Cotton Farming July 2023

‘Watering Cotton’

Knowing how to interpret data from water-efficiency tools and practices as well as taking crop growth stage into consideration are important factors in achieving successful irrigation strategies. University researchers are one group in the cotton industry who has put a lot of effort and resources into evaluating technology and ways of producing a cotton crop, then communicating recommendations to producers.

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

4 Editor’s Note

5 Cotton’s Agenda

14 Mid-South

17

ON THE COVER: A cotton field irrigated with a center-pivot automated sprinkler system.

Cover photo by GSphotography/Dreamstime.

JULY 2023

www.cottonfarming.com

FEATURES

9 FERTILIZER SUPPORT TOOL

USDA-NRCS grants $1.6 million to help further the ongoing development of the Fertilizer Recommendation Support Tool as an interface website.

10 FROM FIELD TO LEGISLATURE

As California’s reservoirs headed toward and exceeded “historical averages” in terms of water levels, many in ag are frustrated by legislative gridlock.

12 HISTORIC GIN JOINS MUSEUM

e Alton Brazell Museum in Lubbock, Texas, is adding on Phase III to bring more people into the agricultural industry.

20 GINNERS MARKETPLACE

the official publication of the ginning industry

Dusty Findley, CEO of the Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association, shares ways to keep safety front of mind during gin repair season.

2023 CCOY NOMINATIONS OPEN

To nominate a deserving candidate for the 2023 Cotton Consultant of the Year Award, co-sponsored by Cotton Farming and Syngenta, fill out the form on page 15 or online at cottonfarming.com/ccoy.

Deadline for nominations is Aug. 15.

WEB EXCLUSIVE

Dr. Dave Spencer, irrigation specialist with Mississippi State University, discusses pivot irrigation strategies to maximize your cotton crop’s yield and profitability. He covers sensor use and placement, when and how much water to apply and the importance of adapting to your unique scenario. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.

Editor’s Note

Carroll Smith

The Man Behind U.S. Patent No. 2,604,359

For many years, producers have looked for innovative, efficient ways to irrigate their crops and bring land that was historically dry into productive parcels to provide food and fiber to the world. According to the Smithsonian magazine, “By the late 19th century, farmers had started pumping groundwater from wells, first using power from windmills — which became ubiquitous — and later from gasoline engines. But these techniques were expensive, far beyond the reach of most settlers.”

The Smithsonian noted that “In 1948, an innovative Nebraska farmer named Frank Zybach developed a new type of sprinkler system, the center pivot, which he patented in 1952. Placing the pump at the center of the field next to a well, irrigation pipes supported by trusses were mounted on wheeled towers that could make a circuit of the field under their own power.”

His invention was documented as U.S. Patent No. 2,604,359. In 2022, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, which published “10 Things You Need To Know About Frank Zybach” as listed below:

1. Zybach was born in 1894 in Lafayette, Oregon.

2. He learned blacksmithing and a love of metalworking from his father.

3. At an early age, Zybach began developing several inventions designed to lessen the manual labor required of farm workers.

4. His first patent in 1920, was for an automatic, driverless tractor guide.

5. Zybach also developed an automatic transmission for automobiles that came very close to being purchased by the Chrysler Corp.

6. He was a farmer in Colorado when he decided to work on a new form of sprinkler irrigation.

7. Zybach and a business partner sold the exclusive manufacturing rights to the center-pivot irrigation system in 1954 to the Valley Manufacturing Co. (now Valmont Industries).

8. When he created the center-pivot irrigation system, Zybach never realized how his invention’s crop circles would transform the landscape of the Midwestern and Western United States.

9. He died in 1980 in Columbus, Nebraska.

10. Zybach has 10 U.S.patents.

Today, university researchers and those in the irrigation industry have continued to improve Zybach’s invention with the goal of developing strategies for water-use efficiency while maintaining profits.

In paying homage to the popular American radio personality, Paul Harvey, “Now you know the rest of the story.”

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Gary Adams

Passing Along Priorities

The National Cotton Council has actively conveyed to Congress and the Administration its priorities for a meaningful farm bill — one with an effective safety net and comprehensive risk management tools.

How has the NCC communicated priorities this year?

■ The NCC, as well as many national/regional cotton organizations, joined 400 other agriculture groups on a letter to the House and Senate budget committees’ leadership requesting sufficient budgetary resources to write a new bipartisan, multiyear, comprehensive and meaningful farm bill.

NCC Chairman Shawn Holladay testified at a hearing of the House Agriculture Committee’s General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit Subcommittee exploring measures for inclusion in the 2023 farm bill. While the West Texas producer emphasized that the 2018 farm law’s general structure has benefitted the cotton industry, additional funding and other reforms are needed to address challenges both on the farm and throughout the supply chain. Among recommendations developed by the NCC’s Farm Policy Task Force that Holladay proposed during the hearing were:

• increasing the seed cotton reference price;

• restoring the Economic Adjustment Assistance for Textile Mills rate to its original value;

• increasing the marketing loan program maximum rate and modernizing various marketing loan program repayment provisions;

• increasing the Pima loan rate and adding marketing loan functionality; and

• continued support for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Program.

Earlier this year, the NCC, along with more than 50 other agricultural associations, sent a letter to Administration leaders and to leadership of the House and Senate budget and appropriations committees, urging them to protect crop insurance programs from any cuts during this year’s appropriations process. The letter noted that with ongoing weather events and market disruptions, it is as important as ever to protect the rural safety net.

What are some more recent actions?

■ Throughout the year, NCC staff has been educating dozens of new Congressional Members about production agriculture’s contributions to the national economy, the need for strong farm law and the challenges facing U.S. agriculture.

NCC Director Patrick Johnson reiterated the need for those critical farm bill enhancements during a hearing examining producer farm bill priorities conducted by the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee’s Commodities, Risk Management and Trade Subcommittee. The Mississippi producer said the current farm law has served the industry well but emphasized the need for more funding in a new farm bill.

How have Congressional agriculture committee leaders responded?

■ Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA), for example, expressed his hope that in the next farm bill, a safety net will be in place that can stand the test of changing markets and extreme weather events. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and John Boozman (R-AR) both expressed the desire to see producers provided with a broader range of risk management tools.

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

NCC Chairman Shawn Holladay conveys cotton’s 2023 farm bill priorities during an April Congressional hearing.

‘Watering Cotton’

Irrigation Strategies Pair Water-Use Efficiency With Profit

Rainfall and/or access to irrigation water is essential to viable cotton production. Circumstances vary across the different regions of the Cotton Belt. Some areas are plagued by drought and declining aquifers, whereas other areas that typically receive a generous amount of rainfall may not receive it when needed during the growing season. When the latter happens, cotton farmers rely on pivot irrigation or furrow irrigation to supply water to the crop. Knowing how to interpret data from water efficiency tools

Variable-Deficit Irrigation Helps Improve Yields, Save Water

BY KAY LEDBETTER TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE

Cotton producers struggling with available water after drought and dropping water tables can maximize crop yields from limited water with some planning and implementation of variable-deficit irrigation, according to research by Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists.

A team of TAMU researchers recently published “Evaluation of Growth-Stage-Based Variable-Deficit Irrigation Strategies for Cotton Production in the Texas High Plains” in the Agricultural Water Management journal.

“This study is receiving a lot of attention from area producers who are trying to maximize their limited water,” said Dr. Srinivasulu Ale, AgriLife Research agrohydrologist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Vernon and the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.

“Results from this modeling study provide useful recommendations on appropriate irrigation management strategies for sustaining cotton production under different weather conditions while conserving valuable groundwater resources of the Ogallala Aquifer.”

Ale was joined on the study by his former postdoc Dr. Sushil Himanshu and current postdoc Dr. Sayantan Samanta, AgriLife Research, Vernon.

Also on the team were Dr. Jourdan Bell, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agronomist, Amarillo; Jim Bordovsky, retired AgriLife Research agricultural engineer, Halfway;

and practices as well as taking crop growth stage into consideration are important factors in achieving successful irrigation strategies. University researchers are one group in the cotton industry who has put a lot of effort and resources into evaluating technology and ways of producing a cotton crop, and then communicating their findings and recommendations to producers.

Following are examples of their efforts to conserve water and maintain profits within the cotton irrigation arena.

Variable-deficit irrigation, the management of timing and amounts of water, can help cotton producers with limited water supplies.

and former postdoc Dr. Yubing Fan. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service laboratory at Lubbock was represented by Dr. Dennis Gitz and Dr. Robert Lascano and at Bushland by Dr. David Brauer.

About The Study

The study simulated four irrigation deficit levels in four cotton growth stages, resulting in 256 scenarios. The goal was to identify efficient growth-stage-based variable-deficit irrigation, GS-VDI, strategies based on data from cotton irrigation wateruse efficiency field experiments conducted by Bordovsky at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at Halfway.

The four growth stages were:

• First leaf to first square.

• Flower initiation to early bloom.

• Peak bloom.

• From cutout to late bloom to boll opening.

The long-term simulations reflected conditions from 19772019 and were conducted with four deficit levels — 30%, 50%, 70% and 90% evapotranspiration replacements.

Dry, Normal And Wet Years

Based on the results of simulated seed cotton yield and irrigation water-use efficiency, Ale and his team concluded that different efficient GS-VDI strategies should be considered for dry, normal and wet years.

For example, a strategy of 90% evapotranspiration-replacement from first leaf to peak bloom and of 30% evapotranspiration-replacement in the final stage was found to be an ideal strategy in normal precipitation years to achieve higher seed cotton yield while saving 2.56 inches of irrigation water.

Overall, the flower initiation/early bloom and peak bloom growth stages were the most sensitive stages to water stress. The cutout, late bloom and boll opening growth stage was the least sensitive to water stress and water deficit, so yield and water-use efficiency were not significantly affected.

“We also found that the amount of irrigation water required to achieve maximum irrigation water-use efficiency was less than the amount of irrigation water required to achieve maximum seed cotton yield under all weather conditions,”

Himanshu said. “By adopting GS-VDI strategies, a substantial amount of irrigation water can be saved, and it is possible to achieve high seed cotton yields with less irrigation water.”

Texas High Plains Region

Bell said the results indicated that the extent and timing of water deficit stress in different cotton growth stages substantially affected seed cotton yield, irrigation water use and water-use efficiency.

The results from this study could be useful for producers in the Texas High Plains region in optimizing the application of limited available irrigation water to achieve higher irrigation water-use efficiency and cotton yields.

“We believe producers can go into a normal cotton season with a strategy of 70% deficit in the fourth stage and 10% deficit in the remaining stages,” Ale said. “Our future efforts will focus on simulating the effects of GS-VDI strategies at different sites across the High Plains region to strengthen the recommendations.”

Water Conservation Is High Ag Priority At MSU

BY BONNIE A. COBLENTZ MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY

Agriculture is the world’s single largest consumer of fresh water, making the water shortages expected over the next 10 years in at least 40 states — Mississippi included — critically important.

The Nature Conservancy estimates 70% of the planet’s freshwater withdrawals annually are for agriculture. In the United States, irrigation accounts for more than 80% of total water use.

“Each year, Mississippi growers add 40,000 to 50,000 more acres of irrigation,” said Jason Krutz, director of the Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute, or MWRRI, at Mississippi State University.

Although Mississippi has one of the highest precipitation rates in the country, much of that rain falls outside the growing season. Crops are watered using two main methods: pivot irrigation, where water is sprayed from overhead sprinkler systems; or furrow irrigation, where water is released in large quantities

to flow down furrows between crop rows.

Correct Use Of Technology

Through the water institute and the National Center for Alluvial Aquifer Research, MSU is heavily invested in promoting water conservation and irrigation efficiency while maintaining farm yields. Since 2012, the university has dedicated extensive research efforts and countless manhours finding best irrigation practices and extending that information to the agricultural producers of the state.

“We are looking at the technology, tools and approaches to irrigation to make it as effective and efficient as possible,” Krutz said.

MSU efforts primarily focus on the adoption and correct use of soil moisture sensors, which make it possible to schedule irrigation efficiently, and the use of computerized hole selection and surge valves so water in furrow irrigation is dispersed at the

Flower initiation from early bloom to peak bloom growth stages were the most sensitive stages to water stress, according to the Texas A&M AgriLife study.

LAURA MCKENZIE/TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE

appropriate rate.

Water conservation and financial savings are equally important, said Dave Spencer, an Extension pivot irrigation specialist.

“We have shown water savings up to 40% and yield improvement up to 5% when these technologies are properly implemented,” Spencer said.

That means growers who adopted water efficiency tools and practices reduced water use by up to 40% and still saw slight improvements in crop yields.

Soil Moisture Sensors

Soil moisture sensors are key tools in irrigation efficiency.

These sensors are strategically placed underground to measure the amount of moisture in the soil at the plant’s root zone. Knowing how much water is actually available to the plant allows the grower to postpone irrigation even if the top of the ground is very dry.

Soil moisture data also allows growers to accurately predict how many days remain before water is needed, allowing them to postpone irrigation if rain is likely in the forecast, Spencer said.

Mississippi has a 20% adoption rate for soil moisture sensors, a close second to Nebraska. The regional and national average is less than 2% adoption. These tools are not enough unless the grower knows how to interpret the data and make decisions based upon it.

“There’s still 80% that we can work with,” Spencer said. “We’re looking at production systems holistically and evaluating production systems to see how to use the irrigation technologies with the greatest efficiency.”

A Farmer’s Endorsement

Jeremey Jack, owner of Silent Shade Planting Co. in Belzoni,

has adopted irrigation efficiency tools, including the scheduling of irrigation.

“We have the mindset of conservation,” Jack said. “Last year on row rice, we had wells come on and off automatically. We treated rice like a golf course where irrigation was on a schedule, and we would adjust that from our phone if it was going to rain. We would go by every couple of days to make sure the well was working.”

Jack said his farm does not focus on just one tool, but constantly learns new strategies and methods that can increase profitability through higher yields while conserving resources.

“So many things have improved through the practices we’ve been able to implement through technology,” he said.

Strike A Good Balance

BY PHILLIP EDWARDS, DAVID HALL, DANIEL LYON, JASON MALLARD AND WES PORTER UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

Based on planting observations and crop development, most farmers’ crop should fall within the first square to first flower stage throughout the month of June. If you were unfortunate and did not get your cotton planted until later May or early June, then your crop will fall into the emergence to first square stage. Crop water requirements increase dramatically from squaring and flowering. From 30 days to 50 days after planting, water consumption almost doubles.

Keep this in mind as we move into middle and late June, and into early July. Don’t fall behind on your irrigation once the crop reaches squaring and into flowering. As a reminder, typically as water use increases in late June through July, usually so does very hot and dry weather. Bear this in mind and stay on top of your

irrigation applications. Conversely, don’t over-irrigate the crop as there are yield penalties for doing so.

If you have been using soil moisture sensors, be sure you are utilizing sensors on the probe according to how the root system has developed as it reflects current crop water use in the profile. Root growth and water usage will dramatically increase at deeper depths as the cotton moves through squaring and into bloom during mid to late June and early July. As we move through the season, we will need to be more balanced as the season progresses and root growth increases.

One last consideration, top dressing all cotton and our first dose of growth regulator on aggressive, irrigated growing cotton will soon or has already taken place. Don’t go into this stage with the mindset

of “I’m going to hold back on the water now because I don’t want it to take off.” If proper growth regulator is applied, it will prevent vegetative growth as it should. If rain chances are low, irrigation will be required to get the fertilizer in the plant by irrigating it in and allowing the plant to uptake the nutrients. For further questions about mid-season cotton irrigation management, contact your local county Extension agent.

Mississippi is one of 40 states expected to face water shortages in the next 10 years. Mississippi State University is working in a variety of ways to conserve this resource.

As the cotton moves through squaring and into bloom, over-irrigating can result in yield penalties and profit loss.

USDA Funding Boosts Fertilizer Recommendation Support Tool

BY JOHN LOVETT UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS SYSTEM DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE

Efficient and profitable farming depends on accurate soil testing, but fertilizer recommendations for the same batch of soil differ across the nation. A coordinated effort from researchers across the United States seeks to solve that problem. Nathan Slaton with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station will serve as principal investigator of the Fertilizer Recommendation Support Tool project.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is giving more than $1.6 million in grant support to the ongoing development of the Fertilizer Recommendation Support Tool, or “FRST,” as an interface website. It is part of a $40 million investment in 31 new projects through USDA’s Conservation Innovation Grants program.

“The tool will help save money and resources for producers and identify data gaps for crop consultants and scientists,” said Slaton, associate vice president for agriculture and assistant director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agricultue.

Soil Tests Issue

The idea for the decision support tool came from discussion among the Southern Extension and Research Activities Information Exchange Group, known as the “SERA 6.” They conducted a survey in 2018 to investigate why fertilizer recommendations change across state lines even when using the same soil test.

“The way it is now, someone can collect a soil sample, put it in two containers, and ship one to the Division of Agriculture’s soil testing laboratory in Marianna and the other to Waypoint Labs in Memphis, and when they get the reports back, even if the soil test numbers are similar, the fertilizer recommendations are different,” Slaton said. “The end user is going, ‘Why?’ When that happens, it erodes the end user’s confidence in our science.”

This is an issue because farmers and crop consultants sometimes send their soil samples to labs outside of their home state. Some producers have farms that cross a state line, or they may farm in two different states. Soil testing has the common goal of determining which nutrients and how much fertilizer to apply. But soil-testing laboratories in the United States use different analytical methods, interpretations and philosophical approaches to fertilizer recommendations, Slaton explained.

The FRST website will allow a farmer or crop consultant to select their soil type, crop type, geographic region and soil test extractant to provide tailored soil test recommendations.

USDA noted in its Conservation Innovation Grants award that improving soil-test-based recommendations and their interpretation “has the potential to significantly reduce nutrient applications by accurately identifying the critical soil test value.” The soil test value identifies the point at which soil will no longer respond to fertilizer.

At the Soil Test Lab in Marianna, Arkansas, soil samples are arranged in flats according to the fields from which they were collected and await their turn to be tested.

Outdated Recommendations

Deanna Osmond, professor and Extension specialist for soil fertility and watershed management at North Carolina State University, said most science-based soil fertility recommendation systems in the United States often derive phosphorus and potassium fertilizer guidance from decades-old soil-test relationships.

“There are states that have not looked at their soil test recommendations for 50 or 60 years, and I think this will give them a more structured environment in which to make their decisions,” said Osmond, who is also co-principal investigator of the project.

She was instrumental in securing the USDA-NRCS funding and creating cohesiveness for the project, Slaton said.

There have been many changes to varieties, tillage and cropping systems, which need to be captured relative to nutrient needs, Osmond said. In addition to agronomic benefits to make farming more profitable, the tool should also help provide environmental benefits by keeping excess phosphorus out of waterways, she said.

‘Scratching The Surface’

So far, research scholar Sarah Lyons at North Carolina State University has collected almost 1,500 data sets to put in the legacy database. However, they are “barely scratching the surface” of the needed data, Osmond said.

While Arkansas dedicates funds for soil fertility research through fertilizer tonnage fees, Osmond said most states do not allocate tonnage fee resources to soil testing research. Arkansas has a fertilizer tonnage fee that supports the state’s soil testing program and soil testing research to update fertilizer recommendations. The FRST will complement decision support software developed for Arkansas by the Division of Agriculture.

FRED MILLER, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

Be Careful What You Pray For

California Cotton Farmers Cope With Water From Field To Legislature

BY BRENDA CAROL

It would be almost impossible to describe the past six months contrasted to the past four years in California if someone wasn’t living in the middle of it. Dry, parched ground that offered up nothing but a stubborn weed or two for years suddenly became navigable seemingly only by kayak or surfboard.

“The bizarre weather we’ve had will have both positive and negative consequences,” said Roger Isom, president/CEO, California Cotton Ginner & Growers Association. “On a positive note, we had 100% water allocation from the state and federal water projects.

“On the flip side, we received a lot of rain early in the year. While March 10 was the first day we could actually plant cotton, there wasn’t a field in the state we could have gotten into at that point.”

The rain and “atmospheric rivers” continued well into March

transforming once ancient lake beds back to their aquatic origins. Tulare Lake — once the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi — had been drained more than 100 years earlier to accommodate California’s burgeoning agriculture. As the rains kept coming, water began to inundate the old lake bed, flooding towns and thousands of acres of cropland. In addition to permanent crops like trees and vines, it became painfully obvious that even row crops such as cotton were going to be impacted.

Shifting From Pima To Acala

As the planting window for cotton continued to move into the future, the prospects for Pima kept shrinking as growers eyed the shorter-season Acala varieties. Planting estimates will likely be unclear until the dust settles. Or in this case, until the mud dries. Final numbers for cotton will likely be less than 100,000 acres, which could break or set a new 100-year record low.

As the 2023 cotton planting date approached earlier this spring, it quickly became apparent entire cotton growing areas in California were going to have problems with excess water. This pistachio orchard close to fields that would have been planted in cotton shows the dramatic force of the water growers experienced.

“At mid-March, the situation just wasn’t progressing as fast as we would have liked,” said Dave German, central region manager, Buttonwillow Warehouse, Hanford, California. “The soil temperatures — and even the air temperatures — were too cool.”

Reservoirs On The Rise

As California’s reservoirs headed toward and exceeded “historical averages” in terms of water levels, many in the state’s ag industry point out the frustration of legislative gridlock. The legislation and politics are complicated. Current and potential litigation from any number of sources is also problematic.

Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-4-23 that specified the conditions to allow water users to divert water for recharge without state permits. The executive order suspended certain regulatory requirements under conditions of imminent risk of flooding.

About 41% of California’s total water supply comes from groundwater resources on an average annual basis. That percentage jumps as high as 58% in severe drought years. According to the California Department of Water, California has over 515 groundwater basins that can hold more than 850 million acre-feet while the state’s reservoirs only hold about 50 million acre-feet in major reservoirs.

The executive order signed by Governor Newsom in February provided at least some short-term water relief for basin recharge for the current year, but it’s anyone’s guess what will happen going forward.

“It’s maddening to sit here and know this excess water could have been put to good use for years if we were allowed to recharge the groundwater earlier,” said Vern Crawford, pest control advisor, Wilbur-Ellis (ret’d) Kern County, California. “Now, that we find ourselves with this gift from the sky we are

ill-equipped and at least a day late and a dollar short to deal with it. Yes, the Governor signed a bill to enable groundwater recharge. But he did it almost after the fact. Where was this legislation when we could have taken maximum advantage of it?”

California’s Ag Future

“In terms of legislators and what they might be able to do, they need to move on several things,” Isom said.

If there was something resembling a “wish list” for California cotton farmers, Isom has a few bullet points.

• First, we need to finally move on additional water storage projects to capture water in years like this.

• Second, we need to expand water conveyance to be able to move water around the state and within the Valley.

• Third, we need to continue with the groundwater recharge projects and take advantage of the first two recommendations, which will only serve to enhance groundwater recharge.

Isom also echoed Crawford’s frustration. “It would be beneficial to loosen restrictions on pumping in the delta, especially in years of high flows like we are experiencing now,” Isom continued. “While California has done this now, we missed more than a month’s excess flows that could have been utilized to build up water storage for communities and farms throughout the state.”

Drought conditions across much of the western United States are expected to improve at least for the short-term, according to NOAA. However, it’s the long-term outlook that has many California growers rattled. “In terms of an eye-opener, this unusual situation has opened the eyes of the state to move forward on water storage, conveyance and groundwater recharge,” Isom said. “To what extent, we will have to wait and see, as the activists are fighting it every step of the way.”

Even with this year’s relatively bleak outlook for California cotton, Isom is not ready to give up on the crop or the prospects of better water management.

“There will always be demand for California cotton due to its quality, especially for Pima cotton,” Isom said. “It’s just a shame that in a year where we finally have water, it was too cold for so late that we really couldn’t plant as much as we would like. But with the lack of planting this year, we hope the demand will still be there in a big way next year!”

Brenda Carol is a freelance writer based in San Luis Obispo, California. She may be reached at brenda@carolcommunications.com.

In California, as the rains persisted into March and beyond, a significant number of cotton farmers moved from planting Pima to the shorter-season Acala varieties.

Snow returned to the mountain ranges, which further added to water availability when temperatures warmed. In early June, Lake Shasta was at 118% of historical average and 98% of total capacity, according to the California Department of Water Resources.

This South Plains Museum Is Adding On Phase III To Bring More People Into The Agricultural Industry

Q&A The FiberMax Center For Discovery’s New Addition

The FiberMax Center for Discovery located in Lubbock, Texas, serves as an exemplary model for agriculture. Planned in three phases, the Alton Brazell Museum was completed in 2011. An exhibit hall, Plains Cotton Growers Conference Center, catering kitchen and outdoor patio were added in Phase II in 2014. The FCFD website states it “continues to evolve and serves as a living memorial to the thousands of farm families that were pioneers in agriculture.”

The Phase III addition will house a children's agricultural literacy wing and a cotton heritage center. The Goodman Gin, a Texas gin that has been in existence for nearly 150 years will be a focal point. Lacee Hoelting, executive director for the FiberMax Center for Discovery, and Chris Berry, Board of Directors member and immediate past president of the Texas Cotton Ginners Association, speak on the Center and its upcoming additions in the following Q&A:

Q.Tell me a little bit about the FiberMax Center for Discovery and what drew you to invest yourself there.

A. Lacee: I grew up in this area, I was active in FFA, and as a state FFA officer, I traveled around the state talking to both rural and urban high school students about agriculture and how it was a part of their everyday lives. This was a continuation of that story. What started as a county historical collection has grown into an opportunity to educate the public on the importance of farmers and how far the industry has come. Our board of directors, volunteers, members and donors keep me engaged. They are passionate about cotton production, the ag industry and the history of the two on the South Plains. It’s a big job, but it’s easy to work hard when you believe in what you’re doing.

Chris: What drew me to the FCFD is how the Center is telling the story of agriculture. The FCFD has an extensive collection of artifacts and exhibits from our past. The new Phase III will house interactive exhibits that will hopefully inspire young minds in the field of agriculture and lead us into the future.

people to move the gin, and to develop exhibits in and around it. To walk through the structure, to see the hand-hewn logs, to understand the labor that went into cotton harvest, to examine the giant wood screw of the bale press, to get a glimpse of agriculture from nearly 150 years ago — that’s going to be worth a trip to Lubbock, no matter where you live.

Chris: The move of the Goodman Gin is drawing closer. What makes this timber frame cotton gin unique is that the Goodman Gin is the last intact example of a true animal-powered gin. This gin was built just prior to the mechanization of the commercial cotton gins of the late nineteenth century, as it was described in the Sept. 24, 1977, issue of The Cotton Gin and Oil Mill Press. The Goodman Gin will be the central exhibit of the Cotton Heritage wing in the Phase III addition to the Center.

Q.

What’s going on with the gin you’re moving? What makes it special, and what is the goal once in place? What do you think this addition brings to the table for the Center? A.

Lacee: I’m ecstatic to finally have a home for this historic gin and for the public to be able to experience it. The Goodman Gin will be the centerpiece of the Cotton Heritage Center. It will be housed inside the new building, so people will be able to tour it no matter the weather outside, and the gin will be protected for years to come. We are working with some great

Q.What are the short- and long-term plans for the FiberMax Center for Discovery? How do you plan to accomplish these?

A.Lacee: Short-term is breaking ground on the new addition, completing the building and constructing topnotch exhibits, while we continue to serve our current members and guests. We want to get the word out and generate excitement for what’s coming. In addition to the children’s wing and Cotton Heritage Center, we will be adding more meeting space,

The Goodman Gin is the last intact example of a true animal-powered gin as shown by the giant screw inside the bale press that was turned by mules.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FCFD

rotating exhibit areas and a classroom. Longterm, we want to recruit more members and get more people involved. We want to keep exhibits fresh and bring in new pieces. We want to build our endowment and increase the amount of programming and services we can offer. We want to be a resource to the agriculture industry and a point of connection between the producers and the consumers. We want to tell the story of agriculture, with a lot of focus on cotton production.

Q. What would you say is the No. 1 thing you’d like others to know about the gin move? The Center itself?

clothes to become a member, come take a tour or become a sponsor. We still have exhibit sponsorships available in the new building.  Chris: Through the efforts and generosity of so many within the industry, the Goodman Gin will now have a permanent home at the FiberMax Center for Discovery. I cannot think of a more appropriate home for the cotton gin. The FCFD will display the Goodman Gin as it was envisioned well over half a century ago.

Q. Anything else you’d like to mention?

New Addition

The new wing broke ground June 1 in Lubbock, Texas, and construction is expected to take approximately 14 months. The FCFD hopes to open this new wing in late 2024. The Cotton Heritage Center exhibits are still in development and may open later, but the Goodman Gin will be available for viewing sooner. Webb’s Joinery & Construction dismantled the gin at its previous location on June 15.

A.

Lacee: The Goodman Gin is unique, from the bale press being built inside the building to gin in any weather, to the mules that turned the entire bale box around the screw (usually the screw turned, and the box was stationary), as well as it being impressive to see and walk through. The FiberMax Center for Discovery is a nonprofit agricultural education and history center. While the next addition is a huge step in our development, to succeed, we are going to need support from farmers, people who work with farmers and those who benefit from farming. So in other words, we need everyone that eats or wears

A.

Lacee: Since starting here in 2008, I became a mom, and it changed how I viewed our museum. What appeals to me is not necessarily what catches my daughters’ attention. My grandparents farmed and ranched. I grew up around that world, but we have kids come in every day that have never been on a farm, sat in a tractor, watched a crop grow or tended livestock. In a small way, I hope we can give them a little taste of agriculture (no pun intended). The next great advancement in farming may not come from someone who grew up in the industry. It might come from the kid who visited an ag center in Lubbock, Texas, and looked at a problem differently.

Online

For more information on the FiberMax Center for Discovery, visit https:// agriculturehistory.org.

"While the next addition is a huge step in our development, to succeed, we are going to need support from farmers, people who work with farmers and those who benefit from farming."

e Center in Lubbock will house the Goodman Gin, a Texas gin that has been in existence for nearly 150 years.

Effectively Navigating

Herbicide-Resistant Weeds

Cotton is very susceptible to weed competition in the early season due to cotton’s slow growth habit from emergence to about the 4-node stage. As Mid-South cotton producers move later into the growing season, finding effective ways to manage herbicide-resistant weeds becomes a major focus. Growers in the Mid-South and across the Cotton Belt have seen a growing list of resistant weeds in cotton this season, a problem that Cotton Incorporated is working hard to address.

According to the International Survey of Herbicide Resistant Weeds, cotton currently has 18 species of herbicide-resistant weeds globally. In the United States, one of the most widely explored resistant weeds in cotton is Palmer amaranth. Published research findings from a study conducted in 20171 state, “Cotton yields decreased linearly from 13% to 54% for 1 to 10 Palmer amaranth plants/9.1 m of row.”  In other words, one Palmer plant per 30 feet of row (that emerged the same time as cotton) would be expected to decrease yield by 13%. Numbers like these are potentially devastating to cotton producers.

Funding research into herbicide resistance is vital to staying ahead of the ever-expanding list of herbicide-resistant weeds. Cotton Incorporated approaches research related to weed management with the assumption the herbicide resistance is going to continue to get worse, and fewer herbicide options will be effective or available.

Identifying Resistant Weeds

Cotton Incorporated’s Agricultural and Environmental Research department is working with scientists across the country to help identify resistant weeds and find economical solutions to combat these problems in growers’ fields. Cotton Incorporated provides funding for research on this issue with both core

BY GRANT SAUM

funds and with funding through each state’s respective State Support Program.

Dr. Gaylon Morgan, director of agronomy and weed control for Cotton Incorporated, said, “We support on-going monitoring through interactions with growers and consultants who report suspected resistance. From there, scientists collect plants or seed samples and then conduct a rate response study on the suspected weeds.”

Timely identification is key to recommending alternative weed management strategies for growers, which will delay the spread of these herbicide-resistant weeds to new fields and regions.

Identifying whether a weed is resistant to a single or multiple modes of action starts with the growers reporting potential resistance. Quick reporting allows farmers to act, and taking swift action can minimize the spread. Scientists then perform rate response studies to confirm herbicide resistance.

“The development of on-going resistance monitoring is crucial and the first step to resolving the weed resistance problem,” said Morgan.

What’s Next?

While effective monitoring, reporting and testing are critical, the next steps are equally important. Once herbicide-resistant weeds are identified, Extension and industry personnel can develop management recommendations, which are then communicated with growers, consultants and private industry. Additionally, scien-

tists must conduct more basic research for understanding and managing the mechanism of the specific herbicideresistant weeds. In some cases, weeds may be resistant to a single herbicide and in other cases many herbicides within a mode of action, which dictates the viable management options moving forward.

Understanding the mechanism of herbicide resistance within a weed may provide an opportunity to reverse herbicide resistance. Cotton Incorporated is supporting this type of research as well, and some promising results have been found in the lab. The next step is to prove the functionality of these practices outside the lab and to actual weeds in the field.

With the real threat of growing weed resistance in the Mid-South and beyond, Cotton Incorporated is dedicated to funding research and providing information to growers in the hopes of protecting producer profitability. For more information on resistant weed management research projects, visit cottoncultivated. cottoninc.com.

Grant Saum is The Cotton Board’s MidSouth Regional Communication Manager. Email him at gsaum@cottonboard.org.

UNION CITY, TENNESSEE

1 Morgan, G., Baumann, P., & Chandler, J. (2001). Competitive Impact of Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) on Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) Development and Yield. Weed Technology

Resistant Palmer amaranth pictured in cotton at the West Tennessee Ag Research and Education Center.

CCO Y

The Cotton Consultant of the Year (CCOY) Award marks more than four decades. The award recognizes a consultant who has made great contributions to the cotton industry through outstanding customer relations, leadership and innovation. It honors a consultant who not only meets these requirements but also exceeds them.

Syngenta and Cotton Farming magazine — CCOY sponsors — are soliciting your help in selecting the 2023 recipient, who will be named at a special celebration Friday, March 1, 2024, at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee.

The winning consultant and the person who nominates the winner receive a two-night hotel stay and airfare to Memphis. The 2023 CCOY recipient also will be featured in a four-page salute in the February 2024 issue of Cotton Farming.

Submit nominations by Aug. 15, 2023.

Mail: Carroll Smith

7201 Eastern Ave. Germantown, TN 38138

Scan/Email: csmith@onegrower.com

You can print an electronic version of the form located on the Cotton Farming website at www.cottonfarming.com.

Nominate online: cottonfarming.com/ccoy

Cotton Consultant of theYear2023

NOMINATION FORM

If you would like to nominate a consultant deserving of this outstanding recognition, please take a moment to fill out the following form.

Please use a separate page for biographical/professional information. Additional recommendations via letters or emails from other farmers, consultants and industry members are also encouraged to provide support for the nominee.

Consultant’s Name:

Company Name:

Mailing Address:

City: State: ZIP: Phone: Email:

In your own words, please tell us why you are nominating the consultant above for the Cotton Consultant of the Year Award. Additional pages may be attached, emailed or attached to the online nomination form.

Background:

Biographical/Industry Involvement Background. This information as well as support letters may be attached to this form, emailed or attached to the online nomination form.

Your Name:

Mailing Address: City: State: ZIP: Phone: Email:

Sponsored by

Farm Safety Program Debuts In The United States

BASF is supporting a safe growing season in 2023 with the launch of the BASF Safety Scouts program for U.S. farm families. The program helps children learning about the value and importance of farm safety by providing safety kits to families free of charge.

The BASF Safety Scouts program offers two kits. The Safety “Scout” kit is designed for children six years of age and younger while the Safety “Captain” kit activities are geared for children seven and older and promote additional safety tasks, including working with an adult to choose a designated “Safety Spot” muster point on the farm.

This spring, the BASF Safety Scouts program provided 2,000 kits to farm families throughout the country free of charge. Safety Scouts and Safety Captains can share pictures, videos, drawings and safety tips by tagging @ BASFAgProducts on Twitter using the hashtag #BASFSafetyScouts. To inquire about receiving a free kit, visit: https:// tinyurl.com/a5rrd4cc.

Deer Damage — Any Good, Consistent Solutions?

Among the more frequent needs expressed by farmers is preventing, reducing and/or minimizing deer damage, according to Alabama cotton specialist Steve M. Bown. He said deer feeding is particularly troublesome on young cotton. They can wipe out the stands, but deer are present at all stages of the crop year and hurt production from planting until harvest.

“We are aware of numerous treatments, including trap crops, border crops, in-fur-

row insecticides, sprayed on products, human waste compost, scare crows (or as I recently heard them called, ‘deer crows’), fences, scare guns, and old fashioned ‘lead,’” Brown said.

“We are unaware of any fool-proof approach and are seeking to identify consistent control measures. Email Dr. Scott Graham at shg0013@auburn.edu or me at cottonbrown@auburn.edu with your best tested thoughts. We are always looking for answers.”

Trust Protocol 2023 Crop Enrollent Is Open

U.S. cotton producers now can enroll their 2023 crop in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol through Sept. 1, 2023, at https:// trustuscotton.org/. For help enrolling, reach out to the Grower Help Desk at growers@trustuscotton.org.

Producers enrolled in the Trust Protocol are eligible to participate in the Climate Smart Cotton Program. They also receive personalized data, which can be used to help improve their sustainability efforts and yield.

All data entered in the Trust Protocol is secure and confidential. Crop consultants may be authorized to enter information on the producer’s behalf.

USDA Seeks Nominees For The Cotton Board

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking nominations of domestic cotton producers from Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas and importers of cotton and cotton-containing products for positions on The Cotton Board.

The producers and importers will fill positions for 13 members and 13 alternates. USDA will appoint members and alternates to serve three-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2026.

Certified producer organizations and certified importer organizations will hold caucuses to nominate two qualified persons for each open position in their respective industry segment.

Producer caucuses are scheduled as follows and all times are local times:

 Arkansas: July 12 at 10 a.m.

 California: July 12 at 10 a.m.

 Louisiana: July 11 at 10 a.m.

 Mississippi: July 11 at 9 a.m.

 North Carolina: July 17 at 3 p.m.

 Texas: July 20 at 2 p.m.

“The Cotton Board seeks to promote diversity and ensure equal opportunity and inclusion for those who qualify for nomination and appointment to The Cotton Board regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, disability, socio-economic status, religion or sexual orientation,” said Bill Gillon, Cotton Board president/CEO.

“Further, we strongly encourage certified organizations to keep in mind the benefits that diverse membership and leadership will bring to the Cotton Research & Promotion Program when considering individuals for nomination to The Cotton Board.”

For nominating and caucus information, including organizations seeking certification and a list of CPOs and CIOs, contact AMS’ Cotton Research and Promotion staff at (540) 361-2726 or CottonRP@usda.gov.

Agriculture And Business Coalition Opposes Water-Rights Bills In California

Critics of California’s water-rights system are seeking to overhaul rules that date back to California’s founding in 1850.

Three water-rights bills are pending in the California Legislature that would expand the authority of the California State Water Resources Control Board. The bills are opposed by a large coalition that includes dozens of farm groups, water agencies and business groups.

Kristopher Anderson of the Association of California Water Agencies said the bills “present a foundational change” for California’s water rights system.

Nominate The 2024 Farm Bureau Farm Dog Of The Year

KriFarmers and ranchers are invited to submit nominatioons for the 2024 Farm Bueau Farm Dog of the Year contest, which comes with cash prizes and bragging rights. the winner wil be recognized at the Farm Dog of the Year awards ceremony at the American Farm Bureau Federation Convertioon in Salt Lake City, Utah, January 2024.

The winner will receive a year’s worth of Purina Pro Plan dog food nd $5,000 in prize money. Up to three regional runners-up will each win $1,000 in prize money. To view eligibility guidelines and submissioon requirements, please go to www.fb.org/land/fdoty.

Mid-Season Management Decisions

ARIZONA Randy Norton

This year has been an interesting year for cotton production in Arizona. The summer has been mild thus far with some of our warmest desert areas only having a handful of days over 100 degrees through midJune. Cotton development has been delayed because of the lower temperatures and lack of heat unit accumulations. Under these circumstances, it becomes more critical than ever to protect the fruit set that is currently being developed on the crop. It is important to monitor for any insect populations that achieve actionable levels that may result in reduced yield potential.

The bright spot with the milder summer this year is a reduced level of heat stress on the crop. Our research and experience have shown that with reduced levels of heat stress, we observe lower incidence of small boll shed, which is good news for developing a good fruit load. Conditions of higher-than-average fruit retention can effectively manage vegetative growth and reduce the need for plant growth regulators. Maintaining proper plant-water relations and fertility levels is also essential for supporting a potential increased fruit load. Time will tell how the remainder of the season progresses, and even though the crop is slightly behind where we would like to see it for early July, conditions could be setting up for a good fruit set and potentially high yield.

Make sure you are prepared to respond to those potential crop scenarios with proper management decisions. For more information on these topics and other cotton production related topics, visit our website at extension.arizona.edu/crops-soils. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu

TEXAS Ben McKnight

As of June 7, many areas of the state that have been impacted by extended periods of drought have had some relief. Over the past week, good amounts of rainfall were welcomed in parts of the High Plains, Rolling Plains and Blackland Prairie. Hopefully, the drought monitor map will continue to show lighter shades of color as we continue to move through the 2023 growing season.

The majority of cotton in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and Coastal Bend ranges from the squaring growth stage to blooming. Cotton fleahoppers have been found above threshold in some fields and treatments have been effective. In the LRGV, Verde plant bugs and tarnished plant bugs have been found in fields, and growers are keeping an eye on these pests as well. In both areas, the extended weather forecast is showing temperatures above 100 degrees, and these temperatures should provide plenty of heat units to keep the crop moving along.

Soil moisture conditions are favorable in the Upper Gulf Coast currently in early June, but more timely rainfall throughout the remainder of the growing season would benefit dryland cotton fields as summer sets in and temperatures heat up. Decent rainfall has improved conditions east of Interstate 35, but more rainfall would certainly help to finish out dryland cotton plantings in the Blackland Prairie west of the interstate.

Following rainfall in many areas of the state, I’m starting to see some mid-season weed flushes occurring in fields where residual herbicides have played out. I’d encourage growers to remain active in scouting for not only insect pests, but also for weed pests that can grow rapidly with favorable moisture and temperature conditions. This time of year, a pigweed has the capability to grow an inch per day. Targeting small, actively growing weeds with a timely postemergence product application will im-

prove our overall weed control efforts. Additionally, overlaying a residual product when applying postemergence products can extend our weed control efforts further into the season.

bmcknight@tamu.edu

LOUISIANA Matt Foster

As I write this June 7, cotton planting in Louisiana is complete. May and June have been unusually dry in most areas of the state, which increases supplemental irrigation needs. Precisely timing irrigation when soil moisture is less than optimal can help preserve crop yield potential. Research has shown that a one-inch water deficit at the wrong time can result in the loss of at least 60-100 pounds of lint. The goal in Louisiana is to irrigate before plant stress occurs with a water amount that won’t waterlog the soil if subsequent rainfall is received.

Approximately 60% of cotton acres in Louisiana are irrigated, with furrow irrigation being the main method. Irrigation timing varies due to weather, cultural practices, soil type and the status of the crop. One method to aid in timing the first irrigation is to install soil moisture sensors that can determine soil moisture at six- or 12-inch intervals in and below the root zone.

In general, the first irrigation should begin when 50% of the available moisture has been depleted from the root zone. This ensures good root development and reduces the risk of soil saturation early in the growing season. At bloom, irrigation shouldn’t promote rank growth or hinder root development. In general, irrigation is terminated just prior to the first open boll. Caution should be used as excess soil moisture at this time can delay maturity and make defoliation more difficult.

Despite dry conditions, the cotton crop throughout the state looks good. Insect pressure from thrips was heavy enough in some areas to justify foliar insecticide applications. Multiple growth stages are present throughout the state due to a wide range of planting dates. Approximately 10% of the crop is squaring. As more of the crop begins to square, growers and consultants will focus on square retention and managing

plant height with plant growth regulator (PGR). Once cotton reaches match head square stage, plant growth, environmental conditions and square load should be monitored.

A few factors to take into consideration when planning for pre-bloom applications of PGR include variety growth habits, soil type and total nitrogen available to the crop. PGR applications should be based on current plant growth characteristics and the anticipated growth rate based on expected growing conditions for the next seven to 10 days. mfoster@ agcenter.lsu.edu

MISSISSIPPI Brian Pieralisi

In Mississippi, most input management decisions are in place by mid-season. As leaf area expansion and canopy closure occurs, weed pressure is hopefully under control. Nitrogen is applied and soil profile is charged with moisture as cotton advances through bloom and boll development.

If potassium deficiencies are showing up early in reproductive stages, it is a good idea to apply potash as early as possible in an irrigated environment or if rainfall is imminent. It is possible to recover yield losses in these scenarios. If dry fertilizer is not an option, up to 10 pounds per week of foliar K can be applied, which can offset some leaf drop in certain circumstances. In 2022, some K deficiency appeared due to drought conditions, which caused leaf shed, reducing photosynthesis. Allowing for photosynthesis to continue through bloom/boll fill will justify the application.

Finally, with primarily three-gene Bt cotton, monitoring insect pests mid-season is critical. Plant bugs are the most important economic pest to monitor, especially near maturing corn fields. Mississippi State Extension insect control guide recommends terminating insecticide application at NAWF=5 + 350 DD60s. This is typically 10 to 14 days after NAWF=5 depending on environmental conditions. In irrigated cotton, water demand is pretty low until mid-season. Generally, initiating irrigation to avoid excessive plant stress is recommended until the first open boll. Hopefully, mid-season management will contribute to high fruit retention and ultimately, maximum yields! Good luck. bkp4@msstate.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins

As I write this May 31, the North Carolina crop is planted for the most part. Emergence and final stands have been quite good across the state. Planting conditions were decent this year once we got to the week of May 8, and the spring planting window ranged from slightly dry to somewhat wet at various times. Cooler temperatures set in toward the latter end of May, which slowed things down for us, but all in all, emergence has been quite good with very few acres requiring replanting.

Early season growth was slower than normal, primarily due to cooler weather at the end of May. Additionally, thrips pressure was quite intense during the latter half of May, which was exacerbated by slower growth, thus necessitating several foliar sprays late May and early June. The crop is somewhat behind at this point but can easily catch up with a little heat.

June is the time for continued weed control, the early onset of lygus insects in some parts of the state and fertilizer applications. These fertilizer applications should be made in a timely manner to avoid yield penalties, especially if very little was applied at or around planting.

July marks the beginning of the bloom period. The date of first bloom is determined by both planting date and heat unit accumulation. It is important to note when first bloom is reached for many reasons. One, this helps us to know if the crop is ahead, on-time or behind schedule, which may influence plant growth regulator decisions. For irrigated growers,

it is important to document when each field enters the bloom period so that weekly water rates can be adjusted.

For all growers, it is important to keep track of each week of bloom for each field so that insect thresholds can be adjusted by week (stinkbugs for example). The length of the bloom period is often dictated by weather during July and into August. As we’ve learned in previous years, a sudden and severe drought period can drastically shorten the bloom period if a premature cutout occurs with a heavy boll load. Timely irrigation can be critical if such events occur this year.

Although lygus insects could be a problem at any time June through August, other insect pests come into play during the latter half of July and into August, so it will be important to scout thoroughly and frequently. guy_collins@ncsu.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper

Calls are beginning to trickle in, here on the eighth of June, on how to manage plant growth on several of our new varieties, including ThryvOn. From our limited experience, many of these cultivars in our region tend to fall under the moderate to passive classifications. I have personally not yet seen a ThryvOn require the aggressive management that DP 1646 B2XF or DP 2038 B3XF required.

By the time you read this in July, most will have begun PGR applications. On decent ground planted to a moderately responsive variety with adequate moisture, I have moved many of my trials into an 8-, 16- and 24-ounce plan (4.2% mepiquat chloride), targeting the second/third week of square, first/second week of flower and third/fourth week of flower, respectively. I will shift rate and timing of these applications based on the expansion of the internode between the fourth and fifth node. I’ve found I can often reduce the last application rate back to 16 ounces if my first two applications were properly timed and fruit retention remained high.

If you are consistently requiring more PGR late in the year to control growth on varieties that are not classified as aggressive, I would urge you to look critically at your applied nitrogen and consider shifting all applications up earlier in the year. traper@utk.edu

GEORGIA Camp Hand

Conditions for stand establishment were phenomenal in Georgia throughout our planting window. Mild temperatures and frequent rainfall prevailed throughout May and early June across the state, leading to perhaps the best stands we have seen in a long time. We are off to a great start, and I hope we are able to capitalize on that! As we enter the middle of the season, there are a few things we need to keep in mind. The first is that many growers will be applying growth regulators to their crop. Keep in mind the responsiveness of the variety you planted to growth regulators, as well as your field history. Generally, mepiquat chloride applications benefit growers in two ways. First, it reduces plant height, and second, it hastens maturity. Although there are other benefits, these are the two most consistent plant responses. In Georgia, I believe that extremely aggressive PGR management strategies should be reserved for late-planted cotton to promote earliness and hasten maturity.

In terms of pest management, pests I would be looking out for are stinkbugs and fungal pathogens like target spot or areolate mildew. Recommendations for all of these pests in Georgia can be found in the UGA Cotton Production Guide.

As always, if you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local UGA county Extension agent. They, along with your UGA specialists, are here to help! camphand@uga.edu

ALABAMA Steve M. Brown

On the Auburn University campus, we have the two oldest cotton experiments in the world. I walk them frequently and appreciate the lessons they continue to teach.

One experiment was established to show the benefits of crop rotation and winter cover crops. The other is a fertility study that addressed the problem of cotton “rust,” which proved to be related to insufficient potassium. It demonstrates the in-season progression of nutrient deficiency symptoms associated with low/no potassium, nitrogen, sulfur and boron, as well as low pH. Cotton is the focus of the experiments, but corn, soybeans and wheat are rotational crops.

These sites have been farmed for 110-plus years. Yet, WE STILL HAVE WEEDS. Pre and post herbicides and hand weeding are employed, and weeds have no impact on crop yields. But, we don’t do a great job of keeping the entire area weed free throughout the season and after harvest. Cotton layby treatments are not used in order to minimize effects on late summer clover germination and establishment.

With the increasing list of herbicide-resistant weeds, the aim of minimizing weed reproduction seems increasingly important. In cotton, we have the opportunity to help this with layby herbicides. Yes, the Roundup Ready/Roundup Flex era ushered in the ease of post applications at 10 mph, and post-directed and layby applications became a tedious, time-consuming bygone. Where these are gone contributes to problem weeds NOT being gone.

Layby herbicides in cotton limit mid-season weed establishment and late-season weed seed production. Layby options are generally economical but admittedly cost much in time. If you’re committed to a piece of land, season long with control, aided with layby treatments, makes good sense, as does post-harvest weed control.

I remember a long-ago class when my professor asked, “If you had 1 cocklebur in a soybean field, would you take the time to pull it?” The general consensus — which in hindsight I strongly consider foolish — was “No.” He asked, “What about 2? Or 3? Or 4?” I’m no fan of soybeans, but I would do whatever to rid the field of weeds.

Layby herbicide programs purchase future weed control. cotton brown@auburn.edu

Ginners Marketplace

Approved Round Module Wrap Usage Strongly Urged For Seed Cotton, Lint Contamination Prevention

It is amazing how fast the John Deere round module harvester has been embraced by cotton producers across the Cotton Belt. This technology has reduced labor requirements in the field and does a great job protecting seed cotton from the elements.

However, there have been issues with contamination that we diligently work to address. As with much new technology, we learned from previous mistakes and continue to make progress.

For example, there has been a concern for several years that when Tama’s patents expired, there would be wrap materials in the marketplace that would not perform at an acceptable level.

Interestingly, there was an American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers rectangular wrap standard that was developed at about the time that the round module wrap was gaining extraordinarily fast acceptance. These standards must be rea irmed every five years. During these rea irmations, several ASABE Cotton Engineering Committee members included comments that there should be a minimum performance standard for the round module wrap.

Module Wrap Standard

Dr. John Wanjura, with U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, is responsible for cotton harvesting research at the ginning laboratory in Lubbock. In 2019, he formed a subcommittee to begin the standard development. It was agreed that the standard in place for rectangular modules would be amended to include round module wrap.

Early in the development process, the subcommittee noted that during the harvester development, Deere worked closely with Tama to develop the wrap that would work on the machine and perform in the field and ultimately at the gin. As such, the ASABE used Tama’s premium wrap as the baseline in terms of physical properties and its performance in the field. Testing was conducted to determine the wrap’s physical properties, and the ASABE Committee continued to evaluate the wrap’s characteristics and performance.

During this time, the National Cotton Council was continuing its zero-contamination campaign and emphasizing the importance of proper round module wrap handling, transport and removal at the gin. When the development of the round module wrap standard was presented to the NCC as a policy recommendation, the decision was made to support the ASABE’s e orts. After the standard was developed and passed in February 2022 by ASABE, the NCC adopted the policy to educate the industry on the importance of using approved module wrap material that meets the ASABE Standard. (See https:// www.cotton.org/tech/quality/contamfree.cfm).

Voluntary Versus Required Standard

While there is industrywide support for the ASABE Stan-

dard, it is voluntary. It has been noted that round modules arriving at the gin in good condition are much less likely to cause contamination. During the time of the standard development, there were a few wrap manufacturers that introduced alternatives to the Tama’s premium wrap. The alternatives performed poorly.

Some in the industry, including the National Cotton Ginners Association, began to question if there was a means of putting teeth in the standard by making it a mandatory requirement that wrap used on modules in the United States meet the minimum performance standard. It was noted that more unginned cotton was being placed in the recourse seed cotton loan program with a requirement by the Commodity Credit Corporation that the cotton be protected during storage.

The NCGA Technology Committee began to discuss this and concluded that the seed cotton in these modules ultimately would become bales eligible for the loan. The logical question arose: Why not include the CCC nonrecourse marketing loan requirement, much like bales that are to be loan eligible must be packaged in Joint Cotton Industry Bale Packaging Committee-approved materials? The recommendation to explore the inclusion of the ASABE Standard as a loan eligibility requirement was submitted to the NCGA Board, passed and submitted to the NCC for consideration. At the 2023 NCC Annual

COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.

Meeting, the recommendation was passed and is now NCC policy. Since that time, the NCC has followed up on this policy recommendation.

Soliciting Round Module Wrap Sales

It has been amazing to see the number of companies attempting to sell round module wrap in the United States. The problem is no one knows how or if it will perform as needed without being tested.

There are some companies that are going through the testing procedures to get their product approved. There are also reports, including some on social media platforms, that are telling potential customers to check on the NCC’s website for the current suppliers that meet the standard (See https://www. cotton.org/tech/quality/approved-rmw-products.cfm).

To ensure the U.S. cotton industry’s reputation of providing the best quality and contamination-free cotton to our textile customers, we likely will move forward to include the necessary teeth in the standard to help prevent plastic contamination from round module wrap. In the meantime, we urge you to only use wrap that has been approved.

Also, over the past several months, on the same social media platforms, we have begun to see advertisements for bale packaging materials. Please note that the use of JCIBPC-approved materials is a requirement for loan eligibility and is included on the CCC-809 Cooperating Ginner’s Bagging and Bale Ties Certification and Agreement. The approved list for these materials can be found at https://www.cotton.org/tech/bale/index.cfm.

Harrison Ashley, executive vice president of the National Cotton Ginners Association, contributed this article. Contact him at 901274-9030 or hashley@cotton.org.

Cotton’s Calendar

¢ July 12-15: Cottonseed & Feed Association Annual Meeting, Allegretto Resort, Paso Robles, California

¢ July 16-19: Southern Southeastern Mid-Year Board Meetings, One Ocean Resort, Atlantic Beach, Florida

¢ July 18: Plains Cotton Growers Inc. Board of Directors Meeting, Lubbock, Texas

¢ July 20: Calcot Board of Directors Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona

¢ July 26: Georgia Cotton Commission Mid-Year Meeting, Nessmith-Lane Conference Center, Statesboro, Georgia

¢ Aug. 2-3: American Cotton Producers/Cotton Foundation Summer Meeting, The Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana

¢ Aug. 8-10: Cotton Board/Cotton Inc. Joint Meeting, Washington Duke Inn, Durham, North Carolina.

¢ Aug. 16: PCCA Board, Delegate Body & Marketing Pool Committee Meetings, Lubbock, Texas

¢ Aug. 23-25: NCC Mid-Year Board Meeting, Omni Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky

¢ Sept. 19: PCCA Board of Directors & Annual Meetings, Lubbock, Texas

¢ Sept. 20: Staplcotn Board Meeting, 214 W Market Street Greenwood, Mississippi

¢ Sept. 26: Calcot 96th Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona

¢ Oct. 11: Plains Cotton Growers Board of Directors Meeting, Lubbock, Texas

¢ Oct. 18: PCCA Board & Delegate Body Meetings, Lubbock, Texas

¢ Dec. 5-7: Cotton Board/Cotton Inc. Joint Meeting, St. Pete Beach, Florida – Lowes Don Cesar Hotel

¢ Dec. 13: PCCA Board, Delegate Body & Marketing Pool Committee Meetings, Lubbock, Texas

Behind-The-Scenes Cotton Gin Anecdotes

Working in the regulatory arena can be frustrating and tedious, but for those of us who have found ourselves doing this work, it can also have its humorous points if you know where to look.

When I first started at Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association, there were about 450 gins in Texas, but they were much smaller than the ones we have now. Most of them had no air permit — back then a gin was “grandfathered” from being regulated if it was older than a certain age. Environmental issues were just starting to kick in for the smaller facilities. There was an older (to me at the time) man in Lubbock who ran the local enforcement office for what now is the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. He found out I was working for TCGA and summoned me to his office.

In our meeting, he explained to me he had a lot of respect for the ginners, but he had learned to be careful in what he specifically asked them to do, because they will get it done. He said he had gone to a gin with a pile of burrs on fire and simply told the guy the fire had better be out by tomorrow. When he drove back by a few hours later, the ginner had a tank of diesel and was putting it on all the parts of the pile that were not yet burning. He now had a huge fire, but as he explained to the TCEQ inspector, it wasn’t going to burn out by tomorrow if he didn’t get the fire going really well today.

The Occupational Safe and Healthy Administration was inspecting one of our gins and found a teenager working there. His father owned the gin, so the inspector said he couldn’t keep the kid from working. However, the inspector was upset and gave the ginner a thorough chewing out. At that point, our guy put his arm around the inspector’s shoulder and asked him if he had any children. The inspector replied that he did, and our guy then asked him if he was going to let them work before they were 18. The inspector said that he would not. The ginner said, “Well, I hate to tell you this, but your kids are not likely to be worth a ‘darn’ when they grow up!”

One of our guys called and said his permit was really out of date. He was concerned that TCEQ was going to catch him, and he would be in trouble. He asked me to set up a meeting and he would come to Austin to see what he could work out. When we got there, he raised his hands over his head and said, “I’m turning myself in!” The state folks then asked him what had changed in his gin. His answer was, “Well to begin with, you think my gin faces East, and now it faces South!”

In one of our many utility cases, we had a ginner get called in to a deposition in Austin. This case was especially contentious, and the utility was pulling every trick in the book. The air conditioning was turned up in the deposition room, and it was pretty hot. What they didn’t count on was that West Texas cotton folks are used to the heat. Our guy seemed completely unfazed, but after a while you had to feel sorry for the young utility lawyer, who was sweating profusely the whole time. To make it even better, our guy kicked his West Texas accent into full drawl mode and was speaking at about half speed the entire time. This young lawyer spent the entire deposition sweating and trying to figure out if our guy was just slow, or if he was messing with her.

Dr. Phil Wakelyn is one of the best people I have ever witnessed in a pressure situation. During an OSHA deposition, he was trying to explain to the OSHA lawyers about the original intent of the OSHA hearing standard. The lawyer asked him how he could possibly have an understanding of Congressional intent when they passed the original act? He replied, “Well, I was in the room and listened to the entire debate.” It is worth noting that the deposition occurred about 45 years after that particular debate in Congress.

OSHA inspected one of our gins after a guy fell while installing a new inclined cleaner. The inspector was apparently fairly new. He issued a citation for not locking out the equipment. During the informal conference, the area director asked why we didn’t have the machine locked out. We explained to him that it is hard to lock something out that isn’t wired up yet. Some citations are easier than others.

— J.

Green Round Rock, Texas Kelley@tcga.org

Kelley

J. Kelley Green

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.

“After a while you had to feel sorry for the young utility lawyer.”

WAKE UP WITH US!

Season four of The Cotton Board’s Cotton & Coffee Zoom series is underway. This series asks the cotton-growing 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. Cotton & Coffee is held on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 am Central. Pre-registration is required, so please visit cottonboard.org/cotton-coffee if you'd like to register and participate.

COTTONBOARD.ORG/COTTON-COFFEE

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