Editor's Blog

JORDAN LEA Eastern Trading Company, Greenville, S.C. The kickoff of the college football season means one thing to some but something else to those of us in the cotton industry. The new crop is on the way! The entire global...

Even though it’s more than three months away, it’s not too early to start talking about the Beltwide Cotton Conferences (BWCC), scheduled for Jan. 5-7 in New Orleans. If you’ll check out the October issue of Cotton Farming, you’ll find a preview that gives a quick look at some of the key issues that will be addressed. Even though the conference only lasts three days, it will deliver a lot of information for any farmer, consultant, Extension agent/specialist, university official or industry sales representative. Granted, the Beltwide differs from what we remember it to be in the 1980s, 1990s and on through 2013. But, the conference is still a valuable link to information for any person involved in the cotton industry. In fact, the Consultants Conference, which lasts for a day and a half, is one of the best overviews you’ll find. If the Consultants Conference were the only event you attended during these three days, you would have gained access to a comprehensive look at the most important issues confronting cotton production. The Consultants Conference, in fact, will kick off the Beltwide with a half day session on Jan. 5, beginning at noon. Then, it will conclude with an all-day session on Jan. 6. You name the topic, and you’ll find it when you join the consultants for this meeting.

Normally, you wouldn’t find a special report on a college football game in this space, but occasionally there’s an exception to every rule. This is one of those times. For several years, Texas Tech University has participated in an early season “Celebrate Cotton” promotion for one of its home football games at Jones AT&T Stadium. Call it the perfect marriage between the cotton industry, the High Plains of Texas and college football. Before, during and after the game, you’ll find messages about cotton no matter where you are seated in the stadium. Cotton equipment and booths will be located everywhere and even in special areas where fans enjoy tailgating parties. Cotton officials will be introduced during pre-game ceremonies. Promotional messages about cotton will flash on the scoreboard. In other words, it will be hard to avoid seeing or hearing an important message about cotton for about three hours. Several years ago, when this idea was first discussed, it seemed like a perfect way to promote cotton’s importance in the High Plains. And it still is. Even though the cotton crop in this part of Texas won’t be harvested until late October or early November, this is one Saturday afternoon in September when farmers will gladly make the trek to Lubbock for a football game. What could be better than non-stop cotton promotion in front of more than 50,000 fans.

If there is one obvious personality trait that all cotton industry folks have, it’s generosity. When time is precious for everyone, it’s nice to know that farmers, merchants, marketing cooperatives, warehousemen, manufacturers, ginners and cottonseed representatives always are willing to share information. Or, at least, it seems that way to me. Maybe I’m being naïve. But I rarely run across someone from the industry today who isn’t willing to lend a helping hand. Nobody will share company secrets, but there is a common thread of generosity that runs through this industry. And a perfect example of this kindness was the late Dan Krieg, a Texas cotton farmer who wore many hats – including 35 years as a Texas Tech University professor. Dan, a long-time friend of Cotton Farming magazine, passed away earlier this summer at the age of 72.

Are there things about history that can help us today? Or is it better to stay in the present and concentrate only on the future? I ask myself those questions a lot these days as the U.S. cotton industry tries to chart a path toward better prices, increased acreage and more demand in global markets. Not surprisingly, I was thumbing through some old issues of Cotton Farming recently and came across the January 2003 issue, and it made me think about the environment we were in 12 years ago. On the cover is a photo of Memphis merchant Billy Dunavant, manufacturer Duke Kimbrell of Parkdale Mills and Mississippi producer Kenneth Hood. They were standing in front of the National Cotton Council offices in Memphis, and the theme of that issue was “Industry Unity.” I can vividly recall the day that we took that photo and the ensuing roundtable interview that occurred inside the NCC’s offices. We were lucky to bring together three industry giants that day. The weather cooperated and allowed us to take the photo outside the iconic NCC building in midtown Memphis.

Several years ago, I attended a press briefing at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences to hear about a new venture called COTTON LEADS, and it was an intriguing concept, to say the least. At the time, it sounded extremely ambitious, and many attendees wondered if such a project could achieve its goal of bringing together the U.S. and Australian cotton industry as well as retail partners – all in an effort to promote best management practices and traceability in the cotton supply chain. It also was deemed an important initiative to help cotton regain market share. Here we are today, and nobody can question how successful this venture has been in such a short time period. More than 300 participants are now on board, and it’s an interesting group that includes yarn spinners, textile/apparel manufacturers, brands and retailers. What makes this program so unique is that there is no cost or certification attached to it. Partners voluntarily participate because they see the need for cotton to tell its story to a global audience. Many objectives can be achieved by COTTON LEADS – and that in itself is the beauty of the process.

Call me sentimental or predictably nostalgic, but it is always good to see many of my friends moving on to leadership positions in the cotton industry. In fact, that is one of this industry’s strengths. Strong leaders continue to emerge and are helping U.S. cotton survive through some difficult times. As I was reading about Kevin Brinkley being named the new president and chief executive officer of Plains Cotton Cooperative Association, I couldn’t help but remember those days when we worked together at the National Cotton Council between 1990 and 1998. Kevin was an excellent economist and benefited by working with Economic Services Director Mark Lange for a decade. Then, he and I went our separate ways. I joined Cotton Farming magazine in 1999, and Kevin moved on to The Seam 15 years later. He became an important part of that company’s growth as the world’s first completely online, neutral exchange for cotton trading.

One of my favorite trips of the year is about to occur, and it promises to be just as rewarding as the previous ones of the past decade. It’s the Cotton Farming staff’s annual trek to Lubbock, Texas, for the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association Annual Meeting and Trade Show. For more than 20 years, our magazine has co-sponsored this show, and to say that it has been a rewarding experience doesn’t really say it all. Through the years, we have cultivated many friends in the country’s No. 1 cotton production state. Whether it’s producers, ginners, equipment manufacturers or friends of the industry. What makes this trip so rewarding is that we also get to attend the Plains Cotton Growers’ annual meeting, which is conducted on Friday, April 10, at the Lubbock Civic Center. It’s a jam-packed two days at the trade show, plus meetings in the Civic Center as well as the Overton Hotel just five minutes away. It seems that the Texas cotton industry has had to deal with a different kind of issue every year, but this group of farmers and ginners always finds a way to survive the crisis. For the past three years, a persistent drought has created the biggest challenge of all. But, as many had predicted, the drought seems to have subsided, and steady rainfall patterns have moved through all parts of the state in the last two or three months.

If you thought you’d find some gloom and doom at the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show in Memphis, you were probably shocked. Producers, ginners and industry representatives have chosen to take the high road in dealing with low cotton prices. Yes, this Beltwide trend is a major concern – especially in the Mid-South where acreage shifts are more common. And, yes, acres will be reduced in this five-state area to one of the lowest levels we’ve seen in years…1.1 million acres. That’s a 26 percent drop compared to 2014. What we saw and heard wasn’t a doomsday attitude. Far from it. What we observed were glimmers of hope as prices creeped up into the mid-60 cent range. Industry experts such as Memphis merchant Joe Nicosia hit on some of the familiar themes in his presentation at the Ag Update. He said China controls much of what might happen in the next few years in terms of US cotton exports. But he said producers can deal with this environment if they embrace cotton as an important crop...

OK, I’ll admit that I am overly sentimental and nostalgic about events from the past. It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about high school, college, old neighborhoods, careers or anything else. There is something very entertaining and special when we reminisce about our past. And as we prepare for the National Cotton Council’s Annual Meeting at the Peabody Hotel here in Memphis on Feb. 6-8, I can’t help but recall the first NCC Annual Meeting I attended in January of 1986 in Orlando, Fla. The industry and NCC have changed a lot since those days, but it’s interesting how first impressions stay with us for a lifetime. That is how it was 29 years ago. I had only worked in the NCC Communications Department for less than six months when I made the trip to this meeting. Naturally, I was a bit apprehensive since I didn’t know that many people in the industry. However, before this meeting ended, I found that my circle of friends would increase dramatically – mainly because cotton people might be the most congenial folks in the world.

The change in leadership at the National Cotton Council will be smooth and without any problems when the organization has its annual meeting at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis in February. Although no official announcement has been made, everyone...

We have heard the phrase “trickle-down economics” ever since Ronald Reagan was president from 1981 to 1988, and I always had a hard time understanding what that phrase meant. I kept envisioning a water faucet that was leaking – ultimately causing a big problem for whoever owned it. OK, I probably knew more than that. At any rate, I don’t know if the closing of the denim mill in Littlefield, Texas, is a victim of this kind of economic trend. But I do know that when cotton started losing market share to polyester a few years ago, it ultimately meant that mills previously using a lot of cotton would be in trouble. When cotton prices went to $1.50 and higher just a few years ago, it might’ve seemed like a way for the farmer to reap the profits. But, it wasn’t the case at all. Ultimately, it drove a lot of mills toward man-made fibers, and now it’s a case of the U.S. cotton industry doing everything it can to recapture that demand. For the past few years, the National Cotton Council, Cotton Council International and Cotton Incorporated have launched a highly successful campaign called “Cotton Leads.” Its basic mission is to carry a message to all mills that the United States and Australia are doing their part to promote best management practices, superior quality in...

I saw an encouraging report recently about the reading habits of young farmers and ranchers, and it made me think about what lies ahead for agriculture. The article was written by Jack Semler of Readex Research. According to this group’s latest poll, 81 percent of young farmers under the age of 44 continue to read printed trade magazines. More amazing is that 74 percent of this group turns to ag magazines and newspapers first and then to their local dealer and retailer when they want new information about ag products, equipment, services or suppliers. I always knew that older farmers were one of the most loyal groups when it came to reading a printed trade publication. But, I had always thought that younger farmers were more tech-savy and not necessarily attracted to printed publications as much as their parents. I must say it’s very good news to know that younger farmers aren’t like...

By this time, you’ve already seen numerous stories about the passing of Dr. Carl Anderson, renowned Texas A&M economist who had a global reputation for analyzing and understanding the cotton market. And there isn’t much we can add to that long list of tributes. This man, who passed away at the age of 83, was a walking encyclopedia and could talk for hours about market trends in cotton. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention his generosity and patience whenever we called on him to help us at Cotton Farming magazine. Even during my days at the National Cotton Council (1985-1998), I can remember doing radio interviews with Anderson, and one constant theme always came through. He couldn’t say “no” to any request.

I can remember when the International Cotton Institute opened its doors 20 years ago, and the optimism was high as the American Cotton Shippers Association ventured into a new arena for educating young cotton leaders. There have been different cotton schools through the years that attempted to give instruction to students on how to succeed in the volatile world of cotton trading. But this new school would be different. First, it wouldn’t be a school that lasted a week or two that gave only an elementary view of what goes on...