Cotton Farming, August 2014

Aug Cover _CF 11/13 template 7/14/14 9:42 AM Page 1

Cotton Farming

®

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

AUGUST 2014

www.cottonfarming.com

ARKANSAS’ SAM STUCKEY PROUD OF HIS

RESILIENT COTTON

PRODUCERS VISIT MONTANA SPECIAL APPS FOR THE WEST

CF0814 LAYOUT_CF 11/13 template 7/14/14 1:08 PM Page 2

Cotton Spear Round Module Handler

PATENT # USD700,918S • Detachable alloy steel spears pierce modules without damage • Minimizes stalks pinned against module and transported to gin • Lower maintenance, no moving parts or hydraulics • Fastest and easiest operated module handler available • Priced thousands of dollars less than other module handlers

Tommy Wilkins—Kennett, MO

Hal McCay—McCay Gin, Cordele, GA

!

Sammy Henderson—Cairo Farmers Gin, Humboldt, TN

!! !

!

!

! !

!

!

3_3 7/17/14 9:03 AM Page 3

Vol. 58 No. 8

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

AUGUST 2014

www.cottonfarming.com

F E A T U R E S

8

10

TCGA SUMMER MEETING

12

SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

14

WESTERN REPORT

TCGA addressed numerous issues at its meeting at the Lost Pines Resort.

A group of cotton producers learned a lot on a week-long trip to Montana.

Western producers are taking advantage of special apps on their smartphones.

Busy Checklist

Producer Sam Stuckey has farmed in eastern Arkansas for 37 years, and he knows the importance of being timely with all of his spray applications and irrigation. Even if the weather doesn’t cooperate, he has found that being on time can keep his cotton production on schedule and ahead of any potential problems during a long crop season.

D E P A R T M E N T S

4 6

Editor’s Note Cotton’s Agenda

&

WEB EXCLUSIVE Cotton Farming Editor Tommy Horton recently accompanied a group of cotton producers on a week-long trip to Montana as part of the Cotton Foundation’s Multi-Commodity Education Program sponsored by John Deere. Look for his observations in a special report at www.cottonfarming.com.

C O L U M N S

16 Specialists Speaking 22 My Turn

WEB POLL RESULTS

How would you describe your cotton crop in the second week of July?

Go to www.cottonfarming.com for the results.

ON THE COVER: Producer Sam Stuckey checks out his cotton field in eastern Arkansas. Photo by Tommy Horton.

COTTON FARMING (ISSN 0746-8385) is published monthly January through December for $40 per year by One Grower Publishing LLC, 1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, TN 38119. Periodicals Postage paid at Memphis, TN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sunbelt Fulfillment Services, 307 Southgate Court, Brentwood, Tenn. 37027-7987 (Phone: 615-377-3322) (Fax: 615850-5319). International rates are $55.00 in Canada/Mexico, $90.00 in all other countries for air-speeded delivery. Surface Delivery not available due to problems in reliability.

COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2014

3

4_ 4 7/17/14 9:33 AM Page 4

Editor’s Note Tommy Horton

Cotton Farming

®

EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor/Editorial Director Tommy Horton thorton@onegrower.com Senior Writer Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com

Heavy Rains Didn’t Stop This Crop

T

his crop season appears to be moving along way too quickly. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were talking about how this year’s cotton might be delayed by rain events in the MidSouth. And simultaneously we were discussing the continuing drought in the West and Southwest. How quickly the scenario can change in a couple of months.

Now we’re talking about welcome rains that Texas and Oklahoma received in June while the Mid-South has coped with recordbreaking precipitation earlier this summer that put the crop dangerously behind in some areas. How much more unpredictable can this year become? And to think we still have August and September to finish off this crop and hope that additional heat units save the day.

As I am writing this column in mid-July, we’re in the middle of a weather trend that recently sent evening temperatures into the high 50s in parts of the Mid-South. The experts always say that no two cotton crop seasons are alike, and we’d have to agree with that assessment based on what has happened thus far.

Which brings us to a quick preview of our cover story on Arkansas producer Sam Stuckey who has managed to put his cotton crop in excellent condition halfway through the season. When you consider that it rained for about three straight weeks in June, it is nothing short of miraculous what his cotton looks like right now.

As you’ll learn when you read this story on pages 8 and 9, it was a case of planting the crop successfully during the first five days of May. Then, he aggressively put out his residual herbicide applications and was in good shape heading into the last days of the month.

Then the rains came for the next three weeks of June. Fortunately, there were windows of opportunity nearly every day when the rains stopped.

And, unlike the Memphis area across the Mississippi River, Stuckey’s farm didn’t receive six or seven inches of rainfall in one day. Instead, he and his crews did the best they could during those momentary lulls in the storms.

Call it luck or some of the timeliest management practices ever seen.

The end results, according to Stuckey’s long-time consultant Chuck Farr, are “the best looking cotton fields in Arkansas.” That’s high praise, and obviously there is a lot that must happen between now and harvest.

But if you recently drove by the Stuckey fields in Clarkedale, Ark., you would have been impressed.

Now, it’s on to August and September. Don’t be surprised if the Stuckey farm stays on a roll and delivers a fabulous cotton crop.

Southeast Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Art Director Carol Watson

ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher Carroll Smith (901) 767-4020 Sales Manager Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Production Manager Kathy Killingsworth (800) 888-9784 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com Circulation Manager Janet Owens (229) 386-8809

For circulation changes or change of address, call (800) 888-9784

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD David Burns – North Carolina David Lynch – South Carolina Bob McLendon – Georgia Larkin Martin – Alabama Mike Sturdivant Jr. – Mississippi Charles Parker – Missouri Jimmy Hargett – Tennessee Allen Helms – Arkansas Jay Hardwick – Louisiana Ronnie Hopper – Texas Ron Rayner – Arizona John Pucheu – California

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC Mike Lamensdorf PRESIDENT/TREASURER Lia Guthrie PUBLISHER/VICE PRESIDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COOPERATION: Cooperating with COTTON FARMING are various cotton producer organizations across the Cotton Belt. Many representatives of producer organizations serve on COTTON FARMING’s editorial advisory board.

Opinions expressed and conclusions reached by contributors are not necessarily those of the cooperating organizations or the editors. All statements, including product claims, are those of the person or organization making the statement or claim. The publisher does not adopt any such statement or claims as its own and any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher.

Copyright 2014 ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

One Grower Publishing, LLC

If you have comments, send them to: Editor, Cotton Farming Magazine, 1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, Tenn., 38119. Or send e-mail to: thorton@onegrower.com.

4

COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2014

1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, Tennessee, 38119 Phone: 901-767-4020

5_CF 11/13 template 7/15/14 8:48 AM Page 5

WHAT CUSTOMERS WANT Many Factors Can Contribute To Quality

By Dr. Louis W. Rose IV Risk Analytics LLC www.rosecottonreport.com

Quality Characteristics Quality sets cotton apart from most agricultural commodities.

That is, a bale of cotton possesses a unique set of characteristics that renders it suitable for certain uses, and less so for others.

Producers are familiar with these characteristics as they show up in premium and discount tables and recap prices. Consumers see quality reflected in premium prices for high-end textiles and garments made from Pima, Sea Isle or other ELS varieties.

For the industry as a whole, these quality differences are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, cotton’s huge quality range is the reason a merchant and broker sector exists between producers and mills. Mills have a very specific set of criteria for cotton they will accept, and those criteria are strict enough that it would be nearly impossible for a single grower to only produce cotton within those specifications.

Strong Incentives On the other hand, the degree to which quality is subject to factors beyond grower/ginner control means that merchants frequently find themselves owning cotton, meeting a narrow set of criteria without having the required inventory on hand.

Market analyst Dr. Louis W. Rose IV says producers can increase cotton quality by making the right choices before the crop is planted in the spring.

For growers, the bottom line depends largely on quality. With the international standard moving from the US 41-4-34 SLM to 31-3-35 M, growers have a strong incentive to increase staple length and enhance color. Further incentives exist for improving uniformity, strength and micronaire.

There are several steps growers can take to produce better white and see more green at the end of the season, beginning with the right varieties that can deliver the quality required.

Factors beyond the grower’s control will always exist (e.g. the weather and the market). However, the difference between a good year and a great year begins by making the right choices.

From Fiber To Fabric • Quality makes cotton unique.

• Cotton has a huge quality range.

• Incentive exists to increase staple.

• Cotton variety choices are crucial.

• Producers can’t control some factors.

“There are several steps growers can take to produce better white and see more green at the end of the season.”

– Dr. Louis W. Rose IV

Sponsored By

6_9 7/17/14 8:26 AM Page 6

Cotton’s Agenda Mark Lange

Attention To Detail As harvest time nears, the National Cotton Council is reminding industry members to make contamination prevention a day-to-day priority.

Is contamination increasing?

■ The International Textile Manufacturers Federation’s “Cotton Contamination Survey 2013” shows the level of cottons moderately or seriously contaminated worldwide increased from 23 percent to 26 percent compared to the last survey in 2011. Though U.S. cotton still is considered one of the least contaminated growths, the survey found that plastics, stickiness and seed-coat fragments, along with other foreign materials, are still posing serious challenges to global cotton spinning.

U.S. cotton’s key customers have voiced concerns. At the recent Cotton USA “Shaping Cotton’s Future” conference in Turkey, for example, U.S. participants heard Turkish mill customer reports of lint contamination due to plastics, with black plastics being the predominant problem in U.S. bales. The NCC believes that without continued attentiveness, our Even a small piece of plastic can seriously hard-earned reputation for providing the damage hundreds of yards of fabric. world with contamination-free cotton can be lost quickly. Once that reputation is sullied, it may take years to overcome – with the net result possibly being lost premiums for all U.S. cotton.

What are some specific actions to take?

■ The NCC has asked cotton interest organization leaders to remind those attending upcoming cotton-related meetings – to make contamination prevention a high priority. There are no

Cotton Belt regions immune to contamination.

We want our producers, ginners and warehousers to make sure potential contaminants do not make their way from fields to gins and from gins into bales – that pure fiber is as important as high yields. A key step, we believe, is making all work crews – whether in the field or at the gin and warehouse – aware of all potential contamination sources and regularly reminding them to be diligent in keeping those items out of fields, seed cotton and baled lint.

As I’ve noted in previous columns, plastics from various sources are a serious contaminant. For example, if cotton is planted in fields where plastic mulched vegetables or vine crops were previously grown or intercropped with cotton, the risk of picking up that plastic during harvest is magnified. Also, wind and flood waters can carry discarded plastic film bags, woven plastic feed sacks and other litter into cotton fields during the season. Cotton twine and other non-contaminating materials should be used for module tie downs. And, when preparing modules for feeding at the gin, proper and complete removal of all module tarps, tarp tie downs and round module wraps must be emphasized. A list of potential contaminants and prevention guidelines are among the resources available on the NCC website’s Quality Preservation page at www.cotton.org/tech/quality/index.cfm.

U.S. cotton’s mill customers are escalating their contamination detection efforts, too. Along with traditional visual inspections, some mills are using in-line foreign material detection technology positioned closer to the bale opening process. This increases the likelihood that contamination will be traced back to a specific bale.

And the cost associated with these extra inspections often results in unacceptable outcomes for mills and may affect their future bale sourcing decisions.

Mark Lange is the president and chief executive officer for the National Cotton Council of America.

He and other NCC leaders contribute columns on this Cotton Farming page.

6 COTTON FARMING

AUGUST 2014

8Aug CF CCCv2_CF 11/13 template 7/15/14 3:08 PM Page 7

Cotton Consultant’s Corner

Improvement Comes From Reflection Benny Martinez Sales Representative, Dow AgroSciences Rio Grande Valley and Winter Garden region, Texas “We do not learn from experience,” philosopher John Dewey said. “We learn from reflecting on experience.” As Texas cotton growers are in the midst of or nearing cotton harvest, this is an ideal time to gauge the success of the season and determine how to improve in the future. I always emphasize the importance of reflecting on what worked well over the past growing season to be ready for the next year.

• B.S. degree in Agricultural Science – Texas A&M UniversityKingsville

Cotton Pest Pressure

• Has worked for Dow AgroSciences for 15 years

Pest pressure was fairly typical this year. Aphids and leafhoppers usually begin their torment early in the season, especially if there is good moisture. This year was no exception. Growers started spraying early for the two pests. Many growers relied on Transform WG insecticide, which offers a new class of chemistry for outstanding control of the pests. In addition, Transform is easy on beneficials. In our area, the more beneficials you have, the fewer problems you will have with aphid flares.

I recommend growers use ¾ to one oz/A of Transform for aphids and fleahoppers. When scouts find around 50 aphids per leaf or a 10 to 15 percent infestation rate of fleahoppers, then it is time to spray. Smaller squares to pinhead-size squares are the most affected by leafhoppers, so growers need to be scouting regularly early on.

Whitefly is another pest to watch for in mid- to late season. This year, whitefly pressure was light and showed up late. I usually suggest growers spray when three to four nymphs or adults per leaf are found in the fifth leaf from the terminal. A pest unique to the coastal regions of Texas is the verde bug. Like whitefly, verde bug is a mid- to late season pest – and this year, it is showing up late. Verde bug is elusive as it flies away when humans approach, so a sweep net is the best way to check for it. I suggest spraying when four to five percent of plants are infested.

Challenges For Sorghum Growers This year, sugarcane aphids showed up in full force in Texas, especially in the Rio Grande Valley. Some untreated fields yielded around 1,200 pounds per acre compared with treated fields that yielded 5,000 pounds per acre. In a few days, the sugarcane aphid can increase from a few pests per leaf to a few hundred per leaf. Scout at least twice per week to make timely applications.

The new, effective tool this year was Transform. A majority of sorghum acres were treated at least once after the emergency Sec. 18 was issued for Transform. Work is underway to define economic thresholds, but this year, the most effective time to spray was when 30 percent of plants were infested. Many growers sprayed one oz/A in 10 to 15 gal/A of water for ground application or one oz/A in five gal/A of water for aerial application.

From cotton to grain sorghum, crops in Texas have seen their fair share of pests this year. And next year will be no exception. Maintain timely scouting schedules and be prepared with spray options that work.

• Grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and continues to live there with his family and several cheerful cows • Avidly hunts whitetail deer, pigs and dove • Likes fishing for speckled trout and red fish • Enjoys life with his wife, Desiree, and their two sons, Tristan, 15, and Easton, 12

Recap: Improvement Comes From Reflection

▼

1. Reflect on what worked well over the past growing season to be ready for the next year.

2. In cotton, growers started spraying early for aphids and fleahoppers.

Many growers relied on Transform WG insecticide, which offers a new class of chemistry for outstanding control of the pests.

3. Transform is easy on beneficials. In our area, the more beneficials you have, the fewer problems you will have with aphid flares.

4. I recommend growers use ¾ to one oz/A of Transform for aphids and fleahoppers.

5. I usually suggest growers spray when three to four whitefly nymphs or adults per leaf are found in the fifth leaf from the terminal.

6. A sweep net is the best way to check for verde bug. I suggest spraying when four to five percent of plants are infested.

7. In sorghum, sugarcane aphids showed up in full force in Texas, especially in the Rio Grande Valley. A majority of sorghum acres were treated at least once after the emergency Sec. 18 was issued for Transform.

8. This year, the most effective time to spray for sugarcane aphids in sorghum was when 30 percent of plants were infested. Many growers sprayed one oz/A in 10 to 15 gal/A of water for ground application or one oz/A in five gal/A of water for aerial application.

9. Scout regularly and be prepared with spray options that work.

Sponsored By

®Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. Transform WG is not registered for sale or use in all states.

Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions.

8 9_CF 11/13 template 7/15/14 1:38 PM Page 8

COVER STORY

Resilient Cotton Arkansas Producer Sam Stuckey’s Crop Has Weathered The Storm

BY TOMMY HORTON EDITOR

C

otton has always had a reputation for being able to withstand a lot of adversity during a long production season.

If you want proof of that statement, pay a visit to the Stuckey Farms operation in eastern Arkansas.

That’s where you’ll find a remarkable crop that has already withstood heavy rains. In fact, parts of the MidSouth received nearly three weeks of rain in June.

To say that Sam Stuckey’s 37th consecutive cotton crop has faced a challenge this year is an understatement.

But, through excellent and timely spray applications of preemergent herbicides and an overall aggressive approach, the crop is now only a few days late.

Surviving Heavy Rains Stuckey, who farms with his brother Fred and nephew Michael East, has 1,000 acres of cotton along with a mix

8

COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2014

of rice, corn, milo, soybean and wheat acreage on farms located in Clarkedale and Lepanto as well as Island 40 in Shelby County (Tenn.).

It wasn’t easy but the Stuckeys planted their cotton on time during the May 1-5 period. In retrospect, they were fortunate. When the rains eventually came, the crop was already off to a good start because of effective burndown and dicamba applications in late March and early April.

Before planting, the Stuckeys put

Stuckey Farms Partnership In Lepanto And Clarkedale, Ark. • 1,000 acres of cotton.

• Corn/wheat/milo/soybean and rice acres.

• Fourth-generation farming operation.

• Two farms in Clarkedale and Lepanto.

• Partners include brothers Sam and Fred, and sister Baylus East.

out a Gramoxone/Reflex application.

Then, after the crop was germinating, a Gramoxone/Direx residual was put out. That was followed with an overlapping Dual application and a Roundup/Liberty combination.

“Even with the non-stop rains in June, I feel pretty good about all of our crops,” says Sam. “We found windows during those three weeks in June where we could get in the necessary work. I couldn’t be happier with where this cotton is right now.”

New Varieties Planted Stuckey made the switch to several new varieties this year, and all of the cotton acreage is planted primarily to: ST 4747GLB2 ST 4946GLB2 FM 1944GLB2 and PH 333 WRF He also has one Deltapine test plot.

The crop season is near the midpoint, and now the question is can the

8 9_CF 11/13 template 7/15/14 1:38 PM Page 9

cotton gain the necessary heat units in July and August? Sam remains cautiously optimistic.

“I have seen late crops surprise me,” he says. “Cotton has an amazing ability to compensate and overcome adversity and make up for lost time. It just depends on the weather.”

Aggressive Management Pays Off Sam’s long-time consultant Chuck Farr has worked with him for 26 years and is equally optimistic about the cotton’s chances to recover from heavy June rains.

He also credits Stuckey’s management skills as one of the reasons why this year’s crop survived such unpredictable weather.

“It’s all about timeliness on everything,” says Farr. “That’s the key to Sam’s success. He does whatever is necessary to take advantage of those windows of opportunity.”

Barring anything unusual in the next two months, both Farr and Stuckey believe this cotton can yield “somewhere near 2.5 bales per acre” if favorable conditions exist.

“If Sam will take care of the pigweeds, I’ll take care of the plant bugs for the next couple of months,” says Farr with a laugh. “After what we’ve been through, I think we can do it.”

Arkansas Extension cotton specialist Bill Robertson says the Stuckey success story is an example of how good management practices can overcome unforeseen situations such as unusual weather in June.

“Sam and Chuck have done an outstanding job, and I’m not surprised

Stuckey Brothers Know The Meaning Of Effective Teamwork Sam Stuckey and younger brother Fred are part of a large family farming operation that includes sister Baylus East who works in the farm office. Meanwhile, nephew Michael assists Sam and Fred in various aspects of the operation while farming some of his own acreage. Fred says their ability to work together is because they know how to communicate – even when they disagree on a topic.

“Let’s just say that we respect each other and can agree to disagree,” says Fred. “Once we make a decision, then it’s full speed ahead.”

Meanwhile, Sam says the operation is very fortunate to have so many family members working together in the day-to-day activities.

“We are too diversified and spread out, and it’s better to have everybody on board together,” he says. “I also like the fact that Fred, Michael and I can talk about what needs to be done as opposed to each person working on individual acreage. It’s a good situation, and it definitely works for us.”

to see how they’ve kept that cotton crop going,” he says. “It all boils down to perseverance and doing whatever it takes to get past these weather events that can sometimes slow us down. We

still have a chance at a good cotton crop here in Arkansas.”

Contact Tommy Horton at (901) 7674020 or thorton@onegrower.com

COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2014

9

10new_CF 11/13 template 7/17/14 8:27 AM Page 10

SPECIAL REPORT

TCGA Anticipates Bigger Crop

BY TOMMY HORTON EDITOR

T

he Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association summer meeting at the Lost Pines Resort near Austin and Bastrop was dominated by one theme – the potential for a bigger crop in 2014.

Timely rains earlier this summer created an excellent opportunity for the state’s producers.

“I would say that the recent rains have definitely generated more optimism among our association’s ginners,” says TCGA executive vice president Tony Williams. “We see the chance for a pretty good crop this year if we’re fortunate with the weather.”

Even with the additional rainfall, Williams says some irrigated acres north of Lubbock were probably lost due to hail, high winds and disease in that area. Conversely, because of rains occurring in other parts of the state, it appears that a dryland crop will be produced for the first time in several years.

The agenda for the meeting was a busy one with several presentations given by industry leaders.

Dr. Joe Outlaw, co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University and a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist, gave a detailed look at the new farm law and implications for Texas cotton producers.

“Dr. Outlaw is a respected economist, and spelled out the options our producers have in this new law,” Williams added.

Also delivering reports to the TCGA Board were Sid Miller, Republican nominee for Texas Ag Commissioner, and Harrison Ashley, executive vice president of the National Cotton Ginners’ Association.

Labor Issues Are Crucial Besides continuing to monitor key issues on the regulatory and environmental fronts, the board discussed various situations that continue to confront member gins, such as having

10 COTTON FARMING

AUGUST 2014

access to enough seasonal workers during the ginning season.

Because of the drought in recent years, Williams says many gins have only used one crew. If this year’s crop is bigger, those gins will have to find enough workers for a second crew.

One of the highlights for those attending the summer meeting was the opportunity to take a bus trip to the historic Burton Farmers Gin. Many attendees dressed up in special outfits commemorating the centennial anniversary of the gin. Three bales were ginned and wrapped in jute material, with one being auctioned off.

“We had a lot of fun making the trip, and I think everyone had a good time,” Williams says.

During the summer meeting, several TCGA members visited the historic Burton Gin and helped produce three bales that were replicas of an earlier era.

Tide International USA, Inc. T

Tide Acephate Ace ephate 90WDG 90W Insecticide A superior formulation of dust-free dust-fr water dispersible granules that dissolve quickly and uniformly into spray solution. Available Availab Av vailable from from your local supplier. r.

To learn more about Tide USA and to see our complete line up of products oducts call us or visit our website: www.tide-usa.com www

Tide International national USA, Inc.

2014 CCOY nom form FINAL_ Consultant Nomination 2004 6/9/14 9:11 AM Page 13

Nomination Form

Cotton Consultant of the Year 2014 The Cotton Consultant of the Year (CCOY) represents the consultant who has made great contributions to the cotton industry through outstanding customer relations, leadership and innovation.

Recognized by fellow members of the cotton industry, this award is given to the consultant who not only meets these requirements but also exceeds them.

Syngenta and Cotton Farming magazine, CCOY sponsors, are soliciting your help in selecting the 2014 recipient, who will be named during a special celebration during the National Cotton Council’s 2015 Beltwide Cotton Conferences.

The winning consultant and the person who nominates the winner receive two nights’ hotel stay and airfare to the 2015 Beltwide, which will be held in San Antonio, Texas.

In addition, the 2014 CCOY recipient will be the subject of a four-page salute in the January 2015 issue of Cotton Farming.

Please send your nomination form by August 22, 2014 to: Carroll Smith, 1010 June Road, Suite 102 Memphis, TN 38119 Fax: (901) 767-4026 Scan/Email: csmith@onegrower.com You can print out an electronic version of the form located on the Cotton Farming Web site at www.cottonfarming.com.

If you would like to nominate a consultant deserving of this outstanding recognition, please take a moment to fill out the following form.

Please use a separate page for biographical/professional information. Additional recommendations via letters or emails from other farmers, consultants and industry members are also encouraged to provide support for the nominee.

Consultant’s Name: Company Name (if applicable): Mailing Address: City:

State:

Zip:

Phone:

Fax:

Email:

In your own words, please tell us why you are nominating the consultant above for the “Cotton Consultant of the Year” Award: Background:

Biographical/Industry Involvement Background:

Your Name: Address: City:

State:

Zip:

Phone:

Fax:

Email:

Sponsored by

Cotton Farming

12 13_CF 11/13 template 7/16/14 1:34 PM Page 12

CCOY

SPECIAL REPORT

2014 Cotton Consultant of the Year

Last Chance For 2014 CCOY Nominations

Trip To Montana – A Special Experience

BY TOMMY HORTON EDITOR

C How important are cotton consultants? They’re important enough that Cotton Farming magazine and Syngenta continue to co-sponsor a special award each year that honors the top consultant in the Cotton Belt.

Nominees are voted on by past Cotton Consultant of the Year winners. The honoree will be recognized at a special reception at the 2015 Beltwide Cotton Conferences in San Antonio and featured in a special four-page insert in the January 2015 issue of Cotton Farming.

Don’t delay. Fill out the nomination form on page 11 and send it to us. The deadline for entries is August 22.

Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by

Cotton Farming 12 COTTON FARMING

AUGUST 2014

an a cotton producer learn anything valuable after spending a week in Montana? To the uniformed outsider, that would be a logical question.

For participants in this summer’s Multi-Commodity Education Program (MCEP) tour, it all makes sense now.

This program began in 2006 and is coordinated by the National Cotton Council’s Member Services and supported by the Cotton Foundation with a grant from John Deere.

The week-long trip serves many purposes. It gives the visiting group a chance to observe agronomic practices as well as gain a better understanding of issues in another region.

An additional benefit is building alliances among American farmers from different parts of the country.

Those alliances have proven beneficial during years when a Farm Bill is being debated in Washington.

This year’s producer participants included: Jarod Abernathy, Altus, Okla.

Neal Baxley, Mullins, S.C. Justin Bone, Bakersfield, Calif.

David Cochran, Greenville, Miss.

Bert Driskell, Grand Bay, Ala. Michael Fruge, Eunice, La. Heath Herring, St. Joseph, La. Chris Hirt, St. Lawrence, Texas.

Joe Martin, Conway, N.C. Bobby Rieder, Sinton, Texas.

Jerry Rovey, Buckeye, Ariz.

Jeff Wilson, Rebecca, Ga.

Also participating in the tour were John Gibson, NCC Member Services director, and Richey Seaton, executive director of the Georgia Cotton Commission.

Diverse Agenda Offered The tour was arranged by the

Montana Grain Growers Association and gave the cotton group a chance to tour farms and see production of malt barley, sugar beets, corn, wheat, alfalfa and cover crops.

The cotton visitors also toured a cattle marketing company, Central Montana Co-op Fertilizer Plant, Montana Wheat and Barley Committee, Montana State Grain Lab, Ag Trucks and Equipment Co., Central and Southern Ag Research Centers, Montana Fish and Game headquarters, Giant Springs Trout Hatchery, Pasta Montana (pasta manufacturer), Greenfields Irrigation District, a barley elevator for MillerCoors and Busch Agricultural Resources, Harvest Moon Brewery, Malteurop malting plant, Moodie Implement (John Deere dealership) and a grain elevator at the Mountain View Co-op.

Gibson, who has managed the program since it started eight years ago, says the goodwill and information exchange generated through the years continues to be significant. This year’s trip was no exception.

“Our cotton farmers certainly enjoyed seeing so many parts of Montana agriculture,” he says. “Plus, I think some important friendships were made on this trip that will last a lifetime.

You can’t put a pricetag on how important that will be down the road.”

First-Time Visitors Most of the cotton contingent had never visited Montana, and many probably had a preconceived idea of what they might see. The diversity and scope of the state’s agriculture industry seemed to make the biggest overall impression.

And even though nobody will ever grow cotton in Montana, the visitors

12 13_CF 11/13 template 7/16/14 1:34 PM Page 13

could certainly relate to grain and cattle farming operations.

Such was the case for Texas High Plains cotton producer Chris Hirt. He was particularly interested in how Montana farmers deal with their water issues. But, more than that, he appreciated the chance to communicate with ag representatives from another state.

“I am like others in our cotton group,” he says. “I didn’t really know what to expect, but it became a wonderful learning experience from start to finish.”

highly recommend that my fellow cotton farmers take advantage of this opportunity if given the chance.”

The Mississippi producer says agriculture’s voice can be strengthened in Washington by programs such as the MCEP. Baxley says he didn’t know much about Montana, but he is glad that he could observe farming practices in a state that differs so much from South Carolina.

“I’ve spent a lot of time telling my farmer friends about Montana,” he

Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers Commercialization is dependent on multiple factors, including successful conclusion of the regulatory process. The information presented herein is provided for educational purposes only, and is not and shall not be construed as an offer to sell, or a recommendation to use, any unregistered pesticide for any purpose whatsoever. It is a violation of federal law to promote or offer to sell an unregistered pesticide.

Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS).

Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops.

Commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product.

Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization.

B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your Monsanto representative for the registration status in your state.

It was an opportunity for learning when this cotton group visited Montana.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but it became a wonderful learning experience from start to finish.”

– Chris Hirt, Producer, St. Lawrence, Texas

Two other cotton producers – David Cochran of Greenwood, Miss., and Neal Baxley of Mullins, S.C. – echoed those comments.

Cochran says it is essential that regional ag associations work together, and he believes the Montana trip helped in that process.

“I was completely impressed by the experience,” he says. “And I would

says. “Everybody was interested in what I saw. It was so interesting to see how farmers in that part of the country produce their crops.”

Memorable Experience Whether it was viewing equipment, grain elevators or standing in an expansive wheat field with snowcapped mountains in the background, it was hard not to be impressed with the fourth-largest state in the country.

Perhaps Lola Raska, executive vice president of the Montana Grain Growers Association, summed it up best when reviewing the week’s numerous activities.

“It was a mutually beneficial experience for Montana agriculture and this cotton group,” she says. “We both learned something, and now we have made some wonderful new friends in the ag community.”

Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides.

Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate.

Bollgard II®, Genuity Design®, Genuity Icons, Genuity®, Ground Breakers®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, Roundup Ready® and Roundup® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. LibertyLink and the Water Droplet Design® is a registered trademark of Bayer. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2014 Monsanto Company. MDIC-CF-14013LC

Contact Tommy Horton at (901) 7674020 or thorton@onegrower.com.

COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2014

13

14 15_CF 11/13 template 7/15/14 8:53 AM Page 14

WESTERN REPORT

New Apps Help Western Farmers

C

otton producers are increasingly taking advantage of smartphone technology to improve the effectiveness of their operations. In the Western Cotton Belt, a number of smartphone applications or apps, specific to that region, are taking office work into the field.

Given the unique nature of the arid West, cropping tools used in other parts of the Cotton Belt have little use in California, Arizona or New Mexico. Therefore, app developers are relying on methods and models originated in the West to build the applications.

Over the last 30 years, the University of Arizona has worked with cotton producers and crop production specialists to develop computer programs that effectively track crop progress. The programs were cumbersome, in that data had to be transferred from the field to the farm office, usually on paper, and input by hand into the computer.

Currently, all smartphone technology has an effective capability to allow

data to be uploaded in the field, with a real-time analysis taking place at the time of input.

One app created

by UA’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is called Mobile Cotton. It can provide

BY BRENT MURPHREE MARICOPA, ARIZ. information on crop progress based on the accumulation of heat units. The ability to make real-time cropping decisions saves time and energy, while providing a reference of proven science for the producer.

The app also includes access to the university’s Arizona Meteorological Network or AZMET for current and historical weather data, which is used in the working models.

Another Tool For Producers With so many cotton producers already using their phones to get commodity prices or connect with those

What’s next in weed control technology?

14 COTTON FARMING

AUGUST 2014

14 15_CF 11/13 template 7/15/14 10:35 AM Page 15

Producers were able to tag their marketing their crops, adding tools modules digitally. The location and to aid plant progress should be a natnumber of that module is instantly ural step. uploaded to the gin, where it is Another app developed at the scheduled for pickup.

University of Arizona is Differentiat“One of my growers was in a bad ing Diseases of Early Season Cotton. reception area,” says Campbell. “But, As the app name indicates, it is a tool other than that, we didn’t have many for identifying disease problems in problems receiving the information.” young cotton – a less bulky and more She paused shortly to add, “Unless accessible version of a college plant they accidentally enter the wrong disease textbook. module number.”

The app is an on-hand and in-field index of plant diseases. The reference Smooth Transition For App Users guide to the diseases of cotton is also Aside from human error or bad a direct link to a UA plant patholocell reception, the app works well for gist who can help with identifiits intended purpose, although some cation and advise on helping treat producers balked at the fee to add the plant. the app to their phone. At about $10, Both apps are free to cotton proit is comparable to other app prices. ducers and can be downloaded at: MyModule can be used by custom cals.arizona.edu/mobilecotton/ Important data and photos on plant harvesters to pinpoint the location of and apps.cals.arizona.edu/cotdiseases can be sent to a smartphone. a module without revealing other tondiseases/main.html#home.

Like producers across the Cotton Belt, Western producers information that the producer wishes to keep secure.

Most applications catering to cotton farmers can be vetted are beginning to take full advantage of global positioning systems to track module and bale locations. And, gin through producer and ginner groups or by local Extension software developers are including smartphone apps in services. Reviews for the apps can be found on independent download sites such as iTunes or Google Apps. their packages.

Melissa Campbell, manager of River Gin in Coolidge, Ariz., says last season several of her producers used Brent Murphree is the Cotton Board’s Regional MyModules in conjunction with the eCotton-brand Communication Manager for the West. Contact him at bmurphree@cottonboard.org or (602) 810-1171. gin software.

An advanced cotton product that will:

• Provide tolerance to dicamba, glyphosate and glufosinate herbicides • Be built upon the proven performance of Genuity® Bollgard II® with Roundup Ready® Flex Cotton technology

See Bollgard II ® XtendFlex™ Cotton in action in Ground Breakers® Field Trials Under Use Permit:

xtendfollowafield.com Pending regulatory approvals. Not available for sale or commercial planting.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not an offer to sell Bollgard II® XtendFlex™. This product is not yet registered or approved for sale or use anywhere in the United States.

Commercialization is dependent on multiple factors, including successful conclusion of the regulatory process. The information presented herein is provided for educational purposes only, and is not and shall not be construed as an offer to sell, or a recommendation to use, any unregistered pesticide for any purpose whatsoever. It is a violation of federal law to promote or offer to sell an unregistered pesticide. Details of these practices can be found in the Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers printed in this publication. ©2014 Monsanto Company. MDIC-CF-14013

COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2014

15

16 17_CF 11/13 template 7/17/14 10:29 AM Page 16

Specialists Speaking Late Crop Needs To Play Catchup FLORIDA David Wright

NORTH CAROLINA Keith Edmisten

The early wet weather resulted in delayed planting in many areas of Florida, and much of the cotton began blooming in late July and early August. The recent heat wave with temperatures near 100 degrees for several weeks in July slowed cotton growth and boll set. There is still plenty of time for most of our varieties to make a good yield if we are able to get timely rains and more moderate temperatures.

Many of the management decisions have been made to this point with fertilizer inputs being finished as well as most layby herbicides.

Some producers will want to apply fungicides and keep an eye on insects where they have irrigation and rank growth. Overall, the 2014 season still has a chance to finish well but may not be as high yielding as the past two seasons when timely rains made for near perfect seasons. wright@ufl.edu

August is a time to be monitoring for stink bug levels. We recommend utilizing the dynamic thresholds for triggering potential stink bug applications. The thresholds change depending on the week of bloom.

This dynamic threshold takes into account the ability of the plant to compensate and the proportion of the bolls that are safe from stink bug damage, which increases during the bloom period.

August is also a good time to get an idea of the highest node on the plant that will likely develop harvestable bolls. A good rule of thumb is that a square should be on the plant by the first of August and a bloom by the end of the third week of August to have a reasonable chance of producing a harvestable boll.

Knowing where this occurs for a given field may help you in making those difficult defoliation timing decisions later on. keith_edmisten@ncsu.edu

ALABAMA Charles Burmester Cotton has made up a lot of ground during the last couple of weeks in northern Alabama. Several fields had blooms the first week of July, and younger cotton fields are growing rapidly. I am seeing more sulfur deficiency symptoms on cotton this year than in years past. This may be due to the heavy rainfall in some areas and poor cotton rooting early in the season.

We definitely need to pay more attention to sulfur fertilization on cotton in Alabama.

Late emerging glyphosate-resistant horseweed is also a problem in several cotton fields I visited last week. These fields had pre-plant and pre-emergence herbicides applied, but new horseweed plants are continuing to emerge. Many of these farms will be using hooded sprayers to control these troublesome weeds. burmech@auburn.edu

MISSOURI Mike Milam Our overall crop looks good. According to the Crop Progress and Condition Report released on July 7, 93 percent of our cotton is in the fair to good categories. There have been reports of squares aborting following heavy rains and cloudy conditions.

However, most of our cotton is holding squares very well.

From May 1 through June 6, our DD-60s are looking good. At Portageville, there have been 953 heat units. For comparison purposes, we are ahead of the 726 heat units accumulated by July 15 in 2008. Is this important? I really don’t know, but Missouri had a record yield in 2008 with 1,106 pounds per harvested acre.

I was not surprised that the Missouri acreage dropped by 5,000 acres from last year. With our rainfall patterns, most producers were fortunate to get most of their crops planted. But if you look at our acreage last year, we had 255,000 acres planted but only 246,000 acres harvested. The loss of this many acres is very unusual for Missouri.

I would say that our crop is about two weeks late at this point of the season. Blooms are being observed. Our last effective bloom date is about Aug. 15, so we should have five to six weeks of blooms before that date. This should be fine since most of our cotton bolls are set earlier in the season. If we can avoid a prolonged cloudy and rainy period in July and August, we should be in good shape. milammr@missouri.edu

16 COTTON FARMING

AUGUST 2014

LOUISIANA Dan Fromme The Louisiana cotton crop continues to look very promising. This year’s crop has been aided by some timely rains throughout the first half of the season.

Cotton fields started to bloom during the third week of June. Nodes above white flower counts were between nine and ten, which indicate growing conditions were excellent during the first 60 days of growth. Fruit retention was around 85 to 90 percent going into first bloom.

Currently, mepiquat chloride applications are being applied to manage height control. As of July 15, the earlier planted cotton fields have completed their third week of bloom and are between six to eight nodes above white flower. We should start seeing some open bolls around Aug. 1. Overall, pressure from insect pests has been light through the first part of July.

In conclusion, emphasis will be focused on controlling plant bugs by producers and consultants for the remainder of the season.

Timely rains during the latter part of July will be needed to equal last year’s record yielding crop. dfromme@agcenter.lsu.edu

MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds Although it is difficult to believe, by the time this issue of Cotton Farming reaches your hands, we will be on our way toward making final decisions on this year’s crop. Given the lateness of this crop, irrigation and pest management will likely continue for most of the month, and harvest-aid applications will take place in September for the most part.

A few blooms were found during the latter part of June, but the bulk of our cotton did not begin blooming until the week after July 4.

Tarnished plant bugs have been a problem once again this year as previously mentioned, and applications to control these troublesome pests will likely continue throughout August.

The 2014 cotton crop in Mississippi is beginning to make the turn, and many fields look good. While we have had our fair share of issues up to this point, we have a respectable crop in the field. If 2013 taught us anything, it was to never give up on a cotton crop.

We do not appear to have the state record crop of last year; however, we are a far cry from the worst crop we have seen in recent memory. darrind@ext.msstate.edu

16 17_CF 11/13 template 7/17/14 10:29 AM Page 17

GEORGIA Guy Collins As I write this on July 10, most of the Georgia cotton crop is in relatively good shape. As a result of Georgia’s wide planting window (late April to June 15), current growth is anywhere from four to five leaves to nearly mid-bloom. Some replants were necessary in the early part of the planting window due to heavy packing rains. However, moderate rains were fairly prevalent through mid-June in most places, which gave the remainder of this crop a good start and allowed producers to catch up.

Therefore, most of our crop is not very far behind at all, compared to what we originally expected. Dry, hot weather prevailed during the latter half of June and on into early/mid July. Earlier planted cotton, which was naturally larger and developing a boll load during this spell, appeared stressed in many areas, with some potentially reaching cutout a little prematurely. guyc@uga.edu

TEXAS Mark Kelley At the time of this writing, thunderstorms are developing and moving south across the region. This hopefully will provide the needed moisture to keep the dryland cotton in the area going and provide another break for the irrigation systems. At this time, we are still developmentally delayed with the best cotton at or near first bloom and the worst, at least two weeks from bloom. Producers who wish to sidedress or fertigate additional nitrogen should have it completed by first bloom in order to take full advantage of the fertilizer. Also, where moisture and nitrogen are plentiful, plant growth regulators (PGRs) may be warranted. This will also depend on variety growth characteristics.

Where ”growthy” varieties are planted, low-rate multiple applications of PGRs are effective in controlling growth. With other varieties, producers should monitor the crop regularly to determine the need for a PGR. m-kelley@tamu.edu

OKLAHOMA Randy Boman The cotton crop in western Oklahoma is progressing nicely. According to NASS, our planted acreage was about 240,000, which is an average size crop for the state. Overall, we have had reasonable rainfall in many areas but are still struggling with lack of runoff for reservoirs. A lot of cotton was planted leading up to the Memorial Day weekend during which substantial rainfall painted a large area.

After this rainfall, many fields were planted. Due to this, we have quite a large acreage that will be blooming later in July than perhaps what some would like to see. However, the good news is that we have reasonable crop potential at this time. Early insect pressure was generally light, and producers stayed on top of fleahopper issues.

Weeds have been a challenge in some areas in spite of considerable residual herbicide applications. If we can continue to obtain good rainfall and manage to effectively beat back our weed challenges, we will have good crop prospects in 2014. randy.boman@okstate.edu

ARIZONA Randy Norton A majority of the crop is heading into peak bloom while we are beginning to experience the effects of a fairly active monsoon season. During this weather pattern, temperatures tend to stay warmer in the overnight hours, and the ability of the plant to cool itself is greatly diminished. This unique set of conditions is where we can begin to see heat stress affect the development and retention of fruit on the plant. It is important to monitor this potential fruit shed phenomenon as it may lead to reduced fruit load and increased vegetative growth.

Plant growth regulator applications become critical under this

scenario to help arrest out of control vegetative growth. Heat stress levels can be tracked in real time at several of the University of Arizona’s AZMET weather stations. This data can be found at http://cals.arizona.edu/azmet/cotton.htm#HEATSTRESS. For more information, go to cals.arizona.edu.crops. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu

TEXAS Gaylon Morgan As of July 14, cotton in the Rio Grande Valley is considered fair to good, and many people feel the crops looks good at first glance, but an in-depth inspection provides a less favorable outlook. This is partially due to poor fruit set early in the season, but the plants could make up the difference with a good top crop. This alone will present some late-season management challenges with insect management and defoliation.

The first defoliation applications typically are applied near the end of July in the RGV, but most cotton fields are behind 10 to 14 days.

Cotton in the Coastal Bend is quite variable due to the sporadic rainfall within the region over the past month. The Blacklands has virtually two crops, depending on when the crop emerged.

Significant efforts with cultivation, hooded herbicide application or hand hoeing should be implemented to minimize seed production by glyphosate-resistant weeds. gmorgan@ag.tamu.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson Mother Nature has certainly kept this season interesting. We have some April-planted cotton, but most of our crop was planted in early May. The crop has experienced many challenges from low temperatures after planting to extended periods of wet feet for some. But for what it has been through, it doesn’t look too bad, and it continues to look better as the season progresses.

Cotton has a tremendous capacity to compensate and still has the potential to deliver the yield goals we have for this crop. We have yet to experience above 100-degree temperatures through mid-July.

My main concern at this time is that we could have an early fall.

With a crop that is slightly behind schedule and a potential for an early end, it is critical that producers monitor nodes above white flower to determine cutout to best manage crop termination. Pushing the crop and chasing bolls that have little impact on lint yield and profitability could cut into yield and quality potential.

Contact your local county Extension agent for details on crop termination guidelines. brobertson@uaex.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper A record-setting wet June, coupled with moderate daytime temperatures and a few cool nights early in the season, seem to have held development back in many areas of West Tennessee. These rains have kept a few producers out of the field and in some situations prevented timely applications of post-emergence herbicides. As of the second week in July, I have only seen a handful of fields with scattered blooms. Most fields appear to be seven to 10 days behind.

Still, a great deal of growth has occurred in the first two weeks of July, and most producers dodged rains and timed herbicide applications well. Many fields look very strong with cotton beginning to lap the middles.

Plant bug pressure has been increasing, but square retention has generally been reported as high. Given the moderate forecasted temperatures and the late nature of this crop, producers should place a particular emphasis on earliness this year. This includes maintaining a very high square retention and protecting the low first- and second-position fruiting bodies. These bolls are very valuable in a year like this one, as we may not have enough growing degree days to make a late-set top crop. traper@utk.edu COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2014

17

18_CF 11/13 template 7/17/14 9:04 AM Page 18

PRODUCTION

More Options Exist For Nematode Control

N

somewhat of a different approach. ematodes – those microscopIt’s not so much a case of should proic pests that attack a plant’s ducers try to control nematodes. It’s roots and adversely affect more about farmers being out of busicotton yields – can cause ness unless they tackle the problem enough headaches for a farmer to last head-on. For that reason, Kemerait a lifetime. Whether it’s reniform or says producers should consider applyroot-knot, this pest can often go undeing a soil fumigant (Telone II) in a sitetected until it’s too late to rescue an specific approach. infected field.

“So why don’t producers use The good news is that farmers have Telone?” Kemerait recently asked a lot of choices in controlling this troublesome pest. True, many seed compa- Dow AgroSciences Market Development rhetorically. “The first answer I get is nies are offering new varieties that are Specialist Chip Giles confers with it’s expensive.”

However, he is quick to point out “nematode resistant,” while other Georgia producer Bart Davis. that it’s more expensive to let nemastrategies may involve changing up todes flourish unchecked. That’s why he likes this new seeding rates at planting or implementing crop rotation.

As farmers are prone to saying, it’s nice to have so many approach to deal with the pest problem.

“Let’s use Telone where we need it,” Kemerait says. “If we choices in their toolboxes. However, longtime University of Georgia Extension plant pathologist Bob Kemerait talks can cut the application in a field by 60 percent, you can’t tell about this issue with a sense of urgency – and with me that’s not sustainable.”

For up to the minute cotton market information Experience means credibility.

Listen to two experienced farm broadcasters who keep their listeners updated on news that affects your farming operation.

And each week listen to the Cotton Insider Report from Tommy Horton, Editor of Cotton Farming magazine.

John Winfield

Don Molino

Tommy Horton

Farm Director Miss. AgriNews Network

Farm Director La. Agri-News Network

Editor Cotton Farming magazine

The Mississippi AgriNews Network Ag Voice of the Delta

Louisiana Agri-News Network Louisiana’s Source For Ag News

18 COTTON FARMING

AUGUST 2014

Research Looks Promising Historically, Telone has been applied across a cotton field at a rate of three gallons per acre, typically seven to 14 days prior to planting, though Georgia producers can apply it at planting. Research shows that this soil fumigant can improve lint yields by 200 pounds or more, depending on the severity of nematode pressure and growing conditions.

Georgia cotton producer Bart Davis farms in Colquitt County in the southern part of the state. He is a proponent of Kemerait’s site-specific approach for Telone applications.

Even though he didn’t make a full application this year because of wet conditions, he is confident that he will see a decrease in nematode populations.

“We are hopeful that the small amount of Telone we put out will help,” he says. “We have done some test plots with Bob (Kemerait) on Telone, and they performed as everybody hoped they would.”

Some observers call nematodes “invisible pests” because they attack plant roots and usually can’t be seen in a field.

As most producers are aware, Telone has always had a good reputation for controlling nematodes. In the early days, however, it was expensive and required a special calibration on a sprayer before it could be put out on the crop.

Danielle Hardin, product manager for Dow AgroSciences, says the soil fumigant has become more user-friendly for various reasons.

“With the advent of field prescriptions and GPS, we have come a long way in overcoming the cost barriers,” she says.

“It’s an investment that pays for itself in the long run.”

Bader Rutter, which represents Dow AgroSciences, contributed information for this article. For additional data, go to www.dowagro.com.

19 20 21v2_CF 11/13 template 7/17/14 10:30 AM Page 19

COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.

Learn What Is Included In Air Quality Permit 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 responsible for what it says and what you are supposed to be doing.

Over the past several years in the Southeast, we’ve seen huge changes in the way that gins are regulated. Two states went from a very detailed and lengthy permit process to a very straightforward general permit. We still have some states that have older detailed permits. Some of those are more complex than they previously were, and some are much simpler. Some have expiration dates and others are good forever.

In any case, it shows that a blanket statement can’t be made as to what the requirements are. In one state, I’ve seen permits that have 40 percent capacity limits and some that are 20 percent.

Even in one state, you can’t say all gins have the same requirement in their permits so it’s important to READ YOUR PERMIT. What are you likely to find? Well, most permits have the name of the business and many times the legally responsible individual. That needs to be correct.

Update if necessary. As an example, North Carolina has a requirement for reporting your inspection findings by March 1 each year. South Carolina requires reporting of the number of bales ginned each year by February.

There is a laundry list of other requirements that can be included in your air permit, far too many to be listed here.

Suffice it to say that you need to review your permit and the requirements that are contained in it. Most gin associations have someone available or a contact to call that can help you understand all that is in your permit.

Even if you’ve never been cited, it doesn’t relieve you of the obligation.

Finally, make sure the permit matches reality and update as necessary.

Cotton Gin Brushes

Channel Saws

Our precision CNC fabricating equipment enables us to produce the highest quality gin brushes and channel saws at a very competitive price. When it comes to our products, we use only the highest quality “Made in the USA” raw materials available.

We know gin machinery and the conditions in which it has to perform, and our brushes and channel saws are manufactured to an exacting standard for the modern cotton gin.

Ask your supplier for

RAM Brushes & Channel Saws or give us a call

RAM Manufacturing Company 1333 E. 44th St. Lubbock, TX 79404 806-745-5552 Fax: 806-745-5582 rammfgco@rammfg.net www.rammfg.net

TM

®

Module Mover Chain

1-800-367-9992 Stocked in Louisiana and Oregon

Dusty Findley of the Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association contributed this article. Contact him at (706) 344-1212 or dusty@southern-southeastern.org.

A Division of

www.cottonmodulechain.com COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2014

19

19 20 21v2_CF 11/13 template 7/15/14 8:59 AM Page 20

WWW.NORTHERNLUCUS.COM 1116 Slaton Hwy. Lubbock, TX FOR SALE: 2 – 158 GIN STANDS WITH CONTROLS MANUFACTURER OF HI-CAPACITY LINT CLEANING SYSTEMS IN 86” to 110” WIDTHS NEW 60” & 72” OVERSHOT BATTERY CONDENSERS 96” TO 144” INCLINE CLEANERS, STICK MACHINES & AIRLINE SEPARATORS HIGH CAPACITY VACUUMS USED & FACTORY REBUILT GIN MACHINERY BALE HANDLING SYSTEMS COMPLETE LINE OF REPAIR PARTS FOR MURRAY, MITCHELL, H.E., CONSOLIDATED, CONTINENTAL, MOSS, LUMMUS, HORN & CMI 806-745-8156 1-800-776-8182 FAX 806-745-0564 E-MAIL: NORTHERNLUCUS@YAHOO.COM WWW.NORTHERNLUCUS.COM

PRESS RAMS FROM LUBBOCK ELECTRIC Quantity (1) Continental Bes-Press Ram – Rebuilt and full pressure tested. $7,500 w/One-Year Warranty Quantity (1) Lummus 18” Premier Ram – Rebuilt and full pressure tested. $84,900 w/Two-Year Pro-Rated Warrant (dual ports) Quantity (1) Lummus 16” EE Ram – Rebuilt and full pressure tested. $72,500 w/Two-Year Pro-Rated Warranty (dual ports) Quantity (1) Lummus 16” Gin DorLes Ram – Rebuilt and full pressure tested. $72,500 w/Two-Year ProRated Warranty (dual ports) Quantity (1) Lummus 14” Lift Box Cylinder Double Acting (11” Rod) – Rebuilt and full pressure tested. $58,900 w/1 Year Warranty Quantity (2) Lummus 14” EE Rams – Rebuilt and full pressure tested. $48,400 each w/One-Year Warranty (single ports) Quantity (1) Lummus 10” Top Ram (fits all presses) – Rebuilt and full pressure tested. $19,800 w/One-Year Warranty (single ports) Quantity (1) Consolidated 10” CDP Ram – Used two seasons. $48,000 w/One-Year Warranty

Lubbock Electric Co. 806-744-2336 or 800-692-4474.

20 COTTON FARMING

AUGUST 2014

19 20 21v2_CF 11/13 template 7/16/14 9:00 AM Page 21

Did you know that we offer interactive training classes in English and Spanish?

samjackson.com

Call our bilingual training coordinator Kristina Miller for schedules.

Office: 806-686-6329

Parts, Supplies, New and Used Machinery Buy and Sell

MILES GIN SUPPLY Elm Mott,TX 76640

Call or Fax (254) 829-1201 Night (254) 829-2372

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

1 $*0L) %8$- L1MGA?ML>G 0L L1 $*0L) %8)$ $L1HGIFML>G 0

Physical Address: 225 Bourne Boulevard â&#x20AC;¢ Savannah, Georgia 31408-9586 USA Mailing Address: P.O. Box 929 â&#x20AC;¢ Pooler, Georgia 31322-0929 USA Phone: (912) 447-9000 â&#x20AC;¢ Fax: (912) 447-9250 Toll Free (USA Only): 1-800-4LUMMUS (1-800-458-6687) Web Site: www.lummus.com â&#x20AC;¢ E-mail: lummus.sales@lummus.com ®

LKJH:IE<CFL $- LPONNOMLKJIHJIGFEJD COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2014

21

22_Don Cameron My Turn #2 7/15/14 8:50 AM Page 22

My Turn Ag’s Major Mission

A

gricenter Inter- that producers are putting way more chemical and national is a self- fertilizer on their crops than they should. Again, sustaining, not- these people do not understand what a producer for-profit organi- does on the farm each year. The chemical and ferzation that provides eco- tilizer cost money, and if one farmer puts out more nomic development and than he should, that is money wasted.

It was just three years ago when the world popimproved quality of life by facilitating agricultural ulation reached seven billion. That means that in research, educational pro- the last 120 years, the earth’s population has grams, environmental con- increased from 1.5 billion to seven billion. Experts servation, natural area predict that by 2050, the population on earth will Bruce preservation and recre- reach more than nine billion people. There are probably numerous reasons for this. Life ational opportunities.

Kirksey It is truly a unique expectancy is longer, medical advances have totalplace. Agricenter has ly reached remarkable heights, and our agriculabout 1,000 acres and is almost surrounded by the tural technologies have dramatically increased.

So what is our challenge in the agricultural city of Memphis. Approximately 90,000 vehicles pass by every day. We have around 300 acres community? We must find the best way to dedicated to conducting research trials, and increase our production and distribution efficientthe rest is in production and grounds. We ly with the same amount of time and land that we have now. We live in have approximately 500 a world now where acres in corn, cotton and ‘We must find the best way to we want to have soybean production. access to all of the I have been with increase our production.’ information that we Agricenter Internationcan obtain. We can al for five years. We have conducted hundreds of experiments with usually find an answer (it may or may not be cornew varieties and technologies. With this in mind, rect) in a mere few seconds thanks to the Internet.

Agricenter has an excellent opportunity to display We will need this information readily available to these new and exciting technologies that are and consumers who are curious. So education will be a will be available in the future. For example, we key factor, especially when these new technologies have had several variety trials planted alongside come into play.

This is a huge challenge when the majority of the major roads adjacent to the Agricenter, and the world’s population doesn’t worry or even care we’ve placed plot signs in front of them.

I have received numerous phone calls asking where they receive their food or how it is grown. what that meant, and it allowed me the opportu- As long as they have access to a reliable food supnity to explain to the public what decisions a ply, they are happy. The information that agriculfarmer has to make. This is also a part of tural scientists gather goes into the decision-makAgricenter’s mission statement. We have an excel- ing process companies make all the time. These lent opportunity to educate the general public new technologies are tested through stringent about agriculture. In fact, we run about 7,000 means and, for the most part, that information is school kids through the Agricenter every year, available. There are all kinds of issues that seem teaching them about plants, forestry, renewable to arise concerning food safety today. The concerns should be focused on how we reach the next level energies and other ag-related topics.

It is sad to say that a lot of our children and in order to feed an increasing world population. some parents don’t have a very good idea of where – Bruce Kirksey, Memphis, Tenn. our food and fiber come from. They definitely do Agricenter International not understand what all a producer goes through bkirksey@agricenter.org each year. There appears to be a misconception Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling funny or unusual “farm tales” from across the Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting tale to tell, send a short summary to thorton@onegrower.com or fax to (901) 767-4026. We look forward to hearing from you.

22 COTTON FARMING

AUGUST 2014

CF0814 LAYOUT_CF 11/13 template 7/14/14 1:09 PM Page 23

THE MAIN RESOURCE FOR GINNERS AND SUPPLIERS

Read it!

Advertise in it!

Go online for it!

• Place classified ads for equipment, sales and help wanted • Ginning news and calendar of events • Generate leads, drive sales and increase profits

Contact your sales representative today!

Scott Emerson 386-462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com

CF0814 LAYOUT_CF 11/13 template 7/14/14 1:09 PM Page 24