Cotton Farming October 2018

Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

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OCTOBER 2018

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Winning Lineup Top-Shelf Talent Creates Recipe For Success In The Mississippi Delta

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COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2018

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Vol. 62 No. 10

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

OCTOBER 2018

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F E AT U R E S

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8 Winning Lineup John McKee III, a Mississippi Delta cotton farmer, attributes his success to having top-shelf talent on both the personnel and production fronts. In 2018, he grew 11 different cotton varieties that included two on-farm PhytoGen trials. He also has put together a weed control program to help keep his fields clean in what he describes as “the epicenter of all things pigweed.”

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

5 Editor’s Note 6 Cotton’s Agenda 13 Industry News

14 Specialists Speaking 18 Marketing & Promotion 22 My Turn

ON THE COVER: Coahoma County, Mississippi, cotton farmer John McKee III, left, works with an outstanding roster of folks on his farm. They are (from left) Pete Hunter, Kevin Pearson, Clarence Swiney and Bryan Davis. Cover photo by Sarah Beaugez.

WHITEFLIES IN GEORGIA Late-planted cotton is threatened by whiteflies seeking green, lush plants. Sticky honeydew secretions left by the pest can threaten quality.

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UNITED WE STAND

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MEET PETER MCGRATH

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GINNING MARKETPLACE

Dow AgroSciences donates $20,000 Transform My Community grand prize to the Bogota Community Center in Dyer County, Tennessee.

Q&A features the unique perspective of the Colorado importer who was recently elected chairman of The Cotton Board.

the official publication of the ginning industry

Dusty Findley, CEO of the Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association, discusses how social media can help ginning businesses.

WEB EXCLUSIVE The North Carolina State Extension Cotton Team shares some information that may help growers in the weeks to come with regard to evaluating damage and managing the cotton crop for the remainder of the season. Also included are hints about yield/lint loss estimates at this point. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.

DIGITAL OFFERINGS Keep up with the latest from Cotton Farming by signing up for the monthly E-News at www.cottonfarming.com.

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Editor’s Note

Cotton Farming

Vicky Boyd Managing Editor

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

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

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

Copyright 2018 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

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Texas Tech Football Game Scores A Big Win For Cotton

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nline encyclopedia Wikipedia defines synergy as the “creation of a whole that is greater than the simple sum of its parts.”

The Internet reference site must have had the Celebrate Cotton Football Game in mind. Through a partnership, Lubbock, Texas-based Plains Cotton Growers and the Texas Tech University Athletics Department have elevated cotton to a national stage and helped reach a diverse audience that otherwise may not be exposed to the natural fiber.

Now in its seventh year, the football game has grown from a gridiron competition to nearly a week of cotton-focused events and meetings. It culminates with the Texas Tech game scheduled early enough in the fall that High Plains farmers haven’t started harvest and can attend.

When the Texas Tech Athletics Department approached PCG more than seven years ago about a cotton tribute game, “We thought it was a very natural fit,” says PCG Executive Vice President Steve Verett. And the partnership has continued to flourish.

“It’s just been a really great opportunity to honor the cotton producers and the cotton industry in this part of Texas and what it means to the U.S. as well,” he says. “There are other college teams that have a rich agricultural heritage. But none of those teams have said, ‘(This game) is going to be about celebrating cotton.’”

Robert Giovannetti, Texas Tech senior associate athletics director, agrees, saying the West Texas cotton industry has been very supportive of the team’s efforts.

“When the relationship started seven years ago, we felt it was just a good way to honor the industry and what West Texas is all about,” he says. “But we’re surprised how well it’s done. We couldn’t do something like this without their support. It’s been certainly very fruitful and successful for us.”

To describe it as merely a football game is a disservice. The parking lots at Jones AT&T Stadium open at noon, and the smell of tailgate barbecue permeates the area. Large pieces of farm equipment from local equipment dealers are scattered around the stadium and in the parking lots.

Signs providing fun facts about cotton, such as “Texas plants 56% of the nation’s cotton acreage,” also dot the landscape.

Fans were asked to wear white, since the game was designated a “whiteout.” Looking out over the crowd, it resembled a cotton field after defoliation full of white bolls. In keeping with that theme, PCG, along with several other sponsors, handed out about 4,000 “Celebrate Cotton” t-shirts — 100 percent cotton, of course.

This year, Texas Tech topped the University of Houston 63-49. Even if the Red Raiders had lost, the Celebrate Cotton Football Game still scores a big win for the West Texas cotton industry, Texas Tech Athletics and the city of Lubbock.

Vicky OCTOBER 2018 COTTON FARMING

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Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

Advocating Policy Priorities Over the past several months, the National Cotton Council (NCC) has actively conveyed to Congress the U.S. cotton industry’s priorities regarding the 2018 farm bill.

How has the NCC been communicating the industry’s priorities? n In mid-August, a letter from the NCC and 66 other cotton and related industry organizations was sent to 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee members as well as leaders of both the Senate and House agriculture committees prior to the convening of the Conference Committee to resolve the differences in the House and Senate versions of the new farm bill. The letter applauded both bills for continuing the ARC/PLC policy for seed cotton with a reference price of $0.367/lb. — an important safety net for cotton producers that also supports the industry’s downstream segments.

The cotton organizations’ letter, however, also outlined five major concerns they believed needed addressing during the conference negotiations. The letter urged that at a minimum, full baseline funding (no less than $0.03/lb. for the 10-year baseline) be maintained for the Economic Adjustment Assistance Program (EAAP). It was emphasized that the economic program supports improved competitiveness and efficiencies in the U.S. textile manufacturing industry including stabilizing or increasing industry employment. The letter also urged no further tightening of “actively engaged” eligibility provisions as contained in the Senate bill and for maintaining the House provision that expands

A letter to the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee outlined cotton industry priorities to be considered during negotiations on that important legislation.

the definition of family member for eligibility purposes. This would help today’s many multi-generational family farms avoid unrealistic labor contributions to remain eligible for the safety net. The letter cited the need for maintaining the no-cost House provisions that update the upland and extra-long staple cotton loan programs and urged the current adjusted gross income means test not be reduced from $900,000 to $700,000 as included in the Senate bill. The letter asked for farm bill language that would have USDA make regulatory changes and study the current cotton shipping system and requirements to help enhance cotton’s timely movement through the marketing channels to end users.

One positive result of the letter was that during the Farm Bill Conference Committee’s first public meeting, several members highlighted cotton and related policy concerns and differences between the House and Senate versions. For example, Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) emphasized the importance of ensuring that EAAP is fully funded in the final bill. In addition, Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Reps. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) and Rick Allen (R-Ga.) noted the entirely unworkable “actively engaged” provisions in the Senate version that would severely affect family farms across the country and cited the need to support the House approach on this issue.

How is the NCC working with other agricultural groups? n Simultaneously, a letter went to the agriculture committees’ leaders urging completion of the new farm bill ahead of the current farm bill’s Sept. 30 expiration. That letter came from a coalition of more than 150 agriculture, commodity (including the NCC), lending, conservation, nutrition, and rural organizations.

Conference Committee negotiations were ongoing at the time this column was submitted in mid-September.

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

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SPECIAL REPORT

Whitefly Pressure Threatens Georgia’s Late-Planted Cotton Crop

BY CLINT THOMPSON

Honeydew Secretion Scouting remains the best course of action against whiteflies. These sucking insects feed on the underside of leaves and excrete a sugary substance called “honeydew” that serves as a host for sooty mold fungus. The accumulation of honeydew and sooty mold leads to quality problems on open cotton bolls. When uncontrolled, whiteflies can reduce cotton yields and affect quality. “(Immature whiteflies) are on the underside of the leaves and excrete honeydew,” Roberts says. “This can be a serious issue in terms of fiber quality or the spinnability of fibers at mills.”

Growers need to be timely with their insecticide applications to avoid an outbreak. However, University of Georgia Extension encourages producers to conserve beneficial insects by applying insecticides only when thresholds are met.

According to Roberts, about 30 percent of Georgia’s cotton crop, or about Twitter: @CottonFarming

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

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hillip Roberts, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension entomologist, says Georgia cotton farmers who planted their crop late this year need to be mindful of potential whitefly pressure.

Because whiteflies prefer green, lush cotton more than plants near maturity, most of the crop planted early in April and May avoided whitefly problems. However, Roberts has observed whiteflies on late-planted cotton, or cotton planted in June.

“Over time, whiteflies have adapted to infest plants that will remain green or be a suitable host for the insects to complete a generation,” Roberts says. “It takes between 15 to 20 days for a whitefly to complete development on a cotton plant once an egg has been laid. Also, the nutritional value may be higher on late-planted cotton.”

Whiteflies secrete sticky honeydew on a cotton plant, which can reduce fiber quality.

435,000 acres, were planted in June this year.

Potential Yield Loss Late-planted cotton still has a couple of months left in the field before harvest. Whiteflies remain a threat to cotton until all the leaves have dropped from the plant, Roberts says.

“From a yield standpoint, cotton becomes less susceptible to yield loss the more mature it is, and much of the cotton planted in April and early May has reached that stage. Juneplanted cotton remains susceptible to yield loss,” he says.

Compared to the 2017 cotton crop, whiteflies have been largely undetected for most of this summer. However, during late August and early September, numbers have increased to the point where producers need to be on alert during the final months of the growing season.

“Only a small percentage of cotton in Georgia has required treatment to date, but we still have a long way to go with the lateness of this crop,”

Roberts says. “Most acres that have required treatment so far were planted in June. We learned a lot of hard lessons with whiteflies in 2017, and it is imperative that control measures are applied in a timely manner.”

“We learned a lot of hard lessons with whiteflies in 2017, and it is imperative that control measures are applied in a timely manner.”

Once established, whitefly populations are very difficult to control and can easily reach outbreak levels in a field. Control costs are higher if farmers are late with initial treatments.

For more about Georgia’s cotton crop, go to www.ugacotton.com.

Clint Thompson is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences based in Tifton.

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COVER STORY

Winning Lineup A Mississippi Delta cotton farmer attributes his success to having top-shelf talent on both the personnel and production fronts.

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

SARAH BEAUGEZ

John McKee III pauses in front of the old red barn at Belmont Plantation on Stovall Farm where blues musician Muddy Waters once worked and lived. McKee’s cotton field in the background is planted to all of the 300 series PhytoGen varieties in an on-farm trial.

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Today, he farms 2,200 acres of cotton in Coahoma County on land owned by his family and land he leases from others. In 2017, McKee rented part of the Stovall Farm, which for 40 years was run by his long-time friend and farming neighbor, Pete Hunter, who now works for McKee part time.

“Pete is my sounding board, provides a wealth of experience since he knows the Stovall place like the back of his hand and serves as a liaison with my landlords,” McKee says. “He can do every single job on the farm from the top to the bottom, and we are grateful to have him.

“Pete currently is running for the board of Mississippi Levee Commissioners and is very involved in state conservation. He is president of the Mississippi Association of Conservation Districts and vice chairman of the Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Pete is well connected in conservation on both the state and national levels.”

Bryan Davis is McKee’s farm manager and in charge of day-to-day operations that involve all the employees and equipment.

“He also is an Army National Guard soldier, an incredibly hard worker and the best mechanic on the farm,” McKee says. “My goal is to get Bryan ready to take over his own family operation in Tunica County one of these days.”

Another member of the team who will take on any task he is asked to perform from laying Poly Pipe to washing tractors is Clarence Swiney, who has worked for McKee since 2002.

“Swiney is strong, and when he sets his mind to it, he is a really good worker,” McKee says. “Kevin Pearson is a young guy who worked for me several years ago and has now come back. He can pretty much operate everything on the farm.”

Two other key players on the team are McKee’s cotton consultants, Joe and Kim Townsend.

“Joe also is a good friend of mine, and his wife, Kim, is an agronomist from Australia,” he says.

“Their expertise is a good combination. I have had very good crops with them as my consultants.”

Wrapping up the operation’s winning lineup is McKee’s wife, Nancy, whom he describes as a “force of nature.”

“Nancy has the energy of a Red Bull, the determination of a pit bull, the brains of Einstein and Twitter: @CottonFarming

CARROLL SMITH

he Mississippi Delta is a unique realm of the universe that attracts people from all over the world. Beginning their journey on Highway 61 and then deviating onto lesser-known paths, tourists search for a glimpse of times past that for all practical purposes exist only in the mind’s eye of the ones who lived them.

However, the beauty of the cotton fields, binding Delta past to Delta present, is a tangible example for all to see. And to create this commodity that pleases the eyes and hopefully pays the bills, John McKee III blends art and science along with a winning lineup of colleagues, varieties and herbicides.

From left, Pete Hunter, John McKee III and Bryan Davis are pictured in a field of PHY 480 W3FE that McKee says holds the best potential of any cotton variety on his farm. the creativity of Da Vinci,” he says. “All I have to do is point her in the right direction and just hang on. She is making a huge contribution to my well-being and success.”

2018 Variety Roster With all the players in place, McKee turns his attention to the other elements needed to produce the best cotton crop possible. In 2018, he planted 11 cotton varieties, eight of which were PhytoGen. Several of these PhytoGen varieties were part of two on-farm trials that McKee conducted this year.

They include DPL 1646 B2XF, NG 3522 B2XF and CROPLAN 9608B3XF. The PhotoGen varieties he grew are PHY 300 W3FE, PHY 320 W3FE, PHY 330 W3FE, PHY 340 W3FE, PHY 350 W3FE, PHY 430 W3FE, PHY 440 W3FE and PHY 480 W3FE. Although McKee says he likes competition among the cottonseed companies, he calls himself a “PhytoGen grower” and is a big fan of what he Continued on page 12

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United We Stand Tennessee Cotton Farmer Wins $20,000 ‘Transform My Community’ Grand Prize For The Bogota Community Center

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

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hen the doors closed at Bogota Elementary School, the close-knit rural neighborhood couldn’t imagine not having a central meeting place to gather for support and fellowship. The building was more than just brick and mortar. It defined the exuberant spirit of Bogota, a small town nestled in the rolling hills of Dyer County in Northwest Tennessee.

Area cotton farmer Bettie Woods recalls that volunteers acquired the vacant building in 2000 and named it the Bogota Community Center.

“These organizers held strong convictions that each resident of the community was and is an equal member of the community family and should be supported during the best of times and the worst of times,” she says. “The center assists families of the community and their friends, relatives and neighbors. Birthday parties, reunions, weddings, anniversary celebrations and bereavement meals have been held there.”

The Bogota Community Center also opens for flooding evacuees and serves as a storm disaster shelter, Red Cross relief site, voting precinct, and local law enforcement training and instruction facility. A landing pad for the medevac service is also available. The Bogota Volunteer Fire Department routinely uses the building for training and equipment storage, and volunteers hold fund-raising events there for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

Woods says the center provides a venue for social interaction and entertainment in the community, including a Fourth of July parade that has been held for the past 15 years. It also is

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Dow AgroSciences presented $20,000 to the Bogota Community Center on behalf of Dyer County, Tennessee, cotton farmer Bettie Woods (center). She is the grand prize winner of the Transform My Community Contest. Joining Woods are (l. to r.) Mike Fox with Dow AgroSciences; Bettie’s daughter, Joan Woods; Bettie’s great-grandson, Jason Lehem Woods; and her son, Roger Woods. home to a library and a museum filled with relics and memorabilia from the school, previous students, historical items from early community life and as much history about local veterans as possible.

Helping Communities Flourish Woods explains that even with fundraisers, private contributions, volunteer workers, and repair and maintenance sometimes provided by local inmates, there is always a financial struggle to properly maintain and repair the building.

“Likewise, without the center, the community would struggle to develop and maintain the cohesive neighborhood relationships that are so import-

ant for the development of all people of all ages,” she says. “I entered the Transform My Community Contest with the hope of winning the $20,000 grand prize to help ensure the community center would continue to exist.”

The Transform My Community Contest, sponsored by Transform WG insecticide, PhytoGen and Cotton Farming magazine, was open to cotton farmers and consultants.

Participants submitted a short essay about how their community organization could be transformed with a $20,000 donation from Dow AgroSciences. Entries were judged on compelling need, creativity and tiein to the Transform WG insecticide theme.

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Judy Childress, Bogota Community Center president, stands in front of the “hall-wall” where they sell bricks to raise money. The center also operates a food booth at the Dyer County Fair, and has spaghetti suppers, fish dinners and a Fall Festival to generate revenue. In November, the center’s major fundraiser is the Bogota rendition of “Hee-Haw,” where local talent entertains people from across West Tennessee.

The museum at the Bogota Community Center preserves artifacts from the community and pays tribute to area veterans who served in the military.

Wally Childress, who farms Bettie Woods’ land, treated this field of PhytoGen brand PHY 330 W3FE with Transform WG insecticide to control tarnished plant bugs.

Mike Fox, Dow AgroSciences insecticides product manager, awarded the grand prize money to Woods during a check presentation ceremony held recently at the center.

“Dow AgroSciences is passionate about helping cotton growers transform their fields with the superior tarnished plant bug control of Transform insecticide and the excellent yield and fiber quality from PhytoGen varieties,” he says. “That’s why Transform and PhytoGen are proud to sponsor this program and support Bettie and the Bogota Community Center who are working so hard to help others in this area. Thank you for everything you do, and congratulations.”

Cotton Fields Also Benefit Woods says just as the center is a valuable part of the community, Transform WG insecticide is a valuable tool to use on her cotton acres, which currently are planted to PhytoGen brand PHY 330 W3FE. “Transform does an excellent job TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

controlling tough insects, such as plant bugs and has great residual control,” she says. “It also is easy on beneficial insects, which is a bonus.

And Transform tankmixes well, minimizing our trips through the fields.

Transform does everything we ask it to do. That’s why we plan to keep it in our pest management program.”

Wally Childress, who farms Woods’ land, says, “Around Bogota, all of the cotton is PhytoGen, and it all was treated with Transform. That’s proof we really believe in these products.”

Judy Childress, Bogota Community Center president, says, “This money will be spent wisely, and we appreciate it so much. The most pressing projects are roof repair and heating and air replacement. We always want to do more for people, and this grand prize award will allow us to do that.”

Transform My Community Runners-Up In addition to Bettie Woods being chosen the grand prize winner of the Transform My Community Contest, two runners-up were recognized for their outstanding entries. Each one received a $500 donation to his cause.

• Boyle, Mississippi, cotton consultant LOGAN ROBERTS submitted an entry on behalf of the Junior Auxiliary of Cleveland, Mississippi. This non-profit group established a library at Pearman Elementary School and a public park for kids of all ages to play. It also operates an assistance program for needy families with special attention toward children. To view the latest news and events, visit Junior Auxiliary of Cleveland, Mississippi, on Facebook.

• JARRET WEINHEIMER, also named a runner-up, is a cotton farmer in Groom, Texas. His favorite organization is the FFA chapter in Claude, Texas, which has been making great strides in improving its community’s youth. Whether these kids are learning to weld, being taught how to care for sick animals or even learning how to analyze a farm’s balance sheet, they are gaining experience that will improve their lives and the lives of many. To learn more, visit the Texas FFA Foundation on Facebook.

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sees coming down the pipeline. The performance of the WideStrike 3 Insect Protection and Enlist cotton traits he has observed has been a plus for McKee as well.

“For example, I did not spray any of my WideStrike 3 cotton for bollworms,” he says. “That technology saved me a lot of money.”

Just as McKee started harvesting his crop this year, a week of wet weather set in.

“My average yield is much higher than it used to be, and I need every bit of it,” he says. “It would be nice to average 3 bales per acre, but I don’t know if we will get there anytime soon. Before the rain came, our cotton crop was looking average to above average. But after about 2 inches of rainfall, the quality and yield will suffer. However, the weather we got from Tropical Storm Gordon was nothing like hurricanes Katrina and Rita.”

McKee also is part of a network of cotton farmers known as the PhytoGen Horizon Network. These growers conduct on-farm variety trials on their operations. This year, McKee had two different PhytoGen trials totaling about 85 acres.

“Valuable information goes back and forth between the farmers and the PhytoGen cotton development specialists and sales people,” he says. “I share my yield monitor data, and they also take hand yield data with scales. Then we compare the two. I also enjoy getting to network with other PHN farmers in different cotton-growing areas.”

John McKee III’s farm office in Friars Point, Mississippi, is located in the town’s oldest structure, which originally faced the Mississippi River. It is known as “The Minie Ball House” because it bears the mark of shelling from the Union Navy.

The agency says if cover crop residue is left on the soil surface, it can last for several weeks depending on weather conditions.

“I understand that pigweeds don’t like to grow around cereal rye, and I am interested in that,” he says.

Risk And Reward When asked to name the biggest challenges U.S. cotton farmers face today, McKee says several come to mind although in no particular order.

“Trade is a big one right now,” he says. “There is no doubt that the tariffs have hurt us, and we just hope there is a positive resolution in the near future. Other notable challenges are the weather, resistance, and drift back and forth among our farming neighbors from competing technologies. This is something we must continue to work on.”

Despite the risks inherent to farming cotton, McKee says the rewards far outweigh them.

“Times are good and times are bad, but making the journey alongside some of the most colorful personalities in the world has been truly golden,” he says. “As my father used to say, ‘Sometimes brute strength and ignorance triumph over science and skill.’ I love both the science and the art of producing a beautiful cotton plant. It’s just what I do, and it keeps me humble.”

John McKee III says nothing is more inspiring than the beauty of a Delta cotton field at sunrise and sunset near Friars Point, Mississippi.

NANCY MCKEE

Heavy Pigweed Pressure When asked about the weed pressure on his farm, McKee is quick to say, “I live in the epicenter of all things pigweed. It’s a big problem for us. But when I apply a tankmix of Enlist One and Liberty herbicides, it kills every pigweed out there. It provides excellent control.”

Next year, McKee plans to use a PPO herbicide, such as Valor or Reflex, about two weeks before planting to beat back the weeds and follow up with a pre-emerge herbicide behind the planter.

“For the first shot over the top, I will apply a tankmix of Enlist One and Liberty, then come back with a residual and maybe one more shot of Enlist One with Roundup after that,” he says. “I believe this weed control program will help keep my fields clean.”

Another weed control strategy McKee plans to implement is planting a cereal rye cover crop. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cereal rye and its residues are quite active against weed species of pigweeds.

CARROLL SMITH

Continued from page 9

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Industry News University Of Arkansas Cover Crop Fact Sheet Now Available Online Row crop producers wanting to explore cover crops as a way to help save water, manage weeds and improve soil now have the first of a series of fact sheets as a resource, says Trent Roberts, associate professor-soil fertility for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

The Division of Agriculture’s release of “Understanding Cover Crops” coincides with the ideal planting window for many winter cover crops.

“While cover cropping is not a new concept, crop rotations, management practices and types of crops grown have changed a lot in the past 30 years,” says Roberts, the principal author. “Successfully implementing cover crops requires planning. The more information we can get in producer’s hands the more benefits they can realize.”

Future fact sheets will focus on specific cover crop species “and if there are any cover crops that you would like more information on, please don’t hesitate to let us know,” Roberts says.

Contact him at tlrobert@uark.edu.

“Understanding Cover Crops” is available for download at https:// w w w. u a e x . e d u / p u b l i c a t i o n s / p d f / FSA-2156.pdf. For more information on cover crops, contact your county Extension office or visit www.uaex. edu or http://arkansascrops.com.

Webcast Provides Energy Saving Recommendations For Cotton Gins Energy represents 20 percent of the total cost of ginning and varies widely across facilities. Identifying best practices for reducing energy consumption is important to gin owners, managers and operators.

“Saving Energy in Cotton Gins” is a new webcast in the “Focus on Cotton” series. Paul A. Funk is an agricultural engineer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, Southwestern Cotton Ginning Research Laboratory in Mesilla Park, New Mexico. He makes energy-saving recommendations based on energy audits and monitoring studies conducted at more than 30 commercial cotton gins across the U.S. Cotton Belt. Key recommendations address pneumatic conveying and fuel consumption: • Pneumatic conveying represents TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

50 percent of the electrical energy used by a typical gin. Usage can be reduced by sealing leaks in air ducts, minimizing turbulence before and after fans, reducing pressure drops by simplifying flow paths, and using mechanical conveyors where practical.

• Fuel consumption represents 6 to 8.5 percent of the total cost of ginning.

Usage can be reduced by insulating the hottest ducts, minimizing the distance between burners and cotton pickup points, and adding automatic

controls with temperature sensing in recommended locations.

Funk also points out that environmental stewardship and economic sustainability are both served through improved energy use.

Access the free, 9.5-minute presentation through the Focus on Cotton resource on the Plant Management Network courtesy of Cotton Incorporated. Go to www.plantmanage mentnetwork.org/infocenter/topic/focus oncotton/.

THRIVING IN COTTON Randy Rachal grows PhytoGen® brand varieties on mostly dryland acres in the Coastal Bend. Here, Rachal recounts his experience with the vigor, yield and quality of PhytoGen brand PHY 312 WRF, PHY 444 WRF, PHY 440 W3FE and PHY 340 W3FE in tough growing conditions. He also depends on WideStrike® 3 Insect Protection to keep bollworms out of his fields and the Enlist™ weed control system to take out glyphosate-resistant Palmer pigweed.

Strong Yields in a Challenging Year

W

“

e like to start planting about Feb. 20. It’s typically cool that time of year, and the PhytoGen varieties have quick germination and strong emergence. The PhytoGen vigor is always good. It blows out of the ground. After we planted this year, we didn’t get a rain until June 26. We didn’t make a bumper crop, but I thought we did quite well with about 900 pounds per acre average overall after going four months with no rain. All of the PhytoGen varieties we plant have good quality, too.

“We did have to replant about 3,000 acres of PHY 312 WRF, PHY 340 W3FE and PHY 440 W3FE this spring following a storm that came in one night in April packing some hurricane-force 80 mph winds. The replanted cotton yields ranged from 2 ½ to 3 ¾ bales per acre, so this year later planting was better.

“Availability of the W3FE varieties was limited in 2018, but we were able to plant about 30 percent of our acres to PHY 440 W3FE and PHY 340 W3FE. If you follow the label and catch pigweeds when they are small, the Enlist weed control system annihilates them.

It’s also important to pay attention to the wind speed and which direction it is blowing, especially where you have a susceptible crop downwind. Where we had WideStrike 3, there were no worms, so it’s very important to us.

“Last year, the PhytoGen varieties were tops in almost every test that was run in this area, and they do well on my farm in these arid conditions. Next year, we intend to plant PHY 440 W3FE and PHY 340 W3FE. If it works, we go with it.”

RANDY RACHAL

Cotton farmer San Patricio County, Texas

PhytoGen and the PhytoGen Logo are trademarks of PhytoGen Seed Company, LLC. ®™Trademarks of Dow AgroSciences, DuPont or Pioneer, and their affiliated companies or their respective owners. The Enlist weed control system is owned and developed by Dow AgroSciences LLC. PhytoGen Seed Company is a joint venture between Mycogen Corporation, an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC, and the J.G. Boswell Company.

®

OCTOBER 2018 COTTON FARMING

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Specialists Speaking 2018 Season Draws To A Close NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins As I write this on Sept. 5, the cotton crop in North Carolina is variable but generally good in many parts of the state. Yield potential among fields varies significantly and within a close proximity, depending on planting date, severity of drought stress during late June and early July, and rainfall that occurred during the latter half of the bloom period.

Like always, we worry about weather in September and October and the potential for tropical storms or even prolonged wet and cloudy conditions. Ultimately, we need a warm and dry September and October to capture this yield potential.

Defoliation will likely be underway by the time this article is read, but there are a few helpful tips that may apply to many situations.

First, there were many rumors in early September that thidiazuron (TDZ) could be noticeably short this year. This product is used in a three-way mixture to address regrowth, which is common in the Southeast. TDZ+diuron can achieve good defoliation and control regrowth, and October generally brings cooler weather where these products are more appropriate anyway.

Additionally, we have a noticeable amount of late-planted cotton in 2018, which could result in a scenario where growers are trying to open bolls during periods of cooler-than-normal weather. We generally recommend that they use the highest rate of ethephon in a standard tankmix or switch to Finish/Terminate or even CottonQuik/ FirstPick if very cool or cold temperatures occur when some harvestable bolls have yet to open.

Lastly, growers should consider nozzle type and application volume when applying harvest aids. Large-droplet nozzles often result in effective defoliation of the top one-third to one-half of the plant.

However, they struggle to reach lower leaves effectively, especially when using moderate or low application volumes with a ground rig. Additionally, we recommend that harvest aids be applied using a medium droplet nozzle at 15 but preferably 20 gallons of water per acre to minimize the need for a second application. If a large droplet nozzle is used, growers should apply harvest aids using 20 gallons of water per acre. guy_collins@ncsu.edu

FLORIDA David Wright The 2018 season is extended for many growers as cotton was typically planted before May 10 and after the middle of June. This is due to an early dry spell and a wet period from mid-May through the normal planting season.

In general, cotton has looked good all year with many fields planted late, which will make defoliation take place in two stages as well. Early planted cotton has been defoliated with growers undecided when to defoliate later-planted cotton with so many tropical depressions and hurricanes occurring this fall.

It is generally recommended not to wait for the very top bolls to mature before defoliating. Many of the larger bolls that matured earlier and have been open for some time can fall out or weather and reduce yield and quality much more than younger, smaller bolls can contribute to yield.

In some cases, cooler-than-normal weather will slow the defoliation process and higher rates of materials will be required. Better

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COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2018

weather is usually on tap for October. Be ready to harvest when conditions become favorable to maintain yield and quality. wright@ufl.edu

MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds Cotton harvest began in early September but was quickly stalled by Tropical Storm Gordon. Rainfall across the state from Gordon varied widely; however, many farmers were apprehensive regarding potential damage from wind and rainfall. Once more leaves were removed, much of the crop was better than anticipated. As a whole, the Mississippi crop appears to be in good shape.

Harvest will be in full swing by the first week of October, weather permitting. Current yield estimates have been lowered from the August estimate of 1,211 pounds per acre to 1,132 pounds per acre. The 2018 harvested crop is the culmination of five months of time and effort as well as an enormous financial investment. Given added production costs from glyphosate-resistant weeds as well as insecticide applications for tarnished plant bugs and bollworms, every possible pound must be captured this year to maintain and improve profit margins.

As the crop is coming out of the field, take stock of when and how financial resources were allocated this season. Although some costs cannot be avoided, be mindful of all production practices and subsequent financial investments. Make an effort to determine if crop management decisions resulted in a positive return on investment.

Too many times we think a given input paid for itself but aren’t completely sure. Maximizing return on investment is as likely as or more important than maximizing yield. dmd76@pss.msstate.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper Most of Tennessee experienced an early crop. A tremendous amount of cotton was defoliated within the first three weeks of September, and I suspect a substantial amount will be picked before you read these comments.

Our current forecast appears to be quite favorable for defoliating and opening our crop, but I suspect a few late-planted fields will still require a second shot of defoliant after Oct. 1. Our cleanup — or second application — relies heavily on Folex or Aim/Display/ET to remove remaining leaves. If mature, lower leaves remain on the plant, and Folex is probably the best option. If juvenile growth or immature leaves remain, Aim/Display/ET plus an adjuvant will be a better choice. Product rates and adjuvants vary based on temperatures.

Here are a few quick comments on variety selection. I’m certain many of you have already been asked to book seed early. I would encourage you to hold off until you have an opportunity to look at 2018 data. Many of the varieties that will be sold in 2019 are new. Taking a look at data collected from unbiased trials will be extremely valuable for next season — both for variety performance and placement.

I’ll be posting results from our variety trials as soon as they become available, so keep an eye out on news.utcrops.com. To everyone, I hope you have a safe and productive harvest. traper@utk.edu Continued on page 16 COTTONFARMING.COM

CONGRATULATIONS, BETTIE WOODS COTTON FARMER | BOGOTA, TENNESSEE GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Front row, from left: Peggy Burks; Melanie Jones; Carolyn Caldwell; Judy Childress, Bogota Community Center president; Wally Childress; Bettie Woods, cotton farmer and the grand prize winner of the Transform My Community contest; Roger Woods; Doug Singleteary; Chris Jones, Dyer County mayor; and Robert Kirby, Dyer County commissioner. Back row, from left: Richard Hill, former Dyer County mayor; Larry Bennett; Lynda Shepherd; Jeff Jones; Chris Main, PhytoGen cotton development specialist; Jeff Jetton, PhytoGen territory manager; Mike Fox, Dow AgroSciences insecticides product manager; Betty Stephens; Tony Childress; and Martha Montgomery.

RUNNERS-UP Logan Roberts, Cotton Consultant Boyle, Mississippi

Jarret Weinheimer, Cotton Farmer Groom, Texas

™® Trademarks of Dow AgroSciences, DuPont or Pioneer, and their affiliated companies or their respective owners. 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. Always read and follow label directions. ® The PhytoGen Logo is a trademark of PhytoGen Seed Company, LLC. PhytoGen Seed Company is a joint venture between Mycogen Corporation, an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC, and the J.G. Boswell Company. ©2018 Dow AgroSciences LLC

Specialists Speaking Continued from page 14

MISSOURI Calvin Meeks As I write this in mid-September, the cotton crop in Missouri is variable, especially in dryland fields. It is good overall with the yield potential still relatively higher than normal at this point compared to most years. Ultimately, we will need a warm and dry September and October to capture this yield potential.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon brought rainfall to our area, and hopefully the predictions for the next two weeks of warm and dry weather hold true. The crop is ahead of average with 66 percent of bolls rated as open by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Missouri Crop Progress and Condition report. Last year the crop was only 40 percent open at this time and the five-year average is only 26 percent. This earliness should help us meet the current yield estimate of 1,200 pounds per acre.

Some of the first-planted cotton in the Bootheel has been defoliated, but considerable acreage remains to be treated. Something to keep an eye on is the limited availability of thidiazuron this year. Low rates in the 2-ounces-per-acre range can be used if there is a lack of juvenile tissue, whereas rates in the 3-ounces-per-acre range would be needed in fields with high regrowth potential. This product also needs 24 hours to become rainfast, so keep that in mind to avoid wasting an application. meeksc@missouri.edu

OKLAHOMA Seth Byrd Despite cooler and cloudy conditions across the state for much of the first half of September, the cotton crop in Oklahoma was still somewhat ahead of schedule as of mid-September. Harvest aid applications began in the middle of the month, and there will likely be some cotton harvested before this issue of Cotton Farming reaches you.

Much of the state is highly optimistic as we enter harvest. The crop in the southwest area, which endured severe drought and heat for much of the first half of the season, seems to have turned around.

Hopes are that what remains may be better than earlier predictions.

In other parts of the state, such as the northern portion of cotton from I-40 to the Kansas border, the dryland crop looks favorable overall, while in the Panhandle both irrigated and dryland cotton have enjoyed fairly favorable conditions, and harvest operations will be ramping up soon.

Harvest is always a good time to identify potential issues that may need to be addressed for the following season. This is particularly true if weeds are present or if there were disease issues in the field. seth.byrd@okstate.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson Most everyone is still cautiously optimistic with regard to the crop in mid-September. We have perhaps gotten spoiled to some degree with the dry falls for the past few years. This fall appears to be more average so far. Slowing boll rot and finishing out the bolls in the top crop is our major concern at this time.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service September Crop Production report projects Arkansas producers to harvest 1.15 million bales, up 50,000 bales from the August forecast and 76,000 bales above last year. Yield is expected to average 1,150 pounds per harvested acre, up 38 pounds from August but down 27

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COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2018

pounds from 2017. Planted acreage was revised to 485,000 acres, up 5,000 acres from June 2018. Harvested acreage was also changed from 475,000 to 480,000 acres.

Our crop is ahead of schedule this season. Mid-September NASS projections reported the crop was 72 percent open compared to 47 percent at this time last year and 52 percent over the past five years.

We began to see some harvest activity the second week of September. No firm yield or quality information was available at the time these comments were prepared.

There are still a great number of challenges we must be prepared to address as this crop season comes to an end. We all look forward to seeing how this season wraps up as we make plans for 2019. brobertson@uaex.edu

TEXAS Gaylon Morgan Finally, some widespread moisture has occurred across most of Texas. Unfortunately, it was too late for the cotton crop in the Rio Grande Valley and Coastal Bend. However, the moisture is still welcome to refill an empty soil profile.

The rainfall was poorly timed for the Upper Gulf Coast, where 30 to 40 percent of the crop remained in the field. Prior to the rain starting about Sept. 1, the cotton fiber quality was outstanding for the UGC region, and growers were excited about harvesting the first crop in three years without dealing with sprouting and flooding.

For the cotton classed so far at Corpus Christi, the fiber quality has been good, with the exception of mic. To date, about 35 percent of the cotton has had a mic of 5 or more.

The Blacklands concluded most of its harvest early this year due to early maturation and low yields caused by drought conditions. Most of the yields in the Blacklands ranged from 300 to 750 pounds per acre with the majority at or below the 1-bale mark. Irrigated cotton in the Blacklands is suffering from the poorly timed rain the first two weeks of September. Seed sprouting and decreased fiber quality are a difficult pill to swallow for the third year in a row.

The Rolling Plains has also received some good rains, although highly scattered. With most of the dryland cotton being abandoned earlier in the season, these rains will be priceless for those farmers in a cotton:wheat rotation and will help the irrigated cotton fill out the top bolls as well.

Despite the limited quantities of thidiazuron available this year, lots of questions have been asked. But at the end of the day, I have not observed any major failures in cotton defoliation in South and East Texas. Also, in South and East Texas, we are expecting another increase in cotton acres in 2019, and growers are already planning accordingly. gdmorgan@tamu.edu

ARIZONA Randy Norton A lot of effort and resources have gone into the 2018 crop and as we come to the close of the season, the most important part awaits‌ harvest. Preserving all the work you have done is important and can be accomplished by efficiently preparing the crop for a clean harvest.

Defoliation and harvest preparation can be a challenge as it is affected by many factors, including crop maturity status, harvest aid material selection, and timing. Due to the complexity of harvest prep, it is difficult to thoroughly discuss in this venue.

However, many publications have been written describing the COTTONFARMING.COM

Specialists Speaking defoliation process, harvest preparation, appropriate materials and application timings.

They can be found of University of Arizona website (https://cals.arizona.edu/crops/cotton/cropmgt/cropmgt.html). Suffice it to say, achieving an effective and efficient defoliation and boll opening will go a long way in preserving the hard work that has been expended over the course of the growing season.

Another important part of preserving crop quality is to maintain contamination-free cotton from the field through the gin. Plastic and poly module wraps and covers, plastic grocery bags, poly ropes and twine are all examples of contaminants that can enter into our production systems, resulting in contaminated cotton arriving to the end user.

Recently, the National Cotton Council produced some educational materials along with a video discussing the importance of keeping our cotton contamination free. Although the video focuses on round module wraps as a source of contamination, any contamination from any source is important to exclude in an effort to preserve the quality of our crop.

To view the video, go to www.youtube.com and search for “Prevention of Plastic Contamination.” rnorton@cals.arizona.edu

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STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION 1. Publication Title: Cotton Farming 2. Publication Number: 074-8385 3. Filing Date: 9/10/18 4. Issue Frequency: Jan - Dec 5. Number of Issues: 12x/year 6. Annual Subscription 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 2018 15.a. Total Number of Copies (net press run): (Average No. Copies each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 26,096) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 25,328) 15.b.(1) Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 14,082) (No. Copies of Single Issue Nearest to Filing Date – 13,902) 15.c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 14,082) (No. Copies of Single Issue Nearest to Filing Date – 13,902) 15.d.(1) Outside County Nonrequested Copies: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 11,604) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 10,872) 15.d.(4) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 40) (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 – 11,644) (No Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 10,872) 15.f. Total Distribution: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 25,726) (No Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 24,774) 15.g. Copies Not Distributed: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 370) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 554) 15.h. Total: (Average No. copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 26,096) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 25,328) 15.i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 54.7%) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 56.1%) 18. I certify that all information furnished above is true and complete.

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9/17/18 11:19 AM

CCOY

MARKETING & PROMOTION

Meet Cotton Board Chairman

Peter McGrath

Cotton Consultant of the Year established 1981

Joe Townsend

BY STACEY GORMAN

2009 CCOY AWARD RECIPIENT

THE COTTON BOARD DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

T While in graduate school at Mississippi State University, Joe Townsend learned how much he admired the work of consultants.

The key to succeeding in this profession lies in being able to win the confidence of producers, he says.

When asked what advice he would give aspiring young consultants, Townsend says,“You need to make footprints in that field.

Get out there and walk those turnrows. That’s the only way you can help the farmer. You have to be willing to do that if you plan on surviving in this business.”

In reflecting on having been chosen as the 2009 Cotton Consultant of the Year, Townsend says it “is one of the most special moments in my career. I didn’t expect it, but I am extremely proud and grateful. When I think about the consultants who have received this award through the years, it’s very humbling.”

Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by

Cotton Farming 18

COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2018

he Cotton Board is governed by its membership, which consists of both cotton producers and cotton importers. The importers represent various major U.S. brands and retailers – significant downstream users of cotton. The producers represent their respective states in the U.S. Cotton Belt. Together, these segments of the Board offer a wealth of unique perspectives and insight that help guide The Cotton Research and Promotion Program (the Program).

During its 2018 Annual Meeting, The Cotton Board elected new officers to guide the Program, including Peter McGrath to serve as chairman for 2018/2019. McGrath is an importer from Colorado who owns a consulting business for major brands and retailers.

Before entering the consulting business, McGrath was executive vice president and director of product development and sourcing for J. C. Penney Company Inc. He joined J.C. Penney in 1973 as a trainee in merchandise distribution in New York City and subsequently held merchandise positions of increasing responsibility in New York, California and Texas until his retirement in 2010.

To learn more about McGrath’s unique perspective as an importer leader in the cotton industry, we asked him a few questions.

Q: Why is it important for importers to serve on The Cotton Board?

The importers who pay into our Program include manufactures, importers, retailers and brands. The diverse group of importers who serve on the Board bring a unique thought process to the table. Our importers are very forward-looking in trying to understand what their customers want. In turn, they manage the Program in a way that matches up with what they see coming in the way of business trends.

Q: What have you learned from the Producer members of The Cotton Board?

I’ve had the opportunity to meet cotton producers who I never would have met before, having grown up in the New York area. I have such an appreciation of the optimism and the hope that farmers have as they plant and begin the process of growing a crop. Every year, I hear hope springs eternal from these producers and I’m always amazed.

Q: What makes you passionate about the cotton industry?

Through my years of service on The Cotton Board, I’ve recognized that farming is the backbone of our country. We have a need to feed and clothe not only ourselves, but the rest of the world. When I started in leadership at The Cotton Board, we were facing a significant downturn in the cotton industry. However, we’ve rebounded nicely from that time and can fund an $82 million Program for 2019. It’s an exciting time for the industry.

To learn more, please email Gorman at sgorman@cottonboard.org.

COTTONFARMING.COM

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

Can Social Media Help You In Business?

plate 3/7/14 3:26 PM Page 1

One of the primary functions of associations is to connect people. Getting members of a group together to discuss, share, problem solve and network is an essential in any business. I dare say that businesses that don’t have that connection will eventually fail (not always, but often). That being said, there are other ways to link people or solidify those links already established. The one I’m thinking of is Facebook.

Now please don’t think this is a Facebook commercial. Far from it. Facebook has plenty of warts and can be nothing more than an echo chamber for ugly thoughts and ideas no matter what your political or social issues may be. I’m talking specifically as a way for cotton ginners to get together and talk from across the county whether it’s in season or off.

A quick search of “cotton ginning” found a LOT of groups out there. Many are in the United States, but some are outside. Many gins also have Facebook pages for their customers. So… why am I promoting a time sink like Facebook in a magazine article? During the gin season and particularly during the early part and the end of the season, we (associations) get calls from our members looking for parts, people and problem solving that we can’t always answer. I often give out phone

numbers to ginners in other parts of the country who might be able to help.

In particular, at the beginning of the season, I got several calls for ginners and night crews and occasionally for module hauling. Most associations don’t have classified ads that work, but many gins are connected on Facebook and may be able to help. Earlier this year, I saw module trucks for sale on one of the pages. I’ve also seen postings for parts and even personnel.

You can start with your own association if it has a Facebook page, but there are many ginners on ginning industry pages.

The trick will be to find one with a critical mass that allows for the free and ample flow of information. Does this minimize your association? Absolutely not. Associations still have key roles in regulation, compliance assistance, information dissemination and, of course, networking. But social media actually can play a role in your management scheme if handled correctly. It’s just another tool in the belt.

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

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OCTOBER 2018 COTTON FARMING

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Bart Daniel Joins Lummus, Ross Rutherford Promoted Lummus Corp., the world’s leading solution and equipment supplier to the cotton ginning, oilseed processing and affiliated industries, made two key moves in its agriculture line of business. Bart Daniel joined as vice president – business development, and Ross Rutherford ascended to vice president – product management and marketing.

In his internal announcement to employees, Russell Sutton, president of Lummus’s agricultural line of business, cast the vision for the Daniel hire: “Bart has been brought on board to help us with our strategic initiatives in service transformation and international sales, among others. He will also help us look into Bart adjacent markets to diversify our customer Daniel base. In his new role, Bart will be bringing his vast array of industry experience to bear (both domestically and internationally) to seek out new growth opportunities.”

Daniel comes to Lummus from Samuel Packaging Systems, where he was director of business development. Prior to that, he was with Leggett & Platt Inc. from 1997 to 2016, where he held numerous executive roles in Ross multiple business units.

Rutherford Daniel worked for Mohawk Industries in their Karastan Carpet division as the plant manager of the Karastan Rug Mill in Eden, North Carolina. Before that, he was with North American Container Corp. as the plant manager of the NACC Calhoun plant in Calhoun, Georgia. He began his career with Lummus Industries Inc. in 1985 as a field/sales engineer in Greenville, Mississippi. He also worked with Lummus Machine & Tool in Calhoun, Georgia, as the vice president/general manager of LM&T. Daniel is credited as inventor or co-inventor on 28 U.S. and international patents, primarily covering automated agricultural processing equipment. He also has one patent pending.

Daniel is a graduate of Texas A&M University, with a bachelor of science degree in agricultural engineering.

Regarding Rutherford’s promotion, Sutton says, “Ross, in

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many ways, is one of the key players within the Lummus organization. His decades of experience in the ďŹ eld and at the corporate level, make him well suited to oversee the product planning, marketing focus and brand strategy for Lummus’s agricultural line of business.â€?

Rutherford is a career Lummus employee, having begun in 1986 as a ďŹ eld engineer in the Lubbock, Texas, ofďŹ ce. In 1987, he moved to Fresno, California, working as a sales engineer until 1989, when he moved to the corporate headquarters in Columbus, Georgia. From 1989 to 1999, Rutherford worked in a variety of roles in design engineering, technical service and sales/marketing.

When the company moved its corporate headquarters to Savannah, Georgia, in 1999, Rutherford assumed the role of project general manager. He moved to Lubbock in 2004 to assist with the oversight of the newly acquired Belt-Wide Industries Inc. and has lived there since.

In addition to his duties at Lummus, Rutherford has dedicated much of his efforts to supporting the cotton ginning industry through education, serving as an instructor for the annual National Cotton Ginners Association Gin Schools in Texas, New Mexico and Mississippi.

He has also conducted Gin Schools in Argentina and Brazil and authored or co-authored more than a dozen technical articles on ginning, presenting many of the topics at industry technical meetings.

In February, he was awarded the Charles C. Owen Distinguished Service Award from the National Cotton Ginners Association and is an active member of the American Society of Agricultural & Biological Engineers. Rutherford is a graduate of Texas A&M University, with a bachelor of science degree in agricultural engineering.

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Lummus Corporation wants to express its appreciation to ourr many loyal customers forr their continued support and business. We have experienced unprecedented growthh and expansion unlike anything seen in recent times. Thanks for allowing us to partner with you " !

With that in mind, it$ never too

$

Regardless of the project scope, now is the time to contact Lummuss to discuss yourr goals and needs to ensure your success.

Just a short list of items we offer: Gin Dor-Les e ÂŽ and E.E. Dor-LesÂŽ Press upgrades #

Hydraaulic Tramper/Pusher Conversion

Presss Rebuilds (strain rods, boxxes, es, sills, etc.)

Quality OEM E Repair Parts Unmatcheed Technical Service

Cotton Ginners Marketplace

All-new complete Gin Plants Ginning Machinery (individual machines, stand-alone systems, presses, etc.)

Press Consoles and Main Control Consoles Burner and Moisture Unit Gas Train/Contrrols upgrades Air Monitoring and Fire Detection Kits Gin and Feeder Controls

The horizon is limitless. And 2019 holdss many new offerings from Luummus that no one saw coming.

Exciting times lie ahead " join us as we mov m e forrwar ward!

ÂŽ

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

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

Š 2018 Lummus Corporation

OCTOBER 2018 COTTON FARMING

21

My Turn Chronicling Cotton Through A Nikon

I

“

’m just a cotton of his love of the land and what it produces.

John’s commitment to excellence is not isolated pickin’ Coast girl with a camera and when it comes to cotton farmers in Mississippi.

I’ve followed and photographed cotton farma pen.”

I didn’t grow up around ers Joe Grossman of Itta Bena, Pallas Fair of cotton and didn’t know Hamilton, and Kevin Kemp of Carthage. Their what a boll of cotton dedication to producing a stellar crop of cotton looked like until I was 18 can only be likened to the passion that comes years of age in 1978, as a with any given lover of life.

I’ve learned that being part of the cotton indusfreshman at Delta State University in Cleveland, try, in any capacity, is not for the faint of heart.

How? Well, these folks have opened themselves Mississippi. That doesn’t Sarah mean it didn’t affect my up, sharing moments in time that cannot be Beaugez life on a daily basis prior recaptured. I’ve sat across the kitchen table from Tony Thompson of Nanih Waiya, Mississippi, to that time and after.

In 2010, I returned to the Mississippi Delta and, who grew up in the Burnside community, painsalong with my Nikon, fell in love with all things takingly telling me about planting with a mule ag. At that time, I wasn’t shooting much cotton. In and a plough, explaining the differences between the years since, my curiosity about cotton and the chopping and hoeing, what a Gee-Whiz and a fertilize knocker were used history of Mississippi h a s g r o w n i n t o m y “Thus, my work in progress — for, and what it was like to pick cotton until his becoming a student of a book about all things hands bled. the same. Mississippi’s I’ve listened to Ailene cotton story is rich and Mississippi cotton.” of Louisville tell me how stands longer than since the state became a state in 1817. Thus, my work she’d come home from school to grab a cold bisin progress — a book about all things Mississippi cuit, carve a hole and throw in some molasses, only to go out and find her mother in the cotton cotton.

I’ve shot tens of thousands of ag images over field, dragging her sleeping 3-year-old brother on the course of the past eight years. This year I’ve the sack behind her while she picked.

And there was Felix Greenwood explaining shot more than 10,000 images documenting the growing season of four farmers in Mississippi: on a video I made with my iPhone about how a two in the hills and two in the Delta. It has been cotton scale was used in a field, using peas to one of the most rewarding opportunities present- weigh cotton sacks up to 160 pounds. Gaylon Booker, a former CEO of the National Cotton ed in a life filled with rewarding opportunities.

One of those four growers is John McKee III of Council, explained to me the challenges of sitting Friars Point. John is, first and foremost, a gentle- on U.S. presidential boards and the World Trade man of the Southern kind. While strong enough Organization. And Emmett Chassaniol has been to farm thousands of acres of cotton, corn and patient to inform me about the market and what soybeans, he’s gentle enough to refer to his wife it’s like to be the last independent cotton broker as darlin’ and honey. He loves what he does and on Cotton Row in Greenwood.

Yes. My life is all the richer for taking the time does what he loves.

I was in the Delta photographing John’s cotton to learn about growing cotton in Mississippi. And not so long ago. He introduced me to his crew, I’m just a cotton pickin’ Coast girl with a camera giving them more credit than he takes for any and a pen. part of what is produced. John loves life and — Sarah Beaugez beauty, the Delta and Mississippi. His return Ocean Springs, Mississippi home to farm in Friars Point in the 1980s, after sarahbeaugez@gmail.com earning multiple degrees in engineering, is proof

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.

22

COTTON FARMING OCTOBER 2018

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