Cotton farming january 2016 by One Grower Publishing

Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

JANUARY 2016

www.cottonfarming.com

TEAMWORK ATTENTION TEAMWORK,&ATTENTION TO DETAIL SHAPE SHAPES

THE COMPLETE PACKAGE

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Vol. 60 No. 1

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

JANUARY 2016

www.cottonfarming.com

F E AT U R E S

Complete Package

Sledge Taylor III and his son, David, farm 5,000 acres of row crops – cotton, corn, peanuts and soybeans – as Buckeye Farms, located in the hills of north Mississippi and at the base of the bluff in the Mississippi Delta. Their success is driven by teamwork and attention to detail. Cotton is a part of their heritage, and they plan to grow more of it in the future.

50-YEAR MILESTONE

WES BRIGGS HONORED

GINNING MARKETPLACE

The Cotton Research and Promotion Program, which focuses on the demand and profitability of cotton, celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Crop consultant Wes Briggs of Bainbridge, Ga., has been selected by his peers as the 2015 Cotton Consultant of the Year.

the official publication of the ginning industry

Dusty Findley discusses the importance of gin safety programs in light of the new reporting rules. Tips also are provided for making safety lessons more effective.

WEB EXCLUSIVE As ginners seek faster ginning speeds, reduced cycle rates, improved bale integrity and lower operating costs, they are always looking for new and innovative technologies. Signode packaging company has stepped up to help meet this need by introducing the GinFast Bale Bagging System. Go to www. cottonfarming.com to read more about what the system has to offer in this Web Exclusive report.

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

4 Editor’s Note 26 Field Test 5 Cotton’s Agenda 28 Industry News 16 Specialists Speaking 34 My Turn ON THE COVER: Mississippi cotton farmers David and Sledge Taylor III, were pleased with the yield on this field of DP 1311 B2RF last fall. Cover photo by Lin Taylor.

DIGITAL OFFERINGS Keep up with the latest from Cotton Farming by signing up for the monthly E-News. Go to www.cottonfarming.com and look for the Cotton Farming E-News link in the upper right corner of the home page. Find Cotton Farming on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/cottonfarming and follow us on Twitter @CottonFarming.

COTTON FARMING (ISSN 0746-8385) is published monthly January through December for $40 per year by One Grower Publishing LLC, 6515 Goodman Rd., Box 360, Olive Branch, MS 38654. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, TN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sunbelt Fulfillment Services, 307 Southgate Court, Brentwood, TN 37027-7987 (Phone: 615-377-3322) (Fax: 615-850-5319). International rates are $55 in Canada/Mexico, $90 in all other countries for air-speeded delivery. Surface delivery not available due to problems in reliability.

Twitter: @CottonFarming

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

847-5

Editor’s Note

Cotton Farming

Carroll Smith

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

A Sense Of Place

sense of place is a combination of the physical and the abstract. In physical terms, it can be a country, a community or, on a smaller scale, a neighborhood, a house or even a particular room. Some “place” with which you personally identify. Your sense of that place refers to abstract characteristics, such as how it makes you feel or what memories it evokes. Sense of place is difficult to define in a generic manner because it involves a personal connection between the physical and the abstract that helps you understand who you are. An example from my own experience is the attic in my grandparents’ home that was filled with books, trunks of clothes and various family keepsakes that held too many memories to be tossed away. I remember climbing up the old wooden stairway whose boards had been pieced together by a carpenter when the house was built at the turn of the last century. I spent many hours there playing with all the bits and pieces of the past and wondering which of my relatives they belonged to. But in doing so, it gave me a sense of who I was and a connection to those who came before me. I was reminded of “sense of place” when I traveled to the small town of Como, Miss., to interview Sledge and David Taylor, who are featured in the article on page 6. We sat in the front room of their office building, located on Main Street, the hub for the town’s activities – past and present. Not long into our conversation, which pertained to the Taylor family history and early involvement in local agriculture, Sledge invited me to “go back in time” via a tour of the old general store located in the rear of the building. Artifacts hung on the wall, and two screened-in areas were still standing where sacks of flour and sugar had been stored, complete with tin baseboards to keep the mice at bay. A large, green ledger book lay open on the desk in a small office in the back of the store where his grandfather had handwritten all of the family business transactions. After taking that brief tour, I could appreciate the sense of place that this area held for the Taylor family. “We have roots here,” Sedge says. “Cotton and agriculture are in our heritage.” Old photos of men gathered around large bales of cotton placed in the Main Street median to sell to buyers solidified the important role that cotton had played in Como for generations. The Taylors know who they are and where they are from. They have their own sense of place. And cotton is the common denominator that connects them to their past. Although acreage has slipped, their love of the crop has not. Sledge and David plan to plant more cotton this year. “I don’t know if Mississippi will ever go back to the record acreage it once had, but I believe the pendulum will begin to swing back to cotton,” Sledge says. And everyone who has an affinity for this crop hopes that it will, too.

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 (800) 888-9784 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com Circulation Manager Charlie Beek (615) 377-3322 For circulation changes or change of address, call (847) 559-7578 EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD David Burns – North Carolina David Lynch – South Carolina Bob McLendon – Georgia Larkin Martin – Alabama Mike Sturdivant Jr. – Mississippi Charles Parker – Missouri Jimmy Hargett – Tennessee Allen Helms – Arkansas Jay Hardwick – Louisiana Ronnie Hopper – Texas Ron Rayner – Arizona John Pucheu – California

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC Mike Lamensdorf President/Treasurer Lia Guthrie Publisher/Vice President ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COOPERATION: Cooperating with COTTON FARMING are various cotton producer organizations across the Cotton Belt. Many representatives of producer organizations serve on COTTON FARMING’s editorial advisory board. Opinions expressed and conclusions reached by contributors are not necessarily those of the cooperating organizations or the editors. All statements, including product claims, are those of the person or organization making the statement or claim. The publisher does not adopt any such statement or claims as its own and any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Copyright 2016 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

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 JANUARY 2016

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

COTTONFARMING.COM

Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

Cotton’s Challenges Communicated The National Cotton Council recently seized an opportunity to tell a key Congressional panel about the dire economic and regulatory challenges facing the U.S. cotton industry.

What was the venue?

n The early December hearing was conducted by the House Agriculture Committee’s General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee. Testifying were: NCC Vice Chairman Shane Stephens, a Greenwood, Miss., warehouser; NCC Producer Directors Shawn Holladay, Lubbock, Texas; and Cannon Michael, Los Banos, Calif.; and two other producer leaders: Kent Wannamaker, president, Southern Cotton Growers, Saint Matthews, S.C.; and Nathan Reed, Arkansas state chairman, American Cotton Producers, Marianna. They were joined by Mike Wright, executive vice president, Agricultural Lending for City Bank, Lubbock.

Testifying about the “cotton crisis” before a House Agriculture Committee subcommittee were, from left: Shane Stephens, a warehouser; cotton producers: Nathan Reed, Shawn Holladay, Kent Wannamaker and Cannon Michael; and Mike Wright, a banker.

Where do the challenges lie?

n Vice Chairman Stephens detailed the current economic conditions characterized by reduced acreage, struggling cotton demand and the lowest prices since 1989. Providing an agricultural lender perspective, Wright painted a bleak picture for the Subcommittee saying that with margins getting tighter every year due to higher production costs and lower commodity prices – producers need above-average yields just to break even. There is no doubt, he stated, that some cotton farmers will not

qualify for financing next year, and the ability to obtain financing will become increasingly more difficult as crop prices remain low. Wright’s testimony was reinforced by Reed who testified that production costs in the MidSouth have risen continually over the past decade and he feared that region is at a tipping point. Reed cautioned that once the infrastructure of gins, warehouses and related businesses are gone, they are not likely to return. Producers Holladay and Wannamaker conveyed the importance of a sound federal crop insurance program as a critical risk management tool and the need for the Agriculture Secretary to designate cottonseed as an “other oilseed” and be eligible for Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage. They emphasized that providing price support for cottonseed is desperately needed to provide stability in the cotton industry. They also called for the marketing loan program to be operated as it did prior to the 2008 farm bill noting that for producers of multiple crops, the implications of the unified payment limit will be particularly harmful as a portion or all of a producer’s payment limit could be used for marketing loan benefits as the crop is marketed throughout the year. Another concern conveyed was USDA’s rulemaking to determine whether an individual is “actively engaged” in a farming operation and eligible to participate in farm programs. The Subcommittee was urged to work closely with USDA to ensure any changes to “actively engaged” provisions adhere to the intent of the farm bill. California producer Michael conveyed that the water situation in California is a result of both prolonged drought conditions as well as misguided and inflexible regulatory constraints. The producers also described numerous regulatory concerns, ranging from weed resistance management and the availability of crop protection products to biotech traits.

Gary Adams is president/chief executive officer of the National Cotton Council of America. He and other NCC leaders contribute columns on this Cotton Farming magazine page. Twitter: @CottonFarming

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

PHOTOS BY LIN TAYLOR

COVER STORY

Father-and-son team, David and Sledge Taylor, agree that the new varieties in the marketplace have great yield potential and improved fiber quality.

T The Complete Package Teamwork & Attention To Detail Shape

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

he red brick building that stands at 221 North Main St. in Como, Miss., has housed the Taylor family’s business since 1900. What was once a bustling general store with an office tucked in the back is now headquarters for the Taylor’s business enterprises, complete with all the modern amenities. Today, Sledge Taylor III and his son, David, farm 5,000 acres of row crops – cotton, corn, peanuts and soybeans – as Buckeye Farms, supplemented by cattle and timber. They also have an interest in the Consolidated Gin Co. This diversified operation definitely calls for a healthy dose of teamwork and attention to detail to ensure its continued success. “My great grandfather operated a cotton gin, so we have been growing cotton ever since the family has been here,” Sledge says. “We have expanded over the years and now operate a farm in the hills and one in the Delta at the base of the bluff on Highway 3 between Marks and Crenshaw. The family has been here in Como for a long COTTONFARMING.COM

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time. We have roots here. We love the community, and we like growing cotton. Other members of the family are connected to the farming operation, but David and I make all the day-to-day decisions.” David points out that his Dad takes care of the office work, such as invoicing and marketing, and he tends to most of the responsibilities in the field. “If he needs my help, I come into the office, and he helps out in the field at times, too,” David says. “In fact, he ran a round-bale picker last fall. We work together to make sure that everything gets done. We are very detail oriented and try to eliminate as many variables as we can to maximize our profits.” Variety Selection Is Paramount One of the details that the Taylors take very seriously is variety selection. Every year, they participate in on-farm cotton variety trials with various seed companies and

they would like to see commercialized. The results are announced at the NPE Summit in early December. The goal of the NPE Program is to determine which varieties have the best potential for success in particular geographies and specific growing conditions. Once that determination has been made, the new “class,” or the varieties that will be released, is announced prior to the upcoming season. This year, the Class of 16 includes DP 1646 B2XF, DP 1639 B2XF, DP 1614 B2XF and DP 1612 B2XF. “We really like the NPE Program,” David says. “We want to see which varieties are going to do well on our farm. When you find the right varieties that will work for your operation, the extra profit can add up quickly.” 2015 Variety Review In 2015, the Taylors planted the following commercial varieties: Stoneville 4946GLB2, PHY 333 WRF, DP 1311

The Taylor family settled in Como, Miss., in the 1850s and set up shop in an office in the back of what was then a general store in 1900. Sledge and his son, David, said the family left the W.S. Taylor, Jr. Farms’ name on the door to preserve the nostalgia. Mississippi State University. In fact, David has been a Deltapine New Product Evaluator for seven years. In this Beltwide cotton variety testing program, farmers grow Deltapine varieties that have not yet been brought to the commercial market. Deltapine provides the seed, and the NPE growers plant module-sized plots on their own farms in real-world scenarios. These growers farm their NPE plot using the same management practices that they use for the rest of their cotton. At the end of the season, the plots are harvested and ginned at a commercial gin. Throughout the season, the NPE growers make notes about variety performance, including seedling vigor, growth characteristics, plant growth regulator needs, yield and quality. After observing the varieties and providing feedback to Deltapine, the NPE growers then vote on which varieties

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

B2RF and Dyna-Gro 2570 B2RF. Their NPE plots included two varieties that were recently released as part of the Deltapine Class of 16: DP 1614 B2XF and DP 1646 B2XF. “Both of these NPE varieties had tremendous yields and exceptional fiber quality,” David says. “They were our two best NPE varieties last year and were real close to one another in variety performance and yield. The fiber quality is phenomenal on DP 1646 B2XF. I’ve never seen anything like it. We’re also looking forward to using dicamba with the XtendFlex technology to give us a more effective weed control program. We will continue to have a residual program, but if we have weed escapes because of excessive rain or lack of rain, we can go in with a dicamba product and kill Continued on page 12 COTTONFARMING.COM

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Introducing oducing our NEW NEXGEN B2XF & XF cotton ton varieties â&#x20AC;&#x201C; tolerant to THREE different ff herbicides: dicamba, glyphosate, & glufosinate.

NG 3500 XF Get flexible protection otection with BOLLGARD IIÂŽ XTENDFLEXâ&#x201E;˘

Monsanto Company is a member mb be of Excellence Through StewardshipÂŽ (ETS). Monsanto products aree commercialized inn accordance with ETS Pr Product oduct Launch Stewardship S Guidance, and in compliance with Monsantoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Monsantoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products od in Commodity Crops. As of January 30, 2015, this product has been ee approved for import rt in Australia, Mexico, Japan Japan and Canada. C Any crop or material produced from this product oduct can only be exported e to, or used, processed or sold in countries where al all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation on of national and international onal law to move material containing conta biotech traits across boundaries into nations wheree import is not permitted. permit Growers ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE DE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup ReadyÂŽ crops contain genes en that confer tolerance to glyphosate, sate, the active ingredient edient in RoundupÂŽ R brand agricultural herbicides. Bollgard IIÂŽ XtendFlex XtendFle TM Cotton contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active vee ingredient in RoundupÂŽ brand agricultural herbicides, es dicamba, and glufosinate, the active ingredient in LibertyÂŽ brand and herbicides. RoundupÂŽ brand agricultural al herbicides will kill crops cr that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are nnot tolerant to dicamba. Glufosinate will kill cropss th that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Dicamba ba herbicide is not currently ently approved appr for commercial in-crop use with Bollgard IIÂŽ XtendFlex XtendFle TM cotton and nothing herein is a promotion or an offer to sell dicambaa herbicide for this use. It is a violation of federal al law to promote or offer to sell an unregisteredd pesticide or a registered register egistered pesticide for an unregistered use. For 2015, Monsanto does not authorize growers gr to apply dicamba herbicides in-crop to Bollgard IIÂŽ XtendFlexâ&#x201E;˘ te Cotton. otto Commercialization is dependent ep on multiple factors, including successful conclusion onclusion of the regulatory egulatory process. pr Contact your dealer aler for updated information. Bollgard IIÂŽ, Bollgard II and DesignÂŽ, RoundupÂŽ, Roundup ReadyÂŽ, and Bollgard Bol g IIÂŽ XtendFlexâ&#x201E;˘ Xten are trademarks off Monsanto M Technology LLC. LibertyÂŽ and LibertyLinkÂŽ are registered trademarks trademark ademarks off Bayer. AmericotÂŽ and NexGenÂŽ are registered ed trademarks tr of Americot, Inc.

YIELDING SOLUTIONS SPECIAL REPORT

Doerun, Ga., cotton farmer Bart Davis, center, pictured with his son Jedd, right, and Deltapine district sales manager, Jason Pittman, says his DP 1555 B2RF yielded extremely well in 2015.

Georgia’s Bart Davis T

Editor’s note: Cotton Farming contributing writer Brad Robb went into the field this fall to capture the stories of farmers’ experiences with new Deltapine varieties. Following is his Special Report.

Thirty-Four Cotton Crops And Counting

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

he expansive fields of defoliated cotton on Davis Family Farms in Doerun, Ga., caused 51-year-old Bart Davis to sit back in his pickup truck, take a deep breath, exhale and smile. “I love this time of the year. It’s a big relief to see those harvesters running down straight rows of threeplus bale cotton,” says Davis, with a great sense of relief in his voice as his son confirmed from the picker a yield monitor reading of nearly 2,000 pounds. The farmer and father of three with 34 cotton crops under his belt was thrust into farming’s center stage when he was only 18-years-old after both his mother and father passed away in a span of six months. “That was a tough period in my life. I’ll be honest with you, I was scared,” remembers Davis.

COTTONFARMING.COM

BART DAVIS

PHOTOS BY BRAD ROBB

Deltapine Bollgard II XtendFlex He was a high school senior. varieties will offer but admits he Luckily, he had earned nearly all Doerun, Ga. will keep dicamba “on deck” for the of his credits and had to attend time being. classes only one quarter that year. DP 1555 B2RF “I’m very proactive when it Davis never played sports because • Bollgard II Roundup comes to preventing weeds,” Davis his life revolved around school and ReadyFlex variety says. “My mindset is to prevent the family farm. At the time, his • Excellent yield potential in them instead of having to deal father was farming between 1,200 full-maturity markets with them once they emerge.” and 1,500 acres before complica• Improved fiber quality over DP 1252 B2RF That mindset keeps his weed tions from diabetes caused declincontrol costs in the range of $50 ing health. By the fall of 1981, he to $70 an acre. Pest pressure over was diagnosed with cancer. the past two years has increased, “My father was respected by the and that causes Davis people with whom a bit of worry. His conhe did business. He sultant, Scott Brown, a taught me the basics retired county agent, is of farming, and if I on speed dial and has wasn’t in school, I was Davis Farms on a tight with him,” says Davis, stink bug schedule. remembering his dad. “It’s a given we’re From their agri-busigoing to spray for plant ness suppliers to the bugs and aphids early f a m i l y ’s l o n g - t i m e on if we have to, but we b a n k e r, e v e r y o n e spray for thrips only on knew that Bart had Scott’s recommendation. the intestinal fortitude Scott knows his stuff, not only to continue and I trust him implicitthe family’s operaly,” says Davis. tion, but do it with the Plant growth is mondedication, honesty Bart Davis says that DP 1555 B2RF’s fiber qualities are itored closely, and plant and respect his father much improved over DP 1252 B2RF, especially in his growth regulator appliwas known to exhibit full-maturing growing environments. cations keep the cotton throughout his life. plant’s energy directed more vocal in general,” says Jedd toward making fiber. Davis Farms Today Davis, with a wry smile on his face. Bart Davis is a conscientious perAs Davis oversees his 34th cotton Ask Bart Davis what has helped son – a fact that has its good and harvest, he is more than thankful keep his operation profitable, and bad sides. “Yes, I worry too much. I to have the helping hands of wife, he doesn’t hesitate with his answer. guess I do let little things keep me Paula; sons, Trey (28) and Jedd “We’re 80 percent irrigated and up at night more often than not,” he (26); and daughter, Lakyn (19). have found a variety that we love, says with a deep-chested laugh. Although Lakyn is attending nursand that loves our Tifton soils – Davis is known to be a hard ing school, she still makes time to DP 1555 B2RF. It’s a long-season worker and a man of faith who has help her mom with farm recordvariety with much improved fiber strong family ties. He loves farmkeeping, run to town for parts or qualities over DP 1252 B2RF, espeing and is adamant about keeping move water tanks. Jedd and Trey cially in our full-maturing growing cotton production strong in Georgia spend a lot of time driving tractors environments,” says Davis. and the United States. or in the seat of the on-board mod“I actually had to slow the har“Cotton commands the largest ule harvester when it comes time to vester down because it was getting acreage in Georgia and has the pick cotton. choked, especially on the outside largest across-the-board economToday, Davis dedicates time rows as the yield monitor bumped ic impact in our state. Right now, away from his operation to serve back and forth between 1,400 to if we don’t have high yields, it’s on the boards of the Georgia Cotton 2,000 pounds. It was picking very break-even for us. Thankfully, we’re Commission and Southern Cotton clean,” adds Jedd. enjoying yields like I’ve not seen Growers, and is an alternate on before, thanks in no small part to the board of Cotton Incorporated. Inputs, Weed Control Deltapine,” Davis says. He will admit serving on industry And The Future boards has broadened his perspecThe commercialization of Bolltive of agriculture, while also makBrad Robb is a freelance writer gard, the Boll Weevil Eradication ing him more outgoing. based in Collierville, Tenn. Go to cotProgram and Roundup get credit “Dad’s always been a shy, quiet tonfarming.com to view the Special from Davis for helping him stay person, but since he’s been particiReports and Yielding Solutions vidin farming. He is looking forpating on these boards, he’s really eos to see how Deltapine varieties are ward to the protection the new come out of his shell and is now yielding solutions to cotton farmers.

Twitter: @CottonFarming

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

Continued from page 8

the escapes before they get too big.” In 2013 and 2014, the father-andson team reported record yields, and despite some challenges, their 2015 yields were impressive overall. “In addition to yield, we are seeing improvement in our cotton quality,” Sledge says. “The staple is getting longer, and the strength is better. The majority of our cotton last year was a 37 or 38 staple. The staple on some of the cotton went as high as 40. The uniformity is getting better, too.” Overcoming Challenges Although most of the Taylors’ fields looked as if a blanket of snow had fallen across them at harvest time, David says 2015 did have its challenges early in the season. “The cotton that we planted on May 6 through May 10 did really well,” he says. “However, the cotton that we planted after that received a lot of rain, and the temperatures cooled off. That was really unusual. Consequently, we had to replant some of those acres.” Sledge adds, “Fortunately, we were able to irrigate some of the cotton that we had to replant, so we could ‘push’ it, and we had a good fertility program. One of the main reasons that the cotton looked so pretty at harvest was that once the first bolls started opening, we didn’t get a single rain. It looked like Texas or Arizona cotton.” Cotton Fits Well “We have land that is suited to cotton,” Sledge says. “Cotton is just

The blanket of white viewed from the cab of the cotton picker last fall looked more like a scene from a Texas or Arizona cotton field to the Taylors. a good fit for us. And it’s good for rotation and spreading our risk. The more diversified we are, the more we can spread our risk in terms of weather and price. “We don’t have a production problem in Mississippi. We can grow the best cotton with good yields. In the past few years, price has led to a decrease in cotton acreage across the

state, but I think the pendulum will swing back. We may not return to the record cotton acreage that we experienced 10 years ago, but I think we will plant more cotton in the future. We are planning on 2016 being a good year.” Contact Carroll Smith at 901-3264443 or csmith@onegrower.com.

Consultant Tucker Miller Appreciates The Importance Of Teamwork For almost a decade, Tucker Miller, Miller Entomological Services in Drew, Miss., has consulted for the Taylors on their farming operation. Although Sledge and David like to make their own variety decisions, Miller provides recommendations on all other practices related to growing cotton, such as soil testing, fertility programs, irrigation timing, plant growth regulator management, weed and insect control and defoliation. “The primary weeds we have to control are resistant pigweed, morningglory and cocklebur that crop up on the hill farm,” Miller says. “The Taylors don’t have a bad weed problem because they are proactive when it comes to weed control. We overlay residuals and plant some LibertyLink varieties as well, although we are careful not to overwork this technology.” Miller also helps the Taylors with variable-rate fertilizer applications based on soil sample results. “In the past, we’ve also made some variable-rate defoliant appli-

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

cations,” he says. “We map out the green spots that may need a little more defoliant than other areas of the field.” In the insect arena, the primary pests with which they do battle are stink bugs and plant bugs. “Plant bug pressure in the hills is not as heavy as it is in the Delta,” Miller says. “Therefore, we may have a two-week interval when we are not spraying for clouded plant bugs as compared to spraying for plant bugs every five to seven days in the Delta. Because of the lack of spraying, stink bugs will build up and typically show up later in the season on nickel-sized bolls. We have to watch for stink bugs because they can cause damage to the crop. “The Taylors have a successful operation because they stay on top of everything that needs to be done. They won’t ‘let a nickel stop a dollar.’ If I recommend a spray, they never hesitate. Timing is everything, and Sledge and David always do the right thing at the right time. They pay attention to details and manage their operation very closely.” COTTONFARMING.COM

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This input can weaken your spray application.

It’s water.

Helena can ﬁx it. Contact your Helena representative for more information.

Cotton Program Reaches 50-Year Milestone

he Cot t on R esea rch a nd P r omot ion P r og ra m (t he Program) will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2016. The Program is carried out by cotton farmers and cotton importers who work together to increase the demand for and profitability of cotton. Its purpose is to educate consumers about cotton and to research, innovate, and promote cotton and cotton products. History By the mid-1960s, cotton had lost many of its traditional markets to new man-made synthetic f ibers. Realizing this, U.S. Upland cotton producers conceived a self-help agriculture promotion program to collectively fight to regain market share that had been lost to synthetic fibers. Their efforts led to the enactment of the Cotton Research and Promotion Act of 1966. In a referendum, producers voted to institute a per-bale assessment system to fund the program and established built-in safeguards to protect their investment. The most significant amendment to the Act occurred in 1990 and expanded the Program to include collections on the cotton content of imported apparel and other products. The Cotton Research and Promotion Act of 1966 established The Cotton Board to administer and oversee the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. The Cotton Board collects the assessment that funds the program from the buyers of U.S. Upland cotton and from importers of cotton products. The Cotton Board also

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

serves as industry liaison with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and works to inform producers and importers of Program activities. The Act also directed The Cotton Board to contract with a separate organization to conduct the actual research and promotion activities. The

original contracting organization was called the Cotton Producer’s Institute, and it operated as a subsidiary of the National Cotton Council. However, in 1970, the Cotton Producer’s Institute became a separate, non-profit entity named Cotton Incorporated. C o t t o n I n c o r p o r a t e d ’s Wo rld Headquarters and Research Center

is in Cary, N.C., and its Consumer Marketing Headquarters is in New York, N.Y. Supporting offices are located around the globe in Mexico City, Osaka, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Program Effectiveness For 50 years, the Program, through Cotton Incorporated, has carried out award-winning national advertising campaigns, enhanced cotton fabrics through countless innovations, improved cotton production and harvesting technologies, and created favorable consumer demand for cotton. The most recently executed USDA-required evaluation of the Program reflected very well on its effectiveness. Because of the Program: • A n nu a l world c on su mer demand for cotton was more than 2 million bales higher per year. • U.S. mill consumption of cotton was 1.2 million bales higher than it would have been without the Program. • U.S. cotton production averaged 500 thousand bales higher. • Importer prof its averaged $900 million higher. • The annual average U.S. farm price for cotton was 5.4 cents per pound higher. As we enter cotton’s next 50 years and cotton is again facing significant competitive challenges, the Program’s leaders have a renewed commitment to the hard work and dedication required to make cotton the preferred fiber for the world. The Cotton Board, which administers CI’s Research and Promotion Program, contributed information for this article. COTTONFARMING.COM

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Specialists Speaking Selecting Varieties For 2016 MISSOURI Mike Milam For all practical purposes, the Missouri cotton crop is either in modules or in bales. It is good to have the crop out of the field. With our weather patterns last year, I knew that we had excellent yield potential if we could get the crop out of the field since a large amount of our acreage was planted past the optimum planting dates. Our weather patterns helped us and hurt us last year. Rainfall was adequate for excellent yields, but planting and harvest were disrupted. We were fortunate this year. In addition to natural rainfall, we had excellent irrigation potential. During dry periods, supplemental irrigation should have helped. When producers were trying to get the highest yields possible, some of the late-season cotton was vulnerable to the excess rainfall and frost. The latest cotton yield projections from the National Cotton Council put our crop at 1,125 pounds per acre. If the projection holds, this will be a new record crop for Missouri producers. In 2014, we had 1,117 pounds per acre. It is anyone’s guess about the acreage for 2016, but with low prices and alternative crops, I expect that our acreage will continue its downward slide. It is hard to believe that Missouri’s harvested acreage in 2006 was 495,000 acres. Harvested acreage in 2015 was 175,000, which is the lowest since 1986. milammr@missouri.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Keith Edmisten This is the time of year for contemplating variety selection for the upcoming season. Variety experience on your farm is an important aspect of variety selection; therefore, we encourage you to try multiple varieties on your farm to gain personal experience. It is also important to look at variety trials results. We have released a variety selection tool called the NC Cotton Variety Performance Calculator. The program is easy to use and will allow you to select varieties and locations for comparison. The program allows you to use Official Variety Trial data and/or on-farm large plot data. The program is available at https://trials.ces.ncsu.edu/ cotton/select_trials/. Some of you may be interested in comparing varieties using North Carolina data as well as data from other states. Cotton Incorporated has put together a variety trial section program with cooperation from state cotton Extension specialists and state OVT programs to allow you to do just that. You can register to use that application at: https:// seedmatrix.com/CottonIncRegistration. keith_edmisten@ncsu.edu

LOUISIANA Dan Fromme Choosing cotton varieties can be difficult, and the availability of different transgenic traits often complicates the process. It is advantageous to have as much information as possible about a variety to make a more informed decision pertaining to variety selection. To assist in this decision-making process, the LSU AgCenter annually conducts official variety trials at the Red River Research Station in Bossier City, Dean Lee Research Station in Alexandria, Macon Ridge Research Station in Winnsboro and Northeast Research Station in St. Joseph. This year, 44 cotton varieties were evaluated at these locations. In addition to the official cotton variety trials, on-farm trials are conducted with producers throughout the state. The objective of the official

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

variety trials and the on-farm trials is to provide as much information as possible concerning a cotton variety’s performance over a range of soil textures and growing conditions. As the new season approaches, variety selection is a key component in the winter planning process, and now is an excellent time to review past year’s results. Review as many public and private company tests in your area as you can before making a variety decision. Results for the 2015 LSU AgCenter cotton variety trials are located at lsuagcenter.com. They can be found by clicking on crops>cotton>varieties. Best of luck in 2016! dfromme@agcenter.lsu.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson Many producers have booked part of their seed for next year. There are several new varieties with new technologies that are worthy of a look. Do your homework regarding new varieties to best place them on your farm. Variety selection is perhaps the most important decision a producer makes. Once planted, no amount of worry, work or money can make up for a poor decision. Our recommendation for planting is that roughly two-thirds of your acres be planted with varieties that are proven on your farm. Of the remaining acres, limit new varieties to no more than 10 percent of your total acreage. The remaining 25 percent should be dedicated to those varieties in which you have limited experience. This strategy provides farm stability, while allowing for evaluation of new varieties. A number of tools are now available to assist you in selecting new varieties for 2016. The primary source is the University Variety Testing Program. Results from the Arkansas trials conducted by Dr. Fred Bourland may be found at http://arkansasvarietytesting.com/home/cotton/. Information is collected and presented in a way to help evaluate fiber quality, maturity, growth characteristics and other variety traits as well as yield. County demonstrations are another good source and are included with this data set. Don’t restrict yourself to your home state or area. In Arkansas, it is appropriate to evaluate variety performance trials from neighboring states in the Mid-South. Evaluating the consistency of a variety under a wide array of conditions will be beneficial. Contact your local county Extension agent to get assistance in obtaining or interpreting variety performance data. brobertson@uaex.edu

FLORIDA David Wright This past growing season showed the benefits of many of the newer cotton varieties as we had periods of wet and then dry weather when it could have been detrimental to yield and cotton quality. Several non-irrigated cotton farmers were very concerned with the lack of rainfall during the bloom period, which is critical for high yield. However, in several cases the newer varieties made 3- to 4-bale cotton and commanded a premium for high quality. This is an example of where the cotton industry has done a good job of breeding not only for yield but quality. Most states will have their cotton variety information available that should be studied closely to find those varieties that do the best in the area. Cotton can still be profitable at today’s price if yields and quality result in premiums. wright@ufl.edu Continued on page 22 COTTONFARMING.COM

Wes Briggs 2015 Cotton Consultant of the Year

Cotton Farming

For more than a quarter century, Wes Briggs has been the â&#x20AC;&#x153;footprints in the field,â&#x20AC;? helping his Georgia cotton farmers achieve the best possible yields.

es Briggs was raised in Greenville, Miss., attended Mississippi State University and later settled in Bainbridge, Ga., where he established Briggs Crop Services, Inc. In the years that ensued, Briggs worked hard to gain the respect and trust of farmers, retailers, Extension and industry personnel. Although he has logged long work weeks punctuated by catching up on late-night paperwork, he is quick to say, “It has never been about me.” Instead, he attributes the success of his consulting business to his farmers, employees and his wife, Beth. “Working for good growers who do things the right way and on time without cutting corners has been a blessing,” he says. “Without them, none of the success I have enjoyed would have been possible.” Briggs also notes, “Regardless of weather, I’ve taken pride in having all of my farms checked on time, and I realize that farmers expect reports when the sun comes up the next day.” To help him achieve this goal, the Georgia consultant surrounds himself with good employees. His are not the only footprints in the field. Briggs has five full-time men that he counts on every day. “We work as a team,” he says. “It’s a joint effort. Currently, these men have been with me from seven to 15 years. I want my growers to feel as comfortable when they speak with one of these guys as they would if they were talking directly to me. It takes time and a lot of hard work to develop this confidence.”

And that effort is not lost on the farmers with whom Briggs works. Steve Jordan, who operates 3J Farms with his brothers, Mike and John, says, “One of the things that I admire most about Wes and his team is that they spend more time in my fields than I do. He provides complete crop services from planting through harvest to achieve the best possible yields. More than one farmer has remarked about what an awesome team Wes has developed over the years.” Chris Walker, who manages three locations for Crop Production Services in Arlington, Donalsonville and Colquitt, Ga., says, “Wes is one of the most respected consultants I know and has one of the best, most well-rounded group of employees in the industry. All of his work is conducted with precision and thoroughness. On a personal note, Wes is a very good friend and an awesome father and husband.” Al Pearson, a long-time friend who has known Wes since 1993, says, “Wes is a pioneer in soil mapping, plant populations, plant growth regulators, irrigation needs, nematodes and fertility. He has championed the use of residual herbicides – both pre and post – along with hand weeding to control resistant pigweed. Wes and his employees monitor cotton growth week by week and count the accumulated DD60s to determine if the cotton is where it needs to be. If not, they make adjustments on a field-by-field basis. “He truly considers each farm and farmer individually and treats them like they are family. His heart is with his growers. Wes rejoices in their good fortunes and feels their pain when Mother Nature throws them a curveball.”

“I tell my guys to never get stagnant — always strive to be excellent when nobody’s watching.”

The staff at Briggs Crop Services, Inc. includes (from left) Coati Courts, Clint Courts, Boyd Pepper, Wes Briggs, Casey Townsend and Chris Tyus.

Wes’s family is very important to him. He credits wife Beth and daughters Mabry-Grace and Emma as being the inspiration that drives his success as a consultant.

Wes Briggs, second from right, says he has been blessed to be able to work with a family partnership like 3J Farms, which is operated by brothers Steve, Mike and John Jordan. Several members of the Jordan family include (from left) John, Dawson, Milo, Cole, Steve, Jason and Mike.

A Passion For Agriculture Over the years, Briggs has grown his business into a full-service crop consulting company. “We offer precision soil sampling, help with variety selection, equipment calibration, fertility recommendations and weed, disease and insect control and harvest recommendations,” he says. “During planting season, we work very closely with the planters to make sure the cotton, corn, peanuts and soybeans are planted at the right depth, population rates and row spacing. I tell my employees, ‘Treat the last field of the day like it is the first and never get stagnant. Strive to be excellent when nobody is watching.’” Br iggs a lso is gratef u l to have “friends in agriculture” to call on for advice. “When questions arise, I know I can turn to Extension and university

Wes Briggs’ Personal And Career History Personal Raised in Greenville, Miss. Briggs and his wife, Beth, now reside in Bainbridge, Ga.

personnel, chemical reps and companies and fellow crop consultants who all share the same passion and have had my back many times,” he says. “I’ve been blessed in so many ways that all the hard work has been worth it. As soon as one crop has been harvested, I can’t wait until the next one is planted. The pressure we feel every summer tests us, but faith, family, friends and a love of agriculture carry us through and continue to pave the way for future generations. “As for being selected as the recipient of the CCOY award, I am proud to be part of a legacy that was started many years ago. The past recipients have paved the way for guys like myself. It is truly an honor and very humbling to have been chosen as the 2015 Cotton Consultant of the Year.”

Career • Earned B.S. degree in Agricultural Pest Management from Mississippi State University. • Worked with Ciba-Geigy as a summer ag laborer in 1987. • Worked with Valent USA in Leland, Miss., in 1989. • Worked at MAFES Department of Entomology under Jack Reed and Randy Luttrell from 1990-92. • Joined Southeast Agricultural Consultants in Vienna, Ga., in 1990. • Moved to south Georgia and worked with Irrigation Services, Inc. on cotton, corn and peanuts in 1995. • Started Briggs Crop Services, Inc. in 2001. • Employs five consultants and provides services to 80,000 acres of cotton, corn, peanuts, soybeans, small grains and vegetables in Georgia, Florida Panhandle and southeast Alabama. • Member and past president of the Georgia Association of Professional Agricultural Consultants.

Family Life Briggs and his wife, Beth, have two daughters, MabryGrace and Emma.

Cotton Consultant of the Year Award Recipients, 1981-2015 1981 Bob Stanford, Flagstaff, Ariz. 1982 Jep Gates, Memphis, Tenn. 1983 Dennis Bouchard, Minter City, Miss. 1984 John Nickelsen, Shafter, Calif. 1985 Dwight Lincoln, Portland, Ark. 1986 Grady Coburn, Cheneyville, La. 1987 Stanley Nemec, Snook, Texas 1988 Robert Moore, Hartsville, S.C. 1989 Curtis Wilhelm, Harlingen, Texas 1990 Mills Rogers, Cleveland, Miss. 1991 Clyde Sartor, Vicksburg, Miss. 1992 John Christian, Raymondville, Texas

1993 Billy McLawhorn, Cove City, N.C. 1994 Dwain Reed, Courtland, Ala. 1995 Barry Aycock, Parma, Mo. 1996 Ray Young, Wisner, La. 1997 Lonnie Bull, Cameron, S.C. 1998 Chuck Farr, Crawfordsville, Ark. 1999 Bob Griffin, Jonesboro, Ark. 2000 Roger Carter, Clayton, La. 2001 Harold Lambert, Innis, La. 2002 Lee Hutchins, Sinton, Texas 2003 Danny Pierce, Princeton, N.C. 2004 Tucker Miller, Drew, Miss.

2005 John Hunter, Lubbock, Texas 2006 Jack Royal, Leary, Ga. 2007 Danny Moore, Marion, Ark. 2008 Ray Young, Wisner, La. (Lifetime Achievement Award) 2009 Joe Townsend, Coahoma, Miss. 2010 Mark Nemec, Waco, Texas 2011 Virgil King, Lexington, Miss. 2012 Tim White, Jonesville, La. 2013 Bob Glodt, Plainview, Texas 2014 Stan Winslow, Belvidere, N.C. 2015 Wes Briggs, Bainbridge, Ga.

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Specialists Speaking Continued from page 16

MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds The onset of a new year also brings the same challenges. Variety selection is one of the most critical decisions a grower makes. In addition, it is a decision that impacts the entire growing season. I have contended for the past several years that cotton growers have more choices of quality varieties than at any other point in history. However, the lifespan of any given variety is likely as short as it has ever been given the continual proliferation of new varieties into the marketplace. The days of evaluating a variety for three years in the public sector prior to release have long since passed, and in many cases, only one or at best, two years of data are available prior to launch. This has created issues with determining where to place a given variety as well as how to manage it. Growers have more access to variety trial data than ever before through the use of smartphones, tablets, etc. A plethora of information is available from a variety of sources on variety performance. However, we greatly lack information on where to place a variety and how to manage it for maximum performance. In many instances, a year or two of experience with a given variety fills these gaps; however, many varieties are on the backend of their lifespan at that point. In addition, in a 65-cent cotton market, taking a year or two to learn how to maximize variety performance is not feasible. Look at as much variety trial data as possible. Pay particular attention to soil textures those varieties were grown on and whether they were irrigated. Do your homework on varieties now to set the stage for a successful 2016. darrind@ext.msstate.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper The variety selection process for the 2016 season will be challenging; multiple varieties tested in our trials were characterized by exceptional yield potential, yield stability and fiber quality. It appears from the 2015 Tennessee data that several of these will be good options for the 2016 season. Although many have been mentioned previously and will likely be mentioned again, it is important to spread risk across multiple varieties representing a range of maturity groups and traits. For our area, we saw several mid-maturing varieties perform well in 2015, given that they were planted very early in the season and managed properly. Still, we are not guaranteed a long summer every year. If mid-maturing varieties are chosen, they should be planted first and should represent a small portion of your acres. Several excellent early and early-mid maturing varieties are available and should comprise the largest portion of your acres. It is also a good idea to diversify your tech trait selection. This will help in resistance management (given labels are approved) and allow you to get a personal view of each of the technologies. For more information on variety selection and results from the 2015 Tennessee Cotton Variety Testing Program, visit news.utcrops. com or follow me on Twitter, @TysonRaper. traper@utk.edu

TEXAS Gaylon Morgan As of Dec. 10, cotton harvesting continued in the Rolling Plains of Texas. Barring more wet weather, we expected to conclude by the end of December. Rain and ice occurred during late November, but no major shifts in cotton fiber quality were expected. Leaf grades were higher than the long-term average for the Rolling Plains, but 75 percent of the classed bales in Abilene remained at 4 or less. Other fiber quality characteristics

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

remained in the expected range for the majority of the ginned bales. Looking to 2016, the general consensus among farmers is a waitand-see approach to crop mix; however, no major shifts in cotton acreage are expected at this time. With current cotton prices and premiums for high-quality fiber, additional consideration to fiber quality is important although pounds still pay the bills. When looking at varietal performance, remember that fiber length and strength are highly hereditable, while microaire is predicted to be about 50 percent genetic and 50 percent environment. Yield and quality stability is another important factor to consider when selecting varieties, and synthesizing information from replicated and local trials is critical to making a solid decision. The Texas cotton variety results, large-plot on-farm trials and small-plot trials can be found at cotton.tamu.edu. Finally, selecting multiple varieties is a good way to spread risks through differences in maturity, disease resistance, etc. Additionally, some Texas growers are considering non-transgenic cotton varieties to reduce upfront input costs. If a producer is considering non-transgenic varieties, yield and fiber data are harder to find but are generally available from small-plot research trials, such as the OVT. gmorgan@tamu.edu

VIRGINIA Hunter Frame As I reflect on 2015, the one word that comes to mind for Virginia (and maybe the entire Southeast) cotton production is DIFFICULT. Yields in Virginia will be lucky to average 800 pounds lint per acre across the state, the lowest average since I began my career almost four years ago. What made 2015 so hard to stomach was that the state came off a record year in 2014. Frequent rain and saturated soils spread harvest out over three to four months and negatively impacted fiber quality. Looking ahead to 2016, producers should rely on multiple year/location variety data when making planting decisions. I encourage Virginia producers to look at OVT data from neighboring states in areas that are similar to their farmsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; soil types and climate. Variety performance in 2015 was highly variable in Virginia with environment and management playing a significant role in variety performance across locations. To determine what varieties are stable and high-yielding, evaluate multiple years and locations for a given variety. This is difficult to do when variety turnover is high, and seed companies have new traits and genetics coming to the market every year. Whenever you shift a large portion of acreage to a relativity new variety, that shift has a certain level of risk. To minimize that risk, gather as much information across environments on the variety as possible. Make sure variety data come from replicated trials. Replication, if done correctly by the researcher, is a statistical tool that ensures variability within a field is taken into account so that yield potential and environment decide the trial â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not soil variability or bias. whframe@vt.edu

ARIZONA Randy Norton There are many decisions made by a grower over the course of a cotton-growing season, but few have as significant and lasting impact on the final outcome of the crop than variety selection. This is a decision that will need to be made soon, so it is time to begin considering your options. Variety evaluations conducted in various locations across Arizona have revealed that there may be as much as $300 per acre in revenue difference when comparing the highest yielding variety to the lowest yielding variety in a given variety evaluation trial. Continued on page 24 COTTONFARMING.COM

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Specialists Speaking Continued from page 22

Selection of a variety that performs poorly in a given area has the possibility of resulting in significant reductions in revenue. There are many information sources available to help make a proper variety selection decision for your farm, including testing results done by seed companies, the university and evaluations you perform on your own farm. Reviewing data from multiple sources will help in making a sound decision on variety selection. We will also be seeing a new set of varieties coming to market with new transgenic traits. Some of these new traits contain new herbicide tolerance options. It is important to become educated on what these technologies are, what they can and cannot do, and how they may be used as a tool in your production operations to enhance weed control efficiency and effectiveness. Upcoming meetings to be conducted by the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension in many locations across Arizona will help provide this important information. Look for announcements about these meetings and more about Arizona variety selection and testing results at cals.arizona.edu/crops. rnorton@email.arizona.edu

TEXAS Mark Kelley As harvest winds down in the Texas High Plains and Panhandle regions, cotton producers will be looking to determine what crops they will plant for the 2016 production season. Cotton acres will depend upon the cotton and other crop market situations in the coming months. Producers who decide to go with cotton will have to determine which cultivar, or variety, will best suit their production management practices and environment. With nearly 90 commercially available varieties to choose from, the task can be daunting. However, there are resources available that can assist in the decision making process. Variety trial results from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Research can be accessed online at www.lubbock.tamu.edu and http://cotton.tamu.edu/. Although yield potential is the most important consideration, fiber quality is also a priority. With supplies high and considerable competition from other cotton-producing regions, states and countries, fiber produced must be of good to excellent quality for cotton production to remain profitable. Other considerations for variety selection include, but are not limited to, soil type, irrigation capacity of systems, water quality, weed pressure (technologies), fertility management, disease and/or nematode pressure, and production practices. When new varieties are considered, producers should plant a limited number of acres until familiar with the genetics and managerial requirements. If weather cooperates, the growing season is suitable for high-yield potential and proper variety selection is made, the 2016 production season should be a success! mkelley@ag.tamu.edu

OKLAHOMA Randy Boman Cotton harvest was still incomplete in the state as of Dec. 10. Fiber quality continued to hold up for most producers. Winter months are a good time for doing much-needed homework on many management topics. There is no doubt that variety selection remains a top priority for many growers. Our research trial harvesting has been completed and we have moved into ginning operations and fiber quality determinations. Thanks to our producer-cooperators, we again had some excellent trials and look forward to getting those summarized for the Beltwide Cotton Conference and our winter meetings. Many producers have questions concerning the performance of the XtendFlex varieties, and we had several opportunities to capture

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

important data. The Red River Crops Conference, a meeting jointly sponsored by Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, will be held on Jan. 20 and 21. This conference rotates back to Altus, Okla., in 2016. The first day will cover winter in-season and alternate summer crops. The second day will be devoted entirely to cotton production topics. We hope to see producers on both sides of the Red River attend this important meeting and should have summaries of various important trials available for distribution. randy.boman@okstate.edu

CALIFORNIA Bob Hutmacher The big question mark for most San Joaquin Valley growers is the uncertain irrigation water supply situation and the degree to which growers may have to rely on groundwater pumping to augment or replace surface water resources. Forecasts related to El NiĂąo have been promising better snow and rainfall months this winter, but they need to materialize and provide average, or above-average, precipitation to rebuild growersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; confidence in this region. Decisions on the type of cotton to grow (Pima versus Uplands) and variety choice are right around the corner. With current and projected prices, it may be reasonable to expect much more interest in Pimas than Uplands/Acalas. Hopefully, Pima planting seed supplies will be adequate to cover increased acreage if water supplies improve. Basic yield results of the University of California trials will be available early to mid-January from your UC Farm Adviser or on the UC cotton website: http://cottoninfo.ucdavis.edu, including fiber quality tables for the included varieties. For fields with either confirmed or suspected significant Fusarium race 4 inoculum, it is recommended that you look at relative Fusarium race 4 susceptibility ratings of varieties in tables at that same website. For the Pima variety trial data, look across multiple trial site results to give you a better handle on what you might expect in your area or soil type. Although we also will have some variety trial data for Uplands/Acala types, the number of test sites in 2015 for Upland variety trials was very limited due to lack of California-based new varieties to test and limited grower interest in providing field test sites. Think about which fields had the most severe growth and yield problems in 2015. Use that information to help decide where alternative varieties with better vigor or conversely, more manageable vegetative growth, would best fit your operations. If you are providing a high level of inputs to consistently aim for very high yields, it may be useful to note that during some farm calls last year, a couple of things things were evident: (1) some fields that had been deficit-irrigated or that had been irrigated with somewhat saline groundwater were showing signs of damaging soil salinity in crop root zones; and (2) an increasing number of fields were found that could benefit from improved fertility management decisions. Cotton is not particularly salt-sensitive. If water supplies remain inadequate to properly leach ground that has been salinized by practices the past few years, cotton may be a better choice than vegetables for the coming year. There may be a tendency to cut back on soil fertility evaluations and P and K fertilizer applications due to cost constraints. However, some periodic assessments in university trials have pointed out some K deficiencies (and even some P deficiencies) with the potential to be yield-limiting in high fruit load situations with cotton. To a greater extent in 2013 but again in some 2015 fields, the occurrence of K and/ or P deficiencies was more common with the combination of high fruit load plants under drip irrigation, where deficit drip irrigation can tend to restrict the wetted soil root volume. Some soil tests to assess relative P and K levels in the surface 2 feet of soil might be worth a look if not tested for a while. rbhutmacher@ucdavis.edu COTTONFARMING.COM

Workshop Touts Irrigation Practices

armers can improve irrigation efficiency by understanding the environmental factors that affect their operation and by using technology to make better decisions, experts with the LSU AgCenter and National Resources Conservation Services said at a recent workshop. Temperature, humidity, solar radiation and wind speed affect how much water plants consume. Consider those environmental factors when irrigating to adequately provide water to crops, says AgCenter weed scientist Josh Copes. Soil type is another factor. As crops near maturity, check that the soil profile is full of water before stopping irrigation. Scheduling irrigation minimizes soil and nutrient losses and improves yields, says AgCenter irrigation engineer Stacia Davis. Soil type affects how water moves. “Sand has much larger particles, resulting in larger pore spaces, so it can’t hold much water because it’s going to move through very quickly,” Davis says. Silty loam and clay soils hold water for a longer time. Flow meters, which monitor how much water flows through the pipe, are useful tools. Soil moisture sensors help farmers decide if they need to irrigate. Many different types are available, including some which yield data that can be viewed remotely online or using a smartphone app. Surface Water, Furrow Irrigation Surface water is typically less expensive to pump. But not everyone has easy access to a body of water and must draw groundwater from a well. Some surface water bodies, such as bayous, fluctuate more than others. When the water level is lower, it must be lifted a greater distance, which uses more energy. A handheld tachometer, or RPM gauge, is a valuable tool for testing pump efficiency. In furrow irrigation, the number and size of holes in poly irrigation tubing affect efficiency. Computerized hole-selection software, including PHAUCET and Pipe Planner, determines the best way to punch holes using data that farmers upload. NRCS agronomist Chris Coreil said the agency offers financial assistance to producers who want to try new practices and technologies, including

tailwater recovery systems, surge valves and cover crops. Salinity in irrigation water is a growing problem in Louisiana, says AgCenter water quality specialist Changyoon Jeong. In clay soils that hold water, salt accumulates on the surface at the beginning of the irrigation period, which harms soil health. In sandy soils, the salt leaches into the ground and pollutes groundwater.

Farmers can send soil samples to the AgCenter soil lab to determine how much salt it contains. James Hendrix, AgCenter northeast area agent, says the Louisiana Master Farmer Program helps producers voluntarily implement practices that reduce runoff and make more sustainable management decisions. LSU AgCenter contributed this article.

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Twitter: @CottonFarming

RAINBOW P L A N T

F O O D

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

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Field Test Bruce Kirksey

Agricenter’s Season In Review

ennessee cotton acreage is down 38 percent from last year. Producers in Tennessee planted 275,000 acres in 2014, and it is reported that 170,000 acres were planted in 2015. We are hopeful that cotton will rebound in Tennessee and the Mid-South. We will still conduct trials and evaluate all of the new cotton varieties and products that will be coming to the market. There are a lot of varieties with new technologies that will be valuable to our cotton producers. I am very proud of the fact that the Agricenter gets to work with a lot of these companies. We hope the data that are provided will help the companies make useful decisions and help producers make good decisions for their farming operations as well. Spring Prep And Planting We got off to a good start preparing our fields for planting. We were able to run a chisel plow through the research field this spring to help break up the traffic pan. Our soil at the Agricenter is prone to developing a traffic pan about 6 to 8 inches deep. Preplant fertilizer had been applied, and all of our hipped ground for cotton was ready to plant by mid-April. We generally try to plant our cotton by May 10. The 2015 cotton trial was planted on May 6, quite a bit earlier than we were able to plant in 2014, and the cotton was harvested on Oct. 9. We received 1.1 inch of rain just a few days after planting. During the growing season, we received 21.64 inches of rainfall. DD60s averaged 20.6 heat units for the month of June, 23 for July, and 18 heat units for August. We accumulated 2,635 heat units total for the 2015 cotton-growing season. In-Season Applications Our cotton variety trials were managed for optimum yields and quality. The variety trials were conducted

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

Americot Variety

Deltapine Lbs Lint/A

NG 1511B2RF 1,415

PhytoGen Variety

Lbs Lint/A

PHY 333WRF 1,457 PHY 495WRF 1,591

Stoneville/FiberMax Variety

Lbs Lint/A

ST 4646GLB2 FM 1944GLB2

1,481 1,524

Variety

Lbs Lint/A

DP 0912B2RF

1,467

Site Description Crop Cotton Soil type Falaya silt loam Fertilizer 80-80-80 Date planted 5-6-15 Row spacing 38” Date harvested 10-9-15 Plot dimensions 2 rows by 30’ by 3 reps Irrigation none

on a Falaya silt loam with pH of 6.6 and organic matter content of 1.2 percent. We applied Cotoran plus Dual Magnum preemergence and came back with two over-the-top applications of glyphosate. We also came in with a post-direct rig at layby. At about 60 percent open bolls, we went with a half rate of a defoliant and 8 ounces of a plant growth regulator. This seemed to work extremely well. We knocked some of the top leaves off, which allowed more air to circulate under the crop. Ten days later, we applied a full shot of Folex, followed by a full shot of PGR. By the time we harvested in October, most of the leaves were off, and most of the top bolls were open.

that we had this year on that particular location with the cotton planted on a certain date. Consult your university variety trials and local county variety trials, as well as data from the seed companies. Be sure to attend local grower meetings. Gather this information prior to making your variety decisions for next year. It may be a good idea to choose your varieties now for planting in 2016. The Agricenter and I would like to thank everyone for their support and assistance in fulfilling our commitment to those in the agricultural industry. We hope that you had a good year and wish you much success in the upcoming season.

Do Your Homework As I have said before, there are an awful lot of good cotton varieties on the market, and it seems that every year we test very good experimental lines. When gathering your data, look at other trials that have been conducted in your area, and, if possible, multi-year data as well. The Agricenter represents just one location, and the data presented here corresponds to the growing conditions

Bruce Kirksey, Ph.D., is director of research for the 1,000-acre Agricenter International in Memphis, Tenn. The Agricenter works with industry, universities and other organizations to provide a professional forum for testing, evaluation, education and marketing of the latest scientific advances, including crop genetics and chemistries, production technologies and new crop assessments. Contact Kirksey at 901757-7754 or bkirksey@agricenter.org. COTTONFARMING.COM

COURTESY OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

Among the projects that CRP will provide cost-share funding is wildlife habitat development, such as offered at this Missouri pond.

CRP Enrollment Opens

griculture Secretary Tom Vilsack reminds farmers and ranchers that the next general enrollment period for the Conservation Reserve Program ends on Feb. 26, 2016. Also, December 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of CRP, a federally funded program that assists agricultural producers with the cost of restoring, enhancing and protecting certain grasses, shrubs and trees to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and reduce the loss of wildlife habitat.

Softens Economic Hardship Participants in CRP establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees (known as “covers”) to control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat on marginally productive agricultural lands. The Farm Service Agency provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. At times when commodity prices are low, enrolling sensitive lands in CRP can be especially attractive to farmers and ranchers, as it softens the economic hardship for landowners at the same time that it provides ecological benefits. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years. The long-term goal of the program is to re-establish native plant species on marginal agricultural lands for the primary purpose of preventing soil erosion and improving water quality and related benefits of reducing loss of wildlife habitat. Contracts on 1.64 million acres of CRP are set to expire Sept. 30, 2016. Producers with expiring Twitter: @CottonFarming

contracts or farmers with environmentally sensitive land are encouraged to evaluate options under CRP. Since it was established on Dec. 23, 1985, CRP has: • Prevented more than 9 billion tons of soil from eroding – enough soil to fill 600 million dump trucks; • Reduced nitrogen and phosphorous runoff on annually tilled land by 95 and 85 percent, respectively; • Sequestered an annual average of 49 million tons of greenhouse gases, equal to taking 9 million cars off the road. Since 1996, CRP has created nearly 2.7 million acres of restored wetlands. To learn more, visit your FSA office or www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation. Vital Legislation The Conservation Reserve Program was re-authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. Since enactment, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers, strengthening risk management tools and expanding access to rural credit. Additional provisions of the CRP are funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.

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 CropScience 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 CropScience 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 CropScience 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. 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. ©2014 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. Excell ence 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.BayerCropScience.us CR0714STONEVA094V00R0 B-27081-1

USDA contributed this article. COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

Seed Source 1-2 horiz ad 13 _CF 11/13 template 11/13/13 2:51 PM Page 37

Industry News Cotton Researcher D.D. ‘Dick’ Hardee Dies In Greenville, Miss. Dr. D.D. (Dick) Hardee, well-known cotton entomologist, passed away Nov. 19, 2015. He was 77 years old. Dick began his 40-year career as an entomologist in 1964 when he accepted a position as research entomologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service at the Boll Weevil Research Laboratory at Mississippi State University in Starkville. His assignment was to work with chemists to isolate and identify the sex pheromone (attractant) produced by the male boll weevil and to develop effective and long-lasting formulations of the attractant, which he named “grandlure,” to be used in inexpensive and effective traps for eliminating this costly insect from the United States. Dick is widely known for his many contributions, along with countless associates, in achieving U.S. eradication of the boll weevil, affectionately known in cotton circles as the “$15 billion insect.” His other contributions include the

ownership of four U.S. patents, two of which were licensed and commercialized; more than 200 publications in scientific journals; 25 chapters in books; and more than 100 invitations to make oral presentations. He served from 1989-2003 as co-chairman of the National Cotton Council’s Beltwide Cotton Insect Research and Control Conference.

New 3NV Nozzle System Wins Two Awards Nelson Irrigation’s 3030 Series Pivot Sprinklers with the new 3NV Nozzle System received the Irrigation Association’s New Product Award for Agriculture as well as the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineer’s AE50 Award. The Irrigation Association’s New Product Contest winners were announced at the General Session at the IA show in Long Beach, Calif., on Nov. 20. First-place and honorable mention winners were recognized in four categories: agriculture, golf, turf/landscape and specialty. Products were evaluated by a panel of judges based

on innovative and/or “changed for the better” qualities, increased water efficiency, ease of use, cost benefits, time savings and design quality. This is the third New Product award Nelson has received from the IA since 2002 when the contest began. AE50 awards honor the year’s most innovative designs in engineering products or systems for the food and agriculture industries. The 3030 Series and the 3NV Nozzle will be featured in the January/February 2016 special AE50 issue of ASABE’s magazine, Resource: Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World. Nelson Irrigation Corporation, headquartered in Walla Walla, Wash., plans, designs, manufactures and sells proprietary products for the irrigation equipment market. For more information, please visit www.nelsonirrigation.com.

2016 LACA Annual Meeting Scheduled For February Paragon Casino Resort in M ar k s vi l l e, L a., wi l l again be the venue for the 2016 Louisiana

Getting Back To The Basics: Conventional Cotton Seed

• Plant Early • Yield More • Make More $ Seed Source Genetics offers COLD TOLERANT, high yield, conventional cottonseed at a low cost to producers in the Mid-South, Southeast and Texas. Our goal is to make cotton farming profitable again.

* New Varieties available from Seed Source Genetics for the 2014 growing season in limited supply. • UA103 • UA222 Varieties • HQ 110 CT • HQ 210 CT • HQ 211 CT Currently • HQ 212 CT • HQ 310 CT • CT Linwood For more information contact:

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eejungmann@gmail.com www.seedsourcegenetics.com 28

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

COTTONFARMING.COM

Industry News Agricultural Consultants’ Association Annual Meeting and the Louisiana A g r i c u l t u r a l Te c h n o l o g y & Management Conference. The conference will begin with lunch sponsored by BASF Corp. on Feb. 17 and end with recertification for consultants and commercial applicators at noon Feb. 19. Certain sessions will qualify for Certified Crop Advisers’ Continuing Education Units. There will be a pre-conference symposium featuring irrigation management beginning on Tuesday morning and concluding on Wednesday at noon. Pre-registration will be necessary for this workshop due to limited space. Contact Stacia Davis (sdavis@ agcenter.lsu.edu) or 318-741-7430 ext. 1105 for more information. A silent auction and raffle will be held to benefit the Ray and Dorothy Young Endowed Assistantship for Row Crop IPM at the meeting again this year. For more information about the silent auction and raffle, contact Matt Myers, executive board director, at AMSMattM@aol.com, 318854-4411; or Denise Wright, LACA executive director, at denise@laca1. org, 337-945-3694. Also contact Denise for further information on the upcoming conference. The preliminary program, registration form, hotel memorandum and other conference information can be found at www.laca1.org.

Deltapine Class of 16 Online Event

✓

The Online Event, which will be held at 9 a.m. (CST) Jan. 13, 2016, is free and open to the cotton community.

✓

Watch Dave Albers and Keylon Gholston present the new Deltapine Class of 16 Varieties, which will be announced at the New Product Evaluators Summit on Dec. 12.

✓ ✓ ✓

Submit your questions throughout the video. The Online Event will be hosted by Cotton Farming magazine. Stay tuned for more Online Event details and registration instructions.

Come Join Us In Orlando!

Nominations Open For Agriculturalist Of The Year The California State Fair is seeking nominations for the 2016 Agriculturalist of the Year. The Agriculturalist of the Year award is presented to an individual who has moved the state’s agricultural industry in a positive direction through demonstrated leadership. Individuals nominated must have clearly represented the industry over a number of years in one or more of the following areas: finance, government, production agriculture, education, labor, research, communications, trade and public service. 2016 Agriculturalist of the Year nomination forms can be found on the California State Fair website under Agricultural Advisory Council (http:// www.castatefair.org/agricultural-advisory-council/). Nominations must be received by Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

NAICC ANNUAL MEETING AND AG PRO EXPO January 27-30, 2016 BuenaVista Palace • Lake BuenaVista, FL For information call: (901) 861-0511

•

www.naicc.org

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers for “Made for Me” Advertisement for Deltapine

Bollgard II® XtendFlex® cotton contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup ® brand agricultural herbicides, dicamba, the active ingredient in M1691, and glufosinate, the active ingredient in Liberty® brand herbicides. Roundup ® brand agricultural herbicides 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 Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System weed control programs. As of November 1, 2015 no dicamba herbicide product has been approved for commercial in-crop use with Bollgard II ® XtendFlex® Cotton. DO NOT APPLY DICAMBA HERBICIDE IN-CROP TO Bollgard II XtendFlex Cotton in 2016 unless a dicamba herbicide product is approved that is specifically labeled for that use in the location where you intend to make the 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 Bollgard II XtendFlex Cotton. IT IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW TO MAKE AN IN-CROP APPLICATION OF ANY DICAMBA HERBICIDE PRODUCT ON BOLLGARD II XTENDFLEX COTTON UNLESS THE PRODUCT LABELING SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZES THAT USE. 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. Insect control technology provided by Vip3A is utilized under license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. Growers may utilize the natural refuge option for varieties containing the Bollgard II® trait in the following states: AL, AR, FL, GA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MS, MO, NC, OK, SC, TN, VA, and most of Texas (excluding the Texas counties of Brewster, Crane, Crockett, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Loving, Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, Terrell, Val Verde, Ward and Winkler). The natural refuge option does not apply to Bollgard II® cotton grown in areas where pink bollworm is a pest, including CA, AZ, NM, and the above listed Texas counties. It also remains the case that Bollgard® and Bollgard II ® cotton cannot be planted south of Highway 60 in Florida, and that Bollgard® cotton cannot be planted in certain other counties in the Texas panhandle. Refer to the Technology Use Guide and IRM/Grower Guide for additional information regarding Bollgard II, Bollgard, natural refuge and EPA-mandated geographical restrictions on the planting of B.t. cotton. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup ® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup ® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Bollgard II ®, Genuity Design®, Genuity ®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup Technology®, Roundup ® and XtendFlex® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Dedicated to Cotton. Committed to You.® and Deltapine ® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Company. LibertyLink and the Water Droplet Design® is a registered trademark of Bayer. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2016 Monsanto Company. DP-16009-CF-LC-JAN

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

SPECIAL REPORT

Deltapine Announces Four New Varieties

mproved fiber quality, stable high-yield performance and a better weed control system are among the solutions being brought to market with four new Deltapine Class of 16 cotton varieties. Announced on Dec. 12 to more than 140 farmers at the 2015 New Product Evaluator Summit in San Antonio, Texas, the new cotton varieties were proven to perform by NPE farmers, who grew them in large-acre plots under their own management systems. “These four Bollgard II XtendFlex cotton varieties raise the bar on yield and fiber quality potential,” says Keylon Gholston, Deltapine product manager. DP 1646 B2XF DP 1646 B2XF is similar to DP 1050 B2RF and broadly adapted to full-season markets in the Southeast, Mid-South and Texas. In 2015 testing, DP 1646 B2XF showed yield potential equal to, or greater than, all top check varieties. In high-stress environments and low-stress situations, it outperformed existing commercial varieties. In testing at 50 sites in the lower Mid-South and lower Southeast, DP 1646 B2RF averaged 100 pounds per acre more than PHY 499 WRF. “It was by far the best cotton in our NPE trial, averaging 1,518 pounds per acre,” says Rodney Dawson of Hawkinsville, Ga. “It had an average loan of 51.47 cents. Micronaire was 4.6. The staple was 38. The strength was 29.40. Uniformity was 80.5.” DP 1639 B2XF This new mid-maturity variety travels well across soil types and growing regions with improved fiber quality performance over DP 1538 B2XF. When planted on high-production soil types with good irrigation, DP 1639 B2XF may require aggressive PGR management. It has demonstrated stable yield performance. “I like the way it came up and the way it grew off,” says Jack Huerkamp of Macon, Miss. “It averaged 1,721 pounds per acre. It also graded well.”

DP 1614 B2XF Across 77 testing locations, DP 1614 B2XF yielded on par with DP 1522 B2XF, but delivered much better quality overall, including better staple and length. It also delivered better fiber quality than popular early maturity competitor varieties. It has a maturity similar to DP 0912 B2RF and adapts well to a wide range of soil types. It demonstrated outstanding yield potential in NPE trials. DP 1614 B2XF averaged 1,358 pounds per acre, beating DP 1518 B2XF by an average of 150 pounds per acre in NPE plots managed by Pace Hindsley of Marvell, Ark. “DP 1614 B2XF has huge potential,” he says. “I am as excited about cotton production as I have ever been.” DP 1612 B2XF DP 1612 B2XF showed stable, highend yield performance in NPE plots and other testing in 2015. Its best fit appears to be the Texas High Plains, especially north of Lubbock, where it won yield tests in irrigated and dryland conditions. It also performed well in the Mid-South, has a large seed size and excellent seedling vigor, and responds well to PGR management. “It yielded 2,052 pounds per acre under pivot irrigation at an altitude of 3,700 feet,” says Greg Martin of Brownfield, Texas. “The cotton went into the loan at 56.6 cents and delivered outstanding fiber quality, with good staple and length. It also has Bollgard II XtendFlex (cotton technology), which we need for more efficient weed control. Once approved, the use of dicamba will be another tool to help control resistant weeds.” The Deltapine Class of 16 varieties represent improvements in yield and fiber quality potential and include Bollgard II XtendFlex cotton technology that, upon regulatory approvals, will allow three modes of action over the top for a more flexible and reliable weed management program. Deltapine contributed this article. COTTONFARMING.COM

COTTON

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

plate 3/7/14 3:26 PM Page 1

What’s In Your Gin Safety Program?

Over the past few months with the increased presence of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in many industries, the question is continuing to come up: What is your safety program? As we’ve been working with our members, their answer typically is, “We show the videos.” Or they point to the association’s safety reference manual that was provided to them. This just isn’t going to cut it much longer I’m afraid. In the Southeast, we’ve seen more of OSHA than we really want to see since the new reporting rules kicked in. Although there is no requirement for a “safety program,” there are requirements for training in certain areas. We often leave it up to the “videos” to do the training. Although the authors of those videos have done a terriﬁc job of trying to incorporate as much variety as possible, they can only do so much. No two gins are exactly alike, and nothing will replace you, your gin superintendent or head ginner going through each person’s job and making sure all the steps are covered. Try to imagine how a person can get hurt when doing a job or not following the rules. The videos should be used as a basis, and then train the employees on how to do their jobs safely. OSHA is currently seeking comments on a new guideline

to what makes a comprehensive safety program. These pieces are mostly not new, and anyone who has opened any of the regional ginners association’s safety program manuals will find that most, if not all, of the elements are in there. OSHA looks for these things: 1. management leadership; 2. worker participation; 3. hazard identification and assessment; 4. hazard prevention and control; 5. education and training; 6. program evaluation and improvement; and 7. coordination and communication on multi-employer worksites. If your safety program has all of these elements, you’re doing great. Keep it up. This article doesn’t have the space or time to dissect each element, but it’s really not that difficult to do these things. They don’t all have to be done at one time, and many can and should be done in the off-season when there’s not a lot

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of other pressures on the leadership at the gin. Your ginners association staff can be a great help in finding what might work for you. The safety manuals have examples of things to use to build these elements, but no manual or video will know all of your equipment, procedures or processes, so you have to make it your own. No two safety programs will be the same, just like no two cotton gins are the same. We’re here to help.

LEC-200 Electronic Seed Scale

Dusty Findley of the Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association contributed this article. Contact him at 706-344-1212 or dusty@ southern-southeastern.org.

Gin Safety Lesson Tips The National Cotton Ginners Association offers the following tips to make gin safety lessons more effective: n Safety meetings should be held at regular intervals during the season. Safety is a state of mind, and regular reminders can make gin workers more conscious of dangers. n Meetings should be held at a convenient time for everyone.

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Oil Free Air Cylinders & Valves Double Cylinders – Upper & Lower 100+ Bale per Hour Capacity

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Lummus Corporation has available the following quality, high-capacity used gin machinery. All machinery is offered “as is, where is” (unless noted otherwise) and is subject to prior sale. “As is” machinery can be repaired/reconditioned for an additional charge. 1 – Consolidated 96” R-5000 Stick Machine* 2 – Consolidated 120” R-5000 Stick Machines* 1 – Lummus 60” overshot Standard Battery Condenser* 1 – Consolidated 72” undershot Standard Battery Condenser* 1 – Consolidated 72” undershot MC Battery Condenser*

Cotton Ginners Marketplace

1 – 1997 model Ginning/Lint Cleaning Line, consisting of a 96” wide Model 700TM Feeder, 170-Saw ImperialTM III Gin, Super-Jet® Lint Cleaner, and tandem (2) Model 108 Lint Cleaners, with all guards, duct work, and related items 2 – Lummus Model 66 Lint Cleaners with Condensers 1 – Belt-Wide 75-HP Flooded-Suction Hydraulic Booster Pumping Unit 1 – Lubbock Electric Hydraulic Pumping Unit for Gin Dor-Les® or E.E. Dor-Les® Press (single reservoir with multiple motor/pump groups) 1 – Lummus Bale Handling System for up-packing press 1 – Lot, miscellaneous Burner and Moisture Unit components (contact us for details)

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

* - does not include any Steel Supports or Platforms

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COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

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n Each safety lesson should be conducted in the area of the gin that is most applicable. n Select a place near the equipment being discussed where people can be comfortable and are free of distractions. n If you are talking about portable equipment, such as ladders and hand-tools, have them with you so you may refer to them during the discussion. n Don’t let anything interrupt the meeting. Before you start, make arrangements for someone to answer your phone and take messages. n Let your employees know that you are limiting the meeting to between 5 and 10 minutes. If discussion gets hot and heavy, continue it at the next meeting. n You may want to read the lesson aloud or present it in your own words, or you may state the subject of the discussion and ask questions to develop interaction among the workers. n After your presentation, encourage discussion among employees. Review recent on-the-job accidents. Ask for suggestions about how the accident could have been prevented or the violation corrected. Don’t criticize anyone by name in front of the group. n Encourage employees to recall “near misses” – situations when they came close to having an accident. Try to get everyone in the group to learn from these experiences. n Keep a record of the lesson. The job is not done until you fill out the back of the lesson plan and put it on file. This record could be critical to the gin in the future.

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Channel Saws

Our precision CNC fabricating equipment enables us to produce the highest quality gin brushes and channel saws at a very competitive price. When it comes to our products, we use only the highest quality “Made in the USA” raw materials available. We know gin machinery and the conditions in which it has to perform, and our brushes and channel saws are manufactured to an exacting standard for the modern cotton gin.

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RAM Brushes & Channel Saws or give us a call

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Cotton’s Calendar 2016

Cotton Ginners Marketplace

Jan. 5-7: BWCC, New Orleans, La. Jan. 13-14: Cotton/Rice Conference, Memphis, Tenn. Jan. 20-23: Southern/Southeastern Meeting, Savannah, Ga. Jan. 27: Ga. Cotton Commission Meeting, Tifton, Ga. Feb. 5-7: NCC Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas. Feb. 17-19: Louisiana Agricultural Technology & Management Conference, Marksville, La. Feb. 29-March 3: Cotton Board Meeting, Memphis, Tenn. June 7-9: Cotton Incorporated Meeting, Dallas, Texas. July 31-Aug. 3: Southern/Southeastern Board Meeting, Amelia Island, Fla. Aug. 2-4: C. Board/Cotton Inc. Meeting, Scottsdale, Ariz. Aug. 24-26: NCC Board Meeting, Memphis, Tenn.

2017 Jan. 4-6: BWCC, Dallas, Texas. Jan. 18-21: Southern/Southeastern Annual Meeting, Charlotte, N.C. Feb. 10-12: NCC Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas. Feb. 28-March 1: Cotton Board March Meeting. Twitter: @CottonFarming

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

My Turn Behind The Scenes At ‘Camp Carver’

One summer, Daddy gave me a little piece of ’m not certain whether other farm kids felt the ground to have an okra patch. Of course, he planted way I did growing up. it, and I’m pretty sure he also weeded and watered We lived several miles it. But I harvested it. If you’ve never cut okra “south of town” and, when before, it can be a very itchy job. Throw in the heat I was young, it seemed like of a Mississippi Delta summer and you’ve got all the the most isolated place on makings of a nightmare. It was not in vain – that earth. Daddy always said I summer I bought a pony with my earnings! His was “sittin’ on G and waitin’ name was Stormy, and he definitely lived up to it. My oldest brother Jim had a garage band except on O” wanting to catch the they “jammed” in the gazebo that he and Daddy next ride to town. When my school friends built. We were the little kids and not allowed inside Lia made plans to go to Camp to participate. Instead, we would hang out of the Guthrie Soaring Hawk for several upstairs window and listen. I can still hear the fun-filled weeks, I was so echoes of “Joy to the World” – and not the Christmas envious. They were going to canoe, ride horses and carol. In our opinion, they were rock stars. It wasn’t until I grew up that I realized Camp all sorts of other “cool” things. It was understood that my summers would be spent at “Camp Carver” Carver was probably a lot more fun than any other gathering eggs. My father was an egg farmer – now camp around. And we got to do it all year long, not for just a few weeks out the term is “commercial of the summer. In lookegg producer.” “We played army in the cotton ing back, our house was I have two older brothers and a little sister. We field with dirt clod grenades.” much like an episode of the Waltons. When we were each other’s playwere in high school (and mates on the farm. Most of the antics occurred between my brother, Joe, and even into college), our house was the place to hang me. We are the two middle kids…aka, the black out. All of our friends loved coming to the farm for sheep. We pushed every limit we could – jumping the weekend. Some of them even gathered eggs! There are many other episodes I can recall, such off the growing pens to see who could go the farthest, racing each other down the long (and I mean as killing snakes, learning to shoot a shotgun, pickloooong) rows in the chicken houses gathering eggs ing up pecans, wading in the ditches after a big to see who could make it to the end of the aisle first. rain, riding with Daddy to Granny’s early every If you won, you got to take your eggs into the big summer morning…all a part of a wonderful childcooler and wait until the other one finished. It was hood with my father playing a very big role. This past May, we lost Daddy. I can say he was heaven in the cooler in July. We played army in the cotton field (dirt clods truly my inspiration. He was loving, generous, kind, made great grenades – it really is a wonder we humble, a great sport, funny, athletic, and a wondidn’t “put somebody’s eye out”). Another favor- derful friend and father. He was my hero, and I ite place was the barn…many wonderful pieces of adored him. Daddy taught me so many wonderful life lessons and made sure that growing up “in the equipment to play on unbeknownst to my folks. Probably the “funnest” time we ever had was country” was a great experience and prepared me when we could get little sister, Leesa, to try to for the future. The most important things he taught “play” with us. She is only 14 months younger than me were to thank the Good Lord for something I am, and it was especially fun because she was so every day, do something nice for somebody else, do “girly.” She was also a tattletale. Needless to say, something you love and make sure you laugh every she was the target of many threats – “If you don’t day. You get extra points if it’s at yourself. jump off this roof (or tree), you’re a sissy.” I might – Lia Guthrie, Redwood Valley, Calif. have been the cause (inadvertently, of course) of her lguthrie@onegrower.com breaking her arm – twice. Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling unusual “farm tales” or timely stories from across the Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting story to tell, send a short summary to csmith@onegrower.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

COTTON FARMING JANUARY 2016

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2:51pm Lake Village, AR Not a weed in sight. Can’t wait until harvest.

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