Cotton farming october 2016

Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

OCTOBER 2016

www.cottonfarming.com

WESTERN GIN CAPACITY HOW TO HANDLE OSHA CITATIONS

Bogue Chitto Gin NEW MISSISSIPPI FACILITY EXCEEDS WILDEST DREAMS

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Cotton Farming

Vol. 60 No. 10

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

OCTOBER 2016

www.cottonfarming.com

F E AT U R E S

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HARVEST GETS UNDERWAY

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WESTERN INFRASTRUCTURE

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GINNING MARKETPLACE

Specialists from across the Cotton Belt comment on harvest progress and yield projections for their respective states.

A fairly substantial unused capacity exists for Western cotton gins. Infrastructure remains secure for current production levels.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY

Kelley Green, Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association, discusses OSHA inspections and how to handle citations issued by the agency.

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Bogue Chitto Gin

Bogue Chitto Gin Inc. in Noxubee County, Miss., ginned more than 60,000 bales in 2015. The 25 stockholders continue to add cutting-edge technology to the facility to do the best job possible for its customers. Bogue Chitto Gin is also proud of its excellent safety record. In both 2014 and 2015, it received the Platinum Award for Excellence in Safety from the Southern Cotton Ginners Association.

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

4 Editor’s Note 17 Western Report 8 Cotton’s Agenda 21 Industry News 14 Specialists Speaking 22 My Turn ON THE COVER: Aaron Litwiller is the general manager at Bogue Chitto Gin Inc. in Noxubee County, Miss. The facility was built in 2012. Cover photo by Carroll Smith.

WEB EXCLUSIVE “The UAS (‘Drone’) Rules Are Here” is authored by Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist in Amarillo and nationally recognized author of the Texas Agriculture Law Blog. Lashmet provides a summary of the long-awaited Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules, which are now in effect. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.

Corn Hybrid Preview For 2017

CornSouth ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

Southern Production & Marketing Strategies

October/November 2016

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COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2016

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Editor’s Note

Cotton Farming

Carroll Smith

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

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History Permeates Our Industry

amuel Blumenfeld, a prolific author on education in America, once wrote, “History is an exercise in remembering.” To me, history reminds us who we are, where we have been and shapes our lives going forward. With that in mind, I was struck by how many times “history” is woven into the material found in this month’s issue of Cotton Farming.

While interviewing Aaron Litwiller for the cover story, I learned that the gin was named Bogue Chitto (“big water”) as a nod to the Choctaw Indian culture that is of historical significance to the area. And the site on which the facility was built was once a hog operation. Instead of destroying the old concrete pads, the investors left them intact as the perfect place to house the round modules as they are delivered to the gin.

So now a part of the hog operation “history” has evolved into an essential part of Bogue Chitto Gin’s infrastructure.

In Cotton’s Agenda, Gary Adams takes a look back at China’s synthetic production, which has grown astronomically since 2000 and continues to grow today. He says, “Plain and simple – synthetic fibers competition is limiting growth in cotton demand, which affects all global cotton market participants including cotton producers who are fighting an uphill battle financially.”

On page 15, Louisiana cotton consultant Ray Young tips his hat to the Cotton Consultant of the Year program, which was established in 1981.

“The CCOY award keeps cotton in our thoughts as we hope for its comeback in the United States,” he says. “It also reminds the industry of the excellent help consultants provide cotton producers and emphasizes the value of our profession.”

Tim Price, Southern Cotton Ginners Association executive vice president who authored this month’s My Turn column, recalls experiences from the past that played an integral role in his agricultural career.

“I have been involved in agriculture my entire life,” he says. “I have seen the ups and downs of cotton and established relationships with Mid-South farmers that I am proud to call ‘seasoned soldiers.’ They have trained on the battlefronts of farm programs, changes in global agriculture and volatility in the commodity markets....And I am proud to be a part of this great Mid-South agriculture.”

Yes, history truly is an exercise in remembering. It’s important to remember who we are and where we have been in order to understand how our cotton lives have been shaped into what they are today.

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

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COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2016

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.

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COVER STORY

As the 2016 ginning season is about to get underway, Aaron Litwiller, Bogue Chitto Gin general manager, stands ready to provide honest, timely and quality service for each of the gin’s producers.

Bogue Chitto Gin New Mississippi Facility Exceeds Wildest Dreams

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

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ucked away in Noxubee County, Miss., about 1½ miles down Deerbrook Road, Bogue Chitto Gin Inc. is an impressive testimony to area producers’ faith in cotton. The 25 stockholders settled on the name Bogue Chitto (“big water”) as a nod to the Choctaw Indian culture that is of historical significance to the area.

In 2011, local farmers had a good cotton crop and wanted to raise even more acres of cotton. However, ginning capacity at the time was an issue. In 2012, cotton farmer Glenn Mast attended the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show where he talked with several gin manufacturers about the possibility of building a facility for the 2013 season. To his surprise, Cherokee Fabrication in Salem, Ala., said it could get the gin built for the 2012 season.

With this offer on the table, area farmers held a meeting, and at the end of the day, pledged $1.6 million

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COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2016

toward the $6 million project. Cotton farmer Rodney McGill provided the land, which was once a hog operation.

The farmers all pitched in with their equipment to tear down the old buildings, move dirt, build a pad for the seed house and clean up the place.

Cherokee began construction, and about six months later, the doors at Bogue Chitto Gin were open for business. That first year, the gin turned out more than 35,000 bales. In 2013, it ginned more than 36,000. Bogue Chitto Gin services 13 counties in Mississippi and six in Alabama.

Customers, Acres Trend Upward Aaron Litwiller, who was hired as general manager in 2014, says, “During my first year with the gin, we ginned more than 55,000 bales, and in 2015, more than 60,000. In their wildest dreams, the investors thought 40,000 bales might come through the facility. This gin has done far more than we ever expected, and

we are thankful for that.

“All of the stockholders gin their cotton here, and in 2015, 47 percent of our bales came from non-stockholders. We feel that’s a real vote of confidence. They know we will do them right. We treat everybody the same across the board. We’ve also seen a 10 to 20 percent increase in cotton acreage for the past three years in this area, and expect to see that increase again in 2017.

“Our farmers have found a corn and cotton rotation works well for them. Having a local gin where they can see their cotton being processed adds another dynamic to their operations as well. During ginning season, many of the producers gather in the gin’s observation room to watch the cotton being processed and trade ideas with one another.

“There is a lot of excitement surrounding this gin that permeates throughout the community. We do everything we can to help our farmCOTTONFARMING.COM

ers make money to ensure that cotton remains a viable option.”

Cutting-Edge Technology Today, the gin has two Cherokee Magnum 270 Gin Stand & Feeder systems. Bogue Chitto is currently a 50-bale-per-hour gin although each of the gin stands has a capacity of more than 30 bales per hour.

“Right now, 45-50 is the sweet spot for us,” Litwiller says. “We run six days a week, 24 hours a day with 12-hour shifts and shut down on Sunday. We employ about 25 people during ginning season. For some of our employees, this will be their fifth season with us.”

The gin also has an E Cotton Gin System that records all the bales that enter the facility. This electronic warehouse receipt system uses a computer to track the cotton from the time it goes across the scale until it leaves in a trailer bound for the warehouse.

In 2013, the gin installed an Argus Infrared Spark Detector that sounds an alarm before a fire has a chance to spread. Other improvements include a new computerized moisture technology unit to optimize moisture in the cotton as it goes through the gin.

“We are real excited about the Samuel Jackson RTM (rapid trash monitor) that we installed this year, too,” Litwiller says. “This system reads the amount of trash in the cotton every few seconds. We have a set point for trash content. The computer adjusts the heaters and the cotton flow to remove as much trash as possible. If we can drop the trash content by one point, a farmer can pick up a penny a pound or more depending on where the grade falls. That adds up quickly on a 500-pound bale.

“Another game changer for cotton is the John Deere 7760 Cotton Picker.

We like the round modules because the cotton stays the same as the day it was picked. The conventional modules tend to wick up moisture and have a lot more exposed area. We also save money on transportation costs.

We have three module trucks that will haul four round modules and some semi flatbed trailers that can haul eight. These trailers double our radius for picking up cotton. We utilize custom haulers from Texas, too.

If a farmer wants to bring in his own cotton, we cover the hauling cost.”

In 2012, 52 percent of the cotton Twitter: @CottonFarming

Aaron Litwiller (left); ginner Doug Dahlem; and his son Hunter, a fourthgeneration ginner, prepare to crank up Bogue Chitto Gin for the upcoming season.

Kevin Mast, Bogue Chitto Gin safety director, has been instrumental in the gin receiving SCGA’s Platinum Award for Excellence in both 2014 and 2015. ginned at Bogue Chitto arrived as round modules. The projection for 2016 is 70 percent.

Safety First!

“At Bogue Chitto Gin, we are all onboard, fully committed and optimistic,” Litwiller says.

“Doug Dahlem, our ginner, comes from a family of ginners. His son, Hunter, who also works here, is fourth generation. Doug oversees all the ginning, repairs and maintenance. I can’t overemphasize his role.

Both he and Hunter graduated from the Stoneville Ginners School and are now taking continuing education courses.

“Kevin Mast, our safety director, is also a key player. He is doing an excellent job. Outside of honoring the Lord in what we do, being proactive in providing a safe work environment for our employees is No. 1. Safety is first and foremost. We have weekly safety meetings; job descriptions for each employee; mandatory safety glasses and ear plugs; and a lock-out, tag-out system to prevent accidents.

We also installed safety mats around the bale press.”

Litwiller says the Southern Cotton Ginners Association has been instrumental in helping them achieve their safety goals. The organization provides safety material, and William Lindamood, the SCGA safety director, inspects the gin once a year and makes recommendations for any additional safety measures that need to be implemented. Bogue Chitto Gin’s good safety record has not gone unnoticed. In both 2014 and 2015, the gin received SCGA’s Platinum Award for Excellence in Safety.

“We believe cotton has a place at the table in this area and is going to stay here in the long run,” Litwiller says. “Cotton is a Southern crop for many reasons. It can withstand the heat and longer periods of dry weather and is a good rotation crop. The new seed varieties are vigorous and high yielding, and production practices have improved. When you put all these factors together, cotton is going to be a viable option for many years to come. To me, that’s exciting, and we are eager to do our part.”

COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2016

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Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

A Necessary Assessment The National Cotton Council believes all government policies that affect global fiber production and trade – including synthetics – need to be examined.

What about the recent U.S. challenge to China’s subsidies? n Last month, the U.S. Trade Representative filed a World Trade Organization (WTO) complaint against China’s price supports for corn, wheat and rice, saying they distort world markets and cost U.S. farmers hundreds of millions of dollars. Although cotton was not included in the challenge, the NCC believes this initiative reflects a growing desire here and abroad to more effectively address the range of policies in major developing countries that affect agricultural markets.

as China, India and Pakistan have failed to meet their obligations of timely notifications to the WTO. However, a full understanding of all factors affecting global cotton markets cannot be achieved without considering the impact that synthetic fibers have on global cotton production, consumption and trade. With U.S. cotton area down almost one-third since 2011 and the fundamental changes in the safety net included in the 2014 farm law, an honest critique of the global cotton market must consider subsidies provided to synthetic fibers along with cotton policies in the developing world.

Plain and simple – synthetic fibers competition is limiting growth in cotton demand, which affects all global cotton market participants including cotton producers who are fighting an uphill battle financially.

How much of a threat are synthetics? n The threat from synthetics has never been greater than it is today. The most alarming evidence is that global polyester production capacity grew from 232 million bales in 2011 to 322 million bales in 2016 – three times the current world cotton production level. On top of that, world polyester producers are only operating at 71 percent of capacity.

China now accounts for more than 70 percent of world polyester production capacity.

For cotton, there are ongoing semi-annual dedicated discussions in the WTO that began in 2013. Those discussions are designed to enhance transparency and monitoring in all trade-related aspects of cotton. Additional transparency and monitoring definitely are needed as key countries such

China plays a major role. That country now accounts for more than 70 percent of world polyester production capacity. Even more disheartening is that China continues to increase production capacity and currently has the ability to produce an additional 76 million bales of polyester. Consequently, the NCC will continue to convey to our trade officials the critical importance of understanding all of the incentives contributing to the excess production capacity of synthetic fibers.

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

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COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2016

COTTONFARMING.COM

Time And Money Affect Ag Insurance Uptake

BY KATIE FARRIN, MARIO J. MIRANDA AND ERIK O’DONOGHUE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

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armers use crop insurance to protect themselves against risk — primarily against crop failure and low market prices. In the United States, the federal crop insurance program has grown steadily since the mid-1990s and become the single largest individual program providing support to farmers under the 2014 Farm Act. Growth in crop insurance programs — both in the United States and in developing countries — appears to be driven in part by premium subsidies from governments.

Unlike previous research on the topic, which emphasizes a farmer’s attitude toward risk as the primary driver of insurance uptake, this report analyzes the relationship between wealth, savings and insurance over time to identify alternative approaches to managing farm risk.

What Did The Study Find?

When farm households consider multiple growing seasons, insurance and savings are substitutes.

Demand for insurance will fall as the interest rate on savings rises; similarly, farmers will save more and insure less as insurance premium rates increase. The exception is among farm households that are less wealthy; when wealth is low to start, additional savings complements insurance, allowing households to be able to afford to pay an insurance premium when they do not yet have enough savings to completely self-insure.

Demand for crop insurance, when examined over multiple years, is primarily driven by the farmer’s financial wealth rather than the farmer’s attitude toward risk.

Both uptake of insurance and choice of coverage levels are heavily determined by the producer’s income and savings.

Crop insurance is in low demand at both lower and higher levels of farm wealth — although the reasons for low purchase or coverage rates differ depending on what side of the spectrum a farm household falls. High-wealth farmers may not purchase insurance at all and may instead use savings to self-insure. By comparison, farm households with low wealth (low incomes and little or no savings) may not purchase crop insurance because they cannot afford it.

Farmers choose to manage their farms in a way that helps them earn the most value over the lifetime of the farm, which can span generations. An example of such behavior is crop rotation. Alternative crops are planted to maintain soil quality even when the production value of the crop rotated in (or of fallow land) may be lower.

Because farm risk management is included in farm-level production choices, planning for risk is also conducted while considering multiple seasons. Our approach shows that when households can save over many years, their insurance decision depends on time and is inherently Twitter: @CottonFarming

Farmers choose to manage their farms in a way that helps them earn the most value over the lifetime of the farm. dynamic; the choice is based off of a household’s wealth and its history of farm income, including shocks to that income. Even among farm households with the same level of wealth, predictions about their insurance decisions will differ depending on whether the approach in the analysis considers two crop seasons or many.

Demand for crop insurance among U.S. farmers is significantly responsive to their savings and accumulated wealth.

An analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service and National Agricultural Statistics Service’s Agricultural Resource Management Survey data shows that insurance and savings are substitutes, unless a household’s annual farm income is relatively low. On average, savings lowers insurance demand among crop farmers in the United States. Although low-income farmers are less likely to purchase insurance than those with higher gross farm income, savings among these limited-resource farmers can mitigate low insurance uptake. The study also finds that operators with more farm debt are more likely to purchase insurance, perhaps to avoid falling farther into debt should a weather shock affect production in a given season.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The report presents a new approach to examining risk management at the farm level. The underlying analysis uses reasonable values to represent a farmer’s financial and risk environment, as well as his or her risk preferences. These values can be varied to examine how farmer behavior changes under different assumptions about the environment in which the farmer lives. To test the empirical validity of the insights, ARMS data are used to estimate how farm wealth changes the likelihood that a farm household will buy crop insurance. Find the full report at ers.usda.gov/media/2122830/err212.pdf.

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Specialists Speaking 2016 Harvest Gets Underway FLORIDA David Wright Many cotton fields are ahead of schedule for defoliation this year due to record high temperatures and heat unit accumulation. Adequate rain in most cotton producing areas allowed the crop to grow and mature with higher-than-normal heat units without being stressed. Cotton yields may be slightly above average with some extremely high yielding fields in Florida this year. Peanut harvest will still take precedent over cotton in most areas of the Southeast.

If the crop is 60 percent open or more, it should be defoliated and picked within two weeks of application. Harvest aids require higher rates and often two applications under cooler conditions often encountered in late October and beyond. Most cotton should be picked in October this year due to its early maturity. The number of acres that can be harvested decreases rapidly into November due to short days, cooler temperatures and a higher chance of rain. Cotton quality decreases rapidly and can fall out with high wind and rain if not harvested in a timely manner. Timeliness in defoliation and picking is just as important for cotton as any other crop in final yield and quality.

October is also a good time to soil sample for nutrient needs and nematode levels immediately after harvest so that plans can be made for what crops to grow and if lime or nematicides will be needed for the next crop. For those producers who grow cotton after cotton and use no-till or conservation tillage, research has shown that yields can be increased 25 to 33 percent by moving to row middles the next year to minimize nematode impacts. Going back over the old row with cotton is not advisable even if it were ripped under the row or if additional fertilizer were applied in the row. Many growers have auto-steer and can plant row middles the following year.

Cover crops may be aerially seeded prior to defoliation or can be planted conventionally immediately after cotton harvest and stalk mowing. Grazing cattle on these fields has been shown to retain nutrients in the root zone for the following crops with the potential for higher yields with reduced levels of applied fertilizer due to livestock recycling nutrients. wright@ufl.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins By the time this article is read, harvest will likely be underway in many areas in North Carolina. As I write this on Sept. 6, growers are evaluating the effects of Tropical Storm Hermine and what effect that may have on yield and late-season development. The effects of this storm appear to be variable, depending on rainfall.

Although defoliation has not yet begun, yields are expected to be acceptable, but variable as they always are. Dry, hot weather during late August limited some upper boll development, and challenges with bollworm this year may have limited yield potential in places.

Growers are encouraged to customize defoliation practices to each individual field and prevailing temperatures for the acres remaining to be defoliated in early/mid-October. Growers should keep in mind that it becomes increasingly challenging to open bolls beyond mid-October based on average temperatures, which should influence rates of boll opening materials.

Although our cotton was planted later than normal, the 2016 crop has caught up to some degree. For fields planted on the latter end of

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our recommended window or beyond, it will be important to observe when the potential for an October frost is likely to occur and take any necessary defoliation action to open as many bolls as possible. I sincerely hope that harvest weather is more cooperative this year than what we observed in 2015. guy_collins@ncsu.edu

VIRGINIA Hunter Frame As I write this, we have had another dry August in Virginia. Cotton has been opening for three weeks in some areas of the state. Reports from producers indicated that defoliation would kick off for some areas about Sept. 23, and I am sure as you read this defoliation/harvest is well under way. This is early for defoliation compared to recent years; however, there is still some optimism about the crop in Virginia. Although the 2016 crop was planted in mid-May, it seems we have made up some ground given the heat unit accumulation this year.

Dry weather in August and good fruit load created potassium deficiencies across the state, especially on the sandier fields. By the time the deficiencies occurred, we were already in the third to fourth weeks of bloom. Correcting the deficiencies was problematic due to the stage of growth and cutout occurring in the state. The weather forecast for defoliation moving forward looks promising as no tropical systems seem to be on the horizon, although Mother Nature could throw us a curve ball. We will wait to see what lint yields will be. However, I am optimistic that yield will be above 2015 and hope we break the 1,000 pounds lint per acre average for the state. whframe@vt.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper Harvest-aid applications really picked up the beginning of this week (Sept. 12) and will likely peak within the next 10 days. This puts most of our crop 14 days ahead of where we were last year. With that in mind, many within Tennessee will likely be picking by the time you read these comments.

Take into account two tasks as you move into harvest. First, properly calibrate yield monitors and protect this valuable data. As we move into the coming years, carefully collected yield data and records have the potential to pay dividends. Second, remove any plastic trash from the field before harvest. I’ve personally walked several of my trials adjacent to residences and retail outlets in order to remove plastic bags – a major issue in some production areas.

Contamination levels of U.S. cotton are low, but it only takes a few contaminated bales to affect demand. This effort may not positively affect your bottom line during 2016 but will result in U.S. cotton continuing to be sought after on the world market. traper@utk.edu

MISSOURI Mike Milam Missouri cotton producers have certainly had an interesting year. Planting was much earlier than it has been the past several years. We had a lot of rainfall this year, in spite of the Drought Monitor forecast being drier than normal. We had a lot of night temperatures of 75 degrees or higher. Currently, the Crop Progress and Condition Report shows that we have 17 percent cotton open compared with 18 percent a year ago and 24 percent COTTONFARMING.COM

for the five-year average. The condition is now rated at 5 percent very poor, 14 percent poor, 49 percent fair, 27 percent good and 5 percent excellent. At this time last year, we had 1 percent very poor, 10 percent poor, 50 percent fair, 35 percent good and 4 percent excellent.

The August Cotton and Wool Outlook has the Missouri yield projected at 1,124 pounds per acre. When I saw this, I was somewhat surprised. This projection was before the adverse weather conditions. We had about a 10-day rainy period that has damaged the crop. Some fields had significant flooding, rank plants, rotten bolls and target spot. We have had target spot before, but this year it caused significant boll loss. So I expect the yield projections to drop.

The dicamba issue did not go away quietly. Lawsuits are pending, and the state legislature had a special hearing to address the issue for next year. The proposed legislation likely will increase the fines for using a non-labeled product and place more restrictions on farmers. milammr@missouri.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson A great deal of uncertainty still exists regarding the 2016 crop. We look forward to seeing how the modules stack up. During the first week of August, almost everyone in the field felt we had the potential for a record crop. It went from great to good with the extended cloudy and wet conditions that persisted from Aug. 13 to Aug. 22. These conditions resulted in significant carbon stress, an increase in disease pressure and hard-locking of bolls that were opening during this period.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service September Crop Production report projects Arkansas producers will harvest 1,088 pounds lint per acre, up 36 pounds from last month, but down 4 pounds from 2015. Most of those in the field believe the current status of the 2016 crop is the same or slightly better than the 2015 crop.

Our crop is ahead of schedule this season.

Mid-September NASS projections reported the crop was 70 percent open compared to 53 percent at this time last year, and 63 percent over the past five years. We saw some harvest activity the second week of September. No firm yield or quality information was available at the time these comments were prepared. Harvest-aid applications became more widespread in response to the maturing crop as we entered mid-September.

Heat unit accumulation beyond cutout coupled with boll slicing were the primary tools driving the decision-making process. Particular attention to timing of harvest aids was used for varieties that push the limits on high micronaire.

There are still reasons to be optimistic Twitter: @CottonFarming

about this crop. We look forward to seeing how 2016 wraps up as we make plans for the 2017 season. brobertson@uaex.edu

OKLAHOMA Randy Boman The September U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Agricultural Statistics Service Crop Report noted that Oklahoma’s plantings were 305,000 acres, with harvested acres estimated at 285,000. State average yield was estimated at 960 pounds per acre. If realized, this level of production would shatter last year’s record per-acre yield of 874 pounds. The crop has made good to excellent progress in the past several weeks. Irrigated cotton was either somewhat early or on time with respect to cutout during the last half of August. Irrigation in most areas was adequate to meet crop demands. Soil moisture was short in early August in certain areas, but later rainfall has been excellent in many counties. It appears we certainly have a “home run potential” dryland and irrigated crop in many places.

The main concern for the state’s production is the impact of bacterial blight on susceptible varieties in mostly irrigated cotton in Jackson and Tillman counties. This disease – first noted in mid-July – produced significant defoliation in many fields. In severely affected fields, a large number of plants were defoliated in the bottom one-third to one-half of the canopy. In some fields, the disease was observed on bolls by late July. Boll lesions triggered considerable boll rot in many fields. Based on visual observations, leaf loss has likely affected boll size in the lower portion of the plant, while boll rot has directly reduced yield. Bacterial blight-infected bolls may affect fiber quality, particularly color and micronaire, but that remains to be seen. Producers with bacterial blight concerns should carefully consider resistant varieties for 2017. randy.boman@okstate.edu

TEXAS Seth Byrd Several systems that moved through during late August and early September bought rainfall to most of the High Plains. Totals for this period ranged from less than an inch to more than 6 inches, highly variable as one looks across the region.

Although this rainfall could have been more beneficial had it been received a month earlier, these showers will still have a positive effect on the most of the crop and help finish the boll set in late August on upper nodes and second or third fruiting positions. As of Sept.12, most of the region received the rain needed to finish the crop and allow for the early end of irrigation applications in many fields.

CCOY Cotton Consultant of the Year established 1981

Ray Young 2008 CCOY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

“I started scouting Mr. Dan Logan’s cotton fields in northwest Louisiana in 1949 and opened my own consulting business in 1955 with the support of my wife, Dorothy.

It’s a round-the-clock job.

Most importantly, it’s a sacred responsibility when you help a farmer make decisions on how to manage his crop.

“I like being involved in crop production, dealing with the best people on the planet and feeling like I’m a part of feeding and clothing a hungry world.

The CCOY award keeps cotton in our thoughts as we hope for its comeback in the United States. It also reminds the industry of the excellent help consultants provide cotton producers and emphasizes the value of our profession.”

Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by

Cotton Farming COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2016

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Specialists Speaking Harvest had yet to begin as of early September. A few early planted or dryland fields may have been stripped towards month’s end. Depending on rainfall, defoliation should have begun on a large amount of the acres in the region near the end of September or early October, with harvest beginning in full force in mid- to late October.

The most recent USDA-NASS yield projections for the region range from 540 to 746 pounds per acre, slightly down compared to August numbers in two regions that comprise most of the cotton acreage in the High Plains. However, projected overall production in bales is still up compared to 2015, likely due to increased acreage.

With good boll retention and rain finally falling at the end of the bloom period, a warm and dry stretch over the rest of September and into October would lead to optimal conditions for boll maturity and could leave the crop in a favorable place by harvest. seth.byrd@ag.tamu.edu

TEXAS Gaylon Morgan Cotton in the Rio Grande Valley and Coastal Bend of Texas is more or less completed with great yields overall. Grades have been good, especially length, from the Rio Grande and Coastal Bend. In the Upper Gulf Coast and Blacklands, the crop has fought a tough fight all year. Due to excessive periods of continuous rain in mid-August, significant sprouting occurred in both of these regions, and scattered showers have further slowed harvest.

In a typical year, the Upper Gulf Coast would be close to 75 percent harvested by mid-September, but this year we are less than 10 percent harvested. Quality is off, seed value is down, and additional money is being spent on harvest-aids and ginning costs. The situation in the Blacklands is similar but only slightly better. Fortunately, the standard harvest-aid products – thidiazuron in combination with Ginstar or Folex – have continued to work well.

Late August rains were a welcomed sight in the Texas Rolling Plains. Although not helpful in adding any more fruit, the moisture will is favorable for boll fill and improved quality. It also is beneficial to producers in a cotton/wheat rotation.

Cooler temperatures that followed the rain slowed cotton developmental progress, but the value of the moisture more than outweighs the detriments. With additional rainfall, reports of more bacterial blight in the Northern Rolling Plains and Alternaria leaf spot in the Southern Rolling Plains have been coming in. gmorgan@tamu.edu

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LOUISIANA Dan Fromme Harvest operations got underway during the second week of September after a two- to three-week delay due to heavy amounts of rainfall. Rainfall in excess of 10-15 inches was received during the latter part of August and the first week of September during boll opening. After these rains, lint yield projections went south very quickly. Prior to the rainfall, yields were estimated in excess of 1,000 pounds lint per acre for the state. Yield projections at this time are about 650-750 pounds lint per acre.

Wet conditions have caused a significant amount of seed sprouting in bolls that were open and an extensive amount of boll rot throughout the state. Target spot has caused plants to prematurely defoliate in some fields by as much as 60 to 70 percent. Also, the rain has caused leaf growth in many fields, which makes defoliation more challenging. Prior to all these late-season issues, the 2016 crop had experienced high numbers of plant bugs and bollworms. dfromme@ agcenter.lsu.edu

MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds Cotton harvest in Mississippi began during the first week of September and kicked into high gear during the latter part of the month. Early yields have been somewhat off due to excessive rainfall and heavy disease pressure. However, many – including myself – are still optimistic that we are sitting on an above-average cotton crop.

As one growing season draws to a close, another immediately begins. Land preparation, fertilizer and lime application, and variety selection are just a few of the tasks to be completed.

Questions will undoubtedly be asked this fall and next spring regarding inherent varietal resistance to target spot. A large portion of the 2016 Mississippi crop was defoliated to some degree due to a heavy infestation of target spot. However, varieties and weather change every year. I am not sure if anyone can predict the effect that target spot may have next year given that no one can predict the weather that far in advance.

Select a variety that you think will provide top-end yields and whatever traits you may desire. You can never go wrong by putting the right variety in the right situation. darrind@ext.msstate.edu

COTTONFARMING.COM

WESTERN REPORT

Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers for “Strong Cotton” Advertisement for Deltapine

Infrastructure Can Meet Current Needs

C

otton acreage in the West is up over last year, but a number of gin closings in important cotton production areas are putting a limit on how much cotton can be produced on some of the most productive agricultural land in the country.

Given production numbers in the West in 2015, the 2016 crop’s approximately 25 percent increase will not strain the limits of gin capacity in that region this year. However, it does raise the issue of future growth in cotton’s market for the West.

Western Gin Stats In the San Joaquin Valley of California, at least five gins have closed since 2013. Three of those gins have either sold or are in the process of selling the land and equipment.

With those closings, capacity in that area has gone down at least 100,000 bales. However, many gins in the region are not even running at 50 percent capacity. It would take a substantial increase in production to tax the limits of the currently operating gins in Arizona, California and New Mexico.

Over the past 20 years, gins have consolidated and per gin capacity has increased. Larger gin plants generally mean less cost per-bale and better financial returns to the gin. Cooperatively owned gins, which make up the majority of gins in the West, have benefitted from aggressive seed marketing by their managers, resulting in excellent returns to their members. For cotton acres to increase even more in the West, a number of issues need to be resolved, including low cotton prices.

The water situation in California will not be easily resolved anytime soon, even if there is ample rain within the watershed. The acreage of permanent tree crops is increasing, displacing row crops in some areas.

In Arizona, the water situation is a bit different. Although there is more TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

BY BRENT MURPHREE MARICOPA, ARIZ.

water readily available in Central Arizona than in California, the price will increase as Central Arizona Project water from the Colorado River becomes more limited due to water levels on Lake Mead.

Less land for farming due to urbanization in Arizona means that there are more demands on that land for profitable agriculture.

Dairies have moved from the urban areas around Phoenix into Pinal County south of Phoenix. Production of dairy feed crops such as alfalfa, sorghum and corn are competing with cotton. Naturally, whatever crop makes the highest return on investment will be the one planted. There is a balance of sorts at this point, and it does work for many producers with prices for Desert Southwest cotton.

Understanding that overall capacity within the industry is going down, there is still a fairly substantial unused capacity for cotton gins in the West. Several sites have been mothballed but not disassembled. Because of production challenges in the West, cotton may never again reach a production heyday like the 1980s.

However, infrastructure remains secure for current production levels with a capacity for a good increase.

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

Bollgard II ® XtendFlex ® cotton contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides, dicamba, the active ingredient in M1691, and glufosinate, the active ingredient in Liberty ® brand herbicides. Roundup ® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Contact your Monsanto dealer or refer to Monsanto’s Technology Use Guide for recommended Roundup Ready ® Xtend Crop System weed control programs.

DO NOT APPLY DICAMBA HERBICIDE IN-CROP TO BOLLGARD II ® XTENDFLEX ® or XTENDFLEX ® COTTON IN 2016 unless you use a dicamba herbicide product that is specifically labeled for that use in the location where you intend to make the application. While no in-crop use of dicamba is currently approved, some dicamba products may be labeled for weed control prior to planting a crop and subject to minimum plant-back restrictions. IT IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW TO MAKE AN IN-CROP APPLICATION O F A N Y D I CA M B A H E R B I C I D E PRO D U C T O N B O LLG A R D I I ® X T E N D F L E X ® o r X T E N D F LE X ® COTTON, OR ANY OTHER PESTICIDE APPLICATION, UNLESS THE PRODUCT L ABEL SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZES THE USE. Contact the U.S. EPA or your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for IN-CROP USE WITH Bollgard II ® XtendFlex ® or XtendFlex® cotton and follow all pesticide product labeling.

Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship ® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Only commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product.

B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states.

Check with your Monsanto representative for the registration status in your state.

Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary.

Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready ® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Bollgard II®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design ®, Roundup Ready ®, Roundup Technology ®, Roundup® and XtendFlex® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Dedicated to Cotton. Committed to You. ® and Deltapine ® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Company.

Liber tyLink ® and the Water Droplet Design ® is a registered trademark of Bayer. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2016 Monsanto Company.

DP-17010-CF-LC-OCT

COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2016

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COTTON

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

OSHA Continues Regular Inspections, Presses Regulation Limits In Citation Over the past few years, we have seen a significant number of Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspections in Texas. One reason for the uptick is the much higher number of injuries being reported to OSHA in response to the agency’s new reporting rule. If you are unfamiliar with that rule, refer to the January 2015 edition of the Cotton Ginners Marketplace for a full discussion. This new rule has resulted in a dramatic increase in reporting across the United States.

According to OSHA, there were more than 10,000 injuries reported (from all industries) during the first year that the reporting rule was in effect. Prior to this rule, there were only a handful of injuries reported annually. As more injuries are being reported, OSHA is responding with more inspections.

The good news is that many of these inspections are done in an expedited manner – using emails, phone calls and faxes. If you are able to satisfactorily answer all of OSHA’s questions using these communications, then, in our experience, the matter is settled without any violations. However, some of the inspections are still done in person, and whenever OSHA inspects in person, you will get a citation.

withdrew the citation. The OSHA area director said that she would have to check with her solicitors to be sure that OSHA had not previously cited a gin under this standard.

In other words, if a gin had agreed to a confined space citation in the past, they would not agree to withdraw this citation. Fortunately, there have not been any other citations of this type in Texas.

Consider ‘Expedited Options’ Implications This citation once again brought up how important it is to be sure your violations are valid before agreeing to the penalties. In this particular case, the citation included an

LEC-200 Electronic Seed Scale

Cotton Ginners Marketplace

Enlist Help In Checking OSHA Citations In the past, we have discussed the importance of having all OSHA citations reviewed by someone familiar with the agency’s agriculture regulations. In Texas, two gins received citations for violating the noise standard, which does not apply to agriculture. These citations were dismissed after a long battle in the OSHA legal system.

This past month, OSHA issued another citation to a gin for failure to have a confined space procedure in place for workers entering the press, module feeder and lint cleaner pits. Again, the confined space standard does not apply to cotton gins. Grain elevators are a different story. If a worker is going into a grain bin, there is a specific OSHA procedure that must be followed beforehand.

Fortunately, in this case we were able to meet with OSHA informally and discuss the citation. In the end, OSHA agreed that we were not subject to this rule and

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COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2016

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“expedited option,” where the company was offered a 40 percent instant reduction in penalties for a quick settlement. It is tempting to take that quick reduction and sign the violation, but doing so may put your company in a bad position by opening up problems for future violations of the same type. Had this company taken the easy way out, it would have been subject to the full confined space rule going forward, and be cited under that rule in any future inspections.

As the case closed, the gin actually ended up paying less than it would have under the expedited process. It was also saved from being subject to the full confined space regulation going forward.

This gin’s action may have also saved your gin a lot of problems in the future.

If you are visited by OSHA and receive a citation, be sure to have your violations checked carefully by a knowledgeable person and take the time and effort to contest any that are not applicable to a cotton gin.

Kelley Green, director of technical services for the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association, contributed this article. Contact him at Kelley@tcga.org.

* * * * *

Intern Seth Witt – Texas August 2016 Internship Report

Extensive Learning Experience The first thing I learned was to bag, tie and tag the bales at the press. A few days later, I stood next to the head ginner and ginner’s helper where I was taught how to watch for knots in the gin stand in order to avoid fire and how to manage the flow of cotton to prevent choke ups. I went to the module feeder last and learned the struggles of unwrapping round bales.

We had a few minor break-downs during the first days of ginning, but we used the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) downtime to fix the issues and clean up. Once I learned every position, I helped wherever I was needed and made TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

MODULE FEEDERS

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This summer at Coastal Plains Gin in Mathis, Texas, has been a great experience. I have learned more than I could have ever imagined. When I first started, I knew nothing about ginning and had never seen the inside of a gin. I cannot describe how grateful I am to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge with me.

Since my last report, I have learned so much more about cotton ginning. I completed the project that John Steelhammer gave me, which was to put together the OSHA employee training notebook. When we started hiring employees, I helped in the office by showing them the lockout training video and making sure they filled out all the necessary paperwork. Once ginning started, John gave me the freedom to do what I wanted.

Each day I followed a different employee and learned their job.

RAM MANUFACTURING COMPANY 1333 E. 44th. ST. Lubbock, TX 79404 806-745-5552 Fax: 806-745-5582 rammfgco@rammfg.net www.rammfg.net

COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2016

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parts runs when something broke. In the evenings, I ran the scales and kept records of incoming modules and outgoing cotton seed.

Before I left, Daniel Luehrs took me to two other gins to see how they operated. I noticed how the equipment is all very similar, but the arrangement of each piece is completely different.

Every gin I visited also had a different method for handling round bales.

I really enjoyed my time working at Coastal Plains Gin this year and learned that when you’re working with John Steelhammer, you’ll never go hungry because he makes sure you’re well fed.

This internship has been a great learning experience. I am extremely grateful for the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association, John Steelhammer and Johnny Shepard, as well as everyone else who made this opportunity possible. I look forward to more opportunities in the cotton industry and hope to find a career in the ginning industry some day.

Witt’s report appeared in the August issue of “The Ginnery” – Newsletter of the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association.

Cotton’s Calendar 2016 ■■ Oct. 12: Plains Cotton Growers Board Meeting, Lubbock, Texas.

■■ Oct. 18-20: Sunbelt Ag Expo, Moultrie, Ga. ■■ Oct. 19: PCCA Board Meeting and Delegate Body Meeting, Lubbock, Texas.

■■ Nov. 15: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors Meeting, Bakersfield, Calif.

■■ Dec. 6-8: Cotton Board/Cotton Incorporated Joint Meeting, Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, La.

WWW.NORTHERNLUCUS.COM 1116 Slaton Hwy. Lubbock, TX

FOR SALE: 2 – 158 GIN STANDS WITH CONTROLS MANUFACTURER OF HI-CAPACITY LINT CLEANING SYSTEMS IN 86” to 110” WIDTHS NEW 60” & 72” OVERSHOT BATTERY CONDENSERS 96” TO 144” INCLINE CLEANERS, STICK MACHINES & AIRLINE SEPARATORS HIGH CAPACITY VACUUMS

2017 ■■ Jan. 4-6: Beltwide Cotton Conferences, Dallas, Texas.

■■ Jan. 18-21: Southern Southeastern Annual Meeting, Charlotte, N.C. ■■ Jan. 30-Feb. 1: Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference, Baton Rouge, La. ■■ Feb. 10-12: NCC Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas.

■■ March 3-4: Mid-South Farm & Gin Show, Memphis, Tenn.

■■ April 6-7: Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association Trade Show, Libbock, Texas.

USED & FACTORY REBUILT GIN MACHINERY BALE HANDLING SYSTEMS COMPLETE LINE OF REPAIR PARTS FOR MURRAY, MITCHELL, H.E., CONSOLIDATED, CONTINENTAL, MOSS, LUMMUS, HORN & CMI 806-745-8156 1-800-776-8182 FAX 806-745-0564 E-MAIL: NORTHERNLUCUS@YAHOO.COM WWW.NORTHERNLUCUS.COM

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

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

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

1 – Consolidated 96” R-5000 Stick Machine* 2 – Consolidated 120” R-5000 Stick Machines* 1 – Lummus 60” overshot Standard Battery Condenser* 1 – Consolidated 72” undershot Standard Battery Condenser* 1 – Consolidated 72” undershot MC Battery Condenser*

Cotton Ginners Marketplace

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

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

* - does not include any Steel Supports or Platforms

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Physical Address: 225 Bourne Boulevard • Savannah, Georgia 31408-9586 USA Mailing Address: P.O. Box 929 • Pooler, Georgia 31322-0929 USA Phone: (912) 447-9000 • Fax: (912) 447-9250 Toll Free (USA Only): 1-800-4LUMMUS (1-800-458-6687) Web Site: www.lummus.com • E-mail: lummus.sales@lummus.com

© Copyright 2016 Lummus Corporation

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COTTONFARMING.COM

Industry News Texan Named In Faces Of Farming And Ranching A Texan has been named one of the eight finalists in the third class of Faces of Farming and Ranching by the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA).

Te x a s F a r m B u r e a u m e m b e r Jeremy Brown grows cotton, organic cotton, wheat, grain sorghum, rye, peanuts and sesame on the South Plains of West Texas. He also uses cover crops, minimum tillage and no-till in order to help build organic matter on his farm. He is a fifthgeneration farmer and is active in numerous agricultural organizations.

“I’m humbled by this opportunity and passionate about farming,” Brown says. “I’ve always wanted to be a farmer. We’re very much a family business carrying on the tradition of farming and working to incorporate new technologies to make ourselves sustainable.”

Follow along with Brown and his family on their Facebook page, Broadview Agriculture Inc. The Texas farmer has advanced to the next round in the selection process.

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION 1. Publication Title: Cotton Farming 2. Publication Number: 074-8385 3. Filing Date: 9/16/16 4. Issue Frequency: Jan - Dec 5. Number of Issues: 12x/year 6. Annual Susbcription Price: Free to qualified subscribers 7&8. Mailing Address of Known Office/Headquarters: 6515 Goodman Road, Box 360, Olive Branch, MS 38654 Contact Person: Kathy Killingsworth (901-767-4020) 9. Publisher: Lia Guthrie, 7100 Black Bart Trail, Redwood Valley, CA 95470 Editor: Carroll Smith, 6515 Goodman Road, Box 360, Olive Branch, MS 38654 10. Owners: Cornelia Guthrie, 7100 Black Bart Trail, Redwood Valley, CA 95470 Dr. David Scott Guthrie,Sr., 7100 Black Bart Trail, Redwood Valley, CA 95470 Morris Ike Lamensdorf, 17 S. Third St., Rolling Fork, MS 39159 Mary Jane Lamensdorf, 17 S. Third St., Rolling Fork, MS 39159 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and Other Security Holders Owning/Holding 1% or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages or Other Securities: None 12. Tax Status: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: September 2016 15.a. Total Number of Copies (net press run): (Average No. Copies each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 28,643) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date - 28,288) 15.b.(1) Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 17,060) (No. Copies of Single Issue Nearest to Filing Date - 16,241) 15.c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 17,060) (No. Copies of Single Issue Nearest to Filing Date - 16,241) 15.d.(1) Outside County Nonrequested Copies: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 11,194) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date - 11,978) 15.d.(4) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 52) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date -0-) 15.e. Total Nonrequested Distribution: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 11,246) (No Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date - 11,978) 15.f. Total Distribution: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 28,306) (No Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date - 28,219) 15.g. Copies Not Distributed: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 337) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date - 69) 15.h. Total: (Average No. copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 28,643) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date - 28,288) 15.i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 60.3%) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date - 57.6%) 18. I certify that all information furnished above is true and complete. Lia Guthrie, Publisher

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

Through Oct. 10-16, people can visit USFRA’s Facebook page to learn more about the finalists and their farms and ranches. Visitors can vote for the farmers and ranchers they believe best represent the passion and innovation of modern agriculture.

“Putting a face to the people who farm and ranch and raise our food and fiber is important to me,” Brown says. “We face many obstacles in agriculture, but every one of us is passionate about what we do.”

Winners will be named Nov. 9 at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention.

Bayer And Monsanto Create Global Leader In Agriculture Bayer and Monsanto announced on Sept. 14 that they signed a definitive merger agreement under which Bayer will acquire Monsanto for $128 U.S. per share in an all-cash transaction. Monsanto’s Board of Directors, Bayer’s Board of Management and Bayer ’s Supervisory Board have unanimously approved the agreement. Based on Monsanto’s closing share price on May 9, 2016, the day

before Bayer’s first written proposal to Monsanto, the offer represents a premium of 44 percent to that price.

“This represents a major step forward for our Crop Science business and reinforces Bayer ’s leadership position as a global innovation driven Life Science company with leadership positions in its core segments, delivering substantial value to shareholders, our customers, employees and society at large,” says Werner Baumann, CEO of Bayer AG. “Today’s announcement is a testament to everything we’ve achieved and the value that we have created for our stakeholders at Monsanto. We believe this combination with Bayer represents the most compelling value for our shareowners, with the most certainty through the all-cash consideration,” says Hugh Grant, Chairman and CEO of Monsanto.

This transaction brings together two different, but highly complementary businesses. Growers will benefit from a broad set of solutions to meet their current and future needs, including enhanced solutions in seeds and traits, digital agriculture and crop protection.

Come Join Us In St. Louis!

NAICC ANNUAL MEETING AND AG PRO EXPO January 17-21, 2017 Hyatt Regency at the Arch St. Louis, Missouri For information call: (901) 861-0511

•

www.naicc.org

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My Turn A Lifetime In Agriculture

I

grew up on a farm in I never forgot how much the industry meant to Louisiana and have me and what it was like to see people lose their been involved in agri- family farms during turbulent times. During my c u l t u r e m y e n t i r e tenure with AFBF, I was invited to spend a month life. Serving as state vice in Germany representing U.S. agriculture as part president and president of of the McCloy Fellowship program, which was Future Farmers of America designed to enhance cooperation between West (FFA) while in high school Germany and the United States. I also participatand college set the course ed in GATT trade negotiations in Geneva.

My first time to attend the Mid-South Farm & for my agricultural career.

While I was state FFA Gin Show was as a speaker on behalf of the AFBF president, I scouted cotton in the 1980s. Fast forward to 2003 when Lee Todd Tim and participated in what retired as executive vice president of the Southern Price was at that time a revolu- Cotton Ginners Association. I was offered the positionary nutrient manage- tion and have enjoyed representing ginners in five ment program on Buddy Logan’s farm in Gilliam, Mid-South states. SCGA works with its gins on all La. In 1971, we collected petioles from cotton issues that affect them and provides safety trainplants and shipped them to Phoenix, Ariz., where ing and education on many different topics.

The SCGA’s Midtissue analysis was perSouth Farm & Gin formed to determine “Cotton is an amazing, Show, which has nutrient requirements.

So I had a taste early on multifaceted part of our economy.” been held for the past 64 years, brings of understanding that cotton production was part of a bigger world than together approximately 400 companies that proI had ever imagined. I later received degrees from vide products and services to farmers. Educational seminars are offered, and we try to create an LSU and Texas A&M. After graduate school, I worked for the Federal atmosphere in which farmers can interact with Land Bank in New Orleans, La., as a research one another and exchange ideas. We want to be analyst. From 1977 to 1984, I saw the best of times relevant to the major decision-makers who are and the worst of times. I saw land values increase, involved with Mid-South crops.

I have seen the ups and downs of cotton and marginal land being cleared for farming, loans being leveraged, and highly inflationary interest established relationships with Mid-South farmers rates. This “perfect storm” resulted in the farm cri- that I am proud to call “seasoned soldiers.” They sis, the American Agriculture Movement, Farm Aid have trained on the battlefronts of farm programs, concerts, tractorcades in Washington, D.C., and changes in global agriculture and volatility in the bankrupt farmers standing at elevators to protect commodity markets. These veteran farmers have proved they can meet the challenges of a global their grain. I remember all of those things…

In 1984, I went to work for the American Farm agriculture market that we face in the Mid-South.

So we come to today. We can be positive about Bureau Federation (AFBF) to head up their cotton, rice and sugar department. That introduced me to the advances in technology and strong industry the world of national and international agricultur- leadership that continue to keep cotton viable and al policy-making and three unique commodities moving forward. Cotton is an amazing, historical with which I have had long-term ties. During part and multifaceted part of our economy that is made of that time, “Kika” de la Garza (D-TX) was chair- up of many stakeholders. And I am proud to be a man of the Agricultural Committee and a great part of this great Mid-South agriculture. advocate for agriculture. In those days, the politi– Tim Price, Executive Vice President, Southern cal climate was more agriculture versus non-agriCotton Ginners Association, Memphis, Tenn. culture, so we had a lot of bi-partisan support. tim.price@southerncottonginners.org When I was advocating on behalf of agriculture,

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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