Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC
PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES
SEPTEMBER 2019
www.cottonfarming.com
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Summer Field Days Highlight Advances In Cotton
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Make Plans Now To Attend 2020 Beltwide
Cultural Change Growers Tap Cover Crops And No-Till To Aid Soil Health, Cut Input Costs
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Vol. 63 No. 9
Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES
SEPTEMBER 2019
www.cottonfarming.com
F E AT U R E S
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Cultural Change
Arkansas cotton farmers Adam Chappell and Steve Stevens tried cover crops and no-till for different reasons. Both say they’re committed to continuing the system because they’ve seen benefits far beyond their initial goals. At the same time, cover crops coupled with no-till have helped them reduce overall production costs and strengthen their bottom lines.
DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS
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Editor’s Note Cotton’s Agenda Southeast Report
14 Industry News 15 Specialists Speaking 22 My Turn
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PERFECT STORM BREWING?
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2020 BELTWIDE MEETING
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CENTRAL TEXAS FIELD DAYS
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GINNING MARKETPLACE
Arizona’s good yields, today’s cotton prices and the trade war with China present a conundrum that may be difficult to solve.
Get information about BWCC registration and a sneak peek at the agenda for the January event to be held in Austin, Texas.
The annual variability in commodity pricing and a comon sense approach to using cotton crop protection products in the field were discussed by university and industry representatives.
the official publication of the ginning industry
The California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association presents its Distinguished Service Award to a widely recognized leader in the California ginning industry.
WEB EXCLUSIVE University of Tennessee Extension cotton specialist Tyson Raper discusses estimating lint yields form boll counts in response to the temptation to “count one’s chickens before they hatch.” Go to www. cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.
DIGITAL OFFERINGS ON THE COVER: Adam Chappell, who farms row crops with his brother, Seth, near Cotton Plant, Arkansas, tries to plant cover crops on his entire 8,000 acres each year. This season, he’s experimenting with cotton on 76-inch rows. Cover photo by Vicky Boyd.
Keep up with the latest from Cotton Farming by signing up for the monthly E-News at www.cottonfarming.com. Look for the Cotton Farming E-News sign-up box in the upper right corner of the home page. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cottonfarming Twitter: @CottonFarming.
COTTON FARMING (ISSN 0746-8385) is published monthly January through December by One Grower Publishing LLC, 875 W. Poplar Ave., Suite 23, Box 305, Collierville, TN 38017. 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
SEPTEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING
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Editor’s Note
Cotton Farming
Carroll Smith
EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com Managing Editor Vicky Boyd vlboyd@onegrower.com
Give Yourself A Break
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s members of the agricultural community, everyone works hard. You set lofty standards for yourselves because achieving goals is hardwired in your psyche. You consciously or unconsciously set the bar higher and higher and convince yourself if you try hard enough you can clear it. Easy peasy. And then, as is the nature of agriculture, you encounter things over which you have no control — weather, prices, labor and lack of capital to name a few. It doesn’t matter how fast you run or how high you jump… you can’t seem to clear the “uncertainty” hurdle. You can’t “fix” it — at least not in the short term. That realization often leads to feeling stressed out, which manifests itself in lack of sleep, loss of energy, loss of appetite and an overall sense of foreboding. But before you slide too deep down the rabbit hole, there are some things you can do that don’t cost a lot of money or take up a huge chunk of your time. For example, eat an apple or banana instead of a candy bar or a bag of chips, take a “cat nap” during the day for 15 minutes, sit on the turnrow and laugh at a couple of funny YouTube videos or spend an extra five minutes chatting with the guy at the parts store. If you want to take getting relief from the blues to the next level, there are more and more resources out there to help. To be honest, your best bet to find what is available in your area is to “Google it.” For example, if you farm in Mississippi, you may be directed to a new Mississippi State University Extension support program that helps farmers manage stress. One example the MSU system cites as the type of situation with which it wants to help is Tracey Porter, deputy director of the Warren County Emergency Management Agency. Her husband, Rodney, farms in the Southern Mississippi Delta. Here is her story. Excessive rain last winter and spring kept 250,000 acres of farmland out of production this year. During the time when he would normally prepare for planting season, Rodney Porter was building sandbag levees to protect floodwaters from invading their home. She helped him when she was not on the clock assisting other affected people in her community. “We’ve been dealing with a lot of physical and mental stress for the last few months. With me working, I never get to get away from it. I go home to it and go to work with it,” Tracey Porter says. “Rodney is still getting paid right now because the producer he works for was able to pay his men for the rest of the year, but we don’t know what next year will bring.” That uncertainty is one example of the many uncontrollable variables producers face each year. Obviously, there is no quick fix for these types of challenges, but you can find ways to deal with them in a positive rather than an unhealthy manner. If you are experiencing stressful times, the take-home message is to search out ways to “give yourself a break.”
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 Audience Services Kate Thomas (847) 559-7514 For circulation changes or change of address, call (847) 559-7578 or email cottonfarming@omeda.com 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 2019 © 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 2019
One Grower Publishing, LLC 875 W. Poplar Ave., Suite 23, Box 305, Collierville, TN 38017 Phone: 901-767-4020
COTTONFARMING.COM
Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams
Market Maintenance A Must The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s second Market Facilitation Program that was wholeheartedly advocated by the National Cotton Council should provide cotton producers some timely assistance.
What does this USDA package provide?
n Producers of cotton and many other crops can sign up for the latest MFP at Farm Service Agency offices through Dec. 6. FSA made the first tranche of payments in August. Two other payment tranches may be made in November and January 2020 if market conditions and trade opportunities dictate. The MFP 2019 County Per Acre Payment Rates can be found at http://bit.ly/2GvXe1x. Assistance through the MFP is based on a county payment rate multiplied by a farm’s total plantings of MFP-eligible crops in 2019. Those per-acre payments are not dependent on which of those crops are planted in 2019. County payment rates range from $15-$150 per acre, depending on the trade retaliation impact U.S. cotton sales to China are substantially below on crops in what was expected in the absence of tariffs. that county. MFP for non-specialty crops such as cotton, peanuts, corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum are limited to $250,000 per person or legal entity. There is a separate $250,000 limit for MFP payments to certain specialty crops and another $250,000 limit for payments to dairy and hog producers. However, if a producer is eligible for payments in all three categories, then payments to that individual may not exceed $500,000. Eligible applicants also must have an average adjusted gross income for tax years 2015, 2016 and 2017 of less than $900,000 or, 75% of the
person’s or legal entity’s average AGI for tax years 2015, 2016 and 2017 must have been derived from farming and ranching. Applicants must comply with the provisions of the Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation regulations. Producers who filed a prevented planting claim and planted an FSA-certified cover crop, with the potential to be harvested, qualify for a $15 per-acre payment. Recently, a bill signed into law by President Trump makes producers previously deemed ineligible for MFP in 2018 because they had an average AGI level higher than $900,000 – now eligible for 2018 MFP benefits. Those producers must be able to verify 75% or more of their average AGI was derived from farming and ranching to qualify. This supplemental MFP signup also will run through Dec. 6. In addition, USDA’s Agricultural Trade Promotion Program allocation to promote cotton and cotton manufactured products will enable Cotton Council International to continue expanding international demand for U.S. cotton fiber, yarn and other cotton products.
How is the situation with China?
n U.S. cotton sales to China are substantially below what was expected in the absence of tariffs. This past year, there have been significant cancellations and deferrals of sales by China (1.2 million bales). U.S. cotton’s China market share has slid to 17% in the past year from about 44% during the two years leading up to the trade tensions. Much of that share has been lost to Brazil. Unfortunately, even gains in other markets cannot offset our traditionally significant export level to China. Of further concern is that a decline in total U.S. cotton exports seems inevitable if a trade deal between the world’s two largest economies remains far down the road.
Gary Adams is president/CEO of the National Cotton Council of America. He and other NCC leaders contribute columns on this Cotton Farming page. Twitter: @CottonFarming
SEPTEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING
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COVER STORY
Cultural Change Growers Tap Cover Crops And No-Till To Aid Soil Health, Cut Input Costs BY VICKY BOYD MANAGING EDITOR
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igweed was getting the better of Adam Chappell in 2010 when he decided he had to rein in weed control costs if he and his brother were to stay in farming. He turned to cover crops combined with no-till farming. “We were fighting pigweed just like everybody else,” says Chappell, who farms with his brother, Seth, near Cotton Plant, Arkansas. “We were dependent on chemicals and we were just losing the fight. We were spending way more than we expected to make just trying to stay clean.” As the host of one of 12 Arkansas Discovery Farms, Steve Stevens wanted to set a good example and decided to try cover crops and no-till in 2012 to reduce any potential nutrient runoff from his farm. What reinforced
the need for covers was when University of Arkansas Extension cotton specialist Bill Robertson wondered why the moisture sensors placed in Stevens’ field were not detecting any irrigation cycles when Stevens had applied water three times. “There’s something called soil structure, and we didn’t have any because the water was just not moving within the soil,” says Stevens, who farms near Tillar, Arkansas. Although Chappell and Stevens tried cover crops and no-till for different reasons, they both say they’re committed to continuing the system because they’ve seen benefits far beyond their initial goals. At the same time, cover crops coupled with no-till have helped them reduce overall production costs and strengthen their bottom lines.
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COTTON FARMING | SEPTEMBER 2019
COURTESY ADAM CHAPPELL
To gain maximum benefits, Adam Chappell lets the cover crop grow until planting.
COTTONFARMING.COM
Growing Interest Matt Fryer, a University of Arkansas soil instructor, says he has seen a small but growing interest in cover crops among growers. “I think by and large there’s a lot of interest, and I think that’s predominately because of the hype people hear on social media,” he says. “But I think the adoption rate is going to be much slower because cover crops change the whole production system. “There’s a lot of uncertainty in ag right now, so adopting new production practices and basic changes in the system just add more uncertainty. Despite that and the peer pressure to resist change, real benefits exist that need to be realized by producers and quantified by scientists.” Fryer is in the process of establishing 25 cover crop demonstration sites throughout Arkansas. So far, he has established nine, of which seven are currently planted to cotton. He also is reaching out to county agents to identify potential grower-cooperators for the remaining demonstrations. Each site involves two fields — one with cover crops and no-till and the other without cover crops and the farmer’s standard cultivation practices. Over each demonstration’s three-year life, Fryer will collect information on several indicators of soil health, such as water infiltration rates, runoff quantity and quality, and weed management. As part of the project, he also will enlist a university economist to conduct an economic analysis of each practice. He compared the various components of soil health to pieces of a puzzle. At the end of the project, Fryer says he hopes to be able to offer science-based data that will help growers piece together that puzzle.
Cover Crop Pioneer Blazes The Trail When Chappell decided to try cover crops and no-till, he found scant information. He ended up looking at resources for organic producers, since they can’t use synthetic weed control products. Eventually he found a successful organic pumpkin grower in Pennsylvania who used cereal rye and no-till and had a clean field. That inspired Chappell to drill cereal rye into crop stubble on 300 acres. “We saw an immediate reduction in pigweed,” he says. Chappell has since expanded the use of covers and no-till to their entire 8,000 acres each year. With wet conditions during the 2018 harvest, he wasn’t able to meet that goal and ended up planting covers on about half their ground last fall followed by another quarter in January. When he first began using covers, Chappell was apprehensive about how tall they would grow, so he planted them later after harvest and terminated them much sooner than he does today. Now he follows the cotton picker or combine with a no-till drill to give the plants as long as possible to increase biomass before termination at planting. “Early on, we started killing weeds early,” he says. “As we got more comfortable, we just let them get bigger and bigger for a big, thick mat.” The key to good cover termination is a two-pass burndown, Chappell says. Twitter: @CottonFarming
How To Get Started With Cover Crops If you’re interested in dipping your toes into cover crops and no-till, start simple with a single cover species, such as cereal rye, and with only one to three fields. As you become more comfortable with cover crops, try adding one or two more species, such as a brassica, radish and legume, to increase diversity. Download “Tips for Managing a Cereal Rye Cover Crop in Cotton” by University of Arkansas Extension cotton specialist Bill Robertson and Extension weed scientist Tom Barber at https://bit. ly/303VSD1 Attend an Arkansas Soil Health Alliance field day to learn firsthand from successful growers using cover crops and no-till. The alliance is a grower-led non-profit designed to educate fellow producers about how to improve soil health. It partners with several groups, including the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts, Arkansas Grazing Lands Coalition, the University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University. He may use Roundup for the first pass, followed 24 hours later by paraquat and Diuron as a pre-emerge on the second pass. Chappell then rolls the cover and follows right behind with a John Deere 7300 MaxEmerge planter for cotton. The trick is good, sharp openers and a little more aggressive closer on the back, he says. Continual Experimentation Chappell also has experimented with different cover crop blends and tailors them to the crop that will follow. Depending on the market, he may use a three-year rotation with cotton, followed by corn and soybeans. He always includes a radish and grass species in the cover blend. If cotton or corn follows, he’ll add legumes, such as vetch and Austrian winter pea. If soybeans follow, he’ll leave out the legumes and go heavier on the grasses since soybeans fix their own nitrogen. “There are just so many more benefits from the diversity of the different plant types,” he says. “It’s just something we learned. The more stuff we added in there, the less problems we had.” Regardless of the mix, he tries to keep the cost to $15$18 per acre for seed — planted at about 30 pounds per acre — plus another $2-$3 per acre for drilling. The system has proven so successful that Chappell grows only non-GMO soybeans under contract for which he receives a premium. This year, he decided to experiment with cotton on 76-inch rows and planted PHY 350 W3FE. Because the cotton wouldn’t canopy over the wide middles to shade out weeds, Chappell wanted to be able to apply an in-season herbicide over the top of the crop. The goal is to see if he can reduce the seeding rate to 20,000 seeds per acre — or about half the typical planting rate on 38-inch beds — and still make a profitable yield. “If I can make a solid 2-bale crop, I’ll be in the money,” he says. Adding Animals To The Mix Beginning with the 2018-19 winter, he added cattle to SEPTEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING
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the mix, taking skinny cows and grazing them during the winter. After putting 350-400 pounds on the animals, he sells them in the spring. “We’re really trying to figure out how to make the animal thing work,” Chappell says. Over the years, he has seen his herbicide, fertilizer, fuel costs, and equipment wear and tear decrease significantly. Although he may not produce “bin buster” yields, Chappell says they are still good. Coupled with reduced inputs, they result in a stronger bottom line than when he used conventional tillage without cover crops. What may not be as apparent is how the cover crops and no-till have improved his soil health. Soil organic matter was about 0.5% when he started; now it is about 2%. Water infiltration also has increased, and he’s cut irrigation use by about 50% with cover crops and collapsible poly tubing. And for the past three years, tissue and sap samples showed potassium and phosphorus levels were adequate so none was needed.
Shortly after the conversation with Robertson about the lack of irrigation water infiltration, Stevens planted cereal rye at 55-60 pounds per acre on half a field in the fall, leaving the other half as an untreated check. The seed runs about $12-$15 per acre. “A lot of people look at it as an expense – it really isn’t,” he says. “It’s one of the things that will way more than pay for itself.” After just one year of cover crops and no-till, Robertson told him he measured water infiltration 15-18 inches deep in the cover-crop half compared to just 6 inches deep in the conventionally tilled half. “That not only gives you more water-holding ability, but it brings you three times as much soil nutrients because you’re pulling from a lot bigger area,” Stevens says. Much like Chappell, Stevens was initially leery of allowing the cover to grow too tall. As he gained more experience and increased the amount of ground he planted to covers, he now allows the cover to grow until he’s ready to plant. Stevens has kept his system simple, using only cereal rye. Ideally, he’d plant using a plane shortly before cotton leaf drop to keep living roots in the soil year-round. As older roots die, they provide food for soil microbes. The roots also produce exudates that nourish soil organisms. To avoid the $6.50 per-acre aerial application charge, Stevens waits until after the stalks are cut and broadcasts the rye using a spinner. In January or February, he’ll spray the cover with 2,4-D for broadleaf weeds. About two weeks before planting, he makes his first glyphosate burndown application. With the cereal rye still standing, the tractor operator using GPS auto-steer no-till plants into the previous season’s beds. Critical to making his system work, Stevens says, is returning between planting and cotton emergence with an application of a residual of choice and 1 quart paraquat, which will lay the cover down. More Than Just Water Savings Each year, Stevens has tried to increase his cover crop plantings by about 20%.
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VICKY BOYD
Cover Crops Play Large Role In Sustainability
Tillar, Arkansas, producer Steve Stevens credits cover crops and collapsible poly tubing for reducing his groundwater use by 40% while increasing his cotton yields. When combined with collapsible poly tubing and Phaucet — a computerized hole selection program — cover crops have allowed him to reduce groundwater use by about 40%. That also means 40% less fuel to pump water and 40% less wear and tear on the pumps. In addition, samples of water leaving the farm contain almost no nutrients. “We can capture more rainfall because of the cover crop, using less groundwater and making us more sustainable,” he says. In addition to better water-use efficiency, Stevens has seen his dryland soybean yields double to 40 bushels per acre from 20 bushels per acre. He also has seen his cotton yields increase while his three-year average production costs have decreased 6 cents per pound using no-till and cereal rye compared to the farmer-standard fall stale seedbed. “It’s changing the soil structure,” he says. “We’ve been farming this ground since it was cleared in 1937, and it’s been in cotton all but three years since that time. Your soil structure goes away from working it. “Farmers look at fields as just dirt or soil as just dirt. Soil is full of living micro-organisms. I don’t think we realize it and those micro-organisms need to be fed. I think that is one of the things that has to do with the yield increases. It’s something we have missed since my daddy worked the soil and worked it and worked it.” COTTONFARMING.COM
SOUTHEAST REPORT
Quail Forever Partnership Helps Profitability, Sustainability
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roducers are always looking for ways to improve their bottom line, and Cotton Incorporated invests in producer profitability as well. This year, they have teamed with Quail Forever to help cotton farmers make the most of under-producing acres by repurposing the land as quail habitat. The program is currently available BY MONTY BAIN to producers in the Southeast DADEVILLE, ALABAMA United States with emphasis in Georgia and Alabama. Ryan Kurtz, director of entomology in agricultural and environmental research at Cotton Incorporated, says, “Last summer, I attended the Sustainable Agronomy Conference hosted by the American Society of Agronomy and heard a presentation on turning red acres into green by using precision ag to change management practices on underperforming acres. “I’d been interacting with the Quail Forever staff through Field to Market and wanted to get something going with cotton and quail in Georgia. It was something we needed to implement in the Cotton Belt to improve grower profitability and help reach the cotton industry’s national environmental goals.” Precision Ag Planning’s Role With generous funding support from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Conservation Partners Program and Cotton Incorporated, Quail Forever and other industry allies unveiled the precision agriculture planning partnership earlier this year. This new program — Precision Partnership for Working Lands — integrates agricultural economics, cutting-edge geospatial technology, and wildlife conservation to deliver profitable producer outcomes with tangible environmental benefits. The Precision Partnership for Working Lands is specifically targeting landscapes that support bobwhite quail habitat, pollinator habitat and crop production. “This unique partnership illustrates how industry and conservation groups can work together to achieve common goals,” says Dr. Jesse Daystar, chief sustainability officer for Cotton Incorporated. “The program echoes the sustainability goals the U.S. cotton industry has set for TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING
Chaz Holt, center, discusses the Quail Forever partnership with cotton farmers Bart Davis, left, and Preston Jimmerson. itself. Additionally, this project fosters bird and pollinator biodiversity in and around planted acres.” Cotton And Quail Quail Forever has hired Chaz Holt to serve as the new precision agriculture & conservation specialist to assist landowners and their trusted allies, such as certified crop advisers, with farming return-on-investments analyses. Holt says, “My role is to help achieve sustainability goals set forth by the cotton industry by addressing cotton profitability relative to soil type and health, water usage and overall input costs. Working this program in the Southeast makes so much sense because the highest geographical priority area for quail population rehabilitation in the Southeast is in the highest yielding cotton region.” Holt is currently targeting Georgia and East Alabama, but as the project continues the territory will expand. He has a support team of wildlife biologists to help him with this project. They work with a farm’s crop consultant or precision technology manager to initiate agronomy solutions or transfer that area into more profitability by cutting production cost and enrolling in quail habitat management strategies. If you are a cotton producer and would like to talk with Holt about the Quail Forever program and how it might help underperforming acres on your farm, contact him at 406-425-3039 or CHolt@QuailForever.org. Monty Bain is The Cotton Board’s regional communication manager for the Southeast. Email mbain@cottonboard.org. SEPTEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING
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SPECIAL REPORT
Is A Perfect Storm Brewing? Arizona’s High Cotton Status May Be Worst Possible Outcome During Current Trade Wars BY JULIE MURPHREE
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he other day via my @CottonAggie Twitter account I reported, “Arizona farmers expect this year’s Upland cotton crop to yield an average of 1,527 pounds per acre, the third-highest yield ever recorded,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistic Service August report. As a cotton farm kid, I’ve always maintained a sense of awe about what our state’s farmers can do with this very high-maintenance crop. But we may be too good for our own cotton breeches. Yes, we’re that good, along with California. Compare this figure to the United States’ average cotton yield of 855 pounds per acre. With 163,965 acres of Upland cotton planted this season, we regularly rock our yields. Our good yields, today’s cotton prices and the trade war with China seem like a perfect storm. Farmers’ Perspective “In my part of the world [Pima County], we have as good of a cotton crop as I’ve ever seen,” says Arnold Burruel, owner of Burruel and Burruel Farms and second-generation Arizona cotton farmer. “If the U.S. comes up with a monster crop, you might see prices as low as the 40s. We’ll have a complete saturation in the market; we have the trade wars going on. My cotton crop looks average to above average, but some of my neighbors and friends have fantastic looking cotton — as good as I’ve ever seen it.” The price of cotton Aug. 14, was 60 cents per pound. To grow this fluffy, white stuff in Arizona, it will cost you, on average, 83 cents per pound. The price of cotton has dropped more than 20% over the past four months, since mid-April, and even more if one goes as far back as last year. To make matters worse, right now cotton demand is weak while exports are uncertain. Price and basis should eventually improve (it always does), but only if this trade mess improves. Says Arizona cotton farmer and Arizona Farm Bureau member Ron Rayner, “Trade disruptions have driven down cotton consumption worldwide.” A third-generation Arizona farmer, Rayner is a partner in A-Tumbling-T Ranches with his two brothers, Earle and Robert, and his nephews John and Perry. They grow cotton, alfalfa and grains in the Goodyear and Gila Bend, Arizona, areas. Rayner also farms in California. Economic Perspectives As market uncertainties prevail, even economists are noting the challenges. “I don’t believe I have ever seen farmers, always the eternal optimists, this disillusioned,” says Don Shurley, University of Georgia cotton economist in a July 13 edi-
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torial in AgFax.com regarding the current cotton market. “Not just this season, but some have suffered through two to three consecutive years of production struggles of some type. Now on top of that, markets for the second year in a row are being ripped apart by trade disagreements.” Shurley has devoted the past 30 years of his career to cotton growers and the cotton industry. In addition to the earlier numbers shared on Arizona’s cotton increase in production, USDA released its August cotton estimates for the overall U.S. market. The expectation for the U.S. cotton crop was raised 520,000 bales from the July estimate due to increased acres planted and higher expected cotton yields. Many expected the increase, something reflected in the Arizona numbers. The projection for U.S. exports for the 2019 crop marketing year was increased to 200,000 bales. However, global cotton use and demand were cut 1.2 million bales from the July estimate. This is the third consecutive month that global use has been cut or down. Most of the reduction was due to lower use projected for China and India. Many cotton market economists are questioning why the USDA would raise U.S. exports potential by 200,000 bales when the industry has been told for months that worldwide demand is shrinking due to the trade war and its effect on the world economy. Some feel it’s even stranger that production estimates in every other major cotton-producing country went unchanged or declined except here in the United States. Trade War Troubles Ultimately, the biggest worry involves trade wars. “Our main concern is the long-term effects. The Chinese government through the imposition of import tariffs is forcing their textile industry to source cotton elsewhere,” explains Paul Bush, president of Calcot, the Arizona marketing arm for most of our Arizona cotton farmers. Regularly in contact with their global buyers, Calcot is aware that Chinese mills do not wish to source non-U.S. cotton; they’re being forced due to the 25% import tariff imposed by their government. So, with this type of outlook, it stings a bit to look at big production numbers, even when we’re proud of what we can do with Arizona’s soil, sun and water. As we track the price of cotton, let’s hope China and the United States settle their standoff and prices move in a better direction. For Arizona cotton farmers Burruel, Rayner and others, this perfect storm needs to dissipate. Julie Murphree is the outreach director for the Arizona Farm Bureau. Contact her at juliemurphree@azfb.org. COTTONFARMING.COM
BELTWIDE
COTTON CONFERENCES
2020 Beltwide Cotton Conferences
T
he JW Marriott in Austin, Texas, is the picturesque backdrop for the 2020 Beltwide Cotton Conferences set for Jan. 8-10. The insightful program will update attendees on the latest research and technology. The BWCC, coordinated by the National Cotton Council, annually brings together university and U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers, Extension personnel/ agents, consultants and industry sales/support personnel. The forum helps U.S. cotton industry members tailor new products and production/ processing systems to their operations for maximum efficiency. Beginning Sept. 17, attendees may register and secure housing at the BWCC’s website, www.cotton.org/beltwide/. It also includes a link to BWCC proceedings from 2005-2019 and will be updated with the 2020 program and other information. Consultants’ Conference And More The 2020 BWCC will begin at noon, Jan. 8, with the half-day Cotton Consultants’ Conference, which is open to all attendees. Among topics selected by the consultant community for the 2020 program is an expert panel of entomologists to discuss timely topics ranging from Bt resistance to results of testing Bollgard 4. Other key issues will be water restrictions, including the status of aquifers across the Cotton Belt; an update on precision ag technology; a discussion of the Environmental Protection Agency’s role in the plant protection chemicals’ review and registration processes; and a briefing on a multi-state potash study. The 10 BWCC cotton technical conferences, which will provide updates on research and current/emerging TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING
technology, will meet concurrently beginning the morning of Jan. 9 and conclude by noon, Jan. 10. The Engineering-Systems Conference, for example, will feature presentations on sustainability and contamination prevention while the Economics Conference will cover such topics as crop insurance, disaster assistance and trade. The Ginning Conference will focus on efficient processing and m ai nt ai ni ng qual i t y fiber along with updates about ongoing ginning research, ginning efficiencies, new equipment and lint contamination prevention/research. Beginning on the afternoon of Jan. 8, National Cotton Ginners Association committees will hold meetings. A schedule will be posted at www.cotton.org/ncga/index. cfm. Among other topics to be covered in the technical sessions are results from breeding and variety trials; research looking at the relationship between plants and water; and cotton’s competitive advantage over synthetic fabrics. Registration Fees Before Dec. 16, registration costs for the 2020 BWCC are $200 for NCC/ Cotton Foundation members, university and USDA researchers, Extension personnel, associations and consultants; $500 for non-U.S. research, Extension, associations and consultants; $400 for non-NCC/Foundation members; and $80 for students. On-site conference self-registration kiosks will be available 24 hours a day beginning the evening of Jan. 7. Beginning the morning of Jan. 8, NCC staff will be available for attendees needing assistance with registration and name badge printing. NCC provided this information.
CCOY Cotton Consultant of the Year established 1981
Mark Scott 2018 CCOY AWARD RECIPIENT
Texan Mark Scott consults in Lubbock, Lynn, Terry, Yoakum and Gaines counties. He describes his relationship with his farmer clients as both personal and professional. Scott has worked for some of them in the Brownfield area for 39 years and treats their crops like they were his own. “Although these farmers are like family to me, my job is to be an objective, unbiased decision-maker.” When Scott was chosen as the 2018 Cotton Consultant of the Year, he said, “I was in disbelief at first and so humbled to have been selected for this award. I am honored to be included in this great group of consultants that I highly respect.” Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by
Cotton Farming SEPTEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING
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SPECIAL REPORT
Pricing, Cotton And Common Sense Highlights Of 2019 Central Texas Field Days BY CASSIDY NEMEC
I
n the midst of summer field days for a variety of crops, it is clear that cotton is still king in Texas. The Westside Row Crop Tour took place June 21 in Crawford, Texas, and started with showcasing some grain variety plots before moving on to classroom sessions. At the Crawford Community Center, Dr. Jason Johnson, a renown Texas A&M AgrlLife Extension agricultural economist, gave an ag commodity market update. Major topics included the annual variability in commodity pricing. Johnson relayed that 2018 weather brought more drought while 2019 weather brought excess moisture. This, in turn, raises prices that do not drop until after the season of drought or rain. World events, Johnson says, also cause spikes or declines in energy prices. He says that much of profitability is influenced by events out of producers’ control. He referenced a few more reasons for pricing variabilities. Johnson recommended that those in the ag industry look at market trend seasonalities to better strategize. He emphasized that the best those in agriculture can do is “focus on things that matter and that you can control.” Shane Halfman, research and germplasm specialist at Americot, gave a lesson in “Cotton 101.” Following his discussion on the basic concepts, development stages and pests in cotton, Halfman advised growers to choose the right variety and seed for the job and farm. Dr. Don Renchie, coordinator of pesticide safety education at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, spoke about current laws and regulations regarding cotton.
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Texas AgriLife Extension’s Dr. Don Renchie, who spoke at the field day in Crawford, Texas, is the coordinator of pesticide safety education. He impressed upon the audience the important of common sense when dealing with chemicals used in the fields. After discussing protection standards, he reiterated that “common sense makes sense when you use sense.” Weeds And Worms Galore On June 25, BASF held a field day in Snook, Texas, on some of Texas A&M’s farms. Dr. Scott Nolte touched on a focused weed control study with different tankmix combinations. He discussed the Mid-South’s pigweed herbicide resistance and advised including multiple herbicide modes of action before saying, “Good coverage is key.” “You want to hit it [weeds with herbicide] when it’s small,” Nolte says. Following Nolte, Heath Reeves spoke on the new FiberMax and Stoneville varieties from BASF, including FiberMax 2398GLTP and Stoneville 5471GLTP.
Dr. David Kerns, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension statewide integrated pest management coordinator, talked about insect management in cotton and sorghum, noting the huge egg lay for worms going on at the time. He warned about using pyrethroids since resistance to that insecticide class was detected across much of Texas in 2018. In speaking of Prevathon and Besiege applications, Kerns says, “Timing is actually more critical than rate.” The moral of the BASF field day, it seems, is that timing is truly everything. Technology, Herbicides, And Harvest Aids Later that afternoon, a Bayer field day was held at their Brazos Bottom headquarters near Snook, Texas. Fran Deville, climate business manager for The Climate Corp., and Scott Taylor, Bayer field sales representative, discussed Climate Field COTTONFARMING.COM
During the BASF field day in Snook, Texas, product manager Heath Reeves talked about the new Stoneville and FiberMax cotton varieties that are now commercially available. View. Deville says that by using the Field View system, growers can plant their own test plots and create their own variety trials. He adds that this system generates data used to assist growers in making decisions. Taylor describes the system’s capabilities as “directed scouting.” Both Deville and Taylor say that a grower’s entire operation can be seen on an app. Environmental information such as weather temperatures, wind speed and even temperature inversion probabilities are viewable, and all information is editable. As far as data security goes, Deville and Taylor say all data are the grower’s data. Both men spoke about the planting, application and harvest summaries produced by the system. “The digital ag platform that makes the invisible visible,” they said. Michael “Hap” Hazzard, salesman for Bayer, urged growers to move away from a single mode of action in their herbicide treatments. He recommended to always use pre followed by post herbicide programs and said that it is necessary to “fight weeds across all cropping systems.” Dr. Gary Schwarzlose, senior technical service representative for Bayer, discussed plant growth regulators and harvest aids for cotton. “We need to use plant growth regulator products to try and take it [the cotton crop] from vegetative to reproTwitter: @CottonFarming
Bayer’s Fran Deville, left, and Scott Taylor discussed Climate Field View at the field day held at the company’s Brazos Bottom headquarters near Snook, Texas. ductive growth,” he says. Schwarzlose says it is necessary to know the variety and the environment of the crop because different varieties respond differently to plant growth regulators. He also suggested getting the PGR in the plant early, 10 to 14 days later after the first PGR shot, and then gauge what needs to be done from there. Cotton harvest aids, as Schwarzlose says, need to be prioritized based on correct timing and maturity. He notes that good timing is anywhere from 50-70% open boll and that growers must still consider what varieties are planted and what is happening in
the crop and the environment before deciding on and applying a defoliant. The Moral To The Story Based on information presented throughout these three Texas field days, it seems that timing is crucial in this hectic season, and a myriad of environmental factors must always be given consideration when choosing products for a cotton crop. “King Cotton” can only remain king if well taken care of. Cassidy Nemec, a senior at Baylor University, is currently pursuing a degree in business and journalism. SEPTEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING
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Industry News New Web-Based Tool Analyzes Aerial Data And Imagery Adama Eagle Eye powered by Agremo offers an advanced analysis of aerial data and imagery that helps growers protect yields more efficiently through user-friendly maps, statistics and other tools. Insights from this web-based tool lead to lower production costs and higher yields for growers looking to turn their drone-collected images into actionable and accurate data. The Eagle Eye analysis reports use aerial footage to simplify field scouting and take the guesswork out of crop progress. The technology is backed by Agremo, a company that focuses on simplicity in precision agriculture. The Eagle Eye tool uses high-end technology that’s easy to use, easy to grasp and easy to run to help drone operators and agricultural consultants and producers achieve higher outputs. The technology was successfully applied in more than 100 countries on more than 100 crop types for various plant counting and plant health analytics. Jake Brodsgaard, CEO at Adama US, says, “We’re excited to offer this extended service to our customers and contribute to the effective use of agriculture inputs. “This advanced technology, coupled with Adama’s broad portfolio of solutions, extends the value we bring growers.” To learn more, please visit www. adamaeagleeye.com.
USDA Details Trade Damage Estimate Calculations The U.S. Department of Agriculture has published a detailed accounting of how it estimated trade damage from trade disruptions for its support package for farmers announced July 25. U S D A’s O f f i c e o f t h e C h i e f Economist developed an estimate of gross trade damages for commodities with assessed retaliatory tariffs by China, India, the European Union and Turkey to set commodity payment rates and purchase levels. The department employed the same approach often used in adjudicating World Trade Organization trade dispute cases. “Just as we did before, we want to
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Texas Weather Pendulum Swings From One Extreme To The Other In the latter part of August, a Texas AgriLife Extension report says weather went from extremely wet to extremely hot and dry across most of Texas, according to the Texas state climatologist. Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon, College Station, says the weather turned from record-breaking rainfall in the spring to being among the driest and hottest summers on record. The jet stream migrated north, away from Texas, and tropical thunderstorms didn’t deliver in the summer months either, as temperatures continued a 1-2 degrees warmer long-term trend. “A lot of the state picked up rain in June, after a very wet spring,” he says. “But then it started getting dry.” A large swath of the state from the Lower Rio Grande Valley to Midland and Lubbock, the Hill Country up Interstate 35 to Dallas and much of East Texas has received less than 1 inch of rain since July 1, he says. Some parts of the state, including around Beaumont and parts of the Panhandle, remained relatively wet, but NielsenGammon says those areas are scattered. “The monsoon season in West Texas was below normal with some parts receiving 2-3 inches, but it was spotty,” he says. The state averaged 1.9 inches of rain total in July and August so far, which would make 2019 the third driest period behind 2000 and 2011 if no further rain fell. Nielsen-Gammon says the lack of moisture has allowed temperatures to climb. “It’s been warm too,” he says. “The average temperature for the first 18 days of August has been the hottest on record for much of West Texas and some coastal areas. Temperatures have been in the top five hottest everywhere else except north central and northeast Texas.” Nielsen-Gammon says 95 record high temperatures had been set, and 88 high temperature records had been tied at reporting stations around the state in August. The drought monitor showed 22% of the state was in drought and 45% of Texas was abnormally dry. Looking forward, Nielsen-Gammon says he expects neutral weather conditions to persist into the fall. “There are no indications of an El Niño or La Niña pattern, so it will be a flip of the coin on weather,” he says. “It shouldn’t be exceptionally dry or exceptionally wet.” be transparent about this process and how our economists arrived at the numbers they did,” says Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. “Our farmers and ranchers work hard to feed the United States and the world, and they need to know USDA was thorough, methodical and as accurate as possible in making these estimates. “We listened to feedback from farm-
ers on last year’s programs and incorporated many of those suggestions into today’s programs. While no formula can be perfect in addressing concerns from all commodities, we did everything we could to accommodate everyone.” A full description of the Trade Damage Estimation for the Market Facilitation Program and Food Purchase and Distribution Program is available at https://bit.ly/2NqyHiM. COTTONFARMING.COM
Specialists Speaking Prepare For Timely Harvest ALABAMA Steve M. Brown Years ago, there were considerable educational efforts regarding the initial 40 days of the season. Starting strong — achieving a respectable stand, obtaining good weed control with minimal crop injury, and winning the battle against thrips and seedling disease — is no doubt critical. But I think that in the southerly extremes, the last 40 days are even more important. Unquestionably, many things are beyond our control, but preparedness for harvest is something we can tackle. If I could change one thing in the lower Southeast, it would be to speed up harvest — apply harvest aids on time and pick ASAP, both probably sooner than most consider proper. Here are a few harvest-time memories, good and bad. I remember when we had: • 65-plus consecutive days of open weather to pick the crop. • Little rain all summer, but then the sky opened during mid-September and it rained almost nonstop until March. • Record yields of cotton, corn, peanuts, soybeans and wheat, all in the same year! • An Oct. 13 frost that slammed the door on late cotton. • Late-season rains that made fields ugly with boll rot and hard lock, yet yields exceeded expectations. • A hurricane-remnant in September that arrested development. • A parched dryland crop with nothing at Labor Day that somehow resurrected itself to make respectable yields. • Michael. These remind us what can happen in the fall. And tying the thoughts together, why not spray harvest aids at 60-70% open, rather than 90% plus? Reductions to yield and quality are minimal for these early defoliation dates, but threats to both increase with each passing week. Let’s have pickers ready and pick as soon as possible. For those with a roll picker, why not send one man (or two) to get an early start? smb0165@auburn.edu
ARKANSAS Bill Robertson The Crop Production report for Arkansas released in August by U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Agricultural Statistics Service estimated cotton production at 1.47 million bales, up 30% or 337,000 bales above last year. Yield is expected to average 1,157 pounds per harvested acre, up 24 pounds from 2018 and 33 pounds above our five-year average. Producers expect to harvest 610,000 acres of cotton, up 130,000 acres from 2018. Progress of our cotton crop continues to be around average on paper. Our huge spread in planting dates has made some of these data points a little more difficult to interpret. Regardless, most of our crop looks good. The good cotton looks really good and our poor cotton is really poor. Most of our younger cotton appears to have good potential, but a great fall will bring big smiles. The most recent NASS Crop Progress and Condition report reflects this optimism with crop condition rated at 37% of the cotton as excellent and 46% in good condition. As we progress, it is important to identify cutout and base input termination and defoliation using heat units beyond cutout. Crop termiTwitter: @CottonFarming
nation guidelines keyed on heat unit accumulation (DD60) beyond cutout is based on when the last bolls that contribute significantly to yield and profit can be considered safe from insect damage or ready for defoliation without affecting yield and quality. Our yield potential is good at this time. As we close this season, we must continue to manage the crop in a timely fashion to maintain our yield potential while keeping expenses in check and hope Mother Nature does not throw us more curveballs. brobertson@uaex.edu
ARIZONA Randy Norton As we approach cutout for most of the cotton across Arizona, I am cautiously optimistic about the current crop condition. The spring and early summer experienced abnormally cool conditions, leading to slow growth, stunted plants and an abundance of split terminals in cotton all across the state. Since the latter half of June, we have entered a more normal weather pattern. The crop has responded well and set a good fruit load. During late July and early August, we experienced several days of level 2 heat stress. The heat stress is obviously going to have the biggest effect on the central Arizona crop as the western crop (Yuma) has completed its fruit set and is nearing time for defoliation. This increased heat will help the southeastern region of the state (higher elevations above 4,000 feet) that has suffered significantly from the cooler-than-normal spring and early summer. As the crop enters cutout, the final irrigation decision will need to be made. Identifying the last fresh bloom that will be taken to a harvestable boll is a good way to schedule the final irrigation. It is typically done well after the crop has reached less than 5 NAWF or physiological cutout. Approximately 600 heat units (HU 86/550F threshold) are required to complete the process of maturation from a fresh bloom to a mature harvestable boll. With late summer HU accumulations, 600 HU is approximately 21 days. As irrigation termination is pushed further into the fall, the number of days to mature that flower to a harvestable boll begins to increase significantly. The return on that investment of crop length doesn’t always pencil out. Proper moisture is needed during the boll maturation period to help ensure proper fiber development. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu
FLORIDA David Wright It is important to be ready for a timely cotton harvest season. Many of our farmers learned a hard lesson in 2018. When cotton is open and ready to pick, it should be picked to retain quality and yield. Last year, a lot of cotton had been defoliated in September, and many fields were completely white in early October when Hurricane Michael came through. Many of these fields went from 1,400 pounds per acre lint yield prior to the hurricane to 100 or less if farmers could get back to the fields. The Southeast has always harvested peanuts first followed by cotton when both crops are ready at the same time. Now you need to have trained people ready to harvest cotton as soon as it is ready even if it means hiring extra hands during harvest. Most of the early planted cotton will be ready to defoliate in SEPTEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING
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Specialists Speaking mid-September at 60% or more open bolls. Timeliness in farming is critical in all phases of management. wright@ufl.edu
GEORGIA Mark Freeman September marks the beginning of the end for the cotton season in Georgia. Some of our earliest planted fields will be defoliated this month, and our latest planted fields will be winding down irrigation applications. As we approach the end of the season, we need to proceed with caution in regard to irrigation. With Georgia’s high humidity and rainfall patterns, boll rot becomes a concern during this time. As we approach open boll, crop water demand decreases dramatically. Once we reach open boll, subsurface soil moisture should be monitored with a soil probe or shovel. If we can detect subsurface moisture, there is probably adequate moisture available to finish out the crop. If soil moisture is inadequate and weather forecasts don’t show rainfall in the near future, you may consider one more irrigation. However, irrigation applications should be terminated at 10% open boll. Defoliation timing for many growers is often confusing. If the crop is defoliated too early, unopened bolls and micronaire issues may result in yield and quality losses. If defoliated too late, losses may come from dislodged lint and unnecessary weathering. There are multiple techniques to determine when a field is ready. The first is using percent open boll. Some fields, if there is a good uniform crop load, will be ready at 60%. However, in Georgia that is probably a little early with 70-75% being a safer bet. Counting nodes above cracked boll (NACB) is another option with 4 NACB typically correlating to 60% open boll. The last technique is to cut and cross section the uppermost harvestable bolls to determine readiness. If the cotton “strings,” and the seed coats are dark with visible cotyledons, that boll is safe to defoliate. Of course, growers should use each of these techniques to make the best decision possible for their fields. markfree@uga.edu
MISSOURI Calvin Meeks On Aug. 12, I’d rate the average cotton acre in the Missouri Bootheel to be in good shape for the most part. Pest pressure has been lighter than normal, and fruit retention has been very good with adequate soil moisture was present for most of the year. Bollworms and plant bugs are showing up later than normal. Irrigation was just starting at the beginning of August, anticipating it would be a hot, dry month. Quite a few of the fields I have observed reached physiological cutout the first week of August as our last effective bloom date closed in. To finish this growing season, it appears we will be irrigating as good rains were not in the forecast. Regardless, a warm, dry fall is needed to finish the crop, and hopefully the early frost some are predicting is well into October. While the crop condition is good in general, there is a definite issue with spider mites, and they seem to be fairly widespread throughout the Bootheel. The recent rains should help with this problem, but the dry weather in the forecast is the recipe for an outbreak across the Bootheel. Bacterial blight has also been reported with some cases being severe. Hopefully this drier weather should help mitigate it. The crop is in worse shape this year compared to this time last year, and heat unit accumulation has been behind. Last year, 5% percent of bolls were already rated as open by Aug. 4 with none open in
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2019. This year, boll set is rated at 48%, considerably behind the average of 63%. As we close in on preparations for the 2019 harvest, consider balancing yield and fiber quality when defoliating cotton. Proper defoliation timing is needed to balance the pursuit of high yields with the need for high fiber quality. One option is to time the application to coincide with 60% open boll. Another method is to time the application at four NACB (nodes above cracked boll). From the uppermost first position cracked boll on the plant, count the mainstem nodes above it to the uppermost harvestable first position boll, sampling 40-50 plants across the field and averaging them. Inspections on the upper bolls should also be done prior to defoliation by cutting a boll cross section to determine if the seed coat is dark as defoliation will not reduce yield on these mature bolls. Second position bolls should not be used to determine maturity as first position bolls contribute 81% of the yield while also requiring 120 heat units to mature a boll further out on a fruiting branch. A first position boll only requires 60 heat units to mature a boll one node higher. Regrowth issues were present in 2018, and thidiazuron will most likely be in short supply again this year. Plan accordingly for fields with high regrowth potential. meeksc@missouri.edu
NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins As I write this on Aug. 2, the North Carolina crop is more variable than we’ve seen in several years. This is primarily due to excessive heat and drought throughout late June and July and very spotty rains during this time. We have some cotton that reached a hard cutout too early during the bloom period in areas that were neglected when rains passed through, and other cotton that looks as good as I’ve seen. However, statewide rains during late July followed by much milder temperatures have improved the status of nearly all North Carolina cotton at this point. At this time, bollworm sprays have begun and will likely continue throughout August. As we learned last year, plant bugs can be problematic throughout the entire season, necessitating thorough scouting until all harvestable fruit has reached a safe stage of maturity. The challenge I foresee going into the fall will likely be defoliation timing. Some areas that reached cutout too early due to drought stress may have less-than-ideal yield potential on the bottom crop. However, recent rains have triggered renewed terminal growth in some places, which could result in a meaningful top crop that could contribute to yield. It is important to remember that our last effective bloom dates generally fall around Aug. 20-25, depending on fall weather. The chances of developing harvestable bolls diminish rapidly when blooms appear beyond Sept. 1. Therefore, it may be wise to flag a few plants on the nodes where the last blooms appear during our last effective bloom period, so you can know which blooms to chase and which ones to ignore. It is also wise to accurately assess the yield potential of both the bottom and top crop once bolls begin to open. For example, growers with a 300-pound bottom crop may want to chase a good top crop, whereas growers with a 2-bale bottom crop may want to chase the bottom crop if the top crop wouldn’t add much more to overall yield potential. Although summer weather plays a huge role in developing yield potential, September and October can make or break our crop in any year. September rains will be needed to develop some of the top crop, but prolonged wet or cloudy weather can do noticeable COTTONFARMING.COM
Specialists Speaking damage to earlier set bolls that begin to open. Sunny, drier weather will be needed to prevent boll rot and hardlock, and we don’t want hurricanes during this time. If part of our crop is ready to harvest earlier than normal, growers are encouraged to begin defoliating and harvesting as soon as the crop is ready. This may help get some of the crop in before a hurricane. If a storm is coming and the crop cannot be harvested before it hits, growers are strongly encouraged to wait and defoliate after the storm has passed. In recent years, a lot of cotton has been lost in fields where defoliation occurred just a few days before a storm hit, whereas yield loss resulting from hurricanes was much less for growers who waited to defoliate until the storm passed. guy_collins@ncsu.edu
MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds To no one’s surprise, August brought scorching temperatures and high humidity. White blooms started climbing stalks and appearing higher on the plant as the month progressed. In some cases, open bolls were present by mid-August. However, a portion of our crop will not have open bolls until Sept. 1 or after. As such, harvest aid applications will be delayed until late September in certain fields. Uneven emergence in fields, which was common in 2019, further complicates harvest aid application timing decisions. When making these decisions, do not forget about delayed emergence if this phenomenon occurred in your fields. Making these applications when many plants are not mature will most certainly have a negative effect on yield. Given the current market, the need to maximize yields to turn a profit is obvious. On a brighter note, college football has returned and harvest is right around the corner. 2019 will be remembered for many things, and I am hoping one of them is another year of 1,000-plus poundsper-acre average yields for Mississippi. dmd76@pss.msstate.edu
TEXAS Murilo Maeda As I write this in early August, cotton harvest is in full swing across South Texas and approximately 4050% has already been picked at this time, according to Dr. Josh McGinty, Extension agronomist in Corpus Christi. So far, yields are highly variable depending on planting date, but the early cotton is yielding more than 2.25 bales per acre in this area. The variability seems to be the general crop condition across much of the state. As of this writing, less than 20,000 bales have been through the Corpus Christi classing office, but quality is looking good so far. The hope is to get another two to three dry weeks to allow timely harvest without any loss in fiber quality. In the Rolling Plains, the cotton desperately needs moisture. Dryland cotton fields — except for some good spots — are showing water stress, and flowering was delayed in some fields due to harsh conditions at planting. Some of the dryland cotton is blooming at NAWF 4 to 5 if not at the top of plant, according to Extension agronomist Dr. Emi Kimura in Vernon. The irrigated cotton also needs rain, but it looks much better and still has good yield potential. Looking at West Texas, the crop is also fairly variable due to challenging weather conditions during planting season. Good soil moisture early on means many dryland fields have seen good growth. Growers have done a good job promoting early fruit retention, but unfortunately moisture levels in many areas is not quite adequate to support the fruit load at this time. Some isolated areas have seen Twitter: @CottonFarming
scattered rainfall, but many fields are dry and the region as a whole could definitely benefit from some additional moisture. In West Texas, bollworms have been sprayed in non-Bt cotton. And although in low numbers, aphids have also been spotted in the region. As we progress closer to harvest, growers should still keep an eye on insects to make sure they are under control and below economic threshold. For those with late planted and replanted fields, remember to avoid late irrigation as well as late nitrogen applications, as these can complicate crop termination at the end of the season. mmaeda@ag.tamu.edu
OKLAHOMA Seth Byrd Hot weather has allowed much of the Oklahoma cotton crop to gain a little ground that was lost to delayed planting and slow growth due to cool conditions earlier in the season. The irrigated crop across most of the western parts of the state looks excellent with both weed and insect pressure kept to a minimum for the majority of the acres. Much of the irrigated crop is approaching cutout as of mid-August. This is perfect timing given the last effective bloom date ranges from late August to early September across the west-central and southwest production area. The irrigated crop appears to have a great yield potential and harvest aid applications will likely key in on leaf removal from fairly large plants and boll opening. Timely applications will be key to maintain quality on what’s setting up to be an exceptional irrigated crop. The warm temperatures have also been accompanied by little to no rainfall for much of the past month. By the time this issue of Cotton Farming reaches you in early September, it is likely that most of the dryland crop in Oklahoma has finished blooming, unless unexpected rainfall occurs during the second half of August. If the dry weather persists, much of the dryland crop will be left with a small number of bolls and will mature rapidly during the early weeks of fall. However, if significant moisture returns, regrowth could become a concern and removing regrowth could likely be a key factor to consider for harvest aid decisions on the dryland crop. Refer to our harvest aid guide for more information at cotton.okstate.edu. seth.byrd@okstate.edu
TENNESSEE Tyson Raper By the time you read this, defoliation will be right around the corner. I know many of you have repressed memories from defoliation/harvest last year, but 2018 did provide many important lessons that should be remembered. During 2018, the time elapsed between the application of defoliants and harvest was often stretched by wet, cloudy weather. As a result, an additional application of harvest aids to strip regrowth was often warranted. Regardless of product, rate, nozzle or volume, many of these applications were ineffective, especially on basal regrowth. Furthermore, many expressed frustration with the lack of regrowth control provided by even higher rates of thidiazuron than normally used. With any luck, we won’t have near the regrowth in 2019 that we observed in 2018. Still, it is important to remember that provided regrowth control from even our best products can be short when the environment supports growth. Also, basal regrowth can be difficult to remove from the plant with all but nuclear concoctions, and defoliating too far ahead of the picker can increase the likelihood regrowth develops. traper@utk.edu SEPTEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING
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Ginners Marketplace COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.
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ON THE YARD? Time to order backup supplies.
Stan Creelman, left, accepts the Distinguished Service Award from Roger Isom, California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association president and CEO. Isom made the presentation during a retirement party for Creelman earlier this summer.
Cotton Ginners Marketplace
CCGGA Honors Stan Creelman With Distinguished Service Award The California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association honored Stan Creelman of Mid-Valley Cotton Growers earlier this summer, celebrating his retirement. He is widely recognized as a leader in the California ginning industry. Roger Isom, California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association president/CEO, not only presented Creelman a plaque recognizing his dedicated years of service as a board member but also honored him with the 2019 Distinguished Service Award. The first Distinguished Service Award was presented in 1992. It recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the association and/or the cotton ginning industry. The award is based on those deserving of it, thus it is not always given each year. This year, the association says it was pleased to present the award to Creelman to recognize and honor his service, dedication and contributions to the California cotton industry. Creelman, who is a current board member and past chairman of CCGGA (2001-2002), just completed his tenure as the president of the National Cotton Ginners Association. Throughout his career, he has gone above and beyond his call of duty as a board member from attending industry meetings across the country to making numerous trips to Sacramento to advocate on the industry’s behalf. In 2012, the Tulare, California, ginner was named the 2011 Horace Hayden National Cotton Ginner of the Year. This award is presented annually to a ginner in recognition of able, efficient and faithful service to the ginning industry and continuation of the principles exemplified and practiced by Horace Hayden, a former NCGA executive secretary. During the ceremony for the Horace Hayden award, Creelman was recognized for having served as the California Cotton
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COTTON FARMING | SEPTEMBER 2019
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Ginners Association’s chairman along with being named the California Cotton Ginner of the Year in 2001. At the time, he also served on the NCGA’s board of directors. Other accolades included Creelman’s service as a National Cotton Council delegate, NCC board member and a longtime member and chairman of the Joint Cotton Industry Bale Packaging Committee. At the conclusion of this summer’s celebration, the association thanked Creelman for all he has done to serve the cotton industry and the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association and wished him and his wife, Denise, a happy retirement.
* * * * *
H-2A Changes Proposed The Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration and Wage and Hour Division posted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to solicit public comment on proposed changes to improve the H-2A temporary agricultural labor certification program. These proposed changes would modernize the department’s H-2A regulations to respond to stakeholder concerns and enhance employer access to a legal source of agricultural labor while maintaining the program’s protections for the U.S. workforce and enhancing enforcement against fraud and abuse. The proposal includes several major changes that would streamline and simplify the H-2A application process, strengthen protections for U.S. and foreign workers, and ease unnecessary burdens on employers. For example, the proposal would streamline the H-2A application process by mandating electronic filing of job orders and applications, promoting the use of digital signatures and providing employers with the option of staggering the entry of H-2A workers on a single application. Here is how the proposal would strengthen protections for U.S. and foreign workers:
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Enhancing standards applicable to rental housing and
public accommodations. Strengthening surety bond requirements. Expanding the DOL’s authority to use enforcement
tools like program debarment for substantial violations of program rules. Updating the methodologies used to determine the
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adverse effect wage rates and prevailing wages to ensure U.S. workers similarly employed are not adversely affected. The proposal also would codify and update procedures governing the certification for job opportunities in animal shearing, custom combining, beekeeping and reforestation. Regarding the DOL’s announcement, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says, “President Trump once again shows his commitment to helping America’s farmers, ranchers and producers continue to be the most productive in the world by increasing their access to a stable and legal workforce. The proposed rule will increase access to a reliable legal agricultural workforce, easing unnecessary burdens on farmers, increase enforcement against fraud and abuse, all while maintaining protections for America’s workers. When this rule goes into effect, our farmers will be released from unnecessary and burdensome regulations allowing them to do what they do best.” The NCC and industry interest organizations will analyze the proposal and submit comments. A copy of the proposal is at http://bit.ly/2JH9kHa. The Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association provided information for this article.
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COTTON FARMING | SEPTEMBER 2019
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Cotton’s Calendar 2019 ¢ Sept. 17-18: Staplcotn and Stapldiscount Annual Meet-
ing, Greenwood, Mississippi ¢ Sept. 17: Plains Cotton Cooperative Association Annu-
al Meeting & Board of Directors Meeting, Lubbock, Texas ¢ Sept. 23: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors/Auditors’ Meet-
ing, Phoenix, Arizona ¢ Sept. 24: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors Meeting/92nd
Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona ¢ Oct. 9: Plains Cotton Growers Quarterly Board Meet-
ing, Bayer Museum of Agriculture, Lubbock, Texas ¢ Oct. 16: PCCA Board, Delegate Body & Marketing Pool
Committee Meetings, Lubbock, Texas ¢ Nov. 20: PCCA Board of Directors Meeting, Lubbock, Texas ¢ Dec. 10-12: Cotton Board & Cotton Incorporated Joint Board Meeting, Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, Louisiana ¢ Dec. 18: PCCA Board, Delegate Body & Marketing Pool Committee Meetings, Lubbock, Texas
MODULE FEEDERS
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2020 ¢ Jan. 8-10: Beltwide Cotton Conferences, JW Marriott,
Austin, Texas ¢ Jan. 15: PCCA Board of Directors Meeting, Lubbock,
Texas ¢ Jan. 15-19: Southern Southeastern Annual Meeting, Marriott Savannah Riverfront, Savannah, Georgia ¢ Jan. 29: Georgia Cotton Commission Annual Meeting, UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center, Tifton, Georgia
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Lummus Corporation wants to express its appreciation to ourr many loyal customers forr their continued support and business. We have experienced unprecedented growthh and expansion unlike anything seen in recent times. Thanks for allowing us to partner with you " ! With that in mind, it$ never too $
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Physical Address: 225 Bourne Boulevard • Savannah, Georgia 31408-9586 USA Mailing Address: P.O. Box 929 • Pooler, Georgia 31322-0929 USA Phone: (912) 447-9000 • Fax: (912) 447-9250 Toll Free (USA Only): 1-800-4LUMMUS (1-800-458-6687) Web Site: www.lummus.com • E-mail: lummus.sales@lummus.com
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SEPTEMBER 2019 | COTTON FARMING
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My Turn Cotton Legacy Endures
I
I always tried to be around the farm as much am a third-generation farmer in Dillon, as I could even when I was in high school and South Carolina. The college. I learned little things from my dad along farm began as a dairy the way, such as planting cottonseed with a shaland tobacco operation and low depth to prevent crusting and going through remained that way until a cotton picker with a fine-tooth comb, replacing the 1980s. My father, Roy worn spindles when needed. He took pride in how Baxley, grew the farm well the pickers would clean the stalks in good and converted it to all row cotton. I gained all the farming knowledge I could crops, consisting of cotton, while I was in school. After I graduated college, peanuts, corn, soybeans I had one summer and harvest working with my Daniel dad that I wouldn’t trade for anything. and wheat. I took over the farm at 23 after my dad passed My dad gave me my love Baxley for farming, especially cot- away and was extremely green to many aspects ton. Growing up on the of running an operation. Before taking over, I farm, I remember going out to the fields when I pretty much just ran equipment and did other was very young and riding on a combine or cotton odd and end jobs that a farm employee would picker until I fell asleep as many farm kids recall. normally do. I had no idea how much went into They couldn’t keep me off the equipment. My ear- farming. I had to figure out how to keep soil ferliest memory of cotton was during harvest when tility in check, select varieties that work the best on certain soils, manwe would jump in the age employees, keep loaded cotton trail“I knew every year when I got up with equipment, ers. A trampoline just out for the summer that I had and so on. couldn’t compare to a I had a lot of help wagon full of cotton! farming to look forward to.” from different farmMy first job was driving a combine cutting wheat once I was out ers and other people in the industry when I startof school for summer break. I started when I was ed on my own. My dad’s friend and neighboring 9 years old and never looked back. I knew every farmer, Frank Rogers, was a tremendous help in year when I got out for the summer that I had getting me established and comfortable farming farming to look forward to. I didn’t get to help on my own. I owe a lot of my success to Frank’s much with cotton harvest because I was in school, willingness to help an inexperienced young farmbut I do remember spending many an hour pull- er. As bad as the situation was for my family and ing and chopping weeds in a cotton field with my me, it showed how tight-knit our farming community can be. I am extremely grateful for all the brother and sister. My dad’s favorite crop was always cotton and people I have been able to lean on for advice over it definitely showed. He was very involved in the the years. I still really enjoy growing cotton, and it conindustry and did whatever he could to promote the crop. Dad was named cotton farmer of the tinues to be the predominant crop on our farm. year in 1990, the year after I was born. He grew It is a demanding and challenging crop to grow, cotton and was a partner in the Minturn Cotton especially with the weather South Carolina has Co. Gin in Dillon. Dad was also involved in the had in the past five years. Still, even after all of leadership side of the cotton industry with the the adversity, nothing beats the reward of seeing National Cotton Council and Southern Cotton a beautiful cotton crop harvested after a years’ Growers. Growing up, I remember going to meet- worth of work and dedication getting it there. ings all over the Cotton Belt with these groups. — Daniel Baxley Dad did everything in his power to aid the proDillon, South Carolina duction of American cotton and help the people dbaxley2500@gmail.com who made a living growing it.
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 2019
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