Someone once said that failure to plan is planning to fail. I’m not sure who said it, but it’s one of those things that can really ring true sometimes. In these columns, my colleagues and I often talk about...
After a prolonged drought, rain finally fell in Texas. The much-needed water boosted the spirits of farmers and ginners, which was evident at the 109th Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association Annual Meeting and Trade Show. Attendees were upbeat and ready to learn more about the products and services being offered by numerous companies gathered at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center.
Tony Williams, TCGA executive vice president, says he received positive feedback during the show regarding the upcoming season. “Promising soil moisture appears to have generated a good attitude among the attendees who see enormous potential for the 2016 crop,” he says. “After going through a tough drought that began in 2011, conditions in 2016 are much improved. The South Texas crop is planted, and West Texas received timely rains to start the season. We have heard predictions that 5.5 million acres of cotton will be planted in the state this year. The general consensus is, ‘If we can’t get price, we can get yields.’”
From the ginners’ perspective, Williams says farmers need to “bring bales to the gin.” Although the economic environment is tough, there is hope and good potential for that to happen in 2016.
Barry Street grew up on a cotton farm in Kress, Texas, 60 miles north of Lubbock. In 1979, he and his wife, SuDe, graduated from Texas Tech University and decided to return to the family operation. Little did they...
The Southern Cotton Ginners Association’s Awards Banquet held during the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show is all about honoring the cotton industry. Three awards presented this year include the Cotton Ginner of the Year, the A.L. Vandergriff Pioneer Award and the SCGA Memorial Scholarship. The Cotton Ginner of the Year award, which began is 1990, is based on three criteria. First is service to his or her customers, including quality of ginning, ethical business standards and other constructive activity. Next is service to all branches of the cotton industry through support and leadership of activities and programs. The third consideration weighs community outreach, as well as civic and philanthropic factors.
“George LaCour, Tri-Parish Gin, Lettsworth, La., represents of all of these criteria,” says SCGA Executive Vice President Tim Price. “He is committed to cotton, has an excellent relationship with his customers and knows the value of having a local gin.”
The A.L. Vandergriff Pioneer Award is given to a person who has developed an idea, an invention, a technique or a program that pioneering in nature. Woods E. Eastland, Staplcotn, Greenwood, Miss., who was instrumental in developing the seasonal pool and pool call marketing concept, is the recipient of this year’s award.
In sports, it is inevitable that a player (or a team) will go into a slump. In every case, the recipe for getting out of that slump and back into high performance is to break down the training routine...
At the National Cotton Ginners’ Association 79th membership and board meeting in Dallas in early February, the board covered reports from committees on a wide range of topics, including technology, safety and labor, and legislative.
NCGA members are keenly aware...
The annual meetings of the Southern Cotton Growers Inc. and the Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association Inc. were held recently in Savannah, Ga. The well-attended event featured several committee meetings and breakout sessions in which numerous production topics were discussed.
U.S....
It’s Showtime!
By Carroll Smith
Editor
In a few short weeks, it’s time to head to Memphis, Tenn., to attend the 64th Annual Mid-South Farm & Gin Show. Hundreds of exhibitors will be on hand to provide the latest information suited to...
‘Enormous Potential’ Sets The Stage
BY TONY WILLIAMS
TCGA EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Optimism is running high in Texas as cotton farmers and ginners prepare for the 2016 season. To help kick off the year on a positive note, The Texas Cotton Ginners Association...
It has been almost a year and a half since the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued two violations for noise in South Texas. Two cotton gins were cited for noise levels, and OSHA is saying it wants these...
Over the past few months with the increased presence of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in many industries, the question is continuing to come up: What is your safety program? As we’ve been working with our members, their...
On her TV show a few weeks ago, MSNBC hostess Melissa Harris-Perry admonished her guest, Alfonso Aguilar, when he used the words “hard worker” to describe Rep. Paul Ryan. Her reason – and I paraphrase – is that it...
In the January 2015 issue of Cotton Farming, Dusty Findley discussed the new Occupational Health and Safety Administration reporting rule. This rule has greatly increased the number of ginners who have to call OSHA to report an accident.
If...
ARKANSAS
The National Agricultural Statistics Service November Crop Production report lowered our yield estimate for Arkansas cotton to 1,124 pounds of lint per acre down from last month’s estimate of 1,218 pounds of lint per acre. The November estimate is...
Clemson Assists With Flood Recovery, Damage Assessment
Scott Miller, writer/editor with Clemson University recently reported that Clemson Extension agents across the state continue to help communities recover from the historic flood and are scouting fields to assess losses to the...
