Cotton farming february 2017 by One Grower Publishing

Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

FEBRUARY 2017

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C entury C otton A

NORTH CAROLINA FAMILY KEEPS THE BOLL ROLLING

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YOU CHOSE THE SEEDS. NOW CONTROL THE WEEDS. So, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re planting glufosinate tolerant or LibertyLink crops. Great choice! Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on your way to combatting and breaking the cycle of resistant weeds.

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Always read and follow label directions and precautions. LibertyLink is a trademark of Bayer CropScience. Interline and UPI logo are trademarks of United Phosphorus, Inc. ÂŠJanuary, 2017. UPI, 630 Freedom Business Center, King of Prussia, PA 19406. www.upi-usa.com.

Vol. 61 No. 2

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

FEBRUARY 2017

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F E AT U R E S

SHOWTIME IN THE SOUTH

GINNING MARKETPLACE

Make plans to attend the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show in Memphis, Tenn., March 3-4, to kick off an exciting cotton season.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY

Kelley Green, TCGA’s director of technical services, explores how President Trump’s first 100 days will affect us.

CCOY

Wes Bri ggs

2015 Co Consul tton tant of the Ye ar

2016 Cotton Consultant of the Year

100-Year Legacy

Johnny Griffin, right, and his son, Mac, are third- and fourth-generation cotton producers, respectively, on some of the same land their ancestors farmed near Lewiston, N.C. In 2016, they grew 1,630 acres of cotton, 800 acres of clary sage and about 40 acres of food plots for doves and ducks. Johnny also owns the Woodville Supply Cotton Gin in partnership with his cousin, B.B. Griffin.

The ballots have been tallied. Look for the big announcement about the 2016 winner in the March issue of Cotton Farming!

Cotton Farming

WEB EXCLUSIVE Catch up on the latest Industry News from around the Cotton Belt: new products, new apps and announcements from cotton seed companies. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

4 Editor’s Note 12 Cotton’s Agenda

14 Specialists Speaking 22 My Turn

ON THE COVER: North Carolina cotton farmer Johnny Griffin farms in Bertie County near Lewiston on land that has been in his family for almost a century. Cover photo by Al Fava.

2017 Market Outlook

CornSouth ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

Southern Production & Marketing Strategies

February 2017

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

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FEBRUARY 2017 COTTON FARMING

Editor’s Note

Cotton Farming

Carroll Smith

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

‘To Everything There Is A Season’

s a Louisiana woman who cherishes so many memories of cotton, it was startling to me to see the once-white landscape give way to other crops in 2007. It wasn’t that I had never seen soybeans before. My Dad grew them but not as his main crop. And I had seen corn but mostly in small patches of sweet corn to be picked and eaten as a treat. I thought it was a fluke. Instead, it was a cycle — a repeating pattern in which cotton prices had to adjust to world demand. And, to me, the good news is that prices are again trending upward in 2017. As cotton economist O.A. Cleveland reports on Jan. 27, “Cotton prices jumped higher on each daily close and have now seen higher closes on seven of the past eight trading days. In between, the market has seen excellent U.S. export sales including marketing year highs established this week.” North Carolina farmer Johnny Griffin, who is featured in our cover story, is proud of his family’s 100-year legacy in cotton production and ginning. Today, he and his son, Mac, are determined to “keep the boll rolling” for many years to come. While discussing the upcoming Mid-South Farm & Gin Show, Tim Price, show manager and Southern Cotton Ginners Association executive vice president, says this year’s event is the largest gathering of cotton-specific products and services to date. “We added 50-plus new companies to the show, and many are tied to cotton.” After harvesting the 2016 crop with his grandfather, Cody Ewing, a young Alabama farmer, says, “We knew it was pretty good but never imagined it would yield to the extent that it did. Cotton is all I would grow if it were left up to me.” In the King James Version of the Bible, the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, verse 1, reads: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” The cycle has now come full circle. King Cotton is raising its scepter once again and finding its “purpose under the heaven” and back onto the Southern landscape. To everything there is a season, and cotton’s season is here to stay.

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

COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2017

Southeast Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Art Director Ashley Kumpe ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher Carroll Smith (901) 326-4443 Sales Manager Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Production Manager Kathy Killingsworth (901) 767-4020 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com Circulation Manager Charlie Beek (847) 559-7324 For circulation changes or change of address, call (847) 559-7578 EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD David Burns – North Carolina David Lynch – South Carolina Bob McLendon – Georgia Larkin Martin – Alabama Mike Sturdivant Jr. – Mississippi Charles Parker – Missouri Jimmy Hargett – Tennessee Allen Helms – Arkansas Jay Hardwick – Louisiana Ronnie Hopper – Texas Ron Rayner – Arizona John Pucheu – California

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC Mike Lamensdorf President/Treasurer Lia Guthrie Publisher/Vice President ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COOPERATION: Cooperating with COTTON FARMING are various cotton producer organizations across the Cotton Belt. Many representatives of producer organizations serve on COTTON FARMING’s editorial advisory board. Opinions expressed and conclusions reached by contributors are not necessarily those of the cooperating organizations or the editors. All statements, including product claims, are those of the person or organization making the statement or claim. The publisher does not adopt any such statement or claims as its own and any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Copyright 2017 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

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I planted NG 3406 B2XF on dryland acres. I liked the way NG 3406 B2XF held the fruit. It was easy to manage and defoliated well.â&#x20AC;?

RANDY SAMPLES Ashland, Mississippi

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PHOTOS BY FREIDA HORTON

Cody Ewing, left, farms mostly cotton and peanuts with his grandfather, Jerry Marsh, in Blount County, Ala. The variety featured in these photos is PHY 444 WRF.

Sweet Home Alabama A

2 0 16

C O T T O N

P I C T O R I A L

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

ody Ewing farms with his grandfather, Jerry Marsh, in Blount County, Ala., between Huntsville and Birmingham. Marsh began farming cotton many years ago, ventured into soybeans in the 1980s, and later tried his hand at fruits and vegetables. Ewing helped out on the farm from the time he was old enough to drive a tractor. “My mom planted 700 acres of soybeans while she was six months pregnant with me, so I was literally born with a love for farming,” Ewing says. In 2007, he nearly lost his life in a fireworks accident, and after an extensive recovery tried to rejoin the workforce during a severe economic downturn. At that time, his grandfather was truck farming, so Ewing went to work for him as a farm hand. In 2012, the grandfather-grandson team decided to try row crops again and started with peanuts and soybeans.

COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2017

Ewing planted his first cotton crop in 2014, and today the pair grows mostly cotton and peanuts. The photo featured on the cover of the December issue of Cotton Farming shows one of their skip-row fields of PHY 444 WRF just prior to the 2016 harvest. And the subsequent yield numbers are impressive. “That field of PHY 444 WRF made 5.065 bales to the planted acre and 3.375 bales to the acre of ground,” Ewing says. “We knew it was pretty good but never imagined it would yield to the extent that it did. The overall average yield for the farm last year was 3.744 bales to the planted acre and 2.496 bales to the acre of ground.” Although words describe and document, photos create a “seeing is believing” experience. Through this pictorial, share the excitement and pride of these two Alabama farmers as they gather “white gold” during the fall of 2016. COTTONFARMING.COM

Twitter: @CottonFarming

FEBRUARY 2017 COTTON FARMING

COVER STORY

Century C otton A

North Carolina Family Keeps The Boll Rolling

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

or the past century, Johnny Griffin’s family ties are woven into the fabric that is North Carolina agriculture. During the early part of that era, cotton and tobacco were grown as cash crops primarily by tenant farmers who rented small parcels of ground from area landowners. And according to the Encyclopedia of North Carolina, more than 200 cotton mills were constructed in the state from 1914 to 1921.

Johnny’s grandfather, Charles B. Griffin, started farming with his brother as Griffin Brothers, and operated Woodville Supply Cotton Gin in Lewiston. His maternal grandfather, William Greene McCollum, worked for Carolina

COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2017

Cotton & Woolen Mills Co. his entire life. Charles B. Griffin Jr., along with his brother, took over the operation in the 1950s. “My father and uncle ran cattle and farmed about 300 acres, but five or six tenants mostly worked

North Carolina cotton producer Johnny Griffin, right, farms with his son, Mac, mostly on land that has been in the family for about 100 years.

the property we owned,” Johnny says. “Growing up, I watched the farm operate throughout the season. After three years attending North Carolina State University, I took a summer job on Ocracoke Island and stayed for 10 years, primarily operating a wholesale fish market and working as a goose-hunting guide for a time.” In 1982, Johnny moved back COTTONFARMING.COM

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home to the farming and ginning operation in Bertie County. A few years later, his cousin, B.B. Griffin, joined him. The two men tore down their old “onehorse gin” and updated it to a more “modern” facility. “B.B. was more interested in running the gin and participating in industry organizations,” Johnny says. “He was elected chairman of Cotton Incorporated in 2014. I enjoyed taking care of the farm, initially starting with four-row equipment, and then moving to eight-row machines after three or four years. With the advent of six-row cotton pickers, we transitioned to 12-row equipment in the early 1990s. Today, we have one six-row basket picker and one six-row John Deere baler picker that help us harvest in a timely manner.” Johnny’s son, Mac, graduated with a business degree from Elon University and then worked for a few years in Wilmington, N.C., and Jackson Hole, Wyo. In keeping with the family tradition, he returned home in 2011 to farm with his father. In 2016, they grew 1,630 acres of cotton, 800 acres of clary sage and about 40 acres of food plots for doves and ducks. Two Years Of Adverse Weather “I have seen a lot of changes in farming practices since I was a child in the 1950s,” Johnny says. “And I have experienced firsthand the fickleness of weather patterns during the growing season.” In 2015, two tropical storms came through, causing a week to 10-day period of gloom and rain around Labor Day when the cotton was cracking and trying to open up, he recalls. “We didn’t lose a huge amount of yield, but we lost money in quality, which was off 5 to 6 cents due to all the rain.” On Aug. 1, 2016, Johnny says his cotton was “as pretty a crop as I have ever seen. It was beautiful.” By Sept. 1, it was all on the ground following a relentless heat wave that caused more damage than the tropical storms and the hurricane that subsequently followed. “Our farm averaged about a 2½-cent discount off the cotton’s loan value, which wasn’t as bad as the year before. But we averaged only 700 pounds per acre, and I’m not happy with that. I want a 2-bale-plus crop and want all our gin customers to have one, too.” No-till Dryland Cotton Johnny, who has been a Deltapine New Product Evaluator (NPE) since the program’s inception in 2008, grew DP 1639 B2XF, DP 1538 B2XF and a few acres of DP 1646 B2XF and DP 1522 B2XF. All of the cotton acres are dryland. “In my opinion, the Deltapine varieties seem to perform well under stress conditions, which is what we have put them through for the past couple years,” he says. “My goal this year is to plant DP 1646 B2XF, DP 1639 B2XF and DP 1725 B2XF — an early to mid-maturity variety from the Class of 17.” In March or April, the Griffins run a ripper shank down the old mowed stalks. “We allow time for the rows to set up, and then use no-till planters equipped with satellite guidance systems. We plant right on the top of the split in the ground created by the ripper shank. It’s a simple process.”

COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2017

Problem Weeds In Cotton The primary weeds that pose a challenge to the Griffins’ cotton crop are marestail and Palmer amaranth (pigweed), joined by the occasional morningglory around the corners of the fields. Johnny’s weed control begins with burndown that includes 2,4-D, Valor and glyphosate herbicides. He applies Reflex — a residual — behind the planter. When the cotton is about 4 inches tall, he comes in with glyphosate and Dual Magnum. Later in the season, he sometimes tankmixes glyphosate with a plant growth regulator or an insecticide, depending on the timing. “This approach typically takes care of weeds for us,” he says. “We like overlapping residuals, and we’ve also been on a very regimented program of pulling Palmer escapes out of the fields at harvest. If we are able to use XtendiMax herbicide this year, there may not be any escapes. All of our varieties will be XtendFlex cotton again this year.”

In 2016, the Griffins grew 1,630 acres of cotton, 800 acres of clary sage (pictured here) and about 40 acres of food plots for doves and ducks. Clary Sage For many years, the Griffins farmed 100 percent cotton. In the fall, they planted a 2½-bushel-per-acre cover crop of wheat or rye — typically wheat — that served as a non-host crop for nematodes and soil pathogens that cause disease in cotton. In an effort to add a rotation crop to the mix and take advantage of a local niche market, the Griffins began raising clary sage about four years ago. “I felt like we were getting a little yield lag from planting cotton behind cotton for so long,” Johnny says. “Now we plant clary sage two years in a row, and then come back with cotton. We contract our sage with an oil extraction plant here in Bertie County. A few area farmers raise this crop, and the rest is grown in Oregon.” Although the Griffin family works hard to carry on its 100-year farming legacy in northeastern North Carolina, they also enjoy gathering with friends at their hunting club on about 1,300 contiguous acres to hunt deer in the winter and turkey in the spring. “It’s not designed to be a money-maker,” Johnny says, “but we all agree it’s a lot of fun.” COTTONFARMING.COM

SPECIAL REPORT

‘Flag The Technology’ Helps Identify Herbicide Sensitive Fields BY BLAIR FANNIN TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE

VICKY BOYD

he Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and  Black and white checkered — Tolerant to both the Texas Plant Protection Association have col- dicamba (Engenia and ExtendiMax) and glyphosate. laborated on a Flag the Technology program that  Red — Extreme caution required. Indicates convenidentifies crop fields tolerant to certain herbicides. tional crops with no herbicide tolerant traits as well as With two new herbicide-resistant technologies that will sensitive production areas such as vegetables, vineyards, be widely used in cotton, corn and soybeans, program apiaries and organic production. coordinators say it is critical farmers know which fields The new app builds on the field program developed are safe for application of the new products and which are by Bob Scott at the University of Arkansas, Smith says. sensitive to them. Dr. Todd Sink, AgriLife Extension The program, which originated in wildlife and fisheries specialist in Arkansas, helps farmers identify fields College Station, developed the Flag the safe for application and those that Technology app. must be avoided to prevent unintentional damage to the producer’s field Works With ‘Hit The Target’ or to adjacent crops. Farmers place Users also have the option of meshcolored flags at field entry points, with ing the app with Hit the Target. each color representing a different Formerly known as Texas Crop technology. The flags make herbicide Registry, this voluntary program applicators aware of which products allows producers with sensitive crop are appropriate and safe to use on a areas to register specific fields, includspecific field. ing non-GMO acres, orchards and oth“Farmers throughout Texas will ers, says Dr. Bob Coulson, Texas A&M be learning more about this program AgriLife Research entomologist. throughout 2017,” says Dr. Travis “That information will be availMiller, AgriLife Extension interim able to pesticide applicators,” he says. Flag the Technology identifies crop associate director for state operations “Individuals must register to use the fields tolerant to certain herbicides. in College Station. “We will also dissystem. Producers who register will tribute a publication to help explain specify field location and add the crop the flags used in the system, and AgriLife Extension facul- or sensitive nature of the area.” ty will be discussing flag technology in producer meetings.” Coulson says producers would need to calculate field dimensions. With that information logged in, the producer Mobile App Available can go to the Flag the Technology program and select the Texas Plant Protection Association chairman Ray Smith color flag needed for the fields. in College Station says the program and mobile app will “The applicator will have a dashboard with the field pro“help enlighten our farmers on how to use the new tech- files included to prevent off-target applications,” he says. nology. This app also emphasizes good recordkeeping.” Coulson adds that Hit the Target will soon transition to a The mobile app will also be available to spray applica- new program, which can be accessed via a mobile device. tors so they can check flag colors upon entering a field. Sink says the Flag the Technology app is user friendThe flag indicates which products they can use. ly. “It loads within five seconds,” he says. “The pesticide The following are flag colors and uses: applicator is aware of where sensitive crops are located  White — Technology is tolerant to glyphosate herbi- and can adjust flight plans to avoid those areas.” cides. The mobile app will be available free from iTunes and  Green — Tolerant to glufosinate (Liberty) herbicide. Google Play. A publication about the program is available  Yellow — Clearfield rice, sunflowers, wheat and for download at http://bit.ly/2j9Sce0. canola, which are tolerant to imidazolinone herbicides.  Teal — Tolerant to both 2,4-D and FOP (ACCase) Texas AgriLife Research & Extension Center contributed herbicides or Enlist technology. The white stripes indicate this article. Blair Fannin is News Editor with the Texas tolerance to glyphosate. For Enlist cotton traits and soy- A&M AgriLife Extension Service/Texas A&M AgriLife Rebean fields, a green flag should be added to denote toler- search in College Station. Contact Fannin at 979-845-2259 ance to glufosinate (Liberty) herbicide. or b-fannin@tamu.edu. Twitter: @CottonFarming

FEBRUARY 2017 COTTON FARMING

Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

Decision-Making Help From managing a pest flare-up to maximizing yield and quality under extreme weather, cotton producers can get valuable decision-making help from the annual National Cotton Council-coordinated Beltwide Cotton Conferences (BWCC).

How is information presented at the BWCC?

n Individual research reports, panel discussions, poster sessions and seminars presented over a span of three days enlighten attendees about the latest research developments and their practical applications in cotton production. Face-to-face interaction with processors, scientists, Extension personnel, consultants and agribusiness representatives provides valuable insight into the performance of existing and new products and guidance on fine-tuning farming operations. Attendees not only learn what works and what doesn’t work, but how to tailor new technology and innovative cultural practices to maximize efficiency.

The Consultants Conference not only offered a wealth of information — including the New Developments from Industry session — but served as a bridge to the Beltwide’s nine technical conferences. These technical sessions gave attendees the opportunity to hear about what’s in the pipeline, such as traits in new plant varieties and the latest chemistries and equipment. Attendees’ dialogue with attending scientists will help tremendously with new product development and with refining or planning new research on such important cultural practices as weed resistance management and irrigation scheduling. One of the technical conferences’ valuable elements has been the inclusion of the graduate student oral and poster presentation competition. This serves as a much-needed incubator for developing competent cotton scientists who can ensure the continuity of cutting-edge technology and tools for our industry. A new linked page on the Beltwide website (http://www.cotton.org/beltwide/) recognizes student competition winners and serves to encourage them to continue their work in the cotton research disciplines.

How are the BWCC reports made available?

Poster presentations are an integral component of the annual Beltwide Cotton Conferences.

What were timely topics at the 2017 BWCC?

n Among highlights at the BWCC’s Cotton Consultants Conference were presentations on emerging pests, irrigation practices and plant fertility; the chemistries associated with dicamba and 2,4–D tolerant cotton varieties; and the re-registration of various plant protection products such as aldicarb. An update on the importance of eliminating lint contamination was shared with attendees.

n The reports are published in the BWCC Proceedings. BWCC attendees, as well as all National Cotton Council and Cotton Foundation members, can access them on the website listed above. The 2017 BWCC Proceedings, for example, will include valuable information from some 370 oral and poster presentations. I urge cotton producers to explore the Beltwide Proceedings — a substantial resource for making critical decisions on using best management practices and tools. I want to remind our industry members that the 2018 Beltwide Cotton Conferences is set for Jan. 3-5 in San Antonio, Texas.

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.

COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2017

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Specialists Speaking New Herbicide Technologies Offered VIRGINIA Hunter Frame One of the major cotton topics going into 2017 is the labeling of auxin herbicides for use in-season in cotton and soybeans. With new formulations that are lower in volatilization and decrease drift, producers will have more tools in the bag for glyphosate- and other herbicide-resistant broadleaf weeds. Another benefit of dicamba- and 2,4-D-tolerant cotton traits is varieties will be tolerant to glyphosate and glufosinate as well. Some producers will chose one trait over another, which will then dictate variety selection. This will be done to minimize the likelihood of accidental injury. I urge producers to continue basing variety selection on yield potential as yield is STILL the major driver in cotton. Refer to variety testing publications like the 2016 Official Cotton Variety Testing publication found at https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/. One important note for Virginia producers is that no Enlist cotton varieties were tested in the on-farm or Official Variety Trial program in 2016, so no data are available at multiple locations on the newly released lines. We hope the results from a single experiment conducted in 2016 will be released by the time you are reading this to detail the performance of these varieties in Virginia. Again, I urge producers to base variety selection on performance in university trials as well as personal experience on the farm. There are high yielding varieties with each trait package on the market. If the past two years in Virginia are an example, a diversified portfolio will be the best management strategy to overcome environmental stresses. whframe@vt.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins As I write this on Jan. 10, North Carolina growers are making initial cotton acreage plans and variety decisions for 2017. Winter meeting season is upon us, and growers are encouraged to attend a cotton production session near them. Find the dates and locations at cotton.ces.ncsu.edu or contact county Extension agents. These meetings will include the latest production information regarding agronomics and variety selection, weed control and insect control. Additionally, separate and mandatory training sessions regarding the new auxin technologies will be held at this time. Growers should contact their county agents for more information. Variety selection is one of the most important decisions a grower can make. Choosing an improper variety could cost anywhere from $74 to $173 per acre on average, based on 2016 on-farm results. These figures can be quite a bit higher in many circumstances. Both the 2016 North Carolina On-Farm Cotton Variety Evaluation Program and NCSU Official Variety Trials were huge successes again in 2016. Collectively, these programs effectively evaluate variety stability across a broad range of environments in a single year. Additionally, the NC Cotton Variety Performance Calculator was launched a year ago, and serves as a platform for producers to customize and evaluate replicated trial results based on a range of selection criteria. This calculator can be found at trials.ces.ncsu.edu/cotton. When making variety decisions, producers should consider several factors. One is determining the most common yield-limiting factor in each field from year to year. In North Carolina, water is the

COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2017

most common consideration. Therefore evaluating variety performance in drought situations is important. Secondly, growers should use caution when making field-by-field observations of variety performance on their farms and focus instead on replicated trial data in which varieties are evaluated under the same conditions. Slight variations in rainfall or soils from field-to-field could lead to misleading comparisons of variety performance. Additionally, growers should understand the environment’s role when it comes to variety performance. High yields are not always achieved from field-to-field due to the environment. The variety best suited for that environment may only achieve modest yields. In other words, you could’ve done much worse by planting a different variety in that same situation. Conversely, just because a variety achieves high yields in a particular field doesn’t mean it’s the best variety for that situation. Lastly, growers should focus on variety stability, consistent performance across a broad range of environments or certain types of environments when making variety decisions. All of these topics will be covered in great detail during the upcoming winter meetings. gdcollin@ncsu.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper According to the Jan. 12 U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Agricultural Statistics Service report, Tennessee averaged 1,104 pound lint per acre across 250,000 acres during 2016. Phenomenal yields and the potential for higher returns in 2017 compared to grain have piqued interest. Most producers who grew cotton in 2016 have indicated they will increase acreage in 2017, and some will be re-entering the market after several years of not growing “white gold.” Still, whether new to the crop or a seasoned veteran, variety selection these days is difficult. You are probably juggling countless columns of yield, quality and in-season performance data trying to pin down price as I write this. I liken it to jumping out of a duck boat with both feet into the edge of a timber hole you’ve never hunted before; we all hope to find a hard bottom right about the time our knees go under water, but every now and then we miscalculate and end up swimming. As you finalize varieties, I have three last minute tips to keep you well above water. First, select a range of varieties within a given herbicide trait. Over the past two years, I’m certain you’ve read or heard many of my colleagues push you to select five to eight different varieties. Understandably, many resisted in 2015 and even 2016 as only a few varieties were available in some technology trait platforms. The good news is 2017 brings several new additions within each herbicide trait. Second, diversify across trait. I know this is difficult and will likely lead to more than a few hiccups, but the long-term cost of a single-trait landscape will be devastating. If you cannot plant different herbicide traits within the same season, switch herbicide traits from season to season. Finally, rely on your local Extension service. County production meeting season is in full swing, and we will host the Tennessee Cotton Focus in Jackson, Tenn., on Feb. 9. Details to follow on news. utcrops.com. traper@utk.edu COTTONFARMING.COM

MISSOURI Mike Milam Many producers are preparing for 2017 by soil testing, attending meetings, repairing equipment and relaxing. There is usually a lot of enthusiasm going into the new year. It appears Missouri cotton acreage will be up. We had hoped last year would have resulted in a higher yield average. The early projection on yield was more than 1,100 pounds per acre. Overall, we had a good year. We got off to an early start and had plenty of rain scattered throughout the year. Ten days of hard rain during August, plus the cloud cover resulted in boll rot and increased target spot. However, harvest season was excellent. The Missouri Cotton Production and Outlook Conference will be held at the Fisher Delta Research Center on Tuesday, Feb. 7. Information will be presented on pesticide labels in relation to dicamba and 2,4-D. Other topics include variety selection, soil and water, soil fertility and target spot management. We will have an update on the cotton price outlook. After lunch, private pesticide applicator license training will be held. With the problems related to dicamba last season, there will be an emphasis on following label protocols. Worker Protection Standard changes also will be addressed. milammr@missouri.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson It is encouraging to see increased attendance and the number of questions from producers at our county cotton meetings. Cash margin information developed by our economist for various commodities are all very tight and none have margins for mistakes. While cotton looks better this year compared to past years, cutting costs is high on everyone’s list. We need to watch our costs yet provide necessary inputs to protect yield potential. The importance of meeting the crop’s nutrient requirements cannot be understated. Pulling soil samples, evaluating fertility levels across time, and taking into account nutrient removal are all important considerations in developing your fertility plan based on recommendations from the soil testing lab. Variety selection for yield and quality is an important first step in establishing our yield potential. Producers also are encouraged to closely evaluate host plant resistance traits of varieties for specific issues, including nematodes, diseases and tolerance to insect pests. Matching nutrient applications or timing to crop requirements, utilizing all integrated pest management tools to manage pests, and using tools for irrigation like Pipe Planner — a computerized hole selection proTwitter: @CottonFarming

gram — can represent real savings in cost. In addition, these practices preserve yield potential and help improve efficiency and conserve natural resources. Contact your county Extension agent for information or assistance in improving efficiency and profitability. brobertson@uaex.edu

LOUISIANA Dan Fromme The 2017 Louisiana Agricultural Technology and Management Conference will be held Feb. 15-17 at the Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, La. The Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association sponsors this annual event. Each year, the presenters discuss current production issues relevant to cotton in detail. On Feb. 15, the conference begins with a WPS Train the Trainer Workshop and an update on WPS regulations and the subsequent impact on what is required when hiring field scouts. Some topics slated for the half-day session on Feb. 16 include target spot and fungicide use in cotton, a cotton insect update, conventional cotton varieties and cotton irrigation strategies. Other presentations will address emerging issues with new herbicide technologies, PPO-resistant Palmer amaranth, and cotton technical updates by industry. Breakout sessions pertaining to rice, sugarcane and soybeans also are scheduled during the three-day conference. This well-planned and coordinated meeting is a key event for professionals in the Louisiana cotton industry and throughout the Mid-South. If you have never attended, make plans to attend this year. Information pertaining to conference registration and lodging can be found at www. laca1.org. dfromme@agcenter.lsu.edu

TEXAS Seth Byrd As of mid-January, harvest is mostly wrapped up, and 2016 will go down as one of the best years ever for both cotton yield and quality in the High Plains. Projections for the number of bales produced in the region are approaching 5 million. Looking ahead to next season, acreage is expected to increase in the High Plains, with estimates between 4 million and 4.2 million acres becoming more realistic as we move into 2017. Much of this increase will likely come in the northern part of the region, and many things need to be taken into account when moving into cotton from other production systems. Variety selection is key as this area is more limited on potential heat unit accumulation than areas farther south. So variety maturity will be a factor. Rotational restrictions due to

Trait Stewardship Responsibilities: Notice to Growers Before opening a bag of seed, be sure to read, understand and accept the stewardship requirements, including applicable refuge requirements for Insect Resistance Management (IRM), for the biotechnology traits expressed in the seed as set forth in the Bayer Grower Technology Agreement (BGTA) that you sign. By opening and using a bag of seed, you are reaffirming your obligation to comply with the most recent stewardship and regulatory requirements. 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 the Bayer Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. The combination of biotechnology traits expressed in this cottonseed has achieved full regulatory authorization in the U.S. and several export markets. Processed fractions from this cottonseed, including linters, oil, meal and gin trash, must not be exported without all necessary approvals in the importing country. Bayer encourages growers to talk to their cotton merchant, broker, or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for commodity components of this product. Information regarding the regulatory status of this cottonseed can be obtained at www.biotradestatus.com. Bt products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your Bayer Representative or refer to the most recent TwinLink® Insect Resistance Management (IRM) Guide for restrictions in your state. Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible. Monitor TwinLink, TwinLink Plus and refuge cotton routinely, and contact a Bayer seed dealer or Bayer at 1-877-365-4287 if problems are observed. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL I N S T R U C T I O N S . L i b e r t y L i n k ® c ro p s contain genes that confer tolerance to glufosinate, the active ingredient in Liberty® brand agricultural herbicide. Liberty herbicide will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. ©2016 Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer, the Bayer Cross, Liberty, LibertyLink, Stoneville, Stoneville Design and TwinLink are registered trademarks of Bayer. Excellence Through Stewardship is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship. Liberty is not registered in all states. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.CropScience.Bayer.us CR0916STONEVA226V00R0 B-28600-1

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Specialists Speaking herbicides utilized in sorghum and grain crops will need to be considered to avoid early season injury or stand loss, which could occur if a residual herbicide is present. Both varieties and chemistries for the auxin herbicide technologies will be available for the ﬁrst time in 2017. This introduces another critical factor to consider regarding variety selection and in many cases may factor into variety decisions as much as yield potential. We recommend producers refer to as much variety information as possible and take into account variables including yield potential, trait packages, and disease and nematodes resistance. Results from AgriLife Extension trials in the High Plains are available at cotton. tamu.edu. seth.byrd@ag.tamu.edu

TEXAS Gaylon Morgan Cotton acreage is expected to increase fairly signiﬁcantly in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) and Coastal Bend of Texas coming off the heels of a great cotton crop and a favorable relative cotton price compared to grain. The actual numbers will depend on the soil moisture situation and grain prices between now and planting time. As of mid-January, soil moisture conditions are not favorable, and some substantial rain is needed to have adequate planting moisture in the RGV. With the challenges at harvest time in the Upper Gulf Coast and Blacklands, the excitement for planting additional cotton in 2017 is less; however, an increase in cotton acres is expected. Some growers intend to plant cotton in 2017 who have not planted cotton in 15-plus years, and most of the increase will come from wheat acres. A similar situation will be unfolding in the Rolling Plains, with cotton replacing a signiﬁcant number of wheat acres in 2017. The 2016 cotton crop harvest in the Rolling Plains has wrapped

up, with average to great yields and good quality across the board. Despite some signiﬁcant drought stress in much of the Rolling Plains during July and August, ﬁber length, strength and other characteristics have been very good. Looking to 2017, our growers have more herbicide-tolerant traits to choose from than ever before. This provides new opportunities for managing glyphosate-resistant weeds, pending some state labels for Enlist Duo and Engenia. However, this also adds to the complication in variety selection decisions. On the positive side, there are some great yielding cotton varieties on the market with a diversity of herbicide-tolerant traits. The 2016 cotton variety results can be found at cotton.tamu.edu. gdmorgan@tamu.edu

OKLAHOMA Randy Boman The Oklahoma crop yield keeps growing based on the January U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Agricultural Statistics Service numbers. The 2016 crop is now estimated at 620,000 bales. If this number is realized, it will be the largest crop the state has produced since 1944. It also is the ﬁrst time in state history that the yield for all practices will break 1,000 pounds per acre, projected at 1,026. This massive crop by local standards is taxing the state’s ginning infrastructure, and many gins will likely be running well into March. This is great news for the state, particularly the southwestern counties and is a badly needed economic “shot in the arm” due to current low wheat prices. An often-repeated question is, “How many cotton acres will be planted in Oklahoma in 2017?” Most are predicting a substantial increase. With recent labeling of three important herbicides – XtendiMax and Engenia for XtendFlex-

RANDY BOMAN

Oklahoma State University conducted this large-plot sub-surface drip-irrigated variety trial just east of Altus in Jackson County on Clint Abernathy’s farm. The trial was planted in late May, but still yielded 3.5 to 3.75 bales per acre.

COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2017

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traited varieties, and Enlist Duo for Enlist cotton, we have a great set of over-the-top herbicide tools, which will be valuable this season. However, residual herbicides are still critical, especially for the dreaded glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth. Wise use of residual herbicides along with the proper herbicide for each of the XtendFlex and Enlist cotton technologies should provide the weed control we need. Producers should note that labels for these new herbicides have important caveats that have to be followed to reduce off-target movement to stay in compliance with federal law. XtendFlex and Enlist varieties performed well in our 2016 on-farm and small plot testing programs. Several produced record yields, and the quality has been very good to excellent. With great rainfall in both 2015 and 2016, many of us are looking over our shoulders and wondering when the next drought may occur. In order for irrigated producers to better manage for tougher years, we suggest attending the Oklahoma Irrigation Conference, which will be held March 1. randy.boman@okstate.edu

MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds When I was younger, it seemed as if time moved at a snail’s pace. However, now that I have a few years under my belt, I am trying to ﬁgure out where time goes. It seems like yesterday we were preparing for the 2016 crop, and here we are now preparing for the 2017 crop. Depending on the weather, cotton planters will likely be rolling in Mississippi in eight to 10 weeks. The importance of variety selection has been discussed at length in any number of popular press articles and other publications. In a nutshell, they will all tell you the following: variety placement is key to variety performance. This seems inherent and easy to do; however, we all know the ﬁckle nature of cotton, which drives home the

need to do your homework on variety placement. When evaluating variety trial data, take note if a given variety performed well in irrigated versus dryland situations. Also consider soil type and texture on which the variety trial was conducted, and if available, the management practices that went into the data. Just as important is to use your own experience or that of someone you trust. While no one can guarantee success, doing these things when selecting and placing a variety will get you much closer to your goal. darrind@ext.msstate.edu

FLORIDA David Wright Variety selection is one of the first things growers ask about each year. Best varieties for the area can mean a 100- to 300-pounds-per-acre increase in lint yields. That can be the difference between making money and losing money. Check variety trials from several locations near yours as there is often a trend for varieties to make top yields under many different management and weather conditions. One important production aspect for growers to consider is to follow cotton after winter grazing where possible. This practice continues to make 100 to 300 pounds per acre more lint and seems to be even more important in non-irrigated fields. Our data suggest root growth is often doubled on cotton after grazing oat/rye in the winter. This can make cotton more drought-tolerant with higher residual nutrients retained in the root zone, resulting in higher yields. We have seen double potash levels and two to four times more nitrates in the root zone after cattle versus cover crops without cattle. After more growers test this concept, many of them are now fencing fields to graze livestock in the winter. Livestock producers often will work with row crop farmers to bring cattle in so the row crops farmer does not have to handle cattle. wright@ufl.edu

Getting Back To The Basics: Conventional Cotton Seed

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ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS FOR USE ON PESTICIDE LABELING. 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 or glyphosate are approved for incrop use with Bollgard II® XtendFlex® or XtendFlex® cotton. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. DICAMBA FORMULATIONS MAY NOT BE APPROVED IN ALL STATES. 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 Bollgard II® XtendFlex® or XtendFlex® cotton. Bollgard II ® XtendFlex ® cotton contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, dicamba and glufosinate. 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 Monsanto dealer or refer to Monsanto’s Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs. Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship ® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Only commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your Monsanto representative for the registration status in your state. Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible. Always read and follow IRM, where applicable, grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. Bollgard II ®, Respect the Refuge

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VaporGrip Technology. A grain marketing workshop featuring Brock & Associates will be held at 1:30 p.m. A $25 registration fee is required. To pre-register, call 800-558-3431.

Friday’s Lineup The show officially begins at 8:30 a.m., Friday, with the Ag Update Meeting. Ronnie Lee, National Cotton Council, will discuss cotton issues; Carl Brothers, Riceland Foods, will present the outlook for rice and wheat; and Joe Nicosia, Louis Dreyfus Commodities, will discuss the outlook for U.S. and world cotton. Show exhibits open at 9 a.m. both Friday and Saturday. A special Xtend dicamba seminar starts at 10:45 a.m. Presenters include Ryan Rector, Monsanto technology development manager for dicamba; Dr. Larry Steckel, University of Tennessee row crop weed specialist; and growers with experience using XtendiMax with

More Educational Opportunities The show resumes Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with another Ag Update Meeting, featuring Richard Brock, Brock Associates, who will present a grain market outlook and discuss challenges facing farmers in 2017. At 11 a.m., the Ag Market Network will broadcast its March monthly cotton teleconference from the trade show floor. Participating in the cotton panel are Dr. O.A. Cleveland, economics professor emeritus, Mississippi State University; Jarral Neeper, president of Calcot; Kip Butts, senior cotton analyst Informa Economics; and Pat McClatchy, executive director of the Ag Market Network. The panel will offer marketing suggestions and take questions from the audience. Milo Hamilton, co-founder and senior agricultural economist, Firstgrain Inc., will host a special rice marketing educational seminar at 1:30 p.m. Show closing times are 5 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, respectively. At 9 p.m. Saturday the popular Jamboree will kick off at the Peabody Hotel grand ballroom with music by The Krackerjacks. “I think 2017 is going to be a good year for cotton with lots of excitement and momentum building,” Price says. “We encourage everyone to make plans to attend the 65th Annual MidSouth Farm & Gin Show to get up to speed on technology, products, services and the hot educational topics critical to your farming operation.” For more information, please visit farmandginshow.com or southerncot tonginners.org. See you in Memphis!

or more than six decades, a major stop along the way to a new cotton farming season is the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show. This year’s event will be held at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tenn., March 3-4. Everyone also is invited to attend the Southern Cotton Ginners Association and Foundation Annual Meetings, which begin Thursday, March 2, at 1:30 p.m. at the Peabody Hotel. A panel of cotton specialists will discuss “The State of Cotton in the Mid-South.” In addition, featured speakers include Gary Adams, president/CEO, National Cotton Council; and Kim Kitchings, Cotton Incorporated. Tim Price, show manager and Southern Cotton Ginners Association executive vice president, says this year’s event is the largest gathering of cotton-specific products and services to date. “We added 50-plus new companies to the show, and many are tied to cotton. However, we are not just a products and services exhibit, we are also an educational exhibit.”

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The news is full of predictions about what will happen during the first 100 days of the Trump administration. Depending on what you read and where you read it, one could come to the conclusion that all of our problems are about to be solved, or that complete doom is just over the horizon. In reality, the answer will likely be in the middle somewhere. Following is what I think we are likely to see from a regulatory standpoint. One of the first significant changes we will see is a new assistant secretary of labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. David Michaels has taken an aggressive stance toward OSHA enforcement, mainly through intimidation and enhanced abatement. The new assistant secretary will likely be more cooperative with industry on enforcement. We have seen several cases over the past few years where OSHA has attempted to cite facilities under standards that did not apply in order to set a precedent. We are hopeful these attempts will slow with the new administration. On the other hand, the OSHA reporting rule will likely remain in effect for the foreseeable future. That rule has been final for some time, and enforcement where necessary will continue.

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How Will President Trump’s First 100 Days Affect Us?

Environmental Matters On the environmental side, Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) implementation rulemaking is pending. It is likely some concerns outlined by industry in this rulemaking will receive more attention than they would have under the old administration. In addition, the particulate matter protion of NAAQS is under review. We are hopeful this

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standard can be improved, or at least maintained at current levels under the new administration. This standard is critical to almost every aspect of agriculture. There is uncertainty in the science basis for the standard, but the final decision is a policy decision by the Environmental Protection Agency administrator. In this same area, the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) is a key player in developing NAAQS standards. The makeup of this committee, which is supposed to offer science advice but not policy, has been a concern for some time now. We are hopeful that under the new administration we will be able to get a better balance of independent committee members. The Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule is another that may be significantly affected by the new administration. This rule is under court review, and the EPA could pull it back for a rewrite, since it is under a court-ordered stay. The rule could be significantly rewritten, eliminating many of the concerns in the process. There is also much congressional activity on WOTUS, which may help resolve this issue in an acceptable way.

These rules are the ones we are hopeful the new administration will focus on ﬁrst. We also are eager to see if the new administration will signiﬁcantly slow the pace of new regulations being promulgated. It will be interesting to see how these issues unfold over the next few months. Kelley Green, director of technical services for the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association, contributed this article. Contact him at kelley@tcga.org.

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Save The Date: Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association Annual Meeting And Trade Show The Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association (TCGA) hosts its 110th Annual Meeting and Trade Show in Lubbock Thursday, April 6, and Friday, April 7. Program and show open at 9 a.m. both days at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center.

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Supreme Court Appointment Finally, the new administration will get to make an appointment to the Supreme Court early in its administration, and this new member could have a significant impact on regulatory matters for many years to come. It will be difficult to change many of the rules finalized under the last administration, although over the long term there likely will be opportunities to improve. However, in the short term, several rules are in the process of being developed, are scheduled for regular review, or are under review by the courts.

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COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2017

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Cotton’s Calendar 2017

Feb. 10-12: NCC Annual Meeting, The Fairmont, Dallas, Texas Feb. 15: PCCA Board Meeting and Delegate Body Meeting, Lubbock, Texas Feb. 28-March 1: Cotton Board March Meeting, San Antonio, Texas March 2: SCGA Annual Meeting, Peabody Hotel, plate 3/7/14 3:26 PM Page 1Tenn. Memphis, March 3-4: Mid-South Farm & Gin Show, Memphis Cook Convention Center, Memphis, Tenn. March 15: Staplcotn/Stapldiscount Board Meeting, Greenwood, Miss March 16: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors Meeting, Bakersﬁeld, Calif. April 6-7: TCGA Annual Meeting and Trade Show, Lubbock Memorial Civic Center, Lubbock, Texas April 7: Plains Cotton Growers, Inc. Annual Meeting and Board Meeting Lubbock Memorial Civic Center, Lubbock, Texas April 18-19: 2017 ACP Spring Meeting, The Hyatt Regency DFW Hotel, Dallas, Texas (DFW Airport) April 19: PCCA Board Meeting and Delegate Body Meeting, Lubbock, Texas May 17: PCCA Board Meeting, Lubbock, Texas May 18: Calcot Ltd Board of Directors Meeting, Phoenix, Ariz. June 13-15: Cotton Incorporated June Meeting, Dallas, Texas June 15: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors Meeting, Phoenix, Ariz. June 21-24: CWAA Meeting, The Benson Hotel, Portland, Ore.

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FEBRUARY 2017 COTTON FARMING

My Turn Spreading The ‘Gospel’ Of Agriculture

Weaver from Arkansas, Charles Parker from lthough I was Missouri and Richard Kelley from Tennessee. There not raised on a are truly too many to mention and even more who farm nor from are still my close friends and colleagues today. a farming famiIn 2015, I was offered a position I never thought ly, I always loved animals, a person of my age and relatively short 15-year especially cows and horses. agricultural career was qualified for. The Louisiana I considered myself a cowCotton & Grain Association officers selected me boy and planned to major to serve as its next executive vice president. I was in pre-veterinary mediamazed, excited and extremely humbled. This orgacine when I started colnization was started in 1968 as Louisiana Cotton lege at the University of Producers Association by Jack Hamilton, Fred Louisiana at Monroe (at the Bobby Schneider, Duke Shackelford and many others. time, Northeast Louisiana Skeen I advocate on agriculture’s behalf on the state University) in August 1996. level and in Washington, D.C. I get to sit next to My academic advisor Chip Morgan, Mississippi Delta Council; Andrew encouraged me to pursue an undergraduate degree Grobmyer, Ag Council of Arkansas; and David in agricultural business while taking the pre-vet Ruppenicker, Southern Southeastern, who hapcourses. Before long, I found myself taking more pened to be the first ag classes than preexecutive vice president vet courses and getting “I love what I do and look of the Louisiana Cotton more involved in the forward to each and every day.” & Grain Association. I NLU ag organizations, still have to pinch myself such as the Block & from time to time when I am sitting at our board Bridle Club. I was quickly becoming an “ag” kid, room table with the LCGA officers and executive feeling like I’d been around it all my life. committee, walking the halls of the Louisiana State After graduating, I went to work for the Capitol visiting with legislators, or in Washington, Louisiana Agricultural Corp. Self-Insured Fund, D.C., meeting with the Louisiana delegation on a self-insurance program for agribusinesses that Capitol Hill. I look at the diploma from LSU where operated in Louisiana and Arkansas. This proI graduated from the Agricultural Leadership gram was started by some of Louisiana’s brightest Development Program and am so humbled at the minds in the ag industry, including Jack Hamilton, many blessings God has granted me. George Franklin and Sam Leake. I handled safeMy dad once told me: “If you find a job you ty and loss control issues for cotton gins, cotton love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I love warehouses, grain elevators, farm supply stores what I do and look forward to each and every day. and farming operations. I met many of Louisiana’s Although I started in cotton, I now represent mulagricultural leaders, such as Jay Hardwick, George tiple commodities, including corn, soybeans and LaCour, Ted Schneider, Tap Parker, Boyce Stone grain sorghum. At LCGA, we continue to spread and Billy Guthrie. During my first year, I got a the “gospel” of agriculture and educate our commucrash course in agriculture, especially in cotton. nities on the importance of both food and fiber. A few years later, I was hired as the Mid-South A wonderful quote from President George regional communications manager for The Cotton Washington reads, “Agriculture is the most healthBoard, alongside three guys who would become ful, most useful and most noble employment of my “brothers in cotton” and dear friends — Monty man.” I have faith in these words and believe in Bain, Bob Stanley and Brent Murphree. Since I sharing them. GEAUX AGRICULTURE! was the youngster of the bunch, they “took me to raise” in many ways I am thankful for. I became — Bobby Skeen, executive vice president, heavily involved in cotton and met many of its legLouisiana Cotton & Grain Association, Monroe, La. ends — as I thought of them — including Kenneth bskeen@la-ag.com Hood and Woods Eastland from Mississippi, Bill

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.

COTTON FARMING FEBRUARY 2017

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