Cotton Farming January 2024

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

JANUARY 2024

www.cottonfarming.com

TCGA Rebrands Annual Show State Specialists Weigh In On 2024 Variety Selection

AGVOCATES IN THEIR FIELDS

Inviting People To The Table Alabama Farm Family Leads By Example

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Vol. 68 No. 1

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

JANUARY 2024

www.cottonfarming.com

FE ATURES

6 TCGA REBRANDS GIN SHOW

The goal is to reach out to gins all across the Cotton Belt and enhance the show experience for both attendees and exhibitors.

8 THE FIGHT AGAINST FOV4

The battle against FOV4 is now intensely focused on Texas, as damage from this pathogen has been observed in the state.

20 GINNERS MARKETPLACE

the official publication of the ginning industry IRS warns of Employee Retention Credit fraud. See why the Burton Farmers Gin at the Cotton Gin Museum of Texas is looking sharper than ever.

12 Leading By Example Daniel and Carla Trantham, well-known advocates for agriculture in North Alabama, have worked to pave the way for young farming families to use their way of life as a platform for the agricultural industry near and far. The biggest piece of advice they have for agricultural advocacy is to allow and encourage visitors on the farm.

WEB EXCLUSIVE Arizona’s Pinal County ag producer, Cassy England, who along with her uncle, manages the day-to-day of their family’s row-crop operation, is an advocate for implementing conservation practices and new advancements. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.

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DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

4 5 8

Editor’s Note Cotton’s Agenda Southwest Report

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cottonfarming Twitter: @CottonFarming Instagram: @CottonFarmingMagazine

16 Specialists Speaking 22 My Turn

ON THE COVER: Daniel and Carla Trantham run a 1,600acre row crop, livestock and multi-state trucking operation out of Alexandria, Alabama.

Cover photo by Cassidy Nemec.

SUPPLEMENT

Planting And Early Season Management

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

Southern Production & Marketing Strategies

A Supplement to Cotton Farming and The Peanut Grower Magazines

January 2024

Look for Corn South following page 12 in the Southeast and Mid-South editions of Cotton Farming.

To have industry news and content delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for the monthly e-newsletter at www.cornsouth.com.

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, Tennessee, and at additional mailing offices. 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.

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JANUARY 2024 | COTTON FARMING 3

Editor’s Note Carroll Smith

EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com Southeast Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com

H

Cotton Trivia To Kick Off The New Year

ow old is cotton? I recently ran across this question that piqued my curiosity. Personally, having grown up in rural Louisiana, I was around cotton my entire life. But I knew there was more to the story than that.

While searching around the Internet, I found “The Story of Cotton” on the National Cotton Council’s website. According to an excerpt from this source, “No one knows exactly how old cotton is. Scientists searching caves in Mexico found bits of cotton bolls and pieces of cotton cloth that proved to be at least 7,000 years old. They also found that the cotton itself was much like that grown in America today.”

In November, Alabama cotton specialist Steve M. Brown published an item in the Alabama Cotton Shorts that caught my attention as well. He said, “A recent cotton marketing newsletter used the term ‘black swan’ referring to potential unforeseen influences that produce significant-to-catastrophic effects in the market. I was unfamiliar with the term (as was I) and found the following on Investopedia.com.”

A black swan is an unpredictable event that is beyond what is normally expected of a situation and has potentially severe consequences. Black swan events are characterized by their extreme rarity, severe impact and the widespread insistence they were obvious in hindsight.

It was satisfying to know if I heard the term “black swan” used in the context of cotton marketing in the future, I would be aware of what it meant.

Because one thing often leads to another, and I was clearly becoming obsessed with cotton trivia, I wanted to explore the figurative meaning of “walking in high cotton.” To gather insight about this idiom, I called my friend Mr. Ray Young, a crop consultant in Wisner, Louisiana, who has walked many a cotton field through the years. “In looking back, everything was gauged by how the cotton was doing,” he said. “In literal terms, high cotton was not always the best cotton, but figuratively it meant if you were walking in high cotton, you were getting along just as well as you would ever get along.”

While we were visiting, Ray’s son Jesse pulled up some information on his phone from grammarist.com. It said, “The idioms (in tall cotton or high cotton) became widely popular when Red Barber used them in the mid-twentieth century. Red Barber was a baseball announcer from Mississippi who was famous for using colorful idioms like walking in tall cotton, tearing up the pea patch and slicker than boiled okra.”

Although trivia is thought to be — by definition — of little importance or value — I believe it is entertaining. With that said, I hope everyone is walking in high cotton this season — figuratively speaking, of course.

Carroll 4 COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2024

Associate Editor Cassidy Nemec cnemec@onegrower.com Digital Content Editor Katie Guthrie Art Director Ashley Kumpe ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Carroll Smith (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

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.

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COTTONFARMING.COM

Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

An Aggressive Agenda As it did this past year, the National Cotton Council continues to confront challenges and seize opportunities with the aim of improving the U.S. cotton industry’s overall financial health.

Does that include farm bill passage?

■ Passage of an effective farm bill remains a top

NCC priority. Throughout 2023, the NCC sought adequate funding for a farm bill that contains a strong producer safety net and other provisions to address the challenges faced by all segments of the industry (see my December column).

Efforts included industry leaders meeting face-to-face with key Congressional leaders and testifying at Congressional farm bill hearings. NCC reinforced those actions by signing onto letters to lawmakers as a member of multiple agricultural coalitions.

The NCC also vigorously communicated with Congress on the need for adequate FY24 funding for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development. We also sought funding for boll weevil eradication and for USDA studies in such vital areas as fiber The NCC continues to engage with the Adminisquality, production tration and Congress on farm bill passage and key agronomic systems/ regulatory issues. pest management, sustainability, germplasm/genetic studies, textiles and for research at the three ginning laboratories. In addition, increases in Cotton Foundation membership and sponsorships this past year are helping to undergird cotton research and education. That support also helped the Foundation engage industry members in successful programs that help regulatory officials better understand the cotton industry.

What about that regulatory arena?

■ NCC continues coalescing with other interest groups and stakeholders in monitoring potentially adverse regulations and legislation that could affect cotton operations. On worker issues, for example, the NCC provided input on 1) EPA’s revision to its proposed rule on pesticide Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ) requirements that would extend beyond the farm’s boundaries, 2) the Department of Labor’s new H-2A State Adverse Effect Wage Rates rule that will affect rates throughout the farm sector, and 3) OSHA’s proposal to set a new national heat standard.

Efforts to preserve valuable plant protection products range from monitoring legal challenges to EPA registrations of dicamba/sulfoxaflor to weighing in on EPA proposals involving Waters of the U.S. and endangered species. Regarding the latter, the NCC provided input to EPA which later issued a BiOp that found Enlist was not likely to jeopardize any listed species — keeping this important herbicide available for 2024.

Any export boosting activities?

■ Cotton Council International (CCI) conducted a successful Cotton Belt tour for manufacturers from 15 countries that account for 92% of U.S. cotton export sales. CCI’s activities to keep U.S. cotton as the global marketplace’s preferred fiber are bolstered by the NCC’s ongoing effort at encouraging industry members to aim for zero contamination of seed cotton/lint — including urging their use of compliant module wrap products. U.S. cotton’s reputation also is benefiting from the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol program which enrolled 1.6 million acres in 2023 — a 25% increase over 2022’s enrolled planted acres. The sustainability program currently has more than 900 producer and 2,000 supplier members and 40 plus companies/brands, among them Ralph Lauren, Old Navy, Gap, Levi Strauss & Co., American Eagle Outfitters, and J.Crew.

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

INSTAGRAM: @COTTONFARMINGMAGAZINE

JANUARY 2024 | COTTON FARMING 5

TCGA Rebrands Annual Show Expanded Outreach Aims To Include Gins And Visitors From All Across The Cotton Belt

T

he Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association will host its 116th gin show April 4-5 in Lubbock at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. Aaron Nelsen, TCGA special projects and communications manager, recently sat down with Cotton Farming magazine to discuss the Association’s history and its plan to rebrand the show going forward. The goal is to reach out to gins all across the Cotton Belt and enhance the show experience for both attendees and exhibitors.

You can peruse Cotton Farming’s questions and Nelsen’s answers below to learn more about TCGA’s plan to showcase the diverse slate of exhibitors and enhance the TCGA Gin Show experience for everyone.

Q: How long has the TCGA Gin Show been in existence?

A: In 2007, TCGA celebrated 100 years. The organization was formed in 1897. I am going to assume the first convention was held that year. The Association disbanded in 1901 over the controversy of round bales versus square bales. However, ginner groups continued to meet at the local level. In July 1909, the present day TCGA was formed. In 1943, the TCGA convention was cancelled due to the war. The convention resumed in 1947. To my knowledge, there was an annual TCGA convention held every year until 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down just about everything. The show was cancelled in 2021 as well due to issues caused by the lingering pandemic. The show resumed in 2022.

As a side note, all conventions were held in Dallas until 1978

6 COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2024

when the convention moved to Lubbock. It returned to Dallas in 1979 for one year. From 1980 forward, the convention has been in Lubbock. In the years prior to 1980, cotton production began to migrate from South and Central Texas to the High Plains. Manufacturing soon followed, thus leading to the change in location for the convention. We will be promoting this as our 116th show.

Q: Give me a brief history of how and why the TCGA Gin Show was initiated.

A: The Association was formed by this concept… Through collective discussion, ginners worked to find solutions to their common problems. An annual convention created an event for ginners to come together and accomplish this. It only made sense that this convention would include a venue for the industry to come together under one roof that would allow manufacturers access to ginners to showcase new ideas.

Q: The decision was made during the past year to rebrand the TCGA Gin Show. What prompted this thought?

A: Our leadership directed us to re-form the exhibitor advisory committee. The committee’s purpose is to keep Association officers and staff advised of the interests of allied industry that take part in the TCGA Gin Show and to make recommendations on how to improve the event. This committee recommended that Continued on page 10 COTTONFARMING.COM

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SOUTHWEST REPORT

n 2019, I wrote an article on the Cotton Research and Promotion Program’s work in California to identify and stop the spread of Fusarium wilt race 4 (FOV4) in Pima and Upland cotton. Substantial progress had been made in Pima cotton as FOV4-resistant varieties were widely available for a decade as a result of previous research investments in the Far West. However, similar resistance had not been identified in Upland cotton.

The battle against FOV4 is now intensely focused on Texas, as damage from this pathogen has been observed in the state.

Several areas around El Paso have served as “ground zero” for the disease because fields have been observed as heavily infested with FOV4. In 2018, Dr. Don Jones,

BY CHRISTI SHORT Agricultural and Environmental ROCHESTER, TEXAS Research Director at Cotton Incorporated, approached Dr. Jim Olvey, a private cotton breeder with O&A Enterprises, to begin field screening Upland germplasm on a massive scale at a site with high FOV4 spore count. At the same time, Dr. Christopher Saski, a Clemson University scientist, joined the collaboration by directing the molecular aspects of the project. Their objectives were to identify and publicly release highly FOV4-resistant germplasm and identify the causative genes for the resistance.

“This public-private sector collaboration is a model seldom funded by Cotton Incorporated,” said Dr. Jones. “Dr. Olvey and his small team at O&A Enterprises had two decades of proven field screening techniques that had resulted in highly FOV4resistant Pima varieties, and he agreed to share his knowledge with the entire Upland cotton community by managing the field screening operation.”

Field Screening Success

In 2018, dozens of scientists from across the Cotton Belt sent in lines for FOV4 field screening. Dr. Saski and his doctoral student, Stephen Parris, established a new laboratory screening protocol, applied a novel statistical technique to analyze field results and identified the resistance genes and associated molecular markers. Dr. Jones credits the collaboration of a field-focused breeding team with a couple of gifted molecular biologists to the success of identifying resistant germplasm and understanding which specific genes provided resistance.

As a result of this extensive project, four Upland cotton germplasm lines, U1 (2021), U2 (2022), U3 (2022) and U4 (2022), are publicly available. Each is highly resistant to FOV4 and is a germplasm source available to seed providers as they work to incorporate these into future varieties from their companies.

In addition, two causative resistance genes were identified. The

8 COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2024

COURTESY OF DR. LIBO SHAN

I

The Fight Against FOV4 Continues In Texas

Aerial view of large-scale field screens for FOV4-resistant germplasms in El Paso, Texas. first is on the D03 chromosome and the second on the A02 chromosome. Both genes are needed for high FOV4 resistance.

El Paso’s Role

In addition to this massive breeding and genomic project, Dr. Libo Shan, a plant pathologist with the University of Michigan, formerly at Texas A&M University, has been very involved in the effort against FOV4. Since 2016, Dr. Shan has collaborated with Cotton Incorporated and research plant breeders to monitor field symptoms and outbreaks of FOV4 that have been seen across Texas. Specifically, El Paso has provided researchers with the unique opportunity to observe the evolution of FOV4 year after year.

“The field data and pathology work we did in El Paso hot spots has allowed us not only to monitor symptoms in the field, but also compare lab data, and ultimately discover pathogenic mechanisms. The reason this particular FOV4 outbreak has been so aggressive is because it has, and will continue to evolve,” said Dr. Shan. “It’s impossible to get rid of FOV4, but with the partnership and work of pathologists, plant breeders and geneticists, we can predict the evolutionary trends of this disease and have a strategy to minimize damage and devastation to the lowest level.”

Investment in establishing groundwork on the FOV4 disease, resistant varieties and future implications of FOV4 are top priorities for the agricultural research team at Cotton Incorporated.

Not only will these collaborations continue to combat FOV4 in the years to come, but they will also allow research models to be used for outbreaks of different diseases in the future. With the support of Cotton Incorporated, these Upland cotton lines are publicly available, and work has been done to move the needle on molecular genetic techniques, diagnostic processes and observation of the evolutionary trajectory of cotton diseases.

For questions on FOV4, reach out to Dr. Don Jones at Cotton Incorporated at djones@cottoninc.com.

Christi Short is The Cotton Board’s regional communications manager for the Southwest. Email her at cshort@cottonboard.org.

COTTONFARMING.COM

WEIGHING IN

ON A VARIETY CHANGE

AN OPENNESS TO CHANGE YIELDS BIG RETURNS

C

otton producers are marked by a neverquit-pushing mindset that searches for ways to improve on last year’s crop. Innovation begins with a look to the future and a willingness to change.

For Jeremy Wilson, striving for more led to a shift on his cotton acres — a decision to plant newer PhytoGen® brand varieties and use the Enlist® weed control system to keep fields clean.

“Two years ago, we did a PhytoGen variety trial, and the yields were very good — that’s what led us to this season,” Wilson said. “We were so impressed with the results that we planted 90% of our cotton acres to PhytoGen.” While high yields ultimately led to the change, Wilson was initially intrigued by new options for weed control. PhytoGen W3FE varieties give him the option to use Enlist One® herbicide and bring a new mode of action to his farm.

Alabama producer Jeremy Wilson made the switch to newer PhytoGen® W3FE varieties after on-farm trials “I really like Enlist One — I think it’s a superior demonstrated higher yield potential on his cotton acres. He also says the Enlist® weed control system gives him product. I get really good weed control, especially better options for weed control and more simple management. on my morningglories and pigweed,” Wilson said.

“And I don’t have to worry about it getting up and moving after application. It’s not going to volatilize.

I saw early on that it is a good product — it does a better job than other options.”

Wilson says Enlist One is easy to clean out of his sprayer tank when he moves between crops, but he also planted Pioneer® brand Enlist E3® soybeans in 2023 — making farm management even more seamless.

“It makes life easier because you can spray Enlist One herbicide over PhytoGen W3FE varieties and Pioneer Enlist E3 soybeans,” Wilson said. “That gives me peace of mind and one less thing to worry about.”

Adding to that peace of mind, Wilson reports excellent fiber quality and exceptional early season vigor with his PhytoGen brand varieties.

Vigor is especially important in seasons like 2023 when he had several big rains during the critical planting window.

“With the early season vigor in PhytoGen cottonseed, we got a than three bales an acre, with some fields over three and half bales. good stand even after a lot of rain,” Wilson said. “We had one field “People riding by our fields have noticed the cotton, and people’s where it rained about 2 inches the night after we planted, and we eyes have been opened to what PhytoGen has to offer,” Wilson said. still got a good stand and excellent yields at the end of the season.”

“PhytoGen has some exciting varieties out now that are doing really Wrapping up harvest, Wilson is excited about the possibilities for well. The Enlist herbicides are superior, and you can get really good the future as he learns more about individual varieties and where to Pioneer Enlist E3 soybeans. If someone is interested, I would say to try plant them for maximum production. As he does, he’ll have to aim high it. If you can do that, I believe you’ll be excited with what’s available.” to improve on last season, when his PhytoGen varieties yielded more

“TWO YEARS AGO, WE DID A PHYTOGEN VARIETY TRIAL, AND THE YIELDS WERE VERY GOOD. WE WERE SO IMPRESSED WITH THE RESULTS THAT WE PLANTED 90% OF OUR COTTON ACRES TO PHYTOGEN.” — JEREMY WILSON

Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. The transgenic soybean event in Enlist E3® soybeans is jointly developed and owned by Corteva Agriscience and M.S. Technologies L.L.C. Enlist Duo® and Enlist One® herbicides are not registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your area. Enlist Duo and Enlist One herbicides are the only 2,4-D products authorized for use with Enlist crops. Consult Enlist herbicide labels for weed species controlled. Always read and follow label directions.

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CCOY

Cotton Consultant of the Year established 1981

Who is the 2023 Cotton Consultant of the Year?

A Tennessee cotton farmer says the 2023 CCOY developed his strong work ethic and interest in agriculture at a young age. “While at the University of Tennessee at Martin, he began working as a cotton scout.

In the fall, he worked at Espey Gin Co., assisting with module hauling and other needs as requested.”

A UT entomologist says, “This consultant organizes the annual round-table discussion between UT scientists and the independent crop consultants in West Tennessee and catalyzes the meeting. He has skill and integrity.”

Continued from page 6

we rebrand the show and send out show notices to all gins in the United States, as opposed to just our member gins.

Q: What does rebranding the event accomplish?

A: Rebranding is an effort to market our gin show in a way that is more inclusive to all the gins in the United States. We hope this will enhance the show experience for attendees and exhibitors alike.

Q: What is the new slogan for the TCGA Gin Show?

A: TCGA Gin Show – The Cotton Belt Gin Connection Most of our outreach in past years has been to our membership in Texas. That will continue, but we will step up our effort in reaching out to all gins across the Cotton Belt. In giving the show a new name, we want to emphasize this is a “gin show” open to ginners across the Belt.

Q: What updates/changes/experiences will exhibitors offer attendees?

A: Rebranding the show and reaching out to a broader audience is in play for the 2024 show.

Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by

Q: Describe the different types of exhibitors who will participate in the TCGA Gin Show. What does this diversity add to the visitors’ experience at the TCGA Gin Show?

A: First and foremost, this is a cotton gin show that includes all the major players in the manufacturing of gin machinery. Our show focuses on meeting the needs of the U.S. cotton ginning industry.

In addition to gin machinery, we have insurance providers, suppliers of parts and supplies for cotton gins, energy suppliers and vendors that assist gins with finding workers and complying with worker protection rules. We also have exhibitors who provide buildings for the gins and for the workers, as well as a few cottonseed, irrigation and other related products.

The scope of our exhibitors goes much further — other cotton organizations, implements, cottonseed, irrigation, radio, caps and t-shirts and museums just to name a few.

Cotton Farming

Q: Describe how the TCGA Gin Show’s agenda will be inf luenced by the rebranding. Any new additions/changes to the program?

A: I want to caution everyone not to

He is described as opinionated and vocal without being arrogant.

He is humble. This consultant also has mentored many young people over the years, not only training them about cotton production but also setting an example for how to succeed in life.

Who is the man so deserving of these accolades?

Look for the big announcement in the February issue of Cotton Farming!

10 COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2024

expect wholesale changes. We renamed the show, giving it more of a Beltwide feel. We also have some new artwork that Cotton Farming magazine developed for us. The graphic is designed to go along with the new name and will become a symbol of the TCGA Gin Show. The second thing we are doing is increasing our promotion across the Cotton Belt. The goals for the upcoming show are a new look and a broader audience. Through the committee, new ideas will continue over time. In time, I think guest speakers could be part of the program. However, we must maintain our focus that this is a show focused on the needs of cotton ginners.

Q: Can you provide a “sneak peek” of what visitors might expect?

A: I expect a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere at our show in Lubbock.

We are early in the process of determining the exhibitors who will be back and who some of the new ones might be. As that process moves forward, a sneak peek might be more attainable.

Q: With attendees coming to Lubbock from all over the country to attend the TCGA Gin Show, what can they expect as far as the airport, transportation, hotels and other pertinent amenities.

A: I think people will find Lubbock very easy to navigate, including the airport. Most hotels provide shuttle service to and from the airport. Per capita, Lubbock probably has the best highway system in Texas. There are many great restaurants and plenty of entertainment throughout the Hub city. The Overton Hotel & Conference Center will serve as the host hotel. The show itself will take place at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. TCGA will have room blocks with several hotels near the Convention Center. Information will be available at www.tcga.org. We plan to mail a flyer to all cotton gins in the United States regarding the show. We plan to send the flyer electronically as well.

Q: Anything else that you would like to mention?

A: I hope ginners across the Cotton Belt will give serious consideration to making the trip to Lubbock for our show.

This is a great venue for ginners to come together and seek solutions to problems impacting the industry. Much work goes into an event like this one. I hope the cotton industry will take full advantage of the TCGA Gin Show and come see us April 4-5.

COTTONFARMING.COM

WAKE UP WITH US! Season five of The Cotton Board’s Cotton & Coffee Zoom series is underway. This series asks the cotton community to wake up with The Cotton Board and, in the time it takes to drink a morning cup of coffee, get an update from the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. This is a great way to see how the assessment dollars collected by The Cotton Board are being spent to increase the demand for and profitability of cotton. Each virtual Zoom session includes a 30-minute presentation and concludes with time for discussion and questions. Preregistration is required, so please visit cottonboard.org/cotton-coffee for upcoming Cotton & Coffee session dates and topics, and to register.

COTTONBOARD.ORG/COTTON-COFFEE

Daniel and Carla Trantham run a 1,600-acre row crop, livestock and multi-state trucking operation out of Alexandria, Alabama.

Inviting People To The Table Alabama Farm Family Leads By Example On Local, State And National Levels

BY CASSIDY NEMEC ASSOCIATE EDITOR

D

aniel and Carla Trantham, well-known advocates for agriculture in North Alabama, have worked to pave the way for young farming families to use their way of life as a platform for the agricultural industry near and far.

Situated on a roughly 1,600-acre farm in Alexandria, Alabama, the Tranthams farm cotton, corn and soybeans, raise cattle and run a multi-state trucking operation.

Daniel’s grandfather bought the original farm back in 1951. He had seven children, of which Daniel’s father was the youngest.

“They originally only had four chicken houses and a few cows, and my dad grew up tending those chicken houses.

About the time he was getting out of high school, they closed them down,” Daniel said.

12 COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2024

AGVOCATES IN THEIR FIELDS After those chicken houses were shut down, Daniel’s dad planted soybeans for the first time on some leased land.

From there, more ground was leased and more soybeans planted. Then came the trucking component. Daniel’s uncles would haul the grain and began hauling for other people, launching them into a full-fledged business.

Before long, Daniel was growing up and becoming a large part of the farm. “As far back as I can remember walking COTTONFARMING.COM

@carla_r_trantham_

AGVOCATES IN THEIR FIELDS

Daniel and Carla with their children (from left to right) Callie, Sawyer, Anna, Davis and Sadie. around, I was just on dad’s shirttail everywhere he went, riding tractors and the combine in the fields. When I was about eight or nine years old, he started letting me drive and start fluffing hay. Once I got to do that, I was hooked, and now I’m still driving tractors today.”

Carla did not grow up in agriculture, but she worked at the trucking company and has become more involved in the industry since marrying Daniel. “I just kind of jumped in,” she said.

Over the past decade, the Tranthams have witnessed great production growth including increased acreage and crop yields, additional irrigation pivots and a climb in their trucking component with more poultry feed mills. That being said, every year is different.

“Whether it’s insects like armyworms, plant bugs or thrips, disease, drought, excess rain, hurricane-force wind, family health issues, or even being shorthanded, that litany of challenges is always there, and you never know which is going to drop,” Daniel said. “There’s also been times where landowners come to us in the fall and say, ‘Hey, we’re doing something different next year.’”

Daniel remarked that with all these challenges, the most rewarding part of the year for him is when the end of the season is reached, there’s some money in the bank and family support to do it all again the next year. “You faced all those challenges, and you made it. You made a crop — it might’ve been a little bit, or it might’ve been a lot, but you’ve got the assets to go again next year.”

Local, State And National Esteem

The Tranthams are heavily involved in the agricultural industry. Both are on the Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA) state young farmers committee. Carla sits on the state women’s leadership committee. Daniel is on ALFA’s state soybean committee and the Alabama corn and soybean board of directors. Both can see themselves staying involved on the state level after finishing INSTAGRAM: @COTTONFARMINGMAGAZINE

“The major media is not portraying our story correctly, so if we want the correct narrative of agriculture to be spread, it’s up to us.” their terms on current committees.

In 2022, Daniel and Carla were awarded the Alabama Outstanding Young Farming Family Award in the state of Alabama by ALFA. From there, they went on to become the first Alabama state winners to be granted the 2022 Top Young Farm Family Award from the American Farm Bureau Federation. Both award processes are extensive and require the young farm family to be between the ages of 18 and 35.

“Winning these awards have really given us a platform. I think it’s a great way to advocate,” Daniel said.

“The major media is not portraying our story correctly, so if we want the correct narrative of agriculture to be spread, it’s up to us,” Carla said.

The Tranthams shine when it comes to making an impact where they are grounded.

Daniel is the Calhoun County young farmer’s chairman, the Calhoun and Cleburne County FSA chairman and on the board of directors for Calhoun County’s ALFA. Carla sits on the women’s leadership committee at the county level as well. Both are also involved with church and their five children’s school.

Their children, Davis, Sadie, Anna, Sawyer and Callie, are all immersed on the farm and included in its operations.

“We are very involved with our kids’ lives. We host a lot of field trips out here. All of their classes came to the farm last year on a field trip, and I’ve taken over the farm day at their school,” Carla said.

JANUARY 2024 | COTTON FARMING 13

TRAIT STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES NOTICE 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 applicable regulatory requirements have been met. 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® ThryvOn™ and XtendFlex® are trademarks of Bayer Group.

Liberty® and LibertyLink® Logo are registered trademarks of BASF Corporation. 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.

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 obligation to comply with the most recent stewardship requirements.

14 COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2024

AGVOCATES IN THEIR FIELDS

@carla_r_trantham_

“When we do those field trips for kids, there are always a lot of teachers and chaperones, and we use that time to talk to them as much as we do the kids,” Daniel added.

This ability to educate on agriculture at the school level does not stop there as Carla has also spoken to the school’s seniors and career tech classes. This gives the opportunity to discuss other programs the students might be interested in such as a young leadership program through ALFA for ninth- and tenth-graders. “It’s showing people there’s more to ag than just driving a tractor all day,” Carla said.

Looking Ahead And Bringing People In

In the foreseeable future, Daniel said they just recently purchased the land they had previously leased where their house sits and plan to clean that area up. “We would like to open that farm up to the public,” Daniel said. “Agrotourism is our short-term goal for now.”

Long-term plans include finding Daniel and Carla’s daughter Anna prepares to more direct-to-consumer ways to help with a farm tour at Trantham Farms. sell their products as they do their corn. He said this could include “I think it’s important for us to be finding new specialty crops to grow and transparent,” Carla said. sell locally, noting an upcoming barley The Tranthams have had both current plot. He also discussed the possibility of Alabama state senators out to their farm a wedding venue on the property, paving and believe that is where change can hapthe way for another component of the pen. farm to manage.

“We even had a congresswoman from “We have five children, so in the next Florida we met at a conference who was 10 to 20 years, I hope that they’re active visiting Alabama. She came and toured and want to be here on the farm,” Daniel our farm, and we went and had lunch with said. “You’ve got to find something for her,” Carla said. “Is it a little nerve-wrackyour children to do; if they’re not needed ing? Yes. Do I know everything about poldriving the sprayer or the combine, they’re itics? No. But don’t be afraid to reach out going to go find something else. We’re try- and invite them just to tell your story and ing to teach them while they’re young now answer their questions.” to see the passion in what we do.”

Daniel reiterated the importance of not Carla said she sees the sustainability of shying away from telling your story. a family farm down the road in finding “Our story is getting told one way or a niche market. “You’re going to have to another; we need to be the ones telling have something that people really, really the truth about what we’re doing and want.” how we’re doing it. At the end of the day, The biggest piece of advice they have you’re just talking about yourself and for agricultural advocacy is to allow and what you do — no one knows that better encourage visitors on the farm. than you do.”

“AGvocates In Their Fields” features those providing a voice for American agriculture through their platforms. If you know of an “agvocate” or group of agricultural advocates you would like to see featured, contact Cassidy Nemec at cnemec@onegrower.com.

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Specialists Speaking

2024 Variety Selection ARIZONA Randy Norton

During the cool winter months, with the crop harvested and out of the field, it is a good time to review the previous year and make plans for the upcoming season, which will be upon us in no time. One significant area to consider is your fertility program. Evaluating what you did in 2023 and making plans for the 2024 season with respect to your fertilizer program can potentially reduce costs, improve efficiencies and hopefully result in a healthier bottom line for your operation.

With input costs, including fertilizers, at high levels, scrutinizing all inputs for positive return on investment is critical. The goal is to provide sufficient nutrients to maximize productivity, but not to excess. Conversely, the last thing we want to do is compromise productivity by cutting fertilizer rates to the point where we are not supplying what the crop needs, given the production scenario. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has developed many tools and guidelines over the years to assist in making these decisions. Many of these recommendations and guidelines can be found on our website at extension.arizona.edu/crops-soils.

Regular soil testing should be a part of an effective crop and soil fertility program. Annual testing of soils may not be a requirement. Occasional testing, perhaps every other year, is recommended to provide information to help adjust and fine-tune your fertility program. Soil testing is more critical for some nutrients than for others. In most desert soils found in the cotton-producing regions of Arizona, potassium (K) is often found in sufficient quantities for crop production. Soil test levels above 150 ppm (ammonium acetate extraction) typically provide enough K for a cotton crop not to experience a deficiency. Soil test levels of phosphorus (P) above 5 ppm (Olsen — sodium bicarbonate extractable P) are sufficient for cotton production in Arizona. Nitrogen (N) is more complex because of the dynamic nature of that nutrient in the soil ecosystem. Nitrogen is subject to various transformations, which can render it either available or unavailable to the cotton crop. Other nutrients can undergo similar changes but less readily than N in our desert soil systems.

To learn more about the dynamic nature of N and how to manage that nutrient in our cotton production systems effectively, go to our website (mentioned above) or reach out to your local Cooperative Extension personnel. Efficient management of nutrients in our production systems is important from an environmental and economic perspective. rnorton@ cals.arizona.edu

16 COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2024

TEXAS Ben McKnight

As the 2023 season winds down in Texas, growers are already making plans for the 2024 cotton crop. Perhaps the most important decision growers will make about next year’s crop is the varieties they will plant and manage for the remainder of the season. With so many varieties to choose from, this decision is not necessarily an easy one to make. Fortunately, there are resources available to growers that will provide useful information to consider when making their decision on varieties to plant.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service annually conducts several cotton variety trials across the cotton-producing regions of the state. All of these regional RACE trial results can be found at https://varietytesting.tamu.edu/cotton/. By the time you are reading this in the new year, results from 2023 cotton variety testing will begin to be published at this link. I encourage growers to look at the previous year’s results to assist with variety decision-making for the upcoming year.

It seems the weather conditions in 2023 were very similar to the conditions experienced in 2022. Hot, dry weather prevailed across much of the state for a good portion of the growing season, and many of the variety trials in 2023 were impacted by drought. While results from 2023 may highlight varieties that performed better in drought conditions, I always encourage growers to look at results from previous years to gauge variety performance over multiple years and different weather conditions.

Lastly, there are many different trait packages available in commercial cotton varieties. Consider some of the most yield-limiting factors on your farm and weigh the benefits that certain traits may bring to the table. For example, if nematode pressure is a yield-limiting factor on your farm, there are now several nematode-resistant commercial varieties that may be a suitable variety for your operation. If bacterial blight is a yield-limiting factor, the first consideration of variety selection should be bacterial blight resistance. bmcknight@tamu.edu

MISSOURI Bradley Wilson

Variety selection is one of the most important decisions to properly prepare for the upcoming growing season. Choosing varieties can be difficult due to the wide selection of choices available and various soil types they are planted into. Varieties can behave differently when planted into differing soil types; therefore, knowing the soil types in each field can help you narrow down selection of varieties that are known to perform in that environment.

Management style can also change variety behavior. Some cotton cultivars are inherently more aggressive than others. Knowing this varietal information can help you choose a cultivar based on your typical style of growth management and water scheduling during the season.

Pest management is also a key reason to evaluate cotton variety selection. If nematodes or diseases have been present in fields in previous years, it may pay off if we select tolerant or resistant varieties to plant in these environments.

The last issue to cover is planting in a short-season environment; therefore, choosing early to mid-maturing cultivars can protect us from late-season issues such as an early frost that can impact cotton yield and leaf grade of mature fiber.

The University of Missouri Cotton OVT data for 2023 can be found COTTONFARMING.COM

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Specialists Speaking at https://moaes.missouri.edu/t-e-jake-fisher-delta-research-extensionand-education-center/ under the variety testing tab. Three locations were planted in 2023 including Portageville (Silt loam), Clarkton (Sandy loam) and Senath (Silt Loam). brwilson@missouri.edu

MISSISSIPPI Brian Pieralisi

Row spacing has generated attention in recent years.

Because wide row patterns tend to sacrifice yields compared to standard rows, 72-inch, and probably 60-inch, solid-planted rows are too wide for peak production.

Our research demonstrated equivalent yields with 48inch, solid-planted rows compared to standard 36-inch rows at two south Alabama locations over three years, with some yearly variation.

Obviously, alternative row patterns must fit the overall farm operation.

Akin to that is the ease of exploring different row configurations with existing equipment; hence, using a 36-inch row planter to evaluate 72-inch rows and a 30-inch planter for 60-inch comparisons.

Motives for wide row patterns include reduced seed costs, improved mid-season stress tolerance, reduced late-season hardlock and boll rot and lower picker costs. The first point assumes the same seeding rate down the row for both novel and standard-row widths. The last idea presumes a lower cost of picking since each pass will cover a slightly wider area. Admittedly, some of these benefits have not been thoroughly studied.

I don’t see anyone switching to 48-inch-row cotton, though I think it could work. There are other ways to move in that direction.

Compared to a standard 36-inch row planter, widening to 40-inch row spacing or using a 20-inch grain planter and voiding alternate rows can provide an 11% cost savings if the same down-the-row seeding rate is maintained. While solid 30-inch rows incur additional costs for planter, seed and picker, a 30-inch by 60-inch skip row pattern (two 30-inch rows with a 60-inch skip) provides an effective row width of 45-inches, and each is an “outside” row. Again, this latter system accommodates grain crop production with its narrower rows.

A few farms in north Alabama employ the row configurations mentioned above. I’m familiar with one that plants the 30-inch by 60-inch skip row pattern at two seeds per foot, a population of about 23,000 seeds per acre. They extended the tool bar slightly to center the outside picker heads 18.3 feet apart as opposed to 15 or 16.7 feet for 36-inch or 40-inch rows, respectively. They consistently pick excellent cotton. cottonbrown@auburn.edu

STEVE M. BROWN

Variety selection is a difficult decision. It is just as important as it was last year, and possibly more important moving into 2024. Considering varietal placement for your region or agronomic practices, plus disease packages and herbicide technology, influences overall management for the entire season. Not to mention, improper variety placement can cost you up to 200 or more pounds of lint per acre.

By the time you read this, 2023 cotton variety performance data for both MSU small plot and on-farm trials will be posted to mississippi-crops.com. At this point, some of the newer varieties have had two or three years of performance history, which helps in making selection decisions. Mississippi State small plot variety trials have evaluated approximately 40 varieties for the past two years over nine locations, two regions and irrigation practices. I recommend selecting a similar environment in the small plot trials to where you are placing a variety and comparing these varieties to a similar environment in a large plot situation. Finding a variety with two or more years of performance data is also important in strengthening your decision. Two-year performance data is available for both Hill and Delta regions in the MSU small plot variety trial publication.

In 2023, our variety trials contained ThryvOn technology. This was our first year testing these varieties in our official variety trials. I suspect we will see more and more acres planted in new technologies. Again, pay attention to performance of these varieties in the Mississippi State cotton publications. Lastly, reniform nematode-tolerant varieties are an excellent way to minimize yield reductions in the presence of high nematode infestations. In Coahoma County, our nematode tolerant varieties produced 200-300 pounds more lint per acre than the top-performing, nontolerant varieties.

Happy New Year! bkp4@msstate.edu

ALABAMA Steve M. Brown

18 COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2024

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Always read and follow label directions. Axant is a trademark and Stoneville is a registered trademark of BASF. © 2024 BASF Corporation. All rights reserved.

Availability of cottonseed containing the Axant Flex technology for the 2024 growing season and beyond is subject to many factors, and such seed may not be available in all cotton-growing areas. Commercial sales of cottonseed containing the Axant Flex technology will be subject to contractual terms and conditions and stewardship obligations, which may include, among other requirements, audit rights, liquidated damages applicable to growers, and restrictions on where the crop resulting from such seed may be sold, transferred and/or exported. Alite™ 27 herbicide (EPA Reg. No. 7969-433) is not registered for use on isoxaflutole-tolerant cotton nor available for sale for such use. Information on using Alite 27 herbicide on isoxaflutole-tolerant cotton is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to promote the sale of this product. Any sale of Alite 27 herbicide after registration is obtained for use on isoxaflutole-tolerant cotton shall be based solely on the EPA-approved product label, and any claims regarding product safety and efficacy shall be addressed solely by the label. Alite 27 is currently not available for sale.

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Ginners Marketplace COTTON

COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.

IRS Warns Of Employee Retention Credit Fraud If you are running a business, it is likely you have heard of the Employee Retention Credit (ERC). The ERC is a refundable tax credit for businesses and tax-exempt organizations that had employees during the COVID-19 pandemic and were affected by the pandemic itself. The requirements are different depending on the time period for which you claim the credit. If you do qualify, this could be a good opportunity to offset some of the effects of these last two To learn more about the ERC, visit crop years. https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/ You can still apply employee-retention-credit#beware. for the ERC assuming your business qualifies.

You must file before March 31, 2024, so you have some time to determine if your business qualifies. We encourage you to visit with your tax professional to determine if your business qualifies for the credit.

Keep a couple of things in mind as you navigate this process.

The IRS has announced that they have suspended processing ERC claims until the end of the year due to a high volume of fraudulent claims. This indicates fraudulent claims are currently an issue for the IRS. Obviously, they are reviewing the applications very closely. If you are going to apply for ERC, be

sure you have your paperwork filled out correctly. We highly encourage you to have your application reviewed by your tax professional before filing. You don’t want to apply for money you are not qualified to receive. Anyone who incorrectly claims the credit will have to pay it back and may owe penalties and interest, so there is at least that risk involved. Keep in mind, the only way to claim the credit is on a federal employment tax return which makes this sensitive information.

One item the IRS has recently pointed to as the cause of the fraudulent claims is aggressive ERC marketing. To learn more about the ERC (including answers to your ERC questions), go to https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/employee-retention-cred it#beware.

This page also highlights some of the warning signs of aggressive ERC marketing. Every situation is different, so be sure you qualify before applying for the credit. Again, your tax professional should be able to determine that for you.

The ERC may be a great opportunity for your business, but as with any government program, you want to be sure you get the details right when you put your application together.

Texas Cotton Ginners Association provided this article.

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A boom was used to lower the saw blades at Burton Farmers Gin. New saws (inset) were installed in the stands.

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Stay tuned for more information on this project and how it compares to what the gin would have done to sharpen the saws through its operation!

The Texas Cotton Gin Museum, located in Burton, Texas, provided this article.

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History comes alive at the Official Cotton Gin Museum of Texas, home of the oldest operating cotton gin in America. The Burton Farmers Gin is powered by a 1925 Bessemer engine — the largest of its vintage still operating in the USA. The museum is recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Smithsonian Institution, National Trust for Historic Preservation and National Register of Historic Places. Museum guests are transported to an era that defined the American Spirit. Thousands of visitors from around the world tour the historic cotton gin where it has stood since 1914.

Earlier this year, it was decided to undertake the daunting task of replacing the saw blades in the Burton Farmers Gin. It’s hard to nail down an exact time frame, but our best estimation dates the old blades back to the 1950s.

The process began with a thorough cleaning of the gin stands to prepare for the work ahead. On Feb. 28, our new friends from Precision Gin Works arrived, disassembled the stands and removed the saw blades. Now that the saws were gone and the stands were open, it was time for even more cleaning. Thanks to great workers, all the seeds, lint and trash were removed. Interior parts of the stands were cleaned, sanded and painted to help everything run smoothly.

On March 7, the new saws were received and installed in the stands. This was just in time for the ginner workdays happening on the March 9-10. The project took just over a week to complete and gave everyone involved a more comprehensive understanding and better appreciation for how our faithful Burton Farmer’s Gin operates. With these new blades, she’s

My Turn The Polyborg

F

or decades, I’ve known but by forced assimilation of existing beings into their that I have a problem. collective. The Borg confront their enemy with the omiOnly recently, though, I nous monotonal warning — Resistance is futile, you will learned the name of my be assimilated. Then, they take captives, fit them with condition. It is textophobia, the cybernetic devices and inject them with nanoprobes. fear of certain fabrics. In my While these augmentations give the new drones awesome case, that fabric is polyester. My physical power and defensive capabilities, the cost is the aversion to it probably began loss of these victims’ personal identities and free will. It is in the early 1970s when I was a a hellish existence. cocky young teen. Posturing as I imagine a similar collective today that I call the a cowboy, I hiked up a leg and Polyborg. This pseudo species expands its Polydrone Robert struck a match on the seat of population by insidiously seizing control of the otherwise Royal my houndstooth double-knit discerning tastes of good folks and augmenting them not polyester pants. Poof ! When with power-enhancing cybernetic components, but with the match flared up, it instantly melted through the cheap, ghastly polyester clothing! Instead of remaining in plastic weave leaving a quarter’s size hole with curled- their alcoves aboard a giant space-faring cube hive ship, up edges. It also left me with a first-degree burn in a the Polydrones wander among us, some are even friends location that I was unable to examine and salve without and family. They are recognized by their cheap polyester some humiliation and the clever positioning of a mirror. fabric and their vacuous countenances. Their war against At the time, polyester was the fashion rage. I naively cotton is a passive war of attrition; they simply don’t buy participated in that craze, but I was never comfortable cotton. Theirs, too, is a sad existence, suffering in polyesin that abominable witch’s brew of ethylene glycol and ter when they could just as easily be thriving happily and terephthalic acid, fearful of comfortably in cotton. course that I was a walking In recent years, Poly“Their war against cotton is a fire hazard. Mainly, though, drones’ clothes sometimes passive war of attrition.” and borrowing an industry appear enough like cotton term, it was the hand that clothes that it can be difficult repelled me; the polyester had a hideous feel that made to spot them from a distance. Their fabric is definitely me shudder with the willies. poly, though, because up close it stinks, makes the wearer By 1980, I had fully renounced the tacky plastic and appear common and feels like evil. had settled very comfortably into khaki, denim, broadLike The Borg collective, The Polyborg has a queen. cloth, oxford cloth, poplin, seersucker, madras, flannel, While Polydrones are harmless, the poly queen is a capricorduroy, etc. I was tastefully and comfortably 100% cious, manipulative, petty, selfish, deceitful, vindictive cotton head to toe, and I was mortified by recollections she wolf of kitsch. She is immortal and was there when of having ever clad myself in poly. I was smug and com- cavemen first wrapped themselves in animal hides. She placent that the mad crowd would never again suffer an preys on the human weakness for fad and fashion and has extraordinary polyester delusion. amused herself throughout history by making folks suffer Turns out I was wrong, bad wrong. According foolishly in various outlandish styles. It is only in recent to a recent chart by marketing consultant Technon decades that her collective became the Polyborg. Polyester Orbichem, world production of polyester has grown clothing is her biggest crime against humanity.

400% since 1980. Seeing the numbers graphically Fear can be a good thing; it often protects us. For shocked me. In spite of cotton’s overwhelming advantag- me, my textophobia has helped protect me from being es of comfort, good taste and beauty, it actually became enslaved as a Polydrone. Those without a strong bias like less popular with consumers. How is that possible? Is mine must consciously decide that they deserve the wonthere an unseen outside force at work here? derful qualities of cotton. Life is so much better in cotton!

It is as if cotton is up against The Borg, the terrifying juggernaut antagonist of Star Trek TNG. They are a pseu— Robert Royal do species in a hive collective who increase their already Midnight, Mississippi large population of drones not through reproduction, lastchancepltn@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.

22 COTTON FARMING | JANUARY 2024

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