Cotton Farming July 2019 by One Grower Publishing

Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

JULY 2019

www.cottonfarming.com

McLain Farms Texas Panhandle Operation Rotates Cotton And Cattle

Meet New Cotton Board RCM David Miller

NOMINATIONS OPEN

2019 Cotton Consultant Of The Year Award

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Vol. 63 No. 7

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

JULY 2019

www.cottonfarming.com

F E AT U R E S

MID-SEASON MANAGEMENT

Q&A WITH DAVID MILLER

GINNING MARKETPLACE

As cotton starts reproductive development in July, state cotton Extension specialists discuss important practices to help your crop flourish.

Get to know The Cotton Board’s new Mid-South Regional Communication manager via this exclusive interview.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY

Harrison Ashley, executive vice president of the National Cotton Ginners Association, talks about ginning laboratories and research.

McLain Farms

Shane McLain and his wife, SammiJo, operate a stripper cotton and cow-calf business in Castro County, Texas, between Hart and Nazareth. This area of West Texas is part of the Panhandle — the northernmost 26 counties in the state where cotton acreage is fast replacing grain as irrigation water becomes scarcer. They also custom farm and have a custom application company.

14 Specialists Speaking 17 Mid-South Report 22 My Turn

ON THE COVER: In the Texas Panhandle, Shane McLain grows cotton with limited irrigation because of the decline in the Ogallala Aquifer. Cover photo by SammiJo McLain.

NOMINAT

ION

To nominate a deserving candidate for the Cotton Consultant of the Year Award (co-sponsored by Cotton Farming and Syngenta), fill out the form on Page 11 or online at cottonfarming.com/ccoy. Deadline for nominations is July 31.

FORM The Cotton Consultant If you would (CCOY) represe of the like to nomin nts the consulta Year recogn who has ition, please ate a consu nt made take a mome ltant deserv to the cotton great contributions ing of this Please use nt to fill industry a separat outstanding out the through outstanding recomm e page for following endations customer biograp form. via letters relations, leadership members or emails hical/profession and innovati al are also on. Recognized encoura from other farmers information. Additio ged to provide , consult nal Consultan of the cotton by fellow membe ants and support t’s Name: rs industry for the nomine industry, this award is given to Company e. Name: the consulta only meets nt Mailing Address: these requiremwho not also exceeds ents but City: them. Syngenta Phone: and Cotton State: magazine Farming — CCOY sponsors Email: In your own soliciting Zip: — are words, please your of the Year” tell us why 2019 recipien help in selecting Award. Additiona you the t, who will l pages may are nominating the Backgrou at a special be named consultan be attached, nd: celebration t above emailed or for the “Cotton February Friday, attached 28, 2020, Consultan to the online t at the Peabod nominatio Hotel in Memph n form. y is, Tenness The winning ee. person who consultant and the nominates receive a the winner two night hotel stay airfare to and Memphis. The 2019 recipient CCOY also will be featured four-page in a salute in the Februar 2020 issue y of Cotton Farming.

Submit by July nominations 31, 2019 .

Mail: Carroll 7201 Eastern Smith Ave. Germant own, TN 38138 Scan/Em ail: You can print csmith@onegrow out an electronic er.com the form located on version of the Web site at www.co Cotton Farming ttonfarm ing.com. Nominat e online: cottonfa rming.co m/ccoy

Biograph attached

ical/Indu stry Involvem ent Backgrou to this form, nd. This emailed or information attached as well as to the online support nominatio letters may n form. be

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The fifth annual Transform My Community contest is now open — June 1 to July 31 — to eligible cotton farmers and consultants. Go to www.TransformMyCommunity.com to access the contest entry form.

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

4 Editor’s Note 6 Cotton’s Agenda 12 Industry News

Cotton C of the Yeonsultant ar 2019

CCOY NOMINATIONS OPEN

WEB EXCLUSIVE Cotton Incorporated has named Dr. Gaylon Morgan research director, Agricultural & Environmental Research Division. A recognized expert in weed and weed management research, he joins the company at a time when such expertise is most needed. Weed control and emerging diseases are the top two threats that face the U.S. cotton industry. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.

COTTON FARMING (ISSN 0746-8385) is published monthly January through December by One Grower Publishing LLC, 875 W. Poplar Ave., Suite 23, Box 305, Collierville, TN 38017. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, 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 2019 | COTTON FARMING

Editor’s Note

Cotton Farming

Carroll Smith

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

When Mother Nature Doubles Down

s part of their daily routine, farmers stand in the fields looking up at the sky to try to determine what cards the weather is holding. They can’t control what is going to happen, but they can make decisions to prepare for the short-term effects or adjust their practices for what might happen in future growing seasons. In this month’s cover story, Shane McLain, who farms cotton in Castro County, Texas, likes to start planting around May 1. This year, after he got the seed in the ground, a 2 1/2-inch rain fell, and the temperature unexpectedly dropped to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and stayed there for a while. Because the cotton refused to germinate, he had to replant every acre. McLain says the crop is now a little late, but he plans to manage it accordingly to makeup for the setback. Another weather phenomenon McLain has to deal with are the wild West Texas winds that cut across cotton fields with nothing in sight to break their force. McLain, who calls himself a “progressive agriculturist,” tried a new practice this year to provide some extra protection for the young cotton seedlings. For the first time, he flew on a cover of radishes and wheat about three weeks before harvest. He then made his last irrigation pass to get the crop started. After the cotton was harvested and the cover had good growth, he grazed it, moved the cows off and then planted cotton back into the cover with the hope of warding off the detrimental effects of the harsh wind. Hurricanes are another example of weather that can turn a cotton crop upside down. In this month’s “My Turn” column, Georgia cotton farmer Ken Hall says his cotton has endured three of them at harvest since 1985. The effects of the most recent one — Hurricane Michael in 2018 — is still fresh on the minds of everyone whose crop was still in the fields when it struck. Hall says he was picking his best crop ever — 1,500-1,600 pound cotton — prior to the storm. When he got back in the field to harvest the last 300 acres, the yield had dropped to 400 pounds per acre. To try to get a jump on a hurricane that may be lurking in the wings this year, he got more aggressive on the front end and started planting cotton on April 4. Hall says he may be flirting with boll rot and hardlock, but he is willing to play his early crop card to try to get the cotton in as quickly as possible. As any cotton farmer in any region of the Cotton Belt will confirm, Mother Nature can be a formidable opponent. But farmers have incredible ingenuity and determination to overcome the odds. It’s always a battle to the end, but my money is on the farmers.

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

COTTON FARMING | JULY 2019

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 2019 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

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Americot’s ACE Trial Program Underway

rom Arizona to the Carolinas, Americot now employs nine research and germplasm specialists. Across the Cotton Belt, this group has planted over 150 Americot Cotton Evaluation (ACE) Trials in 2019 to better understand pre-commercial variety performance within given regions. In addition, these specialists have partnered with academics and private consultants to further increase our knowledge with our experimental germplasm regarding seed treatments, water efﬁciency, heat tolerance, and Plant Growth Regulator (PGR) management. “At the end of the day, our goal is to partner with the breeding team to develop a data package that not only supports advancement of our new germplasm but provides our sales team and growers with knowledge and conﬁdence in management and performance of our new NexGen varieties,” says Dr. Doug Jost, Director of Research and Cotton Germplasm.

KAREN GELDMACHER Arizona “Arizona growers hit the wet, cold and windy trifecta at planting and the machine didn’t pay out too well as many faced replant decisions into early June. Research trial maturities across the state range from first flower and 1” bolls in Yuma to pin-head square and first flower in the central regions. Showing early-season vigor characteristics including quick emergence throughout Arizona are NG 3729 B2XF, NG 3930 B3XF & 2020 candidate AMX 19A006 B3XF. These varieties, planted in adverse weather conditions combined with early-season pest issues, started the season with optimal, consistent stands. Arizona is the location for NexGen varietal heat tolerance research and our data collection started late June to earlier this month (at the onset of Level 1 and Level 2 heat stress) and will continue throughout the growing season.”

SHANE HALFMANN Central & South Texas TODD SPIVEY, PH.D. Carolinas & Virginia “We are excited about the opportunity to gain invaluable data and experience from many of our new and upcoming NexGen varieties through 23 ACE Trials. These trials range from Blackville, South Carolina up through Suffolk, Virginia. The Carolinas experienced great planting conditions beginning in late April through the second week of May. During this period, most cotton was planted into excellent soil temperatures and ample moisture. Although the lack of rain allowed planters to stay in the field, we soon ran out of moisture and most growers stopped planting activity to wait for rain. “This dry spell slowed the growth of emerged cotton, as shown by reduced internode For more on Americot Cotton Evaluation lengths in many Trials in your region, contact your Americot fields across the reResearch Specialist. Visit www.americot. gion. This is somecom/research-team for contact information. thing to keep in mind as we begin to prepare for PGR applications. We received some much-needed moisture mid-June, but it is still important to keep the weather forecast under consideration as these PGR decisions are made. This will become even more significant as we make our way into bloom and beyond, especially with many of the aggressive varieties currently on the market. Ensuring that we protect against rank growth is vital for many decisions that will be made later in the growing season, ranging from pest control to harvestability. “Although we are still early in the growing season, early growth and vigor of several varieties have really stood out across all our regional locations including our anchors, NG 3522 B2XF and NG 5007 B2XF, and two of our 2019 additions, NG 3930 B3XF and NG 4936 B3XF.”

“Our planting season was defined by the weather. I have never seen such difficult conditions across such a large area for so long. Blowing sand, cold fronts, or being too wet or too dry were some of the issues South and Central Texas growers faced. Most of our crop is around a month late in every growing region. The cotton does finally look good. Everything started blooming early June and timely rains have sustained the potential for a successful year. We’ve been watching for fleahoppers in areas and have been applying PGRs from mid-to-late May till now. We were able to plant 20 ACE Trials from Ennis to Raymondville. Data collected from these trials will allow us to select new varieties specifically for my region and solidify varietal management programs. I’m especially interested in NG 3994 B3XF and NG 3930 B3XF. I’ll be watching these two mid-season, Bollgard 3 XtendFlex varieties with good heat tolerance, strong yield and high quality. They show excellent promise early this season!”

LEVI SCHAEFER South & High Plains of Texas “I currently have 16 ACE Trials covering parts of the South Plains and High Plains of Texas, located between Lamesa and Plainview and covering the width of the Panhandle. The early-season moisture and rainfall has been exceptional for this area. However, it has come with some hardships – cool weather, occasional high winds and hail storms have challenged the growers of the area. The cotton that has avoided the storms has gotten off to a strong start and is set to perform well, if favorable weather continues. A few of the newer varieties including NG 2982 B3XF, NG 3930 B3XF and NG 3956 B3XF have shown to have great vigor and have come up great, even through the rain-packed ground! I’m excited to see how things progress throughout this growing season.”

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Industry News Emerging Leaders Program Participants Selected Thirteen U.S. cotton industry members have been chosen for the National Cotton Council’s 2019-2020 Emerging Leaders Program. Representing the industry’s seven segments are: Producers – Philip Edwards III, Smithfield, Virginia; Jaclyn Ford, Alapaha, Georgia; Ben Good, Starkville, Mississippi; Kellon Lee, St. Joseph, Louisiana; Dean Rovey, Buckeye, Arizona; and Jake Sheely, Lemoore, California; Ginner – Burch Pierce, Jonesville, Louisiana; Merchant – Bob Champion, Prattville, Alabama; Warehouser – Kyle Taubert, Seminole, Texas; Marketing Cooperative – Jeremy Speis, Corpus Christi, Texas; and Josh Warren, Garner, North Carolina.; Cottonseed – Joe Gribble, Altus, Oklahoma; and Manufacturer – Ellis Fisher, Inman, South Carolina. The program is supported by a grant to The Cotton Foundation from Bayer. Participants get an in-depth look at the U.S. cotton industry and the U.S. political process. Now in its seventh year, the program also provides participants with professional development and communications training. The 2019-20 program members will participate in three sessions. The first session, held in June, provided an orientation to the NCC, professional development, communication skills training and an agribusiness briefing. During the second session in February, class members will see policy development at the NCC’s 2020 Annual Meeting in New Orleans. The last session will be in Washington, D.C., where the group will learn about the NCC’s policy implementation and international market development activities.

MP-144 Guide For Arkansas Is Now Mobile-Friendly The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s has launched a mobile-device-friendly version of the MP-144, also known as “Insecticide Recommendations for Arkansas.” The mobile-friendly version provides access to pesticide recommendations at http://mp144.uaex.edu/. The site is optimized for mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets.

COTTON FARMING | JULY 2019

Last year, the Transform My Community grand prize was presented to Bogota Community Center in Bogota, Tennessee.

Enter The Transform My Community Contest For A Chance To Win $25,000 Attention hometown heroes! Tell us how Transform WG insecticide has transformed your cotton and sorghum fields and how $25,000 could improve your community. The fifth annual Transform My Community contest, sponsored by Corteva Agriscience and Cotton Farming magazine, runs June 1 through July 31. In 2019, Transform WG insecticide, PhytoGen and Pioneer teamed up to open the contest to cotton and sorghum consultants and growers where Section 18 emergency exemptions have been granted for the use of Transform. Moved by the Transform My Community contest’s success in investing in the rural communities where farmers live, Corteva increased the grand prize to $25,000. In 2015, grand prize winner A.J. Hood, who farms near Monticello, Arkansas, helped fund construction of a baseball field and playground designed especially for kids with disabilities. A donation of $20,000 was made to the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse on behalf of Tennessee cotton consultant Larry Kimery in 2016. This money allowed the center to hire a full-time family advocate to work directly with the children. Grand prize winner Gary Dyksterhouse, who farms cotton near Greenwood, Mississippi, submitted an entry on behalf of Delta Streets Academy in 2017. A check for $20,000 was donated on his behalf to help make “dreams come true” for the young men striving to reach their full potential. Last year, Dyer County, Tennessee, cotton farmer Bettie Woods was selected as the grand prize winner. She entered the Transform My Community contest with the hope of winning the $20,000 grand prize to help ensure the Bogota Community Center would continue to exist for members of the close-knit rural neighborhood. Go to TransformMyCommunity.com to access the contest entry form. Entries are judged on compelling need and tie-in to the Transform insecticide theme. The deadline to submit your entry is July 31. Through a series of drop-down menus, users can select the crop they’re interested in protecting, as well as up to two pests they’re trying to control. The site provides a list of appropriate pesticides, including application rates, restricted entry

intervals and other information. The development team chose to make the MP-144 available as a mobile-friendly webpage rather than a downloadable app because upkeep for a webpage tends to be more manageable than for an app. Although COTTONFARMING.COM

Industry News users will need an internet connection to use the online database, the results tend to load quickly, and the page won’t disappear if connectivity is lost. Potentially, mobile-friendly versions of the MP-44 (weeds) and the MP-154 (diseases and pathology) also will be created.

BASF And Nutrien Ag Solutions Team Up On Digital Platform As part of a collaboration, BASF’s Xarvio Scouting app), which enables growers and agronomists to instantly and accurately identify weed and disease threats in their fields, will now be offered within the Nutrien Ag Solutions Customer Portal. With the click of a photo, the Xarvio Scouting app allows growers to detect in-field stress. The app can determine weed presence, recognize diseases and quantify leaf damage. It is powered by advanced artificial intelligence algorithms that continually improve precision and functionality through machine learning and data sharing. “Xarvio Digital Farming Solutions give growers more control of their fields and the confidence to make the right choices, at the right time for better yields,” says Paul Rea, senior vice president, BASF Agricultural Solutions North America. Nutrien Ag Solutions will feature BASF’s Xarvio Scouting app as part of its digital agronomy offerings. The two companies are actively exploring further digital tools, such as the agronomic intelligence currently featured in the Xarvio Field Manager. This would give growers further access to timing and variable-rate map applications for weed, disease and better pest management in various crops.

New Type Of Irrigation System Recognized On Global Stage N-Drip, manufacturer of a gravity-powered micro-irrigation system, received the Overall Award for Excellence in Disruptive Technologies from Financial Times/International Finance Corp. in London. In the judges’ words: “[N-Drip] has developed a solution that significantly increases the efficient use of water and energy in agriculture.” TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

N-Drip combines the simplicity of flood irrigation with the high yields and precision of conventional drip. The technology uses existing field infrastructure without the need for pumping facilities or filters used in existing irrigation precision technologies. The company says this reduces water and energy use by up to 70 percent while decresing installation cost. N-Drip’s mission is to lead the effort in solving the global water shortage by providing the ultimate

alternative to flood irrigation. “It is our aim to help farmers across the globe increase their yields while reducing water consumption, protecting soil fertility and eliminating the need for external energy sources to irrigate crops,” says N-Drip CEO Eran Pollak. In the United States, farmers in Arizona, California and Texas are currently using N-Drip. For more information about the system, visit Ndrip.com.

MAKE EVERY SEED COUNT MONITORING & MEASUREMENT

CLINT GEE

Rolling Fork, Mississippi

SINGULATION, SPACING ARE ‘CLOSE TO PERFECT’ “I’ve used Precision Planting technology since 2005 and initially installed it for planting corn. I was intrigued by the electric vDrive. This year, my corn spacing was spot on, and my average speed was 6.7 mph. It was almost like having two planters out in the field. “The 20|20 monitor allows me to see what the planter is doing from the load cells to the downforce to the vacuum, for example. My old monitor showed things like seed population, but the 20|20 monitor documents everything, including seed population, singulation, furrow moisture and soil temperature. It also has a Good Ride feature. If you are in the green, and it is showing 98 to 100% Good Ride, you can actually see the lack of skips and doubles and know you are getting accurate seed placement. I wasn’t able to see that before. “In my opinion, the finest feature on the planter is DeltaForce — the automated downforce control. When planting corn, you come across tacky spots in the field that may be a little soft. With DeltaForce, I never once balled up a press wheel. When it hits those muddy spots, it’s almost like it’s feeling the ground. DeltaForce picks the unit up while maintaining a consistent seed depth. No manmade machine is absolutely fail safe, but my singulation and spacing on the corn are as close to perfect as I can get without hand planting. They are really accurate. I am completely impressed with the way DeltaForce functions. “We got back into cotton this year and did a two-seed drop instead of drilling it. The spacing on the cotton is just like the spacing I see on the corn. It’s impressive. Our soil type varies from sandy to heavy ground. In the past, we would see a big difference in seed depth, especially with cotton. DeltaForce takes a lot of that variation out. “I planted every acre of cotton and every acre of corn we have with Precision Planting technology this year and only replaced one bearing on the closing wheel. If we gather any more acres in the future, I will definitely build another planter identical to this one. It does everything it is supposed to do.” 20|20®, DeltaForce® and Precision Planting® are registered trademarks of Precision Planting LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2019 Precision Planting LLC.

precisionplanting.com JULY 2019 | COTTON FARMING

Specialists Speaking Mid-Season Management MISSOURI Calvin Meeks Rainfall has been frequent across most of the Bootheel, and as I write this, there are plenty of chances for rain in the future. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be tempted to irrigate squaring cotton unless there is a substantial dry spell soon. However, starting the flowering period with adequate soil moisture is essential and should remain at adequate levels to ensure proper fruit set and boll-fill. Make irrigation decisions on a field-by-field basis due to the varied planting dates. July is a critical time for setting bolls to achieve earliness in cotton. It appears that some fields in the area may start blooming before July 4. 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 couple of weeks of bloom. Having an early boll set will also help reduce the amount of vegetative growth and the amount of growth regulator needed. With the varied planting dates due to the hit-and-miss dry spells this spring, plant growth regulator applications should be applied on a field-by-field basis to maintain a proper ratio of vegetative and reproductive growth. Measuring the distance between the upper fourth and fifth node can help determine if a PGR application is needed. If an internode length of 2 inches is found, growth is inadequate and PGR use is not warranted. An internode of 2 to 3 inches would be adequate. Internode lengths greater than 3 inches would be excessive with PGR applications required for earliness and to limit rank growth. Past research has established that growers in the Missouri Bootheel should have a final plant height goal 2 inches greater than the row spacing with 38-inch rows typically in the range of 40-45 inches. Proper growth management is essential to optimize earliness while preserving yield potential and fiber quality. Past research at the Delta Center has shown that irrigated cotton will produce about 20 to 22 nodes during the season with dryland cotton producing roughly three to five fewer nodes. Especially keep an eye on cotton that had to be replanted due to weather issues this spring to manage for earliness and ensure its development is not delayed by pest issues or rank growth. meeksc@missouri.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson This season so far has been one of the most difficult I have experienced in Arkansas. Planting dates ranged from mid-April to late April to the very end of May (and then some) as a result of very narrow planting windows. The National Agricultural Statistics Service Crop Progress and Condition report estimates that approximately 80% of the crop is in good to excellent condition as the older cotton is starting to square. We should see flowers by Independence Day this year in our early, May 1 planted cotton. 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. Our goal is to maintain 80% retention going into first flower.

COTTON FARMING | JULY 2019

Problems that can directly affect yield and profit are associated with extremely high retention rates as well as with 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. Maintaining a balance between vegetative and reproductive growth will help to optimize earliness and preserve yield and fiber potential. Irrigation initiation and timing play 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 cotton producers in Arkansas desire. brobertson@uaex.edu

OKLAHOMA Seth Byrd The Oklahoma cotton crop has gotten off to a rough start in 2019. As I write this in mid-June, there are a considerable amount of acres that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be planted due to the wet weather. Others in which stands were never established will be shifted to another crop. For fields where good stands have been established, slow growing conditions and pest pressure are causing issues across the state. July is typically a critical month as it signals the start of the cotton plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reproductive development. Based on planting conditions and crop growth progress so far this season, many of our July benchmarks may happen later than usual in the month. The transition from squaring stage to flowering is a critical time to complete fertility programs, as this is the last period to get efficient and effective use of nutrient applications. Monitoring for fruit-feeding insects is also key so pest control decisions can be made in a timely and financially sound manner. seth.byrd@okstate.edu

TEXAS Murilo Maeda As of this writing June 10, planting has been somewhat of a roller coaster ride in West Texas and into the Rolling Plains. Excessive moisture in some places and plenty of hail and wind have producers scrambling to work around the weather to fight sand, plant and replant cotton. Further down the state in the Rio Grande Valley, the irrigated crop is looking great. Much of the dryland is in rough shape, as the tropical weather early June completely missed them. In the Coastal Bend, most of the cotton has been flowering a week or more now, and there is still some younger replant cotton being sprayed for fleahopper, says Dr. Josh McGinty, Extension agronomist in Corpus Christi. The early June rains in South Texas has been spotty, but those who were lucky enough to catch one should be in great shape for a while. In the Rolling Plains it has been raining continuously, and producers are having a difficult time finding good planting conditions. Dr. Emi Kimura, Extension agronomist in Vernon, estimates 45-50% of the cotton acres have been planted in the region as of the first week in June. The yield prospect is good; however, weed and disease pressure may be higher than average due to the weather conditions. COTTONFARMING.COM

Specialists Speaking In West Texas, much of the early planted crop that was looking good got hailed out or was sandblasted. Generally, south and east of Lubbock, the crop looks great where, ironically, they missed the big rains and also the hail. West of Lubbock pointing to the northeast and into the Panhandle, there was a lot of replant as well as unplanted acres, especially north and east of Amarillo. Some of those acres may end up fallow and/or planted to some other alternative crop. Through June and into July, producers should keep an eye on early insect and disease pressure; we need to protect those planted acres as best as we can. With moisture plentiful and delayed planting, a new ﬂush of weeds is guaranteed. Do your best to get in the ﬁeld with herbicides in a timely fashion to keep them in check. mmaeda@ag.tamu.edu

MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds Nearly two-thirds of the 2019 Mississippi cotton crop was planted after May 20. A similar situation occurred in 2013 when more than 75% of our crop was planted after May 20. Our state average cotton yield that year — 1,203 pounds per acre. While no two years are the same and it is difﬁcult to draw comparisons between 2013 and 2019, these numbers support the fact that excellent yield potential exists in this crop. We need some help with the weather in the fall and will need to manage this crop for earliness; however, the chance to make outstanding yields is present. An issue that a number of our growers have/are facing is that of reduced plant stands. A tremendous amount of data exists supporting excellent yields with plant populations as low as 15,000 healthy, evenly spaced plants per acre. This is equivalent to about one plant per foot on a 38-inch row. If you are in this situation, you will likely need to be more aggres-

sive in protecting fruit as the goal is to maximize fruit production per plant. At higher plant populations, we can stand to lose more fruit per plant because there are more plants per acre. You have not automatically lost yield if you have low plant populations, but you will have to be diligent in protecting those that you do have. dmd76@pss.msstate.edu

ALABAMA Steve M. Brown Corn earworm escapes in two-gene Bt cotton have generated considerable concern during the past couple of seasons. Since two-gene varieties still comprise a lot of acres, and the crop is particularly vulnerable during heavy fruiting, July is a time for increased vigilance and readiness. Apart from regular, accurate scouting, you can’t be sure if worms are present, if the technologies are working and worms are dying, or if worms are surviving and causing significant economic damage. Again, good scouting pays. In addition to careful looking, remember to listen. Pest updates from entomologists and comments from neighbors and others provide a heads-up about what’s going on in an area. Still, there is no substitute for field-by-field scrutiny. Typically, some fields have problems while others do not. Increased pressure might be expected if cornfields are nearby or if cotton has been treated previously for plant bugs or stink bugs. And if you’re having to address stink bugs in the presence of corn earworm moths, eggs or larvae, make sure you add a worm product. If worms break through, don’t wait around. Go get ’em! A welltimed worm spray can reap big dividends. Good logistics — the personnel and equipment to do a timely job — help you make the most of your scouting bill and insecticide cost. Let’s make some good cotton in 2019. smb0165@auburn.edu

Cotton is particularly vulnerable to bollworm during heavy fruiting, says Alabama cotton specialist Steve Brown.

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JULY 2019 | COTTON FARMING

Specialists Speaking TENNESSEE Tyson Raper A little more than half of our cotton crop was planted after May 15. Although we were getting a little dry at the beginning of June, widespread rain fell at the end of the first full week of the month. Overall, I believe our crop is off to a very good start. Plant growth regulator applications will likely begin on the earliest planted acres within the coming week (June 10). By the time you read this, you will likely have put out the first shot of plant growth regulator. A large number of our fields should be moving into the first week of flower by July 1. If you have not applied a plant growth regulator to your crop by this point in the season, it is likely that an application is warranted on many of your fields. Keep in mind the maximum rate per acre per season of a standard 4.2% mepiquat chloride product is 48 ounces. One of the best ways to reduce the total amount required to keep the crop at an acceptable height is to begin applying earlier in the season. Monitor internode length, and consider variety and the forecast when determining rate. Keep an eye on news.utcrops.com for variety response ratings and details on fine-tuning rates. traper@utk.edu

VIRGINIA Hunter Frame As we move into July in Virginia, most of the cotton should be well into the squaring period. Plant growth regulator management has begun for producers who aggressively manage cotton’s vegetative growth (first PGR application at first square) and should be beginning shortly for producers who passively manage vegetative growth of cotton (first PGR application around first bloom). Producers should continue to focus on insect management and most likely have sprayed fields once or twice for tarnished plant bug, depending on scouting and population thresholds. As we move into the bloom period, scouting will shift to bollworm management. Scouting for eggs is critical to apply timely materials that target bollworms. This can be a busy time for producers as fields need to be scouted a minimum of once a week to maximize boll retention. Plant nutrition should be wrapping up in terms of nitrogen, sulfur and potassium applications. However, tissue and petiole testing can be helpful in predicting adequate nitrogen and sulfur levels during the first week of bloom. Virginia data have shown the petiole nitrate-N critical level is around 5,000 ppm nitrate-N. whframe@vt.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins As I write this on June 4, many growers are relieved that the rains received May 31-June 1 broke up the abnormally hot dry spell we had during May. This was especially the case for both early planted cotton that was beginning to set squares, and recently planted cotton that had yet to emerge. Although some areas did not receive much or any rain, many areas did, and it was certainly welcomed and badly needed. However, some areas were hit with major hailstorms, necessitating replanting of some acres in early June. Most of our crop was planted the first couple of weeks in May and is currently growing well now that we’ve had some moisture. For late, replanted cotton that emerged in early June, timely management will be critical for success. This includes insect management, plant growth regulators, fertility, etc., while avoiding additional stresses that could delay the crop even further. July is the time to focus on insect pests, such as plant bugs, bollworms and stink bugs. In addition, PGR applications usually begin in

COTTON FARMING | JULY 2019

June but continue into July. Frequent and thorough scouting will be necessary to catch and treat insect pests in a timely manner. As we learned in 2018, we cannot let up on scouting at any time during the summer months. In addition to scouting, proper product selection and rotation of chemistries are also important for managing plant bugs effectively. For bollworms, it is important to keep an accurate track of varieties planted in each field and convey this information to consultants, as two-gene and three-gene varieties are scouted, managed and treated differently. guy_collins@ncsu.edu

FLORIDA David Wright Planting season started out well this year. However, near the end of the planting season, it was so dry that some producers quit planting where irrigation was not available and resumed two to three weeks later. That results in growers managing two ages of cotton throughout the season. Since herbicides and fertilizer are often put out at certain growth stages, more than one operation is being done at the same time resulting in more work for the farm unit. This can be managed effectively and requires timeliness for all inputs to make top yields. In some cases, it works out well for non-irrigated growers if unfavorable weather occurs at harvest. This happened to us last year when Hurricane Michael came through and destroyed all of the early planted, defoliated cotton while later-planted cotton that had not opened or was not defoliated did better. We hope for a good cotton season this year — whether the crop was planted early or late — and good growing conditions as the plants bloom and set fruit in July and August. wright@ufl.edu

GEORGIA Mark Freeman July can be a unique and challenging month for Georgia cotton. Since our planting season extends from April to June, cotton in early July may be anywhere from pinhead square to the third week of bloom. However, most of the crop will be at or approaching first bloom when crop management becomes of more concern. Our sidedress nitrogen should have been applied prior to bloom. However, it is always important to continue to monitor the crop throughout the bloom period to quickly identify and correct any nutrient deficiencies that may arise. Nutrient deficiencies can occur anywhere but tend to happen more frequently on deep sands and areas where some foliar diseases have been common. Monitor crop nutrient levels using tissue and petiole testing either through the University of Georgia or private labs. Any deficiencies can often be addressed through foliar feeding. Although insect scouting and monitoring should be done throughout the season, the bloom period is the most important crop stage as stink bugs, corn earworm and other pests can cause major economic losses. Scouting and using proper economic thresholds can also eliminate unnecessary insecticide applications, which could potentially flare other pests later in the season. One tool that growers, county agents and consultants can use to determine when and what products to apply is the Georgia Cotton Insect Advisor app (GA Cotbug). It is a free, easy-to-operate, smartphone app that uses crop stage, current pests and damage percentage to recommend if treatment is necessary and what product(s) would be best in that situation. For more information about cotton management in Georgia, contact your local UGA county Extension agent. markfree@uga.edu COTTONFARMING.COM

MID-SOUTH REPORT

Getting To Know David Miller A Q & A INTERVIEW BY STACEY GORMAN COTTON BOARD DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

arlier this spring, The Cotton Board hired David Miller as its new Mid-South Regional Communication manager. Miller’s territory includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. The Cotton Board’s RCMs work to ensure the Cotton Research and Promotion Program stakeholders in their respective territories are informed of the program’s activities as conducted by Cotton Incorporated and administered by The Cotton Board. The RCMs visit producers in the field, speak at industry meetings, participate in trade shows and coordinate producer tours of Cotton Incorporated. To help Mid-South growers get to know their new RCM, we’ve asked David to answer these questions:

Q A

Tell us about yourself and your work in the cotton industry. I grew up in the Mississippi Delta and developed a love for farming, and all things cotton. My uncle, Tucker Miller, is a crop consultant in Mississippi, and he spurred my career in ag by teaching me how to do things like sweep fields and do boll counts. I enjoyed watching him make meaningful recommendations to growers to help them grow healthy and high-yielding crops. In college, I had the opportunity to do internships with a major ag retailer and a crop protection manufacturer. These internships led me into my first full-time career in ag with Syngenta. I spent three years working on behalf of Syngenta across the state of Louisiana.

Q A

What are you most looking forward to in your new role? I am very excited about working directly with growers. I love being on the farm, and my new position allows me the opportunity to meet growers where they are. I am looking forward to being Twitter: @CottonFarming

an advocate for the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. Working for an organization that works on behalf of cotton producers and allows them to be profitable, sustainable and successful is such an honor.

What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about The Cotton Research and Promotion Program in your time with The Cotton Board? It’s been extremely eye-opening to see just how much work is being done behind the scenes for America’s cotton producers. I had no idea how much research was being conducted to make sure that cotton producers are profitable and how much promotion was being conducted to make sure their cotton has a place in the market. I’m impressed by the strong leadership within the cotton industry and excited to see what this program continues to accomplish in the future.

Q A

What makes you passionate about the cotton industry? It’s easy to be passionate about this industry. Like many people in the Mid-South, my family wouldn’t be around without cotton. Both of my grandfathers were cotton producers and so were their fathers. Cotton growers and ginners have a deep love for what they do and take a lot of pride in making sure they can continue to produce this important crop. Cotton is used in so many ways and has such a far-reaching impact in people’s everyday lives. Getting to work in an industry that has such a global reach is extremely motivating. For more information on David Miller and the work of The Cotton Board’s Regional Communication Managers, please visit cottonboard.org/producers.

David Miller

“I’m impressed by the strong leadership within the cotton industry and excited to see what this program continues to accomplish in the future.”

To learn more, email Gorman at sgorman@ cottonboard.org. JULY 2019 | COTTON FARMING

COTTON

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

Ginning Research Is A Priority The National Cotton Council annually sends a letter to the Senate and House leaders who oversee agricultural appropriations requesting that funding levels be maintained for the three U.S. ginning laboratories. Just a few years ago, that and other Council efforts with these Senators and Representatives played a significant role in Congress’ approval of federal appropriations increases for all three laboratories after a decade of flat or declining research budgets. However, the U.S. cotton industry needs to maintain this research funding level. Our industry must not forget or take for granted the fact that the research at these ginning laboratories spawned the development and improvement of highly sophisticated ginning technology and systems. The scientists at these labs continue to conduct much of the basic scientific research that often finds its way into such important ginning applications as drying systems, lint cleaners and process controls. In addition, there are ongoing research projects that include ginning equipment and technology companies. The overall goal is developing or improving existing equipment and systems.

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The three labs also are involved with cotton research that includes both picker and stripper harvesting methods. The labs collaborate on common research projects applicable to all regions. All of them work with the Cotton Structure and Quality Research Group at U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans. All three labs also assist the ginning industry by conducting research into improving fiber quality and increasing efficiencies. Currently, the labs are at the forefront of developing a practical system to detect and eliminate plastic contamination. Several years ago, I was asked to participate in a USDA Agricultural Research Service “Post-Harvest National Program Review” that included several other commodities. In fact, I was asked by one of the other participating commodities how I knew so much about ongoing cotton ginning research. My response to the group was that each year, we receive updates on various research projects at our annual ginning conference and at various industry meetings. Additionally, I noted I had been able to visit the three ginning labs and discuss their research efforts. Several of these scientists have served on many of the National Cotton Ginners Association’s issues committees. The bottom line is that the U.S. cotton industry is close knit — a trait that extends to the cotton research community. The U.S. cotton industry cannot afford to become complacent, though. It must strive to produce and provide its customers with the best fiber quality possible in the most efficient, environmentally sound means possible. Our industry should appreciate these ginning labs and continue to support the scientists who work there. Harrison Ashley, executive vice president of the National Cotton Ginners Association, contributed this article. Contact him at (901) 274-9030 or hashley@cotton.org.

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Practice Seed House Safety

Maintain And Repair

Overhead seed houses are valuable for short-term seed storage, wet seed storage and gins with limited yard space. Design improvements allow overhead seed houses to be an 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 not properly maintained. Through the years, moisture and chemicals from seed along with humidity cause the inevitable â&#x20AC;&#x201C; rust and corrosion. Since the damage primarily occurs inside the seed house, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 2019 cotton ginning season. Safety Comes First ÂĄ Never go beneath a seed hopper that contains seed. ÂĄ Properly guard all ladders and catwalks. ÂĄ Do not enter the seed trailer or climb on the side walls of the trailer. ÂĄ Post decals, â&#x20AC;&#x153;DANGER â&#x20AC;&#x201C; DO NOT ENTER AREA BELOW HOPPER DOORS WHEN SEED IS IN STORAGE HOUSE.â&#x20AC;? These are free from your local ginning association. ÂĄ Contact your ginning association or loss control representative to get a copy of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cottonseed System Safety Policyâ&#x20AC;? for employees, visitors and outside contractors such as seed haulers. ÂĄ Be sure to use all other known gin safety procedures daily.

ÂĄ All proper safety precautions should be taken by all personnel who perform maintenance and repairs. ÂĄ Clean out all seed. ÂĄ Clean hopper panels to remove seed oil. Steam cleaning consistently works well. ÂĄ Use sanding and steel brushing to make the inside surfaces of the hopper panels smooth again. ÂĄ Carefully examine the entire seed house for stress fractures and loose hardware, especially if vibrators have been used. ÂĄ Remove rust and corrosion. View From The Catwalk 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 a good vantage point to see into the tops of the trailers to determine when to open and close the hopper doors. Jim Granberry, president of Cliff Granberry Corp., contributed this article. Email jim@cliffgranberrycorp.com or call (972) 381-8899.

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My Turn Bootprints In The Dirt

am an only child and began, boll weevil traps were placed around a third-generation the field every couple hundred feet. And they Georgia farmer. As a would be full. I said, “This will never work.” And little boy, I was fasci- then we were told we had to pay $35 an acre to nated with equipment and fund the program, and the payment was due in loved going to the farm August. Big money and bad timing. But we made it through, and eventually it worked. with my dad, Kenneth. My son, Edwin, farms with us and has some There’s a lot of truth to the phrase “following in ground of his own, too. Seeing him get started your father ’s footsteps.” and knowing someone is following in your bootWhile walking behind him prints is a blessing. One of Edwin’s first jobs was Ken in the field, I saw Dad’s hauling cotton in the boll buggy to the module bootprints in the dirt and builder. His feet hardly reached the floorboard of Hall tried to put my bootprints the tractor. Today, he is in charge of peanut plantin his. At first, I just rode ing and spraying all the peanuts and cotton. At with him and the employees or drove the tractor harvest, he and I go to the peanut field together. Edwin is expecting a son in December. If he while they laid irrigation pipe. The first job I did by myself was spray tobacco. As I got older and decides to farm, he will be fifth generation. My daughter, Cayla, and bigger, I was able to do son-in-law, Garrett more. I knew early on “Everybody in the family is tied R i d e n , h a v e t w o that I wanted to farm. daughters who also In 1980, I graduatto agriculture in some way.” may choose careers ed from high school, in agriculture. If that rented 100 acres and worked it on halves with a fellow. At first, I used happens, we will try to help them get started. Last October, Cayla and Garrett had the opporDad’s equipment and then started buying a piece here and there on my own. I grew peanuts, soy- tunity to acquire a local soil analysis business in beans and corn, but 1980 was extremely dry, and Shingler, just a mile and a half from our headI didn’t make anything. Even on Dad’s ground, quarters. At Lumpkins Balanced Nutrient & Consulting Lab, they pull samples, dry them, we didn’t harvest one peanut. It was that dry. Luckily, the following years were much better. grind them and run the analyses. Then they We cleared $6,000 net money after we met obliga- put together maps and books for the grower and tions in 1983, and my wife, Lisa, and I were able make fertility recommendations. Everybody in the family is tied to agriculture to furnish a small house and get married. She has a background in accounting so she eventually in some way. Since we have been growing cotton, took over what my mother was doing and keeps we have endured three hurricanes at harvest — Hurricane Kate in 1985, Hurricane Irma in 2017 up with all our bookwork. When Dad started growing cotton in 1981, I and the never-to-be-forgotten Hurricane Michael remember him buying a two-row cotton picker. in 2018. Based on our faith, we knew it was the He put me on that machine, and I was responsi- Lord’s will, and he saw us through it. But because ble for getting a couple trailers a day. From that of those experiences, we’ve gotten aggressive on time on, I knew come October I was going to pick the front end planting cotton so we can get it out cotton, and he was going to take the rest of the as quickly as we can. Nobody has a crystal ball, but we have to have labor to pick peanuts. I began gravitating toward cotton and keeping up with how much we picked faith that everything will work out as it should. on each field. I still keep a lot of records today. – Ken Hall Prior to the Boll Weevil Eradication Program, Shingler, Georgia we were spraying cotton with methyl parathihallscottonfarm@gmail.com on about every seven days. When the program

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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