Cotton Farming - Industry News

New sprayer-mounted remote-sensing tools could help cotton producers reduce costs for inputs such as defoliants and plant growth regulators by a third – and boost lint yields about 15 percent on average with a total variable-rate system, according to Tim Sharp, a nationally recognized authority on precision agriculture technologies.

Sharp, precision agriculture program chair at Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee, and formerly of Jackson State Community College in Tennessee, says sprayer-mounted remote-sensing systems offer the same ability as aerial sensing systems to detect differences in crop growth patterns. These differences are then used to drive variable-rate input applications.

But unlike aerial approaches, machine-mounted sensors aren’t affected by cloud cover. And they do an excellent job of geo-referencing the images they create, which can be a challenge for aerial systems.

Sharp is conducting research on machine-mounted and aerial remote-sensing systems. These include GreenSeeker, the sole machine-mounted system, and aerial systems such as those from InTime and OptiGro, John Deere Agri- Services’ new imaging system.

Deere Gives Special Preview
Of New Module-Building Harvester

John Deere expects to roll out a cotton picker that produces its own modules. While the company doesn't have an introduction date, it held a pre-introduction press briefing at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences in New Orleans to share preliminary details and present a brief video that showed the machine’s main features.

Company executives admitted that making this kind of early presentation is unusual for John Deere. But rumors were circulating about its module-building picker program, and the press conference was an attempt to share information about the direction being taken with the project.

In October, Case IH announced the official U.S. release of its Module Express 625 picker. From a marketing standpoint, Deere’s information release at the Beltwide positions it as a viable choice in the near future for producers considering a new picker with the module-building feature.
When will Deere’s module-building picker be available?

“It’s certainly shorter term than longer term,” says Jamie Flood, product marketing manager at Deere’s Des Moines, Iowa, factory. “If we were expecting this in 5 or 10 years, we certainly would not be talking to you folks here today.”

Bayer’s Stance PGR Registered
For Use on California Cotton

After receiving the green light in the fourth quarter of 2006 from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR), Stance plant regulator from Bayer CropScience is now approved for use in California for the 2007 cotton production season.

Stance was approved by EPA for other areas of the Cotton Belt in time for use in the 2006 production season with positive results.

Manuel Jimenez, Bayer CropScience technical services representative for the San Joaquin Valley, says the timing of Stance applications is similar to the timing of mepiquat chloride applications. He noted that these traditional products have widely varying rates that can lead to guesswork.

In contrast, Stance offers a standard rate, which means producers can match performance with simplicity when using the product.

As with any other cotton plant regulator, the rate of Stance depends on weather conditions, cultural practices, variety selection and other factors, Jimenez says. Data from multiple 2006 university trials in the Southwest, Mid-South and Southeast indicate Stance controls vegetative growth as well or better than mepiquat chloride.

Producers interested in learning more about Stance should visit www.BayerCropWest.com, or contact their local retailer or Bayer CropScience sales representative.

Ag Leader Upgrades Its Yield Monitor

Ag Leader Technology, Inc., a leading manufacturer of precision farming equipment and software, has introduced a cotton yield monitor for its popular INSIGHT display. The yield monitor provides instant on-the-go monitoring of bales per acre for both John Deere and Case IH pickers.

Ag Leader first introduced a cotton yield monitor back in 2000 with the PF3000 monitor and implemented the feature into the PF advantage monitor. The field-proven system has now been added to the INSIGHT display’s capabilities.

Combined with GPS, the easy-to-use INSIGHT cotton yield monitor records precise yield maps in addition to complete field and load records, providing information on productivity for every acre.

New Plant Health Technology
Now Available For Cotton Production

EMD Crop BioScience announces the introduction of the patented LCO Promoter Technology on cotton. Proven to increase yield in peanuts and soybeans, LCO Promoter Technology will now enhance growth development in cotton plants early in the season using a new product called Bolt.

Bolt provides early season plant health benefits, including an accelerated emergence rate, increased vigor, uniform stand establishment and enhanced root development. Producers will also see an increase in the number of bolls per plant and an increase in yield. Bolt is dealer applied for exceptional convenience and may be an effective tool for cotton producers to increase the return on investment in their crops.

“Commercializing this revolutionary technology for cotton growers marks a huge advancement,” says Scott Fleetwood, vice president of sales and marketing for EMD Crop BioScience.

For more information, interested parties can go to the company Web site at www.emdcropbioscience.com.

Cotton Batting’s Test Results
Reinforce Position In Market

Favorable results in testing for emission and durability have strengthened cotton batting’s position as a major component in the development of barrier products that meet the requirements of a national mattress flammability standard that goes into effect July 1.

The testing was in response to questions raised by the Consumer Products Safety Commission, whose members noted during development of the new standard that gaps existed in studies exploring the safe use of boric acid in consumer bedding.

“At that time, there were no quantifiable answers to questions concerning potential ingestion, air quality, dermal absorption and durability as the result of sleeping on mattresses constructed with cotton batting treated with boric acid for fire retardancy,” says National Cotton Batting Institute (NCBI) President Alan Posner, vice president of marketing and sales at Jones Fiber Products, Inc., in Memphis.

“The result of these extensive tests puts to rest any concerns about the safety of a product which has been used in mattresses for more than 30 years.”

The NCBI, which represents U.S. companies that manufacture flame-resistant cotton batting, fiber suppliers and suppliers of boron-based boric acid used to make the cotton flame resistant, commissioned the testing.

“Not only are the results of this testing good news for the batting industry,” says Posner, “but it ensures a continued market for gins and cottonseed oil mills. The value of gin motes and cotton linters purchased by manufacturers and fiber buyers is estimated at $15 million annually.”

Cotton Board President Resigns

Bill Crawford submitted his resignation from the Memphis-based Cotton Board last month.

Crawford joined the Cotton Board staff in 1984 and served as the organization’s chief executive for the last 17 years.

During his tenure as president and CEO, the Cotton Board administered the Cotton Research & Promotion Program which funds programs to increase domestic consumer demand for cotton, creates farm and textile-related products and develops processes and technological innovations for the cotton industry.

A committee was appointed by the Board’s executive committee to guide a search for a new CEO. Bud Skorupa, Cotton Board vice president, is now interim CEO.

- Industry News - Machine-Mounted Remote Sensing May Decrease Defoliation Costs

New sprayer-mounted remote-sensing tools could help cotton producers reduce costs for inputs such as defoliants and plant growth regulators by a third – and boost lint yields about 15 percent on average with a total variable-rate system, according to Tim Sharp, a nationally recognized authority on precision agriculture technologies. Sharp, precision agriculture program chair at Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee, and formerly of Jackson State Community College in Tennessee, says sprayer-mounted remote-sensing systems offer the same ability as aerial sensing systems to detect differences in crop growth patterns. These differences are then used to drive variable-rate input applications. But unlike aerial approaches, machine-mounted sensors aren’t affected by cloud cover. And they do an excellent job of geo-referencing the images they create, which can be a challenge for aerial systems. Sharp is conducting research on machine-mounted and aerial remote-sensing systems. These include GreenSeeker, the sole machine-mounted system, and aerial systems such as those from InTime and OptiGro, John Deere Agri- Services’ new imaging system. Deere Gives Special Preview Of New Module-Building Harvester John Deere expects to roll out a cotton picker that produces its own modules. While the company doesn't have an introduction date, it held a pre-introduction press briefing at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences in New Orleans to share preliminary details and present a brief video that showed the machine’s main features. Company executives admitted that making this kind of early presentation is unusual for John Deere. But rumors were circulating about its module-building picker program, and the press conference was an attempt to share information about the direction being taken with the project. In October, Case IH announced the official U.S. release of its Module Express 625 picker. From a marketing standpoint, Deere’s information release at the Beltwide positions it as a viable choice in the near future for producers considering a new picker with the module-building feature. When will Deere’s module-building picker be available? “It’s certainly shorter term than longer term,” says Jamie Flood, product marketing manager at Deere’s Des Moines, Iowa, factory. “If we were expecting this in 5 or 10 years, we certainly would not be talking to you folks here today.” Bayer’s Stance PGR Registered For Use on California Cotton After receiving the green light in the fourth quarter of 2006 from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR), Stance plant regulator from Bayer CropScience is now approved for use in California for the 2007 cotton production season. Stance was approved by EPA for other areas of the Cotton Belt in time for use in the 2006 production season with positive results. Manuel Jimenez, Bayer CropScience technical services representative for the San Joaquin Valley, says the timing of Stance applications is similar to the timing of mepiquat chloride applications. He noted that these traditional products have widely varying rates that can lead to guesswork. In contrast, Stance offers a standard rate, which means producers can match performance with simplicity when using the product. As with any other cotton plant regulator, the rate of Stance depends on weather conditions, cultural practices, variety selection and other factors, Jimenez says. Data from multiple 2006 university trials in the Southwest, Mid-South and Southeast indicate Stance controls vegetative growth as well or better than mepiquat chloride. Producers interested in learning more about Stance should visit www.BayerCropWest.com, or contact their local retailer or Bayer CropScience sales representative. Ag Leader Upgrades Its Yield Monitor Ag Leader Technology, Inc., a leading manufacturer of precision farming equipment and software, has introduced a cotton yield monitor for its popular INSIGHT display. The yield monitor provides instant on-the-go monitoring of bales per acre for both John Deere and Case IH pickers. Ag Leader first introduced a cotton yield monitor back in 2000 with the PF3000 monitor and implemented the feature into the PF advantage monitor. The field-proven system has now been added to the INSIGHT display’s capabilities. Combined with GPS, the easy-to-use INSIGHT cotton yield monitor records precise yield maps in addition to complete field and load records, providing information on productivity for every acre. New Plant Health Technology Now Available For Cotton Production EMD Crop BioScience announces the introduction of the patented LCO Promoter Technology on cotton. Proven to increase yield in peanuts and soybeans, LCO Promoter Technology will now enhance growth development in cotton plants early in the season using a new product called Bolt. Bolt provides early season plant health benefits, including an accelerated emergence rate, increased vigor, uniform stand establishment and enhanced root development. Producers will also see an increase in the number of bolls per plant and an increase in yield. Bolt is dealer applied for exceptional convenience and may be an effective tool for cotton producers to increase the return on investment in their crops. “Commercializing this revolutionary technology for cotton growers marks a huge advancement,” says Scott Fleetwood, vice president of sales and marketing for EMD Crop BioScience. For more information, interested parties can go to the company Web site at www.emdcropbioscience.com. Cotton Batting’s Test Results Reinforce Position In Market Favorable results in testing for emission and durability have strengthened cotton batting’s position as a major component in the development of barrier products that meet the requirements of a national mattress flammability standard that goes into effect July 1. The testing was in response to questions raised by the Consumer Products Safety Commission, whose members noted during development of the new standard that gaps existed in studies exploring the safe use of boric acid in consumer bedding. “At that time, there were no quantifiable answers to questions concerning potential ingestion, air quality, dermal absorption and durability as the result of sleeping on mattresses constructed with cotton batting treated with boric acid for fire retardancy,” says National Cotton Batting Institute (NCBI) President Alan Posner, vice president of marketing and sales at Jones Fiber Products, Inc., in Memphis. “The result of these extensive tests puts to rest any concerns about the safety of a product which has been used in mattresses for more than 30 years.” The NCBI, which represents U.S. companies that manufacture flame-resistant cotton batting, fiber suppliers and suppliers of boron-based boric acid used to make the cotton flame resistant, commissioned the testing. “Not only are the results of this testing good news for the batting industry,” says Posner, “but it ensures a continued market for gins and cottonseed oil mills. The value of gin motes and cotton linters purchased by manufacturers and fiber buyers is estimated at $15 million annually.” Cotton Board President Resigns Bill Crawford submitted his resignation from the Memphis-based Cotton Board last month. Crawford joined the Cotton Board staff in 1984 and served as the organization’s chief executive for the last 17 years. During his tenure as president and CEO, the Cotton Board administered the Cotton Research & Promotion Program which funds programs to increase domestic consumer demand for cotton, creates farm and textile-related products and develops processes and technological innovations for the cotton industry. A committee was appointed by the Board’s executive committee to guide a search for a new CEO. Bud Skorupa, Cotton Board vice president, is now interim CEO.

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