Americot Expands Its Team •
Americot Inc., a leading supplier of premium cottonseed headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, has added six new team members to its family. They are Cade Holliday, Chase Samples, Deakin Stokes, Jarrod David, Joel Webb and Victoria Orman.
“Adding to our research and breeding capabilities, as well as continued expansion to our customer service team, is yet another example of Americot’s commitment to our customers and their needs, throughout the Cotton Belt,” says Chiree Fields, Americot general manager.
Cade Holliday joins Americot as a sales representative residing in Raleigh, North Carolina. Chase Samples is a research and germplasm specialist and will be working closely with the research team across the Cotton Belt, as well as supporting the Mid-South sales team.
Deakin Stokes, based in Lubbock, joins Americot as a sales representative in the South Plains region. Jarrod David is a sales representative for the Northern Plains and Oklahoma.
Joel Webb, based in San Angelo, Texas, is a sales representative in the Rolling Plains region. Victoria Orman, also in the San Angelo area, is a sales representative in the Rolling Plains region.
For more information, call 888-678-7333 or visit www.americot.com.
K-B Agritech Partners With Roundup Ready PLUS Incentive Program
K-B Agritech announces that its award-winning Pattern Master Spray System will be available beginning immediately through Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions.
Growers purchasing the Pattern Master System will save $1,440 for a typical 120-foot boom with nozzles spaced on 20 inches. The program runs through Aug. 31.
Studies conducted with water sensitive paper show a minimum 60 percent increased particle deposition with the Pattern Master System compared to the same nozzles and boom without the spoiler.
Pattern Master Spray Systems are designed to work with all sprayers including pull-types and self-propelled units. They are designed to work with all single-orifice nozzles, even the TTI with 15-degree offset. Spring-loaded spoilers are included for the breakaway sections in case of a ground strike.
Most sprayers can be retrofitted with Pattern Master kits in three to four hours using only a wrench and ratchet. Each kit comes with the required stainless steel hardware.
For more information, visit www.drt.ag or www.roundupreadyplus.com/offers.
Transform WG Insecticide Receives Sections 18s For Use In 2018
Section 18 emergency use exemptions from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Transform WG insecticide is welcome news to cotton and sorghum growers.
States receiving a Section 18 for the 2018 cotton production season include Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.
States receiving a Section 18 in sorghum for 2018 include Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas.
Applications for Section 18s in additional cotton- and sorghum-producing states are pending.
“When infestations of plant bug reach threshold numbers, it is crucial to knock them down quickly,” says Jason Grafton, a crop consultant from Madison, Mississippi.
“If adverse weather is imminent, growers need to make sure the insecticide they are using has adequate time to work. Transform does exactly that.”
Equally important as the effective control provided by Transform is the minimal impact it has on beneficials.
Sorghum growers also have heralded the effective control of Transform on sugarcane aphid, as this devastating pest has continued a northward movement, afflicting sorghum fields in an increasing number of states.
Angus Catchot, Extension professor, Mississippi State University, reiterates the importance of the Section 18s of Transform for cotton and sorghum growers.
“Transform has proven very effective in controlling plant bug and sugarcane aphid infestations.” Catchot says. “These pests can be extremely damaging and Transform plays a critical role in our insect pest management programs.”
“The EPA granting Section 18 emergency use exemptions for both crops underscores the importance of Transform insecticide in controlling these potentially yield-robbing pests,” says Mike Fox, insecticides product manager with Corteva Agriscience, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont “We believe the action by EPA shows that the agency has listened to growers, consultants and university Extension experts, and continues to confirm the valuable role Transform insecticide plays in effectively controlling these devastating pests.”
To hear from farmers and consultants about their experience with Transform, go to TransformMyCotton.com and TransformMySorghum.com. Visit with your local sales representative or field scientist to learn more about application recommendations in your area.
PhytoGen Wins Extension Variety Trials Across The Cotton Belt
PhytoGen cottonseed has been winning Extension yield trials from Texas to North Carolina in recent years — with back-to-back wins in several states. The geographies include Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, North Carolina and Virginia.
Hank King, U.S. leader for PhytoGen, says he’s excited to see these third-party wins in Extension trials and credits the success to PhytoGen genetics and traits.
“The PhytoGen team has worked hard to breed, develop and advance cotton varieties that help growers thrive with consistently high yields and excellent fiber quality,” King says. “We continually see excellent results in our own variety trials and on customers’ farms, so we’re excited — but not surprised — to see our varieties performing well in the Extension trials, too.”
PhytoGen W3FE varieties also include PhytoGen Breeding Traits that deliver in-plant protection against pests and diseases such as bacterial blight, Verticillium wilt, root-knot nematodes and Race 4 Fusarium. Every W3FE variety has a unique combination of PhytoGen Breeding Traits, including bacterial blight resistance.
For more information, contact your local PhytoGen territory manager or cotton development specialist, or visit PhytoGen.com.
Texas A&M Seed Cotton Sign-Up Workshops
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will conduct a number of seed cotton program sign-up Workshops in May to help producers become familiar with the changes brought about through the recently reinstated government program.
All the events are free and share the same agenda. Here is the pertinent information, including AgriLife Extension agent contacts for the meetings currently scheduled.
• May 8, Runnels County, 8-11 a.m.; Winters Community Center, 410 Novice Road, Winters; Marty Vahlenkamp, 325-365-5042.
• May 8, Tom Green County, 1-4 p.m.; Tom Green County 4-H Building, 3168 U.S. Highway 67, San Angelo; Josh Blanek, 325-659-6522.
• May 11, Hudspeth County, noon-3 p.m.; Angie’s Café, 1101 Knox Ave., Fort Hancock; Cathy Klein, 915-369-2291.
• May 14, Jones County, 8-11 a.m.; Stamford High School Auditorium, 507 S. Orient St., Stamford; Steve Estes, 325-823-2432.
• May 17, Nolan County, 1-4 p.m.; Roscoe Collegiate ISD STEM Research Center, Interstate 20 Frontage Road, Roscoe; Zack Wilcox, 325-235-3184.
“Starting with the 2018 crop, producers of upland seed cotton will be able to participate in one of the two former ‘safety net’ programs introduced in 2014,” says Bill Thompson, AgriLife Extension economist.
TCGA Ginner Of The Year
Garry White, manager of Willamar Operating LP, was named this year’s Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association Ginner of the Year.
The company consists of a cotton gin and a grain elevator in Raymondville, Texas, and another grain elevator to the south in Sebastian, Texas. White says Willamar typically gins about 45,000 bales per year.
“We start early and we finish early,” he says.
Although it varies from year to year, white says they gin cotton for about 20 growers in the area. To do that, he counts on a good group of employees in season and out.
White shares his award with family, friends and employees at the Awards Dinner during the TCGA Annual Meeting and Trade Show.