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...
ARKANSAS
The latest USDA yield report estimates Arkansas’ crop at 1,137 pounds of lint per acre. This set a record, surpassing our previous record of 1,133 pounds of lint per acre set last year. As this report is being prepared,...
As the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rapid implementation of the 2014 Farm Bill continues, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced proposed changes to the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), one of USDA’s largest conservation programs for working agricultural lands.
“Farmers, ranchers...
By Andrew Olah
CEO/Olah Incorporated
Founder of Kingpins Show
New York, N.Y.
Quest for Quality Cotton
I have just returned home from the first Global Denim Awards event, which was conducted on Oct. 30 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and I’m more confident than ever that...
Dow Ready To Launch Enlist Duo Herbicide in 2015
Dow AgroSciences has announced it will launch its innovative Enlist Duo herbicide for the 2015 crop season. Enlist Duo is part of the Enlist Weed Control System, a herbicide-tolerant trait technology...
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that $29 million is being invested to provide affordable housing for the country’s farm laborers and their family members. Housing is often the first step on the road to more economic prosperity for farmworker families,” Vilsack says. “These loans and grants will significantly improve the lives of farmworkers, who are vital to America’s agriculture sector. This program is one of many tools that USDA has to strengthen the rural economy, which will help bring a brighter future for children from farmworker families.” USDA is providing assistance through the Farm Labor Housing Loan and Grant program. Financing is available to qualified organizations to develop housing for domestic farm laborers. USDA also provides rental assistance to help very low income families afford the monthly rent.
From November 10 to December 10, the National Cotton Council has been conducting workshops to help cotton producers and others get a better grasp on the provisions of The Agricultural Act of 2014.
How does STAX fit with a producer’s...
My family was in the retail fertilizer application business, so I have been around agriculture all of my life. While I was in college, a local consultant in the Clarksdale area hired me and taught me how to scout...
Is it possible that this 2014 crop season is now in the record books, and farmers already are making plans for 2015? It’s hard to believe. I know we find ourselves repeating this thought every December, but the time...
When lawmakers return to Washington, D.C., for a post-election lame-duck session, action on a number of lapsed tax incentives is expected to be at the top of the congressional to-do list. Among the provisions important to farmers and ranchers...
By Tommy Horton, Editor
How important is cotton production in Georgia? And is it still a viable commodity when prices dip into the 60- cent range? Those are legitimate questions to ask any farmer growing the crop in 2014. And...
By Brent Murphree
Roller ginning upland cotton has been a topic of discussion for several years in the Western cotton gin community. This season, as profit margins on short-staple cotton get even tighter, the discussion is gaining increased traction as...
There are several Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspections in progress at cotton gins right now. We have spent some time discussing OSHA inspections at our local meetings and at the gin schools. There will be additional discussions in January at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences in San Antonio, so be sure and attend the Ginning Conferences this year. In some ways, the inspections are very similar. We are seeing inspectors that have never been to a cotton gin before, and they make suggestions that are simply not possible to achieve. We are also seeing the normal emphasis in employee training, hazard communication programs and guarding. One significant difference we are seeing during inspections recently is a tendency to have a safety inspection, followed by a separate health inspection. We don’t know if this is the result of an emphasis in one particular region or something that is being emphasized across the United States.
