Tommy Cartrite, left, Cartrite Farms, Sunray, Texas, is the West Texas/Oklahoma DP 1908 B3XF high yield winner with 1,479 pounds per acre. Nathan Betzen, right, Betzen Farms, Hereford, Texas, is the West Texas/Oklahoma DP 1909 XF high yield winner with 3,125 pounds per acre. Keylon Gholston, center, is the Deltapine cotton product manager.
Since 2008, farmers across the Cotton Belt have been invited to participate in the Deltapine New Product Evaluator Program. The goal is for them to evaluate variety candidates on large-acre plots under their own management systems and field conditions.
The NPE producers determine how to best grow these varieties based on soil type and other conditions representative of the region in which they are located. The farmers record how the varieties perform through the season and also provide feedback to the company about yield and quality at the end of the year after the variety candidates are harvested.
Doyle Schniers, left, and Daryl Schniers, second from right,Schniers Bros. Farms, San Angelo, Texas, are the West Texas DP 1948 B3XF high yield winners with 2,058 pounds per acre. Troy Bippert, right, BBN Farms, Castroville, Texas, is the South and East Texas DP 1948 B3XF high yield winner with 2,470 pounds per acre. Keylon Gholston, second from left, Deltapine cotton product manager, made the award presentations.
Deltapine takes all the data into consideration to determine which varieties to bring to market. In December, Deltapine personnel and NPE growers come together at a summit where the new class of commercial varieties is announced.
Once the announcement is made, farmer awards are presented in various categories to commemorate their achievements during the growing season. One of the categories is the High Yield Award that goes to the farmers who report the highest yield for each of the new Deltapine commercial varieties.
Congratulations to all of the Class of 19 winners!
Tyler Huerkamp, left, Huerkamp Farms, Macon, Mississippi, is the Mid-South DP 1916 B3XF high yield winner with 1,690 pounds per acre. Levi Burns, second from right, Rio Rancho Farms, Harlingen, Texas, is the South and East Texas DP 1916 B3XF high yield winner with 2,534 pounds per acre. Walter Cartwright, right, Cartwright Farms, Hertford, North Carolina, is the Southeast/Carolinas DP 1916 B3XF high yield winner with 1,780 pounds per acre. The award recipients are joined by Keylon Gholston, Deltapine cotton product manager.
