The format may have changed somewhat from previous years, but one fact remains consistent about the Beltwide Cotton Conferences (BWCC) in San Antonio, Texas, on Jan. 5-7. Timely information will be offered to attendees, and one of the most...
By Wayne Ebelhar
Stoneville Miss.
[email protected]
George Washington once said, "I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture." Having worked in agricultural research for 34 years in...
The Agricultural Act of 2014 is a farm law that features a greater reliance on crop insurance programs, and cotton producers need to understand their options before making program choices for 2015 crops.
Are there any decision-making resources?
USDA’s Risk Management...
The National Cotton Council (NCC) has scheduled 25 educational meetings across the Cotton Belt to provide its members with in-depth information regarding insurance options for cotton under The Agricultural Act of 2014. The first meeting will be on Nov. 10 and the last two meetings on Dec. 10. The meetings will provide an in-depth look at the new Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX) and the Supplemental Coverage Option. Coverage levels, expected yields and premium rates will be covered in detail in order to better equip producers with the information necessary to evaluate the insurance options for 2015. The schedule of meetings listed by state...
Many years ago, the process of choosing a new cotton seed variety was so much simpler – or at least it seemed that way. Obviously, the technology wasn’t nearly as advanced in those days. A producer pretty much had...
As heroic wildfire fights persist across California, recovery from last year's catastrophic forest fires continues – and the fight to restore watersheds, landscapes, lost homes and livelihoods affected by the 2013 Rim Fire in the Stanislaus National Forest has now shifted to the courtroom. Almost immediately after the Stanislaus forest supervisor issued a Rim Fire recovery plan last month, environmental groups went to court to prevent certain portions of it from being implemented. Specifically, the groups wanted to block plans for salvage logging on 15,000 acres of the 260,000 acres affected by the fire. Three environmental groups, including the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity, filed a motion for a temporary restraining order to stop the logging. But that motion was denied by a judge last week. "While it remains to be seen whether the court will grant the plaintiffs' request for a preliminary injunction, this is a significant legal decision for the U.S...
Every year presents different growing conditions and new challenges, and 2014 was no exception. For some of the most troublesome pests, the university Extension experts predicted accurately that:
Tarnished plant bugs were capable of surviving the harsh winter.
Nonmigratory lepidopteron caterpillar...
SePRO Corporation has collaborated with weed scientists from universities, USDA, Cotton Incorporated and the National Cotton Council to develop a new herbicide mode of action for cotton. Brake, with the active ingredient fluridone, was discovered approximately 35 years ago...
USDA, House Ag Committee Announce Risk Mgt. Tools
House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson has joined U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and other farm leaders to unveil the new Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has awarded more than $18 million in grants to small businesses for high quality, advanced research and development that will lead to technological innovations and solutions for American agriculture. NIFA awarded 100 grants through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. "Small businesses are adept at finding solutions that can advance agriculture, create new jobs and grow our economy," says USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. "These grants will provide resources so small businesses can innovate and create new breakthroughs. The SBIR program has provided hundreds of small businesses with the ability to explore new ideas that have led to cutting- edge solutions to pressing challenges and helped keep American agriculture innovative and strong." The SBIR program exists to stimulate technological innovations in the private sector and to...
By Fred Bourland
Keiser, Ark.
EDITOR’S NOTE – Fred Bourland is a cotton breeder and manager of the Northeast Ag Research Station in Keiser, Ark. In the following report, he discusses the important decisions facing a cotton producer when he chooses...
Less Cotton in China?
Several years ago when I was working for the Globecot News Network (www.commoditynetwork.com), I wrote a story detailing the decline of China’s cotton production in lieu of the need to “import what you wear and plant...
We always hear the phrase that every cotton harvest is somehow different from all the ones that occurred in the past. After observing conditions in many parts of the Belt this year, I’d say that this was definitely a season for the history books – regardless of what yield numbers might reveal. From Texas to the Carolinas, I don’t think I can recall a more varied reaction from producers when asked how harvest had proceeded this year. As we were moving into the first part of October, it was debatable the kind of harvest that Texas would eventually have. The Rio Grande Valley, which has an earlier crop than the rest of the state, was able to deliver cotton for the first time in several years because of good moisture levels throughout most of the growing season. That was some of the best news I heard coming out of Texas. A challenging situation occurred in the High Plains where excessive...
It is a consistent theme each year when cotton seed companies announce their lineups for the new crop season. Some varieties have a longer shelf life than others and remain on the market. Meanwhile, new ones always appear –...
If you want to sell something for the highest possible price, you should try a method that dates back to around 500 B.C. That’s around the time humans first used auctions as a means to a higher price. Your...
