buy us a hamburger.

West and bought the farm, You couldn’t buy one the small things that helped which was his inheritance. hamburger today with shape our lives.”

My granddad later built the amount of money she the farmhouse and married received. The check was Grandmother. They started a family of four children typically about $7, but that was her “hamburger” and raised them on the dairy and row crop operation, money. which also included cotton in the mix.

So they both bestowed on us something I still remMy grandparents’ farmhouse was the gathering inisce about and cherish. As we age, we look back on place at Christmas, and most of our vacations were the small things that helped shape our lives and hope spent “fixing things at the farm.” we can continue instilling them in future generations.

The cisterns needed cleaning and plastering, and All of my dad’s remaining immediate family, the new tin barn needed mending. It had replaced including Uncle Bob, were able to gather when we the red wooden one my older cousins burned down placed the Centennial Farm marker awarded by the lighting grasshoppers on fire. state of Oklahoma. Some of our own children were Other general maintenance was sandwiched in present as well. between picking up pullets from the hatchery and The meal was not as grand as Christmas spreads watching out for rattlesnakes that loved to hide in the of old — the fruitcake and ambrosia were missing — bar ditches. but the love was still there.

Christmas was always a spread of the traditional Today, I run Spade Co-op Gin in Spade, Texas, and items. My dad’s job was to make ambrosia for the reside in Shallowater, but I will always miss that farm. dinner. We were assigned to the “kids’ table” while all the adults gathered at the main table.

— Curtis Stewart One Christmas was interrupted by a cousin breakShallowater, Texas ing both arms falling off a crudely rigged zipline. spade.coop3@pcca.com

Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling unusual “farm tales” or timely stories from across the Cotton Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting story to tell, send a short summary to csmith@onegrower.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

30

COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2020

COTTONFARMING.COM

No dicamba may be used in-crop with seed in the Roundup Ready ® Xtend Crop System unless and until approved or specifically permitted by the U.S. EPA and the appropriate state agency for such use.

As of 10/9/20, no dicamba formulations are currently registered by the U.S. EPA for in-crop use with seed in the Roundup Ready ® Xtend Crop System in the 2021 season.*

THIS SEASON

CHOOSE RESULTS Don’t just take it from us. Here’s what real cotton growers have to say about the high-yielding results they’re seeing from the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System.

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“I chose Bollgard® 3 XtendFlex® cotton because it gives me the best opportunity to protect my crops from insects and allows me the best opportunity to succeed.”

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“We decided to plant Bollgard 3 XtendFlex cotton to test the new technology and because it’s the best cotton out there. It’s made a big difference in our operation.”

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*No dicamba may be used in-crop with seed in the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System, unless and until approved or specifically permitted by the U.S. EPA and the appropriate state agency for such use. As of 10/9/20, no dicamba formulations are currently registered by the U.S. EPA for in-crop use with seed in the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System in the 2021 season. Current stocks of low-volatility dicamba herbicides XtendiMax® herbicide, Engenia® herbicide and Fexapan® herbicide previously approved for in-crop use with seed in the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System may not be used for the 2021 growing season.

Dicamba may harm crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicides products for in-crop use with seed in the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System.

NOTICE: DO NOT APPLY ANY HERBICIDE TO SEED IN THE ROUNDUP READY® XTEND CROP SYSTEM UNLESS IT HAS A PRODUCT LABEL SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZING THAT USE. TO USE A HERBICIDE IN ANY MANNER INCONSISTENT WITH ITS LABELING IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW. REFER TO THE BAYER TECHNOLOGY USE GUIDE FOR DETAILS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON USING APPROVED ROUNDUP® AND LIBERTY® BRANDED HERBICIDES ON SEED IN THE ROUNDUP READY® XTEND CROP SYSTEM. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW GRAIN MARKETING AND ALL OTHER STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES AND PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. See the Products Use Notice for “I Choose Results” advertisement for Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System printed in this publication. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2020 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.

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