The 2020 Beltwide Cotton Conferences, set for Jan. 8-10, 2020, at the JW Marriott in Austin, Texas, will update attendees on the latest research and technology.
The conferences, coordinated by the National Cotton Council, annually brings together university and U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers, Extension personnel/agents, consultants and industry sales/support personnel. The forum helps U.S. cotton industry members tailor new products and production/processing systems to their operations for maximum efficiency.
Beginning on Sept. 17, attendees may register and secure housing at Beltwide’s website, www.cotton.org/beltwide/. That site, which includes a link to conference proceedings from 2005-2019, will be updated with the 2020 program and other information.
The 2020 Beltwide will begin at noon, Jan. 8, with the half-day Cotton Consultants Conference – open to all attendees.
Among topics selected by the consultant community for consideration on the 2020 program are: an expert panel of entomologists to discuss timely topics ranging from Bt resistance to results of testing Bollgard 4.
Among other key issues will be water restrictions, including the status of aquifers across the Cotton Belt; an update on precision agriculture technology; a discussion of the Environmental Protection Agency’s role in the plant protection chemicals’ review and registration processes; and a briefing on a multi-state potash study.
The 10 Beltwide cotton technical conferences, which will provide updates on research and current/emerging technology, will meet concurrently beginning on the morning of Jan. 9 and conclude by noon, Jan. 10.
The Engineering-Systems Conference, for example, will feature presentations on sustainability and contamination prevention while the Economics Conference will cover such topics as crop insurance, disaster assistance and trade.
The Ginning Conference will continue to focus on efficient processing/maintaining quality fiber along with updates regarding ongoing ginning research, ginning efficiencies, new equipment and lint contamination prevention/research.
Beginning the afternoon of Jan. 8, multiple committees within the National Cotton Ginners Association will hold meetings. A schedule of those meetings will be posted at www.cotton.org/ncga/index.cfm.
Among other topics to be covered in the technical sessions are results from breeding and variety trials, research looking at the relationship between plants and water, and cotton’s competitive advantage over synthetic fabrics.
Registration costs for the 2020 Beltwide Conferences before Dec. 16 are: $200 for NCC/Cotton Foundation members, university and USDA researchers, Extension personnel, associations and consultants; $500 for non-U.S. research, Extension, associations and consultants; $400 for non-NCC/Foundation members; and $80 for students.
On-site conference self-registration kiosks will be available 24 hours a day beginning on the evening of Jan. 7. Beginning the morning of Jan. 8, NCC staff will be available for attendees needing assistance with registration and name badge printing.