Cotton Farming January 2021 by One Grower Publishing

Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

JANUARY 2021

www.cottonfarming.com

Louisiana Consultant Hank Jones Pays Tribute To Friends And Legends Cotton Shines In Oklahoma North Carolina Honors ‘Mr. Boll Weevil’

Planning Season Cotton Farming Hosts Q&A With Past CCOY Recipients

OWN THE EARLY

OW N THE E A RLY

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

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Vol. 65 No. 1

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

JANUARY 2021

www.cottonfarming.com

FE ATURES

Planning Season

Before the pandemic changed how many people conducted business, crop consultants like Texans Paul Pilsner and his wife, Yolanda, (both center) met in person with farmer clients to plan for the upcoming year. Cotton Farming recently held a Q&A session with several former recipients of the Cotton Consultant of the Year award, including Paul, to learn what topics are top of mind for the 2021 planning season and more.

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

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Editor’s Note Cotton’s Agenda Southeast Report

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Specialists Speaking My Turn

ON THE COVER: This field that borders Highway 61 in the Mississippi Delta is rowed up and ready to go for 2021. Cover photo by Carroll Smith.

FRIENDS AND LEGENDS Louisiana crop consultant Hank Jones pays tribute to AgFax founders Owen Taylor and his wife, Debra Ferguson.

‘MR. BOLL WEEVIL’ North Carolina’s Marshall Grant was instrumental in acquiring broad support for the Boll Weevil Eradication Program across the Cotton Belt.

OKLAHOMA COTTON SHINES Cotton specialist Seth Byrd recaps the state’s 2020 cotton season. Favorable conditions during critical growth stages supported above-average yields.

GINNERS MARKETPLACE

the official publication of the ginning industry J. Kelley Green, Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association, reports that U.S. Department of Labor wage and hour inspectors hit gins in South and Central Texas.

WEB EXCLUSIVE North Carolina State University cotton specialists Guy Collins and Keith Edmisten have compiled the state's on-farm fiber quality results for 2020. Their report also includes a table that illustrates the average fiber quality values for each cotton variety across all North Carolina on-farm trials last year. In addition to yield, fiber quality should be considered when selecting varieties. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.

Preseason Planning

CornSouth ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

Southern Production & Marketing Strategies

January 2021

SUPPLEMENT Look for Corn South following page 14 in the Mid-South and Southeast editions of Cotton Farming. To have industry news and content delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for the monthly e-newsletter at www.cornsouth.com.

A Supplement to Cotton Farming and The Peanut Grower Magazines

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JANUARY 2021 | COTTON FARMING

Editor’s Note

Cotton Farming

Carroll Smith

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

A New Year’s Toast To Those Who Keep The Wheels Turning

ithout a doubt, every segment of the cotton industry is important. Each one is intertwined with the others and has a role to play as we all strive for success. The traditional New Year’s toast to celebrate a new beginning has been around a long time and practiced by many. Today, I would like to raise a glass to our cotton consultants. I am singling them out after noticing their heavy presence in this issue of Cotton Farming. They are the ones who keep the wheels turning for their farmer clients and treat the crop as if it were their own. Five independent consultants are featured in the cover story — Eddy Cates, Tucker Miller, Paul Pilsner, Jack Royal and Mark Scott. During the growing season, they go to work before dawn and typically don’t knock off until way past dark. They walk miles in their farmers’ fields, watching the cotton crop like a hawk. Before a new season begins, consultants get together with their clients to reflect on the past year and plan strategy for the upcoming one. Cotton Farming recently conducted a question-and-answer session with the consultants named above to hear their thoughts on several timely topics. A synopsis of their answers appears on page 6. Cotton Farming also is proud to co-sponsor with Syngenta the Cotton Consultant of the Year award that began in 1981. This annual recognition program offers an opportunity to honor a consultant who has made great contributions to the cotton industry through outstanding customer relations, leadership and innovation. A call for nominations goes out in the summer, then the past award winners vote on the new recipient. Some hints about who the 2020 CCOY is are provided on page 6. Look for the special tribute in the February issue to read all about his consulting business and approach to serving farmer clients. Cotton consultants are also appreciative of others in the industry who call on their expertise to share on various platforms. On page 8, Louisiana cotton consultant Hank Jones wrote a beautiful tribute to Owen Taylor and his wife, Debra Ferguson, who founded AgFax many years ago. We were saddened to learn that the couple passed away unexpectedly in December. As former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in their dreams.” I think the entire industry believes in U.S. cotton’s potential to be a bright star in our agricultural universe. And our cotton consultants are the ones who keep the wheels turning to make that happen. As we embark on the 2021 season, we raise a glass to them in appreciation and wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year.

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

COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2021

Southeast Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Art Director Ashley Kumpe ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher Carroll Smith (901) 326-4443 Sales Manager Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Production Manager Kathy Killingsworth (901) 767-4020 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com Audience Services Kate Thomas (847) 559-7514 For subscription changes or change of address, call (847) 559-7578 or email cottonfarming@omeda.com EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD David Burns – North Carolina David Lynch – South Carolina Bob McLendon – Georgia Larkin Martin – Alabama Mike Sturdivant Jr. – Mississippi Charles Parker – Missouri Jimmy Hargett – Tennessee Allen Helms – Arkansas Jay Hardwick – Louisiana Ronnie Hopper – Texas Ron Rayner – Arizona John Pucheu – California

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC Mike Lamensdorf President/Treasurer Lia Guthrie Publisher/Vice President ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COOPERATION: Cooperating with COTTON FARMING are various cotton producer organizations across the Cotton Belt. Many representatives of producer organizations serve on COTTON FARMING’s editorial advisory board. Opinions expressed and conclusions reached by contributors are not necessarily those of the cooperating organizations or the editors. All statements, including product claims, are those of the person or organization making the statement or claim. The publisher does not adopt any such statement or claims as its own and any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Copyright 2021 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

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THRIVING IN COTTON

Oklahoma Farmers Score 5-Bale Cotton

ield is paramount in PhytoGen® brand varieties and is what makes cotton growers thrive. PhytoGen cottonseed also has many traits to help farmers protect that yield. Even so, in the western Oklahoma Panhandle, Mother Nature can wreak havoc on a cotton crop during the season. For the Isaacs — Russell, wife Alice, and father Richard, who farm near Turpin — a seed brand that hangs tough through the more challenging years is appreciated. “We planted PhytoGen brand PHY 350 W3FE for the first time in 2018,” Russell says. “Seedling vigor and strong emergence are big factors for us in choosing a variety. Consistent seed quality translates to consistency in plants in the field. A good stand is key if you are going for that ‘big boy’ cotton. PHY 350 W3FE pops out of the ground, squares fast and pumps out the yield. “Our area has a short growing season for cotton, so we push the envelope and plant based on the five-day forecast instead of soil temperature. When we see some warm days coming, we plant the day before to get as much seed in the ground as we can to take advantage of the heat. We plant shallow because the top of the soil profile warms up fast in the mornings.”

Perfect Season for ‘Big Boy’ Yields The Isaacs’ typical yield expectation is 2,000 pounds per acre on irrigated ground. “We have a short window to fruit and make bolls,” Russell says. “PHY 350 W3FE has consistently done it for us. This variety is like the pretty girl at the dance.” In 2018, the cotton in one of the Isaacs’ PHY 350 W3FE irrigated fields came up all at once to a perfect stand with great spacing. Every plant was at the same stage. “At 5-leaf cotton, our consultant, Marc Voth, called it,” Russell says. “He said, ‘This is our field.’ It was a good growing season for cotton, and Marc managed it like we were going for the big yield. We had made 4-bale-per-acre cotton the year before and were now shooting for 5 bales. “While we were doing boll counts in mid- to late September, Marc said, ‘I think we are going to get there.’ When I pulled in with the stripper and had made a module before getting to the pivot, I thought we might have done it. But you never know for sure until the cotton is ginned. “Once we got the numbers back and saw we had reached 5 bales per acre on that field, we were excited. It was an incredible year. We had a lot of good cotton.” Team Approach to a Common Goal Being this far north, a big hurdle for the Isaacs is maturing cotton.

™®

PhytoGen, the PhytoGen Logo are trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies.

Russell Isaacs (right) and his father, Richard, are all smiles after making 5 bales per acre on this field of PHY 350 W3FE.

“We have to do our part, but the PhytoGen breeders have done the rest to get the yields and quality we need,” Russell says. “In 2019, we had the best quality with PHY 350 W3FE we’ve ever had — upper 56s, almost 57. That’s pretty good!” In 2020, the combination of 70 mph winds in June and a cold snap in September tried to put a damper on yields and quality. However, there were some bright spots, and the Isaacs are enthusiastic about the upcoming season. “Right now, we are in the process of making our variety decisions,” Russell says. “We are still going through the data, but we know we will plant PHY 350 W3FE again. We also are looking at one of the new PhytoGen brand varieties — PHY 332 W3FE. “I love raising cotton, and we consider the PhytoGen team part of our team. We need trusted partners, and we see PhytoGen striving to deliver consistency. That’s something we can go the long haul with.”

COVER STORY

CCOY Cotton Consultant of the Year established 1981

A South Carolina cotton farmer says he has placed a lot of trust in the 2020 CCOY recipient and his scouting crew and has never been disappointed. “He treats our crop like it was his own cotton, and we always follow his recommendations to the letter. It has paid off quite well for us.” A university entomologist says, “He started using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) in his business several years ago to provide detailed spatial information to his clients. He recognized that things evolve very quickly, and he has kept up with the technology.” He is described as a leader in the cotton industry, active in his local community and a partner in his family’s farm near Cameron, South Carolina. He says his career has been “fascinating” because of the diversity and challenges.

Who is the man so deserving of these accolades? Look for the big announcement in the February issue of Cotton Farming! Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by

Cotton Farming 6

COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2021

CARROLL SMITH

Who is the 2020 Cotton Consultant of the Year?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, crop consultants like Texans Paul Pilsner and his wife, Yolanda, (both center) met in person with farmer clients to plan for the upcoming year.

Planning Season As 2021 Begins, Cotton Consultants Share Their Thoughts BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

otton Farming recently conducted a question-and-answer session with several of the past recipients of the Cotton Consultant of the Year award. They included Eddy Cates (2019), Tucker Miller (2004), Paul Pilsner (2017), Jack Royal (2006) and Mark Scott (2018). Here is a synopsis of their responses.

Q A

Looking back, what comes to mind as one or more of the “bright spots” of the 2020 cotton season?

Eddy Cates, Cates Agri Tech Services Inc., consults in Northeast Arkansas: Although it was hot and dry last year, we have irrigation on about 85% of our ground. Because center-pivot irrigation was hard to keep up with, being able to furrow irrigate was definitely the bright spot.

Tucker Miller, Miller Entomological Service Inc., consults in the Mississippi Central Delta: Our insect pressure wasn’t even normal last year. It was below normal so that was a bright spot. And even though a couple

of hurricanes came through our area, we dodged a lot of damage since there was no wind and no heavy rain.

Paul Pilsner, Pilsner Consulting, consults in the Texas Upper Coastal Bend: This past season was a good one for us along the coast. The cotton was above average, and the prices came up. My guys made some money, and they paid me, so that was good!

Jack Royal, Royal’s Agricultural Consulting Co. Inc. consults in Southwest Georgia: 2020 was not super bright for us. But overall, we had light worm pressure and low stink bug numbers.

Mark Scott, Mark Scott Crop Consulting, consults in the Texas Southern High Plains: We started out with good water in our soil profile, then didn’t receive any rain the rest of the season. It was a hot, dry year, and we are in a severe drought right now. Our area is dependent on rainfall and uses supplemental irrigation where we have water to Continued on page 10 COTTONFARMING.COM

BORON ENGINEERED TO DELIVER

A KEY MICRONUTRIENT AT THE RIGHT PLACE AND TIME FOR SUCCESS. When boron’s done right, it can have a powerful impact on your operation’s ROI. That’s why we’ve designed Aspire® to provide hardworking crop nutrition where and when you need it. With a single-granule that combines potassium with two forms of boron, Aspire delivers uniform nutrient distribution at the root level, allowing for a ﬂexible application window of fall/spring and season-long B availability – increasing yields and outperforming other methods of boron delivery year after year.

A D V E RT O R I A L

FOCUS ON THE FUNDAMENTALS TO MAXIMIZE CROP FERTILITY With as much as 60% of yield dependent on soil fertility, crop nutrition is the foundation to produce healthier crops. When soil fertility is properly maintained, crops are set up with a better chance to maximize yield potential. Dr. Ross Bender, Director of New Product Development for The Mosaic Company, shares how micronutrients play a critical role in achieving balanced crop nutrition. However, there are many factors that affect the performance and availability of micronutrients, as well as the yield response to them.

The 3Ds of micronutrient management Dr. Bender recommends adhering to the following “3Ds” throughout your crop nutrition strategy to effectively manage essential micronutrients.

A SMARTER BORON DELIVERY SYSTEM Boron, the world’s second-most deficient micronutrient behind zinc is one of eight micronutrients needed for proper plant growth. Aspire® from The Mosaic Company is a one-of-a-kind performance potash with boron and potassium with flexible application options, in fall or spring. With a more uniform application compared to traditional blends, its proprietary formula leverages two forms of boron — sodium borate, for quick release, and calcium borate, for gradual release — ensuring season-long boron availability. Boron deficiency in cotton can cause a distorted, stunted terminal, abnormal uppermost leaves and aborted flowers. Aspire nourishes plants at the root level, so nutrients are available when and where plants need them.

146 lbs. lint/ac INCREASE

when using Aspire on cotton compared to MOP fertilizer.

PROTECT YOUR FIELDS FROM BORON DEFICIENCY

DISTRIBUTION Every plant needs a little bit. Solving the distribution flaw in the micronutrient system will be imperative to improve the response to any micronutrient.

DURATION OF AVAILABILITY Higher yields produce more biomass, especially later in the growing season, and that changes nutrient uptake. As a result, plants take up micronutrients faster and for longer than ever before. Season-long availability is critical.

Preventing boron deficiency can be achieved with the right nutrient management decisions. Get the latest information, data and tools by talking to a representative from The Mosaic Company.

Get started at AspireBoron.com

DAILY UPTAKE NEEDS *Field studies were conducted by third-party, independent researchers in five trials across U.S. cotton growing regions in 2014. Research found that a preplant application of Aspire (1.5 lb. B/ac) out-yielded MOP by 146 lbs. lint/ac. ©2020 The Mosaic Company. All rights reserved. Aspire is a registered trademark of The Mosaic Company.

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High-yielding crop varieties have increased the daily nutrient requirements, so be mindful to provide the right amount to hungry plant roots.

9/4/20 9:38 AM

Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

Requesting Realistic Rules The National Cotton Council monitored court cases, agency rulemaking and numerous regulations that potentially could prevent cotton producers’ access to necessary tools that affect their profitability.

What were some major regulatory issues addressed in 2020?

■ The NCC’s comments to the Environmental

Protection Agency on regulatory transparency suggested that research models should be scrapped if the agency’s data do not match actual field results. We also responded to the much-welcomed Administration-published report, “Regulatory Relief To Support Economic Recovery” that stated agencies should rescind, modify, waive or provide exemptions from regulations/other requirements that may inhibit economic recovery.

Regarding specific rules, the NCC applauded the EPA/Army Corps of Engineers’ Navigable Waters Protection Rule that streamlined the “waters of the United The NCC continues to engage with EPA and other federal agencies in seeking reasonable regulations. S t a t e s” d e f i n i t i o n . However, we continue to monitor the rule’s implementation to ensure it gives producers clarity and regulatory certainty. Comments also were filed on: 1) EPA’s proposal to increase consistency/transparency and its consideration of cost/benefits in Clean Air Act rulemaking; 2) the Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposed definition of habitat and its proposed rule, Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants — Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat; and 3) proposed changes to the Worker Protection Standards, specifically suggesting that the Application Exclusion Zone be wind-directional to make it comparable to normal, stationary buffer zones. The NCC joined 300+ agriculture and conservation organizations on a letter to all Congressional Members affirming support for pesticide regulations in place under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.

What about crop protection product support?

■ At a Senate committee hearing, the NCC noted

the lack of stakeholder input into an EPA proposal that would regulate “plant incorporated pesticides.” Work with EPA led to the approval of Bt cotton label amendments enabling all U.S. producers to plant Bt cotton products without a structured refuge. We also engaged with EPA on crop protection product registrations affecting efficient cotton production. That included our effort to preserve dicamba availability. We sent letters to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler: 1) discussing the benefits to producers from the newer dicamba formulations and their use for in-crop, over-the-top weed control; 2) urging the allowance of dicamba existing stocks use and/or other administrative action to allow producers to legally implement weed control programs in 2020 using that important herbicide; and 3) citing the need for a timely 2021 registration of dicamba herbicide formulations. EPA responded by not only maintaining dicamba stocks use for the 2020 growing season but granting a new five-year label. The NCC also worked with EPA on the agency’s scientific review of chlorpyrifos and submitted comments supporting registrations of many other products. Among them are dimethenamid/dimethenamid-P (15 herbicides registered for cotton and other crops); paraquat dichloride; tiafenacil, a new herbicidal active ingredient; and multiple insecticides including acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. To ensure these plant protection products, seeds and other supplies could be transported nationwide this past spring when COVID-19 surfaced, the NCC coordinated with agencies regulating transportation, particularly the trucking sector. That included urging the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to expand/extend hours of service relief. We also conveyed the importance of 1) reliable and cost-effective freight rail service and 2) free movement to international markets of critical food/agricultural products via shipping containers. We will continue advocating for reasonable regulations that do not undermine our members’ competitiveness.

Gary Adams is president/CEO of the National Cotton Council of America. He and other NCC leaders contribute columns on this Cotton Farming page. TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

JANUARY 2021 | COTTON FARMING

COMMENTARY

Debra Ferguson and her husband, Owen Taylor, were ag journalists known for their reporting via the digital platform, AgFax. Debra was also a talented photographer whose work appeared in numerous publications over a span of decades.

Friends & Legends Louisiana Crop Consultant Pays Tribute To AgFax Founders BY HANK JONES

didn’t follow a traditional path to become a crop consultant. I did not work summers scouting fields for wellknown consultants and knew few farmers when I started. My father was an ag-chemical salesman, so I had plenty of exposure to the world of agriculture. I found I loved the science side more than the sales side — a consequence of going on complaint calls with my dad, I suppose. Although I cannot recall the exact date, I remember my father buying a fax machine in the late ’80s or early ’90s. As it was used for business purposes, I was not allowed to go near the machine that took up half a desk and even had its own phone number. However, as most 11- or12-year-old boys do, I perused the faxes as they came through and thereupon was reading reports from consultants via AgFax. Names I heard my father speak of were quoted in discussions about battling tobacco budworms, documenting egg counts, and boll weevil battles won and lost.

COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2021

Cotton crops were described as “burnt up” or “couldn’t look better.” Even then, you could read about the worst fruit sheds consultants had ever encountered. I was soon addicted to reading about the details of cotton production from the consultant’s perspective. Reading these reports was my first exposure to the profession that I later chose. Consultants Compare Notes

As I started my consulting career and the “fax” shifted to a digital format, I weekly (and still do) compared my findings to my esteemed colleagues in other regions. There was comfort in knowing others were in the same mess, jealousy for those whom the hurricanes missed and sympathy for those who had it worse. I have always considered AgFax to be the sacred “Journal of Cotton Crop Consulting,” as it served a vital role in documenting the scouting and control measures of crop consultants around the United States. COTTONFARMING.COM

Talking Crops, Talking Shop

Like anyone who knew them, I found Mr. Owen and Mrs. Debra to be two of my favorite people to talk with. He’d start our conversations with “Tell me about your cotton.” After he had recorded what I said, there would be a short pause and he would ask about my family, TV shows I was binge watching, and mom and pop restaurants in North Louisiana. We would tell old stories and use slang terms only found in the Delta lexicon. He ALWAYS was more interested in talking shop than talking crops. I threw him a curveball in 2010 when he asked about my family and how well we overwintered. I was proud to inform him my son was born that January. And upon being asked his name, I announced “Owen Taylor Jones.” After a 10-second pause, Mr. Owen said, “That’s a real good name.” After a good laugh, I told him Owen and Taylor were both family names, but I gave him allowances to claim my son was named after him. He never called again without asking about his namesake. Ever the social media savant, Mr. Owen discovered through my Twitter account that I had performed on stage in one of his favorite productions. The next year, he and Mrs. Debra came — as they said they would — to a production that required me to look like a deranged lunatic. He raved poetically about the need for arts and culture in the Delta and was very impressed with our small-town production. They even joined the mailing list to keep up with future productions. My experiences with Mr. Patrick Shepard mimicked those with Mr. Owen. Mr. Patrick would ask me about the crops, and then we would get down to business, talking about shared musical interests and good restaurants. He was always so courteous and wanted me to know how much he valued visiting with me when he called. I will add that he was quite upset when he found out I went to Memphis to see Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band and did not invite him. He and I shared a respect for Mr. Ray Young, and he honored me by inviting me to Mr. Young’s Southern Cotton Ginner’s Hall of Fame induction. Mr. Patrick always TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE FAMILY

One spring day prior to 2010, I ignored a phone call from a Mississippi number and let it go to voice mail. Upon listening, I heard, “Ah, Hank, this is Owen Taylor from AgFax. I interview crop consultants and get crop reports. I got your number from Roger Carter who said you would be a good person to contact. If you want, please call me back.” I am not sure when I came back to reality, but I felt like a celebrity had called me. Like a minor leaguer called to play ball in the majors, I composed myself and returned Owen’s call. “This is Owen Taylor.” “Mr. Owen, this is Hank Jones, you left a voicemail.” “Don’t call me Mr. Owen, Owen is fine.” “Yes sir, Mr. Owen.” Not often does someone complete an initial phone call knowing you met a good friend, but I did that day. He spoke with a genuine quality and valued what I was telling him. After 20 years, I often fear for my life providing farmers’ consulting reports, but it was enjoyable sharing with Owen the gory details of tarnished plant bug migrations and reports of bollworms slipping through Bt technologies. I think all who he called on for reports felt this same sincerity from Mr. Owen, and there was a shared respect for our respective work. Debra Ferguson and her husband, Owen Taylor, capture a moment during a recent cross-country trip. told me he was proud to see a younger generation step up and become consultants. Mr. Owen, Mrs. Debra and Mr. Patrick, like many others in the ag journalism profession, identified us as friends first, then as consultants. They understood the grind we face in the summer, respected our time and valued our input. On Reflection

I finally met Mr. Owen and Mrs. Debra in person after seven or eight years of being phone interviewed. Prior to that day, I told him he was “my best friend I had never met in person.” I still had the same star-stuck feeling meeting them as I did when he first called me. I speak for many when I write this: It is difficult to accept these great friends of ours unexpectedly left us last year. We didn’t lose great reporters; we lost our friends. We will always remember the last thing they said, “Let me know if I can help you in any way.” I hate that I never told Mr. Owen how much his newsletter impacted me at an early age. I hate I never saw a concert with Mr. Patrick. I hate I never got to see Mrs. Debra fly her drones over the many fields I told her about. Most of all, I’ll hate not getting a phone call from my dear friends and telling them about overwintering and how much cotton acreage increased or declined. 2020 has dealt many of us a full measure of heartache and grief. The sadness and void we feel remembering Mr. Owen, Mrs. Debra and Mr. Patrick can only be matched by remembering the authentic qualities they exemplified. It would be negligent of me to not mention how thankful I am to all the journalists and reporters I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years. Mrs. Carroll Smith, Mr. Forrest Laws, Mr. Ron Smith and Mrs. Doreen Muzzi have all been great people to help out. We are lucky to have each of you continuing to tell our stories as the scribes of Mid-South agriculture. Hank Jones is an independent crop consultant and owner of RHJ Ag Services in Winnsboro, Louisiana. JANUARY 2021 | COTTON FARMING

2021 PLANNING SEASON Products Use Notice for “I Choose Results” Advertorial for Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System Bayer is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Bayer products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Bayer’s Policy for Commercialization of BiotechnologyDerived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship. herbicide with VaporGrip® XtendiMax® Technology is part of the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System, is a restricted use pesticide and must be used with VaporGrip® Xtra Agent (or an equivalent vapor reducing agent). For approved tank-mix products (including VRAs and DRAs), nozzles and other important label information visit XtendiMaxApplicationRequirements.com. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba, glyphosate or glufosinate are approved for in-crop use with products with XtendFlex® Technology. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans or products with XtendFlex® Technology. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your seed brand representative for the registration status in your state. Performance may vary, from location to location and from year to year, as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible and should consider the impacts of these conditions on the grower’s fields. Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba. Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Contact your seed brand dealer or refer to the Bayer Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs. Insect control technology provided by Vip3A is utilized under license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. XtendiMax® is a restricted use pesticide. Not all products are registered in all states and may be subject to use restrictions. The distribution, sale, or use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. Check with your local dealer or representative for the product registration status in your state. Bayer, Bayer Cross, Bollgard®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, Roundup Ready®, VaporGrip®, XtendFlex® and XtendiMax® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® is a trademark of BASF Corporation. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1866-992-2937) or visit our website at www. BayerCropScience.us. Bayer CropScience LP, 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63167. ©2020 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.

COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2021

Continued from page 6

support it. One bright spot was no insect pressure because there wasn’t anything for them to eat! Some of my farmers loaded up their water on a small acreage and had a pretty good crop. I did have some 3-bale cotton this year, but not much. The only bright spot to me was that harvest season was nice. It was so dry we could start running strippers at 9 in the morning. Humidity was really low and conditions were extremely dry, so we were able to get the crop out quickly.

Q A

What topics are you and your farmers discussing during your winter planning sessions?

Cates: We are concentrating on varietal selection. So far, we’ve been fortunate in not having to spray a lot of the more expensive insecticides for bollworms in Northeast Arkansas. But now, worm pressure seems to be increasing south of us. We need to move on to the Bollgard 3 varieties and newer technology. We are trying to choose the ones that will work best for us.

Royal: Last year, our cotton acres were down. Now, with the price of cotton and corn going up, my growers and I are trying to decide how many acres to plant of each crop. For cotton, that will depend on what the price does between now and planting season. We also are working on variety selection.

Scott: In our planning sessions, we are looking at the price of the crop and discussing each grower’s water situation. We are trying to tailor variety selection to each one of their fields. We also are trying to select varieties that might do better than others with less water. We also are talking about fertility and realistic yield goals given the drought conditions we are experiencing right now. We will try to tailor management practices according to what kind of yield potential we have. We are reviewing the disease complex on each field and determining where we have problems with root-knot and reniform nematodes. That information will affect our variety selections. We are considering how stormproof each variety is, too. How tight the lint is in the bur, which can help the plant withstand the hailstorms we get.

Q A

Miller: We’ve been planting Bollgard II varieties in the past. Our standard was DP 1646 B2XF. We have been looking for Bollgard 3 varieties that would yield right in there with it. Two of the new Deltapine varieties look really good, so we will be transitioning to Bollgard 3 now that we have some options. We also planted a lot of cover crops this past fall. Normally, we’ve just been piddling with them. Now we have a lot of acres planted to cover crops that we will be planting into next season. Varieties and cover crops have been our main topics of discussion this winter. Pilsner: My farmers are trying to decide on their crop mix for 2021. Prices on all crops are looking better than we have seen in a long time. The export markets also appear to be breaking back open. If they do, there will be a huge demand for many of our crops. I know the demand is there for high-quality cotton. As far as varieties, we are staying with some of the ones we have gotten comfortable with. But we are also discussing how to manage the new varieties and trying to choose the right fields to put them in. We have good subsoil moisture now, but a few areas will need a rain before March.

What effect, if any, did the COVID-19 pandemic have on the way you conducted your consulting business in 2020?

Cates: We emailed most of our scouting reports to our clients or discussed them over the phone instead of meeting in person. We tried to stay out in the open instead of meeting in our offices. Everybody was respectful and kept their distance. The pandemic also affected the number of people we put in our trucks and how we traveled to and from fields. We washed our hands a lot and kept hand sanitizer and gloves available in case they were needed. Miller: We wore masks if we had to go into someone’s office to talk things over. One of my workers was exposed to the virus when his sister contracted it. We made him ride in the truck by himself for about 10 days. So far, he is still healthy. We all had letters stating we are essential workers. We carried them around with us in our trucks in case anybody needed that information. We emailed most of our scouting reports instead of delivering them in person. But, for the most part, just the nature of our job is a Continued on page 14 COTTONFARMING.COM

THIS SEASON

CHOOSE RESULTS 87 LBS/A ADVANTAGE on average vs. key competitors in head-to-head testing1

CONTROLS MORE WEEDS than any other cotton system2

UP TO 14 DAYS OF SOIL ACTIVITY on certain small-seeded broadleaf weeds3

#1 COTTON SYSTEM PLANTED BY GROWERS +

Restricted Use Pesticide

Xtend your yield | RoundupReadyXtend.com

1 Data as of February 4, 2020. Yield advantage calculated comparing top 3 Bollgard® 3 XtendFlex® varieties by region to top planted Phytogen WideStrike ® 3 with Roundup Ready® Flex and Enlist™ varieties by region (USDA – Varieties Planted report – 2019). Texas regions include DP 1820 B3XF, DP 1845 B3XF, DP 1948 B3XF, DP 1835 B3XF, DP 1916 B3XF vs. PHY 250 W3FE, PHY 300 W3FE, PHY 330 W3FE, PHY 350 W3FE, PHY 480 W3FE, PHY 490 W3FE. Midsouth region includes CG 9608 B3XF, DG 3520 B3XF, DG 3570 B3XF vs. PHY 320 W3FE, PHY 330 W3FE, PHY 350 W3FE, PHY 430 W3FE, PHY 580 W3FE. Southeast and Carolinas region includes DG 3615 B3XF, CG 9608 B3XF, DG 3753 B3XF vs. PHY 300 W3FE, PHY 320 W3FE, PHY 330 W3FE, PHY 340 W3FE, PHY 350 W3FE, PHY 430 W3FE, PHY 440 W3FE, PHY 480 W3FE, PHY 580 W3FE. N = 503 trials (Bayer internal trials and Public Testing) 2017-2019. 2 Based on approved EPA herbicide labels for the herbicides recommended for use in each system as of Oct. 2020. 3 Results may vary, depending on rainfall and soil type. Always use dicamba with residual herbicides in pre-emergence and postemergence applications that have different, effective sites of action, along with other Diversified Weed Management Practices. Based on approved EPA herbicide labels as of Oct. 2020. 4 Traited acres based on Bayer internal estimates. Performance may vary, from location to location and from year to year, as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible and should consider the impacts of these conditions on the grower’s fields. NOTICE: DO NOT APPLY ANY HERBICIDE TO SEED IN THE ROUNDUP READY® XTEND CROP SYSTEM UNLESS IT HAS A PRODUCT LABEL SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZING THAT USE. TO USE A HERBICIDE IN ANY MANNER INCONSISTENT WITH ITS LABELING IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW. REFER TO THE BAYER TECHNOLOGY USE GUIDE FOR DETAILS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON USING APPROVED ROUNDUP ® AND LIBERTY® BRANDED HERBICIDES ON SEED IN THE ROUNDUP READY® XTEND CROP SYSTEM. XtendiMax® herbicide with VaporGrip® Technology is part of the Roundup Ready ® Xtend Crop System, is a restricted use pesticide and must be used with VaporGrip® Xtra Agent (or an equivalent vapor reducing agent). For approved tank-mix products (including VRAs and DRAs), nozzles and other important label information visit XtendiMaxApplicationRequirements.com ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. XtendiMax® herbicide with VaporGrip® Technology is a restricted use pesticide. Not all products are registered in all states and may be subject to use restrictions. The distribution, sale, or use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. Check with your local dealer or representative for the product registration status in your state. Roundup Ready ® and VaporGrip® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group. ©2020 Bayer Group. All rights reserved. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.BayerCropScience.us. Bayer CropScience LP, 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63167. ©2020 Bayer Group. All rights reserved. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW GRAIN MARKETING AND ALL OTHER STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES AND PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. See the Products Use Notice for “I Choose Results” advertisement for Roundup Ready ® Xtend Crop System printed in this publication. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2020 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.

TRAIT STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES NOTICE TO FARMERS Bayer Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Bayer products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Bayer’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to conﬁrm their buying position for this product. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba, glyphosate or glufosinate are approved for in-crop use with XtendFlex® Cotton. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with XtendFlex® Cotton. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your representative for the registration status in your state. Roundup Ready® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate. Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba. Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Contact your seed brand dealer or refer to the Bayer Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs. Insect control technology provided by Vip3A is utilized under license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. Bollgard®, Bollgard II®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design® and XtendFlex® are trademarks of Bayer Group. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® are registered trademarks of BASF. Agrisure Viptera® is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship. All other products, company names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

‘Mr. Boll Weevil’ Honored In North Carolina

he Boll Weevil Eradication Program led to the eradication of the most destructive pest in the history of U.S. cotton pro-

duction. For his impassioned and relentless determination to garner broad support for the program, North Carolina’s Marshall Grant has been inducted into the North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame. At a time when cotton producers were making 12 or more Marshall costly in-season control Grant applications to manage infestations, Grant recognized the downward economic spiral in which cotton producers were trapped. “The BWEP was historic in the timeline of our industry,” says David Parrish, CEO, North Carolina Cotton Producers Association. “Mr. Grant’s vision and determination were instrumental in the program’s success throughout our state and across the Cotton Belt. “He traveled the country galvanizing support behind the idea of a coordinated boll weevil eradication effort based on timely treatments and intensive trapping across broad acreage. Over time, the pilot program that began in North Carolina expanded across the Cotton Belt, resulting in reduced input costs, improved yields and a revitalized industry.” Environmental Sustainabilty

Before opening a bag of seed, be sure to read, understand and accept the stewardship requirements, including applicable refuge requirements for insect resistance management, for the biotechnology traits expressed in the seed as set forth in the Bayer Technology/Stewardship Agreement that you sign. By opening and using a bag of seed, you are reafﬁrming your obligation to comply with the most recent stewardship requirements. 12

COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2021

Because of the BWEP’s success, insecticide applications have been reduced in cotton by 75% and yield losses from insects have been reduced by 50%. It also allowed integrated pest management to become a standard pest control practice for many cotton production operations. “The program set the U.S. cotton industry on a direct path toward decades of improved profitability and environmental sustainability,” says Dr. Kater Hake, vice president, agricultural and environmental research, Cotton Incorporated. “It also demonstrated the power of unity to the producer segment. That unity is allowing growers to continue reducing their farm’s environmental footprint moving forward.”

One of Grant’s lifelong friends, David Burns, is a North Carolina farmer, industry leader and former chairman of the North Carolina Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation. He worked with Grant in those early years to convince farmers of the positive impacts the program would have on their operations and the future of U.S. cotton production in general. “My efforts were small compared to Marshall’s,” says Burns, who remembers speaking to farmers in North Carolina’s southern counties while Grant worked the northern counties. “The respect he earned and friendships he maintained with North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Jim Graham and North Carolina Sen. Jesse Helms helped secure funding used to establish the foundation in our state. “I could not be more proud for the Grant family and the memory of Marshall. This honor is most-deserved and one that rightly solidifies his place in the history of North Carolina agriculture.” Grant’s legacy will forever be his tireless determination as a central figure and driving force behind the effort to gain producer support for the BWEP across the Southeast. This support was critical to its eventual passage, funding and implementation. The BWEP is heralded as one of the most successful USDA-backed programs ever implemented. Hall Of Fame Criteria

To be considered for the North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame, a person must have performed an outstanding accomplishment where the agricultural cause benefited, or which led to a significant movement in agricultural progress. “Mr. Grant’s work in the area of boll weevil eradication more than meets these criteria,” Parrish says. “Every cotton producer in our state owes him a debt of eternal gratitude. It was an honor to nominate him for this award on behalf of all North Carolina cotton producers.” Due to the pandemic, the induction ceremony will be held in spring 2021 on a yet-to-be-determined date. The North Carolina Cotton Producers Association contributed this article. COTTONFARMING.COM

2021 PLANNING SEASON Continued from page 10

pretty good way to socially distance.

Pilsner: The main way the pandemic affected my business was not being able to have in-person meetings. We had some Zoom meetings and phone meetings, l but I missed the personal interaction with my clients and people in the industry.

Royal: Since we are typically out in the field by ourselves, the pandemic didn’t affect my business that much. The thing that affects me the most is that we are having virtual meetings now. The Beltwide is virtual this year, and we’ll probably have fewer in-person consultant meetings with industry.

Scott: I like to sit down with my farmers and have a good planning session with them before the season starts. Last year, we had to do a lot of our planning over the phone instead. When I was in the field with one of my farmers, it was understood that “you stay in your pickup truck, and I will stay in mine.” We just talked through the windows

or talked on the phone. We also couldn’t go to educational meetings in person. I missed interacting with other people. Even this year, both the Beltwide and the NAICC meetings are virtual.

Q A A

What are you most optimistic about going into the upcoming cotton season?

Cates: All of our crop prices are moving up — cotton, corn and soybeans. I am optimistic about prices looking much more favorable than they have been in the past. Miller: Now that we have five more years of dicamba, I am optimistic about that. And the Bollgard 3 trait should lower our insecticide costs where we were spraying Bollgard II cotton twice for worms with a high-dollar insecticide. We should catch a break there. I’m optimistic that our cotton acres may be up in the area where I consult. If the price gets up there and farmers have the equipment to plant, I believe we will see an increase. My farmers have all their land ready, so we will see what happens when planting season gets here.

Pilsner: When you see crop prices stabilize like they are right now, farming gets to be a lot more fun. We are mostly dryland, and we have good soil moisture. I am optimistic about that. It won’t take very many rains to make some crops this year. Corpus is missing a little moisture around the top, but the soil profile is full all the way to College Station. I’m also excited about how much better satellite imagery is. It’s much more useful than it has been in the past.

A A

Royal: The thing I am most optimistic about regarding the 2021 cotton season is that prices are improving.

Scott: Where we fertilized pretty heavily for a good cotton crop last year, we didn’t take too much out of the soil. We have a little bit of fertility in reserve now. That’s one good thing. Although it’s tough to be positive in a drought year, I always try to be. When you farm on the Texas High Plains, you have to be resilient. We’ve been through droughts before, and my farmers can get through it again. They know you have to roll with the punches and come back when things are good.

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COTTONFARMING.COM 12/3/20 1:58 PM

Remaining Strong and Steadfast

As the world’s leading manufacturer of cotton ginning machinery, Lummus has always worked to position itself for the good times and not-so-good times in our industry – to manage the business so we can support our customers around the world no matter what the situation. We’ve been around a long time…and in that vein, we thought we’d seen it all. Then came 2020. So much happening, so many challenges, and all of it encompassed by an unprecedented global pandemic. No one saw this coming. But in our continual efforts to be here for our customers, we learned to get things done in new and different ways. In fact, despite all the challenges we faced, we saw many significant accomplishments, including: • Introduction of the Centurion™ Series of saw gins to the market in both the USA and Australia with outstanding performance in the field. • Continued product development in seed cotton conditioning and gin process control. • The launch of an online Parts website for domestic parts ordering. • A complete refresh of the Lummus website, which will continue to evolve, grow, and feature more information and resources about all things Lummus. And much more. All because we are committed to this industry and our customers. We are steadfast, and we are here for you – today….and tomorrow.

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SOUTHEAST REPORT

Zoom Meetings Feature Local Research

re you aware of all the research projects that are done on behalf of U.S. cotton farmers to help increase their profitability and success on the farm? Even though 2020 has been a crazy year and many folks are quarantined, working from home or practicing social distancing, Cotton Incorporated’s Agricultural and Environmental Research team has been busy conducting research as usual. In previous articles, I have written about how U.S. cotton producers pay a per-bale assessment that helps fund the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. But you may not be aware of all of the localized research to which the assessment contributes. In 1966, the Cotton Research and Promotion Act established that 7.5% of each state’s assessments must be returned to the states for specific research projects led by a variety of institutions. This is called the State Support Program and is governed by producers serving on The Cotton Board and Cotton Incorporated’s volunteer boards. State-Specific Research

Research priorities are voted on by committee members each year and typically are based on the most pressing needs and ongoing issues in the region. A Cotton Incorporated staff member oversees the support program and holds a

BY MONTY BAIN DADEVILLE, ALABAMA

meeting once or twice a year with the producer committee and local cotton research specialists. The purpose of the gathering is to determine which projects will be funded the upcoming year and review previous work, if necessary. Some states may decide they need research on stink bugs while others may focus on whiteflies. Some states want more research on weed control and others need research on bollworms. Many projects conducted by land-grant universities are funded or partially funded by Cotton Incorporated. In fact, Cotton Incorporated funds 150 to 170 State Support Program research projects each year throughout the Cotton Belt. Purpose Of Zoom Meetings

My job, as a regional communication

manager for The Cotton Board, is to help make sure the producers in my region of the Cotton Belt are aware of the research and promotion being done on their behalf as a result of financial contributions to the program. In an effort to be as transparent as possible, The Cotton Board RCMs are hosting a series of Zoom meetings. The purpose of the sessions is to update producers who haven’t attended the State Support Program committee meetings on cotton research being funded in their state. I held my first session in December 2020 for North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Participants heard from Cotton Incorporated’s Dr. Ed Barnes, senior director of agricultural research at Cotton Incorporated, and Guy Collins, North Carolina State Extension cotton specialist. The live Zoom sessions also are recorded and can be viewed on The Cotton Board YouTube channel afterward. The Cotton Board wants every cotton producer who has questions about their assessments to register for these short, informative meetings to get an idea of what these research dollars are doing to help keep their crop profitable. The 45-minute sessions also allow time for questions about the projects. Upcoming State Support Program Update Zoom Meetings for 2021 are being scheduled. Follow the Cotton Board’s social media pages or check the calendar on the Cotton Board website for dates. If any cotton producer or industry associate wants to register for the meetings, contact the Cotton Board RCM in your region.  Southeast: Monty Bain, mbain@ cottonboard.org  Mid-S outh: Emily Wyonzek, ewyonzek@cottonboard.org  Southern Plains: Shelly Heinrich, sheinrich@cottonboard.org  Southwest: Christi Short, cshort@ cottonboard.org Monty Bain is the Cotton Board’s regional communication manager for the Southeast. Email him at mbain@cottonboard.org.

COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2021

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Research Sheds Light On Best Times To Hunt Bucks BY DR. BRONSON STRICKLAND MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY

‘A Buck’s Bedroom’

Over the years, there have been many magazine articles written about where bucks bed, often referred to as “a buck’s bedroom.” This is a topic we wanted to examine and document. First, what does a buck’s bedroom look like? Although the type of vegetation differed, structure of the vegetation was consistent. Bucks choose thick vegetation to hide, rest and ruminate. These buck bedding areas can be large areas — on the scale of acres — or smaller areas on the scale of square feet. What the researchers uncovered and found interesting was the great number of bedrooms bucks have. Many hunters, including myself, figured each buck had only a few secure places on the landscape that he would use for bedding. The researchers were surprised to see that bucks have many bedrooms distributed all over the landscape. TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

PHOTO COURTESY MSU EXTENSION SERVICE

“

here are all the bucks?” Several years ago, Larry Castle, formerly of Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, and Steve Demarais of the Mississippi State University Deer Lab met to discuss what could be done to address deer hunter questions and concerns regarding where bucks were going during hunting season. For years, Castle and his team at MDWFP received questions from hunters who were frustrated with not seeing the deer they thought they should be seeing. That question is justifiable in this age of trail cameras, meaning you have photographs of a particular buck or bucks, but you can never see them while hunting. The two deer biologists planned a research project where bucks were fitted with GPS-enabled collars to shed light on the issue. Over the course of two years, researchers attached GPS collars to more than 40 bucks aged 2 years or older. Buck locations were recorded every 15 minutes throughout deer season. What deer biologists have known for decades is that deer move every day. Period. Aside from times when a deer may be sick and stays bedded for long periods to convalesce, deer have to move every day to find food. When the data started coming in, it wasn’t surprising to see deer moving every day during both daytime and nighttime hours. In October and November, about one-third of buck movements occurred during daytime hours. Movements increased to more than 40% during the rut. Also, the daily distance traveled by bucks almost doubled when comparing travel distances before and during the rut. So as many long-time deer hunters have observed, the rut can be the best time to hunt because bucks are moving more, and a greater proportion of movements occur during daylight hours. The old saying about bucks “going nocturnal,” meaning they only move at night, is just not the case.

Researchers attached GPS collars to more than 40 bucks aged 2 years or older for a Mississippi-based buck movement study. Locations were recorded every 15 minutes throughout deer season. A buck may use 10 or more bedding areas in a single month. This finding was further supported by an analysis where they calculated the distance between the starting and ending location of a buck every 24 hours. The researchers found that buck locations were typically 900 yards apart every 24 hours during the pre-rut and more than 1,500 yards apart during the rut. Clearly, with this extent of movement on the landscape, a buck needs a lot of bedrooms! Daily Movements

Hunters and researchers also were interested in how far a buck moves each day. As you might imagine by now, it changes over the course of the year. During October and November, bucks averaged about 1,500 yards of movement each day. During the rut, they averaged more than 2,000 yards each day. So when should you hunt? Whenever you can. The study demonstrated that bucks move every day, and they move during daylight hours. But if you had to pick just a few days to hunt a buck, you have greater odds of seeing him during the rut. The researchers were just beginning to uncover these important metrics that will be of interest to both hunters and biologists, so stay tuned for more information from this landmark study in Mississippi. For information about Mississippi’s 2020-21 deer hunting season, go to https://bit.ly/3okhUwT. JANUARY 2021 | COTTON FARMING

Cotton Shines In Oklahoma

YOU R P L AN T ER I S C AUS IN G YOU TO OV E RPL A N T B AG S O F S EED E V E RY S E AS ON . COT TO N S E E D COT TO N S E E D COT TO N S E E D COT TO N S E E D COT TO N S E E D

BY SETH BYRD

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

ike any cotton season, 2020 was a roller coaster in Oklahoma, although we tended to avoid the extremes experienced in the two previous years. Coming off a hot and dry 2018 followed by a cool and wet spring and a hot and dry summer in 2019, this season was slightly more moderate. Most of the state received a couple of good planting windows in May and early June. They were preceded by rain to provide adequate planting moisture for timely stand establishment. Some areas received excessive rain in mid- to late May, but overall planting operations were completed with few instances of conditions that completely prevented planting. Temperatures soared in June with little to no rainfall for most of our cotton acres, creating challenging conditions for early season growth. Damage from a windstorm in early June severely injured or totally destroyed the young crop in some

northwestern areas. Sporadic rainfall benefitted portions of the crop, particularly the west-central area of the state during June, while arid conditions persisted into July for parts of the southwest. High temperatures continued as the cotton crop reached flowering by mid-July. This month also produced multiple significant rains throughout Oklahoma. The precipitation occurred during a critical growth stage and supported fruit retention and relieved strain on irrigation during a time of peak water demand. Rolling Into August

Warm temperatures and intermittent showers continued into early August. At this point, despite the hit-and-miss planting windows and hot and dry June, the irrigated crop entered the last few weeks of summer in excellent condition. Expectations were extremely high for the dryland crop that had rebounded

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

SETH BYRD

This drip-irrigated field near Altus, Oklahoma, was indicative of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorable production year.

COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2021

COTTONFARMING.COM

from the rough start. Many were thinking 2-bale yields would be the dryland norm this year. Then, as is common in the Southwest, the inevitable dry spell set in. During August, much of the Oklahoma crop suffered various levels of water stress. Contrary to the beginning of the season, the southwest portions of the state generally fared slightly better than areas farther north. The dryland crop, which had been so impressive up to this point, began to suffer. By late August, boll and square shed could be observed in multiple areas. While a widespread system bought rain to most of the production area in the final days of August, it was too little too late. It was evident that the high expectations many had for the dryland crop wouldn’t carry into September.

H OW TO

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

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The return of rain in late August and early September was welcome. On Sept. 9, daytime high temperatures across the western part of Oklahoma ranged from the high 50s to low 40s. They didn’t return to normal levels for two to three days. The cool weather occurred during a period when most of the harvestable boll load was going through fiber lengthening or thickening processes critical to producing high-quality fiber. It’s likely the abbreviated cold snap contributed to the struggles many experienced while trying to achieve optimal boll opening with harvest aids even with favorable conditions present through mid-October. The crop had one more hurdle to clear as an ice storm hammered the state at the end of October. Fortunately, the lint fallout and stringout issues that resulted weren’t as severe as initially feared. By the end of November, harvest had mostly wrapped up. Despite the year’s challenges, favorable conditions experienced during critical growth stages supported mostly above-average yields. Even the dryland crop, which looked so good in July but struggled through August, seemed to survive the year better than expected. There have been some instances of low micronaire, likely evidence that the early September cold snap affected the crop more than most of us predicted. While 2020 seemed to throw everything it had at the Oklahoma cotton crop — wind, drought, heat and ice — it turned out to be a surprisingly favorable production year overall. However, I’m sure we would all welcome a slightly less eventful 2021.

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JANUARY 2021 | COTTON FARMING

Specialists Speaking

2021 Variety Selection Tips ALABAMA Steve M. Brown

We met in a conference center lobby at Jekyll Island. I didn’t know him or what he did. It was his first day on the job. I was there to recap the season for growers at a Farm Bureau policy convention. I later realized, he, as president of a large seed company, was there to take a tongue lashing about the high cost of cotton seed and technology. Before going into the meeting, we talked about variety selection. His background was Midwest corn and soybeans. He suggested a mix split between traditional standards, present star varieties, and newly introduced ones, with percentages for each category. He advocated that a grower commit 10% of his acreage to trying new offerings. That last category is particularly important in 2021. DP 1646 B2XF has been the most widely planted variety in the country for several years and has been dominant in the Southeast. It has led to increases in yield and fiber quality, especially staple, and helped the advancement of Xtend. But like any variety, it is not perfect. The fact that it is “old” technology — Bollgard II rather than Bollgard 3 — hints that it’s not going to be around many more seasons. Yes, we’ll plant a good bit of it this year, but what varieties should replace it? What are the future top performers that fit on your farm? Land-grant universities aggressively test varieties in small-plot and large on-farm trials. Of course, seed companies do the same. Existing research gives clues as to what might occupy significant acres in coming seasons, but how do these fit on your farm? What are the nuances of management for each? The approach of “trying a little” makes good sense. It educates you for the future, sharpening the decision as to which “eggs” should go in the proverbial variety “basket.” Make room to take a look at new stuff, at least in a small way. cottonbrown@auburn.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson

Variety selection is one of the most important decisions a producer makes. Once planted, no amount of effort can make up for a poor decision. Many producers have booked their main varieties but may still be evaluating some of the new varieties in new technologies that are worthy of a look. There are many sources of variety testing results. When selecting varieties for planting, don’t simply choose the top-yielding ones at any single testing location or year but look at the averages of several years and locations. Each variety has its strengths and weaknesses. The challenge is to identify these characteristics and adjust management strategies to enhance strengths while minimizing weaknesses. The best experience for new varieties is based on first-hand, on-farm knowledge. Evaluate yield and quality parameters of unbiased testing programs to learn more about new offerings. Plantings of new varieties should be limited to no more than 10% of the farm. Acreage of a variety may be expanded slightly if it performs well the first year. Consider planting the bulk of the farm to three or four proven cultivars of different maturity to reduce the risk of weather interactions and to spread out harvest timings. There are several unbiased information sources available to assist in selecting new varieties. In Arkansas, your primary source should be the University Variety Testing Program conducted by Dr. Fred Bourland. County demonstrations are another good information source. Results from both programs may be found at https://arkansas-variety-testing.uark.edu/.

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Contact your local county Extension agent for assistance in obtaining or interpreting variety performance data. Please register for the upcoming virtual cotton production meeting at https://bit.ly/ARCotton2021 for the latest recommendations and production practices for cotton production. brobertson@uaex.edu

ARIZONA Randy Norton

As we complete the 2020 calendar year and look forward to 2021, we will all begin to see the rollout of new varieties and variety testing information. Seed companies will announce the release of new cultivars for the 2021 season. Many of these will have been tested during the 2020 season as experimental varieties in various locations across the state, both in university trials and seed company trials. This information will be coming out in the next few weeks to assist you in making variety selection decisions for 2021. This is likely one of the most important and critical decisions that you as a grower will make for the upcoming cotton season. I encourage you to look at as much information as you can get your hands on. See how a particular variety performs over both space and time. A variety that performs well across a wide range of geographies and over multiple years of testing is a stable variety and should perform well on your farm. Be careful of varieties where little or no testing data exists. These are typically unproven in our geography, and you are likely taking a heightened risk by planting that variety. However, because a lot of planting seed is produced in the state of Arizona, you may very well be approached by a seed company representative asking you to grow a variety for seed production that is new and perhaps untested in our environment. I encourage you to take appropriate steps to reduce your risk exposure involved in growing an untested variety. Check with your local county Extension offices and the University of Arizona ACIS website (cals.arizona.edu/crops) for the most up-to-date variety testing results from across Arizona. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu

FLORIDA David Wright

Yield trials are conducted across the Cotton Belt under different management, soil types and weather conditions. The 2020 growing season was very good for most cotton growers, and many fields looked like record yields leading into harvest. However, as cotton started opening in late August through September and into October, several hurricanes and tropical storms damaged the open cotton and seeds sprouted in the boll. In general, there was a high percentage of hard locked cotton, and the yields were below average. Several fields were zeroed out by insurance, and other fields were harvested often with 30% to 50% yield loss compared to what was expected. County variety trials with farmers were lower than normal, but the breeding programs for all companies continues to make improvements to yield, quality and pest control with new technology, helping growers stay in business. Watch for cotton trials near you to consider new varieties for 2021 that have high yield, good quality and yield stability across the region with and without irrigation. Some varieties do better without irrigation than others and should be considered under your management. COTTONFARMING.COM

Specialists Speaking Cotton yields were higher when following winter grazing by 100-300 pounds per acre lint. It appears that yield may been very high and there had been a good harvest season. More farmers are working with livestock producers in the Deep South to plant and graze cover crops prior to cotton planting. The benefits are more residual nutrients and fewer irrigation needs due to doubling of cotton roots resulting in higher yields. wright@ufl.edu

MISSISSIPPI Brian Pieralisi

Variety selection is the most important decision a cotton grower will make each season. This statement seems to be repeated each year, but it remains true even though it sounds like I am beating a dead horse. As I write this on Dec. 14, we are finalizing our analysis of Mississippi official variety trials and on-farm variety trials. We have noticed some three-gene Bt varieties are performing really well. However, based on trends we have seen in the past, just because a “new variety” performed well one year, it doesn’t mean it will perform well every year. Variety selection is a time-consuming process that will affect the grower for the entire season. I think it is wise to consider variety selection from a couple different stand points. First, consider “new versus old” varieties, which allows the grower to not only plant a variety we know will perform well, but also start moving in the direction of learning toward newer varieties. Today, most cotton varieties do not have a long shelf-life. Second, consider dryland versus irrigated to see how well our newer varieties performed under these agronomic practices. Third, look at region and soil texture because we have seen a lot of variation in varietal performance across these two factors. Based on all the previously mentioned points to consider, the main idea is to plant multiple varieties that have performed well and match this to your agronomic practices, region and soil texture. There is always a peace of mind that comes with doing your homework and planting what you consider to be a “good mix” of varieties for your operation. Visit https://bit.ly/3ns28QF to view MSU’s on-farm county demonstration and OVT results. Finally, I would like to wish you a happy and prosperous New Year! bkp4@msstate.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins

This year has had its share of challenges, as every year does, but 2020 didn’t seem to let up on us. In short, we had the most challenging planting season in a long time, followed by intense heat and drought throughout July in many of our predominate cotton areas. August brought badly needed rains, allowing us to develop a strong top crop, although September and early October were abnormally cooler when we really needed substantial heat unit accumulation to mature the top crop. Yields are anywhere from low to acceptable, depending on many factors. There have been very few reports of noticeably high yields. We did experience some heat unit accumulation in late October, and a somewhat late frost, both of which helped open bolls. Boll opening was surprisingly better than anticipated, albeit slower than normal. Although yields are relatively lower, we have had some exceptional quality, with many incidences of micronaire and staple within the premium range. We also have some very good color and leaf grades. Additionally, despite a challenging year, we were able to successfully complete another year of the North Carolina On-Farm Cotton Variety Evaluation Program and NCSU Official Variety Trials. There were several varieties within the top-yielding group that displayed a high degree of yield stability.

COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2021

These varieties represented several different germplasms, seed companies and technology packages. It is always good for the industry that multiple brands are competitive. This gives growers a wide array of choices, many of which can be matched to various soil types or production systems. January will kick off the 2021 meeting season, and there will be many opportunities for growers to see and hear the latest research results and recommendations for the coming crop. The NCSU Extension cotton county meetings will be listed on the NCSU Cotton Portal website (https://cotton.ces.ncsu.edu/) under “Events” or by contacting your local county agent. The results of the NC On-Farm Cotton Variety Evaluation Program and NCSU OVT will be available in the NCSU Cotton Variety Performance Calculator (https://trials.ces.ncsu.edu/cotton/). We will discuss these during our winter meetings. Additionally, we will be talking about the NCDA Cotton Seed Quality Testing Program that was successfully launched in 2020 and will continue to have substantial impact in future seasons. guy_collins@ncsu.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper

Tis the season to thumb through fiber quality data and wonder, “What does this all mean, again?” Over the years, I've noticed a wide range in the level of understanding of fiber development, the classification process, and what role our decisions make on realized fiber quality. While some within the industry can determine leaf, staple and color from the turn-row in a split second, others may not understand why their cotton “high-miced.” There have been several publications over the years I've found to be particularly efficient and effective in explaining fiber quality. “The Classification of Cotton,” developed by Cotton Incorporated, is one of those publications. It does an excellent job describing the history and process of classification and touches on the role of environment and variety on each parameter. The old “Physiology Today Series,” as you might expect, tackled the subject several times. Another excellent document I highly recommend reviewing is “How to Think about Fiber Quality in Cotton” by Steve Brown and Tyler Sandlin. This publication does an excellent job of explaining fiber development from an agronomists’ standpoint. You can find these publications by searching online or reviewing a recent blog post of mine that highlights each of these in greater detail (news.utcrops.com). Happy New Year! traper@utk.edu

OKLAHOMA Seth Byrd

There’s always an opportunity for reflection at the end of every season — a chance to look back at what went right and what went wrong and what to consider for upcoming years. Variety performance is always at the top of the list when reviewing the previous production year. While the 2020 season was favorable overall, there were three distinct periods that offered challenges to the crop. How varieties responded to these conditions may provide guidance when selecting for certain characteristics in the future. For dryland specifically, the hot and dry August challenged varieties that may have gotten off to a slow start and didn’t have vigorous early season growth. Evaluating a variety’s ability to respond to these harsh conditions during peak bloom and boll fill periods allows producers to determine which ones may have a good fit for dryland or on their “tough acres.” The ability to retain fruit and mature early was favored due to a cold snap in early September. While it doesn’t appear to be widespread yet, there have been some instances of low micronaire, indicative of immature fiber, despite cotton being fully open and appearing to be mature at COTTONFARMING.COM

Specialists Speaking harvest. For many parts of Oklahoma, maturity is a key factor to consider when selecting a variety due to unpredictable temperature swings in the fall. 2020 offered an extreme example that can be used to select varieties based on earliness for northern portions of the state. A third factor that is typically considered in variety selection in many parts of the southwest is storm tolerance or boll type. The variations in varieties were on full display in 2020 due to an ice storm that struck the state in late October. String out and fall out differences between varieties were evident. While we hope to avoid ice storms with open cotton in the future, wind and rain are always a concern. 2020 offered the chance to evaluate storm tolerance in a near worse-case scenario. While yield and fiber quality are typically — and should be — the top priorities, other variety characteristics were challenged in 2020. These can be used to further narrow down variety selections and help with variety placement. Look for the results of our on-farm variety trials (RACE trials) to come out soon. For more information on these trials, contact your local county Extension office or visit cotton.okstate.edu or ntokcotton.org. seth.byrd@okstate.edu

TEXAS Ben McKnight

contain the results from 20-plus on-farm variety trials. These results, along with data from the Rolling Plains, High Plains and West Central Texas variety trials, can be found at cotton.tamu.edu. I highly encourage growers to use these resources to assist in the selection process for the 2021 growing season. bmcknight@tamu.edu

TEXAS Murilo Maeda

I hope you all had a great Christmas break! As we welcome the new year, I wanted to remind you that this is a good time to get soil samples and start planning for next season. I know we are still at least a few months from planting, but that is exactly the point. Make sure you are adjusting fertility plans according to realistic yield goals. Variety trials have been harvested and fiber quality data should start coming in soon. Stay tuned for the final RACE trial report for the Southern High Plains, as well as the Panhandle, to be out sometime later in January. When that happens, the report will be made available online at our variety testing website (http://varietytesting.tamu.edu/cotton/). Looking forward to our regional Extension meetings, 2021 will be a very different year. While we will certainly continue to bring you updated information, most (if not all) of our meetings will be virtual this year because of restrictions on travel, crowd size, etc. We understand there are challenges that accompany these virtual events, but given the current situation, we are doing our best to adapt. Planning for the meetings is underway. I encourage you to reach out to your county agent if there is any specific topic(s) you would like covered. We look forward to a productive year. mmaeda@ag.tamu.edu

Looking back on the 2020 growing season, I am sure everyone can agree this past year has been full of many challenges. As I write this in mid-December, much of the 2020 season is rapidly coming to a close in Texas for those who haven’t already wrapped up. Currently, the drought monitor doesn’t look good for much of the state with the majority of Texas in moderate to severe drought. Some relief came to Central Texas and the Upper Gulf Coast recently, but much rainfall is needed to replenish subsoil moisture ahead of planting this year’s cotton. Despite the continuing challenges as we close the books on 2020, I remain optimistic for the 2021 growing season. Now is the time we start thinking ahead to the upcoming season and making decisions. Variety Seed Source Genetics offers high yielding, CONVENTIONAL cottonseed selection is perhaps the single most important at a low cost to producers in the Mid-South, Southeast and Texas. decision made the entire year because so much is Our goal is to make cotton farming profitable again. determined when the choice is made. In addition to yield and quality characteristics, the selection of a variety determines what our pest control programs are going to look like. Varieties that have enhanced resistance to New for 2021 bacterial blight should be strongly considered in UA248 fields with a history of the pest. Weed resistance might require us to shift our weed control programs to combat resistance. This can also affect our variety decisions. Resistance to once-viable traits and the costs associated with chemical apVarieties available from Seed Source Genetics for the 2021 growing plications for insects may influence the type of season: UA107 • UA114 • UA222 • UA248* • HQ 210 CT insect traits we would like in a variety. * New variety There are many management decisions based on the single choice of variety selection. In addiCurrently Booking All Varieties tion to yield potential and fiber quality, the task of arriving at the right decision might seem overFor more information contact: whelming. Results from variety testing can often answer many of the questions regarding variety performance and serve as a great resource to help Edward Jungmann • 5159 FM 3354 • Bishop, TX 78343 in the decision-making process. Office: 361-584-3540 Cell: 361-548-7560 Home: 361-584-2192 The South, Central and East Texas cotton vaeejungmann@gmail.com riety results were posted in mid-December and

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Wage And Hour Inspectors Hit Gins In South And Central Texas We have heard recent reports of cotton gin inspections being done by the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division in the Southeast and Oklahoma. Now, Texas gins are receiving inspections as well. Texas had quite a few inspections in 2016 and 2017 around Lubbock, and now we are seeing Wage and Hour inspectors show up in South and Central Texas member gins. So far, they have only hit three gins in Texas. But all the inspections were in November, and it is likely that other Texas gins will be checked before the season is complete. One of the inspections is specifically checking on H-2A workers.

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Check Citations Carefully The DOL Wage and Hour inspection and citation processes are different from state agencies. Be sure you have someone knowledgeable to review any citations before you sign off on or pay them. We have seen problems with citations being written in a way that it is impossible to tell exactly what the problem was. If you sign off on a vague violation without knowing the exact reason for the citation, you have no way of proving you corrected the violation. If the agency returns later and writes you a repeat violation, the fines can go up by a factor of 10. Under the new presidential administration, we can expect to see inspectors looking for repeat violations, if the past is any indication. If you provide housing for your workers, you must have it licensed and inspected by the appropriate agency, depending on state laws. In addition, if you employ H-2A workers, you must have your housing inspected by an agency that is authorized to conduct inspections for H-2A housing. These may or may not be the same folks who would be allowed to inspect regular migrant housing. Overtime Guidelines While ginning, the most important item to watch for is proper worker payment. Be sure to pay overtime correctly. Remember, in 48-hour overtime weeks, double check overtime for employees who did not work the full week. During a 48-hour overtime week, you must pay workers for any hours worked over 10 per day or any hours worked over 48 per week, whichever is greater. This calculation must be applied to any employee who exceeds 40 worktime hours. We have many examples you can review on our website — tcga.com. But as a quick example, if a worker worked three 12-hour days and one five-hour day, they would have worked a total of 41 hours. But they would be owed six hours of overtime, due to the daily overtime on the three 12-hour days. Had this same worker only worked four hours on that final day, they would be owed no overtime, as the employee must work more than 40 hours before the calculation even applies. Please call your gin association for questions related to worker pay. Employee Bonus Pay Another issue we have seen regularly in gin inspections is related to paying bonuses. When it comes to bonuses, just re-

COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2021

member you typically must pay overtime on a bonus. There are exceptions to this rule, but an inspector will normally assume overtime is due on a bonus unless you can prove that you meet an exception. The easiest way to pay a bonus and meet the Wage and Hour requirements is to calculate the bonus based on a percentage of the gross pay of an employee. Gross pay automatically includes overtime pay, so using this method will allow you to prove an overtime payment. You can pay any worker any percentage of gross as a bonus. One worker may receive 2%, and another one 1%. That is fine. You just have to base the calculation on a percentage of straight time and the same percentage applied to overtime for each worker. If you have H-2A workers on site, they must be paid overtime in the same manner as all the other employees in their work group. For example, if you pay overtime on a 48-hour basis for your gin workers, then all H-2A employees in the gin must be paid on the same basis. This also applies to H-2A workers on the trucking crew. If you pay the other workers on the same crew on a 40-hour overtime basis, then the H-2A workers would be paid overtime on the same basis. You cannot treat H-2A employees differently than non-H2A workers. Wage Rates The second H-2A issue relates to wage rates. Most H-2A workers are paid based on the Adverse Effect Wage Rate. The part that trips folks up is that all workers in the same job classification must also be paid this same wage rate. For example, if the job description in your H-2A application specified workers for a gin press crew, then all of the workers on the gin press crew must be paid the AEWR, regardless of whether they are H-2A or regular workers. When Wage and Hour inspectors have checked gins in the past, we typically have seen relatively few problems. Cotton gins have historically done a good job of managing their payroll accurately. But it never hurts to double check. As always, if you or any of your staff have payroll related questions, please give your association office a call. J. Kelley Green, TCGA director of technical services, contributed this article. Contact him at kelley@tcga.org.

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My Turn The Cotton Gin, Hide And Seek, And Spontaneous Combustion

ach fall, usually On the other hand, for a short time we did climb the about mid-Septem- wonderous mountain of hulls, immature seeds, and debris ber (depending on that was spat out of the gin. We would race to where the the weather during mountain had formed, climb to the top, and then roll to the the growing season), the cot- bottom. Every day the mountain would grow, and so did ton bolls would burst open and our determination to conquer it. As we climbed, the mouncotton picking would begin. tain would give way, making our climb both more difficult White fluff began to gather on and more fun at the same time. Our roll down grew faster both sides of the road on our and harder as the mountain grew higher and higher, and farm, particularly around the we were tossed in the air as we hit the bottom of the pile, cotton gin. Mother always said which was our favorite part of the ride. No man-made slide George Ann every year, “My stars, it looks I was ever on in my life was that much fun. Byrd Danehower like snow.” And it did. It was But one day something happened on the mountain that I ginning season. will never forget. You might be wondering where the adults Ginning season began as the farmers arrived with their were while we enjoyed this particular forbidden game. wagons filled with the just-picked cotton. Cotton was Well, they were all working. Yes, one of them would appear cradled in various wooden wagons and drawn by tractors once in a while and yell at us to get off the mountain. But as or mules as they made their way to the gin. This season soon as that person left, we resumed climbing and sliding of ginning, with cotton fibers filling the air, would last until, one day, my daddy appeared at the gin and sat all of late into fall, until the fields of white gold had been picked us down at the base of the mountain and explained to us over at least twice. My world the concept of “spontaneous was cotton. After the cot“One day something happened on combustion.” I had never ton was ginned, the lint (the heard these two big words the mountain I will never forget.” before, and I asked Daddy good stuff) was compressed into five-hundred-pound to spell it for me and say it bales. These bales were then stacked and scattered on the again. We children found it hard to believe that fire could grounds around the gin, thus creating a giant maze perfect just start on its own in the middle of our mountain and for playing games. then cave in — with us still on it. This was one of the most From age four to about ten or eleven, we played at serious discussions I ever remember with my daddy. He did the gin, season after season. Climbing up on the bales, not yell or threaten us, nor were we punished. After he left sneaking around the corners, squeezing our bodies into our mountain, we all were glum and long-faced. It was hard the small spaces between bales, and flattening ourselves to believe this marvelous playground could kill us. against the hard, compressed cotton, made hide and seek It was probably no more than a week later that my friends the best game of all. It never mattered that we children and I went over to the gin to play hide and seek, and then were repeatedly told never to play around the gin. Fun we saw it: Our mountain had caught fire during the night and danger lurked everywhere, which is a kid’s primary and only about one-third of it was left standing. All that was criterion for fun. Sometimes while hiding among the bales, left were hot glowing red hulls and smoke spewing from we watched the wagons of just-picked cotton pull up to the within the small mound that remained of our once great gin. A man would take a huge silver tube, that seemed as mountain. It is an image I have never forgotten. large as his body, and place it in the wagon of raw seed cotton. Out of sight to us, a switch was flipped and a ferocious — George Ann Byrd Danehower noise of air sucking the cotton would begin. The cotton georgeannbyrd@comcast.net would disappear from the wagon and enter the gin. Through the wide-open side of the gin we could see the Editor’s note: This short story excerpt appears in George Ann cotton as it reappeared as a fast-moving white waterfall. Byrd Danehower’s book, “Fields of White Gold.” The stories are Where it fell, I do not know. To be honest, though, we set in the 1930s-1950s in Mississippi County, Arkansas. The children never went inside the cotton gin. We were simply book is available at actapublications.com and amazon.com. afraid to enter this strange building of metal and noise. Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling unusual “farm tales” or timely stories from across the Cotton Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting story to tell, send a short summary to csmith@onegrower.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2021

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