Cotton Farming November 2022

6 CONSULTANTS CONFERENCE

e Cotton Consultants Conference will be held during the 2023 Beltwide. e session is open to all registered attendees.

20 END-OF-SEASON THOUGHTS

State

specialists report on diverse — and some

as they walk their respective

at the end of the season.

GINNERS MARKETPLACE

the

e mystique

of

rst bale of the

imagination of all who are tied to the

Editor’s Note

EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION

Editor-In-Chief

Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com

Southeast Editor

Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com

Associate Editor

Cassidy Nemec cnemec@onegrower.com

Observations, Options And Opportunities

Spending the early morning hours out on a cotton farm or in university or industry test plots is a time for reflection, for watching. By definition, observation is the process of observing something carefully to gain information.

Observing different cotton varieties continues throughout the day — even throughout the season — and opinions are formed. Even professional baseball’s Yogi Berra said, “You can learn a lot by just watching.” And artist Colin Poole said, “There are no secrets, no formulas. It’s just a matter of looking carefully.”

Once the cotton varieties have been evaluated in these various scenarios, the best performers are chosen for commercial release. It’s always a process, but in the end, farmers reap the benefits of having a plethora of options from which to choose — conventional varieties; traited varieties; early, mid- and late-maturing varieties and so on. The choices are extensive.

Check out Cotton Farming’s Seed Variety Guide on page 8 to see some of the headliners submitted by the cottonseed companies for 2023.

The next piece of the cotton production puzzle is opportunity — a particular group of circumstances that makes it possible to do something. Opportunity can be a little trickier than observation and options because it often involves the uncontrollable whims of Mother Nature.

On page 20, state cotton specialists discuss opportunities — lost and found — that shaped the 2022 crop. Tennessee’s Tyson Raper said, “Early May initially introduced herself as one of the best planting windows we’d seen in the past five, if not 10, years. Unfortunately, many saw that window crash closed with excessive rainfalls.... Perspective is important; we are fortunate and grateful to be where we are relative to where we thought we might be at the end of July.”

Florida’s David Wright noted the potential timeline for this year’s harvest and suggested farmers take advantage of the post-harvest opportunity to plant cover crops and pull soil samples. “Most cotton will harvest in October and will be finished in November from late-planted fields,” he said. “It is time to plant cover crops and winter crops and pull soil samples for nematodes and nutrient testing. The economic climate changes for crops every year — with fertilizer prices being the big story for 2022.”

As you make your cotton growing plans for next season, aim for ones that will fit the potential circumstances you would like to see happen. But also keep Plan B in your back pocket for any surprises that may show up along the way. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Digital Content Editor

Katie Guthrie

Art Director

Ashley Kumpe

ADMINISTRATION

Publisher/Vice President LiaGuthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com

Associate Publisher/Editor-In-Chief CarrollSmith (901) 326-4443

Associate Publisher/Sales Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com

Production Manager David Boyd dboyd@onegrower.com

Audience Services Kate Thomas (847) 559-7514

For subscription 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

If you have comments, please send them to: Cotton Farming Magazine, 7201 Eastern Ave., Germantown, TN 38138.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

COTTON

representatives

serve on COTTON FARMING’s

board.

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

and

statement or claims as its own

statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher.

Copyright

ASSOCIATED

Carroll Smith

OWN THE EARLY

THE ALARM CLOCK THAT AWAKES YOU WILL NEVER NEED A SNOOZE BUTTON.

It doesn’t buzz. Or allow you to snooze. It is not made of plastic and electronics. The internal clock that gets you up before the dawn is made of heart. And determination. Because you know. Early is the key to success in the cotton field. And Stoneville cotton knows, too. Stoneville cotton gets out of the ground earlier and establishes a healthy stand quicker. It also offers multiple choices in herbicide and insect trait options. So it’s less vulnerable to weeds, weather and insects during its most vulnerable time. And that paves the way for a bigger finish.

TO FARMERS

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

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba, glyphosate or glufosinate are approved for in-crop use with XtendFlex® Cotton. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with XtendFlex® Cotton. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your representative for the registration status in your state. Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba. Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Contact your seed brand dealer or refer to the Bayer Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs. Insect control technology provided by Vip3A is utilized under license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. Bollgard®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, Roundup Ready Flex® and XtendFlex® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® are registered trademarks of BASF. Agrisure Viptera® is a registered trademark of Syngenta Group Company. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship. All other products, company names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

2023 Beltwide Cotton Consultants Conference

Helping Consultants And Others With Agronomic And Pest Management Decisions

BY CASSIDY NEMEC ASSOCIATE EDITOR

This year’s Beltwide Cotton Conferences will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, Jan. 10-12 at the New Orleans Marriott. The Cotton Consultants session will be held during the afternoon Jan. 10 and continue the morning of Jan. 11. The session is open to all registered attendees.

Highlights

This year’s Consultants Conference is bringing in university and U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers, regulatory agencies, Extension personnel/ agents, consultants and industry sales/ support personnel to provide information regarding new products and production/ processing systems. This information can be tailored to fit individual farming operations. Topics this year may include:

 Updates on ThryvOn™ cotton technology.

 Herbicide resistance.

U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol.

Changes in weather patterns.

Regulatory updates.

Impacts from the Endangered Species Act.

 New precision agriculture technologies.

 Impacts of climate.

 Retail inventory.

Before opening a bag of seed, be sure to read, understand and accept the stewardship requirements, including applicable refuge requirements for insect resistance management, for the biotechnology traits expressed in the seed as set forth in the Technology Stewardship Agreement that you sign. By opening and using a bag of seed, you are reaffirming your obliga tion to comply with the most recent stewardship requirements.

 Supply chain status of fertilizer and chemistries.

 Dicamba usage.

Regulatory Updates

Dr. Don Parker, VP of Technical Services for the National Cotton Council, said there will be a host of regulatory updates provided during this year’s consultants conference.

He said they will cover FIFRA registration requirements for pesticide registration, as well as ESA requirements for protection of endangered species. Two speakers from Washington D.C. will be in atten-

dance and will give presentations regarding some of these regulatory updates. “A lot of our challenges are in that arena right now,” Parker said.

“We will highlight some of the products under review and the current thoughts of the day on how we’re moving forward with product registration.”

Parker said the new ideas being explored with respect to product registration will change labels. “It’s probably going to add some new requirements on paperwork.”

Attending The Conference

The 2023 Beltwide Cotton Conference is put together by the National Cotton Council and can be attended by anyone in the industry.

Registration costs for the 2023 BWCC before Dec. 14 are: $200 for NCC/Cotton Foundation members, university and USDA researchers, Extension personnel and associations; $500 for non-U.S. research, Extension, associations and consultants; $400 for non-NCC/Foundation members; and $80 for producers, independent crop consultants and students.

For more information and to register, please visit the BWCC home page at www.cotton.org/beltwide/ and click on the registration tab.

Yield, Quality And Traits

The menu of cotton varieties from which to choose in 2023 includes a host of high-yielding, good quality selections.

help you

Bollgard 3 XtendFlex

NG 3195 B3XF early-mid4.3-4.5

NG 3299 B3XFearly-mid4.6-4.7

36-37

across

by Cotton Farming magazine. Discuss priorities with your consultant and seed representative to match your operation’s needs with these outstanding characteristics and traits. And then place your order for the upcoming 2023 season with confidence.

30-31Early-mid variety offering good heat tolerance and consistent performance. High yield potential and high turnout.

36-37 32-33New for 2022! Impressive storm tolerant variety with high turnout and easy management. It is sure to be a great fit anywhere early-medium maturing varieties are preferred.

NG 3930 B3XFearly-mid4.1-4.5 semi-smooth37-38

NG 4098 B3XFmid 4.3-4.5 semi-smooth38-39

29-30Widely adapted early-med maturing variety with a great disease package and excels on most soil types in dryland or limited water scenarios.

both

New varieties for 2023 in blue

DP

DP

DP

DP

XtendFlex

DryTough

top Deltapine

the West

and

showing

performance

the

high

in an early- to mid-maturity with good indeterminacy.

B3XFmid-full4.7 semi-smooth38.0 32.8Bollgard 3 XtendFlex cotton variety showing resistance to both reniform and rootknot nematodes with outstanding yield potential.

DP 2143NR B3XFmid-full4.4 semi-smooth36.6 30.4Bollgard 3 XtendFlex cotton variety for the Southwest that has shown resistance to reniform and root-knot nematodes and moderate tolerance to Verticillium wilt.

DP 2012 B3XF early 4.3 smooth 38.3 30.6Yield potential and fiber quality similar to DP 1646 B2XF in an early maturity with bacterial blight resistance.

DP 2020 B3XF early-mid4.3 semi-smooth38.8 30.9Broadly adapted offering high yield potential, excellent fiber length with bacterial blight resistance.

DP 2022 B3XF early-mid4.3 semi-smooth37.7 30.3Bred for the Northern High Plains with good seedling vigor and bacterial blight resistance.

DP 2038 B3XF mid 4.5 smooth 36.2 29.8Extremely high yield potential, good fiber quality with bacterial blight resistance and broadly adapted.

DP 2044 B3XF mid-full 3.6 semi-smooth38.8 32.5 Bred for the dryland fields in West Texas offering excellent seedling vigor and bacterial blight resistance.

DP 2055 B3XF full 4.5 smooth 39.5 30.7 Adapted for full-season markets across the Cotton Belt with high yield potential and excellent fiber quality potential.

DP 1908 B3XF early 3.9 smooth 38.4 31.6 Excellent fiber length and strength, strong emergence with resistance to bacterial blight for the Texas Panhandle.

DP 1948 B3XF mid-full4.2 semi-smooth39.0 31.2 Yield potential similar to DP 1646 B2XF with an excellent fiber quality and staple length adapted to the South Texas and Southern Rolling Plains regions.

DP 1820 B3XF early-mid4.0-4.5 semi-smooth39.0 30.6-32.7Excellent fiber length, micronaire and strength, plus resistance to bacterial blight. Works well in West Texas, Upper Mid-South and Southeast.

DP 1840 B3XF

PHY

PHY

PHY

PHY

PHY

W3FEearly-mid4.6

W3FE

W3FEearly-mid4.4

PHY

W3FEmid

the Enlist cotton trait and WideStrike

Insect

micronaire.

RKN

to mid-maturity

REN

superb

Early to mid-maturing variety featuring the Enlist cotton trait and WideStrike 3 Insect Protection

Superior

with excellent fiber

lower micronaire.

Root-knot nematode resistance. Broad adaptation across the Cotton Belt.

High-yielding W3FE variety with PhytoGen Breeding Traits for RKN resistance and bacterial blight resistance.

High-yielding and mid-maturing variety adapted to the South Delta featuring the Enlist cotton trait and WideStrike 3 Insect Protection with bacterial blight and RKN resistance. Excellent seedling vigor.

Mid-maturing, medium height, semi-smooth leaf variety with PhytoGen Breeding Traits for bacterial blight and RKN resistance. This top-yielder fits and performs well on both irrigated and nonirrigated land and responds very well to plant growth regulators. Very manageable and responds well to higher inputs and productive soils. Excellent seedling vigor.

PHY 411 W3FE mid 4.7 semi-smooth36 32.3Very broadly adapted, high-yielding variety throughout the Upland-growing regions. Includes resistance to bacterial blight, root-knot nematodes and reniform nematodes. Features Enlist cotton trait and WideStrike 3 Insect Protection

PHY 443 W3FEmid 4.5 semi-smooth37 33.7

High-yielding, mid-maturing variety featuring the Enlist cotton trait and WideStrike 3 Insect Protection. PhytoGen Breeding Traits for resistance to bacterial blight and both reniform and RKN nematodes.

PHY 480 W3FEmid 4.1 semi-smooth37 32.4Industry-leading RKN resistance in mid-maturing W3FE variety with very good fiber quality and yield stability.

PHY 500 W3FEmid-full4.5

PHY 545 W3FEfull

One of the most consistent varieties available. Broad adaptation, fits across a wide range of soil types from the Mid-Atlantic to the Southeast and across the Cotton Belt. Top-yielder with excellent fiber characteristics, including micronaire, strength and staple. PhytoGen Breeding Traits include bacterial blight and RKN resistance.

Aggressive growing full-season variety adapted to the lower Southeast. Features the Enlist cotton trait and WideStrike 3 Insect

FM 1621GL

FM 1888GL

FM 2202GL

FM 1830GLT

FM 1911GLT

FM 2334GLT mid 4.2

FM 2498GLT mid

FM 1730GLTP early-mid4.1 semi-smooth1.16

FM 1953GLTP early-mid4.3

FM 2398GLTP mid 4.5 semi-smooth1.14

yield potential. Stable performance across the High Plains

yield potential. Stable performance across the High Plains region. Resistant to

of the

blight.

storm

A good fit for High and

High yield potential. Very good Verticillium wilt tolerance. Bacterial blight resistance. Good fiber package. Adapted for Southwest, South Texas and Far West.

Excellent yield potential. Excellent Verticillium wilt tolerance. Outstanding fiber package.

suited for the Southwest, Far West and South

early-season vigor. Very good root-knot nematode tolerance. Very good fiber package with strong yield potential. High gin turnout. Excellent storm tolerance. Resistant to bacterial blight. Very good Verticillium wilt tolerance with twogene worm protection. Well suited for High and Rolling Plains of the Southwest.

yield potential and outstanding fiber quality. Two-gene worm protection. High gin turnout. Excellent Verticillium wilt tolerance. Well suited for the Southwest and Far West.

yield potential. Outstanding early-season vigor. High gin turnout. Resistant to bacterial blight. Two-gene worm protection. Well suited for the Western Cotton Belt. Very good Verticillium wilt tolerance.

Very good root-knot nematode tolerance. Resistant to bacterial blight. Excellent fiber package. High gin turnout. Three-gene lepidopteran resistance, which decreases the likelihood that additional worm control measures will be needed. Well suited for the Southwest, Far West and South Texas. Very good Verticillium wilt tolerance.

high performance in varied environments. Resistant to bacterial blight. Excellent fiber quality package and yield potential. Excellent heat tolerance. Good early-season vigor. Three-gene lepidopteran resistance, which decreases the likelihood that additional worm control measures will be needed. Well suited for South Texas, Rolling Plains of the Southwest and Oklahoma.

Excellent yield potential. Has high gin turnout. Very good Verticillium wilt tolerance. Resistant to bacterial blight. Three-gene lepidopteran resistance, which decreases the likelihood that an application will be

DG

DG

DG H929 B3XFearly 4.3-4.7 semi-smooth1.12-1.14

DG H959 B3XFmid 4.3-4.7

DG P224 B3XFmid-full3.65

bacterial blight resistance. Adapted to Texas, Delta and Southeast

grown in the Delta region. Medium-tall plant type that should be managed

with PGRs. Root-knot and reniform nematode

grown in Lower Southeast and Delta regions. Very full-season maturity. Bacterial blight resistance and Verticillium wilt tolerance. Manage tall plant type aggressively with PGRs. Very good fiber strength and good length.

with Halo salt tolerance. Adapted to West Texas and similar environments with saline soil types. Good storm tolerance with bacterial blight resistance and good Verticillium wilt tolerance

with Halo salt tolerance. Good seedling vigor. Adapted to Southern Cotton Belt and the Carolinas. Good storm tolerance with bacterial blight resistance and good Verticillium wilt tolerance

33.8ELS-type fiber quality in an upland cotton variety. Adapted to Southern High Plains and Rolling Plains of Texas. Excellent storm tolerance with root knot nematode tolerance. Recommended for irrigated acres only with strict management.

ST

ST 4595B3XF

ST 4990B3XF early-mid4.4

ST 4993B3XF early-mid4.5

ST 5091B3XF

ST 5600B2XF

ST 5707B2XF

ST

ST

lepidopteran resistance, which decreases the likelihood that additional worm control measures will be needed. Early-mid maturity. Very good fiber package and storm

Well suited for the Southwest and Far West.

yield with a good fiber package. High turnout and easy to manage plant type. Fits most soil types/very stable. Three-gene lepidopteran resistance, which decreases the likelihood that additional worm control measures will be needed. Widely adapted across the Cotton Belt.

early-mid maturity. Performs well in high-yielding environments. Good fiber package. Three-gene lepidopteran resistance, which decreases the likelihood that additional worm control measures will be needed. Widely adapted across the Cotton Belt.

high yielder. Resistant to bacterial blight. Good storm tolerance. High gin turnout. Easy to manage with early-mid maturity. Three-gene lepidopteran resistance, which decreases the likelihood that additional worm control measures will be needed. Widely adapted across the Cotton Belt.

lepidopteran resistance, which decreases the likelihood that additional worm control measures will be needed. Consistent high yielder and good fiber package. Good plant type for all soils.

yield potential and good fiber package. Root-knot nematode resistance. Mid-full maturity. Two-gene worm protection. Suited for South Texas, West Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and the Far

early-season vigor and exceptional seed emergence. Mid-full maturity and targeted for dryland and limited irrigation production. Good fit for production in Arizona. Resistant to bacterial blight. Two-gene worm protection. Found in Oklahoma, West Texas, the Texas Blacklands, Eastern New Mexico and the Far West.

yield potential and exceptional fiber package. High gin turnout early-mid

to tall

root-knot nematode

and three-gene lepidopteran resistance, which

Has good

needed to control bollworms.

for

in

Cotton’s Agenda

Gary Adams

Smart Stewards

The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol was honored that its climate smart project was funded under USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program.

What is this environmental initiative?

■ The Biden-Harris Administration, via USDA, is investing up to $2.8 billion in 70 selected pilot projects under the first pool of the agency’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. Projects from the second funding pool will be announced later this year. Ultimately, USDA’s anticipated investment will triple to more than $3 billion in pilots designed to create market opportunities for American commodities produced using climate-smart production practices.

This industry voluntary sustainability initiative launched in 2020 is enlisting American cotton producers who will commit to providing sustainably grown cotton that not only will meet the needs of brands/retailers in the fashion and textile industries but ultimately protect and preserve our planet.

The Climate Smart Cotton Program, one of the 14 top funded projects selected by USDA, will be a collaborative effort with Cotton Incorporated and the NCC’s export promotion arm, Cotton Council International; the Soil Health Institute; the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund; Alabama A&M University; North Carolina A&T University; Texas A&M University’s AgriLife Research; and Agricenter International in Memphis. Target Corporation also is supporting the project through cost-share funding.

How can this new endeavor benefit the industry?

USDA’s new Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Program includes a cotton project led by the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol®.

These initial projects will expand markets for climate-smart commodities, leverage the greenhouse gas benefits of climate-smart commodity production and provide direct, meaningful benefits to production agriculture. Applicants submitted more than 450 project proposals in this first funding pool, and the strength of the projects identified led USDA to increase its investment in this opportunity from the initial $1 billion announced earlier this year. A complete list of the projects approved in the first funding pool is at www.usda.gov/climate-solutions/climate-smart-commodities/projects.

Who is carrying out the cotton project?

■ Expected to be carried out in all 17 Cotton Belt states, the U.S. Climate Smart Cotton Program will be led by the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol®.

■ The $90 million of funding allocated to the U.S. Climate Smart Cotton Program is a major investment that will provide technical and financial assistance to more than 1,000 U.S. cotton producers with the ultimate benefit of building markets for climate-smart cotton. The pilot project is an important step in providing the necessary resources needed for these producers to learn, grow and explore new opportunities that will improve their environmental footprint.

Our industry looks forward to working with USDA on a comprehensive plan. Basically, though, the program will 1) further enhance U.S. cotton’s voluntary environmental stewardship efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, soil loss and water and energy use, while increasing land efficiency and soil carbon and 2) advance adoption of climate-smart practices on more than 1 million acres, producing millions of bales of climate-smart cotton over five years, and demonstrating major carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) reductions and millions of dollars of economic benefits to producers.

Gary Adams is president/CEO of the National Cotton Council of America.

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All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Evaluating Potential Benefits Of Thrip Protection Technology

During the past two springs, many Mid-South producers faced cold, wet temperatures when planting their cotton crop. These harsh weather conditions can cause young cotton plants to grow slowly and sit idle waiting on more sun and warmer temperatures.

As if that situation wasn’t grim enough, producers often face another obstacle during that crucial time — insect pressure or infestation from thrips. Thrips are known to start feeding on young, vulnerable cotton plants causing new leaves to crinkle, which further prevents photosynthesis from occurring.

This year, producers and researchers alike noticed this happening to virtually all the young cotton crop when planted in cold and wet conditions, except for one field that was planted with seed that had been genetically modified to fight off these pesty thrips. This new biotechnology is called ThryvOn and was developed by Bayer Crop Science.

ThryvOn Technology started out as a technology to deter tarnished plant bugs. However, as researchers have continued to evaluate the technology, they have found that its true uniqueness and benefit comes in protecting early season cotton from thrips.

Sebe Brown, University of Tennessee, presents results from ThryvOn trials at a cotton breeders’ field day.

BY GRANT SAUM UNION CITY, TENNESSEE

Unlike other methods, ThryvOn Technology is bred into the plant, thus decreasing the need for insecticide applications. It doesn’t cause thrips or plant bugs to die from eating on the vegetative growths, instead, it makes the plant less desirable, thus causing a lower population of adults to lay their offspring.

Reduce Sprays, Maintain Yields

Dr. Ryan Kurtz, Senior Director, Agricultural and Environment Research at Cotton Incorporated said, “While our team hasn’t funded much research previously because the ThryvOn trait was stewarded and still in development, now that ThryvOn is closer to being in commercial fields, we are funding research to

evaluate how it will fit into existing management programs.”

Now the question is, what kind of potential benefit can ThryvOn provide to cotton production in the Mid-South and beyond? “Anything that could reduce Lygus and thrips sprays while maintaining yields will be beneficial to Mid-South growers,” Kurtz said.

According to research performed by the entomology team at the University of Tennessee at Jackson, ThryvOn cotton has key benefits that could change how growers in the Cotton Belt will manage insect pressure moving forward.

Their research has shown that ThryvOn cotton leads to better square retention, a 30% reduction in insecticide applications, and ultimately adding leniency into producer’s spray routines. Growers will also appreciate that ThryvOn Technology can stand alone during the early season when plants are most vulnerable without the need for elite seed treatment.

A cotton plot planted in West Tennessee during May of this year revealed results showing 250 to 300 thrips per five plants in non-ThryvOn cotton compared to only 50 thrips found per five ThryvOn cotton plants.

New Research Planned Cotton Incorporated is committed to funding new research aimed at making the best use of this trait in management systems for growers and has several university-level research trials going on now.

“Having a new tool for managing lygus and thrips will be great for the Mid-South not only for protecting the crop but also resistance management. This trait has the biggest potential for benefit in the Mid-South and Southeast but any growers across the belt with thrips and Lygus problems could potentially see benefit.” Kurtz concluded.

Grant Saum is the Mid-South Regional Communication Manager for The Cotton Board. Email him at gsaum@cottonboard. org.

Todd says he considers all his clients “family” and will do whatever he can to help them and believes they feel the same way.

“This award is a reflection of the farmers I work with. They deserve all the credit for molding and shaping me. My farmers have made me what I am.”

Todd is active in the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants and also maintains a good rapport with university and industry personnel.

Texas Rural Land Buying Frenzy Wanes

Rural land sales volume fell 26.5% from mid-2021 to mid-2022, according to the Texas Land Market Latest Developments by the Texas Real Estate Research Center (TRERC) at Texas A&M University.

“Clearly activity appears to be slowing,” said TRERC Research Economist Dr. Charles Gilliland. “Demand for land, as reported by rural brokers, remains strong but has noticeably cooled from last year’s frenzied contest.”

Gilliland said below-asking-price offers have returned to some markets, something not seen since third quarter 2020. Fewer properties were for sale in second quarter 2022, but prices increased by 24.5% to $4,286 per acre statewide.

Total second-quarter dollar sales volume hit $3.6 billion, up 28%. That compares with a 76.7% first-quarter rise, and a 97.6% increase in fourth quarter 2021.

Prices increased by more than 21% statewide, except in Far West Texas, where they fell substantially, says the

News

report. Total acres transferred declined in several regions, and total sales dropped everywhere but Far West Texas.

“This trend toward rising prices and declining activity suggests demand is dropping,” Gilliland said. “If so, brokers may begin to find ebbing enthusiasm among potential buyers.”

2022 Row Crop Short Course

The 2022 Row Crop Short Course will be held at the Cotton Mill Conference Center near the campus of Mississippi State University on Dec. 5–7.

Lunch will be provided each day. Additionally, a social mixer and dinner will be held Monday evening at the Cotton Mill Conference Center. On Tuesday, a social event and steak/ shrimp dinner will be held at 6 p.m. at the Cotton Mill Conference Center.

All meals are free if you preregister before Nov. 30. Registration after Nov. 30, including at the door, is $40, which includes all meals.

For more information, contact Kathy Johnson at 662-325-2701 or Kjohnson@ pss.msstate.edu.

Cotton Farming

Texas native James Todd, who was chosen by his peers as the 2021 Cotton Consultant of the Year, says, “We check every field every week and don’t cut corners.”

Cotton Consultant of the Year

James Todd 2021 CCOY AWARD RECIPIENT

established 1981

Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by

A Tale Of Two Seasons

Looking Back To Move Forward

Backpedal to 2021. That season was an eye-opener for Whit Player, Bishopville, South Carolina, cotton grower. He had purchased a new planter with granular applicator boxes.

Unsure of exactly what he wanted to do with the boxes, he thought back to the days of Temik (aldicarb) when his daddy hardly ever planted a row of cotton without aldicarb underneath it. Back then, they didn’t worry about thrips too much. It was almost a given Temik would take care of that problem.

With that thought long-embedded in his memory, Player decided to see if aldicarb — now sold as AgLogic aldicarb — would still give him the same peace of mind. So, he used it on a few of his 1,500 acres of cotton in 2021.

“Jerry Adams (JLA Consulting, Bishopville, South Carolina) came out and calibrated the planter,” he said. “He’s had years of experience with the product, so he rigged it up and let it go on some of the fields across different varieties, leaving part of the cotton untreated on purpose.”

An Experiment To Remember

As the 2021 season unfolded, even Adams couldn’t see much of a difference. “Maybe it’s one of those years when the cotton is just so good, you’re not going to see it,” he commented at the time.

Without even so much as a yield monitor to prove his theory one way or another, Player began harvesting his cotton in late October 2021.

“Even after defoliation we really weren’t expecting to see much difference between the treated and untreated,” he said. “We had the treated rows flagged throughout the season all the way through harvest. You couldn’t see the difference with a naked eye between treated or non-treated.”

That all changed when the picker started running. The round baler told the story.

“We started on the untreated, then switched over to the treated,” he said. “Again, I didn’t have a yield monitor on it, but you could definitely see it when it finished a bale.”

Fast Forward To Today

That was enough to convince Player he was going to make AgLogic a permanent fixture in his early season pest management program.

“When we lost Temik (aldicarb) for a few years, we moved on — or at least thought we had moved on,” he said. “Then we got it back. There’s nothing like remembering the performance of a product you thought you’d never see again. It may have a different name as AgLogic, but it’s the same product with the same benefits.”

A Plant Manager At Work

Those benefits are thrips control, nematode suppression and earliness, according to Player. But the one benefit that stood out to him last season was peace of mind. He didn’t have to be the full-time plant manager. AgLogic aldicarb handled that job for him. He felt it again this year when he put 5 lbs. of AgLogic aldicarb under his entire 1,500 acres of cotton.

“Before I started using aldicarb again, I was out there in the field shaking plants

trying to figure out how many thrips I had per plant and what to do about it,” he said. “In 2021 and again his year, I didn’t have to check for thrips. I didn’t even have to get out of the truck, although I did from time to time to make sure I was right. The leaves were big, healthy and nothing was eating on them. That was AgLogic at work.”

As Extension specialists and consultants reported heavy thrips pressure at the beginning of 2022 across much of the Cotton Belt, Player was unfazed and kept rolling down the highway.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature wasn’t too kind as the year progressed, but Player is satisfied with his choice. “We have a pretty decent crop,” he said. “I’ll use the product again in 2023. It’s not a record, but it’s still a solid crop. There is nothing like the earliness factor to give you a fighting chance. Plus, it’s nice not having to get out of your truck so much. I’ve got other things to do.”

Brenda Carol submitted this article on behalf of AgLogic.

Whit Player farms 1,500 acres of cotton near Bishopville, South Carolina.

Specialists

End-Of-Season Considerations

TEXAS Murilo Maeda

Cotton harvest has already started in West Texas (in our northern counties) as I write this in early October, and by the time you receive this issue of Cotton Farming, harvest activities should be well underway across much of the region.

The first USDA-AMS classing report from the Lubbock office covering the week ending Oct. 6 includes 1,158 bales (from three gins) and shows an average 36.39 staple, 1.13 length, 32.5 strength, 80.65 uniformity and 4.05 micronaire. Up to this point, warm and open weather have prevailed, but as expected, once we cross into October, we tend to see milder, cooler weather overall. While warm, open weather has (so far) favored good harvest aid activity, areas north of the Lamesa to Childress line have picked up anywhere from a few tenths to as much as 1.5 inches of rain over the past seven days. This, along with the cooler weather in the forecast, can delay harvest aid activity, so we encourage growers to take that into account as they match defoliation to their harvest capacity.

Not surprising, but still unfortunate, we continue to receive word about more acres being failed. This includes both dryland as well as irrigated fields that will continue to add to our already high 2.5 million failed acres of cotton this year. Regardless, for those of you going after a cotton crop, we wish you a plentiful, blessed harvest. Yet again — I would like to remind everyone of the increase in heavy equipment moving around this time of year. Whether during the day or at night, please pay extra attention to your surroundings and stay safe out there. mmaeda@ag.tamu.edu

TEXAS Ben McKnight

As I write this Oct. 6, dry weather has once again settled in for the majority of South, Central and East Texas. This recent round of dry weather has facilitated good conditions for harvesting the crop as growers are looking forward to closing the books on the 2022 growing season and beginning to look ahead to next year’s crop.

Variety selection remains, in my opinion, the most important decision a grower will make all year. In several ways, the decision on which variety to plant will impact how your pest management programs will shape up for the remainder of the year. With all the different trait packages currently available, now would be a great time to start evaluating which traits would bring value to your cotton growing operations.

If bacterial blight is an issue on your farm, considering a variety with resistance to the pathogen may potentially mitigate some losses. If glyphosate-resistant weeds have become more problematic, utilizing varieties with different herbicide-resistance traits and rotating herbicide modes of action can help with combatting these yield-robbing weed pests.

In addition to considering variety trait packages, yield and fiber quality are perhaps the most important characteristic to consider when identifying potential varieties to grow in 2023. Results from variety trials can provide some insight regarding variety performance and can be extremely helpful for making your variety decisions for the upcoming year. Rather than just considering the 2022 Texas A&M RACE trial results, I encourage growers to go back a few years to evaluate how the different varieties performed across multiple years. Assuming the variety has been evaluated in previous years’ trials along with 2022, we can use this method to identify varieties that continue to perform well across different lo-

cations and different years. The 2022 RACE trial results will be published online in December and can be found at varietytesting.tamu.edu. Also, mark your calendars for the 34th Annual Texas Plant Protection Conference Dec. 6 - 7 in Bryan, Texas. More information on the conference can be found at texasplantprotection.com. bmcknight@tamu.edu

LOUISIANA Matt Foster

As we approach mid-October, approximately 60% of the cotton acres in the state have been harvested.

Harvest conditions have been excellent; however, temperatures have recently dropped, which can hinder boll opening and the efficacy of some harvest aid products.

We hope to finish harvesting by the end of October/ early November. Louisiana will harvest around 190,000 acres of cotton this year, compared to 110,000 acres in 2021.

Lint yields across the state are extremely variable due to hot and dry conditions during most of the growing season, along with heavy amounts of rainfall in August. Yield estimates for the state are projected to be around 800 lbs. to 875 lbs. of lint per acre. Most growers that I’ve spoken with were expecting an above-average cotton crop this year, but mother nature had different plans.

Following harvest, growers should concentrate on soil fertility needs for the 2023 crop. The main purposes of a soil test are to indicate the current nutrient levels in the soil and aid in developing a fertilizer/lime program. A solid program can be developed by combining soil test information with cropping history and the overall yield potential of the field. Routine soil testing can also aid in monitoring trends/changes in your overall production system, thus balancing your fertility program with other production inputs. Since soil test levels can change during the year, samples should be taken at the same time each year so results can be compared year to year. Nutrient levels are generally lower in summer and fall compared to winter and spring. Generally, the best time to sample is one to six months prior to planting. mfoster@agcenter.lsu.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson

As we turned the calendar into October, harvest progress of the 2022 crop basically mirrored the fiveyear average. The long-term forecast of dry weather into mid-October will help to keep harvest progress at a fast, steady pace. While our early cotton in far south Arkansas experienced significant hardlock, much of the rest of the state is seeing little loss at this time.

Big nice fluffy bolls all the way to the top of the plant, coupled with basically every boll the plant produced getting into the module, is a recipe for high yields. The almost ideal weather through nearly the entire month of September is a big reason for this and is likely our highlight of the season so far.

The most recent Crop Production report for Arkansas released in September by USDA-NASS estimated cotton production at 1.6 million bales, 365,000 bales above last year. Based on conditions as of Sept. 1, yield is expected to average 1,219 lbs. per harvested acre. This would represent our second highest yield on record. Our five-year lint yield average is 1,184 lbs. per harvested acre.

Most are well into planning for the 2023 season. Soil samples for fertility, as well as nematodes, will likely be pulled in great numbers after harvest and stalk destruction are complete. Look to the University of Ar-

Specialists Speaking

kansas variety testing webpage at https://arkansas-variety-testing.uark. edu/ for results from county and OVTs.

e Arkansas Crop Management Conference and County production meetings are scheduled to be live events this year, and dates have been set. Contact your county Extension agent for details on meetings and other questions you may have. brobertson@uada.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper

As I write this Oct. 2, harvest has just begun in Tennessee, with only a handful of elds picked. What a rollercoaster of a year. Early May initially introduced herself as one of the best planting windows we’d seen in the past ve, if not 10, years. Unfortunately, many saw that window crash closed with excessive rainfalls; o en, 1 inch to 3 inches of rainfall seemed to arrive immediately a er the planter le the eld.  en, only a few weeks into June, the rain altogether stopped until nearly the end of July. August will go down as one of the wetter — if not wettest — months on record. And then September broke dry and nished cold.

Perspective is important; we are fortunate and grateful to be where we are relative to where we thought we might be at the end of July. Still, this will be a tough year for many. If September could have given us a few more degrees and October would have been forgiving, we might have made the crop we thought we had at the end of August.  is will be my

rst year in Tennessee where the earliest-planted cotton will fall hundreds of pounds short of the later-planted cotton. I also suspect our earliest planted will struggle with abnormally high micronaire.  ere are a few lessons I think can be learned from this year and applied as we move forward. First, we kept thin stands in many elds, and I think, overall, most have been impressed with retention and ease of management at these populations; some are targeting a plant population that is too high and reducing seeding rate (for some) may result in similar yields with reduced expenses. Additionally, we will have a very good understanding of variety performance and placement a er this year.  I hope each of you has a productive and safe harvest that wraps up well before anksgiving! traper@utk.edu

MISSISSIPPI Brian Pieralisi

It’s hard to believe we are writing about end-of-year considerations, but it’s time to start thinking about 2023. I’m writing this Oct. 5, and harvest is in full swing in Mississippi. Many farmers in the Delta have spent their 10 to 14 days in the trenches and are completely done with all harvest activities. However, there’s still a lot of cotton across the state awaiting harvest, but given the weather forecast, it won’t be long before everyone is nished. It amazes me how technology and management practices have compressed our growing seasons into a few short months. Anyway, cotton

Cotton harvest is well under way in most regions a er a rollercoaster year of high costs and tumultuous weather.

CASSIDY NEMEC

yields in Mississippi are variable across the state, with planting date, variety, environmental conditions and the interactions between these factors contributing to the range in cotton yields.

Thinking about “end of the year considerations,” I encourage taking advantage of the early harvest and dry conditions to prepare fields for next year’s crop and to catch up on any soil sampling that may need to be addressed. With high fertilizer costs, some growers have shifted their management strategies away from inorganic, soil-applied fertilizers to cash flow their budget. Soil sampling is important to monitor fertility levels to keep from dropping into a deficiency scenario, which is much more expensive and time consuming to correct.

Lastly, review as much variety performance data as possible when making selection decisions. Moving into 2023, growers are starting to favor certain varieties more than others and ordering seed before harvest is over. Other growers are still having trouble finding the variety that is a perfect fit for their farm. Looking at multi-year performance data will help in making these selection decisions. Enjoy the fall weather as we prepare for another round! bkp4@msstate.edu

ALABAMA Steve M. Brown

Sept. 12 marked a significant weather change for most of Alabama. We went from frequent rainfall, persistent high humidity and extensive cloud cover to prevailing drier, sunny, breezy conditions. Perfect for cotton maturation — except that it was slightly cooler than normal. And thankfully, we missed Hurricane Ian altogether. Weeks of sunshine combined with lower humidity and light winds make for great picking. While we lost some lower bolls to hardlock and boll rot, the latter half of September and early days of October boosted our prospects. Moreover, the general forecast for much of October was also favorable. Weather patterns and initial picking reports encourage optimism that yields will improve over early predictions. By the time this is read, predictions and estimates will give way to real numbers. Our five-year average yield calculated against planted acres is about 850 lbs./acre. On this date (Oct. 4), I’m still in guessing mode, but I think we should surpass 850 lbs./acre considerably. My guesses contrast preliminary USDA numbers, so I could be eating crow but don’t shoot and ship the bird just yet.

For now, cotton across the state has a welcome, white beauty.

Some areas should finish harvest early, not because of a short crop but rather because extreme heat in June and July propelled cotton development. Arguably, the overcast conditions in late summer slowed the pace somewhat, but many could wrap up picking two to three weeks sooner than normal, hurried along by crop maturity and great harvest weather.

As we finish, it’s helpful to think about what we learned this season, what went well or didn’t, and what changes we might make for next year. Hopefully, at season’s end, each farm family and group will be able to reflect upon the year with a sense of gratitude for safety and bounty.

cottonbrown@auburn.edu

FLORIDA David Wright

Most cotton will harvest in October and will be finished in November from late-planted fields. It is time to plant cover crops and winter crops and pull soil samples for nematodes and nutrient testing. The economic climate changes for crops every year — with fertilizer prices being the big story for 2022.

Decisions need to be made to do a better job in the future, as phosphorus and potassium prices have remained high. Drought in the deep south in late season, as well as Ukraine impact on input prices, bring uncertainty for growers to consider in the coming year’s crop.

Some of our long-term research trials indicate that using cover crops and winter grazing livestock can be beneficial for recycling nutrients as well as utilizing the land and cover crops.  Our data from a 22-year rotation with winter grazing cattle shows that irrigation and fertilization may be reduced as much as 40% to 60%, lowering input costs and reducing risks, while increasing yields of row crops. wright@ufl.edu

GEORGIA Camp Hand

The best time of year — crossing the finish line. Nothing beats seeing the hard work of a long season come to fruition. This is a busy and stressful time for growers, but there is always something to learn. Make sure to make note of problematic areas in fields as you are picking. Whether nematodes, fertility or weeds that produced seed, we can make a plan to get ready for next season. It’s never too early to start thinking about the next crop.

As I write this Oct. 7, I’m hearing yields all over the board, which I would consider normal. We didn’t have a great August in terms of “finishing” our crop. We had a lot of hardlock and rot that, at the time, many thought would devastate our crop. I hand picked some cotton in a dryland field planted April 18 just a few weeks ago and thought, with as much hardlock and lack of burr integrity that I saw, it wouldn’t be worth picking. But I was very surprised when we ran a picker through there to see that we were averaging around two bales. The words “pleasant surprise” or “better than expected” have been said to me and by me more than once.

Overall, it looks like we’re off to a good start in terms of fiber quality. Nothing is jumping out in terms of being way off, which is a good thing. There is very little extraneous matter thus far as well.

It feels like we’re ahead of schedule in terms of harvest so far, which may partially have to do with the scare we got from Hurricane Ian. Luckily, it missed us this time, and all we got was a little wind. I think we all feel like we dodged a bullet there, but we still have a ways to go as of the first week of October.

Let’s continue to be timely with harvest, and be safe out there. As always, if you ever need anything, your local UGA county Extension agent and specialists are here to help! Don’t hesitate to reach out. camphand@ uga.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins

I’m actually writing this on Sept. 30, while Hurricane Ian is making its way through our state. We’re hoping and praying that the impact is minimal, but some degree of cotton loss is expected. We were really hoping to miss these tropical systems this year, and even this one is more of a direct hit than was forecasted during most of the week prior.

By the time this article is published, harvest should be winding down soon. This was a dry year for most of North Carolina (prior to Ian’s arrival) — especially during late August and early September for most areas — and our crop therefore trended about two weeks early during the early fall. As I write this, the forecast suggests a drastic cool-down is on the way, which is also slightly earlier than normal. Most of our crop was relatively mature by the time Ian hit, which is bad in the sense that we had a lot of open bolls at the time. However, most of our closed bolls were relatively mature, so boll opening was less of a concern this year. Yields are expected to be variable and decent in places.

Variety data is usually available in early December and will be published on cotton.ces.ncsu.edu. It will also appear in the NC Cotton Variety Performance Calculator (trials.ces.ncsu.edu/cotton) as soon as data becomes available.

guy_collins@ncsu.edu

GROWING IS IN YOUR HANDS. PROTECTING IS IN OURS.

Ginners Marketplace

Mystique Surrounds Season’s First Bale Of Cotton

Early summer across the Cotton Belt often means weed and disease pressure, but it also signals that coveted first bale of the season.

According to U.S. Senator John Cornyn (Texas), “The tradition of certifying the nation’s First Bale of the year dates back to the 1800s when the grower of the First Bale was required to transport the cotton to the Houston Cotton Exchange for certification. After verifying its status as the first bale of cotton to be harvested that year in the United States, the Exchange would put the bale up for auction.

“This process continued, uninterrupted, for many years until 1953, when the Harlingen Cotton Committee successfully petitioned the Houston Cotton Exchange for the rights to auction the First Bale. As a result of this hallmark agreement, for the past 60 years the Harlingen Cotton Committee of the Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce has been solely responsible for certifying the nation’s First Bale of cotton each year. And for each of those 60 years, the First Bale has been grown in the fertile Rio Grande Valley.”

The proceeds generated by this event help fund scholarships for local youth who are pursuing agriculture-related degrees.

This year, Wesley Vanderpool in Alamo, Texas, harvested that first bale June 23, at 1,989 pounds of cotton with the Stoneville ST4990 variety. Vanderpool’s harvested bale was then ginned at the Willacy Co-Op Gin.

From le to right: Mike Foster, Five Points Gin manager; Gaines County producers Justina and Corny Enns, who harvested the rst bale of cotton for 2022 in the Texas High Plains; and Kurt Brown, Seminole Chamber of Commerce.

produced from Deltapine 1646.

“I wasn’t planning on competing for the first bale or anything,” said Corny Enns, Gaines County farmer since 1987.

As he was driving by one of his fields, Enns saw some bolls opening. “I decided to call down to Five Points and see if anyone had brought anything in yet. They said no, so I sprayed about 15 acres and ended up stripping 12.”

The first bale was auctioned o by the pound at the annual Gaines County Ag & Oil Appreciation Day hosted by the Seminole Chamber of Commerce Sept. 15.

The seven gins in Gaines County each put in $1,000 for the first bale, so the grower is guaranteed $7,000 in prize money in addition to the money brought in from the auction.

“It’s been such a strange year, we weren’t sure anyone would try to make the first bale,” said Mike Foster, manager of Five Points Gin. “I’m proud for the Enns family who have been my customers since 2010.”

Wesley Vanderpool (center le ) harvested this year’s rst bale of cotton — a Stoneville ST4990 variety — near Alamo, Texas. Also pictured with Wesley are, from le to right, Meranda Easter; Wesley’s partner, Verne Vanderpool (center right); and Luke Etheredge.

First Texas High Plains Bale

The first High Plains bale for 2022 was delivered to Five Points Gin in Gaines County Sept. 6, 2022, by Gaines County producers Corny and Justina Enns. Harvested northwest of Seminole, the Enns brought in 2,880 pounds of seed cotton

informative email summary of your gin’s daily performance.

example

South Texas Cotton Story Refresh

Itold my cotton story here October 2020 on our (I have three younger siblings) 188acre, dryland cotton farm in Willacy County, Texas. Several items need updating. Thank you for the opportunity.

For one, I forgot my childhood nickname. My 73-year-old thinning hair is grayish brown.

When I was a kid, it was very blond, almost white; and also curly. My nickname was, in fact, “Cottonhead” or “Cotton” for short. I remember playing Little League. “Don’t drop the ball, Cottonhead. Hit a single, Cotton.”

Willacy County is one of the four counties that make up the Rio Grande Valley in extreme South Texas. Some areas there have a consistent wind. The first wind farm to generate electricity in the Valley went in 20 years ago. It is still a shock to me to drive around my old stomping grounds and see hundreds of these massive turbines.

As a kid growing up and driving out in the country in the 1950s and 1960s, I remember windmills well. These did not generate electricity, but raised water from aquifers (ample then, some almost depleted now) to water the cows, and maybe even do a little row crops irrigation with the right plumbing and labor. At 40-feet tall, they were and are piddling compared to today’s monster wind turbines.

Aermotor was printed on 100% of the vanes of these quality wind-powered water pump systems. That company, formed in 1888, must have had a monopoly. It operates today under the same name of Aermotor Co. and is based in San Angelo, Texas.

A 125 turbine (2.17 megawatts per turbine) wind farm did go up in the area of our land, putting juice to the grid in February 2021. Big Sister lobbied for a turbine on our land. We did not get it. However, we are receiving the minimum annual income for one turbine, as if we had one. This is as the developer shorted us on the land holding fee (since reimbursed) due to a surveying error. The design was already done. Adding a turbine would have required re-application to the FAA as a commercial airport is 13 miles south-southwest of here. All in all, it’s a long story.

Texas leads the nation in renewables — mostly wind, some solar, a little hydro and a little geothermal. To sum

up, we are enjoying the feel good feeling of generating electricity without creating carbon contributing to global warming and permanent climate changes, resulting in environmental refugees by the millions worldwide today.

Due to the current drought, only 7.13 million acres of U.S. cotton were harvested this year, the lowest since 1868. Forty-three percent of planted cotton was abandoned — plowed under — as yield was not worth harvesting. Texas was even worse, 69% plowed under. However, Texas did have one bright spot. This was the Rio Grande Valley, which pretty much got the right amount of rain at the right time. Yields were a little more than two and three bales per acre dryland and irrigated.

Texas’ drought of record was 1950-57. As severe as today’s drought is, it pales to that in the 1950s. I remember it well, as the family had severe money problems. The number of Texas farms and ranches shrunk from 345,000 to 247,000. Thousands moved from farms and ranches and small towns to the cities looking for work, permanently as it turned out. Economic losses were $26 billion in 2022 dollars. Our land is dryland, so we watch and pray over the vagaries of the weather every year. We rent to brother farmers. We and they are not lucky every year, so a little extra income “as steady as the wind” is very welcome.

The four of us born 1949-1958 used cloth diapers. There was no choice. I remember changing diapers on the two youngest, eight and 10 years behind. I liked those cotton diapers, so white (like my hair!) and fluffy and soft. They also doubled well as burp rags. I recall not so fondly rinsing them with a water hose in the back yard. This prewash was beneficial before going into the washing machine. Clean was important for several reasons. For one, they were hung outside to dry, so more or less on display.

I married late at age 39. Our daughter was born 14 months later. At the time, there was much debate as to whether cloth or paper was better for baby, and also what was best for the environment. We opted for cloth diapers, using a service that picked up, washed at 190° F, and then delivered — still preferring cotton. Of course, we used paper some, such as when we were away from home.

I became a grandfather last March. That boy uses paper diapers of course. Things change. I don’t think you can even buy cloth diapers anymore, much less hire a service. And so it goes.

— Dean Fisher Houston, Texas bdeanfish@gmail.com

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.

Dean Fisher

“My nickname was, in fact, ‘Cottonhead’ or ‘Cotton’ for short.”

of the