Cotton farming july 2017

Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

JULY 2017

www.cottonfarming.com

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR 2017 CCOY MY TURN: DOROTHY YOUNG

TURNAGE FARMS Cotton Legacy Thrives In The Missouri Bootheel

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Vol. 61 No. 7

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

JULY 2017

www.cottonfarming.com

F E AT U R E S

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Turnage Farms

Patrick Turnage is a fourth-generation farmer in Pemiscot County, Mo., who farms with his father and uncle. He always looks for ways to make the operation more productive and efficient. Some of his efforts include subsoiling and planting on-farm cotton variety trials, among others.

Turnage also is committed to carrying on the cotton-rich family legacy that began with his great grandfather.

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

4 Editor’s Note 14 Industry News 5 Cotton’s Agenda 16 Specialists Speaking 12 Research & Promotion 22 My Turn ON THE COVER: Patrick Turnage still grows continuous cotton on the same farm his great grandfather established in 1933. Cover photo by Carroll Smith.

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CALIFORNIA UPDATE

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2017 TMC CONTEST

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TEXAS WEED MANAGEMENT

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GINNERS MARKETPLACE

Extension specialist and agronomist, Bob Hutmacher, advises farmers to check closely for various diseases and troublesome insects.

The third annual Transform My Community Contest — Aug. 1 through Sept. 30 — is open to all eligible cotton farmers and consultants.

Mac Kutzenberger, who farms in the Brazos River Bottom, is encouraged by his experience with herbicide-tolerant trait system.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY

Cotton ginners are encouraged to review safety tips and maintenance procedures for overhead seed houses before the start of ginning season.

WEB EXCLUSIVE Scott Stewart, IPM Extension specialist, University of Tennessee, says armyworms look to make an early start...again. Stewart discusses what this means for various crops, how to correctly identify the pest and suggested treatment thresholds and insecticide options.

Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report to stay on top of this unfolding scenario.

CCOY NOMINATIONS To nominate a deserving candidate for the Cotton Consultant of the Year Award (co-sponsored by Cotton Farming and Syngenta), fill out the nomination form on Page 13. Deadline for nominations is Aug. 22.

Cotton C of the Y onsultant ear 2017 NOM

INATION The Cotton FORM Consultant (CCOY ) repres If you would of the Year ents the like who has consultant recognition to nominate made a consu , please to the cotton great contributions take a mome ltant deserving industry Please use of this nt to fill through outstanding outstanding out the recommendaa separate page customer following for biogra relations, leadership tions via form. phical/profes letters or and innova members emails sional tion.

Recognized are also encouraged from other farmer information. Additi of the cotton by fellow members s, consul to provid Consultant’s tants and onal e suppor industry, Name: industry t for the this award is given to nominee.

Company the consul Name: tant who only meets not Mailing Address these require also exceed : ments but s them.

City: Syngenta and Cotton Phone: magazine, Farming State: CCOY sponso soliciting rs, are Email: In your own Zip: your words, please 2017 recipie help in selecting of the Year” the Award. Additiontell us why you nt, who will are nomina at a specia al pages be named Background: may be attached ting the consulta l celebration nt above March 2, .

Friday, for the “Cotton 2018, Consultant Hotel in Memp at the Peabody his, Tenn.

The winnin g person who consultant and the nominates receive two the nights’ hotel winner airfare to stay and Memphis.

In additio n, the 2017 recipient CCOY will be the subject of four-page a salute issue of Cotton in the March 2018 Farming.

Please nominatsend your August ion form by 22, 2017 to:

Carroll Smith 7201 Eastern Germantown, Ave. TN 38138 Scan/Email: You can print csmith@onegro out an electron wer.com the form ic version located on of the Cotton Web site at www.c Farming ottonfarming.c om.

Biographical/In attached

dustry Involvem ent Backgro to this form. und.

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Your Name: Address: City: Phone:

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Cotton Farming

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

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JULY 2017 COTTON FARMING

3

Editor’s Note

Cotton Farming

Carroll Smith

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

Footprints In the Field And On The Home Front

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s the cotton crop rolls into mid-July, consultants are shifting into high gear across the Belt to nurture and protect the precious money bolls. This important segment of the industry is now in the height of its season. With that in mind, we have a “consultant-rich” issue of Cotton Farming this month.

In “Turnage Farms” on page 8, cotton farmer Patrick Turnage shares credit for the Missouri Bootheel farm’s success with their consultant Tim Roberts, co-owner of TennArk Crop Service. “From being a cotton scout to a father figure, Tim has guided me through understanding seed selection and placement according to soil type, spreading risk with multiple cotton varieties, the importance of weed control, the why and why not’s of fertility, being aggressive on bugs, and most of all, the importance of timeliness in all of our practices,” Turnage says.

Independent crop consultant Paul Scott Poag, based in Manila, Ark., shares his thoughts on the importance of controlling plant bugs during the bloom stage in “Cotton Consultant’s Corner” on page 7. “July 4 marks a critical time in the season when money bolls are being set,” he says.

“We have to keep bugs off the cotton and the water rolling since the bulk of the crop is being made at this point.”

Tennessee crop consultant Larry Kimery made the news this month as he recalls being selected the grand prizewinner in last year’s Transform My Community Contest. Dow AgroSciences donated the grand prize money on his behalf to the Gibson County Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse. In his winning essay, Kimery explained how “$20,000 would go a long way to help all the children in need of the center’s services.” Details about the 2017 TMC contest, which kicks off on Aug. 1, can be found on page 10. All eligible cotton consultants and farmers are encouraged to enter.

July also is the month in which we open nominations for the 2017 Cotton Consultant of the Year award. This program began in 1981 and is sponsored by Syngenta and Cotton Farming magazine. If you know of a consultant deserving of this honor, please take time to nominate him or her. The nomination form can be found on page 13 and on the Cotton Farming website at www.cottonfarming.com.

Our special treat for you this month features Dorothy Young in the “My Turn” column on page 22. Dorothy is married to Louisiana cotton consultant Ray Young. Check out behind-the-scenes anecdotes and life as “A Consultant’s Wife” from her perspective.

And to all the cotton consultants out there, we salute you!

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

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COTTON FARMING JULY 2017

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

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC Mike Lamensdorf President/Treasurer Lia Guthrie Publisher/Vice President ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COOPERATION: Cooperating with COTTON FARMING are various cotton producer organizations across the Cotton Belt. Many representatives of producer organizations serve on COTTON FARMING’s editorial advisory board. Opinions expressed and conclusions reached by contributors are not necessarily those of the cooperating organizations or the editors.

All statements, including product claims, are those of the person or organization making the statement or claim. The publisher does not adopt any such statement or claims as its own and any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher.

Copyright 2017 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

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

COTTONFARMING.COM

Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

Maintaining NAFTA Benefits The National Cotton Council believes maintaining the benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico is crucial to the U.S. cotton industry’s long-term survival.

How important are exports? n The U.S. cotton industry is heavily dependent on access to export markets. On average, about 75 percent of cotton production in the United States is sold to foreign buyers as raw cotton fiber, while another 20-25 percent is exported as textile products in the form of yarn, thread or fabric.

has been a stabilizing influence and source of strength for the U.S. cotton industry, in large part due to the duty-free trade in raw cotton and cotton textile products. Mexico is buying 9 percent of our raw cotton exports (almost 1 million bales) and 15 percent of our cotton textile and apparel exports. Canada purchases 6 percent of our cotton textile and apparel exports.

Overall, the North American market accounted for more than $2 billion in annual U.S. exports of raw cotton fiber and cotton textile products from 2014-2016.

How can NAFTA be modernized?

n In its comments, the NCC said U.S. negotiators’ objectives should be to preserve NAFTA’s current benefits while encouraging further regional integration of the cotton and textile supply chain. This could be achieved through improvements to measures affecting trade in textiles and apparel, particularly the textile rules of origin. The purpose is to ensure an agreement’s benefits accrue to its parties.

NAFTA is an important trade pact for U.S. cotton as about 75 percent of the industry’s raw fiber is now being sold to foreign buyers.

U.S. cotton exporters face competition from growths originating from countries/regions such as Australia, Brazil, West Africa and Central Asia. The U.S. cotton textile industry has faced a surge of competition from textile industries in Vietnam, Bangladesh and Indonesia. China and India, the world’s two largest producers and spinners of raw cotton, can be wildcards in the global market. China also is the largest producer and processor of man-made textile fibers, principally polyester, that are substitutable for cotton fiber.

What are NAFTA’s benefits?

n In comments submitted to the “Federal Register” in June regarding the Administration’s NAFTA negotiating objectives, the NCC emphasized that this trade pact

For textile and apparel products, NAFTA uses a yarn-forward rule of origin that has boosted growth in regional trade and facilitated regional integration to our benefit. Unfortunately, NAFTA also includes exceptions that weaken the yarn-forward rule of origin’s effectiveness.

Among those we would like to see eliminated are tariff-preference levels that allow certain fabrics and yarns to enter a NAFTA country from a third country, be processed into a finished textile product, and still receive dutyfree treatment under the agreement.

Among other modernizations the NCC is seeking are 1) strengthening provisions covering a statute that requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to purchase only textile products with 100 percent U.S. content, with limited exceptions and 2) establishing a customs enforcement task force to combat duty evasion and other forms of textile-related customs fraud.

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

JULY 2017 COTTON FARMING

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CALIFORNIA UPDATE

Disease And Insects Take Center Stage

BY BOB HUTMACHER EXTENSION SPECIALIST/AGRONOMIST UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

W

e had what seems like another “unusual” spring this year, with a warm mid-March that encouraged early plantings followed by cool and even cold weather on multiple occasions during April and into early May. Even though soils often weren’t wet during this period and rain was somewhat limited, the cooler weather took a toll on many fields, with above-average losses due to seedling disease and slow, delayed leaf expansion.

Drying winds and some hot weather in parts of late April and into May put some added stress on struggling plants. Although we have many fields that are in OK shape in terms of growth at this time, the “legacy” of the starting conditions this year also produced many plants with damaged tap roots, lateral roots trying to get established in drying soils, and some terminal damage that will result in more vegetative branching and fruiting delays.

In our late May and mid-June observations, about twothirds of San Joaquin Valley cotton fields were five-seven days behind what we think is a more normal rate of development and progression toward first bloom. And perhaps half of the remaining fields are closer to 10-14 days behind typical development for this time of year.

Disease Report A fair number of fields have been checked out this year for multiple seedling diseases, plus Fusarium oxysporum race 4. Both Rhizoctonia and Thielaviopsis were worse than normal in some fields where plants also grew slowly due to thrips injury. Stand losses were moderate in most cases, even though growth was delayed in many fields.

Fusarium oxysporum race 4 continues to expand into additional fields and is worth identifying to try to keep this disease in check.

Prior to first bloom you should consider: (1) investigating areas where plants die off early season; (2) look for root vascular staining to differentiate between Fusarium oxysporum race 4 and other fungal seedling diseases; (3) check with your pest control adviser or university farm adviser if you want a plant/field evaluation; (4) map or take GPS coordinates of areas where there is a known infestation, and plant resistant cotton varieties there in the future.

Troublesome Insect Pests Lygus populations in many parts of the San Joaquin Valley rose to potential damaging levels starting in late May and going into June this year. This caused some seri-

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COTTON FARMING JULY 2017

Foliar damage is one symptom of Fusarium oxysporum race 4, a virulent disease that attacks cotton. ous early season square losses and required multiple early insecticide applications. Aphid “hot spots” and elevated populations were also observed in multiple locations.

This type of start for the flowering and fruit-production season makes crop management potentially more challenging, producing fruit loss and in some cases terminal damage, altered growth patterns (more vegetative branching, stronger tendency for rapid vegetative growth), and delays in the start of successful fruit retention.

Early use of multiple pesticides can make it difficult to: (1) try to protect beneficial insects; (2) make good choices for pesticides that represent different modes of action for resistance management; and (3) made good choices for effective control of earlier season pests (lygus, aphids, others) that still leave you options for late-season pests … if they show up.

Addressing Fruit Loss Delayed plant development can also lead to flowering/ fruit development shifting even more into what is typically our warmest time of the year. Hot weather and hot nights can negatively affect fruit retention and give more tendencies for strong vegetative growth.

In fields where fruit loss is significant and occurs over an extended period, both plant growth regulator use and irrigation delays may be especially needed management tools this year.

Contact Bob Hutmacher at 559-884-2411 or rbhutmacher@ ucdavis.edu.

COTTONFARMING.COM

Cotton Consultant’s Corner

Control Plant Bugs During Bloom Stage Paul Scott Poag Poag Scouting LLC Manila, Ark.

I started scouting cotton for my sister and brother-in-law when I was 14 years old and later worked for consultants Terry and Gail Ramsey until I was a sophomore in college. In 1999-2000 I got a few acres of my own and then established Poag Scouting LLC after finishing graduate school in 2005.

Target spot was a big issue in cotton in 2016 so we will consider applying some fungicides this year. We may or may not have it again, but if we do, we will have a game plan as far as fungicide application timing. We did have a good harvest season, which helped us in some areas. This year, February and March were fairly warm and dry, but continuous rains the latter part of April made it difficult to get a good stand of cotton. Since the crop is a week to 10 days behind, we will need good weather in late fall to finish this one up.

Glyphosate-resistant pigweed remains the No. 1 weed pest.

Our farmers did a good job of getting out the initial pre-emerge herbicides, but were unable to layer them as soon as they wanted to because of dealing with inclement weather and trying to plant.

Consequently, we now have some pigweeds to clean up.

Protect The Money Bolls

• B.S., agricultural business with a minor in plant science, Arkansas State University, 2002 • M.S., agricultural economics, University of Arkansas, 2005 • Arkansas Certified Crop Adviser • Has consulted for 17 years on cotton, corn, soybeans, milo and wheat • Member of the Arkansas Agricultural Consultants Association • Married to wife, Rachel. Sons: Mason, 7, and Taylor, 5.

Daughter: Claire, 3 • Enjoys outdoor activities, including hunting and fishing

Thrips attack young cotton in May and June, but by July 4, plant bugs are the target insect pest. When cotton starts blooming, it’s time to get plant bugs under control. During the early bloom period, I apply a shot of Transform WG insecticide. If plant bugs are present in a field adjacent to a cornfield, I plan on coming back with another application. Otherwise, I will check the cotton the following week after the first Transform application to decide whether it needs an additional one.

Transform works well where we are trying to rotate chemistries and keeps some of the other insects, such as red spider mites, from flaring as badly. If it weren’t available for plant bug control, we would have to lean on some of the older, harsher insecticides.

July 4 marks a critical time in the season when money bolls are being set. We have to keep bugs off the cotton and the water rolling since the bulk of the crop is being made at this point. In the future, we also will be using more moisture sensors and new software to fine-tune irrigation scheduling as water restrictions become more stringent.

Although we faced challenges during the spring, my advice to farmers is to hang in there. We will get some good weather and the cotton will catch up. There is still plenty of potential for good yields this year. Bad luck may have been loaded on the front end of the growing season, but we hope that good luck will be loaded on the back. ®

Recap: Control Plant Bugs During Bloom

t

1. February and March were fairly warm and dry, but continuous rains the latter part of April made the crop a week to 10 days late.

2. By July 4, plant bugs typically are the target insect pest.

When cotton starts blooming, it’s time to get them under control.

3. During the early bloom period, I apply Transform WG insecticide. If plant bugs are present in a field adjacent to a cornfield, I plan on coming back with another application. Otherwise, I will check the cotton the following week after the first Transform application to decide whether it needs an additional one. ®

4. Transform keeps some of the other insects, such as red spider mites, from flaring as badly.

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COVER STORY

Cotton Legacy Thrives In The Missouri Bootheel

Turnage Farms

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

A

fourth-generation farmer in Pemiscot County, Mo., Patrick Turnage keeps a photo from 1937 of his grandfather — J.W. “June Bug” Turnage Jr. — and one of his parents — Sonny and Belinda — on their first date stuck in the dome light of his pickup. “Seeing those photos every day reminds me that everything we do and how we do it is a reflection on our family,” he says. “And I feel like Grandpaw is with me, and I am still farming with him.”

Today, Turnage, his father and his uncle Duke farm 3,000 acres of cotton — half of which is furrow-irrigated — and 1,600 acres of dryland soybeans.

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COTTON FARMING JULY 2017

“There are no windshield farmers on this farm,” he says. “If something needs to be done, all three of us are willing and capable of doing it.”

Always Room For Improvement Like many farmers, Turnage looks for ways to make the farming operation more productive and efficient.

While driving a picker last season, he noticed that one row of cotton was performing noticeably better than the other rows. After thinking about it, Turnage remembered that the county water district had dug a trench there to put in a new water line. Although most of their acres typically are no-till, he decided to subsoil a good portion of the land to increase cotton productivity.

“Luckily, we had a dry February and bought a John Deere Mobile RTK Signal for its precise, auto steer accuracy to put up new, straight rows,” Turnage says. “Now we can no-till COTTONFARMING.COM

Patrick Turnage’s great grandfather, John Willis, moved the family’s farming operation from Tennessee to the Missouri Bootheel in 1933.

Patrick, his father and his uncle still grow continuous cotton on that same ground today. again for a number of years. We also sowed a wheat cover crop on more than half of our acres to protect the cotton from blowing sand and invested in a cotton seed treatment with a bigger insecticide package.”

In another instance, Turnage recalls that when he came back to the farm after finishing school, planters didn’t have spray tanks on them and resistant pigweeds were coming fast.

“I remember spraying 48 hours straight for three years in a row chasing three planters with one tractor.

‘This is ridiculous,’ I thought. That was the light bulb moment when I invented the Cotton Tail Hoods that attach to the planter so we can plant and spray at the same time. After doing this, the pigweeds were dead and the pre-emerge herbicides had been applied. If we got rained out of a field, then no matter where the planter stopped, we were clean. And by taking me off the sprayer, I could run another planter. The hoods made us much more efficient.”

Multiple Varieties Spread Risk The Turnages also believe in planting several varieties to avoid “putting all of their chips on one number.”

“If a variety fits our soil and short growing season, we will plant it,” Turnage says. “This year we planted DP 1518 B2XF, DP 1522 B2XF, DynaGro 3385 B2XF, NG 3406 B2XF and NG 3522 B2XF and 50 acres each of NG 4545 B2XF and NG 4601 B2XF to try them out. Our reasoning is that every year is different and every variety performs differently every year.

If we have a hot, dry season, one of the varieties is going to shine. If it’s a cool, wet season, another variety will shine. Odds are it’s not going to be the same one, so we spread our risk.”

In addition to being a New Product Evaluator for Deltapine, Turnage has also conducted on-farm variety trials for years. “I like to do my own research and test all the varieties against each other,” he says. “Everybody’s dirt is different, and I want to know how a variety will perform on our farm. This Twitter: @CottonFarming

It’s The Journey That Matters In the early 1930s, John Willis Turnage, Patrick’s great grandfather, was growing cotton in Lake County, Tenn., near Reelfoot and Hornbeak. After hearing about the big, flat fields in Southeast Missouri, he rode the ferry across the Mississippi River to Caruthersville and then walked into the agricultural area of Pemiscot County. There he struck a deal to farm the land surrounding Carlton School, a rural facility built in 1922 to educate local children.

“We still farm the ground he was farming then,” Turnage says. “I have several of my great grandfather’s cotton weigh books in which he recorded the hand-picked weights employees brought in at harvest. He weighed each person’s cotton on a scale out in the field and kept up with the weights in these books so he would know how much to pay each worker at the end of the day.

“My grandfather, father, uncle and I all grew up on this farm. I live in my great grandfather’s house today, while my mama and daddy live down the road, and my mammaw — Jean Turnage — lives in the old school house, which had been turned into a residence. I also have fond memories of Isaiah West, a man who worked for us for almost 40 years. I like to say I grew up in his back pocket.”

As a young child, Turnage sat in his dad’s lap and “helped” drive the combine. When he was 10 years old with his feet propped up on a toolbox so he could touch the floor, Turnage was cutting wheat as his father sat beside him. year, I have 26 varieties in my test.”

The Missouri farmer also holds firm in his philosophy of not planting 36 hours before a rain is predicted to avoid planting too shallow. If it doesn’t rain, then you lessen your odds of planting successfully, he says.

Wide Circle Of Mentors In addition to the cotton-rich legacy established and carried on by his family, Turnage is quick to share credit for the farm’s success with their consultant Tim Roberts, co-owner of TennArk Crop Service.

“From being a cotton scout to a father figure, Tim has guided me through understanding seed selection and placement according to soil type, spreading risk with multiple varieties, the importance of weed control, the why and why not’s of fertility, being aggressive on bugs, and most of

A collection of John Willis Turnage’s cotton weigh books are showcased in a shadow box that hangs in the Turnage Farms’ office. John Willis was Patrick’s great-grandfather, and cotton was picked by hand in that era.

“I remember Dad saying, ‘I have to go to the shop. I will be right back.’ And then he opened the door, walked off the ladder and left me driving that machine by myself. I felt like I became a real farmer that day. And I was 10 years old.

“In 1989, cotton became our main crop and quickly became my passion. Each fall, after the last bolls have been picked and delivered to Caruthersville Gin, I start looking forward to growing it again next year. A love of cotton is in my blood.” all, the importance of timeliness in all of our practices. He also has played a huge role in shaping the farmer and the man I am today.

“I try to learn as much as I can from everyone I come into contact with, whether it’s Tim or the parts man at the John Deere dealership or the CEO at the bank where we borrow money. I have many mentors from all walks of life.”

When it comes to farming, Turnage strives for perfection and appreciates being surrounded by people who share his passion for cotton.

“You are only as good as your employees, and Turnage Farms has been blessed with good people throughout the years,” he says.

“Another key to our longevity is the faith and commitment we receive from our landlords. It’s easy to farm for people who trust us the way they do.”

JULY 2017 COTTON FARMING

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2017 Transform My Community Contest Begins Aug. 1

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

S

inger and philanthropist Bryan Adams once said, “I like the idea of helping people help people.” To expand that thought, one might say, “I like the idea of helping people help their communities.”

The Transform My Community Contest, inspired by Transform WG insecticide and sponsored by Dow AgroSciences and Cotton Farming magazine, is a way for cotton farmers and crop consultants to “transform” some aspect of their community with $20,000 prize money.

This year’s program kicks off Aug. 1 and runs through Sept. 30. Due to Section 18 label use restrictions, only cotton producers and consultants in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas are eligible to submit essays.

Field Of Dreams In 2015 — the Transform My Community Contest’s inaugural year — Arkansas cotton farmer A.J. Hood wrote a heartfelt commentary about the Miracle League of Southeast Arkansas’ efforts to raise money to build a baseball field for kids and adults with disabilities. For Hood, it was personal. His brother had lived for more than 40 years with several disabilities before passing away last year.

“I would have loved for my brother to have had the opportunity to play baseball,” Hood says. “So when I found out that the Miracle League of Southeast Arkansas (SEARK) had set out on a mission to build a ‘Field of Dreams’ in Monticello for people with disabilities, I thought it was the perfect ‘community-transforming’ opportunity.”

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COTTON FARMING JULY 2017

In 2015, Dow AgroSciences presented $10,000 to the SEARK Miracle League on behalf of Arkansas cotton farmer and Transform My Community grand prizewinner A.J. Hood (far right). Also present were Jay Golz, left, Dow AgroSciences district sales manager; Karen Connelly, Southeast Arkansas Miracle League president; Rogers Cockrill, owner, Tillar & Co.; Todd Pilcher, Dow AgroSciences U.S. product manager, Isoclast Active; Kyle Colwell, Dow AgroSciences local sales representative; Jon Elliot Hood and Nikki Hood.

The Arkansas farmer, who was the 2015 $10,000 grand prizewinner, says, “To think a short essay has done so much to transform Monticello and the lives of so many people with disabilities makes me very proud.”

After reading an article in Cotton Farming about Dow AgroSciences’ donation to SEARK Miracle League, a farm family in northeast Louisiana also sent the organization a personal check for $10,000 to support the effort.

Karen Connelley, SEARK Miracle League president, is excited that a contractor has now been hired and groundwork is underway for the baseball field, which will serve both children and adults. “Our goal is to complete the field by this fall so it

will be ready for our first league,” she says. “In addition to receiving the wonderful $10,000 from Dow AgroSciences and the Louisiana farm family’s donation, we applied for and received a grant from the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

“We also are grateful for the city of Monticello and all of the individuals who made donations that allowed this dream to come true. What makes it all so special is that the community owns it.”

Hood encourages everyone who is eligible to enter the Transform My Community Contest. “Winning the grand prize money from DowAgroSciences served as a catalyst that encouraged more donations for COTTONFARMING.COM

our Miracle League field,” he says.

“For the first time in some of these kids’ lives, they will step onto a baseball field and experience playing ball as well as belonging to a team. And I dare say that the volunteers who have helped so far and will help in the future will reap just as many rewards from this Miracle League field as the kids will.”

For The Children Moved by the Transform My Community Contest’s success in connecting with long-term community development, Dow AgroSciences increased the grand prize money to $20,000 in 2016.

Tennessee crop consultant Larry Kimery submitted an entry with the hope of providing significant funding to the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse if he were chosen as the grand prizewinner.

Three of the centers are in Gibson County and have provided services to children and families since 1989.

These non-profit entities work with child services, juvenile court and law enforcement. Today, the Carl Perkins Center offers a multitude of programs that require funding to sustain them.

Among these are a 24-hour hot line, victim advocacy, community education, forensic interview, therapeutic visitation and a relative caregiver program.

After learning he had been chosen as the 2016 grand prizewinner, Kimery thanked Dow AgroSciences for the generous $20,000 donation that “will go a long way to help all the children in need of the center’s services.”

During the check presentation ceremony last October, Leah Blackburn, says, “It’s hard to put into words what receiving the $20,000 Dow AgroSciences TMC grand prize money means to the Gibson County Carl Perkins Center. It will allow the center to continue to provide quality services and advocate for more children and their families in Gibson County, just when they need it the most.”

In a recent update on how the $20,000 helped transform the communities served by the Carl Perkins Center, Blackburn says, “The money Twitter: @CottonFarming

Cotton consultant Larry Kimery (center), 2016 Transform My Community Contest grand prizewinner, presents $20,000 from Dow AgroSciences on his behalf to the Gibson County Carl Perkins Center. Joining Larry are Jay Golz (left), Dow AgroSciences district sales manager; Leah Blackburn, Gibson County Carl Perkins Center director; Judy Kimery, cotton consultant; and Joel Alvey, Dow AgroSciences local sales representative. we received from Dow AgroSciences allowed us to hire a full-time family advocate who works directly with children, who have been victims of child abuse, and their families. This person provides victim advocacy, court support services and parent education, among other responsibilities.

“We are thrilled to have this position available to the children and families of Gibson County and owe a huge thank you to Mr. Larry Kimery, Dow AgroSciences and the Transform My Community Contest.”

Kimery says he would definitely encourage everyone who is eligible to enter the Transform My Community Contest. “Every community has organizations that serve special needs. By turning a part-time advocate position into a full-time one with the $20,000 we won, the Carl Perkins Center was able to help more families become better citizens, which definitely transforms a community.

“I also continue to urge my customers to use Transform WG insecticide in our cotton so we can transform the way we control plant bugs.”

2017 Contest Opens Soon “We are excited to kick off the third annual Transform My Community initiative,” says Lindsey LaBerge, U.S. product manager for Transform

WG insecticide, Dow AgroSciences.

“The program is a rewarding way for Dow AgroSciences to demonstrate its commitment to local cotton communities and the importance of preserving the rural way of life. The heartfelt entries from cotton farmers and consultants from previous years reflect their passion for supporting initiatives that will ultimately transform their communities for the betterment of all. The $20,000 grand prize for the winning entry will go a long way to help transform one lucky community again this year.”

To enter the contest, eligible cotton farmers and consultants are asked to submit a short essay — 500 words or less — about how Transform is protecting their cotton yield from plant bugs and how their favorite organization or charity (local FFA chapter, food bank, library, etc.) is working to help transform the community. Entrants also are encouraged to attach photos (if applicable).

Dow AgroSciences will donate $20,000 to the chosen organization or charity and present $1,000 cash to the cotton farmer or consultant who submits the winning entry.

Go to www.transformmycommunity. com on Aug. 1 to access the contest entry form. Entries are judged on compelling need, creativity and tie-in to the Transform insecticide theme.

JULY 2017 COTTON FARMING

11

RESEARCH & PROMOTION

New Ad Campaign: Leave Comfort To Clothes

C

otton Incor porated is charged w ith promoting cotton to consumers. It does this through a wide variety of tactics, the most well known of which is advertising.

The advertising climate in today’s world is chang ing and challenging. Companies must be able to find cost-effective programming (TV, digital, etc.) that can reach a large percentage of the target audience at a time when consumer-viewing habits are changing rapidly. They also have to develop an impactful message over a wide array of media platforms.

At the Cotton Board’s March Board of Directors meeting, guest speaker Wendy Clark, CEO of DDB North America (Cotton Incorporated’s advertising agency), said it best, “In the cluttered marketplace, advertising is the uninvited guest. And because of that, we need to do more and mean more in today’s world by telling better stories and being more insightful.”

With that advice in mind and creative agency DDB New York at the helm, Cotton Incorporated’s Consumer Marketing Division has announced the launch of a new consumer-directed advertising campaign: “Leave Comfort to Clothes.”

Rethink Perception Of Comfort The Leave Comfort to Clothes campaign leverages consumers’ strong connection between cotton and comfort and inspires them to rethink the way they view comfort. It’s about taking an ingredient and making it matter so consumers will look for and buy more cotton.

“We’re living in uncomfortable times and if any brand can make being uncomfortable more comfortable — it’s cotton,” says Jill Orsini, Cotton Incorporated’s director of advertising.

“The comfort doesn’t come from the softness of cotton but from the streng th the c onsu mer ex udes.

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COTTON FARMING JULY 2017

The Leave Comfort to Clothes campaign promotes the concept that being comfortable in cotton contributes to a person’s confidence, productivity and well-being.

T h is com for t is cou rage, wh ich goes beyond the physical; it is inner strength. When people feel comfortable, they’re better — more confident, more productive, happier, and more likely to express how they feel. This campaign is challenging people to be fearless in their thoughts and actions and to get out of their comfort zones,” Orsini says.

Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor customer survey identified the emotional connection with cotton. The 2016 survey revealed that almost nine in 10 consumers say cotton clothing is the most comfortable compared to clothing made from synthetic fibers.

The campaign, targeted to reach women and men age 18-49, consists of three 15-second commercials. The first started airing in April and is featured on networks such as ABC, FOX and the CW. “Shorter, 15-second commercials for a campaign launch year are a departure for us,” says Orsini, who notes Cotton Incorporated’s history of 60- and 30-second spots. Our research indicates that consumers want short, engaging storytelling.”

Digital Programs, Social Media In addition to television, Cotton Incorporated uses digital programs and social media to extend the campaign message. The goal is to educate the consumer about cotton’s benefit and encourage them to check the label and shop for cotton. A mix of video and display banner ads will be hosted on websites, such as People, Refinery29, UrbanDaddy, Women’s Health and Men’s Health and direct customers to shop cotton-rich products. Social media will continue to connect with consumers one on one and feature sharable cotton content.

“All components of the campaign communicate a clear message to consumers: Leave comfort to clothes, where the softness, durability, ease of care and versatility of cotton go with them no matter where they go or what they do,” Orsini says.

To view the new commercials, plea se v isit: w w w.youtube.c om / CottonFabricOfMyLife.

The Cotton Board, which administers Cotton Incorporated’s Research and Promotion Program, contributed information for this article.

COTTONFARMING.COM

Cotton Consultant of the Year 2017 NOMINATION FORM

The Cotton Consultant of the Year (CCOY) represents the consultant who has made great contributions to the cotton industry through outstanding customer relations, leadership and innovation.

Recognized by fellow members of the cotton industry, this award is given to the consultant who not only meets these requirements but also exceeds them.

Syngenta and Cotton Farming magazine, CCOY sponsors, are soliciting your help in selecting the 2017 recipient, who will be named at a special celebration Friday, March 2, 2018, at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tenn.

The winning consultant and the person who nominates the winner receive two nights’ hotel stay and airfare to Memphis.

In addition, the 2017 CCOY recipient will be the subject of a four-page salute in the March 2018 issue of Cotton Farming.

Please send your nomination form by August 22, 2017 to:

If you would like to nominate a consultant deserving of this outstanding recognition, please take a moment to fill out the following form.

Please use a separate page for biographical/professional information. Additional recommendations via letters or emails from other farmers, consultants and industry members are also encouraged to provide support for the nominee.

Consultant’s Name: Company Name: Mailing Address: City:

State:

Phone:

Email:

Zip:

In your own words, please tell us why you are nominating the consultant above for the “Cotton Consultant of the Year” Award. Additional pages may be attached.

Background:

Biographical/Industry Involvement Background. This information as well as support letters may be attached to this form.

Carroll Smith 7201 Eastern Ave. Germantown, TN 38138 Scan/Email: csmith@onegrower.com You can print out an electronic version of the form located on the Cotton Farming Web site at www.cottonfarming.com.

Your Name: Address: City:

State:

Phone:

Email:

Sponsored by

Zip:

Cotton Farming

Industry News John Deere Introduces New Tractor Display The John Deere 4640 Universal Display is part of the latest John Deere Generation 4 Operating System. This translates into better data collection, increased application functionality and greater choice for monitoring and managing many tractor-driven field operations.

Farmers can use the most common John Deere applications — including AutoTrac, documentation and Section Control — in a portable display with the latest internal components, design and user interface. Set-up and startup time has been reduced, and display navigation has been improved.

To learn more, see your John Deere dealer or visit JohnDeere.com/ag.

Cotton Research & Promotion Program Evaluation Results The 1996 Farm Bill requires the Cotton Research & Promotion Program to conduct an independent, third-party evaluation of the program’s effectiveness every five years.

The most recently executed evaluation found strong, positive returns to cotton producers and importers as a result of the program: • Farmer revenues up $175 million annually, on average, or 3.2 percent.

• Annual farm program costs reduced $168.4 million, on average.

• Return on investment for cotton farmers and government is 7 to 1.

• Program generates a benefit-cost ratio of 3.6 for producers.

• On average, importer after-tax profits increased by $732.9 million.

• Importer benefit-cost ratio is 14.0 over the life of the program.

• Increase in importer sales revenue as a percentage of historical retail revenue is 12 percent.

“We believe this is a very positive report and a strong objective measure of the returns generated by the program,” says Janet Ydavoy, current Cotton Board chairman and cotton importer. To view the full report, visit www.cottonboard.org and look under the “About” tab.

Flowmeters On Loan Delta Plastics reminds growers that portable flowmeters are available free of charge at several locations throughout the Delta. Some are available for

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COTTON FARMING JULY 2017

Hydro-Tech Offers User-Friendly Irrigation Technology Proper irrigation timing is critical to crop development, can increase plant growth and boost yields. During the irrigation season, conflicting on-farm demands can limit your ability to effectively manage an irrigation schedule. That problem can now be solved by simplifying how you control and monitor your irrigation pumps across multiple fields and farms.

Before starting HydroTech Precision Irrigation, Eric Dirks was in charge of irrigation on a large farming operation and often needed to start or stop pump engines when he was miles away. The waste of water, labor and fuel was obvious. Dirks started designing a wireless control prototype he eventually showed to a few farmers. They were impressed and Hydro-Tech Precision Irrigation was started in 2014.

From wireless irrigation well pump engine control to soil moisture sensor monitoring systems that provide real-time moisture level data, HydroTech precision technologies are designed to be user-friendly and compatible with any cell phone or computer-based device. By simply logging on to the Web through your password-protected device, an easy-to-read dashboard allows you to schedule pump engine start/stop times, monitor each engine’s fuel level (regardless of fuel type), battery strength, engine temperature, oil pressure and RPMs. GPS chips on each soil sensor can be monitored via Google maps and pre-set to any desired soil moisture level. A movable “end-of-row” sensor detects when water reaches the end of your field and automatically sends you a text alert through the wireless-based system anchored by their in-field weather station units.

Call 662-483-1508 and let the Hydro-Tech team show you through a live demo login how the Hydro-Tech Precision Irrigation System can make you a more efficient farmer. Go to http://hydrotech-solutions.com to watch the short video that provides a comprehensive overview of Hydro-Tech farming solutions. checkout, and some come with professional assistance.

“The biggest bottle neck for completing Pipe Planner plans and saving water is having an accurate measurement of water discharge from your well,” says Matt Lindsey, director of irrigation resources at Delta Plastics.

Flowmeters enable growers with irrigated crop land to determine flow rates from their wells, risers and re-lifts. Flow is the first step in completing a Pipe Planner hole design.

If you have already started irrigating, it is not too late to utilize a flowmeter. Once you have your irrigation set up for this year and have all of the kinks worked out, you can grab a flowmeter and check your flows.

This information will help in preparing a Pipe Planner cost-saving

irrigation plan in 2018.

Determining discharge from their wells enables farmers to save 25 percent or more on irrigation water usage for their flood- or furrowirrigated fields by using Pipe Planner.

The online program provided by Delta Plastics is free. It prescribes hole sizes for your irrigation polytube (www.pipeplanner.com).

“I am always looking for ways to reduce costs on my farm,” says Fred Black, a Desha County, Ark., farmer who took advantage of a free flowmeter and assistance from NRCS’ Colton Rutherford. “I’ve heard good things about Pipe Planner. This was just the help I needed to get started.”

Information on how to request assistance or check out a flowmeter is available at www.deltaplastics.com.

COTTONFARMING.COM

SPECIAL REPORT

Weed Management Optimism Texas Cotton Farmer Encouraged By Initial Experience With Herbicide-Tolerant Trait System

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or too long, cotton farmers in some parts of Texas have been frustrated trying to manage herbicide-resistant careless weed, waterhemp, marestail and giant ragweed. This season offered them the chance to put a new herbicide-tolerant trait system to work, and many approve of what they’ve seen.

In the Brazos River Bottom, Terrell Farms used XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology both preemerge and post-emergence, stirring optimism about effectively controlling resistant careless weed in the 100-plus-year-old operation.

“So far, weed control has been phenomenal, and we have one of the cleanest crops we’ve had in a long time,” says farm manager Mac Kutzenberger. “Last year in late May, I felt horrible due to the weed pressure in some of our fields. In my honest opinion, this system is working.

You may see minor crop response from the application of XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology, but the reward in control is worth it.”

Pre-emerge Control Strategy Impressed with performance data from 2016, Kutzenberger planted most of the farm’s 3,000 acres to DP 1646 B2XF and DP 1725 B2XF. The fields were burned down 25 days before planting with an application of 32 ounces of Roundup PowerMAX and 16 ounces of Caparol herbicides.

Cotton planting began April 25, and a pre-emerge application of 22 ounces of XtendiMax, 32 ounces of Roundup PowerMAX, 50.8 ounces of Warrant Ultra Herbicide and 16 ounces of Caparol was made.

“I realized up front that we needed major pre-emerge control in many of our fields,” Kutzenberger says. “A few careless weed started to come up after the burndown, and I did not want to take any risks.

Twitter: @CottonFarming

Mac Kutzenberger, who farms in Navasota, Texas, says so far this season new herbicide technology has provided good weed control.

“I wanted a residual lasting 30 to 40 days. I looked at a lot of data in making this decision and would not trade that decision for anything.

Weather can determine how long residuals work in the field, and this residual application held for 36 days.”

Pay Attention To Details A post-emergence application of 22 ounces of XtendiMax plus 32 ounces of Roundup PowerMAX was made on May 19 (approximately 36 days after planting), using a John Deere self-propelled 4038 sprayer with a 1,000-gallon tank, 100-foot boom and TeeJet TTI 110004 nozzles. The sprayer ran 15 mph, with 35 to 42 pounds of pressure.

Warm temperatures and ample moisture had careless weed and grasses sprouting in fields before the in-crop spray.

“I think we got the ideal droplet size,” Kutzenberger says. “I made my living once off custom application, and today I farm my own acres.

Pressure, speed, droplet size and coverage are big focus points for me when spraying. I am always aware of wind speed and direction, and what crops are planted around our fields.”

Cotton varieties with XtendFlex technology have also allowed Kutzenberger to change his pasture weed control practice to spraying dicamba in the spring without risking drift damage to the cotton crop.

“Drive down the road and take a look at our cotton fields,” Kutzenberger says. “I am a believer in this system. We went into this year skeptical because of the weed pressure we’ve had, but so far, we are very pleased.

“Also, when we follow the Monsanto Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions, we get a better deal on a dollar-per-acre basis. We believe we get more bang for our buck with this system.”

Monsanto Company contributed this article.

JULY 2017 COTTON FARMING

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Specialists Speaking Bloom Period Considerations FLORIDA David Wright July is a critical time for setting bolls for earliness in cotton. Most cotton begins blooming in early July and blooms through August. It is important to ensure that adequate moisture and fertility are available to set a good crop in the first two-four weeks of bloom.

Getting an early boll set helps reduce the amount of vegetative growth and the amount of growth regulator needed. Growth regulators are applied to create the best canopy size for crop management and to promote earliness.

Our research has shown that no nitrogen is needed after the third week of bloom (late July), and later applications may extend vegetative growth and management of insects, diseases, etc. Nitrogen applications made between squaring and first bloom have resulted in highest yield. Later applications (after the third week of bloom) tend to lower yields if there is a good boll set and may delay harvest.

It is natural for petiole nitrate levels to drop as the crop matures. wright@ufl.edu

MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds What a difference a year makes. In 2016, a large portion of the state saw nearly a month of dry weather after planting. In 2017, we have a significant number of acres planted in June due to prolonged rainfall in May. As of the middle of June, Mississippi had some fields with blooms present and others with seed just planted. The spring of 2017 ranks as one of the most challenging I have seen in the past 10 years.

In addition to challenging weather, off-target dicamba movement has certainly been a hot topic this growing season. When it comes to dicamba drift, it takes a much larger dose to injure cotton compared to soybean. However, non-dicamba-tolerant cotton is certainly not immune to dicamba.

Furthermore, I am very skeptical of any product claiming to help crops grow out of dicamba injury. Prior to applying ANY product to crops injured from off-target dicamba movement, demand to see reputable data that will support claims of helping the crop grow out of injury. To the best of my knowledge, the best thing for crops suffering from injury of this type is time and good growing conditions (including warm weather and adequate moisture). To quote an unnamed source: “Do not let others profit off of your misery.” darrind@ext.msstate.edu

LOUISIANA Dan Fromme The Louisiana cotton crop looks very promising.

DD60s accumulated for the past 60 days are above average compared to the historical average for this time period. Thrips pressure was extremely heavy this year. Soil moisture is very good in most parts of the state.

As of June 10, most of the cotton fields are squaring. Plant growth regulator applications will be going out to manage plant height and excess vegetative growth. Earlier planted fields in central Louisiana will be approaching first bloom in 10 to 14 days.

Since squaring began, insect pressure from aphids, fleahoppers and

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plant bugs has been low throughout most parts of the state. Square set is looking good with fields having 80 to 85 percent square retention or higher.

As Louisiana cotton fields reach early bloom, an effective method for farmers to determine vigor, or the amount of horsepower the cotton plant has, is to count the number of nodes above white flower (NAWF). NAWF is measured by counting the number of nodes above the lowest first position white flower on the cotton plant. The last node to be counted at the top of the plant will be the uppermost node that has an unfurled main stem leaf larger than a quarter (greater than 1 inch diameter).

Factors that influence NAWF at early bloom are maturity differences in varieties, soil moisture conditions, insect pressure and disease.

At early bloom, NAWF can be at five or six under drought-stressed conditions to 10 or more under optimum growing conditions. Fewer NAWF at early bloom indicates that an early cutout is eminent and there is potential for low lint yields. Higher NAWF counts of nine or 10 indicate the plant has ample horsepower and the potential for an excellent crop. dfromme@agcenter.lsu.edu

TEXAS Gaylon Morgan With the exception of the dryland cotton in the Rio Grande Valley, the crop in South and East Texas is looking quite good with substantial fruit loads.

One more good rain will be needed to really bring this yield potential to fruition in the Coastal Bend and Upper Gulf Coast, while the Blacklands will need a couple of good rains. The early June rains were a billion dollar event for our South Texas growers. The RGV missed much of the rain, and its dryland crop has low yield potential.

Insects have been persistent and bad in some areas but have been worse in years past. Farmers are keeping an eye on stink bugs because the numbers have been high in the grain crops.

In the Rolling Plains, the irrigated cotton is planted and off to a decent start with growth stages ranging from recently emerged to fourleaf stage. Many growers in the Rolling Plains had postponed planting their dryland crop waiting on a rain for adequate moisture. As of midJune, about 50-70 percent of the dryland cotton in the Rolling Plains had been planted. The remaining acreage must be planted before June 20 to meet the final planting date deadline. gdmorgan@tamu.edu

TEXAS Seth Byrd As of mid-June, the vast majority of cotton in the Texas High Plains has been planted and much of it has been in the ground for almost a month. Conditions during the early part of the planting season were favorable. And then hot, dry, windy conditions set in during late May, and there was little relief to be found for the first several weeks of the season. If significant rain still hasn’t been received across the entire region by the time this issue of Cotton Farming reaches you, then irrigation decisions will be fairly simple: If you’ve got water, use it.

Based on planting date alone, we’ll reach the bloom period across the High Plains in early to mid-July; however, the conditions that were present during the early part of the season slowed the growth COTTONFARMING.COM

Specialists Speaking and development of the crop, particularly in dryland fields. Squaring through four to five weeks after first bloom period is a critical time to avoid water stress. To ensure optimal fruit set and retention, supply the crop with adequate moisture.

In instances where controlling plant growth is a concern, proper irrigation and fertility management, along with the hot, dry conditions typical across the High Plains and high fruit retention, will provide the best plant growth regulation. If field history, variety, or excess rain or nitrogen create a situation where a plant growth regulator application is necessary, refer to the weather forecast to determine the best timing for this application. If conditions are such that slower growth will be occurring, use PGRs efficiently. seth.byrd@ag.tamu.edu

ARIZONA Randy Norton Much of the crop around the state is well into the bloom cycle and will be approaching peak bloom within the next few weeks to a month. Peak bloom also often coincides with the onset of our monsoon season. High moisture levels in the atmosphere can lead to high nighttime temperatures, causing the plant to encounter heat stress. This may lead to aborted fruiting forms, typically in very young (one- to three-day-old) bolls.

Heat stress levels are monitored at all Arizona Meteorological Network (AZMET) locations around the state. That data can be accessed at http://cals.arizona.edu/azmet. Research has shown that level 2 (L2) heat stress experienced by the crop over a period of several days may result in significant fruit shed, particularly if that L2 heat stress coincides with the peak bloom crop development stage.

This scenario of excessive fruit loss under a well-managed crop with respect to fertility and irrigation can very easily lead to excessive vegetative growth. Monitoring crop development, fruit load and vigor help in assessing the crop’s potential to develop excessive growth.

Indices created at the University of Arizona from thousands of observations can provide a baseline for an expected or “normal” height-tonode ratio and fruit retention.

Comparing observed conditions in the field to established baselines assists in making decisions for plant growth regulator applications and perhaps mid-season fertilizer applications. To access these baselines and descriptions of how they may be used to effectively manage growth and development go to http://cals.arizona.edu/crops. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu

OKLAHOMA Randy Boman As of this writing June 8, Oklahoma cotton producers are still busy finishing up planting on mostly dryland fields. Some of our irrigated acres had to be replanted due to high intensity rainfall events in the third week of May. Overall, the crop is in pretty good shape for this time of year. Planted acreage will be very large in our state this year. We have producers who are new to cotton and some who have planted cotton for the first time in many years.

Boll weevil eradication across most of the U.S. Cotton Belt, including Oklahoma, has been successful and is a major contributing factor to the continued profitability of cotton production. It has been a long, difficult and challenging task to rid our state and most of the Cotton Belt of this invasive species. For such a long time it negatively impacted our production. We all need to do our part to keep this pest from resurfacing.

Some new cotton producers may be unaware of the ongoing proTwitter: @CottonFarming

gram. It is important for those who are not familiar with it to contact the Oklahoma Boll Weevil Organization to make sure their new fields are properly identified and trapped. Farmers also need to stay on top of weed control and any insect problems that might emerge.

Based on Altus long-term average Mesonet data for a May 10 irrigated cotton-planting date, July and August are typically our highest crop evapotranspiration months, coming in at about 8.4 inches and 9.1 inches, respectively. For southwest Oklahoma, average precipitation for July is 2.25 inches. For August it is about 2.75 inches. Therefore, these two months can be the “crunch time” for making or breaking a crop, with a potential moisture deficit of about 12 inches or so.

Some of this deficit can be provided by moisture in the soil profile. However, it shows how important July and August rainfall is in making a good crop. We have a lot more acres of dryland cotton this year. Over the past two years, we obtained good to excellent rainfall in these months in many areas. We hope to do this again in 2017. randy.boman@okstate.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson So far, this season has been one of the most difficult I have experienced in Arkansas. The crop is steadily improving but at a much slower rate than most would like to see. The status of our cotton plants at first flower reveals much about the past and gives us an indication of what we must do down the road to end up where we want to be.

Ideally, 60 days after planting we will find nine to 10 first-position fruit above the first white flower. This verifies we have the foundation to establish and develop high yield and fiber quality potentials.

Going into first flower, our goal is to maintain 80 percent retention.

Problems directly impacting yield and profit are associated with extremely high retention rates as well as low fruit retention. Going into flowering with extremely high retention rates can set you up for failure if any problems are encountered as the margin for error is small when retention is high.

Maintaining a balance between vegetative and reproductive growth helps to optimize earliness and preserve yield and fiber potential. Irrigation initiation and timing plays a dominant role in this balance. Using sensors and scheduling tools along with programs such as Pipe Planner will help improve irrigation water-use efficiency and profitability. An effective fruiting window of three weeks between first flower and cutout (NAWF=5) will provide the yield and earliness Arkansas cotton producers in desire. brobertson@uaex.edu

MISSOURI Mike Milam Missouri cotton producers have certainly had their share of weather problems. Flooding in late April and early May resulted in cotton being planted past the optimum planting date. The Missouri Crop Progress and Condition Report provides the breakdown.

By May 14, only 48 percent of the cotton had been planted; May 21 showed 68 percent planted; May 28 reported only 85 percent planted, and 95 percent planted by June 5.

The crop condition, according to the June 11 report, was 2 percent very poor, 15 percent poor, 36 percent fair, 41 percent good and 6 percent excellent.

It’s hard to predict the outcome of this year’s crop, but I see all stages and a wide range of plants even within the same field. Each year, I observe cotton emerging even under the best conditions and wonder how it will develop. This year will definitely be a management challenge. I know of some fields that were spot planted up to three times.

JULY 2017 COTTON FARMING

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Specialists Speaking We have some failed acreage, and I am not sure at present about prevented planting.

Some yellowing has occurred, which is more likely due to loss of nitrogen or sulphur or both. With the rainfall amounts we have received so far and more expected, producers need to use plant growth regulators to keep vegetation under control. The greatest benefit of growth regulators is to set squares and maintain earliness. milammr@missouri.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper Rains have been fairly frequent and substantial for most in Tennessee up until the second week in June.

As I write this, there is only one substantial chance for rain over the next two weeks. Given the dry weather many will likely experience over the next few weeks, it will no-doubt be tempting to irrigate our pre-square or squaring cotton.

Although we definitely want to start the flowering period with adequate soil moisture and remain at that state through the boll-fill period, there have been very few documented cases of increased yields from irrigating pre-flower. Although some research has indicated pre-flower irrigations can increase yields under periods of severe stress, irrigation is rarely justified pre-square and should be uncommon pre-flower. Proper termination timing varies by production system. But by the time bolls crack, farmers should be considering shutting off the pump on most irrigated fields in Tennessee.

I brought up atmometers last year as an excellent tool for assisting irrigators in estimating the potential for the environment to drive water loss. This simple device gives insight into atmospheric demand across a large area. When coupled with a solid number for typical crop water use by growth stage, it can give you a good feel for how much water to apply.

As anyone who has attempted to irrigate a crop knows, the hardest part is figuring out how much you need and how much you have.

Although atmometers are far from perfect, I firmly believe they are a great (inexpensive) place to start. The good news is advancements in technology like radar estimated rainfall and studies examining crop water use are moving us closer to having a complete picture of available water and plant demand. traper@utk.edu

GEORGIA John Snider, Cotton Physiologist By the time you read this, it should be early to mid-July. Many Georgia producers planted cotton during the past two weeks of April or early May. For those growers, the cotton crop should be at roughly first flower to peak bloom development stage and may be approaching canopy closure on some irrigated acres. This is a good thing because it indicates the crop has produced adequate leaf area and the canopy architecture required to support a substantial boll load. While farmers should be careful to avoid drought stress at any crop development stage, the impact of missing a needed irrigation at this time can have the most drastic impacts on yield. Why? 1) Phenological sensitivity: Most published data indicate the cotton crop is more sensitive to drought during early flowering than later developmental periods or prior to flowering.

2) Atmospheric demand: Periods of high vapor pressure deficit (hot, dry air) place more evaporative demand on the crop and accelerate the rate of water use.

3) Leaf area: Once canopy closure occurs, the main route by which the cotton crop loses water to the atmosphere is through numerous microscopic pores (stomata) on leaf surfaces. Because there

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COTTON FARMING JULY 2017

can be more than three times the amount of leaf area as soil area at canopy closure, the water-use rate at this stage is much higher than at earlier stages prior to canopy closure.

What’s the takeaway? Plant factors and environmental factors necessitate that the cotton crop approaches peak water use at a time during the growing season when it is particularly sensitive to drought stress. Additionally, many of the coarse-textured soils of the Coastal Plain have limited water-holding capacity. Thus, farmers should be diligent in using proven, science-based methods for irrigation management to minimize stress and maximize productivity and water-use efficiency.

To access resources related to cotton irrigation in Georgia and other cotton production topics, go to www.ugacotton.com. jlsnider@uga.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Keith Edmisten In North Carolina, we use mepiquat-based growth regulators for several reasons. Controlling plant height makes it easier to scout, harvest and defoliate as well as less likely to be damaged by tropical storm force winds. The main benefit we get, however, is helping to make the crop mature a little faster.

The cotton crop is a little behind where we normally would be so hastening maturity is likely to be more important this year. It may not be necessary to try to make your entire crop mature earlier, but focusing on the portion of the crop you intend to harvest first can be of great benefit. Proper use of mepiquat should help get the pickers in the field earlier to get the crop out. Gaining picking time early in the season is valuable as you can typically harvest more acres per week early in the season than you can later in the season.

Getting pickers in the field early also reduces the likelihood of weathering losses. Target early mepiquat applications at the eightto 10-node stage on cotton you plan to harvest first if moisture is present and then follow up with another application at early bloom. keith_edmisten@ncsu.edu

VIRGINIA Hunter Frame As we move from June to July, there will be a fair amount of late-planted cotton receiving side-dress nitrogen applications. Some of the earlier planted cotton will begin to bloom in early July, and insect scouting will be well on its way.

By now, growers should have been scouting for tarnished plant bugs for a couple weeks. There should be no lapse in plant bug scouting as we move into bloom as recent data show they may also be damaging small bolls in Virginia. Be on the lookout for damaged bolls and internal warts on bolls smaller than 0.9 inches. As we move into the second and third weeks of bloom, stink bug scouting will pick up. Remember to refer to boll sizer and stink bug damage thresholds. Please contact Dr. Sally Taylor, hokiebug@vt.edu, if you have any questions or concerns on plant bug or stink bug management.

Also, early bloom is the best time to gauge your cotton nutrient management. You can do this by sampling leaves and petioles from the fourth main stem leaf from the growing point. Petiole nitrate-N and leaf N concentrations have been highly correlated to yield in Virginia with a critical N level of petiole of nitrate-N of 4,500 ppm and leaf N of 3.75 percent. The optimum range for petiole nitrate-N is from 6,000-10,000 ppm during the first week of bloom. Petiole nitrate-N will drop quickly during bloom. Making sure you are in the first week of bloom is critical for inferences made using petiole sampling in Virginia cotton. whframe@vt.edu COTTONFARMING.COM

COTTON

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

Seed House Safety And Maintenance Procedures Overhead seed houses are valuable for short-term seed storage, wet seed storage and gins with limited yard space.

With recent design improvements, overhead seed houses can also provide a highly efficient method for loading trucks from flat-storage houses.

When fully loaded, a double-hopper seed house can weigh 200,000 pounds or more. This load hovers above trucks and personnel, so structural integrity is critical. Volatile weather can put older seed houses at risk, especially those that have not been properly maintained. Through the years, moisture and chemicals from seed along with humidity cause the inevitable – rust and corrosion. Since the damage primarily occurs inside the seed house, it’s out of sight and mind. If a structural failure occurs, personnel are put at risk of injury.

All cotton gins should review their overhead seed house safety and maintenance procedures before the start of the 2017 cotton ginning season.

Safety Tips ■ Never go beneath a seed hopper when it contains seed.

■ Be sure all ladders and catwalks are properly guarded.

■ Do not enter the seed trailer or climb on the side walls of the trailer.

■ Post decals stating “DANGER – DO NOT ENTER AREA BELOW HOPPER DOORS WHEN SEED IS IN STORAGE HOUSE” are available free from your local ginning association.

■ Contact your ginning association or loss control representative to get a copy of the “Cottonseed System Safety Policy” for employees, visitors and outside contractors such as seed haulers.

■ Use all other commonly known safety practices every day.

Maintenance Actions ■ All proper safety precautions should be taken by all personnel who perform maintenance and repairs.

■ Clean out all seed.

■ Clean hopper panels to remove seed oil. Steam cleaning consistently works well.

■ Use sanding and steel brushing to make the inside surfaces of the hopper panels smooth again.

■ Carefully examine the entire seed house for stress

LEC-200 Electronic Seed Scale

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fractures and loose hardware, especially if vibrators have been used.

■■ Remove rust and corrosion.

Trailer-Viewing Catwalk The best industry practices include the use of a trailer-viewing catwalk mounted on the outside of the vertical columns, approximately 9.5 feet above the driveway. This provides the operator a good vantage point to see into the tops of the trailers and to determine when to open and close the hopper doors.

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Jim Granberry, president of Cliff Granberry Corp., contributed this article. Email him at jim@cliffgranberrycorp.com or call (972) 381-8899. For more information, visit www.cliffgranbe rrycorp.com.

* * * * *

OSHA Suspends Injury And Illness Reporting Rule The Injury and Illness Reporting Rule was developed a few years ago, and some of its provisions kicked in last summer.

We (Texas Cotton Ginners' Association) have discussed these in district meetings. The provisions are things that gins would normally do, such as informing employees about how to report injuries and not discriminating against employees who do report injuries.

The last and most concerning part of the rule was scheduled to begin on July 1 this year. On this date, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was scheduled to have a database set up on its website. Gins would be required to enter

the data from their OSHA 300A into the agency's portal. In the rule, OSHA was scheduled to publish this data for the public to review. In May, OSHA announced it was not accepting electronic submission of injury and illness logs at that time. OSHA is proposing to extend the July 1 date. There is no word as to how long the rule will be delayed, but it is likely the delay will be substantial. And the rule possibly will be modified before it is implemented.

For now, there is no portal to enter the data. Since the rule is delayed indefinitely, there is nothing gins need to do at this time. We will be monitoring the situation and will let you know when we have more information about this rule.

The Texas Cotton Ginners' Association provided this article.

Cotton’s Calendar 2017 n July 10-12: Southern Southeastern Mid-Year Board Meeting, Marriott Grand Dunes, Myrtle Beach, S.C. n July 10-12: Southern Cotton Ginners Association Summer Meeting, DoubleTree by Hilton Lafayette, Lafayette, La. n July 12: Plains Cotton Growers Inc. Board Meeting, Bayer Museum of Agriculture, Lubbock, Texas n July 20: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors Meeting, Phoenix, Ariz. n Aug. 8-10: Cotton Board/Cotton Incorporated Joint Meeting, Durham, N.C. n Aug. 16: Plains Cotton Cooperative Association Board Meeting and Delegate Body Meeting, Lubbock, Texas

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COTTON FARMING JULY 2017

COTTONFARMING.COM

■ Aug. 17-18: 2017 American Cotton Producers/Cotton Foundation Joint Summer Meeting, Westin Buckhead Atlanta Hotel, Atlanta, Ga. ■ Aug. 23-25: National Cotton Council Mid-Year Board Meeting, Peabody Hotel, Memphis, Tenn.

■ Sept. 20: PCCA Annual Meeting, Lubbock, Texas ■ Sept. 20: PCCA Board Meeting, Lubbock, Texas ■ Sept. 20: Staplcotn/Stapldiscount Annual Meeting, Greenwood, Miss.

■ Sept. 25: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors/Auditors Meeting, Phoenix, Ariz.

■ Sept. 26: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors Meeting/90th Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Ariz.

■ Oct. 11: PCG Inc. Board Meeting, Bayer Museum of Agriculture, Lubbock, Texas ■ Oct. 18: PCCA Board Meeting and Delegate Body Meeting, Lubbock, Texas ■ Nov. 15: PCCA Board Meeting, Lubbock, Texas

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2018

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■ Feb. 9-11: NCC Annual Meeting, Omni Hotel, Fort Worth, Texas ■ April 5-6: TCGA Annual Meeting and Trade Show, Lubbock Memorial Civic Center, Lubbock, Texas

Lummus Corporation has available the following quality, high-capacity used gin machinery.

All machinery is offered “as is, where is” (unless noted otherwise) and is subject to prior sale.

“As is” machinery can be repaired/reconditioned for an additional charge.

1 – Consolidated 96” R-5000 Stick Machine* 2 – Consolidated 120” R-5000 Stick Machines* 1 – Lummus 60” overshot Standard Battery Condenser* 1 – Consolidated 72” undershot Standard Battery Condenser* 1 – Consolidated 72” undershot MC Battery Condenser* 1 – Belt-Wide 75-HP Flooded-Suction Hydraulic Booster Pumping Unit

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JULY JULY 2017 2017 COTTON COTTON FARMING FARMING

Cotton Ginners Marketplace

1 – Lubbock Electric Hydraulic Pumping Unit for Gin Dor-Les® or E.E. Dor-Les® Press (single reservoir with multiple motor/pump groups)

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

My Turn A Consultant’s Wife

R

ay began checking young men knocked on the door and said, “Mama cotton in 1949 as D, we are out of spaghetti with eight more mouths a college student. to feed.” I will never forget that night.

I enjoyed getting to know all the kids. I called After we married in 1952 and he served in the them kids because they stayed right there at the Navy for two more years, house, but they were young men. They would get Ray set up a consulting busi- wet from the dew early in the morning and walk ness and started knocking most of the day so I knew when they came in the on doors. Franklin Parish kitchen at night whether they were blistered or was the largest “cotton not. I would give them some salve and then make patch” in Louisiana so that’s sure they carried dry clothes to put on during the where we went. We moved day. That’s something they all had to learn. When Dorothy to Wisner because his first their girlfriends had a birthday or they needed Young something for their mamas, I also would help them customer lived there.

As the business grew, Ray order flowers.

Long before computers, I used an adding hired local young men and recruited college interns to check cotton. Since we lived in a little, bitty machine to keep all the books, do the payroll and town, there was no such thing as rooms to rent or pay bills. I wrote and recorded all the checks by hand and then posted places to eat so we gave them in a journal. That room and board to all of “The Lord has blessed us, and was a lot of bookkeepour cotton checkers. We ing. As soon as I heard had rooms, a couch and we are grateful for that.” there was a computer on my mama had a trailer the market, I got one. Of behind our house so we had places to put them up. We later bought a “crew course all the young men respected me because I wrote the checks and furnished the food. That house” to accommodate everyone.

One young man went off with the crew on his made a difference!

Ray and I have four children: Tony, June, Peggy first morning to a field about 45 miles from town.

His mama was sitting at my kitchen table that and Jesse. Both of the boys checked cotton for Ray evening waiting for everyone to come in. When the when they were young and even on weekends while crew got home, they realized they had left her son they were in college. Thank the Lord that Jesse in the field and had to go back to get him. He was came back to Wisner and joined Ray in the consultnot happy and wanted to quit on the spot. But his ing business after he graduated. Eventually, we mama talked to him about it, and he stayed with installed a stove, washers and dryers in the crew us for five more years. Another time, our preacher’s house, and Jesse said the time had come for me to son was checking cotton close to town and wasn’t stop feeding everybody.

Through the years, I have enjoyed raising our where he was supposed to be when the crew leader came to pick him up. We looked and looked and children, getting to know the young men who finally got up the nerve to call his mama to tell worked for us and — like Sarah in the Bible — her we couldn’t find him. As it turned out, he had supporting my husband in everything that he has done. I love being married to Ray and watching walked home and had been there all afternoon!

At one point, I was cooking a hot breakfast — him receive honors for being a good consultant.

We pray a lot and take pleasure in our responsibiscuits, pancakes, grits and eggs — and a hot supper for 18 people around the clock. I put out lunch bilities at the First Baptist Church. The Lord has choices in the morning so the young men could blessed us, and we are grateful for that. make their own sandwiches to take to the field. I – Dorothy Young also washed all their clothes. I remember the time Wisner, La. I thought I had a huge amount of spaghetti on the dorothyrayyoung@centurylink.net stove and went in to put the kids to bed. One of the

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

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