On Sept. 10, 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released new rules that could directly affect cotton gins across the country by next year.
Most people don’t think of cotton gins as producers of food, but since 2003,...
Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association (TCGA) members know how to adapt. No matter how unusual the production environment or number of issues, this organization usually finds a way to adjust quickly. Not surprisingly, members had plenty to talk about at TCGA’s Summer Meeting recently at the Barton Creek Resort in Austin, Texas. “We certainly discussed a wide range of issues at our meeting,” says TCGA executive vice president Tony Williams. “Our organization is optimistic and hopeful about the size of the crop our farmers can deliver this year – even though we know that some areas couldn’t even plant.” In one of his reports to the TCGA Board of Directors, Williams presented data that supports the idea that a large cotton crop is possible this year – despite lower planted acreage statewide. The latest USDA crop report pegs cotton acreage in Texas at 5.2 million acres. That is a reduction of one million acres compared to 2014.
Nobody in Texas expects 2015 to be an easy season for growing or ginning cotton, but the industry will persevere and do its best to deliver a highquality crop in the fall.
That’s the unanimous opinion of producers, ginners and...
Today’s Texas cotton ginner has a forward-thinking approach to the future and isn’t deterred by low prices or fewer acres. That’s the opinion of Ross Rutherford, product general manager of Lummus Corporation, and a long-time observer of the Texas cotton ginning industry.
In fact, Rutherford says a prime example of this philosophy is the way Texas ginners continue to invest in technology and timely upgrades.
“A lot of this is being driven by consolidation within the ginning industry, but much of it is a reflection of our customers looking to the future,” he says.
Low cotton prices are nothing new for producers and ginners, according to Rutherford. And, since crop options are limited in the country’s largest cotton production state (Texas), gin owners aren’t afraid of making investments in machinery.
Some examples of new ginning equipment will be on display at the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association Trade Show on April 9-10 at the Lubbock Civic Center.
Everything you need for a profitable 2015 season. Be there when the doors open!
If you’re a farmer or ginner, this is the time of year for finding new information that can make a difference during the 2015 cotton production...
West Tennessee producer/ginner Richard Kelley has observed many changes in the cotton industry for the past 40 years. In this interview with Cotton Farming, he discusses some of the major issues as harvest and ginning seasons approach. What's uppermost in your mind as ginning season approaches? The thoughts that come to mind are "survival" and the future of cotton in our area. These are challenging times for cotton as we deal with weak demand, larger carryover and lower prices.
Nearly every gin in the country has some type of air quality or environmental permit. Some are simple, and some are complex. It is important to know what your permit says because, just like every other government document, you're...
OSHA has paid visits to two gins in Texas over the last 12 months. We have learned several lessons from these two visits. One of the main lessons we have learned is that the ginning industry has very...
National Cotton Ginners Association (NCGA) President Dwayne Alford says building and maintaining a well-trained ginning sector workforce is vitally important for the U.S. cotton industry to continue being globally competitive. That's the key message Alford conveyed in his remarks...
Why the big focus on safety? It's no secret that your associations are the smallest of small businesses, but the role of your associations has become a big part of what you know about ginning cotton. Cotton ginners associations started like most other associations – a way to organize and learn from each other.
Electricity is one of the top three variable costs for a cotton gin, right next to bagging and ties, and labor. There are two main aspects to the electricity costs paid by a given cotton gin. The first is...
The TCGA internship program looks to create opportunities for program participants, and we need your help. In many ways, the internship program created by TCGA has gone according to plan. The idea for the program was generated through our safety committee back in 2008. Through the program, we have marketed our industry to many highly capable students at Texas A&M University
BY TOMMY HORTON
EDITOR
When visitors attend the Texas Cotton Ginners' Association Trade Show on April 3-4 in Lubbock, they'll see firsthand how far technology has taken the ginning industry. As they walk around the exhibit hall at the Civic Center,...
BY TOMMY HORTON
EDITOR
If it’s February, it can only mean one thing. Winter is almost over, and spring can’t be too far away. It also means that the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show is right around the corner. Those are...
It’s no surprise that gin equipment is expensive. And being operated three to four months per year means there are eight or more months to repair the gin. Most gins do a great job of tearing down machinery and...
