Cotton farming september 2015 by One Grower Publishing

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Cotton Farming

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ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

SEPTEMBER 2015

www.cottonfarming.com

STAYING LOYAL TO COTTON A CONVERSATION WITH GINNER MALEISA FINCH

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Cotton Spear Round Module Handler

PATENT # USD700,918S • Detachable alloy steel spears pierce modules without damage • Minimizes stalks pinned against module and transported to gin • Lower maintenance, no moving parts or hydraulics • Fastest and easiest operated module handler available • Priced thousands of dollars less than other module handlers

Tommy Wilkins—Kennett, MO

Hal McCay—McCay Gin, Cordele, GA

Sammy Henderson—Cairo Farmers Gin, Humboldt, TN

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Vol. 59 No. 9

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

SEPTEMBER 2015

www.cottonfarming.com

F E A T U R E S

10 Staying Focused Cotton acres may be down in Northeast Arkansas, but that hasn’t dampened the attitude of gin owner Maleisa Finch and her manager Dewayne Couch. She intends to stay efficient in her operation and looks toward the day when cotton rebounds. In a wide-ranging interview, she offers her thoughts on why cotton in so important to Arkansas.

D E P A R T M E N T S

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Editor’s Note Cotton’s Agenda

BACK TO SCHOOL Cotton Incorporated’s most recent survey reveals that parents overwhelmingly favor cotton apparel for their children.

DEFOLIATION TIMING

GINNING MARKETPLACE

Veteran Delta observer Rusty Mitchell, who now works for FMC, offers an update on the importance of effective defoliation for cotton.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY

Harrison Ashley, executive vice president of the National Cotton Ginners’ Association, continues his report on the need to prevent lint contamination at the gin.

WEB EXCLUSIVE It’s been a busy summer for field days throughout the Mid-South, and Cotton Farming editor Tommy Horton has logged a lot of miles attending many of them. Some interesting topics were discussed at each event as harvest season approaches. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for his Web Exclusive report.

C O L U M N S

16 Specialists Speaking 22 My Turn

WEB POLL RESULTS

How are gins coping with reduced cotton acres in many areas of the Belt? Go to www.cottonfarming.com for the results.

ON THE COVER: Arkansas gin owner Maleisa Finch is ready for the new season. Cover Photo By Tommy Horton.

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

COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2015

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Editor’s Note Tommy Horton

Cotton Farming

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

It Helps To Have A Positive Attitude

hat’s the best way to survive the current environment for cotton? I could try and give you a lot of answers to that question. And I could even offer some technical informaton from the industry experts, but I think all of us would agree that it starts with your attitude. No matter what industry segment we’re discussing, if a person doesn’t have the right mindset going forward, chances are that he (or she) will have difficulty surviving. In particular, I was curious how ginners were feeling about the current environment that has created a drop in cotton acreage in every region of the Belt. It seemed appropriate because our September magazine always has a lot of ginning information as this sector prepares to process the crop in October and November. We know that producers made their planting decisions back in the spring when they diversified their crop mix because of lower cotton prices. But, how does a gin prepare for lower volume, and how does it plan for the future? Those seem like logical issues to address. That’s what compelled me to visit ginner Maleisa Finch in Monette, Ark., to see how she was dealing with this challenge. She and her family have been in the ginning and farming business for a long time. And you’d be hard pressed to find an area where cotton has a longer history. But, like many other regions in Arkansas, the northeast region of the state is seeing a significant drop in cotton acreage. As you will see in our cover story on pages 10 and 11, Maleisa addresses a wide range of issues in our interview. She has what you might call a contagious positive attitude when talking about an industry that she loves. Yes, she is concerned about the lower acreage, but she plans to be as costefficient as possible this year and beyond. She also has talked to many of her farmer customers and knows they would like to be planting cotton, but the economics forced them into a new direction. Maleisa is a person who can remember the good and bad times when she grew up on a farm, and this isn’t her first time to deal with adversity. She will do everything she can to protect her employees. She will remain loyal to her farmers still growing cotton. But she won’t give up, and she will continue to showcase her congenial smile to anybody who walks into her office. Yes, it will be difficult, but she exudes a confidence that is genuine. In her mind, cotton is too important to her community to give up on it now. She knows that the comeback will happen – hopefully sooner rather than later.

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 (800) 888-9784 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com Circulation Manager Charlie Beek (615) 377-3322

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

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD David Burns – North Carolina David Lynch – South Carolina Bob McLendon – Georgia Larkin Martin – Alabama Mike Sturdivant Jr. – Mississippi Charles Parker – Missouri Jimmy Hargett – Tennessee Allen Helms – Arkansas Jay Hardwick – Louisiana Ronnie Hopper – Texas Ron Rayner – Arizona John Pucheu – California

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC Mike Lamensdorf PRESIDENT/TREASURER Lia Guthrie PUBLISHER/VICE PRESIDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COOPERATION: Cooperating with COTTON FARMING are various cotton producer organizations across the Cotton Belt. Many representatives of producer organizations serve on COTTON FARMING’s editorial advisory board. Opinions expressed and conclusions reached by contributors are not necessarily those of the cooperating organizations or the editors. All statements, including product claims, are those of the person or organization making the statement or claim. The publisher does not adopt any such statement or claims as its own and any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Copyright 2015 ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

One Grower Publishing, LLC

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

COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2015

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

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Sign up for our E-News You’re already a long-time reader of Cotton Farming magazine. In fact, you’ve been a loyal reader for many years. So, how else can you stay informed on the latest developments in the cotton industry? Subscribe today to the Cotton Farming monthly E-News. You’ll find consultant commentary, recap of important stories, Cotton’s Calendar of Events and other quick and informative updates. It’s easy staying informed on everything happening in the world of cotton. Cotton Farming E-News will help keep you plugged in.

Sign up Go to www.cottonfarming.com and look for the Cotton Farming E-News link in the upper right corner of the home page. It's quick and easy.

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Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

Raising The Profile Cotton Council International (CCI), the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) export promotions arm, conducts a wide array of activities to help raise U.S. cotton’s global profile with the ultimate goal of enabling the fiber to command a premium in the world marketplace.

What is CCI’s specific mission? ■ CCI, whose reach extends to more than 50 countries through 17 offices worldwide, uses trade services and consumer promotion activities to increase exports of U.S. cotton fiber, manufactured cotton goods, cottonseed and their products in Asia, Europe, Africa, and Central and South America. Those activities are carried out under a plan that includes: 1) supply chain development, 2) brand/retailer promotion and support and 3) industry partnership development. The plan has proven very

investments with industry investments, both through direct funds and in-kind contributions, totaling $1.31 for every dollar of FMD funds received and $2.02 for every dollar of MAP funds received. Activities carried out using FMD and MAP funds have been documented as contributing to increased export sales of cotton fiber and value-added manufactured cotton products. Independent studies reveal that for every dollar spent by USDA cooperators, including CCI, U.S. exports increase $35. That 35-to-1 return on investment means more than one billion dollars in export value for the U.S. cotton industry and an additional 7,000 jobs to the U.S. economy.

What about recent CCI key initiatives? ■ Among the many examples of how CCI’s partners are helping boost U.S. cotton exports is the CCI-sponsored biennial Sourcing USA Summit. During the 2014 Summit last November, 420 leading global sourcing companies were brought together. Their networking led to the sale of 300,000 bales of U.S. cotton with U.S. cotton exporters announcing plans to sell another 4.2 million bales – valued at about $1.4 billion.

Bale packaging with the COTTON USA logo will further distinguish U.S. cotton in the global marketplace. effective in helping CCI address past and current challenges such as 1) alternative fibers (polyesters) being marketed as being higher technology/better performing fibers and 2) younger consumers who are not as familiar with cotton. USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service plays an integral role in making many of CCI's programs possible. CCI is a cooperator in the Foreign Market Development (FMD) program and the Market Access Program (MAP). CCI's programs are an effective catalyst for private sector

This past year also saw CCI launch its COTTON USA advertising campaign, “I Love My Cotton,” that is inspiring consumers from Germany to China – to consider both what they wear and how they wear it! All of CCI’s promotional activities are using the redesigned COTTON USA logo. Several U.S. bale packaging manufacturers are now imprinting their materials with this logo. While this NCC-sanctioned program to clearly identify bales of U.S. origin is voluntary, we are pleased to learn that the majority of our ginners have made arrangements this season for their bale packaging materials to include the redesigned COTTON USA logo. This is another effort to distinguish and identify U.S. cotton in the global marketplace.

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

COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2015

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Cotton Consultant’s Corner

As Harvest Nears, Cotton Has Good Yield Potential Paul Scott Poag Poag Scouting Jonesboro, Ark. (Northeast Arkansas/Southeast Missouri) I started scouting cotton in high school as a summer job, then had an opportunity to work on a few acres independently while I was attending college. When I completed graduate school, I had the chance to make a living as a consultant and have been doing this ever since. Today, I provide many services for my farmers, including composite soil sampling and grid sampling, variety selection, fertility recommendations, insect and weed control programs, etc. Our area got plenty of rain this year, and the cotton crop looks pretty good. Because of our limited number of cotton acres, we were able to get them all planted in a timely manner. Right now, we are seeing bacterial blight and target spot on some of the cotton and considering best management options more for next year than for this year. Pigweed is still our primary weed issue. We don’t feel like we gained any ground with control this year, but we didn’t lose any ground either. We are hoping to have some new technologies available next year to give farmers some different options to control pigweed. There also have been reports of PPO-resistant pigweed just south of us. This scenario will probably affect beans more than cotton although it will eventually carry over to the cotton acres. Plant bugs have been the main insect pest this season. They were most prevalent in scattered cotton fields that were surrounded by corn, milo, beans and other host crops than they were in the bigger blocks of cotton. We used several insect control measures depending on the field situation and the preference of individual growers. Where we applied Transform insecticide for plant bugs, I normally ran 1.75 to 2.0 oz./A starting around bloom. Also, because sugarcane aphids have shown up at the end of the season in some of our milo (grain sorghum) fields, we plan to apply Transform when we dessicate. If the aphids are allowed to stay on the milo heads and secrete a sticky honeydew, combine efficiency decreases and harvest is disrupted. At this time, we are watching the fields to determine when to terminate insecticide applications and irrigation. After we wrap this up, we will start cutting bolls about the middle of September in some of our earliest fields, begin defoliation and get the pickers ready to go. The cotton crop looks great and has a lot of yield potential if everything holds together from here on out. We need a successful crop because of the prices that we are getting right now. I am hoping to see some good yields come in this fall. We will have to wait and see how that works out.

• B.S. in Agricultural Business – Arkansas State University • M.S. in Agricultural Economics – University of Arkansas • Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) • Member of Arkansas Agricultural Consultants Association (AACA) • Has consulted for 15 years • Consults on cotton, soybeans, corn, milo and wheat • Married to wife, Rachel • Two sons: Mason and Taylor; daughter: Claire • Enjoys deer hunting, duck hunting and fishing

Recap: Cotton Has Good Yield Potential

▼

1. The cotton crop looks pretty good. Because of our limited number of cotton acres, we were able to get them all planted in a timely manner. 2. We are seeing bacterial blight and target spot on some of the cotton and considering best management options more for next year than for this year. 3. Pigweed is still our primary weed issue. We don’t feel like we gained any ground with control this year, but we didn’t lose any ground either. 4. Plant bugs have been the main insect pest this season. They were most prevalent in scattered cotton fields that were surrounded by corn, milo, beans and other host crops than they were in the bigger blocks of cotton. 5. Where we applied Transform insecticide to control plant bugs, I normally ran 1.75 to 2.0 oz./A starting around bloom. 6. We also plan to apply Transform to control sugarcane aphids in milo when we dessicate to avoid decreasing combine efficiency and disrupting harvest.

Sponsored By

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

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RESEARCH & PROMOTION Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers

Back To School Means More Cotton

F Commercialization is dependent on multiple factors, including successful conclusion of the regulatory process. The information presented herein is provided for educational purposes only, and is not and shall not be construed as an offer to sell, or a recommendation to use, any unregistered pesticide for any purpose whatsoever. It is a violation of federal law to promote or offer to sell an unregistered pesticide. As of January 30, 2015, Bollgard II® XtendFlex™ cotton has been approved for cultivation in the United States and approved for import in Australia, Mexico, Canada, and Japan. 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. Growers should refer to http://www. biotradestatus.com for any updated information on import country approvals. 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. 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®, Genuity Design®, Genuity®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, and XtendFlex™ are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Dedicated to Cotton. Committed to You.® and Deltapine® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Company. LibertyLink and the Water Droplet Design® is a registered trademark of Bayer. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2015 Monsanto Company. DP-16009-CF-LC

COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2015

or the 2015 back-to-school season, Cotton Incorporated wanted to learn what parents’ priorities are when making back-to-school purchasing decisions for their children – and to see how cotton fits into the back-to-school picture. Cotton Incorporated used its Lifestyle Monitor Survey to help gain additional knowledge. The mission of Cotton Incorporated is to increase the demand for and profitability of cotton, and the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor helps fulfill this mission, by providing a range of marketing data and analyses to better inform decision makers on the global cotton supply chain. The Lifestyle Monitor data collection was designed to provide an accurate snapshot of the U.S. population by collecting monthly data from a balanced set of respondents. Parents Are Pro-Cotton The findings from the back-toschool survey revealed that parents were decidedly pro-cotton when it came to what their children were wearing. According to the data, 86 percent of parents prefer that their children wear cotton-rich clothing, and two in three parents say they are willing to pay a premium to keep their children’s clothing cotton-rich. Why do parents choose cotton for their kids? The Lifestyle Monitor Survey shows that compared to childrenswear made from manmade fibers, parents find cotton childrenswear to be the most comfortable (68 percent), breathable (68 percent), durable (57 percent) and fashionable (46 percent). Parents are also looking to spend more money on their children’s apparel during this back-toschool season ($265), compared to previous years ($243 in 2014 and $231 in 2013). Important Information With such great, pro-cotton information being derived from the survey, Cotton Incorporated decided to release this information, using various methods to reach several

different audiences. An article featuring the data was published on both SourcingJournalOnline.com and the Lifestyle Monitor website. A video presentation was created and shared with brands and retailers, and can also be viewed on the Cotton Facts YouTube Channel. Since Cotton Incorporated’s social media presence is growing, the Public Relations department also chose to share the articles and information across its various social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The Facebook posts alone reached 2,000 individuals and more than 80 people actively engaged (clicking, liking, sharing or commenting) with the material, while the Twitter posts garnered more than 650 impressions. For more information about childrenswear and back-to-school apparel, please visit cottoninc.com or lifestylemonitor.com. The Cotton Board, which administers Cotton Incorporated’s Research and Promotion Program, contributed information for this story.

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SPECIAL REPORT

Southern Ginners Learn To Adapt BY TOMMY HORTON EDITOR

s it possible to find opportunity in the midst of difficult times? If you are a cotton ginner in the MidSouth, that is probably your mindset these days. It certainly was the overriding theme at the Southern Cotton Ginners Association’s (SCGA) summer meeting at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville in July. “Once a ginner accepts the reality that we are in challenging times, he can move on to what he should do about it,” says Tim Price, SCGA executive vice president. “Everybody wants to find a way to work through all of this.”

opportunities for U.S. cotton. • Ultimately, the United States must re-double its efforts to implement a plan to regain lost demand in the global cotton market. Other speakers touched on a variety of topics and included: • Harrison Ashley, executive vice president, National Cotton Ginners Association. • Bill Gillon, president and CEO, Cotton Board. • Rick Nelson, Agribusiness, Farm Credit Mid-America. • Tom Wedegartner, Director of Cottonseed Marketing, Cotton Incorporated. • Wes Morgan, manager, Rolling Hills Gin, New London, N.C. • Bobby Hardin, ag engineer, USDA-ARS. • Dave Albers, Monsanto/Deltapine.

Outlook For Cotton The main program included an impressive lineup of speakers, and the highlight was the final presentation from Anthony Tancredi of Fewer Acres Louis Dreyfus CommPrice says all Midodities in Memphis. South ginners are Not surprisingly, he focused on the cotton SCGA executive vice presi- aware of how cotton market in India and dent Tim Price says gin- acreage has decreased in the last few years. China and the future ners remain hopeful. The drop was particuramifications for the larly significant in U.S. market. Tancredi says the situation in those 2015 because of low cotton prices. For example, initial projections two countries encompasses the followcalled for 176,000 cotton acres in ing factors: • China continues to unload part of Tennessee. But unexpected weather its 50 million bale reserve but has conditions, low cotton prices and comprobably only released about 10 per- petition from grain crops wound up lowering cotton acreage to 100,000. cent of those stocks. “There’s no question that these are • China realizes that it purchased too much cotton and is now concen- difficult situations, but our members trating more on polyester because of are looking down the road,” Price says. “They are looking for ways to be the low price of oil. • Ultimately, this will translate more efficient. Most importantly, they are looking for ways to get past this into lower cotton production in China. • India, meanwhile, has increased situation. That proves to me that they domestic cotton production and con- are truly innovative.” sumption and may not become as Contact Tommy Horton at (901) 767competitive in export markets. • India’s de-emphasis in the export 4020 or thorton@onegrower.com. market eventually may present new Contact Tim Price at (901) 947-3104.

CCOY 2004 Cotton Consultant of the Year

Tucker Miller MS CONSULTANT LOVES COTTON, ENJOYS MANAGING THE CROP

In the past, cotton was the most profitable crop to grow. Growing more acres with less equipment and a competitive pricing structure on inputs afforded the multiplier effect. We can still farm more land and spread acres out with different crops because cotton is an excellent rotation partner with corn and especially peanuts. A lot of my cotton producers are second and third generation farmers. Like me, they love cotton and really enjoy managing the crop from start to finish. Being selected the 2004 CCOY was a real honor for me. We are like a band of brothers. We are all very close. Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by

Cotton Farming COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2015

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COVER STORY

Arkansas Ginner Maleisa Finch Wants To Help Cotton Stage A

Big Comeback EDITOR’S NOTE: Maleisa Finch, owner of the KiechShauver-Miller Gin in Monette, Ark., has seen her share of challenges in the ginning business. Even with reduced cotton acres this year in Northeast Arkansas, she is ready to implement a plan to help her gin and long-time customers. She shares her thoughts in this interview with Cotton Farming Editor Tommy Horton. How are you dealing with the current situation? I could probably write a book about this. First, ginners love to gin cotton, but we know it will be a different fall with the reduced cotton acres. To me, the best thing to do is think positive. You can’t shut the doors while the game is still going on. We’ve had something that has been good, and it will probably be good again. It’s all about maintaining an attitude that will help you survive.

SNAPSHOT – MALEISA FINCH

Can cotton survive in a diversified crop mix in your area? We are definitely looking at a major shift in acres in Arkansas. Frankly, I don’t think we need to go back to a “fencerow to fencerow” cotton environment. I think we need to diversify. The farmers need it, and the soil needs it. The problem occurs when you see cotton harvesters on acres that reduced cotton by 25 to 50 percent. That is a concern.

• Manages Kiech-Shauver-Miller Gin in Monette, Ark. • New gin opened in October of 2011. • Three gin stands. • Cherokee Fabrication system. • Two seed houses. • Four warehouses. • Ginning capacity of 70,000 bales.

How much of a price increase does cotton need? If farmers reached a point where they could put 73 or 75 cents in their pockets, I think you’d see a change in attitude. That would certainly be the case for those farmers who don’t have the grain equipment. I think they would be fine and grow as much cotton as they could.

COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2015

As a ginner, how do you advise young farmers today? Right now, it’s hard for a young person to start farming unless someone is there to support him. Young farmers

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Q A

How long do you intend to stay in the ginning business?

“I am in this game for the long run. That means I’m in the ballgame until the last out. My mama and daddy said if you’ve done your best and tried to be fair, you should sleep good at night. If my farmers and employees are okay, I’ll be okay.”

probably aren’t used to these kinds of hard times. They haven’t seen what the older generation has experienced. You have to be prepared for tough times and know how to survive. What is your mindset as you approach the ginning season? Well, the first thing you have to do is cut expenses wherever you can. I am looking at 12-hour shifts instead of 24-hour operations. I want to be sensitive to how this will affect our workers who are with us every fall. Fortunately, we aren’t looking at many repairs at our gin. Mainly, we have to keep our spending at a minimum. Having said all of this, we still are committed to taking care of our farmers’ cotton and putting money back into their pockets. Can gins work together to solve current problems? I definitely think we need to work together to get through our problems. Our area ginners and I talk to each other all the time. In the end, we have to take care of our business and customers. That’s what I learned from my daddy. We can’t worry about somebody beating us on a rebate. We’re all in this together, and I am certainly willing to visit with anybody to figure out how we can survive and go forward. How will producers and ginners feel when this crisis has ended? After we have survived this situation, we will see a different side to the ginner. He will better understand what a farmer has to go through when acres are down and prices drop. We’ll also learn that we have to work with our neighbors. For the farmer, it means learning the consequences when crops are grown next to your neighbor’s farm. We have to respect each other.

Council visit our gin, and I’m proud of our record of delivering clean cotton to the mills. We have never had any complaints about contaminated cotton. I think most of the problems in our area come from plastic bags that might wind up in a field before the crop is harvested. As I said, I am proud of the kind of cotton quality our area produces. How hard is it for a gin to reopen after it closes down? To me, the hardest thing about reopening a gin would be the employees that we’ve worked hard to keep. Some of our employees have been with us for more than 20 years. They can’t wait around and hope that you reopen. How do they survive? I am here to tell you that you could go to an Ivy League university and not find the employees I have here. If I were closed for a second year, I’d worry about keeping my customers. It’s important to do whatever you can to keep that cotton gin in business. Do you have any regrets about building your big gin in Monette? I have been asked that question more than once, and the answer is “no.” You make the decision based on the information you had at your disposal. Farmers are the same way. If they had a crystal ball, would they have bought those round module pickers? Maybe not. If I win the lottery, I promise to buy every one of my farmers a round module picker. Seriously, we do the best we can to make the best decisions. If you had a message for ginners, what would it be?

How has your gin dealt with contamination issues?

If you have something that needs to be corrected at your gin, go ahead and do it. Be as efficient as possible. Accept the things that you can’t change. If it’s out of your control, don’t waste time worrying about it. Face the challenges you have and don’t give up. Find something to supplement your income during these hard times. If we all stick together, we can get through these next two years.

I feel good about what we’ve done in this area. We’ve had merchants, mote buyers and even the National Cotton

For more information, contact Maleisa Finch in Monette, Ark., at whitegold22@hotmail.com. COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2015

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©2015 Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer, the Bayer Cross, Stoneville and Stoneville Design are registered trademarks of Bayer. For additional product information, call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.Stoneville.com CR0715STONEVA152V00R0 A-27698-1

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14 Rusty Mitchell VP v4_16 8/21/15 11:39 AM Page 14

VIEWPOINT

The Value Of Timely Defoliation BY RUSTY MITCHELL LOUISVILLE, MISS.

•

• Resident of Louisville, Miss. • Southern Region Technical Support Lead for FMC Agricultural Solutions. • Earned B.S. and M.S. from Miss. State University. • Earned Ph.D. from LSU in entomology. • Has served in numerous positions at FMC in product development and technical support.

Mississippi

he objectives of any cotton defoliation program are to remove cotton leaves, assist in boll opening and desiccate weeds that can interfere in harvest efficacy. Timing of a harvest-aid application is determined by the crop maturity. However, crop and weather conditions, as well as harvest schedule, have to be considered. Boll maturity is the most important factor to consider in timing defoliation applications. Minimal maturation occurs after the removal of leaves. Thus, premature leaf removal can result in reduction of cotton yield and lint quality. Late defoliation can result in increase in boll rot and lint quality loss due to weathering as well as place one in a situation where defoliant activity is inhibited by less than ideal environmental temperatures. It is generally safe to defoliate when 55 to 60 percent of the bolls are open, and the youngest boll one expects to harvest is mature. To check boll maturity, choose the uppermost boll you intend to harvest and slice it cross-section with a sharp knife. If mature, it should be difficult to slice, fibers should string out when cut, and the seed coat should be light brown in color with the seed cavity completely filled with no jelly center. Mature bolls will also be too hard to dent when squeezed with your hand. Another method often used to time defoliation applications is counting the nodes above cracked boll (NACB). Research has shown that at least four nodes above the highest first position cracked boll will be mature enough not to be affected by the application of a harvest aid. Thus, when the first position cracked boll is within four nodes of the last

COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2015

boll you intend to harvest, the field can be defoliated. Proper harvest-aid product selection, tankmix partners and rates vary with environmental and crop conditions. Producers must take into account these conditions at the time of application when making a decision on the product(s) to be used. To allow for the highest potential cotton yield and quality at harvest, chemical defoliants may be considered. Herbicidal defoliants, such as PPO inhibitors Aim, Display, ET, Folex and Sharpen, injure the plant and enhance leaf drop. Factors that increase the performance of many harvestaid chemicals: • Humid, sunny weather. • Low but sufficient soil moisture to maintain growth of the cotton plant. • Low soil nitrogen level. • Minimal secondary growth. • High percent open bolls. • Plant that has reached cutout and began some natural shed of mature leaves. Factors that may negatively affect the performance of harvest-aid chemicals: • Cool (below 60 F), cloudy conditions. • Prolonged periods of wet weather following application. • Moisture-stressed plants with tough leaves at time of application. • Plants in vegetative state of growth due to low fruit set. • High soil moisture and nitrogen, which contribute to rank, dense foliage and delayed maturity. • Plants with significant regrowth following cutout. • Poor application rates and coverage due to improper calibration levels. Talk to your local retailer to find an effective harvest aid that fits your defoliation program. Contact Rusty Mitchell in Louisville, Miss., at (662) 8039302 or rusty.mitchell@fmc.com.

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Specialists Speaking Heading Toward The Finish Line FLORIDA David Wright Farmers have had an average year for most of the cotton-growing season with a few weeks of drought along with periods of wet weather. There has not been a lot of excitement with cotton this year, but many farmers are pleased with the way the crop is looking. New varieties seem to hold up well and produce good yields with minimal inputs. Several fields that were planted in late April are beginning to open, and some cotton will be picked in mid- to late-September. Most producers in our area will harvest peanuts first, and many of the cotton fields will be at least 60 percent open by defoliation. Cotton is an essential part of our rotation on sandy soils with peanuts, and we look forward to higher cotton prices to keep those good rotations. wright@ufl.edu

MISSOURI Mike Milam The Missouri cotton crop is slowly moving toward harvest. According to the Crop Progress and Condition Report issued in mid-August, 67 percent of the cotton is setting bolls compared with 86 percent last year and 92 percent for the five-year average. In looking over the weather date, there is a major difference from last year when we had a record yield. At the Portageville location, in 2014, from May 1 through Aug. 15, we had 16.5 inches of rain. The maximum and minimum temperature averages were 84.0 and 63.7 degrees, respectively. This year, during the same time frame, we had 10.9 inches of rain. The maximum and minimum temperatures were 86.5 and 67.8 degrees, respectively. We had night temperatures in the mid- to upper-70s for more than a week as the bloom period started. The highs forecasted for the next 15 days are in the low 90s and upper 80s. Our last effective bloom date was around Aug. 15. The Cotton and Wool Outlook of Aug. 14 projects Missouri’s harvested acreage at 165,000 acres. This is our lowest harvested acreage since 1986. The yield is projected at 931 pounds per acre – considerably less than the 1,113 pound per-acre Delta average. Some of the early planted cotton looks really good. Since so many of our acres were planted past our optimum planting date, we are very dependent on good weather during boll opening and harvest season. milammr@missouri.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Keith Edmisten The crop in North Carolina is very variable due to lack of generalized rainfall for much of the summer. In general, the crop in the northern tier of counties is better than farther south, although there is some good cotton scattered where timely thunderstorms occurred. This variability will make a difference in how we approach defoliation. The cotton with a good boll load will be easier to defoliate primarily because it will have less juvenile growth and less residual nitrogen for potential regrowth. Defoliation mixtures with thidiazuron (the active ingredient in Dropp or FreeFall, etc,) will be important during September and early October, particularly in areas without heavy boll load due to regrowth potential. Higher rates of thidiazuron not only tend to result in better defoliation, but also a longer period of regrowth control. If you are using a premix of thidiazuron and diuron, you

16 COTTON FARMING

SEPTEMBER 2015

may want to consider spiking with additional thidiazuron to increase regrowth control where needed. The potential for regrowth control will likely decrease as we move into mid-October. Defoliating cotton with dense canopies can be very difficult, especially where significant regrowth has already started. Producers need to pay attention to proper nozzle selection and application volumes. More detailed information can be found at cotton.ces.ncsu.edu. keith_edmisten@ncsu.edu

LOUISIANA Dan Fromme Yield potential of the 2015 cotton crop continues to look very favorable. Current estimates are around 1,000 pounds of lint per acre, down 175 pounds from the 2014 crop. July and the first part of August were hot and dry. As of Aug. 17, we have had accumulated 18 percent more heat units when compared to the 2014 season. As the season is winding down, less insect pressure from bollworms and plant bugs is being experienced as the end of August approaches. Defoliation will begin in the later part of August, and harvest will begin in the earlier planted fields during the last week of August. As we prepare the 2015 crop for harvest, we should review some of the basic defoliation timing principles. There is always a balancing act between yield and fiber quality when defoliating cotton. There are several accepted methods to time defoliation, and all methods have strengths and weaknesses. The following is a review of some of the more common defoliation-timing techniques. These three methods or options for timing the defoliation of cotton are: 60 percent open boll, four nodes above cracked boll or 1,050 heat units beyond cutout (NAWF=4). Most importantly, whatever method is employed, producers should include inspecting the uppermost harvestable boll prior to defoliation by cutting a cross-section of the selected bolls. A boll is considered mature if it is difficult to slice with a knife, and seeds have begun to form a tan/brown or black seed coat. Once a dark seed coat has formed, defoliation will not adversely affect the yield of those bolls. dfromme@agcenter.lsu.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson National Agricultural Statistics Service August Crop Production report projects Arkansas producers to harvest a record high yield of 1,226 pounds of lint per acre. This surpasses last year’s record by 81 pounds. The Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Program currently has a total of 200,335 acres of cotton on their maps. This record yield projection reflects the advances the industry has made in germplasm, pest management products and practices, and the ability of producers to combine tools and practices to manage or trick a plant that is a perennial to grow like an annual. While it is good to win the yield contest, it is great to win the profit contest. Often yield drives profit, but there is a point of diminishing returns that can lead to losses for even the most needed of inputs. We don’t have the luxury of having a cushion in our cotton budget to gamble on feel-good or look-good treatments that don’t provide a return to the producer. As we move toward harvest, we must remember to preserve our yield and fiber quality potential through well developed and timed cultural practices for harvest aids and harvest management and

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combine these with an effective lint contamination prevention program that starts in the field. Improving our overall efficiency is what’s needed for cotton to be sustainable. brobertson@uaex.edu

MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds September will mark the culmination of an entire season’s worth of work for the 2015 cotton crop in Mississippi. A good portion of the crop will likely receive at least one harvest-aid application during the month. Many folks try to estimate yields throughout the year, but until the leaves start coming off and bolls start opening, you never really know what you have in the field. Preliminary USDA yield estimates for Mississippi are quite optimistic at 1,228 pounds per acre. If realized, this would be the second highest yield on record and the third year in a row that Mississippi producers have averaged more than 1,200 pounds per acre. I am not convinced that we have a 1,200-pound crop in the field; however, we have a very good crop especially considering all of the challenges we faced in 2015. Taking the previous comments into account, exercise caution when making harvest-aid applications. Little else will leave a taste in your mouth like that of picking a 1,500-pound crop but losing points to exceedingly high leaf grades. While many folks attempt to remove leaves and open bolls in one application prior to harvest, two applications are often made for a number of reasons. If you are planning on making two applications from the beginning, do not get over zealous with the initial application and stick leaves on the plant. It is much easier to make a second application to remove leaves and/or open bolls than it is to unstick leaves on a cotton plant. darrind@ext.msstate.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper Now that our boll load is beginning to drain our crop, it is evident that nitrogen deficiencies have again become a major issue for several producers in West Tennessee. Above-average rainfall after planting contributed to large losses, particularly on hillsides. There are several take-home messages from these observations that should not be ignored. First, we rarely need more than 90 pounds of N to maximize yields in Tennessee cotton. So why did 90 pounds not produce this year? Pre-plant applications are far from peak N demand. Applying a full rate sidedress would be preferred, but that option is still second to a split, with the last application occurring pre-bloom. This approach minimizes the gap between applied N availability and demand from the plant. How do you know if you have a problem, since deficiency symptoms near cutout typically mean you have hit the correct rate? Premature cutout and large reductions in NAWF in deficient areas, which result in fewer nodes and fruiting positions as compared to sufficient areas, are telltale signs that something went awry. traper@utk.edu

NEW MEXICO John Idowu Cotton season is progressing well in New Mexico. There has been more rain and irrigation water available to producers than in the previous years. During July, there was an outbreak of southwestern cotton rust in southern New Mexico. However, farmers responded quickly by spraying for this fungal disease. It appears to be under control, and many affected fields appear to have recovered. Also, many fields affected by hail earlier in the season have recovered, although yields of severely affected fields are expected to be lower than the normally expected yield. In the absence of any late-season problem, cotton yields are expected to be good this year. jidowu@nmsu.edu

TEXAS Gaylon Morgan Having one of the driest summers on record following one of the wettest springs has made for a challenging year and has brought the cotton crop in South and East Texas to a quicker than expected end. The Rio Grande Valley had much of its fruit set before the soil moisture was depleted, and harvesting continues with slightly above average dryland and irrigated yields. Harvesting in the Coastal Bend has actively begun with yields being highly variable within and between fields, depending on early season drainage. The Upper Gulf Coast and Blacklands of Texas will be in the full swing of harvesting the last week of August, but the dryland cotton didn’t reach its full potential. The lack of rain, hot days and poor root system pushed the cotton to reach cutout quickly followed by the quick progression of open bolls. The fully irrigated cotton in these areas fruited very late but has good yield potential. The Rolling Plains cotton remains behind as the final flowering date has passed for the Northern Rolling Plains, but decent yields are expected with an open fall. gmorgan@tamu.edu

VIRGINIA Hunter Frame As I ride through the cotton-growing areas of the state, the 2015 cotton crop is up and down. It just depends on when and how much rain you received. Some fields have upwards of two bales, and others will be lucky to reach two bales. Nitrogen, potassium and sulfur have been a wild guess as dry periods led to excessive precipitation and then back to dry conditions. Bolls began to open during the week of August 20 in some fields. On lighter soil types, the crop may be defoliated earlier than usual, so producers need to consult defoliation guides to ensure that harvest aids are applied to optimize leaf drop given the current environmental conditions. Almost all the cotton was planted in the first two weeks of May for Virginia, so I anticipate that most of the harvest will begin in early October. USDA has predicted an average yield of 1,200 pounds of lint per acre for Virginia. However, the reality on the ground is that the crop most likely will be well below that. For Virginia cotton, peanut, soybean and sorghum producers, the Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center will be hosting its Annual Pre-Harvest Field Tour on Sept. 17 with registration to begin at 7:30 a.m. and tours starting at 8:00 a.m. whframe@vt.edu

ARIZONA Randy Norton A majority of the cotton crop will be receiving an application of harvest preparation material, either defoliant or boll opener, or both. A few things to keep in mind when making these applications include the maturity and stress level of the crop. Harvest preparation is really our effort to stimulate and enhance the natural process of crop senescence and leaf drop. Applications of harvest prep materials applied prematurely may lead to poor defoliation and increased leaf trash in seed cotton or the opening of immature bolls – thus degrading overall fiber quality. A general rule of thumb that has proven effective in timing harvest prep applications is that of estimating percent open boll. When 60 percent of the bolls in the crop are open or cracked, a true defoliant can safely be applied with effective results. If a desiccant such as sodium chlorate is being used, it is better to wait until more of the crop is open, generally around 80 percent open. The other item to consider is crop stress level. Remember that the application of the defoliant is an attempt to enhance the already progressing physiological process of senescence. If the crop is too stressed when the defoliant is applied, the physiological activity of the plant has diminished to the point that the plant does not effectively assimilate the chemical defoliant. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2015

18 Cotton School story v5_CF 11/13 template 8/24/15 1:09 PM Page 18

SPECIAL REPORT

Young Californian Loves New Cotton Career BY TOMMY HORTON EDITOR

iming is everything in the cotton industry. Whether it’s growing or selling the crop or launching a career, it’s all about the calendar. And that is certainly the case for a young Californian named Stephen Harmer, who recently graduated from the International Cotton Institute in Memphis, Tenn. More than a year ago, he earned a degree from the University of California-San Luis Obispo in wine and viticulture and thought he was headed for a career in that industry. It seemed like the right choice at the time. Then, his parents encouraged him to consider another offer from a cotton company in Bakersfield, Calif. It seems that the Jess Smith & Sons Cotton Company was looking for someone to hire, and Stephen’s name was passed along as a potential candidate for a job as a trader. After much discussion with his parents, he finally relented and decided to interview with the company – even

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Stephen Harmer celebrates with parents Kenny and Marianne and sister Bianca at graduation ceremonies. though his knowledge of cotton was limited. It turned out to be a life-changing decision for Stephen. He was offered a position, fell in love with cotton and hasn’t looked back. Rare Opportunity In Cotton He quickly settled into being a trader with the company, and his boss decided it would be advantageous if he participated in the International Cotton Institute in Memphis. The school would increase his contacts in the global cotton industry, while helping him learn more about all aspects of cotton. And, in a bit of irony, company owner Ernie Schroeder Jr. had participated in this same class in 1995, the International Cotton Institute’s first year. “It’s hard to put into words how I feel about being a part of the cotton industry,” says Stephen after graduating from the cotton school in July. “I learned a lot when I first started working at Jess Smith & Sons. But, this experience in Memphis just took it to a different level.” For the past year, he has bought and sold cotton from all over the world, but the chance to participate in the cotton school in Memphis was too attractive to turn down. He embraced the opportunity and graduated with distinction. He also won the cotton essay contest that is conducted each year for students in the class. Perhaps the proudest persons at the graduation event at the University of Memphis were his parents, Kenny and Marianne Harmer, and sister Bianca. They made the trip from California and were beaming with pride. “It’s just been a dream for everybody,” says Stephen’s father. “Being here to see this makes all of us very proud. The cotton industry is one big family, and Stephen has learned so much. We’ll never forget this day.”

Louisiana’s Source For Ag News Contact Tommy Horton at thorton@onegrower.com or (901) 767-4020.

COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2015

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Ginners Marketplace COTTON

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Proactive Approach Helps Prevent Contamination In the last Ginners Marketplace column, I discussed several plastic contamination sources and the need to eliminate those in our cotton. It is necessary for ginners to be proactive in order to protect and retain the U.S. cotton industry’s reputation for delivering high-quality cotton with a goal of zero contamination. A few precautionary measures can definitely make a substantial difference. One potential contaminant can be avoided by checking bale presses for hydraulic oil leaks and repairing any leaks before the ginning season. Bale presses should continue to be monitored for leaks and cleanliness during operation. The ginner should instruct employees that if they observe oil or other contaminants, they are to notify their supervisor as soon as possible. The gin manager also is responsible for housekeeping in and around the gin. A clean, well-organized gin is safer and more productive, encourages pride among employees and helps reduce the frequency of lint contamination. Any potential contaminants found around the bale press should be completely removed but never swept or blown into the press or press pit. In fact, no part of the gin should ever be used as a trash receptacle. Only contamination-free seed cotton should be

allowed anywhere in or around the gin. We have been told by textile mills that wire used to attach the permanent bale identification (PBI) hang tags to the bale packaging sometimes finds its way into the lint and damages expensive processing equipment. Ginners should not use wire to attach these tags. If using traditional hanging tags, use zip ties or cotton cord in place of wire to secure the tags. Consider using adhesive backed PBI bale tags. Also unacceptable are the practices of slipping an extra bale tag coupon under a tie or placing PBI tags on the bale’s surface inside clear bale bags. These tags can become contaminants. Remember, the definition of contamination is anything that’s not cotton. This includes excess moisture. Ginners should monitor final bale moistures levels. Those levels should be no greater than 7.5 percent at any point in the bale – and that

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level should be considered a ceiling and not a target. I realize the vast majority of ginners do everything in their power to eliminate contamination. Each year, though, complaints are received about contaminated lint. So, until we are at zero contamination, ginners and producers will be reminded that vigilance is our best defense. There is a wealth of educational material available on the NCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at http://www.cotton.org/tech/quality/index.cfm that can assist ginners in training employees and in working with producers to improve contamination prevention.

Harrison Ashley, executive vice president of the National Cotton Ginners Association, contributed this article. Contact him at (901) 274-9030 or hashley@cotton.org.

TIGA Conducts Successful Summer Meeting The Texas Independent Ginners Association (TIGA) conducted its Summer Meeting recently at the Barton Creek Resort in

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Future TIGA Meeting Dates Sept. 10: Cotton Week Golf, Lubbock, TX. Sept. 10-12: Cotton Flow Meeting, Lubbock, TX. Sept. 12: Celebrate Cotton Football Game, Lubbock, TX. March 21-24: Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX. June 27-29: Summer Meeting, San Antonio, TX.

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Jan. 5-7: BWCC, New Orleans, La. Jan. 13-14: Cotton/Rice Conference, Memphis, Tenn. Jan. 20-23: Southern/SE Meeting, Savannah, Ga. Jan. 27: Ga. Cotton Commission Meeting, Tifton, Ga. Feb. 5-7: NCC Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas. Feb. 29-March 3: Cotton Board Meeting, Memphis, Tenn. June 7-9: Cotton Incorporated Meeting, Dallas, Texas. July 31-Aug. 3: S./SE Board Meeting, Amelia Island, Fla. Aug. 2-4: C. Board/Cotton Inc. Meeting, Scottsdale, Ariz. Aug. 24-26: NCC Board Meeting, Memphis, Tenn.

2017 Jan. 4-6: BWCC, Dallas, Texas. Jan. 18-21: S./SE Annual Meeting, Charlotte, N.C. Feb. 10-12: NCC Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas. Feb. 28-March 1: Cotton Board March Meeting. June 6-8: Cotton Inc. June Meeting. Aug. 8-10: Cotton Board/CI Joint Meeting. Aug. 23-25: NCC Board Meeting, Peabody Hotel. Dec. 5-7: Cotton Board/CI Joint Meeting. COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2015

22 Bruce Kirksey My Turn v2_Don Cameron My Turn #2 8/21/15 10:20 AM Page 22

My Turn Technology Moves Quickly

ot too long ago Pythagorean theory (3x4x5) with three tape meaI wrote about sures and two extra-long screwdrivers (also challenges that known as a dead man or a graduate student). we will be fac- After measuring and connecting the tape from the ing in the next 20 to 30 hypotenuse with one from our straight line, it years regarding how we turned out that our scarecrow professor was pretwill feed the world’s grow- ty dang close to where we were. ing population. The chalI was never able to do that with the arm thing, lenges with food and water but I used the 3x4x5 method for years and years. shortages, as well as los- Up until the last three years, we have laid out the ing farmland, will no entire Agricenter research area that way. Now it Bruce doubt be of great concern is much simpler and much quicker. We have an in our future and our chil- RTK-based guidance system on our research tracKirksey dren’s future. Today’s te- tor now, and we lay out everything for each field chnological advancements with this tractor. It has many advantages versus are moving forward at an alarming pace that is the “old way.” It’s quicker, and you only need one downright eerie. person. You can easily listen to country music on I wish my grandfathers were both around so the radio while in air conditioning, and you don’t they could see how difneed tape measures or ferent things are now dead men. “I reminisce about why I had to compared to the good Here is another old days. good example. We learn some things in school.” Occasionally, there have spent numerous are times when I remihours counting seeds. nisce about why I had to learn some things in This is another part of the research world that has school. I always thought that there would be no changed over the years, as well. We have gone reason for me to use some of the things that I from actually counting seed, to weighing them out learned in graduate school once I made the transi- based on a smaller count. Depending on the type tion into the real world. of trial now, all we do is make sure that we have I am in research. So, as you know, it is a field slightly more than what we need because our that is technically oriented. Some of my fellow planter counts seeds as we plant. researchers may be a little quirky about how their If we need to plant 120 seeds per 30 foot of row, research plots are laid out. we just make sure that we have at least 120 in the For example, stakes have to be straight. They coin envelope. Anything over 120 seeds will be need to be in the first row or in the middle of the evacuated out into a holding container. plot, and we can plant 32.5-foot plots and trim All of this is to say that I truly believe if we conback to 30-foot plots. There are many other exam- tinue delving into technology that we can face the ples, but one of the plot layout methods has concerns confronting us in the next 30 years. New almost vanished in the last couple of years. advances in genetics, pest control, soil health and We had a professor when I was in graduate different ways to grow crops will provide us with school who could actually lay out a field by stand- ways to meet these concerns. I imagine that 50 ing in the middle of it with his arms outstretched years ago someone was saying how will we feed like a garden scarecrow. He would pull his arms the world? I also imagine that with the way techin together until his hands met. He would then nology is progressing, someone in 20 years will proceed to tell me or another graduate student wonder how we laid out plots using RTK! where to place the flag. This was his way of squaring a field. So, a few of – Bruce Kirksey, Director of Research us wanted to see just how good and accurate this Agricenter International, Memphis, Tenn. method was. We measured out the area using the bkirksey@agricenter.org Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling unusual “farm tales” or timely stories from across the Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting story to tell, send a short summary to thorton@onegrower.com or fax to (901) 767-4026. We look forward to hearing from you.

COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2015

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2:51pm Lake Village, AR Not a weed in sight. Can’t wait until October.

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