Cotton Farming June 2015

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Cotton Farming

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ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

JUNE 2015

www.cottonfarming.com

STALKING STINK BUGS GA. FARMERS CONTROLLING THIS PEST

MORE INSECT UPDATES: TEXAS MID-SOUTH WEST

MY TURN: KELLI MERRITT

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A SERIOUS WEAPON IN THE FIGHT AGAINST PLANT BUGS. When plant bugs strike, it can feel like a losing battle because of the pests’ increasing resistance to many control methods. Defend your cotton with a different kind of weapon: TransformŽ WG insecticide. Transform hits plant bugs hard, with a novel class of chemistry and a unique mode of action. It’s a great rotational partner to have in your arsenal — helping win the battle against plant bugs and aphids. TransformMyCotton.com

ÂŽ 3210/.12-,+*,3)/,(+',&)/.%$1#,&+."1! , (+' ,+2,1!,1* #%1 /0,$+."1! ,+*,(+' ,321! *+2., ,% ,!+ ,2/ % /2/0,*+2, 1#/,+2, /,%!,1##, 1 / , Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions. ,(+', 2+ $%/!$/ ,

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Vol. 59 No. 6

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

JUNE 2015

www.cottonfarming.com

F E A T U R E S

8

Serious Damage

The stink bug is a cotton pest that both mystifies and confounds the experts. For biological reasons, it can’t be eradicated, and that fact sometimes discourages producers in Georgia and the Southeast. But, as you might expect, entomologists have learned a lot in recent years on how to control this pest and decrease damage to cotton.

D E P A R T M E N T S

4 5 6

Editor’s Note Marketing Cotton’s Agenda

&

C O L U M N S

14 Specialists Speaking 21 Industry News 22 My Turn

10

TEXAS INSECT UPDATE

17

WESTERN REPORT

18

GINNING MARKETPLACE

Entomologist Megha Parajulee says it will be a busy year for bugs in the state’s cotton fields.

Just because cotton acreage is down in this region, farmers can’t let up in their insect control strategies. Brent Murphree offers his regular update on the situation.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY

Dusty Findley of the Southeastern Cotton Ginners’ Association says it behooves ginners to understand the importance of a Hazard Communications program. However, it is often difficult to comply with this OSHA standard.

WEB EXCLUSIVE As the 2015 cotton crop season begins across the Belt, Cotton Council International is doing its part to increase U.S. cotton consumption in key overseas markets. Current CCI president Dahlen Hancock, a Texas producer, offers an overview of what lies ahead in the new year. No matter what global region is examined, you’ll find CCI’s staff organizing a special event. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for Dahlen’s Web Exclusive report.

WEB POLL RESULTS

In your cotton operation, which of the following insect pests do you anticipate being the most troublesome this year?

Go to www.cottonfarming.com for the results.

ON THE COVER: A stink bug is an unwelcome visitor to Georgia cotton fields. Photo courtesy of Phil Roberts.

COTTON FARMING (ISSN 0746-8385) is published monthly January through December for $40 per year by One Grower Publishing LLC, 1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, TN 38119. Periodicals Postage paid at Memphis, TN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sunbelt Fulfillment Services, 307 Southgate Court, Brentwood, Tenn. 37027-7987 (Phone: 615-377-3322) (Fax: 615850-5319). International rates are $55.00 in Canada/Mexico, $90.00 in all other countries for air-speeded delivery. Surface Delivery not available due to problems in reliability.

COTTON FARMING JUNE 2015

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Editor’s Note Tommy Horton

Cotton Farming

®

EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor/Editorial Director Tommy Horton thorton@onegrower.com Senior Writer Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com

Cotton Insect Pests Don’t Give Up Easily

A

t times, it appears that the cotton insect landscape changes more quickly than the Dow Jones Industrial numbers on the stock market each day. We blink our eyes, and a new insect has become a serious threat in a region of the Cotton Belt. Or, in other cases, a pest that was dormant for several years suddenly flares and catches everybody by surprise.

To the outsider, it’s as if Mother Nature won’t let us off the hook. For example, just because the cotton industry eradicated the boll weevil many years ago doesn’t mean farmers are home free. The next pest threat is just around the corner.

That is precisely why Cotton Farming decided to publish an update from each region of the Belt to gain a better understanding of the insects in cotton production. Not surprisingly, our cover story is focused on the stink bug, and how it continues to perplex Georgia cotton producers and other parts of the Southeast.

I had known that the stink bug was always near the top of the insect pest list for Georgia cotton farmers. But, it wasn’t until I talked to three Georgia experts – Extension entomologist Phil Roberts, consultant Jack Royal and producer Jimmy Webb – that I learned why this pest is so different. It clearly marches to its own drumbeat. You’ll find out more from our Georgia experts’ comments in the cover story on pages 8 and 9.

The stink bug – unlike the boll weevil – is elusive and doesn’t confine its activities to one crop. It feeds on nearly everything that is planted in the ground. This is quite different from the boll weevil, which fed on one crop – cotton. In short, the industry was able to eradicate the boll weevil because every cotton field was sprayed. Eventually, this pest was eliminated.

After talking to various insect experts, I also learned other important facts that maybe I had forgotten. Every region has a different environment for cotton production – necessitating a specific strategy. That is one of the facts you’ll learn when reading updates this month from entomologists Scott Stewart (Mid-South) and Megha Parajulee (Texas) as well as Brent Murphree in his Western Report.

We simply can’t make a blanket statement about insect control because other factors enter into the equation. South Georgia is a far cry from the Texas High Plains or the San Joaquin Valley in California. Perhaps our Georgia consultant friend Jack Royal had the best comment about dealing with the dreaded stink bug: “If you have a zero tolerance for this pest, you won’t get burned.” That sums it up pretty well.

When in doubt, be aggressive against bad bugs.

Southeast Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Art Director Carol Watson

ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher Carroll Smith (901) 767-4020 Sales Manager Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Production Manager Kathy Killingsworth (800) 888-9784 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com Circulation Manager Charlie Beek (615) 377-3322

For circulation changes or change of address, call (800) 888-9784

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 2015 ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

One Grower Publishing, LLC

If you have comments, send them to: Editor, Cotton Farming Magazine, 1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, Tenn., 38119. Or send e-mail to: thorton@onegrower.com.

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COTTON FARMING JUNE 2015

1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, Tennessee, 38119 Phone: 901-767-4020

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MARKETING While many producers can switch to another crop as market signals dictate (as evidenced by the acreage decline in the Mid-South), other segments of the industry are hurt – ginning, warehousing, machinery and equipment dealers, input suppliers, etc.

Don Shurley Extension Cotton Economist Tifton, Ga.

In 2011, U.S. cotton acreage was 14.74 million acres planted. The average price received was just under $1.00 per pound and was $1.65 per pound the year before. High acreage doesn’t always require high prices. In 2006, 15.27 million acres were planted.

Prices averaged 60.5 cents and 57 cents the year

COTTON’S FUTURE COMPETITIVENESS

before. In 2001, cotton planted was 15.8 million acres.

Prices averaged 42 cents and 57 cents the year before.

nited States cotton producers intend to plant 9.549 million acres this year. If

U

In these higher acreage years, prices were little differ-

realized, this will be 13.5 percent less than 2014 and the lowest acreage since

ent than they are now.

2009. This decline is not unexpected; cotton prices are low for the second

The price of cotton and any commodity will be what

year in a row. Also, the new Farm Bill seems to provide incentive to shift

it needs to be to attract enough acreage and production

acreage from cotton into “covered commodities” like soybeans, corn, grain sorghum

to meet demand. That’s the role of the market. So, at

and peanuts.

some point, cost of production and the price of

Cotton seems to be going through a transition. Actually, U.S. and world cotton have

other/alternative crops must come into consideration.

been going through a transition for the past 20 or so years. In the current environment, some in the industry are voicing concerns and posing questions about cotton’s future.

What About New Farm Law?

These changes include a shift in structure of U.S. cotton demand (sales) from predomi-

How cotton will fare under the new farm law is

nately domestic mills to foreign mills, shift in acreage and production share from the tra-

uncertain. Covered commodities planted will be

ditional Mid-South to the Southeast, a “new norm” for quality of 31-3/35 rather than 41-

assigned to Generic Base and 85 percent of acreage

4/34 and strengthening prices for other crops in relation to cotton, which can result in

eligible for PLC/ARC. Cotton will be eligible for STAX.

dramatic shifts in acreage and production.

PLC and ARC are uncertain. Nevertheless, producers

■ Cotton has also lost significant market share to man-made-fibers (MMF) – substituting

are tempted to plant covered commodities or expand

MMF for cotton and increasing the MMF share in cotton blend fabrics. World use of cotton

acreage to capture ARC/PLC. Chasing payments unnec-

peaked at 124 million bales in 2006-07. Just five years later, use was only 104 million

essarily adds to risk. Crop income is risky enough.

bales – down 16 percent. Demand/use of cotton has yet to fully recover to the 2006 level.

Cotton acreage will increase when prices begin to

■ This decline in demand/usage is the root of many of cotton’s present day ills. For five

recover – depending also on the prices of other crops.

consecutive years (2010-14), production exceeded demand – resulting in record buildup

Everybody will feel better with cotton at 80 cents – but

in stocks that now plagues the industry. The good news is that cotton’s demand is recov-

this depends on demand continuing to trend up and

ering and will exceed production for 2015/16. Neither production nor demand operates in

globally coming to terms on the quality and oversupply

a vacuum, however. Given the decline in use, adjustment in production was needed. In

of world stocks.

other words, prices can’t improve until a closer balance is achieved.

■ Achieving closer balance could take time and may be painful. It already has been. We still have a record level of stocks that has to be dealt with. This is the sense of concern that hangs over the industry. The pain isn’t felt equally by all segments of the industry, however.

For producers, if other crops are more profitable, and you have the capability, you shift acreage toward these crops. But for some parts of the country and some producers, crop alternatives to cotton are little or none, and the impact of low cotton prices is felt more.

Need More Information?

Don Shurley is Professor Emeritus of Cotton Economics, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, at the University of Georgia-Tifton campus. He can be reached at (229) 386-3512 or via email at: donshur@uga.edu.

Additional cotton information can be found by visiting the UGA cotton website at www.ugacotton.com or www.caes.uga.edu/departments/agecon.

COTTON FARMING JUNE 2015

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Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

Continuous Improvement The National Cotton Council is encouraging U.S. cotton producers to continuously improve their production practices – with a goal of increasing world demand for raw cotton by enhancing their fiber’s image.

How has U.S. cotton’s environmental footprint improved in recent years?

■ A large and reliable supply of quality lint is required to help U.S. cotton compete for market share among other fibers, including man-made.

Today, though, proof of responsible production is needed to satisfy many leading apparel brands, retailers and manufacturers. Fortunately, environmental gains by U.S. cotton producers over the past 30 years have been well established by USDA and other third parties. Consider: compared to 30 years ago, soil loss has declined 68 percent; water use U.S. cotton producers have made significant (irrigation) decenvironmental strides over the past 30 years. clined 75 percent; energy use is 31 percent less; and greenhouse gas emissions are 22 percent less. Productivity, though, has improved substantially. U.S. cotton farmers only need two-thirds of the land required 30 years ago to produce an equivalent amount of cotton. Much of this improvement can be attributed to U.S. cotton producers’ annual $50 million contribution to agricultural research.

What is Field to Market®?

■ Field to Market ® – The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture includes numerous conservation and agricultural organizations (including the National Cotton Council) as well as multiple agribusinesses and large corporate firms such as Wal-Mart. The Alliance employs supply chain strategies to define, measure and promote continuous U.S. major row crop production improvement at a national level. More

information is at https://www.fieldtomarket.org/, including the Fieldprint Calculator®, an online education tool that’s helping this nation’s producers analyze their operations and compare their sustainability performance in the areas of: land use, soil conservation, soil carbon, water use, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water quality and biodiversity. Use of the Fieldprint Calculator® to compare an individual field’s performance to the state and national agriculture databases is providing producers with the means to improve their individual operation’s sustainability. This is not an official farm level certification effort to document sustainability. Producers still face formal accountability. For example, federal farm law requires them to file a Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification form to remain or become eligible for farm program benefits and crop insurance premium support.

Fieldprint Calculator® data are helping the cotton supply chain better explain how food and fiber are produced based on demonstrated sustainability and programs that promote continuous improvement. The most important objective, though, is for more yarn spinners, textile/apparel manufacturers, brands and retailers to pledge their “Commitment to Cotton” by joining the 300-plus participants in the Cotton LEADS™ program. That effort was initiated by the Australian and U.S. cotton industries to 1) raise awareness of their producers’ sustainability advances at a national level and 2) ensure cotton is produced responsibly for years to come.

Among those driving this no-cost, no-certification initiative are brand and retail partners who are asked to acknowledge the program’s five core sustainability principles, best management practices and traceability in the cotton supply chain. More detailed information is at www.cottonleads.org. I encourage U.S. cotton producers to visit that site.

Gary Adams was elevated to president/chief executive officer of the National Cotton Council in February 2015. He and other NCC leaders contribute to this Cotton Farming magazine page.

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Cotton Consultant’s Corner

Mid-South Challenges For 2015 Drew Ellis, Ph.D. Market Development Specialist – Mid-South Dow AgroSciences The weather is usually far from consistent, but for the third year, we have seen a pattern of wet springs that make it difficult for Mid-South cotton growers to plant crops. They are forced to plant when Mother Nature allows between frequent rains. Often, planting conditions are far from ideal; perpetual wetness prevents staggering of plantings. Typically, the majority of cotton fields planted in the South Delta – from around Memphis farther south to the latitude of the Red River Valley in Louisiana – would have been planted by late April. Despite the reduced number of cotton acres throughout the Mid-South this year, the inability to stagger plantings and the timing of fertilizer and insecticide applications coming together simultaneously is making it challenging for growers to manage.

Growing cotton profitably continues to be a challenge for Mid-South producers. Several factors are at play. A giant stockpile of cotton supplies in China has created a soft price in the U.S. market. Specific to different crops, growers are doing their best to manage crop rotations, plant different varieties and alternate herbicide and insecticide programs to manage potential resistance issues better.

Not surprisingly, the No. 1 pest in 2015 is tarnished plant bug. Diligent scouting for this potentially devastating pest is necessary as plant bug infestations typically begin as cotton reaches the reproductive pinhead square stage. Although the bulk of spraying to control tarnished plant bug comes a bit later, growers are getting ready for their first series of tarnished plant bug insecticide applications. This season, we anticipate more severe infestations because there are fewer cotton acres, thus fewer fields where the pest can feed. This is especially true for cotton acres located near other grain crops – corn, soybean and sorghum fields – because there aren’t as many cotton fields available for the pests to invade.

The potential migration of the sugarcane aphid in sorghum fields is another concern we are watching closely this year. In 2013 and 2014, this prolific pest moved farther north, and growers throughout the Mid-South have been dealing with new challenges, especially as many are planting sorghum on acres once used for cotton. As growers plant more sorghum acres farther north, the sugarcane aphid will be of particular concern in northeast Arkansas, western Tennessee and even the Missouri bootheel.

Producers throughout the Mid-South are on alert following reports of sugarcane aphids wintering in sorghum refuge and Johnsongrass.

There’s good news for Mid-South growers with the efficacy demonstrated by Transform WG insecticide. Transform is proven effective for controlling tarnished plant bug in cotton at the rate of 1.5 oz./A, and sorghum growers reported excellent coverage of the sugarcane aphid at the rate of 1.0 oz./A. A critical aspect of managing this pest is mimicking scouting techniques used in cotton. Consultants and growers are diligently scouting sorghum fields every four to five days during heavy infestation periods when this potentially devastating pest can multiply by the thousands within just a few days in an optimal environment.

• B.S. in Environmental Management, University of Tennessee at Martin; M.S. in Agronomy, University of Arkansas; Ph.D. in Weed Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville • Market development specialist, Dow AgroSciences, who provides technical expertise, agronomic consulting and Dow AgroSciences product support to growers, specifically in the Mid-South region • Also provides crop protection products training and support to Dow AgroSciences sales representatives • Explores new opportunities to expand product applications in new markets, crops and regions • Married with two daughters • Avid waterfowl hunter

Recap: Mid-South Challenges For 2015

▼

1. Wet conditions this spring have prevented growers from staggering plantings, which challenges Mid-South producers to manage fertilizer and insecticide applications simultaneously.

2. Reduced cotton acres are likely to spur greater infestations of tarnished plant bug, particularly in cotton fields situated near other grain crops, especially corn and sorghum fields.

3. The northern migration of the sugarcane aphid in sorghum fields in 2013 and 2014 has Mid-South growers on alert for possible invasions of this sap-feeding pest as far north as western Tennessee.

4. As Mid-South growers spread their risk by turning to different crops and managing crop rotations, they are alternating herbicide and insecticide programs to manage potential resistance issues better.

5. Transform WG insecticide is proven effective for treating tarnished plant bug in cotton and sugarcane aphid in sorghum.

So far, Transform has been granted a Section 18 Emergency Exemption for use in grain sorghum for the 2015 season in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas.

Sponsored By

®™Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. Transform WG is not registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Transform has Section 18 Specific Emergency Exemptions for use on sorghum in select counties and parishes of select states. Transform does not have Section 18 Specific Emergency Exemption for all sorghum-producing states. To learn more about Transform, to see which states or political subdivisions thereof have Section 18 Specific Emergency Exemptions, to see the limitations on the use of Transform under the Section 18 Specific Emergency Exemption labels, and to find a list of retailers that may carry this product under a particular Section 18 exemption, call 800-258-3033 or email info@dow.com. Always read and follow label directions. ©2015 Dow AgroSciences LLC

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COVER STORY

Missouri Program Best Stink Bug To Protect Bees

Strategy?

Use Every Available Tool

BY TOMMY HORTON EDITOR

Keys To Controlling Stink Bugs: • Scout early and often.

• Monitor early boll development.

• Use shake cloth for scouting.

• Use online app for recommendations.

• Understand biology of stink bug.

• Learn behavior of other pests.

I

t is hard to describe the behavior of the dreaded stink bug, which has wreaked havoc on cotton fields in the Southeast – and especially Georgia – for nearly two decades. The bad news is that this pest is here to stay.

The good news is that farmers have tools and technology that are helping control the state’s No. 1 cotton insect pest.

In addition to new strategies, researchers now seem to understand the pest’s behavior as compared to pre-Bt cotton days before 1996. Extension entomologist Phil Roberts, based in Tifton, Ga., says it’s also easier to explain other scientific facts about this pest.

“I have had a lot of farmers ask why we can’t eradicate the stink bug – especially after we eradicated the boll weevil,” he says. “The only way you can eradicate any pest is if there is a weak link in its biology.”

For example, Roberts points out that the boll weevil

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reproduced on a single plant species – cotton. So, by treating every field of cotton where the weevils were detected, the pest was eliminated. Other factors obviously entered into the equation such as an effective insecticide and the use of pheromone traps. In many cases, some cultural practices were implemented to remove reproductive hosts – all because of the aforementioned weak link in the weevil’s biology.

Then along comes the stink bug. It has no such weak link in its biology, according to Roberts. It feeds on any plant that nature provides and has a wide range of hosts. So, eradication doesn’t appear to be an option.

Technology That Works Against Stink Bugs And how does technology help in controlling stink bugs?

Roberts says the Georgia Cotton Insect Advisor app

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Pyrethroids do well against southern green and (UGAcotton.com) is an effective system for determining when to make insecticide treatments for management of green stink bugs but are only fair against brown stink bugs.

Organophosphates provide good control of all three species. cotton insect pests.

The Stink Bug Decision Aid app will display the most Average sprays for stink bugs are about two per acre with a appropriate insecticide or tankmix after the user provides range of zero to four applications per field, depending on infestations. information on the week of So, how far have Georgia bloom, predominant stink cotton producers come in the bug species, percent of interbattle against their No.1 nal boll injury and other pest insect pest? Compared to earspecies present. lier days, Roberts says awareDoes that sound complicatness is significantly higher. ed? It shouldn’t. Roberts says Producers are following the it is user-friendly and can recommendations of Extenkeep the farmer one step sion and doing better in ahead in his spraying stratescouting and using threshgy for insects. olds. They are also looking at For example, another adthe big picture in how decivantage for cotton producers sions are made. is learning that the presence “I don’t think our producers of other pests can influence are being complacent,” he how and when to spray for says. “Can we minimize negastink bugs. A decision made “If you have a zero tolerance for this tive influences in the field? I on stink bugs could encourthink so. Sometimes we treat age or increase the risk of pest, you won’t get burned.” for the stink bug more than one of those other troublewe should. But with better some pests becoming an eco– Jack Royal, Consultant, Leary, Ga. scouting, maybe we can actunomic problem. ally eliminate one of those “When a farmer uses the app, he might notice that corn earworms also are present,” spray applications.”

One fact is obvious. In looking at the latest Cotton Insect says Roberts. “He puts that information into the app and learns that he can mitigate the flaring of the corn earworm Losses report from Mississippi State University entomoloby using a tankmix of an organophosphate plus a gist Mike Williams, stink bug damage in Georgia in 2014 was significant. But the numbers also reflect progress. pyrethroid. He gains control of both pests.”

More than 1.2 million acres in Georgia were infested by stink bugs last year, resulting in a cost of $12 per acre and a A Formidable Cotton Pest Can the stink bug create confusion for the farmer as he loss of 48,164 bales. As entomologists and farmers learn tries to identify and treat for this problem? In Georgia, most more about the stink bug’s behavior, the better the control producers understand the difference between the southern of this pest.

For example, most significant crop loss from stink bugs green stink bug, green stink bug and brown stink bug.

Those are the three species that infest Georgia cotton fields occurs when boll rot is connected to the pest’s feeding. When these bugs injure a cotton boll and introduce a pathogen, and other parts of the Southeast. they can also affect fiber development, which results in serious yield loss.

Georgia Farmers Understand How To Control Stink Bugs

No matter how much of a challenge the stink bug represents, it won’t discourage Georgia producers from continuing to plant cotton.

That is the overriding sentiment from producer Jimmy Webb who farms in Leary in southwest Georgia. He says it’s been a learning experience for the past 20 years after Bt cotton was introduced. That is when he and fellow farmers learned more about the behavior of this pest.

“They are the most troublesome and elusive pest we have,” he says.

“After 1996, we discovered how beneficial those pyrethroids were before we switched to Bt cotton. The message here is that you have to start scouting right after the first week of bloom.”

This strategy is what Webb likes to call “preventive maintenance.” He says it is crucial that an insecticide be put out to protect the boll. And don’t forget to monitor the behavior of the stink bug. For instance, after an adjacent corn crop dries down, the stage is set for stink bugs to migrate from the corn into cotton.

“That is why we spray the perimeter of cotton fields,” says Webb. “That is where they’ll be present in big numbers. We just have to be smart in everything we do. The bottom line is that Georgia farmers will continue to grow cotton because we are aggressive in solving our problems.”

United Industry Efforts Pay Off Whether it’s a farmer, Extension entomologist or consultant, everyone connected to Georgia cotton production knows the importance of stink bug control.

Veteran Georgia cotton consultant Jack Royal of Leary has spent more than 30 years giving advice to his producercustomers. He knows that being proactive is the only way to win the war against stink bugs. In sports terminology, it’s better to be playing offense rather than defense against this pest.

He also points to weather and host crops as being two contributing factors that affect stink bug populations.

Specifically, he says it’s important to start looking at small bolls during that first week of bloom.

“We understand this pest so much better, and that is one of the reasons why Georgia farmers have had such good cotton yields in recent years,” he says. “If you have a zero tolerance for this pest, you won’t get burned.”

Contact Tommy Horton at thorton@onegrower.com or (901) 767-4020.

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SPECIAL REPORT

Texas Insect Pressure Varies In Each Region

BY MEGHA PARAJULEE LUBBOCK, TEXAS

EDITOR’S NOTE: Meg Parajulee is an entomologist at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Lubbock. In the following report, he offers an update on cotton insect pests in Texas this year.

T

he Texas High Plains (THP), largest contiguous cotton patch in the world, had faced an unprecedented drought in 2011 and was unable to recover from the severe drought conditions until last fall. The insect pressure in cotton was relatively low during those dry years.

The region has now received significant moisture. In fact, THP cotton planting to date has been limited to less than 10 percent due to the frequent rain events, which would have approached 50 percent in more normal years. We expect the planting to speed up as soon as the weather clears up.

With good area-wide moisture and roadside weed hosts in high abundance, a higher-than-usual insect pressure can be expected this year in the THP and throughout Texas.

Roadside weed hosts, Conservation Reserve Program grasses and wheat serve as excellent sources of thrips that could likely move to seedling cotton upon wheat harvest or weed senescence. Thrips are considered the most significant insect pest of THP cotton, primarily because their damage is generally compounded with early season environmental injury of seedling cotton brought on by high winds, sandstorms and cool/wet weather.

Tools For Thrips Control At-planting insecticide seed treatment is recommended for thrips control in irrigated cotton, but foliar insecticides such as Bidrin and Orthene could provide effective thrips control.

Cotton producers should also be mindful of cotton fleahoppers this year due to good fall moisture helping support fleahopper overwintering

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Texas AgriLife Extension entomologist Megha Parajulee checks for thrips during routine scouting of fields. populations, plus excellent spring moisture to support nymphal emergence. Because THP consists of about 30 percent non-Bt cotton, we also recommend watching for some caterpillar populations. Texas High Plains is generally a low lygus region, but non-cotton host habitat management may be the key to manage lygus if our atypically wet year continues.

In the far western part of Texas, cotton fields range from emergence to two-true leaves, and no obvious insect problems are seen in that area. In Central Texas, cotton is at the one- to two-true leaf stage that is experiencing some high thrips populations, most of which have been sprayed for thrips.

The St. Lawrence area is also behind on planting, and no insect issues are reported from that area. Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) and Coastal Bend areas received persistent rain in March and April that delayed planting across much of that region.

Variable Conditions On Coast According to Dr. Robert Bowling, Extension entomologist at Corpus Christi, cotton growth in South Texas is highly variable, ranging from emerged to nine-leaf stage. Thrips infestations have been light to moderate, and some area farmers treated seedling cotton in the Victoria area as preventive tankmix applications with herbicides.

Red spider mites were building on seedling cotton in the LRGV, but heavy rain suppressed this pest prior to reaching economic levels. Light populations of beneficial arthropods and fleahoppers are being reported in LRGV but have not been observed in the Coastal Bend region. Aphid populations are very light and scattered across the area.

One of the undesirable effects of this heavy rainfall could be degradation and leaching of the seed treatment insecticide applications.

Therefore, it is expected that the desired efficacy and duration of protection from seed treatments may be lower than the ideal two to three weeks. Farmers may need to scout more frequently and prepare for curative insecticide applications.

Areawide good moisture is certain to intensify the growth of several weed species, which support many sucking pests of cotton, which, combined with the wide range of planting dates, could provide challenges to managing arthropod pests in Texas cotton in 2015.

Contact Megha Parajulee in Lubbock, Texas, at m-parajulee@tamu.edu or (806) 746-6101.

Insect Outlook In Texas • Rains increase pest populations.

• Thrips are top pest in High Plains.

• Seed treatments recommended.

• Weed hosts increase pest outbreaks.

• Arthropod insects will increase.

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SPECIAL REPORT

GMOs To Receive Big Boost

A

new Farm Bureau advocacy website is giving farmers and ranchers a simple way to “Get a Move On” for GMOs. Launched recently, GetaMoveOn.fb.org allows producers to support a national, science-based labeling standard similar to the approach taken in the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act (H.R. 1599).

“This website has a very specific function: To motivate farmers and ranchers to take action in support of important innovation in agriculture,” says Andrew Walmsley, American Farm Bureau Federation biotechnology specialist.

“Whether you grow corn and soybeans in the Midwest, cotton in the South, dairy and potatoes in the Northeast or apples in the West, access to crop traits that resist pests, diseases and drought stress are helping you grow more food using less land, water, fuel and pesticide. And this is just the beginning of the benefits biotechnology will offer in the future.”

Sending Important Message From the website, farmers and ranchers can send their House member an email encouraging him or her to pass the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act. The bill will clarify the Food and Drug Administration as the nation’s foremost authority on food safety and create a voluntary labeling program run by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, the same agency that administers the USDA Organic Program.

The legislation will provide a federal solution to protect consumers from a confusing patchwork of 50-state GMO labeling policies and the misinformation and high food costs that would come with them.

“State-led mandatory food labels mask the benefits of biotechnology in food production and can lead to decreased food supplies,” Walmsley says. “Creating a national labeling standard will give consumers the information they need while avoiding the unnecessary confusion and added cost of a patchwork of state laws.”

Through GetaMoveOn.fb.org, farmers not only can connect with

American Farm Bureau is helping launch a program to increase support of innovation and technology on the farm. their lawmakers, but find state-bystate fact sheets detailing the value and share of GMO crops in each state.

They can then share this information in their emails.

In addition to the advocacy site, Farm Bureau’s grassroots toolkit continues to be a good guide for farmers and ranchers who want to share the

many positives about biotechnology with policymakers, community members and others. Accessible at www.fb.org/biotech, this free online resource includes an overview of biotechnology and explanation of its many benefits.

Farm Bureau contributed this article.

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VIEWPOINT

Don’t Let Insects Spoil Your Picnic

BY SCOTT STEWART JACKSON, TENN. solution to managing plant bugs. Early planting and selection of early maturing varieties helps the cause, but plant bugs require a good scouting program and the proper selection of insecticides.

• We have some good tools. All university Extension programs have a list of top performing insecticides that may include Centric, Admire Pro or other imidacloprid products, Bidrin, Diamond, Orthene and Transform. The key is pickTennessee ing the right product at the right time, depending on the e have made great strides in the last 20 years time of season and what other pests might be in the field. with the eradication of the boll weevil in The biggest mistakes are usually the result of missing the almost all parts of the Cotton Belt and the problem. Don’t be fooled that one insecticide application will adoption of Bt cotton varieties that substan- last two weeks. Tight spray schedules are important in high tially control caterpillar pests. However, there are still pressure scenarios.

You never know about spider mites, but somebody is annual battles with insect and mite pests that require always going to have a problem. A dry summer can set us our diligence.

Starting at the beginning, thrips management typically up for problems, especially if we are continually knocking requires the use of at-planting insecticides. Almost everyone back beneficial insects with foliar insecticide sprays.

Products such as the pyrethroid is using an insecticide seed treatinsecticides or acephate, particument, and the option for Temik is larly when repeated applications no longer available. The spreadare made, greatly increase your ing resistance of tobacco thrips to chances of flaring two-spotted thiamethoxam, the active ingrespider mites (and cotton aphids dient in Cruiser, caught us a litfor that matter). That’s one reatle by surprise the last several son I often suggest delaying the years. In the Mid-South, this has use of particularly disruptive essentially put an end to the use insecticides until the mid- and of Cruiser and other thiamethoxlate-blooming stages. am-based insecticide seed treatOf course, I would like to say ments in cotton. We are conthat these are the only pests on cerned about going down a simithe radar. But we all know other lar path with imidacloprid (e.g. Bollworms usually require regular attention. things can take a bite out of the Gaucho) as it is being used now crop. Stink bugs are one example, almost exclusively. and even with Bt cotton, there is Alternatives to neonicotinoid no guarantee bollworms won’t seed treatments like Cruiser and require some attention. These are Gaucho are not really exciting to other reasons why a thorough our farmers, but we need to be scouting program is a must. prepared to adapt. For now, I am Cotton is a dynamic crop, which currently suggesting a foliar can make it fun but also chalinsecticide application at about lenging to manage. There are the one- to two-leaf leaf stage, substantial regional differences particularly when cotton is growin pest populations, insecticide ing off slowly and/or there is eviresistance levels and many other dence of thrips injury. Making Tarnished plant bug remains top insect pest. factors. It really pays to stay curthis application early is better than later. Making two applications is usually a waste of rent by attending field days, following on-line news blogs from reliable sources and having the phone number of time and money.

Tarnished plant bugs remain the No. 1 problem in the somebody local that you trust to help make insect manageMid-South. Everyone wants a prediction. I won’t go far out ment recommendations. on a limb, but problems tend to intensify when cotton acres are down as we funnel plant bugs into fewer acres. We Contact Scott Stewart in Jackson, Tenn., at (731) 425-4709 should pay close attention in 2015. There is no single or sdstewart@utk.edu.

• Professor, IPM Specialist at the University of Tennessee.

• Based at West Tennessee Research and Education Center at Jackson, Tenn.

• Earned B.A. from the University of Northern Iowa.

• Earned M.S. from Texas A&M University.

• Earned Ph.D from Auburn University.

• Has statewide Extension responsibility for insect pest management in row crops.

W

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SPECIAL REPORT

Farmers Unhappy With EPA’s Water Rule

BY BOB STALLMAN AMERICAN FARM BUREAU

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usiness owners around the country have joined with farmers and ranchers in speaking out on the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. More than 30 states also oppose the rule. Yet, even in the face of mounting opposition, the EPA still isn’t listening.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy has unveiled her latest, campaign-style WOTUS spin, calling the effort the “Clean Water Rule” – as though a bumper-sticker approach to a complex Questions About EPA Rule regulation would change anything for people so • Will wetlands be targeted? profoundly affected by • Will regulations be simplified? her agency’s actions.

• Will rules be broadened?

Slogans may matter • Will special permits be necessary? more than facts at the • Will rule put farmers in bad position?

EPA, but the details still matter to farmers and ranchers who know full well the importance of clean water.

We depend on it for our livelihoods, after all. Our biggest objection, in fact, is not about clean water. It’s about land.

McCarthy insists that the rule will allow business as usual for agriculture. She has said farmers and ranchers won’t need special permits “to go about their business.” But what she’s saying just doesn’t match up with the language of the rule. Anyone who’s been out on farmland knows that water collects in spots that aren’t regular water sources for anything else, let alone major streams and rivers.

Targeting Prairie Potholes Prairie potholes are a good example of the “waters” the EPA is targeting. These isolated wetlands are sprinkled across the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains. By pooling these isolated features together, the Waters of the U.S. rule would let the agencies treat them as a “significant nexus” to streams and rivers – an idea that’s simply not supported by law or common sense.

Together, the prairie potholes in a region could be treated just like a large body of water, even though the end result would be more control over land, not water – something that Congress never intended.

Rather than recognizing the careful stewardship that farmers and ranchers practice, EPA keeps forcing farmers and ranchers back on the defensive. McCarthy said farmers shouldn’t worry about the rule at all “unless you want to pollute or destroy jurisdictional water.”

Statements like this hint that the agency is looking to broaden the rule by making it more ambiguous, not less.

Farmers and ranchers can’t afford the steep fines that regulators could impose for normal farming practices. And

Any rule affecting California’s water system will be closely scrutinized by farmers.

Lakes and wetlands in the Upper Midwest might be affected

by EPA’s new water rule. farmers aren’t looking to sidestep regulations: We have the most to lose if one of our most valuable resources is compromised.

Simplifying Regulations?

EPA claims that it’s simplifying regulations and making them easier to follow, but the fine print tells another story.

No matter what name the agency gives its rule, it can only lead to needless pain for agriculture and businesses across the country.

If EPA won’t listen, perhaps Congress will. Please let your senators and representatives know that farmers, small business owners and state and local governments are looking to them to stop the Waters of the U.S. rule.

Bob Stallman is president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. For more information, visit the organization’s website at www.fb.org COTTON FARMING JUNE 2015

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Specialists Speaking June – Always Crucial For Young Cotton FLORIDA David Wright With most of the cotton planted in May, we start to see a lot of stink bug pressure in June since most of the corn silks and tassels in mid to late May and early June. As the ear matures and shucks get thicker and wheat dries down and is harvested, stink bugs move into crops like cotton to feed on tender squares and bolls. It is very critical that insects are controlled during this period so that cotton sets fruit early.

June is also the period when residual herbicides applied at planting run out, allowing weeds to break through, so producers are often managing weeds and applying nitrogen. Therefore, June is one of the most critical times for a cotton crop to be managed properly for high yields. Cotton growth is often rapid during this period, and growth regulators need to be applied.

It is important to know how aggressively the varieties grow, and how they respond on different soil types to be properly managed.

Even though many decisions have to be made when growing a cotton crop, June is probably the most critical month with the most decisions being made. wright@ufl.edu

MISSOURI Mike Milam This has been a very interesting planting season in Missouri. We were delayed in planting due to cold, wet soils. Then, we had a large window for planting, and now we are wet again. According to the Crop Progress and Condition Report of May 11, cotton planting had increased from 15 to 66 percent. For reference, we had 39 percent at this time last year and 35 percent for the five-year average.

With fewer acres this season, it shouldn’t take many days to complete planting. Although we are past the optimum planting date, we still have time before the yields drop off. When we had the dry conditions, we had some very windy conditions, and the seedlings were bounced around, resulting in some injury if there was not enough wheat or other windbreak materials. The warm, dry winds also caused some desiccation of weakened seedlings.

Due to the wet conditions and inability to burn down, we also had some pigweed that had to be controlled with tillage. We have had enough moisture to activate herbicides. It would have been nice to have already finished planting, but we could be in worse shape.

Everything will depend on the weather for the remainder of the season. With El Niño coming back this year, anything could happen. milammr@missouri.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins Much of the North Carolina cotton crop was planted during the first two weeks of May. Cool, wet weather during the last week of April gave way to very good planting conditions and soil moisture in early May. Tropical storm Ana slowed planting progress slightly during the May 10-12 time period but replenished soil moisture in most areas. All in all, the 2015 season is off to a very good start, as I write this in mid May. June is a time for monitoring the developing crop prior to bloom.

Timely post-emergence herbicide sprays targeting small pigweed may be necessary to avoid yield loss and to minimize handweeding later in the year. Mid to late June will bring the early PGR and irrigation decisions. It’s important to remember that even though cotton

14 COTTON FARMING

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does not utilize much water during squaring, drought stress during this time could result in significant yield loss. Therefore, it may be necessary in some cases. Lastly, monitoring for plant bugs during squaring and taking quick action if thresholds are reached is important to avoid significant losses resulting from this insect pest.

North Carolina cotton producers are encouraged to follow us on the cotton portal: http://cotton.ces.ncsu.edu/, which is one of many platforms that we use to address production issues and provide information throughout the 2015 season and beyond.

Producers are also encouraged to follow us on Twitter for updates, using the Twitter list: NCSU Cotton or our individual Twitter handles (@NCcotton, @Cotton_Guy, @DominicDReisig). g_collins@ncsu.edu

LOUISIANA Dan Fromme As of May 15, cotton planting in the state is now approximately 80 to 90 percent completed with a significant portion of the acres going in the ground during the last week of April and the first week of May. Overall, temperatures have been excellent for cotton emergence. Cotton was emerging in four to six days.

During the last 30 days, we have accumulated 14 percent more heat units compared to 2013.

Once planting was completed and cotton had emerged, side-dress applications of nitrogen were made. Insect pressure from thrips has been heavy enough to warrant foliar insecticide applications. This year, early season seedling disease pressure was minimal.

Once cotton has begun to square, producers and consultants will be concentrating on square retention and managing plant height with mepiquat products to reduce rank and vegetative growth later in the season. The No.1 tool for managing plant height is a good fruit load of about 70 to 80 percent retention of first position squares.

When the cotton plant has reached match head square stage, begin to monitor plant growth, environmental conditions and square load. Pre-bloom mepiquat applications are made ahead of the growth curve to help manage vegetative growth more effectively.

These applications will not shrink the cotton plants; they only restrict vegetative growth after the application.

Primary factors to consider in applying pre-bloom mepiquat applications include knowing the variety and its growth habits. Some grow more aggressively than others. Know and understand the history of the field and the capacity of its soil type to produce excessive or rank growth. Last, but not least, consider the total nitrogen available to the crop and the amount yet to be applied. dfromme@agcenter.lsu.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson The period from planting to first square is a critical time for the cotton plant. Cool temperatures or competition by pests can delay the onset of squaring. In our April-planted cotton, pinhead square generally occurs 40 to 45 days after planting, as compared to mid-May planted cotton, which generally takes 35 days to square after planting. Keep this in mind when evaluating development.

In dry years, consideration to irrigate pre-squaring cotton may arise. We generally do not irrigate cotton during this time frame in the Mid-South. We preach the importance of avoiding stress and irrigation of cotton once it begins squaring. But, how do we evaluate

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the need for irrigation of pre-squaring cotton? The plant is very predictable in terms of node development from the time it has two leaves until flowering. A healthy plant with good leaves and root system should develop a new node or add a main-stem leaf every 55 to 60 heat units or DD60s. This is usually one node every 2.5 to three days.

If the plants are requiring five to six days to add a new node where temperatures indicate only three days are needed, the plant is stressed, and you may need to irrigate. However, be advised that many things can cause this type of stress. Insect pests such as aphids and spider mites will also slow growth. Be sure to know what is causing the stress before spending time and money on a cure for the wrong problem. brobertson@uaex.edu

MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds Mississippi cotton producers were in a holding pattern for much of the spring due to cold, wet environmental conditions. However, planting went into hyperdrive during the first full week in May. Producers made as much progress in the span of seven days as I have ever seen. As of this writing, several areas of the state are awaiting rainfall, which is needed to complete planting and facilitate stand establishment.

Progress has been relatively smooth with respect to planting in 2015 and hopefully by the time this issue of Cotton Farming reaches your hands, planting will be completed, and all farmers will have adequate stands.

Everyone is aware of the issue that Mid-South producers have had with thrips over the past several growing seasons. It almost goes without saying that thrips have developed another challenge that cotton farmers must face. Everyone is encouraged not to rely solely on seed treatments for thrips control. Be sure your fields are scouted, and thrips are treated when necessary. While thrips infestations do not typically result in yield losses, heavy thrips infestations can cause delayed maturity.

We have been fortunate with weather during harvest season for the past several years. However, no one knows what the weather will do this fall. As such, do not let thrips get on your cotton and delay maturity, which may lead to bigger problems at the end of the year. darrind@ext.msstate.edu

ARIZONA Randy Norton Early season management of cotton for optimum initiation and retention of fruiting forms is critical to the overall success of the eventual crop. Several factors can contribute to poor early season fruit set, resulting in increased vegetative growth and other potential yield limiting scenarios. Insect pressure, specifically from lygus bugs, can cause early season fruit shed. Proper scouting of fields for damaging populations is critical in protecting the crop early.

Other factors include moisture and heat stress. Both of these abiotic stressors can result in fruit shed or abnormal fruit development as a result of poor pollination and boll set. Not a lot can be done about heat stress levels, but proper plant water relations are usually within our control. Reduce potential stress from inadequate soil moisture by irrigating in a timely fashion.

Research has shown that the first post-plant irrigation usually comes around at 900 heat units accumulated after planting (HUAP), or at about match head square. This will vary, depending on weather and soil water-holding capacity. However, this stage of development can serve as a general indicator for scheduling the first post-plant irrigations. Once this milestone is reached, cotton will need to be irrigated on approximately a 10- to 14-day schedule, again depending on weather and soil water-holding capacity.

Consumptive water use estimates can be found at the AZMET website and are sent out weekly in cotton advisories produced by the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. With the increased

level of Pima cotton planted across the state, heat stress becomes more of a significant factor than for Upland variety counterparts.

Pima cotton cultivars are more sensitive to heat stress and should be monitored closely for heat-induced fruit abortion. The loss of this carbohydrate “sink” can result in increased vegetative growth, which Pima cotton already has a tendency toward.

Be prepared to utilize plant growth regulators aggressively as a means of controlling this vegetative growth, if needed. For more information and specifics regarding these topics, interested persons may go to cals.arizona.edu/crops. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu

OKLAHOMA Randy Boman The recent rainfall has been a real blessing for western Oklahoma. Significant inflows into reservoirs have been noted, with some lakes rising considerably for the first time since at least 2010. All of this has been good news for the region. Along with the rain, cooler temperatures were encountered, which was good news for wheat maturity. However, cotton planting delays are being noted in the area.

As of this writing (May 13), we are entering our historical prime cotton planting window, with few acres in the ground. That is probably a good thing as soil temperatures were negatively affected by cool night-time lows and daytime highs on several days. Once we come out of the wet weather, we should be ready to roll the planters, as soil temperatures should be suitable if we encounter our normal late May temperatures.

One thing for certain is that fewer acres will be planted, if any, for the next several days. This means that much of our irrigated crop (which is normally the earliest planted) will be somewhat late.

Whether this results in maturity challenges for this year’s crop remains to be seen. Dryland fields should have good yield potential based on soil profile moisture. With wet conditions, weed management will be an issue for many producers. Hopefully, the “residual herbicide use” message that was discussed in meetings and the ag media were wisely noted by producers. randy.boman@okstate.edu

CALIFORNIA Bob Hutmacher The San Joaquin Valley weather has been a bit of a roller coaster this year, with a warm mid-March that encouraged plantings followed by quite variable April and May weather (still not much rain, but periods of wind and heat interspersed into cooler periods). Even with significantly reduced acreage and fewer total fields in cotton, we have still seen some fairly widespread occurrences of above-average losses in both Pima and Upland fields associated with both disease and pest problems.

These problem situations included: (1) difficult-to-control armyworm damage that was severe enough to cause terminal damage in seedlings and stand losses; (2) moderate to even severe thrips pressure that affected Uplands (as usual) and Pima cultivars (usually Pima cultivars show less injury from thrips); and (3) Fusarium race 4 stand losses, in some cases made worse when combined with damage from other seedling diseases.

These issues singly or in combination have resulted in some fields that look behind expected development, considering that most fields were planted relatively early this year.

While it is not possible to know the range of strategies producers will use for water and crop management in SJV cotton this year, it is easy to assume that many diversified producers will be making hard decisions regarding which crops and fields will be “fully irrigated” and which will be “deficit irrigated.”

With limited water supplies and the real need to eliminate or reduce irrigations in a year like this, what do you do? Suggestions include: (1) look ahead and try to decide how you’d like to manage the crop – (i.e. full-season or earlier-maturing based on crop planting date, growth progress and water limits?); (2) consider being more aggressive about limiting early fruit loss, since you may not have COTTON FARMING JUNE 2015

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Specialists Speaking enough growing season length to wait for later season bolls; (3) determine if you can limit total water applications by practices such as alternate row irrigation in mid- or late-season; or (4) evaluate the top crop when that time comes and eliminate a final irrigation if top crops don’t warrant the water.

In some production areas, delayed progression of early season growth and known limitations to water supplies mean lower yield goals, such that some dollar savings could be achieved from reduced fertilizer applications With limited rain and drought conditions, the good news might be that early lygus sources may be a more limited problem this year. However, the highly diversified agriculture of the SJV means that we have multiple sources of both pests and beneficials, so cotton producers still need to keep watch for developing insect and mite pest problems.

In this setting, cotton is still one of the crops best suited to achieve some decent production even when deficit irrigated, water stressed, and even when the plants have to be irrigated with moderately saline irrigation water. I think the key in this type of limited water situation is to build a small- to moderate-sized plant where vegetative development is under control, combined with more aggressive early season pest management and irrigation timing.

While mid- and late-season bolls may still come, holding and maturing them out will be more challenging if you are dealing with very limited water supplies. rbhutmacher@ucdavis.edu

TEXAS Gaylon Morgan As of mid-May, we remain extremely wet in South and East Texas, which has caused a significant decrease in planted acres. The latest reports from the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation (TBWEF) indicate about half of the expected cotton acres were planted in the Rio Grande Valley, and the crop is easily four weeks behind normal in development.

In the Coastal Bend, about a third of the expected cotton acres were planted, down to 123,000 acres from 449,000 acres in 2014, and the crop is three to four weeks behind normal. The Upper Gulf Coast and Blacklands received most of the cotton planted in bits and spurts, but saturated soils and cloudy weather have the seedling cotton plants off to a very slow start.

The wet weather conditions across South and East Texas are increasing the pest pressure, including thrips and weeds, and getting into the fields to manage these pests was a major hurdle. The entire Rolling Plains has received some substantial rainfall this winter, and spring and lake levels have risen substantially. Generally speaking, the soil profile is full of moisture, and sufficient planting moisture is present to establish a good stand.

Despite the good soil moisture conditions, I continue to hear from many producers who are considering conventional cotton varieties, as one method to cut input costs. As mentioned previously, the one place not to cut costs is on weed management, especially if glyphosate-resistant pigweeds are on or near your farms. Crediting soil residual nitrogen and/or nitrates in irrigation water is one of the simplest and least risky ways to cut input costs for this season.

Additional crop information can found at cotton.tamu.edu. gmorgan@tamu.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper Tennessee was blessed with a warm, relatively dry planting window, beginning on May 1. A system moved through parts of the state on May 11 and temporarily delayed planting for a few farmers, but most planters were running again prior to the latest round of rain, which is still working through the area today (5/18). Given that close to three quarters of our

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cotton acreage has already been planted, it looks like the 2015 crop has the potential to be quite timely.

Still, managing for earliness extends far beyond planting, and several stresses must be prevented or addressed in order to capitalize on our timely planting. Studies have indicated positive impacts from foliar applications of insecticides, targeting thrips at the one- to twoleaf stage. Preventing thrips from damaging the young seedling will allow it to quickly progress out of the susceptible growth stages.

This is particularly important for seedlings struggling through injury from a pre-emergence herbicide, as the two stresses commonly interact to delay maturity. For additional information, on these and other management activities which emphasize earliness, visit our website at UTcrops.com or blog at news.utcrops.com. traper@utk.edu

TEXAS Mark Kelley Although I have yet to hear any significant complaints about the rainfall amounts, there are some quiet rumblings about the timing. Some locations in the region have received upwards of 12 inches since the beginning of April with up to three inches forecast for the next few days (May 18-22). Some fields have been planted in areas where lower rainfall amounts were observed or where soil type has allowed.

In addition to the rainfall, some cooler than normal temperatures were observed as well. Most are optimistic that following this next round of showers, planting will resume, and temperatures will rebound, making conditions optimal for good stand establishment.

Regardless of the timing of planting, producers should still be diligent in terms of keeping fields as free of weeds as possible (preferably zero tolerance on the glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth).

Watch for early season thrips infestations and apply fertilizers as needed in order to take advantage of the moisture and minimize the effects of the later planting dates.

If the early season fruit set is protected, there is still the opportunity to manage for earliness and have high yields of good quality cotton harvested from the region. mkelley@ag.tamu.edu

VIRGINIA Hunter Frame More than 80 percent of the cotton planted in Virginia occurred in a 14-day span during the first full two weeks of May. This planting window had good soil moisture coupled with favorable temperatures for germination. As we move into June, producers will be faced with plant growth regulator and nitrogen management decisions. Harvesting winter wheat and side-dress nitrogen timing in cotton tends to overlap in Virginia.

Some producers will apply side-dress nitrogen early (one to two weeks prior to squaring) to minimize the time conflict. If this describes your system, timely plant growth regulator applications are needed to minimize excess vegetative growth. Virginia recommendations are for producers to apply side-dress nitrogen at first square.

The quantity of nitrogen applied may depend on soil type, soil moisture status and variety to avoid excess vegetative growth.

Nitrogen rate trials in Virginia indicate that total nitrogen rates of 100 to 120 pounds of N per acre have maximized lint yields when rainfall was not limiting. Splitting side-dress nitrogen applications may be needed on coarser sandy soils to limit leaching losses.

Producers need to also recognize the need for sulfur application on low organic matter and sandy soils in the coastal plain regions.

Virginia recommendations are to apply 20 pounds of total sulfur per acre and 10 pounds of total sulfur per acre following peanuts. whframe@vt.edu

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WESTERN REPORT

Erratic Weather May Cause Pest Pressure

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estern cotton producers and pest control specialists are staying alert for changing field conditions because of this season’s erratic weather patterns and continued water concerns in the region.

In California, early season cotton was subject to pressures that are not typically a widespread problem in that state.

“It’s been a strange early season with some early, widespread armyworm damage,” says Bob Hutmacher, Extension cotton specialist and director of the Westside Research and Extension Center in Five Points, Calif.

“It has hit plants in quite a few fields very hard, resulting in damage to terminals that in the worst cases nearly kills plants, but in all cases weakens plants and slows growth.

This year is unusual in that this has been seen in quite a few fields, with damage over scattered locations.”

Hutmacher points to “weird” weather and a different crop mix because of drought conditions in the San Joaquin Valley, contributing to difficult early growing conditions.

An early warming trend influenced several producers to plant cotton earlier than normal, but when several cool weather systems prevented the cotton from growing vigorously, it

He believes that some of the damage may be attributed to wind as several weather systems have moved through the state.

BY BRENT MURPHREE MARICOPA, ARIZ.

became vulnerable to armyworm damage and thrips.

Carol Sutherland, Extension entomologist at New Mexico State University, saw the same kind of conditions for New Mexico cotton.

“The hot-cold-hot weather systems put cotton growth in a holding pattern for pests,” she says.

In New Mexico, thrips took advantage of stalled seedling growth, affecting a portion of the new crop.

Arizona has fared a bit better with warmer temperatures and no major pest outbreaks.

“I’ve seen some cotton with minor damage,” says Randy Norton, regional Extension specialist with the University of Arizona, “but not anything that required treatment.”

Unstable weather conditions, combined with insect damage, have plagued some cotton fields in the West.

Keeping An Eye On Pest Thresholds In all three western states, cotton pest specialists are encouraging producers to be aware of thresholds so that no single pest gets out of control.

The presence of safflower plantings in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) can also bring with it the potential for lygus movement into cotton as the safflower matures for harvest. If safflower is harvested too late, lygus can move into cotton that is setting bolls and damage it at a critical time.

According to Hutmacher, most longterm producers, who have safflower and cotton fields, understand the timing and are well aware of this important issue with safflower as a “neighbor” to cotton fields.

But, those producers who have moved to safflower production recently because it is a hardy crop during drought need to know that there is risk associated with lygus movement.

Even though overall pest pressure may be lighter in these very dry years, when cotton is an attractive food source, lygus can target cotton.

Controlling Whitefly According to Hutmacher, University of California Cooperative Extension expects to work with industry representatives to discuss potential whitefly and aphid management strategies for the 2015 SJV crop. Two recent seasons with significant whitefly pressures have convinced the industry to continue successful management strategies.

By identifying whitefly thresholds and maintaining treatment benchmarks, whitefly was easily managed in the West for more than 20 years.

Brent Murphree is the Cotton Board’s Regional Communication Manager for the West. Contact him via email at bmurphree@cottonboard.org.

COTTON FARMING JUNE 2015

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COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.

Hazard Communications – A Serious Issue For Gins We’ve seen a lot of OSHA activity in gins during the past year or so. During nearly all of those inspections, the compliance officer asked for or cited the gins on the presence of a Hazard Communications Program.

We mention HazCom at nearly every safety meeting we do. We write it up once in a while in newsletters and other reports, but Hazard Communications is still the No. 1-cited OSHA standard year after year – not just for cotton gins but all industries. Everyone has trouble with it, and there are lots of resources for compliance assistance.

Hazard Communications is a regulation that pertains to making sure employees are well informed of the hazardous chemicals (and other materials) with which they are working, as well as possible exposure. In other words, you are required to COMMunicate the HAZards.

Part of the reason we (all industries) have problems complying with this particular standard is because it is rare that someone becomes “hurt� by things that are considered hazardous chemicals in most industries. Additionally, there are several parts to the program – any of which can cause fits for even the most conscientious managers.

The main parts of a HazCom program are identification of hazardous materials, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), training and labeling and, of course, a written program to tie everything together.

One of the trickiest parts is identification of the hazardous materials. Part of the regulation says that consumer products in consumer packaging – used in a manner consistent with normal consumer use – are not subject to the regulation. The example I like to use is a citation that I heard about (an extreme example but true as far as I can tell) is an employee who was using Dawn dish soap to wash the company’s vehicles.

The company was cited because Dawn was not on its list of hazardous materials.

If Dawn was being used to wash dishes, there wasn’t a problem, but it is not a carwash so it was not being used in a manner consistent with normal consumer use.

Therefore, it is subject to the regulation.

In general, if it is bad for you to drink or eat something or get it in your eyes or have to handle it in a special way, you better have it on the list and have access to the SDS for that substance quickly.

The point is OSHA activity is increasing. The new reporting requirements will

18 COTTON FARMING

JUNE 2015

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18 19 20_CF 11/13 template 5/18/15 9:53 AM Page 19

just make it that much worse. Why give OSHA the low-hanging fruit. They will ALWAYS harvest it – often at great expense to you. Most ginners’ associations, as well as the OSHA website, have examples and sample HazCom programs and a lot of the tools and tips to get in compliance. There is a lot more than I have time or space to write here, and we’ve covered it before so NOW is a great time to start or update that list and written program.

Make sure you have your SDS in the notebook or wherever you keep them and make sure your training procedures are keeping up.

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

Cotton’s Calendar June 4-5 – AZ Ginners/Growers Mtg., Phoenix, Ariz.

June 17 – PCCA Board Meeting, Lubbock, Texas.

June 17 – Staplcotn Board Meeting, Greenwood, Miss.

June 18 – Calcot Board Meeting, Bakersfield, Calif.

June 21 – PCCA Board Meeting, Lubbock, Texas.

July 16 – Calcot Board Meeting, Bakersfield, Calif.

Aug. 17-19 – ACP Meeting, New Orleans, La. Aug. 19 – PCCA Board Meeting, Lubbock, Texas.

Aug. 20 – Calcot Board Meeting, Bakersfield, Calif.

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

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20 COTTON FARMING

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Industry News 12 Cotton Industry Members Chosen For NCC’s Emerging Leaders Program Twelve U.S. cotton industry members have been chosen to participate in the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) Emerging Leaders Program for 2015-16.

Participants include: Producers: Rafe Banks, Clarkedale, Ark. Brandon Brooks, Phoenix, Ariz.

Matt Coley, Vienna, Ga. Paul Minzenmayer, Rowena, Texas.

Sutton Page, Avoca, Texas.

Brad Williams, Burlison, Tenn.

Ginners: Phillip Kidd, Edmonson, Texas.

Todd Waters, Pantego, N.C.

Merchants: Cory Barnes, Cordova, Tenn.

Ken Burton, Montgomery, Ala. Warehouser Joe Cain, Bakersfield, Calif.

Marketing Cooperative Vicki Dorris, Lubbock, Texas.

Now in its third year, the program is supported by a grant to The Cotton Foundation from Monsanto. Overall, the Emerging Leaders Program provides participants a better understanding of how the NCC carries out its mission of ensuring the U.S. cotton industry’s seven segments can compete effectively and profitably in the raw cotton, oilseed and U.S.-manufactured product markets at home and abroad.

Class members will participate in three sessions. The first session, set for the week of June 21 in Memphis and St. Louis, will provide an orientation to the NCC, professional development and communication skills training and an agribusiness briefing.

Class members will see policy development at the NCC’s 2016 Annual Meeting in February during the second session, while the third session in Washington, D.C., will provide a focus on policy implementation and international market development.

For more information, go to www.cotton.org.

Bayer, FiberMax Honor One Ton Club Members Bayer CropScience and FiberMax cotton seed celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the FiberMax One Ton Club and honored 183 producers for producing one-ton yields in 2014 at the recent annual banquet in Lubbock.

During its first decade, the FiberMax One Ton Club has recognized 806 cotton farmers who produced 2,000 pounds or more of lint cotton per acre on at least 20 acres using FiberMax cotton seed. In 2014, a producer from North Carolina became the first One Ton Club member from east of Texas.

This year, FiberMax One Ton Club members from Texas, Arizona, California and Oklahoma qualified for a chance to win a Ford F-350 Super Duty King Ranch truck in the FiberMax One Ton Club Sweepstakes. Willem and Ruth Hartman, first-year One Ton Club members from Pampa, Texas, won the One Ton Club truck. The Hartmans averaged 2,321 pounds per acre on 54 acres, using FM 2011GT, with a USDA loan value of 57.23 cents.

The 2014 season was the third year the Hartmans grew cotton, and it was the first year they planted cotton on an irrigated circle that didn’t share water with another crop.

For a complete rundown on all the winners, go to https://www.bayercropscience.us/products/seeds/fiber max-cotton/one-ton-club-winners.

Monsanto Announces Insect Research Grants Monsanto has announced that six recipients will be awarded research grants as part of the Insect Management Knowledge Program (IMKP). The program, which started in early 2013 as the Corn Rootworm Knowledge Program, provides merit-based awards of up to $250,000 per award per year for up to three years for outstanding research that will not only enhance the collective understanding of insect management but help address significant challenges and issues in agriculture.

“The valuable research that is being generated through this program will provide industry and academia further opportunity to enhance our collective understanding of insect management, leading to even more effective solutions for farmers in the future,” says Dr. Sherri Brown, vice president of science strategy for Monsanto.

The six awards granted focus on a number of items from addressing the management of insect threats such as whitefly, soybean aphid and corn earworm resistance to creating a new model for determining how key risk factors affect the development of insect resistance in transgenic Bt corn.

The award recipients are: Peter Ellsworth, University of Arizona.

Felicia Wu, Michigan State University.

Jeff Gore, Mississippi State University.

Matthew O’Neal, Iowa State University.

Tom Coudron, USDA-ARS. Phillip Zamore, University of Massachusetts.

For additional information about the program, interested parties should visit www.monsanto.com.

For up to the minute cotton market information Experience means credibility.

Listen to two experienced farm broadcasters who keep their listeners updated on news that affects your farming operation.

And each week listen to the Cotton Insider Report from Tommy Horton, Editor of Cotton Farming magazine.

John Winfield

Don Molino

Tommy Horton

Farm Director Miss. AgriNews Network

Farm Director La. Agri-News Network

Editor Cotton Farming magazine

The Mississippi AgriNews Network Ag Voice of the Delta

Louisiana Agri-News Network Louisiana’s Source For Ag News

COTTON FARMING JUNE 2015

21

22_Don Cameron My Turn #2 5/18/15 9:55 AM Page 22

My Turn R.I.P. – The Loan Chart

T

he Loan Chart has have to warehouse the cotton, separate the bales taken a fatal blow. by quality, carefully cultivate relationships with After more than mills and select the buyers that value quality. half a century of However, as the difference in price between low existence, it simply didn’t and high quality increases, this practice might be have the capacity to adjust something more producers can transition into to the shifts we saw in this doing for themselves with more of a direct-topast year. Specifically, mill sales link. Like all paradigm shifts, it will there has been no way to require adjustments.

The first step in this direction is an unwavering account for cotton staple longer than 36. Until commitment to quality. This leap begins with Kelli recently, no one had the careful strategic planning for capital investments. capability to grow the type Seed selection, fertility, plant growth regulators, Merritt of crop that the fashion harvest aids and precise timing of all inputs make a difference. Knowing the right people is the industry demands today.

At times in 2014, the mills stepped up and intermediate step for the transition to a two-tiered offered 10 to 12 cents more for machine-harvested marketing system. And finally, protecting the premium cotton. Not because they were altruistic, risks we take today will ensure our future success. but because they had a pressing demand for pre- This begins with hedging, which is especially mium cotton and a dramatic shortage of supply. important this year. It will be critical to short the market in the This trend will continfew weeks beue – especially this ‘This is a chance to position the next cause futures prices year. USDA is predictusually peak in ing 22 percent less Pima best of our crop...’

March or June. Last planted in the United year, many producers States, mainly due to the California drought. With some spinners forced bought puts at 80 cents and sold them at 60. That to substitute long staple upland for Pima, is 20 cents per pound added to their bottom line.

I went back to the last five years and analyzed if machine-harvested premium Upland will take on I would have made money with or without a hedge a level of relevance never seen before.

What’s next? Cotton will most likely adopt the placed in the spring or early summer. Four out of two-tiered system other commodity markets have the last five years, it has been beneficial. The only used for years. In the fruits and vegetables mar- year I would have made more money without a ket, top quality produce is sold at a premium to a hedge is 2010, and that year was an anomaly that single buyer and second quality to a discounter – a could not have been predicted under any circumsecond buyer. For example, years ago when I grew stance. Hedging is not a sure thing, but for many watermelons, I received one price for near perfect of us, it means the difference between making a melons, and another for very good melons – from profit and not making a profit.

The loan chart may not be completely dead, but one buyer. Then, I received a third price for misshapen, scratched or otherwise lesser melons of it’s reeling from a mortal blow. Out of the ashes of the same crop from a different buyer – a dis- its antiquated domination come new opportunities counter. I was rewarded for the extra care and for farmers.

This is a chance to position the best of our crop protection of the fruit. Same crop. Different prices.

Different buyers. The more melons I could sell to to be sold to mills hungry for quality and willing to pay a premium. Let’s be forward thinking the first buyer, the better my year.

Make no mistake about it. Merchants have been enough to be ready to take advantage of this shift. doing this with our cotton for years. They separate – Kelli Merritt, Lamesa, Texas and sell off portions of the same crop and broker it merrittkelli@gmail.com at different rates. It costs them something. They Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling unusual “farm tales” or timely stories from across the Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting story to tell, send a short summary to thorton@onegrower.com or fax to (901) 767-4026. We look forward to hearing from you.

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