Cotton Farming August 2022

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

AUGUST 2022

www.cottonfarming.com

Irrigation Safety And Lightning

Making Crop Insurance Rates More Accurate

Pollinator Fields

Bring Biodiversity, Sustainability Into The Equation Daily

FOCUS As challenges for producers mount this season, our team is working tirelessly to provide the latest in profitable production strategies to help boost your bottom line.

Cotton Farming To advertise, contact Associate Publisher/Sales Scott Emerson, 386-462-1532 or semerson@onegrower.com

Vol. 66 No. 8

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

AUGUST 2022

www.cottonfarming.com

FE ATURES

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Pollinator Fields

Dr. Katherine Parys, research entomologist with USDA ARS’ Pollinator Health in Stoneville, Mississippi’s Southern Crop Systems Research Unit, collaborates with Delta F.A.R.M. and Operation Pollinator. She monitors and documents pollinators using pollinator plantings in the region. While certain crops, like cotton and corn, are self-pollinating, numerous additional benefits — such as increasing the weight of cotton bolls — can still be seen by incorporating pollinator fields.

CROP INSURANCE RATES Agricultural economics experts make a strong case for using historical weather information for more accurate crop insurance policy pricing.

IRRIGATION AND LIGHTNING During the summer months, lightning can be deadly if farmers do not properly check their irrigation systems. Consider the benefits of a voltage tester.

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e3 COTTON’S MOMENTUM

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GINNERS MARKETPLACE

BASF’s e3 Sustainable Cotton Program recently reported a substantial uptick in grower participation.

The company also has added a grower impact report.

the official publication of the ginning industry Dusty Findley, CEO of the Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association, discusses insurance costs and safety culture at the gin. Also, TCGA’s summer interns weigh in on their experiences so far.

CCOY NOMINATIONS OPEN ONLINE To nominate a deserving candidate for the 2022 Cotton Consultant of the Year Award, co-sponsored

by Cotton Farming and Syngenta, fill out the form online at cottonfarming.com/ccoy. Deadline for nominations is Aug. 15.

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

4 Editor’s Note 16 Specialists Speaking 5 Cotton’s Agenda 22 My Turn 13 Research & Promotion ON THE COVER: A beautiful, open cotton field at sunset.

Cover photo by Alexander Lechtchinski/Dreamstime.

Cotton Consultant of the Year 2022 NOMINATION FORM

CCOY

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/professi onal information. Additional recommendations via letters or emails from other farmers, consultants and industry members are also encouraged to provide support for the nominee.

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 2022 recipient, who will be named at a special celebration Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, 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 2022 CCOY recipient also will be featured in a four-page salute in the February 2023 issue of Cotton Farming.

Submit nominations

by Aug. 15, 2022.

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

Consultant’s Name: Company Name: Mailing Address: City:

State:

Phone:

ZIP:

Email:

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

Background:

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

Your Name: Mailing Address: City:

State:

Phone:

Email:

ZIP:

Sponsored by

WEB EXCLUSIVE UT’s Sebe Brown, IPM Extension specialist, discusses things to consider when spending money on insect control in severely drought stressed cotton. Stunted, poorly growing cotton is not as attractive to plant bugs as lush, rank cotton, and numbers will often be lower in drought stressed cotton. Management styles at this point can go a couple of different ways.

Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.

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.

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

AUGUST 2022 | COTTON FARMING

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Editor’s Note

Cotton Farming

Carroll Smith

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

A

‘Dog Days’ Of Summer

ccording to the Farmers’ Almanac, the “Dog Days” of summer are from July 3 to Aug. 11 each year. “They’re usually the hottest and most unbearable days of the season,” the publication said. “We often hear about the “Dog Days” of summer, but few know where the expression originated. Some think it’s a reference to the hot, sultry days that are “not fit for a dog.” Others suggest it’s the time of year when the extreme heat drives dogs mad.”

No matter where the expression came from, the dog days of summer got an early start in many parts of the Cotton Belt this year. It’s been miserably hot and dry — enough so to drive not only dogs but farmers mad as well. But despite the oppressive heat, August is the month of the cotton growing season when we experience a lull of sorts. Planting is behind us, and the hectic harvest season is not quite here yet for many areas. Most of the agronomic tasks have been completed or are in the process of wrapping up.

However, because of the climatic conditions we are experiencing and the variance in the crop stage depending on planting date, cotton farmers who have irrigation capability are still putting on water in some cases.

With that in mind, be sure to check out the article on page 10 — “Irrigation Safety And Lightning.” Thunderstorms and lightning can pop up unexpectedly during the summer and may create an electrical charge on a pivot. Clemson University Extension agents strongly advise investing in a voltage tester, which allows you to check for voltage in wires or devices without users having to touch any electrical parts.

“Lightning can strike an area before, after and in the absence of rain, so it is good to get in the habit of using a tester to check a system each time before touching it,” said Charles Davis, Clemson Extension row crop agent for Calhoun and Richland counties, South Carolina. “It could save your life.”

Something else you may want to consider is putting in a pollinator habitat field on your farm, which brings biodiversity and sustainability to the operation. And even though certain crops, like cotton and corn, are self-pollinating, numerous additional benefits — such as increasing the weight of cotton bolls — can still be seen by incorporating pollinator fields.

And don’t forget you are not alone out there. Your cotton consultant is putting in some long, hot days, too, as they walk the fields assessing the crop’s progress. Take a minute to recognize their efforts on your behalf by nominating him or her for the 2022 Cotton Consultant of the Year award. Go to www.cot tonfarming.com/ccoy to let us know how important they are to your operation’s success. I look forward to hearing from you!

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

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COTTON FARMING | AUGUST 2022

Assistant 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.

Copyright 2022 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

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COTTONFARMING.COM

Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

Proclaiming Priorities The National Cotton Council is engaging with Congress well before development and debate of the 2023 farm bill.

How have farm bill priorities been conveyed thus far?

■ Early this year, the NCC provided testimony at a House Agriculture Committee hearing, “A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Commodity Group Perspectives on Title 1.” Jaclyn Ford, a Georgia producer/ginner, emphasized the importance of the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage safety net for cotton and the integral role of the marketing loan program for multiple cotton industry segments regardless of market prices. She also noted the harmful economic disincentives created by lower program payment limits and more restrictive program eligibility requirements.

In general, Reed testified that producers’ safety net in the next farm bill must consist of 1) an effective commodity policy that provides either price or revenue protection to address prolonged periods of low prices and depressed market conditions that span multiple years and 2) a strong/fully accessible suite of crop insurance products that producers can purchase for tailoring risk management that addresses yield and price volatility during the growing season. He said the combination of commodity program options and crop insurance provides producers, as well as their lenders, the confidence entering the planting season that downside risk is mitigated in periods of steep price decline or a significant production loss.

What other farm bill needs were shared?

■ The Senate panel was urged to help secure appropriate funding to write a farm bill that recognizes the current and future needs of all industry segments. For example, Reed pointed to today’s 1) higher input prices which have resulted in significant increases in producers’ production costs and 2) supply chain/logistical challenges that have wreaked havoc on producers’ ability to get necessary inputs/equipment parts and created major disruptions and additional costs for merchandisers in delivering cotton to customers.

American Cotton Producers Chairman Nathan Reed, left, testified at a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on U.S. cotton’s 2023 farm bill priorities.

More recent testimony was provided at the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee’s hearing, “2023 Farm Bill: Perspectives From The Natural State.” Nathan Reed, chairman of the NCC’s American Cotton Producers, reiterated Ford’s points emphasizing the NCC maintains that effective farm policy must maximize participation without regard to farm size or income. Reed also cited the growing usage of the Seed Cotton Recourse Loan that enables producers to store production at harvest and provides more orderly marketing of cotton throughout the year.

Reed said the Committee should consider including either a permanent disaster assistance program in the upcoming farm bill or seek policy options to help further minimize the deductible producers are left to cover under most existing, affordable crop insurance products. He also called for: 1) a strong Conservation Title that delivers robust funding for working lands programs; 2) more funding for the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program; and 3) continued support for the U.S. textile sector which has become more competitive under the 2008 farm law’s Economic Adjustment Assistance for Textile Mills. That farm bill initiative has allowed textile manufacturers to make crucial investments in new equipment and technology.

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

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

AUGUST 2022 | COTTON FARMING

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A Case For Making Crop Insurance Rates More Accurate Importance Of Historical Weather Information To Setting Premiums

BY PAUL SCHATTENBERG

A

new study by agricultural economics experts from Texas A&M AgriLife and Virginia Tech makes a strong case for using historical weather information in crop insurance programs for even more accurate policy pricing.

The study “Incorporating historical weather information in crop insurance rating,” authored by Yong Liu, Ph.D., a Texas A&M AgriLife Research agricultural economist and assistant professor in the Texas A&M Department of Agricultural Economics, Bryan-College Station, was recently published online in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics.

It was co-authored by Ford Ramsey, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech.

About Crop Insurance Rates

Crop insurance is the most expensive agricultural policy in the United States, with more than $110 billion in liability in 2020. Agricultural producers and others purchase crop insurance to protect against either the loss of crops due to natural disasters or loss of revenue due to declines in the prices of agricultural commodities.

In the U.S. federal crop insurance program, a key principle in the design of crop insurance policies is that they should be actuarially fair, meaning the expected indemnity under the policy should be equal to the premium.

“Achieving this objective requires accurate pricing of policies, and accurate pricing depends on accurate modeling of all the variables causing losses,” Liu said.

Traditionally, he said, known or fixed historical yield data or historical loss cost data have been used to estimate yields or loss costs.

“For example, soil information is fixed or known at the time the policy is sold,” he said. “Incorporating this type

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COTTON FARMING | AUGUST 2022

Historical Weather Information

Yong Liu, Ph.D., agricultural economist and assistant professor, Texas A&M Department of Economics, is trying to make crop insurance rates more accurate. of known information is conceptually similar to dealing with time trends and other fixed determinants of yields or loss costs.”

Liu said loss probabilities and expected losses are then used to calculate premiums. Many rating procedures exclusively use fixed or deterministic variables in determining expected losses.

“But it is widely recognized that a large part of the observed variation in yields and loss costs is due to changes in weather and other variables,” Liu said. “Current loss variables used in determining crop insurance rates can be amended to incorporate other applicable variables like the weather.”

Stochastic (randomly determined) variables, like the weather, have a random probability distribution or pattern that may be analyzed statistically but not be precisely predicted. Unlike fixed variables, stochastic variables are unknown when the policy is sold.

“Including these variables, most particularly incorporating long-term weather data, would allow for a more thorough and accurate estimation of the distribution over time,” Liu said.

Liu noted that in the federal crop insurance program, historical weather information is already incorporated to a degree through after-the-event rate adjustments.

He also noted that reinsurers frequently use weather information when evaluating crop insurance portfolios and risk.

“Yield distribution that is related to weather has been shown to roughly approximate yield distribution based on observed yields,” he said. “And several previous studies have discussed the potential benefits of using weather or climate information in crop insurance rating.”

He also noted weather data are often available over a greater period than yield data or loss-cost data.

“This is especially the case at the farm level where yield records are notoriously short, in counties where production is sporadic, or for crops with limited historical production,” he said.

Liu said if weather data are useful for making predictive assumptions about yields and loss costs, then incorporating historical weather information in setting crop insurance rates should provide additional accuracy.

“Our approach uses observations where the loss variables are missing,” he said. “Including historical weather data necessarily involves observations with missing dependent variables.”

Study Used Bayesian Approach

In this study, Liu and Ramsey implemented a Bayesian approach for incorporating historical weather information into crop insurance ratings. The Bayesian paradigm has the advantage of reflecting uncertainty from all unknowns instead of only known information.

“We treated the cases of weather information as a stochastic predictor of both crop yields and loss cost ratios,” Liu said.

Continued on page 11 COTTONFARMING.COM

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COVER STORY

A WAY T O S U S TA I N :

Pollinator Fields Bringing Biodiversity And Sustainability Into The Equation Daily

BY CASSIDY NEMEC ASSISTANT EDITOR

W

hen approached by Delta F.A.R.M. years ago, Michael and Doreen Muzzi of TKT Farms in Shaw, Mississippi, made a decision that would reap benefits for years to come. The question was whether they’d be interested and able to put in a pollinator field. The answer was an easy yes.

What made the answer to create this 10-acre pollinator field so simple? It was a no brainer, Doreen said.

“It was just pasture beforehand, so why not?”

Pollinator Fields For Sustainability

Since 1998, Delta F.A.R.M., or Delta Farmers Advocating Resource Management, has advocated for and worked toward a more sustainable environment throughout the Mississippi Delta.

Today, Delta F.A.R.M. works closely with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) within the USDA

to accomplish goals as they relate to bringing sustainability through the use of pollinator fields.

The NRCS’s website stated, “Unfortunately, some species of pollinators have seen a 90% decline in their populations over the last decade.”

The concern over the decline in pollinator numbers has inspired many to implement pollinator fields on their own farms throughout the Delta.

The field on the Muzzi farm is part of Delta F.A.R.M.’s Operation Pollinator initiative, originally developed by Syngenta.

Operation Pollinator is one of many sustainability initiatives put forth by Delta F.A.R.M. to help address environmental conservation and stewardship — one that has proven effective in ensuring diverse beneficials are making their homes on TKT Farms and others in the Delta.

DOREEN MUZZI

Katherine Parys, USDA entomologist, sweeping the pollinator habitat field on TKT Farms.

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COTTONFARMING.COM

“If we can do something this easy from a public relations and sustainability standpoint, we should do it,” Doreen said. “If we can make changes that conserve and improve the land we depend on as farmers, it’s our responsibility to do so. We trust the experts to tell us how best to go about doing that.”

Pollinator Fields For Conservation

TYLER MUZZI

The “experts” Doreen speaks about, specifically for TKT Farm’s pollinator habitat field, include Tim Huggins of Delta F.A.R.M. and Dr. Katherine Parys of USDA. Huggins, executive director for Delta F.A.R.M. and Delta Wildlife, said they have more than one million acres enrolled in Delta F.A.R.M.. He said membership is free, and they only ask members to fill out a conservation assessment for their operation each year.

“We plant it, manage it and spray it with help of Syngenta,” he said.

Huggins spoke on several techniques they follow when establishing and managing a pollinator habitat field. These include a chemical burndown in late summer or fall, a light disking of the area and a broadcast planting with a no-till planter of wildflower seed to start the field. Moving forward, he said there are a few herbicide applications and typically a third-year burn or disk based on biology of the field.

“We want a flush of flowers throughout the year,” he said. To do this, they plant a combination of perennials and annuals.

Michael said they do their best to control only the weeds not wanted. “It’s intentionally weedy,” he said. “Both flowering species and weedy species are included in the pollinator plant mix.”

Katherine Parys, research entomologist with USDA ARS’ Pollinator Health in Stoneville, Mississippi’s Southern Crop Systems Research Unit, collaborates with Delta F.A.R.M. and Operation Pollinator. She monitors and documents pollinators using pollinator plantings in the region.

“We use a mixture of active and passive collecting methods to examine what bees are there and when,” she said.

For active methods, she remarked, “We are out in the field with nets — documenting which bees are visiting which flowers. The passive collection methods utilize trapping methods, which often catch species that are active when we’re not there.”

Michael (left) and Doreen Muzzi of TKT Farms in Shaw, Mississippi, pictured with Tim Huggins, executive director of Delta F.A.R.M. The Muzzis said the greatest benefit they see is undoubtedly the proliferation of beneficial pollinator species.

“The beneficials are thriving … the diversity of pollinators is really mind-blowing,” Doreen said.

“We didn’t truly understand how beneficial pollinator fields could be until we began to see Katherine’s findings,” Michael said as he spoke on how impressed he is with USDA coming out to their field and finding pollinators native to other areas like California and not commonly found in the Delta.

He emphasized the bad rap farmers tend to get regarding the environment. “This is our way of showing people that as farmers, we care as much or more about the environment as they do.”

Parys reiterated the added benefit of biodiversity farms obtain with a planted pollinator field.

“Planted areas like the one on TKT Farms often provide more benefit than people would generally assume, as they not only provide season-long floral and nectar resources but also substantial nesting habitat — as the majority of native bees are ground nesting,” she said.

Pollinator Fields For The Future

Pollinator Fields For Biodiversity

DOREEN MUZZI

While certain crops, like cotton and corn, are self-pollinating, numerous additional benefits — such as increasing the weight of cotton bolls — can still be seen by incorporating pollinator fields.

Dominant flowers during June on TKT Farms: yellow Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) and purple Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa).

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

Parys suggested this work is significant and beneficial both now and for the future.

“Long term, this is important and powerful work, compiling general baseline information about what bees here in the Mississippi Delta are visiting what plants and when. This dataset is a great source of both conservation and on-farm information,” she said.

Huggins said everyone from farmers and industry people to beekeepers visit the demonstration sites (pollinator fields). He noted the opportunity this brings to educate individuals and groups on the benefits of implementing pollinator habitat fields.

“Showing them you can take a spot near a production agriculture field and with a little bit of management, it can become a biodiverse habitat … instead of mowing it every other week, you can make a positive out of it,” he said.

Huggins conveyed there is financial assistance through such programs as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) through NRCS for those interested in adding pollinator fields to their operation.

Contact your state wildlife biologist to get started.

“Production and conservation efforts don’t have to be exclusive to each other,” he said. “You can have both agriculture and a pollinator site. They can coexist.”

AUGUST 2022 | COTTON FARMING

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Irrigation Safety And Lightning

I

t’s summer, farming is in full swing — as are thunderstorms and lightning. For farmers who irrigate, Clemson Extension agents say spending a few extra bucks can help save a life or prevent permanent disabilities.

Lightning and thunderstorms typically occur during spring and summer months when farmers irrigate.

Lightning can be deadly if they do not properly check their irrigation systems.

Chase Smoak, Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service horticulture agent for Lee and Sumter counties, reports a local farmer was checking his center pivot irrigation system when a storm blew in. The grower could have been electrocuted had he not spent a few seconds to take one important step.

“Af ter the storm had passed, he noticed the pivot was not functioning correctly, so he used a voltage tester to test the pivot before opening the panel box,” Smoak said. “The pivot carried an electrical charge, and the outcome could have been life-threatening had the farmer not checked the system.”

Small Price To Pay

Voltage testers are used to check for voltage in wires or devices without users having to touch any electrical parts.

Some testers cost less than $10. Charles Davis, Clemson Extension row crop agent for Calhoun and Richland counties, said this is small price to pay for such an important tool.

“Lightning can strike an area before, after and in the absence of rain, so it is good to get in the habit of using a tester to check a system each time before touching it,” Charles said. “Test before you touch. It could save your life.”

Af ter a storm has passed, people should check their pivot irrigation systems with voltage testers to avoid injury or possible death. They should also ensure ground rods are correctly installed and securely connected to the system.

The Clemson Extension Ag Safety and Water Resources Program team is mailing noncontact voltage testers to a list of South Carolina farmers with center pivot irrigation systems.

Water Resources team member Becky Davis said irrigators who don’t get a

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Clemson master’s student Shelley Lovern uses a voltage tester to test a center pivot irrigation system at the Clemson Piedmont REC’s Simpson Research Farm. voltage tester can contact her at 803245-2661 or rwllms@clemson.edu and have their name added to the list.

“A voltage tester is an important tool everyone irrigating with center pivots should have on-hand,” Becky said. “But it’s a tool that can give you a false sense of security if not used properly. Always confirm the proper operation by first checking a known live circuit and by reading the manufacturer’s instructions to understand its limitations.”

Irrigation Professional’s View

Ma rk Dav is, ow ner/operator of Broadwater Irrigation in St. Matthews, South Carolina, has been working with irrigation systems since he graduated from Clemson in agricultural mechanization and business in 2007. He said irrigation system operators must keep safety in mind.

“Operators shouldn’t get complacent,” he said. “They should always conduct safety checks, as well as use important safety measures when operating a system. This could mean the difference between life and death.”

Safety measures include checking to be sure the system is properly grounded and “backhanding” the pivots to prevent possible electrical shock.

“When checking a system, it is best to touch the pivot with the back of the hand,” Mark said. “Backhanding a system means brushing the back of the

hand against any irrigation metal structure before grasping it with their palms.

“If a metal pivot is energized and a person grasps it with their palm, the electrical current can cause their hand to clamp around it and the person most likely will be electrocuted.”

“Test before you touch. It could save your life.”

CHARLES DAVIS, Clemson Extension row crop agent

Other tips when working with irrigation systems include not wearing jewelry and not working alone: Always have someone with you or let someone know where you’re going. Wear rubber-soled boots and don’t get on your knees to check something low.

“I always squat so that my rubber soles are touching the ground,” Mark said. “The ground can accept an infinite amount of electricity, whereas the human body can’t.”

For more research-based tips, follow the Clemson University Agricultural Safety Program on its blog, Clemson Agricultural Safety, https://blogs.clem son.edu/agsafety/.

Clemson University Extension provided this information.

COTTONFARMING.COM

NIKA LERMAN/DREAMSTIME

The study shows incorporating historical weather information into the data used to determine crop insurance rates for crop failures will make those rates more accurate.

Continued from page 6

“In the case of yields, we used county-level corn yields from seven states in the Midwest. For loss cost ratios, we used county-level corn and soybean loss cost ratios in Illinois and Iowa for the federal crop insurance program.”

The models were embedded in a Bayesian algorithm that used historical weather information to estimate the required actuarial factors for determining crop insurance premiums, he said.

Liu said that in the case of yields, the study was able to demonstrate that:  A private insurer incorporating weather information can develop rates that give them a competitive advantage over crop insurance rates set by the government.  This advantage is strengthened when there is additional historical weather information. Using more informative data that covers a longer period will improve the overall accuracy.  This advantage is slightly stronger at lower coverage levels.

He said in the case of loss costs, the study was able to demonstrate that:  Historical weather-related loss cost distributions differ modestly from those without historical information.  Weather weighting can be incorporated through a streamlined single-step process.

Two Primary Contributions

Liu said the study makes two primary contributions to the discussion of crop TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

insurance. The first was implementing a theoretically consistent Bayesian approach for incorporating historical weather data into estimating conditional predictive yield distributions.

“In this, we show that incorporating historical weather information results in economic gains for private insurers by demonstrating the efficacy of the proposed approach,” Liu said.

He said the second contribution was implementing the same approach for loss cost distributions.

“This involves a single algorithm for bounded loss costs, and we find that the historical weather-conditioned distributions differ modestly from empirical distributions based on observed loss costs,” he said.

Liu said the study results have implications for the design of crop insurance programs both in the United States and worldwide.

“This study suggests that increasingly large, and often disparate, data sets can be combined and used to improve agricultural policy,” he said. “As measurement and modeling of weather and crop production continue to evolve, so will crop insurance products and actuarial methodologies.”

He said by developing rates that reflect heterogeneous risk exposure across locations, the methods developed in the study may encourage increased program participation and minimize adverse selection.

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 BiotechnologyDerived Plant Products in Commodity Crops.

Commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship.

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 products with XtendFlex® Technology. 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 products with XtendFlex® Technology.

B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your seed brand representative for the registration status in your state.

Performance may vary, from location to location and from year to year, as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible and should consider the impacts of these conditions on the grower’s fields.

Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba.

Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate.

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. Bayer, Bayer Cross, Bollgard®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® and XtendFlex® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group.

LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® is a trademark of BASF Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2022 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.

Paul Schattenberg is a communications and media relations specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Communications.

AUGUST 2022 | COTTON FARMING

11

e3 Sustainable Cotton Program Gains Momentum

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

B

ASF’s e3 Sustainable Cotton Program recently reported a substantial uptick in grower participation. More than 900 farmers, who grow FiberMax and Stoneville cotton, enrolled by registering cotton bales from their 2021 growing season — a 25% increase in enrollment from the previous year.

Besides being connected to these two cotton brands, another component that makes the program unique is its traceability aspect. The e3 cotton can be traced from an individual cotton bale in the field all the way to the garment or home good that ends up on the shelf.

“The e3 Sustainable Cotton Program is a good way to learn about what U.S. cotton farmers do to produce cotton in a sustainable way right there on their farms,” said Rachel Walters, BASF Regional Grower and Channel Marketing Manager – North America Seeds. “It adds value for growers, the environment and the end user, and our enrollment numbers prove the future is bright for the sustainable cotton industry.”

Chris King, who is a Stoneville grower and first-time e3 Sustainable Cotton Program member from Georgia, said, “I’m excited to join the e3 cotton program to further the efforts of sustainable cotton, and I’m always looking for ways to be a better steward of the land.”

A Helpful Data Source

When growers enroll fields in the e3 program, they commit to tracking eight on-farm metrics. The measures include:  Irrigation water use and quality.  Pesticide management.  Soil and fertility management.  Greenhouse gas reduction.  Energy conservation.  Worker health and safety.  Soil carbon.  Identity preservation.

Walters said BASF is not asking growers to do a lot of new things on their farms.

“Many of these measures have been foundational in their operations,” she said.

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Matthew Vaughn (left), BASF Agronomic Solutions Advisor, talks with Richard Adams (right) and Richard’s son, Andrew Adams. The Adams grow e3 cotton — FiberMax and Stoneville — in Lubbock, Texas.

“Tracking them gives growers the confidence that they are doing things that are important to have a sustainable farm and to help people who don’t know anything about farming feel good about U.S. grown cotton and the products they are buying.

“One of the really neat things we added last year is a grower impact report that shows how well an operation did on the eight metrics,” Walters said. “This allows the farmers to compare, say, how they grew their cotton in 2020 and how they grew it in 2021. They can see the areas in which they improved and the areas that may need some adjustments.

“If they are renting ground, the grower can take the report to the landowner to show what they are doing on the farmland to make it better for the next year or the year following that one. It’s also a good data source for e3 cotton farmers to take to their bankers to affirm they are making smart decisions.”

Consumers And Sustainability

Earlier this year, the e3 cotton program announced a collaboration with the United Nations-hosted Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network for a

series of convenings in New York City throughout 2022 and 2023.

BASF said, “e3 will join industry stakeholders, United Nations representatives and news media to explore how the fashion and lifestyle industries are uniquely positioned to collaborate and engage on the Sustainable Development Goals.”

The e3 cotton farmers also see the value in connecting and sharing their farms’ stories with retailers and consumers.

“Consumers care about sustainability, and the e3 Sustainable Cotton Program is helping to meet the demands of the industry,” said e3 grower Kim Rentz, who farms Stoneville cotton in Bainbridge, Georgia.

“The program also provides solid economic benefits to the grower, and it’s making it easier for us to market our cotton.”

Walters noted that there are more sustainability programs on the scene today.

“I believe that, collectively, we are raising more awareness about these sustainability programs and the benefits to cotton growers,” she said. “Farmers are becoming more educated and more interested in sustainability as we make the programs more available and more top of mind, which is causing an increase in all the programs.”

COTTONFARMING.COM

RESEARCH & PROMOTION

The Power Of Partnering With University Extension

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o say that Cotton Incorporated’s Agricultural and Environmental Research Department (AERD) staff have a lot going on may be the understatement of the year. Each of the scientists on the AERD team serves as a project manager for a specific research area, including agronomy, physiology, breeding, genetics, engineering, cottonseed research, weed management, pathology and entomology.

It is their role to set the specific priorities for the research area, ensure the priorities are in alignment with Cotton Incorporated’s corporate mission of enhancing cotton production and profitability and to ensure individual projects are meeting their objectives. That may sound like a potentially overwhelming workload for each staff member, but Dr. Ryan Kurtz, AERD Senior Director at Cotton Incorporated, said the staffs’ partnerships with university Extension personnel make it all possible.

“Our research priorities are set through input from our board of directors, on-farm visits with growers and consultants, personal in-field experiences, attending research and Extension meetings, as well as regular one-on-one interactions with university research and Extension scientists,” Kurtz said.

University Extension personnel are critical in communicating the challenges occurring at the farm-level back to Cotton Incorporated, fellow researchers and allied industry.

their unbiased findings to growers in a timely manner,” Kurtz said.

These unbiased findings and communications are aimed at improving input efficiencies, reducing input costs, improving water-use efficiency, as well as managing resistant weeds and insects.

Cotton Specialists Corner

BY STACEY GORMAN WARREN, ARKANSAS

duction needs,” Kurtz said.

For example, Mississippi St ate University Extension recently published a document on tarnished plant bug management in the Mid-South. The research project was funded by Cotton Incorporated and included input from an Extension working group consisting of Extension scientists from the University of Arkansas, Louisiana State University, Texas A&M University and the University of Tennessee.

Beyond their help to the Cotton Incorporated AERD team, Kurtz urges growers to utilize their Extension personnel whenever they need unbiased resources and information. “University Extension personnel conduct a substantial amount of applied research and relay

One of the newest ways growers can hear from Extension personnel is through a podcast called “Cotton Specialists Corner.” This podcast brings together Extension cotton specialists from across the United States to weigh in on a variety of topics that impact cotton producers, consultants and the industry as a whole.

The podcast is available through Apple, Spotify, Google, or by doing an internet search for “cotton specialists corner.”

“I cannot stress enough how critical research and Extension scientists are to execute Cotton Incorporated’s mission,” Kurtz said. “Without their tireless efforts to deliver solutions to cotton production problems, the research side of the Cotton Research and Promotion Program would not be possible.”

Stacey Gorman is The Cotton Board’s director of communications and may be reached at sgorman@cottonboard.org.

Identifying Research Projects

Once research priorities are set, proposals are either requested broadly from the scientific community or targeted to specific Extension scientists known to excel in a particular research area. The AERD team regularly forms working groups of scientists to address problems, even across state boundaries.

“In many ways, we operate similarly to general managers in sports by managing the budget and putting together perfect teams of scientists to address current proTWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

The Cotton Incorporated AERD team urges growers to listen to the Cotton Specialists Corner podcast to hear from a variety of Extension personnel.

AUGUST 2022 | COTTON FARMING

13

Americot Supporting Growers across the Cotton Belt with ACE Trial Program

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mericot strives to develop and provide NexGen® cotton varieties that fit the specific climate and growing conditions of every region we serve, all with the goal of helping our growers achieve the best results possible.

During the past five years, we have continually expanded our research and germplasm program by developing new varieties and testing them in field trials across the Cotton Belt. Through our Americot Cotton Evaluation (ACE) Trials, we work with a number of co-operators across the country. These trials and related efforts generate information in areas such as water utilization, heat tolerance, plant growth regulator (PGR) response and input management, providing insights and data to our research teams and more importantly, our growers.

The following highlights reflect our observations and opinions in a few of our key geographic areas regarding variety performance, growing challenges, and overall thoughts for the season.

DOUG JOST, PH.D. Director of Research & Cotton Germplasm;

Rolling Plains & Southern South Plains, TX “Field observations: Hot and dry with a gust of wind. I have heard it said that it will not rain until the wind quits blowing and the wind will not quit blowing until it rains. Guess what, it is July, and we are still getting 30 mph winds. I have been working back in west Texas since 2007 and have not seen as much bare ground as we are experiencing this year. 2011 was our last “drought” year, however, in 2011 we were able to get much of the crop at least started (planted and emerged). This year is much different. Most of the crops in my territory did not have a chance to emerge. There are a few irrigated fields here and there, but you really have to know where to find them.

“This year I targeted 15 trials as part of our ACE Trials. I was able to get 10 planted (many growers I typically work with simply did not have enough moisture to get a stand). Unfortunately, since planting, several have been lost to the drought. Those that have survived are either in areas that have had a few showers or with growers that have limited their acres and redirected their irrigation.

“Regarding our key varieties, NG 4098 B3XF still stands up to the hardest of conditions. In areas where slight moisture was available,

Americot Germplasm Team in Broxton, GA with ACE Grower Tyler Deen (far right)

emergence was still stellar. We have tested NG 4098 B3XF in some really tough, as well as excellent growing conditions. This growing season has really pressured emergence of varieties and I am pleased to say that NG 4098 B3XF continues to lead our lineup in stand establishment.”

CODY JONES Germplasm Specialist; KS, OK & TX Panhandle “Establishing a good stand is critical during extreme heat and drought and we’ve seen plenty of both this season. The excellent emergence and vigor seen in NG 3195 B3XF and NG 3930 B3XF set us up for a good start this season in my territory. Additionally, the levels of heat tolerance observed in NG 4936 B3XF, NG 5711 B3XF and newer varieties like NG 5150 B3XF and NG 3195 B3XF will certainly help to retain fruit and give better odds of making yield and fiber for this year.

“We’re watching the PGR and fertility needs of the crop closely this year, as drought stressed cotton tends to have poor assimilate translocation to reproductive tissues. If Mother Nature adds any other stresses that hasn't already been thrown at us, it will just compounds things.

“NexGen’s newest varieties are still maintaining outstanding vigor, even in the face of terrible planting and early-season growth conditions. The NexGen reps and I are supporting local growers, helping each one to grow their crop to its potential. Despite all the hinderances already encountered, the NexGen portfolio of Bollgard® 3 XtendFlex® varieties is ready to impress in 2022.”

LEVI SCHAEFER Germplasm Specialist; High Plains & South Plains, TX “Even with the drought and tough growing conditions here in West Texas, our NG 3195 B3XF and NG 3930 B3XF varieties have gotten off to a strong start and have showed good early season performance. They show good vigor, despite the marginal planting conditions we’ve been experiencing in this area this season.

“We expect more challenges this year with the weather and growing conditions, but all things considered, these varieties have started out strong and performing well, despite those challenges.”

DAN PITTS Germplasm Specialist; NC, SC & VA “Cotton growers in the Carolinas and Virginia have proved their courage this year. The spring’s unprecedented swings around input costs, commodity prices and production practices made cotton variety choices more critical for growers than any year I can remember. The wild environmental swings we experienced during the planting window also made for some challenging decisions.

“My first plot went in at 40°F and my last plot topped the thermometer at 102°F. We started too wet in April and then too dry during the key planting dates of May. Finally, the bulk of the acreage was planted the last part of May. Even with these challenges, growers from the Savannah River in South Carolina to edge of the James River in Virginia honored us with their confidence in the NexGen brand. To maintain this confidence, we continue to vigorously test our products across the Carolinas and Virginia.

“NG 3195 B3XF has become the most dependable cotton variety I have ever worked with. It offers impressive stand establishment, excellent early season vigor, easy plant management and an outstanding yield package. It has yet to disappoint me. While NG 3195 B3XF has become a go-to variety across the entire Cotton Belt, other newer products like NG 4190 B3XF and NG 3299 B3XF continue to impress with their vigor and performance.

“I am very enthusiastic about new NexGen experimental lines that will bring the ThryvOn™ trait in future years. These new genetics demonstrate incredible vigor and early season plant health. These new lines will build on the excellent germination characteristic you’ve come to expect from NexGen lines. I am truly excited about the future of NexGen varieties for the Carolinas and Virginia…as well as the rest of the Cotton Belt.”

SCOTT RUSSELL Germplasm Specialist; Southern AL & GA “After a year like 2021 where we experience historical rainfall the year 2022 has brought us the opposite. During planting this season, we have experienced abnormally elevated temperatures and dry weather, both of which resulted in some challenges getting stands and maintaining them with irrigation. As of a few weeks ago, we had a lot of dryland cotton blooming high but some rain slowly moving into the area as scattered storms. Plant bug pressure has been light to moderate with stinkbug damage showing earlier and heavier than the past few years, due to alternative host drying down from drought. Fortunately, we are seeing widespread thunderstorms across the area resulting in some much-needed rainfall. We have observed cotton plants responding rapidly to this moisture.

“As a whole, research plots in this area look great again this season. We are seeing good vigor from the ThryvOn™ variety candidates being tested, along with all three of our newest varieties, NG 3195 B3XF, NG 4190 B3XF and NG 5150 B3XF in Georgia,

Alabama and Florida. Several growers have stated that they are extremely satisfied with the consistency, vigor and resulting stands from NG 3195 B3XF since its introduction as an experimental variety in 2020, even with varied weather conditions. I recently talked with a grower that was incredibly pleased with the vigor of NG 4190 B3XF on his farm. We feel that both varieties are posed to fill the gap of other varieties across the Southeast, due to their widely adaptive nature to soil types, maturity, planting populations and other regional attributes.

“We are especially excited already about the 2023 season because of our Southeast Breeding Program and the future varieties we see coming from them. Americot has For further information on Americot Cotton invested heavily in Evaluation Trials in your region, contact the future of cotton in your Americot Germplasm Specialist. the Southeast and Visit www.americot.com/research-team we’re raising the bar for contact information. for vigor, fiber quality and yield.”

KAREN GELDMACHER Germplasm Specialist; AZ “Water. The five-letter word safeguarding the future of cotton farming in Arizona. This season, all eyes are on water here in the Grand Canyon State. Yuma Valley growers outsmarted a reduced water allocation by planting last season’s ACE Trial regional leader NG 3195 B3XF; a quick fruiting, rapid loading and early finishing variety with high lint yield performance. In 2021 this variety yielded 1,882 lbs of lint and 2,243 lbs of seed per acre in southwestern AZ. “In our fifth year of research in Maricopa, Arizona Americot sorts the Level 2 Heat Stress winners from the candidate entry pool. Recently, NG 3195 B3XF, NG 4190 B3XF, and NG 5150 B3XF have all earned their position on the pedestal. NG 4936 B3XF and NG 5711 B3XF varieties are proving that viable pollen and exceptional boll retention during heat stress are NexGen traits and are translating to substantial yield potential across the Cotton Belt. Experimental ThryvOn™ candidates are included in our 2022 heat tolerance research, with August peak bloom observations of high pollen quality and excellent fruit retention for these contenders.

“August and September will bring peak bloom and cut-out to Central and Eastern Arizona growers who are persisting through the critical Gila River & Colorado River water shortages. Facing a 25-30% reduction in water allocations, growers planted heat-tolerant premium fiber quality NexGen varieties and outstanding ACE Trial performers NG 4936 B3XF and NG 5150 B3XF, relying on soil moisture monitoring for precise irrigation scheduling to maintain soil profiles close to field capacity while conserving water. Our growers depend on NexGen varieties to convert every drop of water to profitable yields during seasons of critical water reductions.”

Sponsored by

© Americot, Inc - Americot® and the Boll Design®, NexGen® and The Next Generation of Cotton ® are registered trademarks of Americot, Inc.

Specialists Speaking

2022 Cotton Crop Update ALABAMA Steve M. Brown

What a wild season! Wet conditions delayed initial field activities, but once planting began, we soon ran short on moisture, challenging efforts to achieve adequate stands. June included some of the hottest early summer temperatures in memory. Tough on crops, animals and people. By July 4, portions of north Alabama were parched, while the Gulf Coast was wet, wet.

Mid-July brought needed rain to most areas, and, of course, excessive amounts in Southwest Alabama.

December futures have been comparable to a ROCKET and a ROCK. Price went up and up and up and still up, peaking above $1.30, only to free-fall more than 40 cents in just a few days.

Palmer amaranth (pigweed) continues to frustrate. This year, I’ve spent enough hours pulling pigweeds to help me predict: “Will this one come up by the roots or break off?” Because he’s bigger and stronger, my graduate student has to be assigned the problem plants.

That reminds me of a story. When I was a grad student at Auburn, there were several characters in the pool of my peers. The group was traveling one day and pulled into a gas station needing fuel. An “important” Ph.D. student, whose name will not be divulged so as not to further tarnish his reputation, held fast in his seat and announced, “Ph.D. students don’t pump gas,” a declaration poorly received by his beneath-him M.S. students and hourly workers.

Weed pulling is hard work, but I’m proud to say we salvaged three large experiments by hours of sweaty exertion. The subsequent crop growth has been remarkable. Yes, John, if the job needs to be done, even old Ph.D.’s can and should pull pigweeds.

Questions sometimes arise about an extremely late crop, one planted late or one arrested by severe drought but revived by July rains. How much more should we put into the crop? One thing worth investment if there is any hope of a pickable crop is stink bug control. Don’t give up late bolls to stink bugs. Yes, control weeds, if possible. More fertilizer is usually not the answer. But late bolls need to be protected. cottonbrown@ auburn.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson

The Arkansas Crop Progress and Condition Report released by USDA-NASS mid-July estimates crop development similar to that observed last year but slightly behind our five-year average. Our crop condition is still holding in the heat and dry conditions, with 45% rated as good and 35% rated as excellent.

Due to the lack of rainfall, many fields do not have the plant height we are accustomed to seeing. However, we were at or close to our goal of having nine to 10 nodes above our first position white flower at first flower on our cotton that irrigation initiation was accomplished in a timely fashion. For many, the first irrigation on cotton was two weeks earlier than last year.

Dryland cotton is taking it on the chin. Our big salvation through mid-July was that nighttime temperatures were not excessive as we sometimes see. Mornings were still cooling down. Cotton fields that did not receive a timely start for irrigation were at or near cutout by mid-July, about two weeks earlier than we generally see.

Tracking nodes above white flower (NAWF) from first flower to cutout (NAWF=5) can offer great insight on the condition and potential of

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the crop. Our goal is to use this tool to aid in crop termination. General termination guidelines include: plant bug, cutout + 250 HU; bollworm, and tobacco budworm, cutout + 350 HU; stink bug, cutout + 450 HU; fall armyworm, cutout + 500-550 HU; defoliating insects’ cutout + 650 HU; harvest aid initiation cutout + 850 HU. As we go into August, we must continue to manage this crop in a timely fashion to maintain our yield and quality potential. For more information, contact your local county Extension agent. brobertson@uada.edu

ARIZONA Randy Norton

In my travels around the state in recent weeks, I have observed cotton fields at all stages of development. The western part of the state has now been terminated and is prepping for harvest. The remainder of the state is at varying stages of bloom from peak bloom to cutout.

For the most part — as of this writing — the crop is in good condition. Fruit retention levels have remained above average for the majority of the season, and weather conditions have been conducive to producing a better-than-average crop. As we approach the final stages of the season, decisions will be made within the next several weeks related to crop termination — or the date of final irrigation on many acres across the state. This can be a difficult decision to make given all the factors that need to be considered including current fruit load, crop vigor, soil water-holding capacity and potential heat unit (HU) accumulation.

A total of approximately 600 HU are required for a fresh bloom to mature to a harvestable boll. Sufficient soil moisture is required to maintain good plant and water relations during this period of fiber development or boll fill. A good way to determine the date of your final irrigation is to identify the last flower intended for harvest and the estimated boll maturity date based upon historical HU accumulations (data for boll maturity estimates can be found at AZMET weather site). A final irrigation date can then be estimated to ensure proper crop water status that sustains boll development through the estimated maturity date.

Several factors that provide variation in the amount of water needed to achieve boll maturation need to be considered including soil water-holding capacity, current weather conditions (crop ET estimates) and water availability. More detailed information regarding this topic and others related to late-season crop management can be found at the UArizona Extension website extension.arizona.edu/crops-soils. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu

FLORIDA David Wright

The 2022 cotton season has been more variable for growth due to the spotty rains across the panhandle of Florida. Irrigated cotton has looked good, but some irrigated fields were planted two to three weeks later than normal due to wet areas needing to dry. Late-planted cotton needs August blooms to help with yield.

Late-season insect control is critical to finishing up with high yields. Stink bugs are present in many other crops, and cotton is especially attractive as the other crops begin drying down. Bolls develop after blooming throughout the month of August and end about the first week of September in the Deep South.

Young bolls are susceptible to damage from stink bugs for about three weeks after bloom. This means that protection is necessary into September on late-planted cotton. Cotton should have adequate water throughCOTTONFARMING.COM

Specialists Speaking out the bloom period to keep from shedding squares. Many squares will shed late in the season as fruit set continues and other factors — such as environmental stress and insect pressure — increase.

Hot and dry as well as hot and wet conditions may reduce fruit set late in the season. Boll rot and hard lock are often a problem created by fruit set during periods of high temperatures and relative humidity. Research work is continuing on reducing losses from hard lock and boll rot with use of fungicides. Models are being developed to help growers make decisions on controlling these diseases and see under what conditions they may occur. Growers should begin planning for defoliation and getting equipment ready to begin harvest as soon as the crop is mature and ready to pick in order to retain best lint quality and yield. wright@ufl.edu

GEORGIA Camp Hand

As I write this July 12, it seems like we have entered our typical late-summer weather pattern here in Georgia. Late afternoon showers have become the norm, and for many people, it is a welcome sight. In late June/early July, many people were more or less starting to push the panic button because we were starting to struggle.

Since then, it feels like we have turned a corner. As I drive across the state, I can’t help but think we are in really good position with our crop right now. Of course, we have a long way to go, and a lot could change between here and the finish line — but right now, it looks really good.

A couple of things to be mindful of:  Right now, retention in our crop is incredible. Of course, by the time this is published, that could change, but it seems like we are holding a lot of fruit. Keep this in mind when making PGR decisions right now, but also keep it in the back of your mind towards the end of the year. If retention stays high, maturity will sneak up on us.  Stink bugs were heavy in corn this year, and some of the first reports in cotton are high. Be on the lookout. Best thing a grower can do is walk their fields and look.

Many field days are approaching, and we are all looking forward to seeing everyone. See below for the dates:  Southeast Research and Education Center Field Day in Midville, Georgia – Aug. 10  Southwest Research and Education Center Field Day in Plains, Georgia – Aug. 24  Cotton and Peanut Research Field Day in Tifton, Georgia – Sept. 7  J. Phil Campbell Cotton Field Day in Watkinsville, Georgia – Sept. 28 As always, your local UGA county Extension agent and specialists are here to help! Reach out if you have any questions. camphand@uga.edu

LOUISIANA Matt Foster

According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, planted acres of cotton in Louisiana are at 170,000 acres, up 55% from 2021. As I write this July 14, approximately 95% of the cotton crop is squaring and 52% is setting bolls, which is above the five-year average of 89% and 44%, respectively.

It has been hot and dry in most cotton-producing areas of the state. Irrigated cotton fields have been a common sight while travelling throughout the state. Since heat unit accumulation has been higher this year, most of the crop is moving along at a fast pace. Square retention was excellent as we approached first bloom. Despite hot and dry conditions, most of the cotton crop throughout the state looks good.

For the remainder of the season, growers and consultants will focus on insect control and growth management. Insect pressure from plant bugs, aphids and spider mites has been sporadic. However, I anticipate plant TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

bug pressure will increase in the next few weeks as the corn crop matures.

Currently, applications of mepiquat chloride are being made to manage plant height. Hopefully, timely rains will occur through the remainder of July and August to finish out the crop. Louisiana growers are currently optimistic about the cotton crop as the end of the season approaches. mfoster@agcenter.lsu.edu

MISSISSIPPI Brian Pieralisi

As I write this July 13, our crop is overall variable — with water being our most limiting factor. Despite a few replanted acres, most of our cotton was planted by May 15, which has been unusual for the past two or three years. June was hot and dry, which allowed the cotton to race through squaring and begin blooming a couple weeks ahead of schedule.

During the month of June, there was very little rainfall across the state.

Hot, dry conditions contributed to rapid heat unit accumulation (approximately 650 heat units), which was good for the crop. This season, our root systems are more established than years past, allowing for more water and nutrient scavenging. However, in many areas, water availability is a limiting factor in terms of growth and development. Some of the early blooming cotton in a rain-fed environment was basically approaching cut out when it started blooming and was two NAWF within 10 days.

This is a yield-limiting concern with 15-node cotton.

On the bright side, July is trending more favorable in terms of rainfall. We have experienced some scattered showers bringing much-needed moisture. Much of the nutrient deficiency symptoms we were seeing were directly related to lack of soil solution and relocation of nutrients from within the plants. In irrigated production systems, the crop looks good, and fruit retention has been high across the state. Plant bug pressure has been light up to this point, but there is still a long way to go to finish the crop. Hopefully, August will cooperate, and we will have a good crop this year! bkp4@msstate.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Keith Edmisten

June was a tough month for cotton in North Carolina with dry weather and hit-or-miss (mostly miss) scattered showers leaving a majority of the crop drought stressed. Rains in early July found most of the crop in early bloom. Much of the earlier cotton was already blooming out the top soon after it began blooming.

Normally, when cotton reaches four nodes above white bloom or less, we consider the crop to be cutout with little potential to set more harvestable fruit. Thankfully that is not the case this year because the cutout was due to early drought rather than boll load. If we continue to get some rain, we are set up to have a “suspended” cutout where the crop continues to set nodes and fruiting sites while staying at low nodes above white bloom.

All of this is to say, we can still end up with a pretty good crop, even though a lot of it looked pretty pitiful going into bloom. Many growers are wondering if they need to apply Pix now that rains have returned.

Growers may want to hold off for a while in these fields affected by early drought to avoid the chance of reducing the number of future nodes and potential fruiting sites. We should definitely avoid high rates of Pix that might limit the crops’ ability to produce more nodes if rains do not continue.

Plant bug activity has been high in some areas. If rains do not keep coming in a timely manner, we may end up needing to make a top crop.

Making a top crop can make continuing to scout for plant bugs and stink bugs necessary later in the season than usual. keith_edmisten@ ncsu.edu AUGUST 2022 | COTTON FARMING

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Specialists Speaking TEXAS Ben McKnight

As of mid-July, cotton in the Lower Rio Grande Valley is progressing quickly, and the majority of fields in this region are at 30% to 60% open boll. As growers wrap up harvesting grain crops in the LRGV, attention will be turned to initiating harvest-aid applications, and cotton harvest should be under way in several fields by the time you are reading this in early August.

Bolls have started cracking in the Coastal Bend and on dryland fields in the Upper Gulf Coast, but irrigated fields in the Upper Gulf Coast are at, or approaching, cutout. There are some reports of bollworm and stink bugs in some fields, but pressure from these pests is below economic threshold at this time. Initial yield expectations for the Upper Gulf Coast range from average on irrigated acres to below average on many dryland production fields. As extremely warm temperatures continue to remain in the extended forecast, cotton should finish out at a relatively quick pace in this region.

Conditions in the Blackland Prairie region, like most of the state, have been extremely hot and dry for some time. Most of the dryland acres in this region are at or past cutout, and conditions have led to some shedding of flowers and small bolls. Bollworm pressure became prevalent earlier in July, prompting growers with two-gene Bt varieties to spray for these pests. Varieties with three-gene or Vip technology have held up quite well to bollworm pressure so far. bmcknight@tamu.edu

TEXAS Murilo Maeda

As I write this mid-July, conditions across West Texas have seen little in the way of improvement. Hot and dry conditions have prevailed during most of the season as we entered bloom, and despite a few scattered showers across the region, most remain very dry. This has led to high abandonment as fields were failed and adjusted.

Dryland cotton is scarce this year around here, and even irrigated fields have struggled to keep up. Looking at the forecast through the end of July, we are looking at record high temperatures and virtually no precipitation. Overall, the crop that made it this far is very variable. We have some that were planted early May that are in the second to third week of bloom, with some planted towards the beginning of July that still have some time to go.

Isolated acres, especially northwest of Lubbock, were treated for thrips early in the season, with unusually high numbers of plant bugs (Mozena obtusa Uhler) showing up in the past few days. While there are pockets of heavier pressure, reports are coming from all over the region, so it is something else growers need to contend with this year. Despite 250,000 additional planted acres nationwide, the USDA-NASS is forecasting an almost four times higher abandonment rate in 2022 as compared to this time last year. Unfortunately, this has been attributed (mostly) to extremely unfavorable conditions in Texas, particularly in the Texas High Plains. mmaeda@ag.tamu.edu

OKLAHOMA Seth Byrd

Last month, I stated that many parts of Oklahoma were waiting to dry out before cotton planting activities could resume. At that time, the majority of the dryland acres and many of the irrigated had yet to be planted. It turned out to be a very short wait, with many fields going from saturated to dry-planted in 10 days or less. Further, the heavy rain events forced many to replant fields that planted just prior to the first round of storms that moved through.

Whether due to heavy rains, saturated conditions or the rapid drying of the upper soil profile, stand establishment has proven to be a challenge

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in many areas.

While most of the cotton in the state isn’t in an ideal condition, there are some good looking fields around. Many irrigated fields that were planted in early to mid-May seem to be in the best shape, and if one does enough looking, there are pockets of good-looking dryland cotton.

However, the second half of June and all of July thus far have been brutal, with most daytime highs exceeding 100° and relentless winds, which has created formidable conditions for any crop progress.

As of mid-July, there are some reports of square shed beginning in the dryland crop — even some in fields with limited irrigation — and this will likely worsen as the forecast for the remainder of the month is more of the same hot and dry conditions we’ve experienced for the previous five weeks. In irrigated fields with higher pumping capacities or better water availability, the crop does seem to be progressing, although it would still benefit from some rain events to provide additional moisture and cooler temperatures. Ideally, we use irrigation to supplement rainfall, but at this point, we could use a rain to supplement irrigation and give the pivots a break.

Overall, the crop condition in Oklahoma could be summed up as “hanging on,” with a large and significant rain event needed to provide relief in the best-case scenarios — and pull the crop back from the brink in others. seth.byrd@okstate.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper

Scattered rainfalls have continuously disappointed West Tennessee, with most farms falling in the ‘have not’ category. In some areas, fertilizer prills can still be found on the soil surface.

Severe drought stress has limited node development, and much of our crop entered flower with unusually low nodes above white flower counts. There is still a chance to reach black with this crop, but if rainfall does not resume in the immediate future, Tennessee’s crop will likely fall far short of what we’ve averaged over the past 10 years.

To make things worse, we have more invested in this crop than ever before. We have a team of economists working on developing materials to help navigate these challenging times, and I expect those resources will be available in the coming weeks. If rain does resume across the area, management decisions in August, September and October are going to be quite complicated — but we will worry about that after the rain.

For now, we are learning rain dances, hanging dead snakes from fences and clothes outside, turning the sprinklers on when a storm cloud approaches and leaving the windows down — anything and everything we can do to trigger a rain. traper@utk.edu

VIRGINIA Hunter Frame

Overall, the Virginia cotton crop is variable due to spotty rainfall across the growing area. However, rains around the fourth of July have moved the cotton along.

Heading into August, we are looking at PGR and insect management. Most of Virginia’s cotton is in the second to fourth week of bloom by early August, so scouting for corn earworm, plant bugs and stink bugs is in full swing. Follow your state’s Extension recommendations and scouting guidelines for these pests.

Most all of Virginia’s cotton has received the first application of PGR, and producers are following up with a second during this time. It is critical to evaluate the internode spacing around the 4th main stem node when deciding on PGR application rates. Also keep in mind soil moisture and potential rainfall as applying PGR during dry conditions could adversely affect cotton development. whframe@vt.edu COTTONFARMING.COM

Ginners Marketplace COTTON

COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.

Take A Hard Look At Insurance Costs And Safety Culture At The Gin Distractions have become “routine” in our daily lives. Our phones go off, we get text messages and we’re bombarded by the never-ending news cycle. Everything seems to be trying to get our attention, and it’s easy to lose sight of what’s important.

Things can sneak up on you, and those are the ones that will jump up and bite you.

In the last year or so, we’ve seen huge increases in our costs.

As I write this, we’re getting news of the highest inflation in more than a generation… maybe two.

While I’m personally seeing some of the things that increased so much ease down a bit, it’s not common for costs that have gone up this much, this fast, to come down or come down very much. We will likely have to learn to live with some of them.

The Cost Of Insurance One of the costs that snuck up on many gins in the past year or so is the cost of insurance. Normally, this is a once-a-year expense we get hit with.

The past renewal cycle or two have been more than a bit of sticker shock for many in the ginning industry. Your associa-

tions have been aware of this and have brought it to the attention of our memberships. But I think many of us got distracted by the other things going on and have now been hit with the reality that it’s not getting better.

This is a simplified explanation, but insurance companies are going to do what they need to in order to stay in business. They must make money like we do. The companies take our premium and invest it. They pay claims with it, and they expect to have some left over. If losses are low and return on investment is good, you have happy insurance companies. We get stable premiums and competition.

If they have poor investment returns and higher-than-expected cost of claims (read inflation), you have unhappy insurance companies. They may decide to pull out of the market and/or significantly increase rates. This is where we are today.

Your ginners associations and the National Cotton Ginners’ Association have been concerned about this for some time. We need healthy insurers and competition, but we really can only help one side of the insurance problem…losses. NCGA has put together a list of questions to ask yourself, so you can evaluate

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AUGUST 2022 | COTTON FARMING

19

if you’re a “best in class” risk (Contact your association about how to get this questionnaire).

CATHYR1/DREAMSTIME

Gin Losses And Safety Culture Each year, it seems that our industry suffers a significant loss or two somewhere in the country. Most are fire related. Fire is an issue in a gin. Fires while ginning are not fun but are manageable.

When the fire gets outside the gin, we have problems…big ones. Module fires, seed house fires and trash fires are all issues that have resulted in very large losses. Therefore, it’s no surprise that a lot of the things on the NCGA questionnaire are fire related.

One thing that may surprise you is the safety culture in general. Do you have rules and programs in place for personnel safety? The insurance companies see lower losses where the culture of the company is loss conscious. Have a good safety culture, be diligent about module yard separation and bale groupings in the warehouse.

Being rigorous on writing rules and enforcing them and documenting your safety program — among other things — show an attitude and culture of safety. These are the gins that tend to have lower losses annually.

If we can do the things that reduce losses and make our industry more insurable, we’ll see more competition. We’ll see prices stabilize and won’t get surprised (shocked) the next time we see an insurance renewal.

Dusty Findley, CEO of the Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association, contributed this article. Contact him at 706-344-1212 or dusty@southern-southeastern.org.

* * * * *

TCGA Summer Interns Weigh In

Cotton Ginners Marketplace

For many years, the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association has provided an opportunity for college students to experience the cotton ginning industry firsthand through its summer intern program.

For 2022, two young people are onboard. This year’s interns are Julia New from Cypress, Texas, and Josh Handley, who hails from Fredericksburg, Texas. Both interns attend Texas A&M University. New is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in agribusiness, and Handley is studying biological and agricultural engineering.

In the following narrative that New and Handley provided in June, they talk about their experiences in this year’s program.

Julia New “As I stepped into my first week as an intern at the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association office in Round Rock, Texas, I was able to observe just how much goes into running an association. I was introduced to the understanding of databases, Excel and website building.

“One of my first major projects I helped with was our safety seminars in Weslaco, Corpus Christi and El Campo. I was able to watch the process of making sure people were registered and that they were accounted for in our system once we had received the attendance sheet. I then redesigned our completion certificate and learned how to use mail merge to efficiently print and mail all the certifications to those who had attended.

“For the TCGA office, this summer has been full of preparation for the summer meeting. Most of the meeting was planned before I arrived in Round Rock; however, I have been

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COTTON FARMING | AUGUST 2022

able to help with the little details.

This has included calling guests to confirm they will be in attendance, redesigning our meeting program and reaching out to this year’s sponsors. The amount of preparation and teamwork I have witnessed in just the past two weeks I have been here has been truly impressive.

“For the rest of the summer, I have been assigned the project of redesigning The Ginnery’s look as well as the TCGA website. I have been working on new ideas, and I am very excited to see what I can do for this great group.

“I am enjoying my time here and am so grateful for the position I have been given. Being an intern at TCGA has allowed me to see the business side of agriculture in a way that I haven’t before. The biggest thank you goes out to the TCGA staff for welcoming me into their office and allowing me to learn more about this association.”

Josh Handley “For the first half of my TCGA internship, I have been working at Central Rolling Plains Co-op in Roscoe, Texas. I have had the pleasure of working for Larry Black, the gin manager here at CRP, as well as Marcial Saenz, the gin superintendent. I have spent most of my time out at the gin helping maintenance the equipment for the upcoming ginning season.

“I started by replacing all of the spikes on the module feeder and removing a valve from the gin stand. I then became an extra hand for whatever needed to be done from then on.

“I really enjoyed the trips up to Lubbock where I was able to tour Samuel Jackson, BC Supply and PYCO. Samuel Jackson and BC Supply are cotton gin machinery manufacturing companies, while PYCO is one of the nation’s largest cottonseed oil mills.

“I have really enjoyed my time here in Roscoe, but I am also very excited to spend the second half of this internship at United AG Co-op in El Campo, Texas.

“United AG is expected to be ginning while I am there, and I cannot wait to work at the gin while it is running. I will finally be able to see all of the machinery I have been working on in action. Thank you, Mr. Aaron Nelsen and the rest of the TCGA staff, for this amazing internship opportunity.”

TCGA provided this information. Please visit www.tcga.org that New redesigned this summer to check out its fresh look.

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My Turn Tomorrow’s IPM — Not Your Granddad’s Jalopy

I

love to race the freeway transition from concept to practice. and country roads. I’m Remember the first time your daddy put you on a pretty good at it, accord- tractor? Not one of these new-fangled tractors. I’m ing to me. I’m not so talking about the one with no cab, no Alan Jackson sure you would get that same playing on the stereo and no air conditioning blasting. opinion from other people The one where you had to figure out what a clutch who have ridden with me over meant other than hanging onto something that was the years. I love zipping in about to buck you off in the dirt. and out and knowing the best In those early days of IPM, trying to make the “inteway to avoid freeway backups gration” part work was tricky. DDT, toxaphene, chloriwith side routes. In my previ- nated hydrocarbons and other broad-spectrum materiVern ous life, I was most certainly a als over the top of a cotton crop weren’t exactly “selecCrawford handsome, famous NASCAR tive,” let alone “integrated.” Mites, in particular, were driver. good at smirking at a passing spray rig.

There is one thing I hate about driving. It’s other drivWe had a few pesticides that were touted as “selective.” ers. They don’t seem to fully appreciate the finer skills Back then, part of that message was correct. They were necessary to get from point A to point B, and often, so selective they didn’t kill anything. Or hardly anything. they’re in my way when I’m trying to do the same thing In those first few years, there were growers who lost or with more finesse — if I do say so myself. almost lost their farms trying the IPM approach. But Driving a car is an integrated endeavor requiring we kept one foot on the gas and raced forward trying to multiple skills, a lifetime figure it out. of learning, a few hic60 years now, “IPM was almost an idea ahead of andIt’swebeen cups along the way and have a handful of its time. In theory, it made sense.” pesticides that are selecalways the frustration of never getting where you tive enough to make IPM want to go fast enough. It’s almost like Integrated Pest more feasible. We also have GMOs and seed technology Management. I’ve spent 60 years or so of my life barrel- that make it easier to integrate other factors. One thing ing down that road. I’m still involved one way or anoth- frequently overlooked in IPM is timing. Often, it is more er in my so-called “retirement.” critical than the pesticide’s efficacy. Over the years, a lot When I emerged on the scene in the late ’60s as an of work has been done on pesticide application timing ag chemical salesman, there was a lot of buzz about a as it pertains to heat units, degree days, weather forenew way to manage cotton with fewer pesticides and casts and what is happening in your neighbor’s field. make friends with the “good” bugs — “Integrated Pest I still believe the best IPM material we ever had was Management.” The university guys were into it. Some of Temik. It gave us time to delay foliar applications and the more progressive growers were into it. I was into it didn’t upset the beneficials or make the mites mad. because nothing gets my attention more than a cocka- We don’t have that option in California now. Many of mamie idea that might work. our options are limited. Looking forward, if we can get The first few years were kind of a disaster. When something like they have in Arizona to address plant you give a kid a car to learn how to drive, you don’t bugs, I think that would unleash some real power of start him/her out in a Porsche with a manual written in IPM in this state’s agriculture. We just need to introduce German. California was not — and still is not — the rest common sense into some of California’s legislation. I’ll of the Cotton Belt. We’re a little different out here — not hold my breath. But not my tongue. so much by choice as by circumstance.

Gotta run! That McFarland exit is coming up and IPM was almost an idea ahead of its time. In theory, Highway 99 traffic is bugging me. Time to get creativie it made sense. What grower wouldn’t like to cut bug in getting from point Here to my Wasco home. sprays and utilize beneficials to help fight the war? The biggest problem was we didn’t have the tools or tech— Vern Crawford – “Vern from Kern” nology — not to mention the expertise — to smoothly Wasco, California Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling unusual “farm tales” or timely stories from across the Cotton Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting story to tell, send a short summary to csmith@onegrower.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

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COTTON FARMING | AUGUST 2022

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