Across the Cotton Belt, the strategy is the same this year – no matter the location. Producers must find a way to manage this crop efficiently. And that means planting on time and starting the season strong – much like a racehorse bolting out of the starting gate at top speed.
It will be a challenge as farmers deal with low cotton prices, a new farm law, weed resistance and water availability in many locations – namely in California and Texas.
Add in the big front-end investment with the seed, and you begin to get the picture. Nobody wants to re-plant the crop, and it is essential that young cotton seedlings have plenty of vigor and growth potential.
Nobody in Texas expects 2015 to be an easy season for growing or ginning cotton, but the industry will persevere and do its best to deliver a highquality crop in the fall.
That’s the unanimous opinion of producers, ginners and...
Missouri Pollinator Conservancy’s Future Goals
Protect bees from pesticide drift problems.
Promote dialogue among all industry groups.
Specifically protect 400 species of bees in Missouri.
Prove that the state can solve the problem by itself.
Preserve bees’ contribution to value of crops.
A new program...
In a speech at the National Farmers Union Convention, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the availability of $96.8 million in grants to fund innovative projects designed to support specialty crop producers, local food entrepreneurs and farm-to-school efforts, which...
By Brent Murphree: Raised beds have been the standard row configuration in the West since modern cotton farming began more than 100 years ago, but that doesn't mean all Arizona producers have to be tied to the method.Wuertz should know about water conservation. His family has raised cotton on drip irrigation, a major water saver, in Coolidge for many years. However, on ground that is leased or where the cost of drip irrigation installation outweighs the advantage, planting on level ground seems to give the producer a savings advantage.
Pat Cockrill, another producer in the Coolidge area, says he saves a great deal on his water bill as well.
"It depends on the year," he says. "We can save at least half an acre-foot and sometimes close to a full acre-foot of water."
In Coolidge, Ariz., several producers have been planting their crops on level ground with borders for irrigation. It is a traditional method for crops such as grain and alfalfa...
North Carolina cotton producer and industry leader Billy Carter passed away on New Year’s Day, 2011, but he left behind a legacy that even today continues to improve tomorrow’s agricultural leaders through the Billy Carter Cotton Leadership Scholarship Endowment.
North Carolina State University seniors Jennifer Evans and Cassandra Ingram never knew Carter, but they have grown to appreciate what he did for agriculture, and what his scholarship has done for them in their college careers.
“I had the chance to meet Billy’s wife Beverly, their daughter and several other family members at a NCSU scholarship recognition event, and after my conversations with them, it was clear how much impact Mr. Carter had on agriculture not only domestically, but internationally as well,” explains Cassandra Ingram of High Point, N.C.
Today’s Texas cotton ginner has a forward-thinking approach to the future and isn’t deterred by low prices or fewer acres. That’s the opinion of Ross Rutherford, product general manager of Lummus Corporation, and a long-time observer of the Texas cotton ginning industry.
In fact, Rutherford says a prime example of this philosophy is the way Texas ginners continue to invest in technology and timely upgrades.
“A lot of this is being driven by consolidation within the ginning industry, but much of it is a reflection of our customers looking to the future,” he says.
Low cotton prices are nothing new for producers and ginners, according to Rutherford. And, since crop options are limited in the country’s largest cotton production state (Texas), gin owners aren’t afraid of making investments in machinery.
Some examples of new ginning equipment will be on display at the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association Trade Show on April 9-10 at the Lubbock Civic Center.
An unusually warm, dry January slowed snowpack accumulation in much of the West, according to data from the second 2015 forecast by the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Water and Climate Center (NWCC). California, Arizona and New Mexico, as well as parts of Colorado, Utah, Oregon and Nevada, remain in prolonged drought.
“January is usually a big month for snowpack accumulation,” NWCC hydrologist Cara McCarthy says. “But most of the West didn’t see significant gains this month. With isolated exceptions, only Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Montana received near average precipitation last month.” “This is as low a snowpack as I’ve seen across the Sierra Nevada and Cascades for many locations at this time of year,” he says. Several Snow Telemetry (SNOTEL) sites in those ranges are snowless, which is very unusual for this time of year. Even the precipitation in the Southwest wasn’t enough to take these regions out of drought conditions.
By Bob Stallman, American Farm Bureau
American agriculture exported more than $152 billion in products last year alone, and there’s room for more growth yet. With Trade Promotion Authority expected to take center stage on the legislative agenda this spring,...
By Christine Souza, California Farm Bureau
In counties throughout California, farmers and ranchers are working to improve the quality of water that leaves irrigated fields by using best management practices to reduce sediment, silt and other materials through regional Irrigated...
Bowen Flowers, a Clarksdale, Miss., cotton producer, was re-elected as chairman of the American Cotton Producers (ACP) of the National Cotton Council (NCC) for 2015, during the NCC’s annual meeting held in Memphis, Tenn. Currently a NCC director, Flowers has served on and chaired various ACP and NCC committees and task forces.
Elected as an ACP vice chairmen were: Kendall Wannamaker, St. Matthews, SC; and Doyle Schniers, San Angelo, Texas. Re-elected as a vice chairman was Dan Thelander, Maricopa, Arizona.
Elected as a NCC producer director was Ronald C. Lee, Bronwood, Ga., representing the Southeast region; and Cannon Michael, Los Banos, Calif., representing the Western region. Re-elected as producer directors were Ted Schneider, Lake Providence, La., representing the Mid-South region; Shawn Holladay, Lubbock, Texas, representing the Southwest region, and Flowers, as at-large director.
Stan Winslow of Belvidere, N.C., winner of the 2014 Cotton Consultant of the Year (CCOY) award, was honored by his peers at a special reception last month at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences in San Antonio.
A crowd of more than 150 attended the event at the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel. The award is co-sponsored by Cotton Farming and Syngenta.
Winslow and his wife Lou Ann, along with nine family members, were in attendance. Publisher Lia Guthrie joined Syngenta’s Josh Kelley in presenting the traditional CCOY winner’s green jacket and special plaque to Winslow. “I have to say that this is easily the highlight of my career,” Winslow said in accepting the award. “It’s just a very special honor to be a member of this group of previous winners.”
Winslow is the president of Tidewater Agronomics, which he started in 1998. He also is a past president of the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants and the North Carolina Ag Consultants Association.
By Brent Murphree: Raised beds have been the standard row configuration in the West since modern cotton farming began more than 100 years ago, but that doesn't mean all Arizona producers have to be tied to the method.Wuertz should know about water conservation. His family has raised cotton on drip irrigation, a major water saver, in Coolidge for many years. However, on ground that is leased or where the cost of drip irrigation installation outweighs the advantage, planting on level ground seems to give the producer a savings advantage.
Pat Cockrill, another producer in the Coolidge area, says he saves a great deal on his water bill as well.
"It depends on the year," he says. "We can save at least half an acre-foot and sometimes close to a full acre-foot of water."
In Coolidge, Ariz., several producers have been planting their crops on level ground with borders for irrigation. It is a traditional method for crops such as grain and alfalfa...
Deputy Ag Secretary Krysta Harden has announced the availability of more than $18 million in funding to help educate, mentor and enhance the sustainability of the next generation of farmers. This support is available through the Beginning Farmer and...
