Emerging Leaders Program Participants Selected
Thirteen U.S. cotton industry members have been chosen for the National Cotton Council’s 2019-2020 Emerging Leaders Program.
Representing the industry’s seven segments are: Producers – Philip Edwards III, Smithfield, Virginia; Jaclyn Ford, Alapaha, Georgia; Ben Good, Starkville, Mississippi; Kellon Lee, St. Joseph, Louisiana; Dean Rovey, Buckeye, Arizona; and Jake Sheely, Lemoore, California;
Ginner – Burch Pierce, Jonesville, Louisiana; Merchant – Bob Champion, Prattville, Alabama; Warehouser – Kyle Taubert, Seminole, Texas; Marketing Cooperative – Jeremy Speis, Corpus Christi, Texas; and Josh Warren, Garner, North Carolina.; Cottonseed – Joe Gribble, Altus, Oklahoma; and Manufacturer – Ellis Fisher, Inman, South Carolina.
The program is supported by a grant to The Cotton Foundation from Bayer. Participants get an in-depth look at the U.S. cotton industry and the U.S. political process. Now in its seventh year, the program also provides participants with professional development and communications training.
The 2019-20 program members will participate in three sessions. The first session, held in June, provided an orientation to the NCC, professional development, communication skills training and an agribusiness briefing.
During the second session in February, class members will see policy development at the NCC’s 2020 Annual Meeting in New Orleans. The last session will be in Washington, D.C., where the group will learn about the NCC’s policy implementation and international market development activities.
MP-144 Guide For Arkansas Is Now Mobile-Friendly
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s has launched a mobile-device-friendly version of the MP-144, also known as “Insecticide Recommendations for Arkansas.”
The mobile-friendly version provides access to pesticide recommendations at http://mp144.uaex.edu/. The site is optimized for mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets.
Through a series of drop-down menus, users can select the crop they’re interested in protecting, as well as up to two pests they’re trying to control. The site provides a list of appropriate pesticides, including application rates, restricted entry intervals and other information.
The development team chose to make the MP-144 available as a mobile-friendly webpage rather than a downloadable app because upkeep for a webpage tends to be more manageable than for an app. Although users will need an internet connection to use the online database, the results tend to load quickly, and the page won’t disappear if connectivity is lost.
Potentially, mobile-friendly versions of the MP-44 (weeds) and the MP-154 (diseases and pathology) also will be created.
BASF And Nutrien Ag Solutions Team Up On Digital Platform
As part of a collaboration, BASF’s Xarvio Scouting app), which enables growers and agronomists to instantly and accurately identify weed and disease threats in their fields, will now be offered within the Nutrien Ag Solutions Customer Portal.
With the click of a photo, the Xarvio Scouting app allows growers to detect in-field stress. The app can determine weed presence, recognize diseases and quantify leaf damage. It is powered by advanced artificial intelligence algorithms that continually improve precision and functionality through machine learning and data sharing.
“Xarvio Digital Farming Solutions give growers more control of their fields and the confidence to make the right choices, at the right time for better yields,” says Paul Rea, senior vice president, BASF Agricultural Solutions North America.
Nutrien Ag Solutions will feature BASF’s Xarvio Scouting app as part of its digital agronomy offerings. The two companies are actively exploring further digital tools, such as the agronomic intelligence currently featured in the Xarvio Field Manager. This would give growers further access to timing and variable-rate map applications for weed, disease and better pest management in various crops.
New Type Of Irrigation System Recognized On Global Stage
N-Drip, manufacturer of a gravity-powered micro-irrigation system, received the Overall Award for Excellence in Disruptive Technologies from Financial Times/International Finance Corp. in London. In the judges’ words: “[N-Drip] has developed a solution that significantly increases the efficient use of water and energy in agriculture.”
N-Drip combines the simplicity of flood irrigation with the high yields and precision of conventional drip. The technology uses existing field infrastructure without the need for pumping facilities or filters used in existing irrigation precision technologies. The company says this reduces water and energy use by up to 70% while decreasing installation cost.
N-Drip’s mission is to lead the effort in solving the global water shortage by providing the ultimate alternative to flood irrigation.
“It is our aim to help farmers across the globe increase their yields while reducing water consumption, protecting soil fertility and eliminating the need for external energy sources to irrigate crops,” says N-Drip CEO Eran Pollak.
In the United States, farmers in Arizona, California and Texas are currently using N-Drip.
For more information about the system, visit Ndrip.com.
Enter The Transform My Community Contest For A Chance To Win $25,000
Attention hometown heroes! Tell us how Transform WG insecticide has transformed your cotton and sorghum fields and how $25,000 could improve your community. The fifth annual Transform My Community contest, sponsored by Corteva Agriscience and Cotton Farming magazine, runs June 1 through July 31.
In 2019, Transform WG insecticide, PhytoGen and Pioneer teamed up to open the contest to cotton and sorghum consultants and growers where Section 18 emergency exemptions have been granted for the use of Transform.
Moved by the Transform My Community contest’s success in investing in the rural communities where farmers live, Corteva increased the grand prize to $25,000.
In 2015, grand prize winner A.J. Hood, who farms near Monticello, Arkansas, helped fund construction of a baseball field and playground designed especially for kids with disabilities. A donation of $20,000 was made to the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse on behalf of Tennessee cotton consultant Larry Kimery in 2016. This money allowed the center to hire a full-time family advocate to work directly with the children.
Grand prize winner Gary Dyksterhouse, who farms cotton near Greenwood, Mississippi, submitted an entry on behalf of Delta Streets Academy in 2017. A check for $20,000 was donated on his behalf to help make “dreams come true” for the young men striving to reach their full potential.
Last year, Dyer County, Tennessee, cotton farmer Bettie Woods was selected as the grand prize winner. She entered the Transform My Community contest with the hope of winning the $20,000 grand prize to help ensure the Bogota Community Center would continue to exist for members of the close-knit rural neighborhood.
Go to TransformMyCommunity.com to access the contest entry form. Entries are judged on compelling need and tie-in to the Transform insecticide theme. The deadline to submit your entry is July 31.