Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC
PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES
SEPTEMBER 2016
www.cottonfarming.com
GOING
UNDER COVER Growers Pair Conservation Tillage With Winter Cover Crops
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Vol. 60 No. 9
Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES
SEPTEMBER 2016
www.cottonfarming.com
F E AT U R E S
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Under Cover
Georgia cotton producers pair conservation tillage with winter cover crops to reduce soil erosion and improve water infiltration. “Planting cover crops is the right thing to do. It’s a constant fight to keep this part of the world from flowing into the Withlacoochee River,” says Walter Lentz, who farms sloping and rolling fields, many of which have highly erodible soils, near Sumner, Ga.
DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS
4 Editor’s Note 10 Industry News 5 Cotton’s Agenda 16 Specialists Speaking 9 Research & Promotion 22 My Turn ON THE COVER: Georgia farmer Walter Lentz typically rotates two years of cotton followed by a year of peanuts. Cover photo by Vicky Boyd.
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ROTATION, COVER CROPS
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CA DROUGHT RELIEF
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COTTON MARKET UPDATE
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GINNING MARKETPLACE
A Texas researcher who has done extensive work in the Rolling Plains says rotation/cover crops impact cotton yields more than tillage.
The 2017 Interior appropriations bill, which includes California-related water provisions, sets the stage for federal drought legislation.
Kurt Guidry, LSU AgCenter ag economist, discusses the current cotton market in regard to supply and demand fundamentals.
the official publication of the ginning industry
Harrison Ashley, executive vice president of the National Cotton Ginners’ Association, discusses strategies to prevent cotton contamination. Best defense is a good offense.
WEB EXCLUSIVE Bobby Skeen, executive vice president of the Louisiana Cotton and Grain Association, recently made an important announcement about an upcoming honor for the late Jack Hamilton. Among his many contributions to the cotton industry, Hamilton was one of the founding members and the first president of the Louisiana Cotton and Grain Association (originally the Louisiana Cotton Producers Association). 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. Go to www.cottonfarming.com and look for the Cotton Farming E-News link in the upper right corner of the home page. Find Cotton Farming on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/cottonfarming and follow us on Twitter @CottonFarming.
COTTON FARMING (ISSN 0746-8385) is published monthly January through December by One Grower Publishing LLC, 6515 Goodman Rd., Box 360, Olive Branch, MS 38654. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, Tenn. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Omeda Communications, Customer Service Department, P.O. Box 1388, Northbrook, IL 60065-1388 (Phone: 847-559-7578) (Fax: 847-564-9453). Annual subscriptions are $40. International rates are $55 in Canada/Mexico, $90 in all other countries for air-speeded delivery. Surface delivery not available due to problems in reliability.
Twitter: @CottonFarming
COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2016
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Editor’s Note
Cotton Farming
Carroll Smith
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EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com Managing Editor Vicky Boyd vlboyd@onegrower.com
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Art Imitates Farming Life
riving down the road at sunrise enjoying the taste and aroma of a hot cup of coffee is just the beginning of the sensory experience of farming that lasts throughout the day. A comfortable familiarity with the tasks at hand is heightened by sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Early morning dew on the leaves of the cotton plant. The taste and smell of dust kicked up behind a tractor rolling down the turnrow. The sight and sound of a crop duster flying low across the field. The feeling of soft lint and hard seed before the boll is scooped up by the picker and later processed at the cotton gin. These farm life experiences are ingrained in your memory to be pulled up and savored during times of quiet contemplation. Those who have been blessed with artistic talent take their farm life observations to the next level by preserving and interpreting them through paintings, photographs, sculptures made from old farm equipment, stories, songs and videos. A few that come to mind include Jack DeLoney, Harris Barnes, Bill Barksdale, Jimmy Reed, Mack Ray, Luke Bryan, John Lopez and all of the folks who have contributed to the “My Turn” column published each month in Cotton Farming magazine. Another creative work came across my desk recently. Ken Legé, a cotton development specialist with PhytoGen, sent me a song and video he wrote and produced titled “American Farmer.” Legé grew up on a “weekend cattle farm” in Winnie, Texas, and now resides in Lubbock. “I’ve played country music since I was 14 years old. It’s what I do when I’m not thinking about cotton,” he says. “The inspiration for ‘American Farmer’ came from the growers and other cotton industry folks I’ve worked around for 20-plus years. It is my tribute to all the folks who somehow make it work out in the field against what seems to be overwhelming odds.” Here is an excerpt to whet your appetite before you check it out on YouTube: “A hundred thousand miles a year down the same dirt road Same old fields, but always more money owed Through floods and rains and droughts and hail Never thinking they could ever fail... Puts it all on the line just to make a buck But has a corner-office view from his pickup truck American farmer....” Farming is a way of life that sustains those who go to the field every day and inspires those who record the experience in a multitude of genres. Thanks to all of you!
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 (615) 377-3322 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 2016 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.
Carroll
If you have comments, please send them to: Cotton Farming Magazine, 7201 Eastern Ave., Germantown, TN, 38138. Contact Carroll Smith via email at csmith@onegrower.com.
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COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2016
One Grower Publishing, LLC 6515 Goodman Rd., Box 360, Olive Branch, MS 38654 Phone: 901-767-4020
COTTONFARMING.COM
Cotton’s Agenda Bruce Atherley
Building A Brand Cotton Council International (CCI) the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) export promotions arm, is vigorously promoting U.S. cotton worldwide among yarn spinners, fabric/garment manufacturers, brands/ retailers and consumers.
How is CCI executing its strategy? n Working from 20 offices covering more than 50 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and Central and South America, CCI is striving to make U.S. cotton the preferred fiber for mills/manufacturers, brands/retailers and consumers. Using a highly effective supply-push/demand pull strategy in that mission, CCI drives U.S. product superiority by focusing on growth markets in Asia, sustaining the successful track record with mills and manufacturers, and strengthening partnerships with brands. CCI’s efforts were boosted at the International Bremen Cotton Conference where CCI Chairman Dahlen Hancock heralded the environmental responsibility – including sustainability efforts – of U.S. cotton farmers and other industry members. To further communicate U.S. cotton’s many desirable benefits and elevate the fiber’s position globally, CCI recently appointed Cramer-Krasselt as its new lead global marketing and communicaFashion shows were a key part of COTTON tions agency. USA’s Cotton Days. Regarding partnerships with brands and retailers, CCI revised the global licensing program to increase global and local brands’ participation. COTTON USAlicensed cotton user firms throughout the supply chain are using the COTTON USA Mark logo to distinguish products at retail that contain a majority of U.S. cotton. Among CCI’s many promotions this year were the annual Cotton Days, where CCI President Keith Lucas helped draw attention to U.S. cotton’s high quality in the key markets of Japan,
Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. At the first-ever Cotton Day in Bangladesh, a Lucas-led special delegation met with textile and apparel industry leaders in that rapidly growing market. The first ever COTTON USA Pop-Up store opened in Bangkok, Thailand, at the world’s sixth largest shopping complex. Womenswear and menswear collections from two COTTON USA licensees were spotlighted. Another first was a successful Chinese apartment complex promotion where visitors were inspired to decorate with U.S. cotton-rich home textiles. CCI will conduct another Chinese apartment promotion this month.
What about the trade services arena? n Among CCI’s key trade servicing activities was a U.S. executive delegation to Southeast Asia where U.S. cotton’s quality, timely delivery and other advantages were discussed with textile and garment leaders in Vietnam and Indonesia – the first and fifth largest U.S. cotton export markets. Likewise, CCI coordinated an industry delegation led by NCC Chairman Shane Stephens to China where Chinese cotton/textile industry leaders were reminded of U.S. cotton’s benefits. During a special trade mission in our Cotton Belt, executives from nine Korean textile companies learned about U.S. cotton production, processing and marketing, and met with U.S. exporters. Through their participation this year in CCI’s COTTON USA Sourcing Program – a key trade servicing function – 16 U.S. textile mills developed and enhanced business relationships with key customers worldwide. In November, CCI, Cotton Incorporated and the U.S. cotton industry will host the biennial Sourcing USA Summit in California where hundreds of U.S. and other global sourcing companies will share information ranging from managing cotton market risk to improving textile processing. More importantly, these firms’ networking should result in significant sales of U.S. cotton.
Bruce Atherley is executive director of Cotton Council International, the NCC’s export promotion arm. He and other NCC leaders contribute columns on this Cotton Farming page. Twitter: @CottonFarming
COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2016
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COVER STORY
GOING
BY VICKY BOYD MANAGING EDITOR
UNDER COVER Growers Pair Conservation Tillage With Winter Cover Crops To Reduce Soil Erosion And Improve Water Infiltration
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ith conservation deep seeded in his roots, Walter Lentz is a firm believer in cover crops and reduced tillage to help minimize erosion and keep the soil on his fields. “Cover crops are somewhat of a necessity, but hey, it’s also the right thing to do,” says Lentz, who farms sloping and rolling fields, many of which have highly erodible soils, near Sumner, Ga. “It’s a constant fight to keep this part of the world from flowing into the Withlacoochee River.
“When this farm was purchased, it had been neglected. Conservation tillage is something that where I farm you’ve got to do — it’s just a no brainer.” Even on his fields with less erodible soils, Lentz plants a cover crop. But he isn’t the only producer following cotton or peanuts with a winter cover. Although no hard figures are available, the general consensus among Georgia’s Extension specialists is about 20 percent of acreage is under conservation tillage combined with a winter cover crop, says Dr. COTTONFARMING.COM
Opposite page: One of the most important aspects of obtaining cover crop benefits is maximizing biomass for the following crop. COURTESY ALABAMA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
A Family Tradition Of Conservation Lentz came into farming by way of the timber industry. Both he and his father oversaw timber production, wildlife management and conservation on a large Georgia timber preserve. Lentz left that industry about five years ago and began farming in 2012 with partners Tommy and Tim Sumner of T&T Sumner Farms. “Conservation was always something big in my background in timber,” Lentz says. His typical rotation involves two years of cotton followed by a year of peanuts. Shortly after cotton harvest in October or early November, he broadcasts 1 ½ to 2 bushels of wheat seed onto the soil, then comes back with a drag to cover the seed. A single irrigation from one of his center-pivots starts the crop off, and he relies on natural rain for the remaining moisture. No fertilizer is applied since he doesn’t intend to harvest the grain. The wheat typically reaches about 10-15 inches tall before he burns it down with a tankmix of glyphosate and 2,4-D about two weeks before planting cotton in May. “We’re trying to keep that cover crop as long as possible,” Lentz says. He applies a second burn down, typically Gramoxone and Prowl, just ahead of planting to pick up any wheat missed the first time or plants Twitter: @CottonFarming
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
Glen Harris, a University of Georgia professor of crop and soil sciences and Extension agronomist based in Tifton. That includes producers who let winter weeds grow and burn them down just before planting as well as producers who plant a cover crop. “We plant over 1 million acres of cotton in Georgia, so 20 percent is still a lot,” Harris says. “Probably one of the reasons why conservation tillage and cover crops aren’t higher than 20 percent is it’s really hard to show growers a dollar value or this is what it’s going to help you make. But cover crops do a lot in terms of nutrition and water-holding capacity.”
Corn and rye residue are part of a conservation tillage system on a farm near Hawkinsville, Ga. that have regreened since the first application. He then no-tills right through the plant residue. Peanuts are a bit more challenging, since that crop is planted on beds and requires smoother soil conditions. With peanuts, Lentz burns down the cover a few weeks earlier, allowing it to degrade a bit longer in the field before bedding up. Nevertheless, he says the increased vegetation does slow the bedding process. Shortly before peanut harvest, Lentz broadcasts the wheat cover seed. The actual peanut harvest helps disperse the seed.
Yields, Water Infiltration Increase Lentz has hosted Agronomic Performance Trials, formerly called Cotton Agronomic Performance or CAP trials, on his farm the past several years. He has seen firsthand how the different varieties perform on his operation. Conducted by Bayer throughout the Cotton Belt, the performance trials are designed to give growers, consultants and researchers insight into how varieties — including those of competitors — perform under local conditions. The past two years, Lentz has planted mostly Stoneville ST COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2016
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Most Georgia producers who plant a cover use either rye or wheat, depending on their production system, seed availability and seed price, says Dr. Glen Harris, a University of Georgia professor of crop and soil sciences and Extension agronomist based in Tifton. Drilling the grain can be time consuming, so some growers have taken to broadcasting seed, followed by light tillage. To get the most biomass from a cover crop, Harris says growers need to have it in the ground by October or early November and let it grow until at least March. They then kill the cover a few weeks before planting using either herbicides or mechanical means, such as rolling. When done correctly, organic matter from cover crops can provide a number of benefits, including improved soil tilth, reduced nutrient leaching, reduced soil erosion, improved Palmer amaranth control and improved water infiltration. In the Tifton area, soils average 0.5 to 1 percent organic matter, which is very low. “We can lime them and fertilize them, but one of the things we could do and don’t do enough of is increasing the organic matter,” Harris says. “Anything we can do to increase the organic matter in our soils is going to be a good thing in the long run.” Dr. Stanley Culpepper, a UGA professor and Extension agronomist, for several years has been studying high-biomass cover crops, such as rye, as part of an overall integrated weed-management program to help control Palmer amaranth. The goal is to produce a dense, nearly season-long mat of plant material to block light that Palmer amaranth needs for germination and growth. But the dense cover isn’t a cure-all as it does little to suppress nutsedge, which can germinate without light. That’s why Culpepper stresses using cover crops as part of an integrated approach that also includes effective herbicides. He has focused on rye because of its rapid growth during the winter and high biomass potential. Although wheat doesn’t produce nearly the
5115GLT and ST 6182GLT because of their consistently high yields and strong gin turn-out. In his 2015 trials, ST 5115GLT yielded 1,820 pounds with 42.5 percent lint, while ST 6182GLT yielded 1,727 pounds with 46.1 percent lint. “When I got over 1,800 pounds, I was tickled to death,” Lentz says. For growers planting through plant residue, Josh Mayfield, Bayer Southeast regional cotton agronomist, recommends varieties with larger seeds and higher vigor. This helps offset the reduced seed-to-soil contact encountered in conservation-tillage systems. Although both varieties Lentz plants have average-sized seed, he describes them as “work horses.” “Once you get (ST 6182GLT) up and going, it does really, really, really well,” he says. Lentz and Michael Brooks, manager of Omega Farm Supply and Gin Co. in Omega, Ga., say they’ve
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COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
Cover Crops Offer Benefits But Must Fit Producers’ Programs
Rye can be seen between rows of cotton at the University of Georgia Stripling Irrigation Research Park in Camilla, Ga. residual matter, Culpepper says the grain still has benefits. “I’m not suggesting that rye is the only way to go – it’s my ultimate goal, my dream so far because it is easy to grow and produces massive levels of residue,” he says. “But most people just can’t go that way when they begin as it often takes a couple of years to figure out how to manage those high levels of biomass. Remember every bag of cotton seed is very expensive, and we must get a perfect stand, which means equipment modifications may be needed. My goal is to take conventional growers and over time help them understand the benefits (of cover crops) and adopt more sustainable systems.” And the choice of cover crops ultimately rests with producers and what best fits their operations.
noticed several benefits from the cover including improved yields. Brooks says the winter crop also is helping build soil organic matter as well as managing soil CEC, or cation exchange capacity. CEC influences soil’s ability to hold onto essential nutrients and provides a buffer against soil acidification. Lentz says he’s noticed improved water infiltration because of the cover crops. “The first year we had this place, you would water and see the water run off,” he says. “Now you can see it soak in. It’s a big difference.” Strip Tillage Kevin Tabb, who farms near Damascus, Ga., has taken a slightly different approach. He planted his first wheat cover crop during the 2015-16 winter on selected fields as part of a Natural Resources Conservation Service program. About three weeks before planting
cotton, he burns down the cover crop with a tankmix of 1 quart glyphosate and 20 ounces of 2,4-D amine. A second burndown typically of Gramoxone and possibly more glyphosate is applied just before planting. Tabb runs a strip-till rig consisting of a 10-inch shank with coulters on each side down the middle of 36-inch beds and plants right behind. The addition of a wheat crop in the winter also means little down time for the Damascus producer. “Usually we get off work about November and do nothing but disk land,” Tabb says. “This is just like planting again — it never ends.” Because this is his first cotton crop following the cover, he says he doesn’t yet know the effects on his cotton, corn or peanuts that are part of his three-year rotation. Tabb is locked into the NRCS Conservation Stewardship Program for five years and says he plans to reevaluate cover crops after that. COTTONFARMING.COM
RESEARCH & PROMOTION
Three New Initiatives Move Consumers To Purchase Cotton
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otton Incorporated has a renewed, refreshed approach to its goal of increasing consumer demand for cotton. Last year, the organization launched “Cotton. It’s Your Favorite for a Reason” television advertising campaign and is now taking it a step further by giving consumers every opportunity to shop for their favorite fabric. Over the summer, Cotton Incorporated’s Consumer Marketing team set in motion three new initiatives to move consumers from being fond of cotton to actually purchasing the fabric of our lives. “We know consumers love cotton and want to make it easy for them to find it, especially during the busy back-to-school season,” says Kim Kitchings, senior vice president of Consumer Marketing, Cotton Incorporated. Cooler In Cotton While warm weather brings a lot of joy, unwanted sweat stains and odors can take over during those hot and humid months. Cotton Incorporated is offering consumers an easy solution: wear more cotton. To get people thinking and talking about cotton in a different way, the Cotton Incorporated advertising department released a digital music video in July that talks about those uncomfortable moments and how they can be avoided – simply by wearing cotton. For the first time, Cotton Incorporated is using humor as a way to appeal to consumers and foster shareability. The song’s competitive messaging promotes cotton’s functional benefits over synthetics, while reminding consumers why checking the fiber content label matters. The catchy lyrics include lines such as, “You want to wear more, wash less, smell good, impress – at work, on a date, summer will be great with cotton.” The online music video targets both women and men and has been supported by social media, paid media, public relations and blogger Twitter: @CottonFarming
Cotton Incorporated produced a digital music video that uses humor and catchy lyrics to encourage consumers to wear cotton during the hot and humid months. outreach. Cotton Incorporated also provides consumers a way to shop the looks featured in the video. To view the Cooler In Cotton video and shop the looks, please visit Cotton Incorporated’s consumer website, TheFabricOfOurLives.com. National Mall Campaign Cotton Incorporated went back to school this season with a new experiential promotion within 30 malls across the United States. It featured signage of actress-singer Hailee Steinfeld (seen in movies such as “Pitch Perfect 2”) in versatile, trendy cotton looks. The exhibition space included mannequins clad in cotton apparel inspired by the looks worn by Steinfeld. The featured looks were available from retailers within each of the participating malls. Designed to encourage consumers to seek out cotton apparel, the “Find Your Favorite” promotion began in select malls on July 23 and continues through October. The promotion also includes a special cotton gift with purchase for qualifying shoppers. The goals of this program are clear. It encourages consumers to look for cotton when shopping, pushes consumers to check fiber content labels and
identify cotton as a primary ingredient, and drives cotton sales. Your Own Cotton Adventure Cotton Incorporated also launched an interactive “choose your own adventure” video in July. This engaging experience includes three periods of the day – morning, afternoon and evening. In each period, the user can choose three types of activities. Within each activity, there are options for how it will be portrayed. Each option links to a different outfit or style from a range of brands. For example, in the morning, users can decide whether the model powers up (smoothie or coffee), works out (yoga or cycling) or walks the dog (rainy day or sunny day). Throughout the video, users are presented with similar opportunities to decide how the day goes, and the video reacts accordingly. With 18 video segments for the user to choose among, the final interactive experience can be explored through hundreds of combinations. The video is then entirely shoppable through TheFabricOfOurLives.com. The Cotton Board, which administers CI’s Research and Promotion Program, contributed this article. COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2016
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Industry News Raymat Specializes In Insect Growth Regulators Raymat Crop Science, headquartered in Pleasanton, Calif., with offices in Shanghai, China, specializes in insect growth regulators (IGR) in both agriculture and animal health. This U.S.-owned and operated corporation has worked with global partners for more than 10 years. In agriculture, instead of using the 7-10 micron particle size of the IGR used in animal health, Cavalier 2L diflubenzuron ingredients are precision milled to obtain a 2.5 micron particle size for maximum insect control. This provides superior leaf coverage and extended residual control. “It’s also the perfect particle size for enhancing your soybean fungicide, developing a synergistic effect,” says Raymat owner and long-time crop protection industry veteran James Oliver, Hernando, Miss. Cavalier 2L is labeled for soybeans, peanuts, citrus, and tree, nut and vine crops. In soybeans, Cavalier 2L has been field-proven for several years and underwent rigorous trial testing with several Mid-South and Southeast universities and independent consultants in 2015. For example, Alan Blaine’s consultant company, Southern Ag Consulting, conducted several Cavalier 2L field trials last year. In one treatment, 2 ounces of Cavalier 2L were applied with 4 ounces of Priaxor fungicide at R3. The treated soybeans averaged 7.7 bushels more than the untreated check, averaging 43.5 bushels and 35.8 bushels, respectively. “As these field trial results show, a Cavalier/fungicide treatment can add 7.7 more bushels per acre,” Oliver says. “Even at $8 beans, that’s $61.60 more per acre to the grower. And a Cavalier 2L treatment costs less than a bushel of beans.” Cavalier 2L effectively and economically controls most soybean insect pests, including velvetbean caterpillars, green clover worms, cabbage loopers, saltmarsh caterpillars and grasshoppers. “Farmers who tankmix Cavalier 2L with their fungicide on their early beans are protected without flaring secondary insect pests, and most do not have to make a late season, expensive insecticide treatment,” Oliver says. He says the tankmix also benefits all Mid-South and Southeast
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soybeans. “We have consistently seen yield increases ranging from 2 to 7 bushels per acre on Cavalier 2L-treated soybeans,” he says. Cavalier 2L is highly compatible, easy to mix and can be applied aerially or by ground. “In addition to controlling many soybean insect pests, Cavalier 2L has shown potential for some fungicidal synergism, both in university studies and in field use,” Oliver says. To learn more, contact your Helena Chemical sales representative and visit www.cavalier2l.com.
Help Offered To Maximize On-Target Herbicide Application Growers participating in Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions now have an opportunity to upgrade sprayers with broadcast hoods at low cost. The goal is to maximize on-target applications during the 2017 Spray Technology Equipment Offer, which runs from July 1, 2016, to Jan. 31, 2017. Qualified growers will be offered a 30 percent discount and a 10 percent rebate on the purchase of either a Willmar Fabrication SPK645 SelfPropelled Broadcast Retrofit Kit or a 642E Three-Point Wheel Boom Broadcast Hooded Sprayer with OverCenter Fold. Both products feature the Redball Gen II Broadcast SprayHoods. When used during ground applications, Redball Gen II hoods have been proven in field trials to help improve sprayer accuracy and coverage. They also minimize pesticide drift by up to 90 percent, especially when combined
with other drift-reduction technologies such as drift-retardant adjuvants or low-drift nozzles. “Together, Willmar and Monsanto are taking things to another step to help farmers improve accuracy and minimize waste when they are spraying their crops,” says Steve Claussen, president of Willmar Fabrication. To qualify, growers must be active participants in the Roundup Ready PLUS platform and purchase a total of 60 units of Roundup Ready 2 Xtend Soybeans and/or Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield Soybeans, or a total of 12 units of Bollgard II XtendFlex Cotton before Jan. 31, 2017. Upon purchase of the seed, growers will be offered a 30 percent discount when they purchase a qualifying hooded sprayer directly from Willmar using their Monsanto Tech ID number. By submitting their Willmar proof-ofpurchase and the Monsanto Tech ID number, growers will then receive a 10 percent rebate on the qualifying equipment purchase. A second option allows growers who purchase the required amount of seed to qualify for a 30 percent discount on the purchase of a qualifying hooded sprayer between Feb. 1 and June 30, 2017. Qualifying equipment includes the SPK645 Self-Propelled Broadcast Retrofit Kit and the 642E ThreePoint Broadcast Hooded Sprayer with Over-Center Fold. To place an order, call 877-865-5887. To learn more, visit www.willmarfab.com or Willmar’s YouTube channel. For more about Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions, visit http:// www.roundupreadyplus.com/.
The 642E Three-Point Broadcast Hooded Sprayer with Over-Center Fold offers drift protection and spraying accuracy. COTTONFARMING.COM
Industry News Enter to Win $20,000 To Transform Your Community Cotton farming is more than a job. It’s a way of life deeply rooted in community. Transform® WG insecticide helps to protect your cotton yields and a heritage of cotton farming. Now it can help your hometown, too. Be sure to enter the second annual Transform My Community contest, sponsored by Dow AgroSciences and Cotton Farming magazine before the deadline of Sept. 30. On the entry form, tell how Transform has helped protect your cotton yield from plant bugs and how your favorite organization or charity (local FFA chapter, food bank, library, etc.) is working to help transform your community. Your idea could win $20,000 for your community and a $1,000 cash prize for you. Last year’s grand-prize winner, A.J. Hood, Monticello, Ark., helped fund construction of a baseball field and playground designed especially for kids with disabilities. Due to Section 18 label use restrictions, the contest is open only to cotton farmers and consultants in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee who know Transform will provide the insect control their cotton needs. Visit www.TransformMyCommunity.com today to access the TMC entry form.
Intuitive Agricultural Solutions For Mississippi Farmers Hydro Tech, a Clarksdale, Miss., agricultural monitoring company, has developed a new technology that will change the way Mississippi farmers remotely monitor crops, with the help of Verizon. Hydro Tech Solutions is a powerful sensor that measures weather, soil and crop saturation levels, and other soil data in real time. The sensor, which is powered exclusively on Verizon’s 4G LTE network, also tracks revolutions per minute, oil pressure, engine temperature, battery level and fuel tank levels of irrigation well engines. Continuously assessing these vital measurements is crucial to maximize crop yields. “With advanced weather data such as rainfall, wind speed and wind direction, farmers can minimize crop damage,” says Brian Smith of Hydro Twitter: @CottonFarming
Tech. “Partnering with the nation’s largest 4G LTE network was the best choice for powering innovative agricultural solutions.” With Hydro Tech Solutions, farmers can start and stop irrigation well engines from their smartphones or tablets, helping to prevent overwatering or underwatering crops. Many farms in remote areas have little to no Internet access, making it difficult to benefit from WiFi-enabled solutions. Verizon’s 4G LTE network ensures a reliable connection. “A reliable network is essential when managing something as susceptible to weather conditions as crops,” says Verizon South Central Market President Krista Bourne. Hydro Tech partnered with the Agricultural Engineering Department at Mississippi State University to design the sensors and develop intuitive dashboards for smart devices. The technology has been installed on nearly a dozen farms in the Clarksdale area.
Enlist Cotton Trait Earns Full Export Approval U.S. cotton growers can plant varieties containing the Enlist trait with confidence in 2017. Cotton grown using this technology now has full export approval in key countries. South Korea recently approved Enlist cotton for food use. The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety ruling gives full feed and food import approval for cotton varieties containing the Enlist trait. The ruling allows use of cottonseed oil and products in the country’s food system. “This is a great step forward for cotton growers and the Enlist weed control system,” says John Chase, Dow AgroSciences, Enlist commercial leader. Enlist takes weed control to the next level by building on the Roundup Ready system. Enlist cotton, part of the Enlist weed control system, is tolerant to new 2,4-D choline, glyphosate and glufosinate for postemergence control of tough weeds. Once registered for use on Enlist cotton, growers can use Enlist Duo herbicide, a combination of a new 2,4-D and glyphosate. Registration of Enlist Duo for use on Enlist cotton is anticipated for the 2017 cropping season.
CCOY Cotton Consultant of the Year established 1981
Bob Glodt 2013 CCOY AWARD RECIPIENT
“I am especially interested in irrigation management – the ‘new frontier’ in agricultural consulting on the Texas High Plains. Determining the correct amount and timing of irrigations makes a significant positive impact on yields. And farmers make good bosses. I enjoy being a part of their production management. “Being selected 2013 Cotton Consultant of the Year was an honor because my peers voted for me. The CCOY award recognizes the importance of agricultural consulting in cotton production on the national level. Decision-making based on science and sound economic thresholds is always the best way to go. I believe cotton consultants bring that perspective to the table.” Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by
Cotton Farming COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2016
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RESEARCH & EDUCATION
Rotation, Cover Crops Impact Cotton Yields More Than Tillage BY KAY LEDBETTER TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
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fter eight years of research on no-till advantages and disadvantages with cotton crops, Dr. Paul DeLaune is convinced it’s not as much about the tillage as it is about the cover crop and/or rotation. DeLaune, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research environmental soil scientist in Vernon, says he has compared no-till, strip till and conventional till, as well as cotton with a terminated wheat crop in the Rolling Plains. “What we’ve seen over eight years is you are really not changing carbon levels,” he says. “But we shouldn’t be looking at one thing only. Even though carbon levels aren’t changing, we’ve dramatically changed some soil physical properties.” With cotton, DeLaune says there’s not much residue, so there is little change in infiltration rates between no-till and conventional till cotton. “But we have seen a greater infiltration rate where we have a terminated wheat crop – double or triple our infiltration rates.” Benefits May Outweigh Costs While the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service program sometimes requires a multispecies cover crop to qualify for cost-share programs, depending on the county, DeLaune says he has been experimenting with both single and mixed cover crops since 2011. The monocultures he has researched include Austrian winter field pea, hairy vetch, crimson clover and wheat. The mixed species included rye, wheat, hairy vetch, turnips and radishes. Cover crops are planted at lower than full seeding rates, which may differ from information seen in other parts of the country. DeLaune says everyone knows cover crops aren’t free, as there is cost for the seed and use of soil moisture.
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Dr. Paul DeLaune discusses cover crops at a recent field day on the Texas A&M AgriLife Research station south of Chillicothe.
Hairy vetch is one of the cover crops that DeLaune includes in his research. But, the benefits can potentially outweigh the costs over time. “We have maintained cotton yields. We have seen an increase in our soil nitrogen in the upper 6 inches, particularly following legume monospecies. We have seen a visible response to cotton behind those cover crops.” Increased Infiltration DeLaune’s team takes readings from neutron probes in all of the cover crop research plots every other week and he has compiled four years of moisture graphs. “Yes, cover crops use water,” he says. “But some people say cover crops make water. What they are talking about is increased
infiltration. We pull soil moisture down by timing cover crop termination in mid- to late April. If we get rains in May and plant in June, we get a much higher infiltration rate. By planting season, we are back to status quo.” DeLaune lets the wheat form a head and stem before terminating it. This approach may use a little more water, but that’s what makes the residue, which is key to protecting the soil surface, building root biomass and subsequently infiltration. The ultimate goal with cover crops is to build soil structure and make it more functional. “With cotton on cotton, no-till alone is probably not going to cut it. But we’ve done very well with just a wheat cover crop, that’s a $6 or $8 treatment per acre compared to the $20 to $25 per acre with a mix of some of these species.” But cover crops alone are not the answer. “If you have continuous cotton, a cover crop would be good, but I encourage a crop rotation. Data that show a cotton-sorghum rotation can increase carbon more rapidly, increasing carbon levels in four years under the rotation, whereas we haven’t in eight years with cotton on cotton.” COTTONFARMING.COM
LEGISLATION
House Vote Sets Stage For Talks On Drought Relief BY CHRISTINE SOUZA
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efore members of Congress l e f t Wa s h i n g t o n f o r t h e political conventions and August recess, the House of Representatives passed a 2017 appropriations bill that included California drought-relief provisions. California Farm Bureau Federation President Paul Wenger says passage of the appropriations legislation by the House represents an important step toward addressing problems that limit the flexibility of the California water system. By a vote of 231-196, the House passed the 2017 Interior appropriations bill, HR 5538, including the California-related water provisions. The inclusion of the provisions on water could help set the stage for negotiations with the U.S. Senate this fall, says Erin Huston, CFBF federal policy consultant. “This is the first time the House has passed an Interior bill since 2009, which can be seen as a milestone in itself,” Huston says. “This bill provides a potential path for desperately needed federal drought legislation. We are still working under a very limited calendar, but we will continue to urge a federal legislative solution.” HR 5538 provides $32.1 billion in total discretionary budget authority for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and related agencies for fiscal year 2017. This represents a decrease of $64 million from the 2016 enacted level and $1 billion below the administration’s request. Drought Legislation Drought-relief provisions in the bill were added during full committee markup by Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, Calif. The drought provisions stem from Valadao’s HR 2898, the Western Water and American Food Security Act, which would require federal agencies to “use
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San Luis Reservoir in Central California holds only about 10 percent of its capacity, the lowest level in 25 years. San Luis, which operators describe as the largest off-stream reservoir in the nation, collects water used by both federal and state water projects in California. current and reliable data” when making regulatory decisions and give federal regulators flexibility to capture more water during wet years. “This vote marks the third appropriations bill that has included solutions to California’s water crisis,” Valadao says, adding that he would “continue to pursue every single legislative avenue available until my constituents have the water they so desperately need.” Certain elements of Valadao’s drought legislation were included in the appropriations bill, such as provisions for pumping water, long-term water storage, protections for water rights holders, federal water purchases and promoting conservation fish hatcheries for delta smelt. To increase the chances for passage, Valadao’s drought bill has also been added to House energy legislation. “An energy conference is looking more probable but still faces the challenge of a limited legislative calendar, as we are now into time away from Washington, D.C., for political conventions and summer recess,” Huston adds.
Other Elements Of The Bill The Interior appropriations bill also includes $480 million to fully fund Payments in Lieu of Taxes. PILT provides funds to local communities with federal land to help offset losses in property taxes and $3.9 billion for the Department of the Interior and Forest Service to prevent and combat wildfires. In addition, the legislation contains policy provisions intended to stop federal regulatory overreach that harms U.S. agriculture, including provisions of the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. The White House has indicated the president will veto the appropriations bill in its current form. “I think the question is whether they can attach it to something that the president just can’t veto,” Huston says. “All of this is still very much in ‘we will see’ mode.” Christine Souza (csouza@cfbf.com) is an assistant editor of Ag Alert – the weekly newspaper of the California Farm Bureau Federation. COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2016
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“Anytime a market experiences prices higher than what the supply and demand fundamentals suggest, there is always a risk of a sharp market correction,” says Kurt Guidry, agricultural economist with LSU AgCenter.
Cotton Market Outlook BY KURT M. GUIDRY LSU AGCENTER
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fter rallying to the upper 70 cents per pound range during the month of July, new crop cotton futures prices appear to be working their way back down. For much of 2016, new crop cotton futures prices seemed to be stuck in an upper 50 cents to low 60 cents per pound trading range. All of the fundamental supply and demand news pointed to larger acreage and larger production in 2016. With no significant signs of improved domestic or export demand, the potential for a large 2016 crop weighed heavily on the market. However, as the summer progressed, the development of hot, dry conditions in Texas and parts of Georgia along with dry conditions in India began to foster concerns of lower cotton supplies. This introduced a considerable amount of risk premium in the markets and helped support prices. Speculative interests took this momentum and continued to push prices higher by going from a net short position (selling more contracts then purchasing) in early 2016 to the highest net long position (purchasing more contracts then selling) in more than two years. However, this has brought prices to levels that are not fully supported by the underlying supply and demand fundamentals.
Corn/Soybean Prices: A Perfect Example Current U.S. Department of Agriculture projections show ending cotton stocks increasing by 20 percent for the
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2016/17 marketing year over the previous year in which the average marketing year price was 58 cents per pound. Anytime a market experiences prices higher than what the supply and demand fundamentals suggest, there is always a risk of a sharp market correction. The corn and soybean markets earlier this year are a perfect example. Weather concerns pushed corn and soybean prices to sharply higher levels. However, once those weather concerns diminished, prices began to move back to levels that were much more in line with the supply and demand projections. Although dry conditions remain in parts of Georgia, rains over the past few weeks in Texas have improved growing conditions. Also, more favorable planting and growing conditions in India have increased projections of that country’s total cotton production. Downside Risk Still Exists With futures prices recently closing in the upper 60 cents per pound range, it is starting to appear that this market may be beginning a downward trend back to the levels it experienced earlier in the year. Although improved supply and demand fundamentals suggest slightly stronger prices than the market saw earlier in 2016, there is still downside risk to the low 60 cents per pound range. Dr. Kurt Guidry is an agricultural economist with LSU AgCenter. Contact him at KMGuidry@agcenter.lsu.edu. COTTONFARMING.COM
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Cotton Farming
Specialists Speaking Cautiously Optimistic ARKANSAS Bill Robertson
Be timely with your defoliation application and then be ready to harvest the crop once adequate defoliation has been achieved. From my perspective, I think the crop looks good across the state and hope for an above-average yield for all our Arizona growers. For more information on irrigation termination and defoliation timing, go to www.cals.arizona.edu/crops. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu
The National Agricultural Statistics Service August Crop Production report projects Arkansas producers will harvest 1,052 pounds lint per acre. The August estimate last year projected a record-high yield of 1,226 pounds lint per acre, surpassing the previous record set in 2014 of 1,182 pounds lint per acre. Boll numbers were good in August last year. But as most remember, the occurrence of parrot-beaked or misshaped bolls was common, and seed numbers per boll was lower than expected. We ended the 2015 season with a yield of 1,092 pounds lint per acre. The current crop’s boll size and seed numbers per boll look good at this point. The Cotton Varieties Planted U.S. 2016 Crop report to be released mid-September will give us the first official look at the new mix of varieties planted. And we do have a new mix of varieties planted in Arkansas this season. I estimate that more than half of the Arkansas cotton acres are planted to B2XF varieties with DP 1518 B2XF and NG 3406 B2XF leading the charge. As a group, the B2XF varieties are solid-yielding with good fiber packages. We use results from the Arkansas Official Variety Trials conducted by Dr. Fred Bourland to make variety selection decisions. It may be beneficial for us to knock the dust off this publication to review characteristics for our new varieties, such as leaf pubescence and fiber quality scores. Take DPL 1518 B2XF for example. Out of 32 varieties, it ranked No. 2 for yield, No. 8 for quality score and No. 2 for leaf pubescence in Bourland’s program. Great yield and fiber but about as hairy as there was in the program. It is important that we refresh our memories regarding the strengths and weaknesses of our new mix of varieties to manage them to avoid quality discounts at the end of what could be a very good season. brobertson@uaex.edu
September is the time of year when growers are counting the days to peanut harvest and watching cotton to see which crop will be ready to harvest first. Many of the new cotton varieties fruit and cut out early, making cotton ready to harvest a week or so before varieties from a few years back. Timely rains in many areas resulted in a heavy boll set from the first few weeks of bloom. It seems that much of the cotton in our area is not as tall as in some years even with irrigation. Other areas had ample rainfall, and aggressive plant growth regulator applications helped shorten the cotton while boll set proceeded quickly. Good plant bug and stinkbug control also contributed to earliness. Many fields in Florida have good fruit set. An average to better-than-average yield may be expected if weather cooperates at harvest and growers have harvesters in the field as soon as the cotton opens after defoliation. It will be important to have pickers ready when the cotton opens as weather, such as occurred in the Carolinas last year, can occur any time in Florida as well. With more upfront crop costs and low prices, it is important to preserve yield and quality by being ready to harvest as the crop matures. High yields of high-quality cotton can ensure a profit even when prices are at today’s level. wright@ufl.edu
ARIZONA Randy Norton
LOUISIANA Dan Fromme
With the crop winding down in the majority of the state, it is time to begin making decisions about crop termination and preparations for harvest. As most of the crop is approaching or at cut-out, irrigation termination decisions will need to be made. Keep in mind that approximately 600 heat units (HU) are required for a fresh bloom to develop into a harvestable boll. During this time of 600 HU, adequate soil moisture is needed to ensure proper fiber development. In mid- to late September, 600 HU equates to about three weeks. So, for example, a fresh bloom set on Sept. 10 will need good soil moisture through the end of September. Depending on weather conditions, an irrigation on Sept. 20 would likely complete the development of that boll and be the final irrigation. Once the crop has received the final irrigation, it’s time to begin making defoliation/harvest prep applications. Observing crop conditions and knowing what you have in the field and the progression of that crop toward maturation is critical in making a properly timed defoliation decision. Proper defoliation timing can mean the difference between one application of a defoliant and multiple applications. Once the final irrigation has been applied, watch the crop and attempt to time your defoliant application at approximately 60 percent open boll or when you have 3-5 nodes of unopened harvestable bolls above the uppermost, first-position cracked boll. This technique has proven effective in Arizona cotton production systems.
Yield potential for the 2016 cotton crop continues to look very favorable when we compare it to the 2015 crop, which finished at 871 pounds lint per acre. Current estimates for the 2016 crop are north of 1,000 pounds lint per acre. This year’s cotton crop received much-needed rainfall during the latter part of July and early August. Bollworm pressure was extremely heavy in July and August throughout the state. Defoliation will begin in the latter part of August, and harvest will start in the earlier planted fields during the last week of August. In preparing the 2016 crop for harvest, we should review the basic defoliation timing principles. A balancing act always exists 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. Three methods or options for timing cotton defoliation are 60 percent open boll, four nodes above cracked boll, or 1,050 heat units beyond cut-out (NAWF=4). Most importantly, whatever method is employed, growers 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
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FLORIDA David Wright
COTTONFARMING.COM
MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds The wild ride of 2016 continues as we roll into September. Cotton prices are above 70 cents per pound, we had greater than 90 percent retention in many fields headed into August, and then the first three weeks of August turned off cloudy and wet in many areas. Heavy fruit shed was observed during the first two weeks of August, which undoubtedly affected potential yields. However, given the high level of retention in this crop prior to shedding, above-average to excellent yield potential still exists in a large portion of the crop. Timing of harvest-aid applications should be at the forefront of your mind as we progress through September. We typically recommend applying a harvest aid when cotton is 60 percent open and the uppermost fruit are mature. However, with all of the variable emergence observed this year, 60 percent open boll may occur in one area of a given field but not another. Take time to check the entire field for percent open boll if you experienced variable emergence this spring. Doing so may somewhat delay a harvest-aid application but may ultimately put more money in your pocket. darrind@ext.msstate.edu
MISSOURI Mike Milam Missouri cotton is slowly moving toward the end of the season. As I write this, we are approaching our last effective bloom date. I am somewhat concerned that we are behind in setting bolls. According to the Crop Progress and Condition Report, we only have 42 percent setting bolls compared with 56 percent last year and the five-year average of 71 percent. The condition of this crop is rated 2 percent very poor, 8 percent poor, 46 percent fair, 39 percent good and 5 percent excellent. This is very similar to last year’s ratings. One observation this year is that we have had warmer night temperatures. We typically have a few nights during the season with temperatures above 75 degrees, but this year, the duration has been much longer. Research studies have shown that the high night temperatures will increase respiration resulting in decreases in seed set, boll size, seed per boll and fibers per boll. It will be interesting to see how our final yields turn out. One surprise this season is that we have had adequate rainfall in spite of forecasts of hotter and drier conditions. In fact, the state of Missouri had its ninth wettest July. A dicamba forum was helped at the Fisher Delta Research Center in Portageville. Speakers discussed the science of dicamba drift and regulatory actions. Wind speed in Southeast Missouri, temperature inversions and the use of more volatile forms of dicamba were part of the perfect storm. milammr@missouri.edu
NORTH CAROLINA Keith Edmisten Overall, the North Carolina cotton crop is still on the late side. This means we likely will be defoliating a larger portion of the crop later in the season in cooler weather. Although rainfall has not been perfectly spaced, we have had enough rain to limit the effect of residual nitrogen contributing to regrowth. The later cotton and lack of residual nitrogen should mean regrowth will not be as great of a problem as it can be in some years. Therefore, defoliant mixtures should be based primarily around herbicidal defoliants with less need for thidiazuron, especially on the latest cotton. Defoliating later in the season also makes boll opening more challenging. We may need higher rates of boll openers than in years with an earlier crop. The first frost in the cotton-growing areas of North Carolina can range from the middle of October to as late as mid-December. But we seldom have enough heat and sunlight intensity to make much cotton after the middle of October. Growers often are better off pulling the Twitter: @CottonFarming
plug on the crop during the last decent warm period around the middle of October. keith_edmisten@ncsu.edu
OKLAHOMA Randy Boman With all cotton blooming and making bolls, we are now at peak water use for the crop. Dryland cotton in many areas is holding up very well. But other areas that were shorted with rainfall during July are hitting high stress at this time. Some dryland fields came into bloom at 9-10 nodes above white flower, which indicated outstanding yield potential. This also indicated that we have sizeable plants out there. This large biomass comes with a high moisture requirement. We hope to get some badly needed precipitation across the state to keep the dryland crop moving in the right direction. Irrigated cotton in many areas is moving along very well with a good boll load at this time. Based on nodes above white flower counts, it appears that a lot of irrigated acreage may finish up somewhat earlier than normal this year. We have seen bacterial blight pressure in fields in some counties. Cotton acreage in the state is up about 30 percent compared to 2015. If the crop progresses and gets badly needed rainfall, we hope to have another good crop in 2016. randy.boman@okstate.edu
TENNESSEE Tyson Raper As we near the end of effective flowering here on Aug. 11, Tennessee’s crop appears to be very good. Although several areas missed rains, almost all of our cotton, to this point, has exceptional boll retention and an exceptional number of fruiting positions. Most fields reached node above white flower 5 over 10 days ago. We just need a little more water and our crop will be made. Given the forecasted heat units, I suspect many of you will be making defoliation decisions before the October issue of Cotton Farming is published. Fortunately, this forecast should result in very good defoliation conditions. During warmer, clear conditions, boll openers and defoliants are more predictable. Acceptable results often can be achieved with lower-rate applications of the hormonal products. We will be conducting several defoliation strip trials within the state and making condition-based recommendations, as we get closer to defoliation. For locations and details, check out news.utcrops.com or find me on twitter @TysonRaper. traper@utk.edu
TEXAS Seth Byrd Spotty showers fell throughout the High Plains during late July and into early August. A widespread system dumped 1 to 2 inches across the central and northern areas on Aug. 9, finally bringing some relief to the hot, dry conditions experienced during much of July. While there are some dryland fields that bloomed at cut-out or before, a large amount of dryland cotton looks better than one would expect if only looking at the weather conditions during the squaring and early bloom periods. This is due to planting into good moisture and catching a few showers in early June, which sustained the crop through most of the dry spell. With the high temperatures and sunny days, most irrigated fields look excellent. They went into bloom with a large number of potential fruiting sites, illustrating the benefit of having access to good water under these conditions. More rain was forecast for mid-August, so most fields in the northern half of the region hopefully got the moisture needed to finish the crop in dryland situations. Also, irrigation systems could finally take a break in many irrigated fields. Rain was still needed in many areas south of Lubbock to help fill fruit on upper nodes, with irrigated cotton still a week or two away from cut-out in many places. COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2016
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GAYLON MORGAN/TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY AGRICULTURE & LIFE SCIENCES
Specialists Speaking
Prior to defoliation, growers should include inspecting the uppermost harvestable boll by cutting a cross-section. If a dark seed coat has not formed, as shown above, the fruit is still immature and not ready to be defoliated.
Monitoring plant growth in late August and into September will be key to correctly schedule harvest-aid applications to ensure a timely harvest. The biggest factor in harvest preparation is the weather, so we’ll have to wait and see what September brings. seth.byrd@ag.tamu.edu
TEXAS Gaylon Morgan As of the middle of August, the Rio Grande Valley was on the back half of harvesting one of the best dryland crops the region has seen in a long time with reports of over 3 bales per acre dryland yields. There were many reports of irrigated yields exceeding 3.5 bales per acre, despite some late infestations of whiteflies in the later maturing cotton. Harvest was in full swing in the Coastal Bend with some very impressive dryland yields ranging from 2.25-2.75 bales per acre in areas not drowned out by heavy spring rains and standing water. Harvest in the Upper Gulf Coast (UGC) was just beginning, and harvest-aid applications were well underway. The UGC is expected to have an average crop, but not too many people will be disappointed with an average crop considering the challenging year. Blackland yields will be below average due to excessive early moisture, late planting and virtually no rain in July or August. The Northern Rolling Plains received some much-needed rain during the first week of August, although scattered. But for those who received the rain, it will definitely help a cotton plant maintain its boll load and add a few more fruit prior to the mid-August final harvestable boll date. The Southern Rolling Plains missed the early August rain, and the dryland crop needed a rain quickly. The irrigated crop is
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expected to be average or slightly better. There has been some aphid pressure, but the lack of rainfall has prevented cotton root rot from being a major problem. With harvest season upon us, we need to work diligently to minimize contamination in our cotton from plastics, such as shopping bags, plastic wrap, etc. Minimizing contamination at the field and gin level is critical to minimizing dockage and maintaining key export markets. See NCC’s Contamination-Free Cotton Web page at http://www.cotton.org/tech/quality/contamfree.cfm for more details. gmorgan@tamu.edu
VIRGINIA Hunter Frame August marked the beginning of the insect pest management phase of cotton production in Virginia. Our two primary pests are stink bugs and corn earworm. Pockets of plant bugs have showed up here and there, and growers have treated where needed. As I write this, corn earworm pressure is looking to be moderate to high in Virginia. This is significant as pyrethroid resistance continues to be an issue in the state, leaving producers to rely on other chemistries to adequately control corn earworm. Moving into September, the yield potential is there to average 1,000 pounds lint per acre across the state. Of course, 2015 also saw a good yield potential heading into September, only to have three weeks of rain decrease yields to 823 pounds lint per acre average. Producers in Virginia are cautiously optimistic about 2016, and most have booked some cotton when prices went over 70 cents per pound. whframe@vt.edu COTTONFARMING.COM
COTTON
Ginners Marketplace COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.
Contamination Prevention Remains a Priority I have written multiple articles about contamination — which also has received a focus at several recent industry meetings — because U.S. cotton is facing fierce competition from other growths and man-made fibers. Unfortunately, we continue to receive more than a few complaints, along with samples of contaminated fabric, from our textile mill customers. Most of the samples are plastic films, among them irrigation pipes, ditch liners, sheet mulches used in vegetable production, shopping bags and round module wrap. Other significant plastic contaminants are monofilament yarns, twines and similar products. A growing number of spinners have sophisticated systems in place that can detect most, but not all, of these contaminants. These systems often cost several hundred thousand dollars, but each system’s maximum capacity is only 40 to 60 cotton bales in a 12-hour shift. I am pleased to report that all three of our U.S. ginning laboratories, in collaboration with other researchers, are investigating innovative methods to detect, separate and extract plastic contamination prior to the ginning process.
However, developing practical systems to remove plastic at the gin takes time, and extraction systems will not be accepted at modern high-volume cotton gins until costs come down and throughput goes up.
Have A Good Offense The best lint contamination defense is a good offense — preventing contaminants from entering seed cotton. With harvest underway in many Cotton Belt areas, the National
Lummus Corporation has available the following quality, high-capacity used gin machinery. All machinery is offered “as is, where is” (unless noted otherwise) and is subject to prior sale. “As is” machinery can be repaired/reconditioned for an additional charge. 1 – Consolidated 96” R-5000 Stick Machine* 2 – Consolidated 120” R-5000 Stick Machines* 1 – Lummus 60” overshot Standard Battery Condenser* 1 – Consolidated 72” undershot Standard Battery Condenser* 1 – Consolidated 72” undershot MC Battery Condenser* 1 – 1997 model Ginning/Lint Cleaning Line, consisting of a 96” wide Model 700TM Feeder, 170-Saw ImperialTM III Gin, Super-Jet® Lint Cleaner, and Model 108 Lint Cleaner 1 – Belt-Wide 75-HP Flooded-Suction Hydraulic Booster Pumping Unit 1 – Lubbock Electric Hydraulic Pumping Unit for Gin Dor-Les® or E.E. Dor-Les® Press (single reservoir with multiple motor/pump groups) 1 – Lummus Bale Handling System for up-packing press 1 – Lot, miscellaneous Burner and Moisture Unit components (contact us for details) * - does not include any Steel Supports or Platforms
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COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2016
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Cotton Ginners Marketplace
2 – Lummus Model 66 Lint Cleaners with Condensers
1 - Complete 2/141 Gin Plant consisting of: Unloading System with 15” diameter single-lane Powered Telescope, Rock Trap with Trash Vacuum, 72” Unloading Separator/Feed Control with Vacuum Wheel and Flight-Saver, and No. 50 Unloading Fan; First-Stage Drying/Precleaning System with Continental 3 MBTU Burner and No. 40 Push Fan, 54” Tower Dryer, 96” Continental Inclined Cleaner with Vacuum Wheel over 96” Horn 3-Saw Stick Machine (with double 96” x 24” Vacuum Wheels), Second-Stage Drying/Precleaning System with Continental 3 MBTU Burner and No. 40 Push Fan, 54” Tower Dryer, 96” Continental Inclined Cleaner with Vacuum Wheel over 96” Continental 2-Saw Stick Machine; Distribution/Overflow System with Continental 2-Stand Conveyor Distributor and 72” Automatic Overflow Hopper with Breaker Cylinder; Feeding/Ginning System with two (2) Continental 141-Saw Gins (converted) and 96” Comet Supreme Feeders; Lint Cleaning System with four (4) 66” wide Continental 16-D Lint Cleaners (two tandem arrangements); Condensing/Pressing System with 50” Moss Battery Condenser, 20” x 54” Continental Bespress, and Bale Handling System with Bale Push Cart (manual) and Bagger (powered); five (5) Smith 35/40 Centrifugal Fans (only one season of operation)
Cotton Ginners’ Association (NCGA) and the National Cotton Council (NCC) are urging cotton industry members to maintain their focus on contamination prevention.
Website Links To Contamination Prevention Resources To assist, the NCC created a new “Keep It Clean” Web page that contains links to contamination prevention resources. For example, at www.cotton. org/tech/quality/contamfree.cfm are materials that ginners can use in reminding producers to make sure harvest crews watch for and remove from fields any potential seed cotton contaminants. Yes, the picker or stripper may have to stop during harvest to remove shopping bags or pieces of poly tubing, but this is a much better option than hoping that it will be removed at the gin. Materials on this Web page also remind workers to exercise care when handling conventional modules as covers and tie downs still pose problems. In fact, one contaminant I hoped had been eliminated still is being found – colored baler twine, rope or cord used as a module tarp tie down. I made a few calls and was surprised that hay baler twine threaded through or under a module still is being used in some areas to tie down module covers. As a reminder, never use “plastic” rope or twine to secure module tarps. Only 100 percent cotton ropes or strapping should be used. The odds are these and other plastic contaminants that end up in the middle of a module will find their way to the textile mill. They may end up damaging finished yarn or fabric and costing those mills hundreds of thousands of dollars or more. Increasingly, efforts are made to trace the contamination back to the source, accompanied by claims for the damages. Even more devastating, though, is a likely loss of markets to competing cottons and/or man-made fibers.
Cotton Ginners Marketplace
Handle Round Module Wrap Correctly Over the past three years, the NCGA and the NCC have been especially proactive on a particularly vexing problem — round module wrap being found by mills when bales are opened. As part of the effort to train gin employees, the NCC created a 24-by-18-inch poster in both English and Spanish that describes the techniques for round module handling and wrap removal. The poster is available from the NCC’s contamination prevention web page mentioned above, and it can be requested by calling the NCC at 901-274-9030. This poster is an excellent companion to another resource available from that Web page — NCGA’s Round Module Safety, Volume VI, video. I cannot emphasize enough that this video should be viewed by all employees who are involved in transporting, handling or opening round modules. Harrison Ashley, executive vice president of the National Cotton Ginners’ Association, contributed this article. Contact him at 901-274-9030 or hashley@cotton.org.
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COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2016
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Cotton’s Calendar
LEC-200 Electronic Seed Scale
2016 Sept. 21: Staplcotn Annual Meeting, Greenwood, Miss. Sept. 26: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors Meeting, Phoenix, Ariz.
2017 Jan. 4-6: Beltwide Cotton Conferences, Dallas, Texas. Jan. 18-21: Southern Southeastern Annual Meeting, Charlotte, N.C. Feb. 10-12: NCC Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas. March 3-4: Mid-South Farm & Gin Show, Memphis, Tenn. April 6-7: Texas Cotton Ginners Association Trade Show, Lubbock, Texas. June 6-8: Cotton Incorporated Meeting. July 10-12: Southern Southeastern Mid-Year Board Meeting, Marriott Grand Dunes, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Aug. 8-10: Cotton Board/Cotton Incorporated Joint Meeting.
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COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2016
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My Turn Twists Of Fate Guided Me To Cotton
I
t surely must be those production agriculture in the late ’70s was slim to indelible moments none. Toward the end of college, fate dealt me a etched in youthful lucky hand. I learned my in-laws’ neighbor was a memories that some- sugarcane farmer who served on the board of the how mold or guide us Louisiana Farm Bureau, and a position opened up toward what we eventu- for which I was qualified. After turning my gradally become. For me, it uation tassel, I was hired as their southeast field could have been that fam- representative. Before long, I was promoted to the ily friend I visited often in Commodity Department where I handled sugarMcComb, Miss., on what cane and grain crops. The hands of fate pointed me in yet another many folks might call “Old McDonald’s Farm,” or pos- direction when the National Cotton Council hired David our annual summer my boss, Craig Brown. His two main commodRuppenicker sibly vacation to Georgia where ities at the Farm Bureau were cotton and rice. I picked peaches with my I soon learned that in addition to sugarcane, I grandparents. Whatever lured me toward wanting would inherit another commodity of my choosto be a country boy, I thought the best way to make ing – rice or cotton. Cotton was no stranger to my family. My father attended Georgia Tech on the that happen was to become a farmer. GI Bill and graduated Having grown up in textile engineering. in the suburbs of New “In addition to sugarcane, I Over his 41-year career Orleans, it would have would inherit rice or cotton.” at the USDA Southern been more logical for Research Center in me to pursue a career in hotel management, or become a chef, or even New Orleans, he worked on cotton innovations a Blackjack dealer. However, I was undaunted in – sometimes with textile researchers at Cotton my pursuit of perceived happiness, and something Incorporated. After almost 14 years with the Farm Bureau, inside kept pushing me toward farming. While working to become an Eagle Scout, I forced myself I was hired to run a new consortium of cotton to listen to country music. To a boy raised on rock interest groups in Louisiana. In 2000, I was hired and roll, that took more than a modicum of dedica- by Southern Cotton Growers in Dawsonville, Ga., to replace their long-time CEO, Bob Tucker. My tion and tolerance! Even today, my two favorite hobbies are hunting mother passed away shortly before I took the job. and fishing. With my love for the outdoors and As a native Georgian, she would have gotten a kick my internal drive, commitment and work ethic out of knowing that out of all the places I could established through scouting, I thought I could have ended up, I wound up in her home state. I reminisce with great fondness about the many pursue a career as a wildlife biologist if farming didn’t work out. Agriculture ultimately trumped farmers, farming families and regional indusbiology, so I found myself studying ag business at try leaders whose interests I have represented Southeastern Louisiana University after deciding during my 36-year career. It has been a close secLSU and Baton Rouge didn’t quench my thirst for ond to actually being a farmer. To say it has been a country lifestyle. My best friend was the son of a a labor of love and luck is an understatement. dairyman, so I worked on their family farm for sev- As fate would have it, I was able to attend the eral years. Round hay balers were commercialized, last Beltwide Cotton Conferences that my father but my friend’s dad would have nothing of it, so we attended as a cotton textile professional. That, in hauled mountains of square bales in the summer and of itself, was pretty cool. heat. I soon started to question the farmer thing. – David Ruppenicker, Dawsonville, Ga. Early in my collegiate career, I learned a cruel CEO of Southern Cotton Growers Inc. lesson. If you were not born into or married into david@southern-southeastern.org a farming family, the probability of success in
Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling unusual “farm tales” or timely stories from across the Cotton Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting story to tell, send a short summary to csmith@onegrower.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
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COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2016
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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
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Sammy Henderson—Cairo Farmers Gin, Humboldt, TN
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