Our Land of Paradise

I would just call him a progressive farmer

2010-09-01T09:12:00.001-07:00

Texas Producers Cope With Drought

Tommy Horton

"I would just call him a progressive farmer who stays informed on everything. That's how you survive out here on the High Plains."

Another Texas AgriLife Extension agent, Monti Vandiver of Muleshoe, echoes Doederlein's remarks. He can attest to the importance of intense management practices being essential in the High Plains. He is particularly impressed with a PGR that controls vegetative growth in a demanding production environment.

"Stance is a good fit here in the High Plains," says Vandiver. "The weather changes dramatically and goes from extremely dry to wet in a short period of time. Sometimes the crop is difficult to manage, and that's why we need to use every tool at our disposal."

source : cottonfarming

Effective Formula

2010-09-01T09:11:00.001-07:00

Texas Producers Cope With Drought

Tommy Horton

Effective Formula

Most Extension experts in Texas say a cotton plant needs approximately 1,850 heat units in the growing season. As White sees it, that can be achieved if the weather cooperates, and if his management practices include a high performing seed variety, effective PGR and insecticide.

Tommy Doederlein, Texas AgriLife Extension agent (IPM), can attest to White's success and proactive attitude toward cotton production. He has worked with him for 16 years.

"He's a farmer who isn't afraid to embrace new varieties and technology," says Doederlein. "It's pretty amazing that he gets these big yields, because the conditions can be tough in this part of Texas.

source : cottonfarming

For example

2010-09-01T09:10:00.003-07:00

Texas Producers Cope With Drought

Tommy Horton

For example, he says there is still an adequate amount of underground soil moisture that should help his crop get off to a good start.

White also has had good experiences with Aeris insecticide and Stance plant growth regulator. He usually applies one ounce of Stance and has gone up to as high as three ounces per acre.

"Having a good plant growth regulator like Stance is really important when you're trying to load the squares onto that plant," says White. "It's a good fit for what we need out here on the High Plains."

White usually applies a combination of Aeris and Temik to control his insect pest problems, which primarily are thrips. Fortunately, he doesn't have any other pest problems, and he's hoping it stays that way.

source : cottonfarming

Seeking An Advantage

2010-09-01T09:10:00.001-07:00

Texas Producers Cope With Drought

Tommy Horton

Seeking An Advantage

It figures that a Texas farmer needs every advantage if he is to survive the weather. That is what White thinks he's doing. He clearly has confidence in his FiberMax varieties – FM 9180B2F, FM 9063B2F and FM 9160B2F.

He began growing FiberMax about seven years ago and likes how it has maintained consistent yields and high grades during that time period.

Even though the drought is creating problems throughout Texas, White says his situation in Lamesa isn't quite as dire as other regions.

For example, he says there is still an adequate amount of underground soil moisture that should help his crop get off to a good start.

source : cottonfarming

One would think that rescuing 85,000 bushels

2010-09-01T08:13:00.001-07:00

Grain Storage Solutions Are
'In The Bag'

Charley Knabb

One would think that rescuing 85,000 bushels of corn from storm damage would be justification alone for a grain bagging system purchase, but the Louisiana producer brought up another common appeal for using grain bags.

"Not having to pay basis at the elevator and not having to truck itpays for the equipment and the bags," says Wiggers.

Joe Sorrell of Mount Level Farm in East Prairie, Mo., sums it up best when talking about recent commodity market changes.

"After Katrina came through and these bases went berserk, everybody really started to look at what they could do to control the grain a little better," he says.

Needing to increase storage capacity for conventional, food grade grains but not wanting the capital expense of more bins, Sorrell thought he'd try the bags to see how they worked.

source : cottonfarming

Helping Solve A Problem

2010-09-01T08:11:00.001-07:00

Grain Storage Solutions Are
'In The Bag'

Charley Knabb

Helping Solve A Problem

A similar increase in harvest efficiency was gained on the Wiggers' farm near Winnsboro, La.

Rusty Wiggers, a fourth-generation cotton producer, now finds himself harvesting more than 1,000 acres of corn with one combine.

"When it started raining, we had 100 acres left," he says. "We had harvested right around 1,000 acres in four days."

In describing the 2008 corn harvest ahead of Hurricane Gustav, he painted an encouraging scenario.

"We rolled all the way through and never stopped," he says.

In the aftermath of Gustav, the last 100 acres yielded 100 bushels per acre, according to Wiggers. That was 85 bushels per acre short of the rest.

source : cottonfarming

Darin Owens of Cobb Farms in Lake City, Ark., agrees

2010-09-01T08:09:00.001-07:00

Grain Storage Solutions Are
'In The Bag'

Charley Knabb

Darin Owens of Cobb Farms in Lake City, Ark., agrees.

"We bought the bagger initially to help get the crop out of the field and out of the elements," he says.

But after referring to their original harvest capacity of 75 to 80 corn acres per day, he claims, "Now, (with grain bags) we're cutting 150 to 160 acres a day!"

Owens still hauls a portion of his grain to river terminals during harvest with his own trucks, but he is no longer concerned with the turnaround time associated with long lines.

"I remember when I got a boll buggy, and it flat amazed me," Owens says. "It was like having another picker in the field. Using a bagger is like having another combine without the wait."

source : cottonfarming

Major Distribution

2010-09-01T08:05:00.002-07:00

Grain Storage Solutions Are
'In The Bag'

Charley Knabb

Major Distribution

After obtaining a dealership in early 2007, the Harrells now distribute and sell three of the five brands of grain bagging equipment nationwide. To date, approximately 200 producers own one of their machines.

"It began as a need for cheap storage for cotton farmers who didn't have any," says Harrell, "but it's turned into a little more than that."

Darin Owens of Cobb Farms in Lake City, Ark., agrees.

"We bought the bagger initially to help get the crop out of the field and out of the elements," he says.

But after referring to their original harvest capacity of 75 to 80 corn acres per day, he claims, "Now, (with grain bags) we're cutting 150 to 160 acres a day!"

source : cottonfarming

Although storing grain in plastic bags

2010-09-01T08:05:00.001-07:00

Grain Storage Solutions Are
'In The Bag'

Charley Knabb

Although storing grain in plastic bags has only recently become an acceptable option in the United States, it has been a common practice for years in South America and Canada.

Rick Harrell of Delta Grain Bag Systems, Inc. in Monette, Ark., points out that "it's the change in the markets that made them (grain bags) so popular so quickly."

Harrell explains how his father, Bill, a farmer and ginner himself, spent years traveling the Cotton Belt as a farm equipment auctioneer. As cotton acres began shifting to grain, Harrell recognized the need and opportunity to provide cotton farmers with an inexpensive means to handle their grain.

source : cottonfarming

SE Producers Aware Of Irrigation’s Impact

2010-09-01T07:18:00.001-07:00

SE Producers Aware Of
Irrigation's Impact

EDITOR'S NOTE – In a recent interview with Cotton Farming magazine, Calvin Perry, superintendent of the University of Georgia's C.M. Stripling Irrigation Research Park in Tifton, discusses how Southeast cotton producers have become more aware of water conservation and effective irrigation practices.

Are you encouraged that producers across the Belt have a greater appreciation for water conservation and efficient irrigation in cotton production today?

It is encouraging that cotton producers are learning to be as efficient as possible with such a vital resource. We've all learned that even in the Southeast, our water resources are usually abundant but not unlimited. The droughts of the recent past have made that very clear to producers.

source : cottonfarming

I’ve been experimenting with varying degrees

2010-09-01T07:16:00.001-07:00

Furrow Irrigation Helps
Conserve Water

Amanda Huber
Southeast

"I've been experimenting with varying degrees of minimum-tillage to strike that balance between less tillage and water-use efficiency," he says.

Kelly also works to keep his ditches maintained so that no breaks occur where precious water can be lost.

"These concrete ditches have been here since the mid-70s," he says. "Every now and then, we hit one with a tractor, so we do have to patch and take care of them. I also use polypipe, which is very flexible, to take the place of dirt ditches that are less efficient."

Yields almost consistently ranging near three bales per acre are evidence that Kelly works at keeping his furrow irrigation system efficient to gain maximum production each year.

source : cottonfarming

Attention To Details

2010-09-01T07:15:00.003-07:00

Furrow Irrigation Helps
Conserve Water

Amanda Huber
Southeast

Attention To Details

Kelly has not made that move yet, and so he continues to improve his furrow irrigation capabilities. To conserve water, he uses minimum-tillage.

"I've been experimenting with varying degrees of minimum-tillage to strike that balance between less tillage and water-use efficiency," he says.

Kelly also works to keep his ditches maintained so that no breaks occur where precious water can be lost.

source : cottonfarming

Collect That Runoff

2010-09-01T07:15:00.001-07:00

Furrow Irrigation Helps
Conserve Water

Amanda Huber
Southeast

Collect That Runoff

Another efficiency is in creating a tailwater collection system so that excess irrigation water can be recycled and reused in that field or another.

"The irrigation water runs off the fields and into a pond, and I catch it and use it again," Kelly says.

Putting out just enough water so that it doesn't run out the end is not possible in this type of furrow irrigation, says Shane Osborne, OSU associate Extension specialist who is located at the research center in Altus.

"Implementing the tailwater system is reusing water that is normally wasted," he says.

Osborne says that many producers in the area are moving to drip irrigation, which is an even more efficient form of irrigation.

source : cottonfarming

Mike Kizer

2010-09-01T07:14:00.001-07:00

Furrow Irrigation Helps
Conserve Water

Amanda Huber
Southeast

Mike Kizer, irrigation Extension specialist for Oklahoma State University, says this practice is one efficiency.

"The most inefficiency you have in the system is running water down the newly formed furrow the first time," he says. "The first time a furrow is irrigated, efficiency is lost in smoothing out the furrow. There is more friction and resistance."

Kizer says some producers will irrigate one furrow the first time, then switch to the other furrow the next. However, he says the water will advance more rapidly if the producer sticks with the same furrow each time.

That watering every furrow may offer better root distribution is a tradeoff that must be considered. With little irrigation water to work with, it may be best to be as conservative as possible and let the roots grow to the water.

source : cottonfarming

Every Other Row

2010-09-01T07:13:00.001-07:00

Furrow Irrigation Helps
Conserve Water

Amanda Huber
Southeast

Every Other Row

Kelly plants cotton on 30-inch rows and irrigates every other row.

Mike Kizer, irrigation Extension specialist for Oklahoma State University, says this practice is one efficiency.

"The most inefficiency you have in the system is running water down the newly formed furrow the first time," he says. "The first time a furrow is irrigated, efficiency is lost in smoothing out the furrow. There is more friction and resistance."

Kizer says some producers will irrigate one furrow the first time, then switch to the other furrow the next. However, he says the water will advance more rapidly if the producer sticks with the same furrow each time.

source : cottonfarming

Fortunately

2010-09-01T06:20:00.001-07:00

Exploring The Benefits Of Baled Poultry Litter

Carroll Smith
Senior

Fortunately, University of Arkansas (U of A) researchers, led by Dr. Harold Good-win, have been studying poultry litter for quite some time and helped develop a machine capable of baling it into ultraviolet-resistant plastic-wrapped bales.

As noted in a report authored by Goodwin, R.I. Carreira, K.B. Young and E.J. Wailes and published in the Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics in December 2007, there are no storage costs for baled litter "since the bales are fully plastic-wrapped to preserve nutrients, provide an odor barrier and protect against the weather." Baled litter also eliminates "additional transport and handling costs from the storage building to the farm field, including storage cleanout and unloading costs."

Another benefit of baled litter mentioned in the report is that it does not need to be incorporated into the soil because, according to field trials, most of the N content is in organic form.

source : cottonfarming

Exploring The Benefits Of Baled Poultry Litter

2010-09-01T06:19:00.001-07:00

Exploring The Benefits Of Baled Poultry Litter

Carroll Smith
Senior

When commercial fertilizer prices went through the roof last year, poultry litter resurfaced as an alternative nutrient source.

Fortunately, University of Arkansas (U of A) researchers, led by Dr. Harold Good-win, have been studying poultry litter for quite some time and helped develop a machine capable of baling it into ultraviolet-resistant plastic-wrapped bales.

As noted in a report authored by Goodwin, R.I. Carreira, K.B. Young and E.J. Wailes and published in the Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics in December 2007, there are no storage costs for baled litter "since the bales are fully plastic-wrapped to preserve nutrients, provide an odor barrier and protect against the weather." Baled litter also eliminates "additional transport and handling costs from the storage building to the farm field, including storage cleanout and unloading costs."

source : cottonfarming

Recent Trends In Ag Water Management

2010-09-01T06:17:00.001-07:00

Precision Irrigation Leads
To Efficiency

Tommy Horton

Recent Trends In Ag Water Management

• Improvements on irrigated acres between 1998 and 2003 have resulted in reduced water use on 18.5 million acres.

• Crop yields improved on 18.7 million acres and decreased energy costs on 15.3 million acres.

• U.S. Geological Survey reports the average irrigation application rate decreased from 43.6 acre-inches per acre in 1950 to 29.8 acre-inches in 2000.

• USDA Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey reports that $1.13 billion was invested in irrigation equipment, facility and improvements during 2003.

source : cottonfarming

Water

2010-09-01T06:16:00.001-07:00

Precision Irrigation Leads
To Efficiency

Tommy Horton

"Water is the backbone of our agricultural economy, and we appreciate our producers' efforts to manage water wisely."

Annual depth-to-water level measurements made in 2009 in a network of 1,200 privately owned water wells within the district's 15-county service area indicated an average annual decline of -0.72 of a foot for the 10-year period (1999-2009) and -0.42 of a foot for the five-year period (2004-2009).

"From the cotton gins and the local civic clubs to the state legislature, groundwater is on everyone's mind," Conkwright says. "Public interest in water issues is as high as I have seen it."

source : cottonfarming

High Plains Producers Embrace Irrigation Technology

2010-09-01T06:15:00.001-07:00

Precision Irrigation Leads
To Efficiency

Tommy Horton

High Plains Producers Embrace Irrigation Technology

For many years, producers within the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1, headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, have taken proactive stances toward water conservation by being responsive to new irrigation technologies as they are developed.

"Whether it is use of LEPA systems with furrow dikes, subsurface drip irrigation, irrigation scheduling based on computer models and/or soil moisture sensors or new cotton varieties, our producers understand that they must be good stewards of the area's groundwater supply," says HPWD general manager Jim Conkwright.

"Water is the backbone of our agricultural economy, and we appreciate our producers' efforts to manage water wisely."

source : cottonfarming

Problems Addressed

2010-08-31T10:15:00.001-07:00

Precision Irrigation Leads
To Efficiency

Tommy Horton

Problems Addressed

Bordovsky has done extensive research on all irrigation systems suited for the High Plains, and he has made some interesting discoveries.

For instance, even though drip irrigation has become increasingly popular in the High Plains, plant germination was occasionally affected in early drip installations. Bordovsky has done research on this problem and believes he's making progress on the problem. Many experts have long thought that the location of drip tape in the ground and its distance from plant roots was a contributing factor to these situations.

"I think drip irrigation can be a good tool for producers," says Bordovsky. "Cost is a big issue and has to be balanced with increases in yield and water efficiency. In the High Plains, sub-surface irrigation systems have become quite popular. However, it depends on the producer you talk to about this."

source : cottonfarming

We can be precise in our irrigation with a small amount

2010-08-31T10:14:00.002-07:00

Precision Irrigation Leads
To Efficiency

Tommy Horton

"We can be precise in our irrigation with a small amount of water to gain very high water use efficiency," Bordovsky says. "It's all about timing. We are being forced to use precision irrigation with limited water quantities as opposed to meeting all the water needs of a plant. In a nutshell, that's what we're trying to do."

Researchers know that producers must be more efficient in their irrigation for several reasons. First, there is the question of water availability. In the Texas High Plains, that means making good use of water from the shrinking Ogallala aquifer. Second, there are recurring drought trends that occasionally wreak havoc on production efficiency.

It's because of this environment that producers in the High Plains have moved away from furrow irrigation and now opt for LEPA (low energy precision application), center pivots and drip systems. That is a logical transition in a region that can only hope for an average yearly rainfall of 18 inches.

source : cottonfarming

Key Area For Irrigation

2010-08-31T10:14:00.001-07:00

Precision Irrigation Leads
To Efficiency

Tommy Horton

Key Area For Irrigation

Bordovsky knows something about irrigation systems in a cotton production region that deals with sporadic rainfall patterns. From his vantage point in Plainview, he has a front-row seat for weather events in the High Plains.

The Texas researcher admits that there isn't a single "silver bullet" in the irrigation research arsenal that will solve this problem. But he believes his team will continue to see positive results in the coming years. Most of the research centers on total water efficiency from irrigation, rainfall and any available soil moisture and is based on the timing of critical water needs in different configurations with the plant.

"We can be precise in our irrigation with a small amount of water to gain very high water use efficiency," Bordovsky says. "It's all about timing. We are being forced to use precision irrigation with limited water quantities as opposed to meeting all the water needs of a plant. In a nutshell, that's what we're trying to do."

source : cottonfarming

With changing weather problems

2010-08-31T10:13:00.001-07:00

Precision Irrigation Leads
To Efficiency

Tommy Horton

With changing weather problems and the threat of drought affecting so many regions of the Belt, the need for efficient irrigation practices has never been more important.

The good news for the cotton industry is that remarkable strides have been made in this area. Today, no producer takes water resources for granted anymore.

"I think producers definitely know the importance of efficient irrigation," says Jim Bordovsky, research scientist based at the Texas AgriLife Center station at Halfway in Plainview.

"There isn't a conversation out here on the High Plains that doesn't include the topic of water availability. I've been involved with this for 31 years, and it affects not just producers but everything in our ag economy."

source : cottonfarming

Precision Irrigation Leads To Efficiency

2010-08-31T10:12:00.001-07:00

Precision Irrigation Leads
To Efficiency

Tommy Horton

The future of world cotton production depends on many factors – prices, weather, effective farm policy and market demand, to name a few.

However, without reliable water resources, effective conservation practices and irrigation, you can forget about everything else.

It all starts with water.

No matter what part of the Cotton Belt is examined, a degree of concern always exists on this issue. And, as many experts will attest, if a problem exists in one region, it eventually becomes a problem in another region.

With changing weather problems and the threat of drought affecting so many regions of the Belt, the need for efficient irrigation practices has never been more important.

source : cottonfarming

Explaining

2010-08-31T10:03:00.001-07:00

High On Cotton

Roger Carter
Clayton, La.

Explaining to our "non-cotton-raising" brethren what "bein' in 'da shaught rows" means is worth several bales of cotton to me. And not having cotton in a crop mix in the Cotton Belt makes as much sense as killing a hog on a hot day. Cotton may not be considered the King now, but what other crop can take its place in such a noble way. Its romanticism is rooted in the Deep South, and it will not just be "Gone With the Wind." Acreages will return when economics dictate and until then those that continue to raise cotton will be considered the elite of all crop producers.

Am I "high" on cotton? You betcha. It has been down before, and I am sure will again, but it is the one crop we have always depended upon to retrieve us from financial ruts. And, as John Hunter said, "it gives us the rhythm."

And I like his beat.

source : cottonfarming

I developed my style

2010-08-31T10:01:00.003-07:00

High On Cotton

Roger Carter
Clayton, La.

"I developed my style by pickin' a lot of cotton, plowin' that ole mule every day. I just got the rhythm, and any rhythm I need, I know where it is; I know where to find it." – John Hunter, Texas blues legend

"I loved to get all dusty and ride horses and plant potatoes and cotton." – Dorothy Malone, television and movie actress

"I was influenced a lot by those around me. There was a lot of singing that went on in the cotton fields." – Willie Nelson, country western singer

Have you ever seen such quotes regarding soybean, corn, rice or wheat? That's because our roots are in cotton. From cotton we came, and from cotton we will grow. No crop has brought farmers in the Cotton Belt back from financial insecurity as cotton.

source : cottonfarming

Coffee shop talk didn’t help

2010-08-31T10:01:00.001-07:00

High On Cotton

Roger Carter
Clayton, La.

Coffee shop talk didn't help. They say one bad shrimp can spoil the whole catch. Same at the coffee shop, farm store, chemical dealer, etc. One person can sway the whole group.

This year began with cotton acreages again tumbling, but a semi-respectable acreage has emerged. Although some of the crop is slightly later than normal, cotton can respond to the warmer temperatures and gentler rains of June and July and set record yields quickly.

I cannot speak for all areas, but this area of Louisiana has one of the best overall starts in cotton we have seen in many years. To consultants and cotton farmers, seeing that first bloom makes us feel better than having a sausage and biscuit at McDonald's but not quite as good as a reduction in technology fees.

source : cottonfarming

Wikipedia defines optimism

2010-08-31T10:00:00.001-07:00

High On Cotton

Roger Carter
Clayton, La.

Wikipedia defines optimism as "an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome."

If you "Google" "farming optimism" you will find 650,000 hits. With "cotton optimism," 396,000 hits. Using the same correlation as many companies use when analyzing their product data, 396,000 divided by 650,000 means that roughly 61 percent of "Googles" feel optimistic about cotton.

That's not bad considering that there were only 64,400 hits on soybeans – less than 10 percent. Data are what we make of them, and I stretched the limit on these.

source : cottonfarming

High On Cotton

2010-08-31T09:58:00.001-07:00

The newest Cotton Incorporated “Fellow” is Jarrod T

2010-08-31T09:22:00.001-07:00

Spider Mite Research Goes
Multi-State

The newest Cotton Incorporated "Fellow" is Jarrod T. Hardke. Currently a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in the Department of Entomology at Louisiana State University, he is studying cotton pest insect management under the direction of Dr. B. Rogers Leonard, Professor of Entomology and J. Hamilton, Regents Chair in Cotton Production with the LSU AgCenter.

Jarrod's dissertation research topic will be evaluating the efficacy of Bt cotton as well as conventional insecticides against the fall armyworm, while describing the symptoms of fall armyworm injury on both Bt and conventional varieties.

His work will become increasingly important as U.S. cotton nears elimination of single-gene Bt cotton technology and converts all Bt cotton acreage to multiple-gene technologies.

source : cottonfarming

LSU Entomologist To Join Special ‘Fellows’ Program

2010-08-31T09:21:00.001-07:00

Spider Mite Research Goes
Multi-State

LSU Entomologist To Join Special 'Fellows' Program

It is critical to have young, trained scientists in each area of cotton research. Entomology is no different.

Cotton Incorporated's "Fellowship" program has done an excellent job attracting young, talented scientists into disciplines related to cotton breeding. Because of that success, it has expanded the Fellows program to include the science of entomology.

The newest Cotton Incorporated "Fellow" is Jarrod T. Hardke. Currently a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in the Department of Entomology at Louisiana State University, he is studying cotton pest insect management under the direction of Dr. B. Rogers Leonard, Professor of Entomology and J. Hamilton, Regents Chair in Cotton Production with the LSU AgCenter.

source : cottonfarming

Multi-State Cooperators

2010-08-31T09:20:00.002-07:00

Spider Mite Research Goes
Multi-State

Multi-State Cooperators

Key findings from that study were as follows: 1) During bloom, the drop cloth was found to be the most efficient and accurate sampling method for TPB; 2) During squaring, the sweep net was shown as the most efficient and accurate sampling method for TPB; 3) TPB during bloom was established as 2.5-3 TPB per 5-row foot on a drop cloth and 4) TPB threshold during squaring was established as 8 TPB per 100 sweeps.

O'Leary explains: "The objectives of this project are two-fold and include: Determine the impact of spider mites on cotton yields at different times of the year and when applications can be terminated; and perform a standardized, regional efficacy trial using labeled miticides."

This portion of the trial will be performed by applying the most commonly used miticides and initiated when spider mite infestations exceed a treatment threshold of 30 to 50 percent infested plants with increasing populations. Although there have been previous studies similar in nature, all were conducted in production systems and environments much different than what are found in the Mid-South.

source : cottonfarming

O’Leary is drawing on the same cooperative

2010-08-31T09:20:00.001-07:00

Spider Mite Research Goes
Multi-State

Multi-State Cooperators

O'Leary is drawing on the same cooperative researchers who participated in the Cotton Incorporated-funded multi-state Tarnished Plant Bug (TPB) research project in 2005.

Key findings from that study were as follows: 1) During bloom, the drop cloth was found to be the most efficient and accurate sampling method for TPB; 2) During squaring, the sweep net was shown as the most efficient and accurate sampling method for TPB; 3) TPB during bloom was established as 2.5-3 TPB per 5-row foot on a drop cloth and 4) TPB threshold during squaring was established as 8 TPB per 100 sweeps.

O'Leary explains: "The objectives of this project are two-fold and include: Determine the impact of spider mites on cotton yields at different times of the year and when applications can be terminated; and perform a standardized, regional efficacy trial using labeled miticides."

source : cottonfarming

Spider Mite Research Goes Multi-State

2010-08-31T09:19:00.001-07:00

Spider Mite Research Goes
Multi-State

Spider mites have traditionally been considered an occasional cutout pest for cotton during hot and dry years. In recent years however, the percentage of cotton acres in the Mid-South requiring treatment for spider mite control has increased two-fold.

"In 2007, spider mites were the third most damaging pest on cotton behind plant bugs and bollworms," says Pat O'Leary, senior director, agricultural research, Cotton Incorporated.

Because mites are becoming more of a problem for cotton, O'Leary is spearheading a multi-state research effort to lend insight and develop specific recommendations to better control mites.

"Mites are a yield-limiting pest and because of that, it's important to conduct research to show exactly how yield is affected when mite infestations occur at various times of the growing season – and when miticide applications should be terminated," she says.

source : cottonfarming

A cotton seedling that is working to overcome thrips

2010-08-31T09:08:00.001-07:00

Thrips Control Helps Root
Development

Amanda Huber
Southeast Editor

A cotton seedling that is working to overcome thrips damage will not have vigorously growing roots. The poorly growing roots will succumb to nematode damage more than vigorously growing roots, and this scenario will reduce the plant's ability to overcome disease pressure.

"A vigorous, rapidly growing plant is going to reach the level of maturity where a fungus has less ability to affect it," Kemerait says. "The more you can do to get rapid emergence, rapid growth, the better the plant is able to outgrow disease."

Vigorous, rapid root growth is the key, and thrips control is important to achieve that growth.

"Thrips are extremely predictable in cotton," Roberts says. "We're not saying that you need to go out and spray for thrips, but you don't want to overlook them either."

Scouting is the main idea, he says.

source : cottonfarming

Vigorous Roots Are Important

2010-08-31T09:07:00.003-07:00

Thrips Control Helps Root
Development

Amanda Huber
Southeast Editor

Vigorous Roots Are Important

Nematode damage is likely to happen, says Bob Kemerait, University of Georgia Extension pathologist.

"The key is to have the roots grown enough to be well established," he says. "The more established the root system is, then, even when damage does occur to them, the roots are more able to tolerate that damage."

The Georgia pathologist says nematodes are stress multipliers.

"They will make any stress worse," Kemerait adds.

A cotton seedling that is working to overcome thrips damage will not have vigorously growing roots. The poorly growing roots will succumb to nematode damage more than vigorously growing roots, and this scenario will reduce the plant's ability to overcome disease pressure.

source : cottonfarming

In Georgia

2010-08-31T09:07:00.001-07:00

Thrips Control Helps Root
Development

Amanda Huber
Southeast Editor

In Georgia, he says most producers put out a preventative insecticide application at planting.

"But," he says, "we still need to scout those fields for thrips. If we have heavy pressure, we will find damage sufficient that a foliar spray is needed."

Roberts says classic thrips damage is crinkling of leaves and possible stunting of the plants.

"The bottom line is that what you see above the ground, as in plant stunting, you will get that same stunting below ground," he says. "Poor root growth interrupts so many other plant functions, such as the plant's ability to deal with drought stress."

Therefore, rapid, early season root growth depends on good management of thrips early on, and rapid, vigorous root growth also is very important in nematode management.

source : cottonfarming

It’s All Relative

2010-08-31T09:06:00.001-07:00

Thrips Control Helps Root
Development

Amanda Huber
Southeast Editor

It's All Relative

"We have been exploring the relationship of early season thrips injury on root development for a couple of years now," says Philip Roberts, University of Georgia Extension entomologist for cotton. "There is a strong correlation of above-ground plant growth and root growth.

"When you have excessive thrips injury, and the above-ground plant growth is stunted, the root growth is also reduced."

In Georgia, he says most producers put out a preventative insecticide application at planting.

"But," he says, "we still need to scout those fields for thrips. If we have heavy pressure, we will find damage sufficient that a foliar spray is needed."

Roberts says classic thrips damage is crinkling of leaves and possible stunting of the plants.

source : cottonfarming

Thrips Control Helps Root Development

2010-08-31T09:05:00.001-07:00

Thrips Control Helps Root
Development

Amanda Huber
Southeast Editor

Rapid, early season root growth is critical to the health of a young cotton plant. A vigorously growing root system means the plant is more likely to withstand nematode damage and reach a stage where seedling diseases have less impact more quickly.

Reducing thrips injury to the foliar part of the plant is necessary to promote maximum root growth. Overall, researchers say producers should keep in mind that what is happening above ground is happening below ground.

source : cottonfarming

As we move forward in the legislative process

2010-08-31T08:44:00.001-07:00

Face To Face

With Senator Blanche Lincoln
Tommy Horton

As we move forward in the legislative process, we must ensure we don't do more harm than good as Congress considers various proposals to achieve the needed reforms.

Finally, how do you manage to maintain such a normal family life with your husband and twin sons while being a senator?

Like any working parent, it can be a challenge to balance family and work. I do a lot of shopping at wholesale stores, and my slow cooker gets plenty of use throughout the week. My family and Arkansas roots keep me grounded and are what make me a better senator. I don't know how many senators do their own grocery shopping or fill their own gas tanks, but I sure do, just as any Arkansan does. My family's support has allowed me to remain true to myself and true to my state.

source : cottonfarming

I am proud of the bipartisan energy

2010-08-31T08:43:00.003-07:00

Face To Face

With Senator Blanche Lincoln
Tommy Horton

How do you feel about the climate change legislation that is making its way into the Senate?

I am proud of the bipartisan energy bill I recently helped pass out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. I believe our bill can serve as the basis of the Senate's comprehensive energy reform bill, which will promote greater energy efficiency and grow the use of cleaner, renewable energy sources that will benefit our environment, create jobs and cut out dependence on foreign oil. I believe this legislation represents an important step forward in enabling our nation to transition to a new energy economy.

Adding climate change legislation to the reforms already included in the Senate Energy Committee's proposal is going to be a challenge in my view. I have many questions about how the House-passed climate change provisions will impact energy prices for consumers and businesses, including our agriculture community, especially during an economic downturn. I've heard from my farmers in Arkansas who are concerned that the cost of fertilizer and fuel would increase, and how offsets will be managed under a cap-and-trade system.

As we move forward in the legislative process, we must ensure we don't do more harm than good as Congress considers various proposals to achieve the needed reforms.

source : cottonfarming

That’s a good question

2010-08-31T08:43:00.001-07:00

Face To Face

With Senator Blanche Lincoln
Tommy Horton

Are there other issues that affect rural ag environments that the general public isn't aware of?

That's a good question. I was talking to a friend in Washington who was from another state. This person has a business partner from Argentina who has just bought 7,000 acres of farmland in Arkansas and has plans to buy 5,000 more acres in the same area.

I don't think the American public realizes how much land is being purchased by foreign investors. Sure, the land will be cultivated and will probably be farmed by somebody locally. But the land ownership isn't staying in those farm families. I'm not saying foreign investment is bad necessarily, but I have concerns about the ownership of land moving from families with deep ties to the communities they live in to a company that is not as familiar with the families depending upon farming that land to make a living.

source : cottonfarming

How do you feel about farmers who chase higher prices by growing other crops?

2010-08-31T08:42:00.001-07:00

Face To Face

With Senator Blanche Lincoln
Tommy Horton

How do you feel about farmers who chase higher prices by growing other crops?

A lot of farmers are doing this out of necessity – not because it's what they want to do or it's more efficient. I did not support Freedom To Farm in 1994 because I thought it was dangerous. When you chase prices in the marketplace, it affects the investment you've already made in your regular crop.

Infrastructure and knowledge of a crop you're suited to grow are very important. When a farmer buys a $450,000 cotton harvester and then suddenly decides to start growing corn, it's a major adjustment and can have an impact on his profitability. Having said this, I do think it's attractive when a farmer can shift some of his acres into renewable crops. It will be important to know that we can still use cotton stalks to make cellulosic ethanol. I can see advantages in devoting some acreage to rapeseed, sunflowers or switchgrass as we look to these exciting future opportunities.

What is the biggest misconception about the payment limit issue as it pertains to Southern producers?

I always tell my colleagues that the payment follows the production. Furthermore, you have to understand that the payment isn't going into the farmer's pocket. It's probably going to the banker who is financing the purchase of that expensive piece of equipment. Because our farmers are in an economy of scale in a large production effort, the payment is naturally going to be larger. It's hard for some of my Congressional colleagues to understand this.

source : cottonfarming

Your father obviously had a big influence on your life

2010-08-31T08:41:00.001-07:00

Face To Face

With Senator Blanche Lincoln
Tommy Horton

Your father obviously had a big influence on your life. What are your most vivid recollections of him?

I have never seen or known a better conservationist than my father. He had more respect for the land and environment because he depended on it to support his family. And he wanted to preserve it for future generations of his family to use it. But he also enjoyed the land he owned. Whenever he had a spare moment, that's what he was doing – turkey or duck hunting or fishing. Or, he was working in a vegetable garden in the back of the house. Those are very special memories.

How do you feel about farmers who chase higher prices by growing other crops?

A lot of farmers are doing this out of necessity – not because it's what they want to do or it's more efficient. I did not support Freedom To Farm in 1994 because I thought it was dangerous. When you chase prices in the marketplace, it affects the investment you've already made in your regular crop.

Infrastructure and knowledge of a crop you're suited to grow are very important. When a farmer buys a $450,000 cotton harvester and then suddenly decides to start growing corn, it's a major adjustment and can have an impact on his profitability. Having said this, I do think it's attractive when a farmer can shift some of his acres into renewable crops. It will be important to know that we can still use cotton stalks to make cellulosic ethanol. I can see advantages in devoting some acreage to rapeseed, sunflowers or switchgrass as we look to these exciting future opportunities.

source : cottonfarming

Can cotton gain access to overseas markets in the ongoing WTO negotiations?

2010-08-31T08:30:00.001-07:00

Face To Face

With Senator Blanche Lincoln
Tommy Horton

Can cotton gain access to overseas markets in the ongoing WTO negotiations?

What will be important in the WTO talks is that we begin anew and have a fresh start. When the talks were suspended, a proposal was on the table to reduce the safety net of our U.S. producers. Our negotiators were under the assumption that other countries would follow suit and provide our producers new market access. That didn't happen, and many of us in Congress said there was no way we would sacrifice our producers like that. I have worked with our new U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, and I believe he'll be a strong voice for agriculture in the new WTO talks.

Are you proud of the bipartisan efforts you led in the Farm Bill debate?

I was definitely proud to have worked with Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and several others on some of the issues in the Farm Bill. Agriculture has traditionally been bipartisan in so many ways.

The other key part of the situation is being able to work on legislation from a regional standpoint. Obviously, the population in this country is concentrated on the East Coast and West Coast. We have to make sure the middle part of the country doesn't get left out. Our regions are different from the rest of the country, and we have to appreciate each other's differences. Hopefully, that fact will encourage some bipartisanship.

source : cottonfarming

Face To Face

2010-08-31T08:28:00.001-07:00

Face To Face

With Senator Blanche Lincoln
Tommy Horton

This Arkansas senator has been a strong supporter of the cotton industry and all of agriculture since being elected to Congress in 1992 and later when she was elected to the Senate in 1998. In this in-depth interview with Cotton Farming magazine, she talks about the challenges facing farmers and her efforts to protect the interests of rural America.

If you could offer any encouragement today to cotton producers and the rest of the industry, what would it be?

Agriculture and cotton, in particular, have a tremendous opportunity right now. The economy is at a difficult point, but we are still competitive in the global, albeit volatile, marketplace. Agriculture is still one of the few industries where we run a trade surplus with the rest of the world. Agriculture has a chance to partially redefine itself if it can partner in efforts such as energy and health care reform. We need to stand up and tell the rest of the country how important agriculture is to our economy. Our quality of life would certainly be worse off if we did not have a strong domestic ag industry.

source : cottonfarming

So where does this leave the ginning sector?

2010-08-31T08:26:00.001-07:00

A Resilient Industry

Tim Price
Memphis, Tenn.

So where does this leave the ginning sector? Well, I can say for sure that our ginners want to process cotton, and they are doing everything in their power to remain viable. In fact, the number of gins actually closing is far less – proportionately speaking – than the number of acres decreasing. Why is this happening? First, our ginners are committed to cotton. Second, they want to stay in business and be ready when cotton acres return. Third, they are anticipating cotton's comeback.

Because of these principles affecting the future of cotton, the Southern Cotton Ginners Association recently asked the LSU AgCenter to conduct a vital study on acreage shifts, ginning capacity and strategic positioning within the ginning sector. Among many findings, we discovered that cotton generates nearly three times its direct economic activity in local communities.

The study also talks about the need for looking at all ginning costs and understanding the relationship between investments and expenditures. It will also help us identify gaps in ginning capacity from recent gin closures where cotton has been historically grown. I'm glad the LSU AgCenter did this study because it has led to the Southern Cotton Ginners eventually receiving a $69,000 grant from USDA-AMS to continue studying the "change and strategic positioning of the industry."

source : cottonfarming

A Resilient Industry

2010-08-31T08:24:00.001-07:00

A Resilient Industry

Tim Price
Memphis, Tenn.

You have likely heard the statement that the cotton industry is at its best during a crisis. Well, I always believed that statement, but it was not until recently that I fully appreciated it.

After I participated in the Southern Cotton Ginners Association's summer meeting in July, I became even more convinced about how our industry will survive these latest challenges.

Nobody needs to list all of the things that U.S. cotton is facing these days. Fewer acres, volatile prices, global recession, WTO negotiations and high input prices are just some of our challenging issues.

However, the ginning sector is doing its part to adjust to this new environment. In fact, we're doing more than adjusting. We are trying to study and explore opportunities so that we'll be ready to take advantage when those cotton acres do return.

source : cottonfarming

In July

2010-08-31T08:20:00.001-07:00

Court Denies Request For Rehearing

In July, we asked our readers if they thought a review of the case would overturn the panel's ruling. Sixty-two percent said no, thirty-eight percent said yes. As it turned out, EPA opposed the rehearing request, and on Aug. 3, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the request for a rehearing by the full Court.

According to NASDA, after the rehearing was denied, now there is a 90-day window for the litigants to decide what steps to take next.

No matter how you vote, we appreciate everyone's participation in Cotton Farming's monthly Web Poll. Follow-ing is a sampling of the comments we received from people who voted in the July Web Poll.

source : cottonfarming

Court Denies Request For Rehearing

2010-08-31T07:58:00.001-07:00

Court Denies Request For Rehearing

In a decision of great interest to farmers, Congress exempted ag storm water runoff from nonpoint sources from the Clean Water Act's (CWA) emitting program, and EPA's 2007 rule similarly exempted properly made pesticide applications.

However, in January 2009, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned EPA's policy and ruled that pesticide applications made to, over or near water bodies will require National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.

The "general permits" referenced by the panel's January decision could take months or perhaps years to develop. They are especially vulnerable to possible litigation for which farmers and applicators, not product registrants, could be held responsible.

"Over three decades and through two CWA amendments by Congress, EPA has never issued an NPDES permit for pesticide application," says Jay Vroom, CropLife America (CLA) president and CEO.

source : cottonfarming

Why did the NCC’s Conservation Task Force recently meet?

2010-08-31T07:40:00.001-07:00

Contemplating Conservation

Jimmy Webb
Producer/Leary, Ga

Why did the NCC's Conservation Task Force recently meet?

That task force met primarily to bring its members up to date on 2008 farm law changes affecting conservation programs and to discuss ways producers can improve their eligibility and acceptance into these programs. The NCC already had submitted comments to USDA on the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program – efforts of vital interest in the Cotton Belt, so this was an opportune time to review how these will now work. NCC staff and the task force also reviewed the new Conservation Stewardship Program's proposed regulations. In addition, the task force discussed approaches for educational outreach, which will include seminars highlighting specific conservation programs and ways producers can improve their probability of acceptance. Following the seminars, educational materials will be available on the NCC's Web site, and there are plans underway to conduct conservation workshops at the 2010 Beltwide Cotton Conferences.

source : cottonfarming

And then it happened

2010-08-31T07:35:00.001-07:00

Spreading The Word About Cotton

Tommy Horton

And then it happened. A young woman approached me near the checkout line at the park's restaurant and wanted to know if I were a cotton farmer – mainly because of the words Cotton Farming on my shirt. That, in turn, led to a lengthy conversation about agriculture. It seems that she was from eastern North Carolina near Wilson, and she and her husband farmed corn and soybeans. They had farmed cotton many years ago but had decided to switch to grain crops, probably because of prices.

She was intent on telling me about cotton farmers in her part of North Carolina and how she had a great appreciation for their work ethic and passion for producing that crop every year. I was about to leave when she transitioned into another topic – the weather. She wanted to tell me how farmers in North Carolina deal with the threat of drought, tropical storms and hurricanes. She then proceeded to tell me how much pride her state's farmers have in their chosen careers.

We were both in a hurry and never learned each other's name. But she wished me luck at Cotton Farming, and I told her to hang in there with those corn and soybean crops. She said she was glad that a few people out there still understood ag's importance. OK, maybe it sounds corny.

But how often do you get to discuss cotton with a total stranger at the top of a mountain? And it all happened because of the shirt I was wearing

source : cottonfarming

We saved nearly $17 per acre or nearly $18,000 for the year

2010-08-31T07:30:00.000-07:00

N.C. Producers Face Big Challenges,
Small Fields

Amanda Huber
Southeast Editor

"We saved nearly $17 per acre or nearly $18,000 for the year," he says. "When we moved it out, I gave a lot more priority to how I was planting."

He says they also use Autosteer for spray applications, and they are now considering bringing in auto shut-off technology in order to eliminate the overlap of product.

Big or small, the Tyners have a challenge facing most producers: herbicide-resistant weeds.

"Marestail is a little bit of a problem, but there is nothing to take care of Palmer amaranth, except possibly a machete," the younger Tyner says. "The chemicals you can spray on it, you can't spray on cotton until the cotton gets up to a certain height. And you can control Palmer amaranth when it's small, but it will get away from you in a week's time.

"I think cotton is the hardest crop in which to try to control weeds," he says.

Finding solutions, whether it is changes in conventional practices or implementing new technologies, the Tyners continue to search for consistent yields in their small fields.

source : cottonfarming

Gerald Tyner Jr

2010-08-31T07:22:00.000-07:00

N.C. Producers Face Big Challenges,
Small Fields

Amanda Huber
Southeast Editor

Gerald Tyner Jr., says, "The cotton is alright here, but with some of our land, there is not a consistent yield."

Gerald's father is optimistic about how this year's crop is progressing.

"Usually, we have average to above average yields," he says. "Right now everything looks good. I don't know what it will end up like. We will need some real rain."

One of the Tyners' greatest challenges is the small size of their fields.

"Our fields aren't all that big," the younger Tyner says. "You try to spray a three-acre field, and you've sprayed it twice by the time you get through with it."

Smith says the average size of fields in the area is seven to 10 acres.

The younger Tyner says, "On a small farm, you end up putting more gallons to the acre than for a farm with larger fields. When you plant, it's the same way. We have a 12-row planter, and it creates a lot of waste."

source : cottonfarming

N.C. Producers Face Big Challenges, Small Fields

2010-08-30T05:49:00.001-07:00

N.C. Producers Face Big Challenges,
Small Fields

Amanda Huber
Southeast Editor

As workers readied barns for more tobacco, North Carolina producers Gerald Tyner and his son, Gerald Tyner Jr., took a few minutes to talk about how their 2009 crop year was progressing. The Tyners produce cotton, soybeans and tobacco, with the latter as their primary focus because of their land's soil type. The challenge is producing big yields, or even consistent ones, in small-sized fields.

The Tyners' farm is located in Elm City, considered part of the coastal plain area of North Carolina.

"This part of North Carolina was one of the first areas settled in the country," says Toni Wade Smith, the Tyners' crop consultant since 1991. "Every bit of the land that is usable is used."

The soil type, which is mostly sandy, is particularly conducive for tobacco because the nitrogen leaches out well, allowing the tobacco leaves to yellow.

However, the Tyners say it often makes for inconsistent yields in cotton.

source : cottonfarming

The other potential solution

2010-08-30T05:45:00.001-07:00

The Good Old Days Of
Weed Control

Larry Steckel
Jackson, Tenn.

The other potential solution is the new genetic herbicide traits we have all heard about. These include the dicamba-tolerant technology and 2,4-D-tolerant technology. These technologies are much closer to being here than a new herbicide. In my opinion, the early press releases have oversold this technology as they will not be the new "glyphosate" in controlling GR Palmer.

Neither dicamba nor 2,4-D will control large Palmer pigweed like we could with glyphosate "back in the day." However, in early work they do appear that they will control Palmer that is less than eight inches tall. In other words, these will be welcome tools to help us manage this weed, but we will still need to use pre-emergence herbicides as well as directed applications in most cases.

Cotton producers are now going through some expensive and frustrating times trying to manage GR Palmer amaranth. I am going out tomorrow to help a couple of producers decide whether to disk down some GR Palmer amaranth-infested crops or try to salvage them. It is a frustrating time for weed scientists in cotton country as well. We would like to have a better answer than "get the disk out."

source : cottonfarming

In the Mid-South

2010-08-30T05:42:00.001-07:00

The Good Old Days Of
Weed Control

Larry Steckel
Jackson, Tenn.

In the Mid-South, we have no less than six glyphosate-resistant (GR) weeds. These include horseweed (marestail), Italian ryegrass, giant ragweed, common ragweed, Johnsongrass and the weed that is of most concern, Palmer amaranth, which has proven to be the game changer with respect to weed control in cotton.

It is a highly competitive pest to cotton with recent research from Georgia showing as few as two Palmer plants/20 feet of row, lowering cotton yields by 23 percent.

As most cotton producers now know, Palmer amaranth hits a field in much greater numbers than two plants in 20 row-feet. Moreover, it will grow one to two inches per day, which was not an issue when glyphosate controlled it at any size. It is a huge issue when the only other post option, Ignite, will only control it up to four inches tall.

source : cottonfarming

Check the row-unit tilt

2010-08-30T05:37:00.001-07:00

10 Picker Pointers

Carroll Smith
Senior Writer

7. Check the row-unit tilt. Set the row unit in the front about an inch to an inch and a half at the front of the cabinet lower than the back edge of the cabinet to allow the front lower spindle to enter the row at a lower position. Relative motion of the spindle is then slightly up the stalk as it stands and turns in the row of stalks. Make sure the tip of the plant lifter is an inch higher than the front edge of the row unit cabinet to avoid "plowing" the soil.

8. During harvest season, center the harvester on the row if it has an automatic guidance system. This allows the stalk to come in with its main stem centered on the length of the spindle and adjacent to the front drum ribs.

9. Avoid picking at night after relative humidity rises above 70 percent.

10. Using an industrial type air compressor is probably the most effective way to clean the machine thoroughly and quickly. It can be used to clean the basket, chassis and engine compartments, radiators and row units.

Following these pointers helps ensure retaining the highest percentage of your crop. Even a slight percentage yield loss in the field adds up when you consider the amount of acres a picker covers during harvest season.

source : cottonfarming

10 Picker Pointers

2010-08-30T05:34:00.001-07:00

10 Picker Pointers

Carroll Smith
Senior Writer

As fall approaches, it's time to get your picker into top shape and keep it properly maintained during harvest season. Herb Willcutt, Ag and Bio Engineering at Mississippi State University, offers 10 picker pointers to help your ma-chine operate safely and efficiently.

1. Conduct a thorough cleaning and inspection of the picker. Make sure the battery will hold a charge and start reliably. Check lubricant levels and change hydraulic fluids on a yearly basis. Service the drive train.

2. Check the tires for inflation pressure and condition. With properly inflated tires, the picker will not bounce nearly as much, so the row-unit height control sensor will operate correctly and prevent the loss of cotton on the stalk as well as on the ground.

3. Evaluate the condition of the row unit in terms of wear, spindle sharpness, row-unit hours and broken spindles or ones that do not turn. Spindles and spindle bushings probably don't need to be replaced more than every 400 to 600 hours. (Three seasons approximately equal 600 hours on most Mid-South pickers). Check each bar for the proper height. Shim the bars within one to three thousandths of an inch of each other. Look for any broken or bent bars or a broken cam arm on top.

source : cottonfarming

This segment of women

2010-08-30T05:18:00.001-07:00

Special Campaign Brings Consumers
Closer To Cotton

"This segment of women is going through important life stages that makes it highly influential in the purchase decision process," says Paula Rosario, vice president of consumer marketing and strategic alliances at Cotton Incorporated.

With so many fiber apparel options at retail, Cotton Incorporated has created an interactive promotion utilizing 'experiential marketing' that will be implemented at 15 malls all across the United States. The mall program will literally bring cotton's television and print ad campaign to life at point-of-sale.

When mall visitors arrive, they will find large scale, non-traditional sign-age and a large interactive pod that features images of the three recording artists who were chosen to interpret, compose and record their own versions of The Fabric of Our Lives theme song: Zooey Deschanel, Miranda Lambert and Jazmine Sullivan.

source : cottonfarming

Big Expense: Labor Costs

2010-08-30T05:00:00.001-07:00

Be Prepared Before
Ginning Starts

Thomas D. Valco
USDA-ARS
Stoneville, Miss

Big Expense: Labor Costs

The cost of ginning cotton is an important concern for ginners and producers, as well. The latest cost survey for the 2007/08 season showed seasonal labor as the largest single expense item reported in this survey, followed by repair, energy (electrical and gas) and bagging/ties costs.

An average cost comparison based on the annual number of bales ginned showed that larger bale numbers help to reduce per-bale cost, primarily as a result of reduced labor cost. But individual gin data also shows that smaller gins can have similar per-bale costs as a larger gin.

For those gins that implement new technology and improved operation efficiency, cost can be controlled.

Gin managers can use average ginning cost data to evaluate their operations and improve efficiency. It is important to acknowledge that each gin plant has a unique design and seasonal operating characteristics that set it apart from others across the Belt. Gin operation and management go a long way in reducing variable costs.

source : cottonfarming

Keep Neighbors Informed

2010-08-30T04:58:00.001-07:00

Be Prepared Before
Ginning Starts

Thomas D. Valco
USDA-ARS
Stoneville, Miss

Keep Neighbors Informed

Many gins invite producers and sometimes neighbors to a pre-season meeting to review the latest updates, rule changes and ginning charges. This is always a good idea to make sure everyone is on the same page and to keep your neighbors knowledgeable of the ginning schedule and hopefully on your good side.

It is a good idea to find out what variety types, such as hairy leaf or small-seeded cotton, are being grown by your producers and if any special gin equipment setup is needed.

It is also very important to discuss methods for good defoliation and harvest preparation with your customers, making sure the cotton is dry when it goes into the module, modules are properly constructed, built in well drained areas and covers are in good condition.

source : cottonfarming

Make Necessary Repairs

2010-08-30T04:56:00.001-07:00

Be Prepared Before
Ginning Starts

Thomas D. Valco
USDA-ARS
Stoneville, Miss

Make Necessary Repairs

Of course, all ginners spend time repairing and/or upgrading their gins during the off season. It's just natural. Whether it is adding new cleaning equipment, an automated strapping system or just replacing gin saws or grid bars, proper installation and adjustment are needed.

It is difficult to test a modification during the repair season because of the electrical demand charges and/or there is no cotton available to gin. Many times ginners set aside some cotton from the previous season for that early season test and that helps to get the gin tuned up before the season starts in earnest.

Nothing is worse than starting up a gin and hearing that metal-on-metal clanking sound where someone forgot to secure a new bearing or left a tool in the hopper. You need to check and double check to make sure all modifications or repairs were done properly and are ready to go.

source : cottonfarming

Safety Is Major Priority

2010-08-30T03:54:00.001-07:00

Be Prepared Before
Ginning Starts

Thomas D. Valco
USDA-ARS
Stoneville, Miss

Safety Is Major Priority

First and foremost, all employees should be given proper safety training. Inevitably, you will have new employees working at the beginning of the ginning season with little experience and awareness of the potential hazards. Larry Davis of the Southern Cotton Ginners' Association, says: "Just because you're not ginning as much cotton this year, don't shortcut your safety training. Everything you do in the way of safety pays off."

All of the regional ginning organizations provide training to gin managers and full-time workers prior to the ginning season. Make sure you take advantage of this opportunity. In addition, each of our three USDA ginning labs conducts a three-day gin school where safety and basic ginning principles are discussed and demonstrated.

Safety specialists from industry and academia provide the latest statistics and training updates for gin operators and managers.

source : cottonfarming

As history has taught

2010-08-30T03:48:00.001-07:00

Lessons Learned On The Farm

Joel Faircloth
Collierville, Tenn.

As history has taught, the practice of agriculture can lead the nation through tough financial periods. Furthermore, we want people with ideals similar to those learned on farms during those periods, which brings us to the cotton industry.

With the leadership of American cotton producers as individuals and organizations like the National Cotton Council and Cotton Incorporated, we will survive the challenges ahead. This leadership is one reason why I feel comfortable enough with the sustainability of the cotton industry to work in a role limited to only cotton and for a company that is going "away from the industry herd" by still investing tremendous resources into cotton genetics and biotechnology research.

Cotton farming in the United States will endure challenges, although it also will continually evolve. Meanwhile, let's focus on the things we have control over in life, like equipping our children for the world they will face.

source : cottonfarming

Lessons Learned On The Farm

2010-08-30T03:36:00.001-07:00

Lessons Learned On The Farm

Joel Faircloth
Collierville, Tenn.

About two years ago, shortly after starting my position as a PhytoGen cotton development specialist with Dow Agro-Sciences, I had dinner with Arkansas crop consultants Don and Kim Benson and their two young daughters.

Having two young daughters of my own, I engaged them in conversation about raising children. They shared with me some of the activities in which their daughters were involved, and how the girls spent summers working in the consulting business to earn spending money.

After having dinner that night, it was apparent to me that Don and Kim were practicing parenting skills that taught many of the positive attributes typical of children who grow up on a farm or in a farming community. Their success was evidenced by their daughters' mature behavior at dinner.

source : cottonfarming

As the crops get larger and begin to canopy

2010-08-30T03:18:00.001-07:00

Interest Leans To Increased Irrigation

"As the crops get larger and begin to canopy, a full profile will only last about eight to 14 days. This typically begins to occur in early June through August. Rainfall is the best hope for supplemental moisture since it is free, but it is not 100 percent effective. To determine how effective a rainfall is, use a soil probe, shovel or another device to see how deep the moisture soaked. As much as 75 percent of the water from a hard fast rain can run off, whereas a slow steady rain can soak in as much as 90 percent. The type of rainfall event determines its effectiveness as well as the amount of moisture already in the soil.

"Tillage will often dry out the soil surface as deep as two to three inches, but doesn't really affect the deeper moisture. Rainfall is the best choice for replenishing the shallow moisture early in the year, but irrigation may be required during the summer months.

"Supplemental irrigation is not typically needed until mid- to late June on most crops under normal rainfall conditions. However, it is never too early to prepare for irrigation even if it is early because it will be needed in July and August to meet crop demand."

source : cottonfarming

Interest Leans To Increased Irrigation

2010-08-30T03:16:00.001-07:00

Interest Leans To Increased Irrigation

Two important elements of managing water in a cotton operation involve adequate drainage and irrigation where it is physically possible and/or economically feasible.

In August, we asked our readers if, based on past weather, they would opt to improve drainage on their farms or increase irrigated acres. After tallying the votes, 62 percent say they will increase their irrigated acres, while 38 percent plan to improve drainage.

Most farmers, especially if they have been farming the same ground for a long time, have worked out any drainage issues they may have had. However, if a producer has picked up additional land – whether bought or leased – he may have to do some drainage work for his water management program to work efficiently.

source : cottonfarming

Had it not been for a phone call

2010-08-29T04:39:00.001-07:00

Loyalty To Cotton Is Rewarded

Tommy Horton

Had it not been for a phone call I received from him in August, I might not ever have gotten the chance to drive to Bradley, Ark., and see his operation firsthand. But he was insistent that I needed to see how his management style could produce record-breaking yields and quality. Initially, it seemed like a long trip (300 miles), but after seeing how he consistently delivers yields between 3 and 5 bales per acre every year, it was a trip I'll never regret making.

A lot has happened since those days in 1975. But one thing hasn't changed. Whisenhunt is still an innovator and treats his small cotton acreage as if it were a rose garden in his backyard. He pampers and meticulously attends to every detail during the season. And did we mention that he also served as president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau from 1986 until 1999? He journeyed to Washington non-stop during this time period as he represented his state on important agricultural issues. He also traveled the world on numerous trade missions for his state.

Today, the pace is much slower for Andrew, but nothing has diminished his love of producing cotton. And even though troublesome rains have made this fall season a bit more challenging, he still believes he has a shot at producing between four and five bales per acre on some of his acreage.

source : cottonfarming

Worn or poorly

2010-08-29T04:36:00.001-07:00

Improving Efficiency,
Reducing Costs At The Gin

Thomas D. Valco

Worn or poorly adjusted lint cleaner grid bars can double lint losses, reducing the returns to the producer. Lint cleaners do a good job of removing trash but are detrimental to fiber length. Anytime a ginner can use seed cotton cleaners to remove trash instead of lint cleaners, the better. Also, lint cleaners can discard a lot of staple fiber along with the trash.

In summary, evaluate both the quantity and quality of your gin's output to make sure you are doing the most for your customer. Do only the drying and cleaning that are in the producer's best interest and keep updated on the market needs and aim for those targets.

Be sure that producers know the importance of harvesting the crop in the best possible condition so that cleaning stages can be bypassed.

source : cottonfarming

Cotton with too low a moisture content

2010-08-29T04:35:00.001-07:00

Improving Efficiency,
Reducing Costs At The Gin

Thomas D. Valco

Cotton with too low a moisture content (below 5 percent) is more brittle and easily damaged by the mechanical actions required for cleaning and ginning, resulting in reduced fiber length and increased short fiber content.

The effort required to measure and control moisture will pay dividends in gin operation efficiency and market value of the cotton. Research has shown that 6 to 7 percent moisture content allows for sufficient cleaning with minimal fiber damage. Although the optimum processing and storage moisture contents of cotton are well known, managing cotton moisture content during ginning is a difficult task.

Too often, cotton is over dried (below 5 percent), and additional moisture is needed. Restoring moisture to cotton fibers improves processing and adds weight to the bale; however, cotton bales should not exceed 7.5 percent moisture content. Best management practices dictate that the over drying of seed cotton not occur in the first place.

source : cottonfarming

It is important to keep in mind

2010-08-29T04:33:00.001-07:00

Improving Efficiency,
Reducing Costs At The Gin

Thomas D. Valco

It is important to keep in mind that the ginner can only hope to preserve the quality characteristics of the cotton or as some ginners might say, "you can't make chicken salad out of chicken litter."

A ginner must do three things to maintain quality and quantity: 1) monitor and adjust moisture throughout the ginning process, 2) keep equipment properly adjusted and well maintained and 3) follow standard recommended process speeds and capacity of
your equipment.

Moisture content is a major factor affecting the cotton ginning process from unloading through bale packaging. Moisture management is critical to cotton cleaning, handling and fiber quality preservation at the gin. In one way or another, moisture has an effect on color, leaf and staple.

source : cottonfarming

I am proud to be a cotton merchant

2010-08-27T22:47:00.000-07:00

Let's Keep Improving

Hopie Brooks
Cargill Cotton
Memphis, Tenn

I am proud to be a cotton merchant, and think that by helping our customers (both farmers and textile mills) manage risk and inventories, Cargill adds value to the cotton we merchandise. We are offering innovative products and services to our customers that were never even considered in years past. But all the value we add can be undone if we fail to deliver on what we promise.

One default or bad shipment can damage our reputation. Likewise, if we, as an industry, don't act in concert to preserve the advantages we have, then we are no better than any cheaper fiber out there and don't deserve the premium that the market has awarded us.

Reputations, as my dad used to say, take years to build but only hours to ruin. We're all in this together, so let's make good decisions about our common futures.

source : cottonfarming

On any given day

2010-08-27T22:45:00.001-07:00

Let's Keep Improving

Hopie Brooks
Cargill Cotton
Memphis, Tenn

On any given day, a textile mill in Thailand, Indonesia, Japan or another importing country would likely buy American cotton ahead of similarly priced fiber from other exporting countries around the world. So, my advice to American cotton farmers is to keep up the good work, but don't do anything to subtract from the value of your product.

If your cotton trades at a premium because it has no country damage, why would you choose to store it outdoors? If your cotton trades at a premium because of its even running color and accurate class, why would you spray water on it while it is being ginned? This practice can cause mildew in a worst-case scenario, but even in a best-case scenario will lead to discoloration of the fiber 90-120 days down the line when the cotton is likely to be consumed. If your cotton trades at a premium because it has hardly any short fiber content, why would you add waste back into a bale during the ginning process? If you get a premium for on-time shipment, why would you put your cotton into a warehouse that won't ship in a timely manner?

We live in a world where almost all buyers are delaying their buying decisions as long as possible because of uncertainties about the yarn and fabric business. Mills (and retailers) around the world have reduced inventories to levels unheard of even a year ago. When all of our inquiries are for prompt shipment, it is frustrating to deal with warehouses who give us their "earliest possible" loadout dates 60-70 days out. This nullifies what was once one of the greatest advantages of U.S. cotton.

source : cottonfarming

Now

2010-08-27T22:42:00.000-07:00

Perfecting The Art Of Harvest

Amanda Huber
Southeast

"Now," Harris says, "producers will start with the cotton. Then, when peanuts are ready, get them out of the field and return to the cotton when the peanuts are finished."

Royal says the use of six-row pickers allows them to get through with peanuts faster.

"With the technology, we can gather peanuts more quickly. We may pick some cotton at the same time."

This year, most everyone expects harvest in the Southeast to run into late November.

"Overall, it's going to be a late, dragged out year," Royal says. "But, we do what we can do and work around the weather."

And that's about all anyone in this business can do.

source : cottonfarming

Once the timing is determined

2010-08-27T22:41:00.001-07:00

Perfecting The Art Of Harvest

Amanda Huber
Southeast

Once the timing is determined, Royal says farmers work hard to get in as much of the crop as possible.

"We don't mind spending the money for the boll openers and defoliants," he says. "There is no recourse if you skimp on defoliants. I've always found if you do that, you are only hurting yourself in the end."

A good rule of thumb is to defoliate only what you can realistically pick in a 12- to 15-day period. Don't defoliate when the forecast calls for below-normal temperatures, but do defoliate prior to the first hard frost.

source : cottonfarming

I take my pocketknife

2010-08-27T22:39:00.001-07:00

Perfecting The Art Of Harvest

Amanda Huber
Southeast

"I take my pocketknife to one of those bolls near the top," Register says. "If I can't cut through it, you can
defoliate, and it will open up. Those you can slice right through won't."

Counting nodes above cracked boll is another method, as is the recommendation of defoliating at 60 percent open bolls. However, producers are cautioned not to make an estimate of the field, but to get out into the field and make an actual count.

"You have to go into the field to know exactly what you've got," says Jack Royal, a Georgia crop consultant with 32 years experience. "We go into the fields and start cutting bolls and looking at the material until the last boll is harvested."

source : cottonfarming

Although many consultants

2010-08-27T22:28:00.001-07:00

Consultants' Conference Returns
To BWCC

Carroll Smith
Senior

Although many consultants are actively involved with their state agricultural consultant organizations and have a myriad of other meetings from which to choose, Bill Robertson, NCC coordinator of the Beltwide Cotton Conferences, encourages members of this sector to make a concerted effort to attend the Jan. 4 event.

"The NCC Cotton Consultants' Conference provides an opportunity for professional development and a venue for consultants from across the Belt to get together and share ideas and experiences," Robertson says. "Also, more in-depth information is presented during this meeting to help meet the needs of the cotton consultant."

The NCC Cotton Consultants' Conference and the 2010 Beltwide Cotton Conferences will be held Jan. 4-7 at the New Orleans Marriott Hotel and the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel.

source : cottonfarming

Dr. Bob Kemerait

2010-08-27T22:26:00.001-07:00

Consultants' Conference Returns
To BWCC

Carroll Smith
Senior

Dr. Bob Kemerait, University of Georgia Extension plant pathologist, also will discuss cotton diseases – seedling and foliar – and new products that are available to combat them. Of particular interest is cercospora leaf spot, a new cotton disease that is challenging producers in Georgia.

In the insect arena, LSU AgCenter entomologist Dr. Roger Leonard will discuss new products – labeled/not yet labeled – and resistance management.

The featured speaker at the conference is Dr. J.R. Bradley, research entomologist at North Carolina State University. His remarks are centered on the topic "After It's All Said and Done." And during the latter part of the afternoon, several representatives from industry, consultants and a producer will tackle the subject "The Impact of Technology on Consultants."

source : cottonfarming

Andrew farms

2010-08-27T22:24:00.001-07:00

Record Yields In SW Ark.?

Tommy Horton

"Andrew farms some of the best land you can possibly imagine," he says. "I can assure you this isn't a one-year situation. He consistently grows this kind of cotton every year. He's willing to try anything, and he's incredibly innovative."

As for the performance of DP 164 B2RF, it doesn't surprise Dave Albers, Monsanto's cotton germplasm technology lead. He hasn't ever seen a Mid-South farm produce such high yields but he's pleasantly surprised that it's occurring in southwest Arkansas.

"The key for this variety is having the full range of heat units to mature and making at least 24 to 28 nodes during the season," says Albers. "It sounds like this producer did that quite nicely."

That might be the understatement of the year.

source : cottonfarming

We’ve used other varieties in the past

2010-08-27T22:22:00.001-07:00

Record Yields In SW Ark.?

Tommy Horton

"We've used other varieties in the past, including DP 555 last year, but I like the way DP 164 performs," he says. "It just seems to be a better fit for my farm."

Although Whisenhunt's acreage is small, he believes there is information he can share with farmers in every region of the country. He's not guaranteeing spectacular yields, but he is confident that certain practices can benefit any area.

Minimum till is a practice that he has used for many years along with polypipe irrigation, and he highly recommends this approach. In fact, Whisenhunt has planted into undisturbed beds for eight consecutive years. He likes how it maintains the root structure of the soil, promotes root growth and increases yields.

source : cottonfarming

The Perfect Environment?

2010-08-27T22:20:00.001-07:00

Record Yields In SW Ark.?

Tommy Horton

The Perfect Environment?

The veteran farmer, who also spent 13 years serving as president of Arkansas Farm Bureau, will be the first to admit that it takes a combination of many factors to produce record-breaking yields.

The aforementioned fertile clay soil benefits from its location near the Red River, which winds its way from Texas into Arkansas before emptying into the Mississippi River in Louisiana. Then there is the longer season that allows cotton to mature fully and gain necessary heat units for a heavy boll load.

Other factors include Whisenhunt's meticulous style for weed and insect management. He sprays his fields early and occasionally attacks any weed escapes with his trusty hoe. The strategy has worked beautifully.

source : cottonfarming

If you’ll talk to any cotton agronomist in this state

2010-08-27T22:10:00.001-07:00

Record Yields In SW Ark.?

Tommy Horton

"If you'll talk to any cotton agronomist in this state, he'll tell you the same thing," he says. "The three most fertile and productive farming regions in the world might be the Mekong Delta in South Vietnam, the Nile River Valley in Egypt and the Bradley Bottoms of southwest Arkansas."

He readily admits that farmers in Russia, Africa and other areas might argue this point, but that doesn't bother him.

"I still contend that we have some of the most fertile soil you'll find anywhere," he says without hesitation.

source : cottonfarming

Record Yields In SW Ark.?

2010-08-27T22:07:00.001-07:00

Record Yields In SW Ark.?

By Tommy Horton
Editor

It might not rank as the most significant breakthrough in cotton production. But it comes pretty close. When 78-year-old Arkansas producer Andrew Whisenhunt prepares to harvest a crop this year that may average four to five bales per acre, everyone will take notice.

Why?

Probably because you don't normally associate such high yields with any location in the Mid-South – and especially in an area in the extreme southwest corner of Arkansas near the small town of Bradley.

Where is Bradley? It's about 10 miles from Texas and even closer to Louisiana. It's an area that once had 10,000 cotton acres. Today that acreage has dropped to 3,000 acres.

source : cottonfarming

Coincidentally

2010-08-27T22:04:00.001-07:00

Past Evokes Cotton's Resurgence

David Ruppenicker
Dawsonville, Ga.

Coincidentally, the first ever organized "International Conference of Cotton Growers and Manufacturers" was held Oct. 7-10, 1907 in Atlanta. This group also elected the Atlanta emblem for resurgence as its conference theme. Ironically, the first president elected to the newly formed consortium was Harvey Jordon, president of the Southern Cotton Growers Association.

I know of the Jordan family both here and in the Mid-South, but have not been able to determine from which state this producer resided. According to our state's charter, the organization I represent, Southern Cotton Growers, Inc., was not organized until 1964.

This year, the Southeast region planted roughly two million acres of cotton with Georgia accounting for half of this amount. By the grace of God, we look to harvest a bountiful crop. Our modern day high was back in 2001 when acreage exceeded 3.6 million acres. The resurgence of acres in the Southeast during the late 1980s until shortly after the new millennium can be directly attributed without question to two transformations. The undisputed No. 1 factor was the eradication of the boll weevil followed closely by the advent of the marketing loan. You could also include the module builder and transgenic varieties in that list.

source : cottonfarming

Still a fair crop

2010-08-27T21:44:00.001-07:00

• "We had a dry August in northeast Mississippi and then excessive rains in September and October. Cotton's prospect is drowning more and more after each rain – 250 pounds this year compared to 1,000 pounds last year."

• "Still a fair crop, but sure could use some sunshine."

• "Cotton growers need to get the leaves off now. The DD60s are just about done."

• "Travel north and south in the Mississippi Delta shows very little cotton picked especially in the north Delta. Quite of bit defoliated in the one week of dry weather, but the heavy rains continue in the Delta."

As cotton futures jumped above 67 cents a pound on Oct. 14, we are asking our readers what factor will create a positive impact on the demand outlook for U.S. cotton in 2010 and why? Cast your vote and explain your choice in the "Comments" section.

In north Alabama

2010-08-27T21:41:00.001-07:00

Readers Rate Crop 'Good To Fair'

• "In north Alabama, I picked six modules on Oct. 15. Cotton was too wet to pick, but better picked wet than on the ground. I estimate 600/700 pounds per acre but think quality will be terrible. The 80-acre field we picked would have been the best cotton that farm had ever made if I could have defoliated and picked on time. I think the crop has 20 to 25 percent yield loss. A lot of cotton is on the ground." – D. Hodge, New Market, Ala.

• "Early heat and drought followed by too much rain means I see a lot of 350-pound cotton. Some is around 500 pounds, and, in places, 800 pounds. I'm in south Alabama, and we'll be glad when this year is history." – Wiley Farrar, Canoe, Ala.

• "Only three inches of rain all summer and none in August." – Ronald Luker, Brownfield, Texas.

source : cottonfarming

Readers Rate Crop ‘Good To Fair’

2010-08-27T21:20:00.001-07:00

Readers Rate Crop 'Good To Fair'

If you are in the business of farming, it's no surprise that Mother Nature can throw you a curve ball at any time during the season. This year, cotton producers report challenges with heat and drought early on, followed by excessive rains as their cotton crops begin to mature.

Although harvest was not completed at the time of this Web Poll, we asked our readers in mid-October to "eyeball" their crop and rate it at that point. Despite frustrating weather conditions, 71 percent of the respondents rate their crop good or fair at 26 to 45 percent, respectively.

Ten percent believe they are looking at an excellent crop, while 19 percent rate theirs as poor.

source : cottonfarming

Some of the most groundbreaking

2010-08-27T20:37:00.001-07:00

Allied Partners Stay Committed To Cotton

Tommy Horton

Some of the most groundbreaking developments are on the horizon. Several years ago, phrases such as "drought-tolerant," "herbicide-tolerant" and "double insect-resistant stack" seemed almost futuristic as if it would be impossible to see such scientific research delivered anytime soon. True, the industry has been on a fast track since the introduction of Bt cotton in 1996. But anyone who thought the pipeline had suddenly become empty...well, those skeptics were slightly misinformed.

Historic germplasm traits are about to become reality, and it's all because of the steadfast commitment of the industry's allied partners. Even with the challenge of a global recession and reduced cotton acres in the United States for the past two years, the level of support from these companies has remained remarkably consistent.

Why? Because cotton is one of the most important crops produced in the world, and its residual impact on the United States economy is significant. Most economists are forecasting an increase in U.S. cotton acreage in 2010, and this is occurring just as the global recession thankfully is coming to an end.

source : cottonfarming

He says the priorities of California’s farmers and ranchers

2010-08-21T21:42:00.001-07:00

Calif. Governor Ready To Deal With Water Crisis

He says the priorities of California's farmers and ranchers continue to be new water storage facilities, improved water conveyance, protections for area-of-origin water rights and environmental improvements.

"What I can say at this point, is that the package that has been negotiated up to now is inadequate and must be fixed substantially," says Danny Merkley, CFBF director of water resources. "We will continue to be engaged in the developments during the special session, and we'll be supportive if it looks like they're coming up with the right deal.

"No one has to be reminded how important a reliable water supply is for our state, but I would emphasize that without reliable water supplies, we can't grow the food for our state, nation and the world."

source : cottonfarming

One of the biggest sticking points

2010-08-21T21:40:00.001-07:00

Calif. Governor Ready To Deal With Water Crisis

One of the biggest sticking points in negotiations among the governor and legislative leaders appears to have been the size and thrust of general obligation and lease revenue bonds to build new facilities.

"Farm Bureau supports continued efforts to solve water problems that have plagued us for far too long, but we are concerned that the priorities of only a narrow group of stakeholders have been addressed in the bill package," says Rich Matteis, California Farm Bureau Federation's chief staff administrative officer.

"Our concern is that the needs of all Californians must be reflected in any comprehensive solution."

source : cottonfarming

Farm advocates characterize the package as “inadequate,”

2010-08-21T21:33:00.001-07:00

Calif. Governor Ready To Deal With Water Crisis

Farm advocates characterize the package as "inadequate," but say they will continue working to encourage passage of comprehensive water-system improvements.

In calling another special session of the Legislature, Schwarzenegger says he will ask legislators to consider and act on bills to protect and restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, while also enhancing the reliability and quality of water supplies from the estuary.

The governor has also asked that short and long-term improvements to California's water management system include development of new surface and groundwater storage and improved conveyance facilities, ecosystem health and effective conservation strategies.

source : cottonfarming

Finding Value In Gin Trash

2010-08-21T21:30:00.001-07:00

Gin Waste, Cottonseed Can Improve Profits

Thomas D. Valco
Cotton Technology Transfer Coordinator

Finding Value In Gin Trash

Some areas of the Cotton Belt have value in the trash pile, which can be sold to animal operations or converted to value-added products such as compost, dryer fuel or in hydromulch. Research is also conducted on how to use these products as feedstock for cellulosic ethanol production. Still other areas of the Belt have to pay someone to carry it off site.

Don't hesitate to check to see what is coming out the rear of the gin. It may not be a pretty sight, but it can yield some helpful information. I'm hoping your ginning season is a safe and prosperous one.

source : cottonfarming

Double-Check Gin Stand

2010-08-21T21:27:00.001-07:00

Gin Waste, Cottonseed Can Improve Profits

Thomas D. Valco
Cotton Technology Transfer Coordinator

Double-Check Gin Stand

In worst-case situations, about 20 pounds of fiber can be claimed from 700 pounds of gin-run seed. To help alleviate these problems, double-check gin stand adjustments and slow down feed rates. Weighing seed output and occasionally comparing the seed from all stands can help to identify any problems.

Mote bales are typically derived from lint cleaner waste and contain staple fiber, short fiber, aborted seed, plant parts and dirt. Motes are cleaned to remove all the plant parts and dirt and packaged in 500-pound bales.

The mote bale numbers vary by gin, and differences can be based on gin equipment adjustments, collection points, grid bar settings and conditions and cleanliness of the motes. Look for a change in the number of mote bales generated or excessive staple fiber in the mote bales. This could be an indication of high lint moisture or poor grid bar adjustment.

source : cottonfarming

Gin Waste, Cottonseed Can Improve Profits

2010-08-21T21:18:00.001-07:00

Gin Waste, Cottonseed Can Improve Profits

Thomas D. Valco
Cotton Technology Transfer Coordinator

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article – the third in a three-part series – was written by Dr. Thomas D. Valco, Cotton Technology Transfer Coordinator for the Office of Technology Transfer at the Jamie Whitten Delta States Research Center in Stoneville, Miss. In this installment, Valco discusses how cottonseed and gin waste can increase profits at the gin.

I have heard it said many times that the best way to tell how good a job you are doing in the gin is to look at what is coming out the rear of the gin.

The gin takes the harvested cotton module, conditions and separates it into different product streams – the lint into a marketable UD bale, the seed into storage (short or long term), the motes into a mote bale and the remaining wastes into a pile at the rear of the gin.

source : cottonfarming

He has seen the program’s potential

2010-08-21T21:14:00.001-07:00

Meredith To Deliver Special Report

"He has seen the program's potential for more than 40 years and helped it stay scientifically rigid," he says. "Bill also is to be commended for his dogged approach to the subject matter and making sure this important program was always pointed in the right direction."

Bourland remembers being a graduate student at the University of Arkansas in the early 1970s when he first met Meredith.

"Even back then, Bill had a wry sense of humor and was very engaging in the way he presented information to an audience," he says. "He always had the same question when dealing with research: Does it cut the mustard? I've never forgotten that."

source : cottonfarming

Meredith

2010-08-21T21:11:00.001-07:00

Meredith To Deliver Special Report

Meredith is certainly the appropriate person to make the presentation because he has been involved in the program for more than 40 years. Many of Meredith's colleagues say it will be the rare opportunity to give attention to the NCVT – but also salute the veteran USDA-ARS cotton breeder for his four decades of service to the industry.

Meredith is the senior author of the report, but two other noted cotton breeders – Fred Bourland of Keiser, Ark., and retired Texas breeder John Gannaway – are co-authors.

"I think of this program as the backdrop for a lot of the things we do in variety testing," says Bourland. "It creates a platform for a lot of folks. It helps us look at relationships and trends, and it's a fabulous data set from that perspective."

source : cottonfarming

Project To Continue

2010-08-21T21:09:00.001-07:00

Conventional Varieties Show Promise

Project To Continue

After test plots are harvested this fall, researchers will draft recommendations to provide the farming community with a better understanding of how these varieties will perform under their local conditions.

"We expect one or more of these new varieties to show competitive yield and better fiber quality than the best commercial checks," Jones concludes.

With that expectation, Cotton Incorporated plans on continuing this program for 2010 and beyond.

source : cottonfarming

Excellent Yields

2010-08-21T21:02:00.001-07:00

Conventional Varieties Show Promise

Excellent Yields

Varieties chosen for increase in Arizona were previously tested in research trials for multiple years and showed excellent yields and superior fiber qualities compared to the best commercial checks.

In 2009, Jones funded some research in Texas, Arkansas, Alabama and Louisiana that allowed for the production of large farmer-grown plots containing five newly-developed conventional varieties.

"The varieties were grown against competitive checks and initial results (grown in drought-stricken Texas) showed yields that were competitive with the best checks, and fiber quality was superior as well," says Jones.

source : cottonfarming