Cotton farming august 2017

Cotton Farming ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

AUGUST 2017

www.cottonfarming.com

WRITING THE NEXT CHAPTER Strategic Thinking Keeps Cotton In The Mix

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Vol. 61 No. 8

Cotton Farming PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

AUGUST 2017

www.cottonfarming.com

F E AT U R E S

8 The Next Chapter Gary Bailey spent several years as a crop consultant before marrying Mississippi Delta farmer Brad Cobb’s daughter, Lee, and joining the family farming business.

They all collaborate, including Brad’s wife, Brenda, and their son, Bradford. As Bailey continues to hone his skills, he hopes to be an integral part of writing the next chapter in the family operation’s story of successful cotton production.

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TAKING IT TO THE FIELD

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WHEN TO TAKE ‘CHILL PILL’

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PICKER MAINTENANCE

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GINNING MARKETPLACE

Dow AgroSciences and PhytoGen experts share seed, trait and weed control strategies during a recent Tennessee field day.

Scott Stewart, IPM specialist, University of Tennessee, discusses cotton, cutout and termination of insecticide applications.

Cotton Incorporated offers tips for cleaning and servicing your cotton picker in-season and reducing fire losses.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY

Dusty Findley, Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association, talks about the importance of tuning up your gin safety program.

WEB EXCLUSIVE A new Focus on Cotton webcast covers herbicide-resistant common ragweed management in cotton. Charlie Cahoon, Extension weed specialist at Virginia Tech University, provides information to help cotton farmers, consultants and other industry experts diversify management practices and herbicide applications to better control ragweed populations. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

4 5 6

Editor’s Note Cotton’s Agenda Western Report

14 Industry News 16 Specialists Speaking 22 My Turn

ON THE COVER: Gary Bailey farms mostly cotton in the Mississippi Delta. Cover photo by Carroll Smith.

Cotton C of the Y onsultant ear 2017

CCOY NOMINATIONS

NOM

To nominate a deserving candidate for the Cotton Consultant of the Year Award (co-sponsored by Cotton Farming and Syngenta), fill out the nomination form on Page 7. Deadline for nominations is Aug. 22.

INATION The Cotton FORM Consultant (CCOY ) repres If you would of the Year ents the like who has consultant recognition to nominate made a consu , please to the cotton great contributions take a mome ltant deserving industry Please use of this nt to fill through outstanding outstanding out the recommendaa separate page customer following for biogra relations, leadership tions via form. phical/profes letters or and innova members emails sional tion.

Recognized are also encouraged from other farmer information. Additi of the cotton by fellow members s, consul to provid Consultant’s tants and onal e suppor industry, Name: industry t for the this award is given to nominee.

Company the consul Name: tant who only meets not Mailing Address these require also exceed : ments but s them.

City: Syngenta and Cotton Phone: magazine, Farming State: CCOY sponso soliciting rs, are Email: In your own Zip: your words, please 2017 recipie help in selecting of the Year” the Award. Additiontell us why you nt, who will are nomina at a specia al pages be named Background: may be attached ting the consulta l celebration nt above March 2, .

Friday, for the “Cotton 2018, Consultant Hotel in Memp at the Peabody his, Tenn.

The winnin g person who consultant and the nominates receive two the nights’ hotel winner airfare to stay and Memphis.

In additio n, the 2017 recipient CCOY will be the subject of four-page a salute issue of Cotton in the March 2018 Farming.

Please nominatsend your August ion form by 22, 2017 to:

Carroll Smith 7201 Eastern Germantown, Ave. TN 38138 Scan/Email: You can print csmith@onegro out an electron wer.com the form ic version located on of the Cotton Web site at www.c Farming ottonfarming.c om.

Biographical/In attached

dustry Involvem ent Backgro to this form. und.

This informa tion

as well as support

letters may be

Your Name: Address: City: Phone:

State: Email:

Sponsored by

Zip:

Cotton Farming

COTTON FARMING (ISSN 0746-8385) is published monthly January through December by One Grower Publishing LLC, 6515 Goodman Rd., Box 360, Olive Branch, MS 38654. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, Tenn. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Omeda Communications, Customer Service Department, P.O. Box 1388, Northbrook, IL 60065-1388 (Phone: 847-559-7578) (Fax: 847-564-9453). Annual subscriptions are $40. International rates are $55 in Canada/Mexico, $90 in all other countries for air-speeded delivery. Surface delivery not available due to problems in reliability.

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AUGUST 2017 COTTON FARMING

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Editor’s Note

Cotton Farming

Carroll Smith

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EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com Managing Editor Vicky Boyd vlboyd@onegrower.com

Cotton — For Many, It’s Personal

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hile sitting in the historic Abbay & Leatherman Commissary building and later driving through the beautiful flat land that characterizes the Mississippi Delta, Gary Bailey and I talked cotton. We went over all the physical details from planting the seed to protecting the plants to harvesting the crop and delivering it to its ultimate destination — Three Way Gin in Tunica, Miss. We discussed all facets of the intricate journey from the bag to the bale. So what is it about this crop that instills such loyalty and passion in people?

Perhaps Bailey sums it up best after I posed that question to him. “To me, unlike the other crops, cotton has a personality,” he says. And according to Merriam-Webster, the definition of personality is “the quality or state of being a person.” If you agree with this, then the relationship between many farmers and their cotton crop is personal.

Several years ago when cotton “went away” for a while, it was mourned in many places like a favorite great-aunt who had unexpectedly died.

Driving through the Delta down Highway 61 became a sad experience of sorts. We missed seeing the endless cotton fields that had been replaced by mostly corn and soybeans. Even though these grain crops were paying the bills at the time, many farmers yearned to bring back cotton and the rich history and tradition surrounding it.

The good news today is that cotton is making a comeback and being celebrated on many levels. For example, Bailey, who is featured in the cover story on page 8, has established a new father-daughter tradition in their family. In early summer, he brings their girls, Ann Collins, 11, and Bren, 6, out to the farm to walk cotton fields looking for the first bloom, which is believed to hold the promise of good things to come.

And Kevin Earnheart, the Tennessee farmer who spoke at a recent field event, was quick to say he and his father are proud of the fact they exclusively farm cotton on 6,135 acres. We also learned about Red Land Cotton that day. This Alabama family farming enterprise, owned and operated by Mark Yeager since 1983, recently launched “farm to fabric” high-quality cotton sheets. According to the company’s website — www. redlandcotton.com — the Yeager family takes its business personally.

“With the entire family working by his side, we set out to create heirloom-inspired linens from the homegrown cotton that we were growing for a level of quality we could take pride in....And just like that, Red Land Cotton was born.”

As if addressing a dear friend who has finally reappeared on the doorstep, I am happy to say, “Welcome home, cotton!”

Carroll If you have comments, please send them to: Cotton Farming Magazine, 7201 Eastern Ave., Germantown, TN, 38138. Contact Carroll Smith via email at csmith@onegrower.com.

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COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2017

Southeast Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Art Director Ashley Kumpe ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher Carroll Smith (901) 326-4443 Sales Manager Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Production Manager Kathy Killingsworth (901) 767-4020 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com Circulation Manager Charlie Beek (847) 559-7324 For circulation changes or change of address, call (847) 559-7578 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 2017 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

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COTTONFARMING.COM

Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

A Very Serious Matter As the 2017 harvest and ginning season approaches, the National Cotton Council urges its members to continue giving top priority to lint contamination prevention.

Is contamination really a threat?

n Yes, contamination is one of the most serious threats we face. With strong competition from manmade fibers and cotton from other countries, contamination prevention is imperative.

Our industry’s diligence in this undertaking will demonstrate to our textile manufacturer customers a steadfast commitment to providing quality fiber and help maintain our world marketplace reputation.

A l t h o u g h t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Te x t i l e Manufacturer Federation’s “Cotton Contamination Survey 2005-2016” stated, “Very clean raw cottons were produced in the United States,” it also revealed that some spinners were finding contaminants.

More recently, the NCC is seeing a marked increase in textile mills’ contamination complaints.

Many involve colored plastic films such as discarded shopping bags and black plastic, which are left in fields as mulch after vegetable harvest. The most reported, though, is yellow plastic used as round module wrap. Despite ongoing NCC-led efforts to train gin employees on proper round module wrap removal techniques, the fact remains that it continues to be found by our valued textile customers.

Other contaminants include cans; bottles; oil and grease; permanent bale markers and various fabrics, including worn-out module tarps as well as ropes and cord used as tarp tie-downs; and baler twine. At some point, these contaminants will be traceable back to gins and individual growers and will affect their pocketbooks. Such penalties will likely be high, not unlike those a grower now receives

from classed cotton containing plant-related extraneous matter such as excess bark, grass, seed coat fragments and stickiness.

Are there contamination prevention resources?

n As part of the NCC’s “ContaminationFree Cotton” campaign launched last year, the importance of clean cotton fields is being emphasized to U.S. cotton producers and their workers. To help, the NCC updated its pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest guidelines for contamination prevention on its “Keep It Clean” web page at www.cotton.org/tech/qual ity/contamfree.cfm. Other resources on this page include downloadable items ranging from flyers, decals and posters to a special round module handling/safety video produced by the National Cotton Ginners Association.

How else is the problem being addressed?

n Cotton Council International, our export promotions arm, alerts us when lint contamination is a problem. NCC staff, under the oversight of the NCC’s Quality Task Force, continues to monitor lint contamination incidents and works to trace contamination back to the source. Another critical element in eliminating contamination is for textile mills to notify cotton shippers when contaminants are discovered and that shippers share verified reports with the NCC and other cotton organizations.

The NCC also is working to maintain federal funding for the three USDA ginning laboratories where researchers are collaborating with other scientists to find innovative methods to detect, separate and extract plastic contamination prior to the ginning process. In the meantime, all industry members are encouraged to share what’s working and not working regarding contamination prevention and to relay information about new contamination sources.

Contact your NCC member services representative or email keepitclean@cotton.org.

Gary Adams is president/CEO of the National Cotton Council of America. He and other NCC leaders contribute columns on this Cotton Farming magazine page.

Twitter: @CottonFarming

AUGUST 2017 COTTON FARMING

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WESTERN REPORT

Late-Season Online Resources

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f local information from crop consultants or Extension agents is unavailable and a Western cotton producer needs quick access to crop information, there are a number of online resources available to help them explore late-season production options.

For agronomic, irrigation, pest control and defoliation concerns, California, Arizona and New Mexico producers can obtain up-to-date, seasonal information from grower organizations and state universities.

California Websites The University of California site can be accessed by linking to cot toninfo.ucdavis.edu or by searching University of California Cotton. The site contains links to the Field Check Cotton Newsletter along with publications on late-season field situation and management conditions. It also includes links to plant mapping information, variety selection trial and short in-field cotton videos.

California has also done extensive work on late-season pest control, which may be helpful in other growing areas of the West.

The California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association, CCGGA.org, is a good resource with timely information on its “resources page,” which includes a cotton research database in the menu list.

Although this information is California specific, it also is helpful if producers in other Western areas are exploring options for their crops.

Arizona Online In Arizona, the University of Arizona site, https://cals.arizona.edu/crop/cot ton.html provides access to weather, research and other information.

It can also be accessed by searching, University of Arizona Cotton. The University’s Web resource is managed through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Tucson. It provides growers with information on pest

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COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2017

alerts; weather conditions, including heat stress; and research reports.

Researchers at the University of Arizona are working diligently to ensure re-infestations of pink bollworm and whitefly do not take place in the West. They work jointly with California and New Mexico on resistance issues and provide information on maintaining thresholds to keep these pests at bay.

Another important Web resource for Arizona producers is the Arizona Cotton Research and Protection Council, azcotton.org. This site provides useful links to research and insect eradication information.

For end-of-year information, azcotton.org provides specifics on the grower Plower Program as its administrator. The program requires all cotton producers in the state to terminate the crop in a specific manner to alleviate pest re-infestation.

Additional Assistance The University of New Mexico publishes the Cotton Newsletter, which reports crop conditions and provides links to research conducted by the

BY BRENT MURPHREE MARICOPA, ARIZ.

university that affects cotton producers along the Pecos and Upper Rio Grande valleys. Searching New Mexico State University Cotton or linking to aces.nmsu.edu/ces/ifcpm/ cotton-production.html lets you access the university’s site.

Cotton Cultivated Website Finally, Cotton Incorporated’s Cotton Cultivated website, cottoncultivated. cottoninc.com, is a great tool for the cotton-growing community.

This resource was developed as a one-stop shop for cotton farmers across the Cotton Belt. The site contains information on crop development, research, weekly weather reports, economic and cotton news, and a link to Cotton Incorporated’s corporate website.

Brent Murphree, The Cotton Board’s regional communication manager for the West, can be contacted via email at bmurphree@cottonboard.org.

As administrator, azcotton.org provides specifics on the farmer Plower Program, which requires all cotton producers in the state to terminate the cotton crop in a specific manner to alleviate pest re-infestation

COTTONFARMING.COM

Cotton Consultant of the Year 2017 NOMINATION FORM

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 2017 recipient, who will be named at a special celebration Friday, March 2, 2018, at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tenn.

The winning consultant and the person who nominates the winner receive two nights’ hotel stay and airfare to Memphis.

In addition, the 2017 CCOY recipient will be the subject of a four-page salute in the March 2018 issue of Cotton Farming.

Please send your nomination form by August 22, 2017 to:

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: Mailing Address: City:

State:

Phone:

Email:

Zip:

In your own words, please tell us why you are nominating the consultant above for the “Cotton Consultant of the Year” Award. Additional pages may be attached.

Background:

Biographical/Industry Involvement Background. This information as well as support letters may be attached to this form.

Carroll Smith 7201 Eastern Ave. Germantown, TN 38138 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.

Your Name: Address: City:

State:

Phone:

Email:

Sponsored by

Zip:

Cotton Farming

COVER STORY

Writing The

Next Chapter Strategic Thinking Keeps Cotton In The Mix

Gary Bailey farms cotton in the Mississippi Delta with his farther-in-law, Brad Cobb.

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

M

ississippi author David L. Cohn once said, “The Mississippi Delta begins in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis and ends on Catfish Row in Vicksburg.” This region is proud of its history, which contains many colorful chapters populated by Indians, blues music and snowy white cotton fields.

Gary Bailey, who spent several years as a crop consultant, now farms with his father-in-law, Brad Cobb, after marrying Cobb’s daughter, Lee. They all collaborate, including Brad’s wife, Brenda, and their son, Bradford.

This Mississippi Delta operation includes plantations owned by the Leatherman family in Robinsonville and Lake Cormorant; the Smith family in Dubbs; and the Tate family in Tunica.

For many years, cotton was grown almost exclusively on the farm.

Today, in addition to cotton, the operation includes soybean, corn and rice acreage. The family also owns and operates Three Way Gin in Tunica.

Passing Down Knowledge “Although we now manage four crops, cotton is still our mainstay,” Bailey says. “We doubled our cotton acreage this year. And 80 percent of the acres are irrigated, using both pivot and furrow systems.”

Cobb started Bailey off with the basics and then moved on to educate him about the “art of planting” and

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COTTON FARMING AUGUST 2017

the importance of maintaining and trading equipment when upgrades are necessary to avoid costly downtime.

“As a scout, I never experienced planting,” Bailey says. “As Brad and his uncle, Dutch Parker, taught me, planting cotton is ‘an art.’ It is very sensitive to planting depth and ground prep. An uneven bed can change the depth at which the seed is planted.

“I have learned from my father-inlaw and Dutch — who have watched cotton production evolve through the years — what to do and what not to do to keep the crop profitable.”

As he continues to hone his skills, Bailey hopes to be an integral part of writing the next chapter in the family

operation’s story of successful cotton production. He is particularly excited about all the new technology available today to help make this a reality.

Cutting-Edge Tools “To me, the biggest advancement in cotton farming is the John Deere 7760 round bale picker compared to the basket pickers we used in the past,” Bailey says. “The amount of labor and other equipment required for the older pickers has decreased with the introduction of the 7760, which makes round bales onboard and drops them off on the go.

“We also are working with Circle S Irrigation and our local NRCS office on new irrigation technology, such as COTTONFARMING.COM

soil moisture probes. We don’t rely on them 100 percent, but they are good tools to help determine when to start irrigating.”

Another strategy Bailey likes is pairing new school GPS systems on John Deere tractors with old school plows. Even after multiple herbicide applications have been made — both pre and post — to control glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth, weeds still break through in spots. In young cotton, the preciseness of John Deere’s GPS system allows them to move the coulters on the plow closer together to better manage escapes in a few troublesome fields.

“If Brad and Dutch had not taught me about plows in the past, I never would have thought of breaking them out and hooking them to a tractor with GPS technology,” he says.

Those Who Came Before

The farm office in which Brad Cobb and his son-in-law, Gary Bailey, are based is in the original Abbay & Leatherman Commissary near Robinsonville, Miss. A Mississippi Blues Trail marker in front of the building commemorates Delta blues musician Robert Johnson who spent his adolescent years on the plantation.

In 1828, Richard Anthony Abbay bought a tract of land near Robinsonville, Miss., from a Chickasaw Indian chief. Abbay’s daughter, Mary Susan, married George Washington Leatherman, and the land was named Abbay & Leatherman Plantation. Today, this historic property is still owned by the extended Leatherman family. Bobby Leatherman and his wife, Camille, reside in the home built by his parents, Richard and Irene.

A large Indian mound with an old water tower perched on top stands directly west of the residence. Leatherman says one of his father’s favorite stories he jokingly liked to tell was that Hernando de Soto discovered the Mississippi River after climbing the tower and gazing out over the countryside.

Abbay & Leatherman Plantation also has ties to blues musician Robert Johnson, who infamously sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads and became known as “King of the Delta Blues.” Many English rock and roll icons are regular visitors to the area, including Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame.

Varieties, Herbicide Technology Before choosing varieties, Bailey studies yield trial results, and Cobb looks at grade sheets going through the gin.

“We have to consider both of these factors to make the best variety decisions,” Bailey says. “So far, DP 1725 B2XF and DP 1518 B2XF have shown great yield potential and very good grades. We have grown production for and 2,4-D or Roundup and dicamba. dicamba technology that controls them for the past two years. In 2017, If the beds are ready to plant and we glyphosate-resistance Palmer amawe also are evaluating DP 1646 B2XF don’t have to do any tillage, we include ranth,” he says. “It works extremely and DP 1614 B2XF to get an idea of a pre-emerge herbicide, such as Valor.” well and has made our crop cleaner. how they will perform.

In the insect arena, Cobb and Bailey The key to avoiding problems is work“When glyphosate-resistant Palmer depend on their consultants — Jim ing with our neighbors and applying amaranth began showing up, we Arrington and Tim Sanders — to the herbicide according to the label. planted Stoneville 4946GLB2 so we check the cotton twice a week and “In the spring, glyphosate-resistant could apply Liberty hersubmit recommendations. bicide. After leaving out “They scout heavily for that variety this year, we plant bugs, which are our realized we have a nemaprimary cotton pest,” Bailey tode problem on one of the says. “They also are seeing fields. a lot of moths and eggs this “We didn’t notice it year so we are monitoring before because Stoneville that as well. Even with 4946GLB2 has some Bollgard II, a heavy infestanematode tolerance,” tion will require treating for he adds. “That being bollworm.” said, we will pursue Although cotton farming planting a nematodecertainly has its challenges, tolerant variety there in Bailey says, “Learning from the future. Yield perforpeople like Mr. Brad and Mr. mance will be important, Gary Bailey (standing) has lunch every week at the Levee Dutch Parker, who have seen but the level of nematode Commissary near Tunica, Miss., with some of the best “cotton it all, is priceless. Today’s resistance will be just as minds” in the North Delta. Today he is here with Clarence technology does make cotton Cariker (from left), Dutch Parker and Bobby Leatherman. important.” production easier. But just In addition to plowing seeing those men each day and roguing, Bailey relies on new and knowing I am part of such a rich ryegrass can be troublesome. The best herbicide technology to keep cotton history and tradition associated with way to control it in cotton is a burnfields weed-free. cotton in the Mississippi Delta is the down application in February or early “In our operation, we value the biggest reward for me.”

March. We typically apply Roundup Twitter: @CottonFarming

AUGUST 2017 COTTON FARMING

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SPECIAL REPORT

Taking It To The Field

BY CARROLL SMITH EDITOR

T

he bulk of the cotton acres in Tennessee fall within Tipton, Fayette, Madison, Hardiman, Haywood, Crockett and Lauderdale counties. Dow AgroSciences and PhytoGen experts recently held a reporter field day just inside Haywood County to share their latest seed, trait and crop protection strategies.

Tennessee cotton farmer Kevin Earnheart also spoke at the event. Earnheart — along with his father — farms 6,135 acres of cotton in Crockett County. He proudly emphasizes that their farm is 100 percent cotton planted to 100 percent PhytoGen varieties.

“This is my 24th cotton crop and my dad’s 53rd,” he says. “In 2017, we planted 490 W3FE, 330 W3FE, 340 W3FE, 300 W3FE, 333 WRF and 312 WRF. We have grown PhytoGen varieties for years and have always been pleased with their performance.

“Our farm is in a no-till system and has a range of soil types. Because 490 is aggressive, I plant it on my thinner soils with the lowest level of organic matter. I put 333 on my better ground, and it it makes cotton every time. I plant 312 and 340 on the irrigated acres where these varieties have consistently shown better performance.”

Earnheart also is pleased with the Enlist trait being included in PhytoGen germplasm since he and his father battle glyphosate-resistant pigweed. “With the Enlist weed control system, we gained a tool that allows us to wipe out this pest,” he says.

Improved Quality Chris Main, PhytoGen Mid-South cotton development specialist, provided a performance update on current PhytoGen varieties and a sneak peek into what's ahead.

“PHY 333 WRF, PHY 312 WRF and PHY 444 WRF are still strong performers in our portfolio,” he says. “And since the current WideStrike 3 Enlist offerings come from a similar background as 333 and 312, we feel they will have a good fit anywhere that these two do.

“Our goal is to bring improved quality to the yield and trait expectations our farmers have for the current portfolio,” he says. “And although we have two trait platforms now, all of the varieties going forward are being transitioned to WideStrike 3 Flex Enlist.”

Stewardship Is Key Jonathan Seibert, Dow AgroSciences Enlist sales leader, says new, innovative weed control strategies are important because weed resistance is not going away. He says one of the advantages of the Enlist weed control system is that it also allows glufosinate to be applied.

“If larger pigweed — beyond 4 to 6 inches — is present, we recommend a sequential application of Enlist Duo followed by glufosinate,” he says.

Seibert also says the company is committed to continu-

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During a recent field day in west Tennessee, Kevin Earnheart (left) shared his perspective as a cotton producer and Chris Main, PhytoGen cotton development specialist, provided a Mid-South variety performance update. ing its farmer outreach and education to steward Enlist Duo. He emphasizes the importance of farmers having their sprayers set up properly, being cognizant of and monitoring wind direction and temperature inversions and understanding how to use Enlist Duo with residual herbicides to get the best weed resistance management.

Realizing A Long-Term Goal Russell Nuti, PhytoGen Southeast cotton development specialist, says their breeders have done a good job in a relatively short time of advancing yield and incorporating new genetic traits into variety offerings. PhytoGen breeders also are focusing on bringing forward products with important native traits, such as bacterial blight resistance and root-knot and reniform nematode resistance.

“One of PhytoGen’s long-term goals is to bring Pima-like quality to the upland market,” Nuti says. “It’s challenging to grow a high-yielding variety and still produce very fine micronaire. PHY 444 is the first variety in which breeders have put together a durable, irrigated, dryland, wide-footprint variety that has long, strong and fine fiber. We’ve set the bar pretty high with 444 and are excited to have some lines out of the 444 background with the WideStrike 3 Enlist package.”

Derek Racca, PhytoGen brand manager, wrapped up the morning by showing off a set of Red Land Cotton sheets to the crowd.

“This family farming enterprise in Alabama has recently launched ‘farm to fabric’ heirloom-quality cotton sheets that are fast gaining notoriety for their outstanding comfort,” he says. “And PhytoGen is proud to meet the very high standards of this program.”

To learn more about Red Land Cotton, visit www.red landcotton.com.

COTTONFARMING.COM

SPECIAL REPORT

When To Take A ‘Chill Pill’ Cotton, Cutout And Termination Of Insecticide Applications SCOTT STEWART IPM SPECIALIST UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE EXTENSION

C

otton becomes less sensitive to injury from tarnished plant bugs and other pests as it matures.

Below are data from a multi-state study done in the Mid-South on Bt cotton. It shows that terminating insecticide application for tarnished plant bug too early can cause substantial yield loss.

The data pretty consistently showed throughout the Mid-South that insect management during the first four weeks of bloom was critical, and you can relax … but not necessarily quit … after this time.

It is important to continue battling plant bugs, bollworm, fall armyworm and some other pests until a field has accumulated 350 DD60s after cutout. The word “cutout” is synonymous with Nodes Above White Flower 5 (NAWF) and occurs when a field averages five or fewer nodes above the uppermost first-position white flower. I really like “starting the clock” when the field drops below NAWF5. My reasoning is some fields will ride NAWF5 for a week or two, and we want to put those fruit in the picker basket.

Some Specific Guidelines Once cutout is reached, you need to manage your cotton crop for insect pests for another 16-20 days under typical temperature conditions. After this time, insecticide applications for most pests can be terminated.

Here are some specific suggestions to help you make decisions on whether to quit spraying insecticides. Insecticide tankmixes are often suggested once cutout is reached because we are often dealPlant bug applications can be tering with a complex minated about 250 DD60s after of pests. One of my cutout. favorite recommendations is acephate (0.67-0.75 lb) plus a full rate of a pyrethroid insecticide. This is not a great choice for spider mites but is otherwise good at cleaning up a combination of plant bugs and stink bugs. It also generally provides decent suppression of bollworm infestations and some suppression of fall armyworm. Once cutout is reached, I suggest increasing the threshold for tarnished plant bugs from three to five bugs Twitter: @CottonFarming

per drop cloth. Applications for plant bugs can be terminated about 250 DD60s after cutout. This normally takes about 10-14 days. Applications for bollworm, stink bugs, fall armyworm and spider mites may be needed for about another seven days after this point (approximately NAWF5 + 350 DD60s). This is the time you can take a “chill pill” on spraying insecticides. Both fall armyworm and spider mites can potentially cause yield loss beyond NAWF5 + 350 DD60s. However, this almost always occurs when infestations were already present in the field. You can’t walk away from fields just because they hit NAWF5 + 350 DD60s if significant pest problems are present.

A Final Reminder We typically expect Bollgard 2 to provide better bollworm control than WideStrike cotton. The reverse is true of fall armyworm. WideStrike 3 cotton should provide good control of both pests. I recommend treatment for fall armyworms when four or more larvae are found in 100 blooms and/or bolls or when 10-20 larvae are found per 100 plants. They can be easy to miss if you are not checking white and pink blooms or behind the bracts of medium sized or larger bolls.

A tip off that you are dealing with fall armyworm (and not bollworm) is the presence of bract feeding and feeding scars on the sides of bolls. Also, think fall armyworm if you are regularly finding multiple larvae in flowers.

Contact Stewart at 731-267-6085 or sdstewart@utk.edu.

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EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE

In-Season Cotton Picker Cleaning/Servicing Tips

P

roperly cleaning and servicing the cotton picker each night or morning will result in better performance and lower potential of fire throughout the day.

Most producers do a thorough cleaning from top to bottom before greasing, adding fluids, and inspecting and repairing. Here are some picker cleaning and servicing tips from Cotton Incorporated.

Cleaning Procedures Check engine oil and coolant levels before starting the picker’s engine for the first time in the morning, but be mindful of these safety rules: • Always raise handrails when working on top of picker baskets or bale chambers.

• Always climb and descend ladders facing the ladder and holding onto handrails.

• Never try to climb to the top of a picker with tools or hose. Have someone hand you what you need on top of the picker.

• Always engage proper safety locks for baskets and bale chambers before cleaning or servicing in or near those components.

• Never defeat operator-presence switches or wedge tether switches in order to rotate the row unit drums without a hand on the switch.

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Use a broom or your hands to remove large accumulations of lint and trash in the basket or bale chambers. Do this chore any time during the day when waste buildup becomes a fire hazard or if a sensor indicates a false condition. Although it is time-consuming, it can be very effective to go ahead and clean the whole basket/chassis area.

Inspect all sensors and remove any lint tags to prevent false indications.

One advantage of hand cleaning is that wiring components are less likely to be harmed by mechanical damage, water from high-pressure washing or compressed-air removal techniques.

Low-Pressure Water Washing Many producers use low-pressure water from home or commercial water systems to wash trash from the row units. This method is effective, but it requires an extreme amount of time on larger multiple-row pickers.

It also wets the ground around the picker, increasing the chance of slip and fall injuries.

Some producers use a water trailer with a portable pump to clean the picker, add spindle-cleaning solution and extinguish fires.

These units spray a lot of water at low pressure, so

plan to clean more with volume than pressure.

High-Pressure Water Washing High-pressure washing is effective at removing trash and grease in row units and is much faster than hand or low-pressure washing. Unfortunately, the water stream can damage seals, wet the ground around the picker, break or unplug wiring harnesses, and force dirt and water into some bearings and grease in gear cases.

Always wear adequate personal protective gear – hat, gloves, rain suit, protective eyewear, and boots with slip-resistant soles – when pressure washing a picker. Never direct a flow from a pressure washer toward humans or animals.

High-pressure washing is particularly effective at removing grease and trash accumulations inside the rowunit cabinets. It is best to wash the tops of the row units last and then move the picker to a dry area before further servicing.

High-Pressure Air Cleaning High-volume, high-pressure air (150-250 cubic feet per minute and 125 per square inch from an industrial air compressor) is very effective at removing trash and lint buildup from a picker.

Lower-volume compressors can be effective with their airflow magnified

COTTONFARMING.COM

and pressure kept at a safe level (not more than 30 psi at the discharge) with a venturi-type nozzle.

Volume is directly proportional to cleaning power. A heavy air hose (about 3/4 to 1 inch) with a stiff wand (pipe nozzle) is used to direct air where it is needed. This equipment can be heavy for anyone using it on top of the picker. A dead-man valve should be attached to the nozzle to prevent the air hose from whipping around if you drop it.

Take Precautions Always wear personal protective equipment, including eyewear, gloves, boots, long pants, long-sleeve shirt, hearing protection, and respirator or dust mask. Air is less likely than water to break wiring and otherwise damage the picker, but it is still a danger.

Never direct high-volume, high-pressure airflow at radiator fins, hydraulic oil coolers, bearings and seals, electrical and glass components, and air-conditioning lines and condensers. An air blast can force grit into bearings and grease seals and can break glass, damage seals and puncture or bend thin components.

You can better clean out grease and trash inside row-unit cabinets by operating the unit in a slow, idletethered mode and flushing the moistening system periodically. The ground stays relatively dry, reducing mud and slipping injuries. Never

TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

Cotton Picker Fires A fire that starts on a cotton picker may be minor if the operator reacts correctly.

However, poor decisions and reactions may result in a total loss of the picker and any cotton in the machine or surrounding areas. A picker fire that begins as a smoldering mass of trash and lint can become uncontrollable in as few as three minutes. In as few as 15 minutes, a cotton picker can become almost unrecognizable – tires burned off and bars melted into puddles under the row-unit cabinets. Large amounts of grease in row units, high-pressure hydraulic oil, and diesel fuel accelerate a fire once lines and tanks rupture.

Fire Prevention Training Operator training and practice are vital in fire prevention and control. Operators must learn how to react to a fire on a cotton picker before it happens, as well as how to use fire extinguishers and other fire-control resources. Read and understand the operator’s manual section for fires before starting the cotton picker. The following steps are suggested as ways of reducing fire losses: use high-pressure air systems to blow dust and dirt from personnel.

After overall cleaning of the picker chassis is done, clean the lights and cab glass inside and out with a good glass cleaner and a cloth or towel.

Inspect all lights for proper function and repair or replace as needed.

Follow the picker manufacturer’s recommended procedures closely for cleaning your particular make and model. John Deere provides a DVD titled “7760 Cotton Picker Cleaning & Operation # N382998” for specif-

• Keep a full water trailer and pump in the field whenever possible.

• Be especially cautious of conditions that are likely to result in a fire. Bluebird skies with a slight dry wind after a passing dry front can result in very low relative humidity and dry cotton. Fire dangers are increased and may reach a critical point in mid- to late afternoon.

• Be alert to any unusual noise, odors or visible signs of a picker malfunction.

• Be cautious if more frequent row-unit chokes are occurring.

• Remove large accumulations of trash and lint more frequently.

• Inspect and clean the row units and conveyor doors more frequently.

• Slightly increase the spindle cleaner solution application rate, but not to the point that more trash accumulates in the row unit.

• Be aware of any defoliation practices that are more likely to accelerate a fire (use of sodium chlorate and other desiccant materials). ic instructions on cleaning, servicing and operating the round-module picker.

Service the picker as needed for greasing (see operator ’s manual), and add fuel, coolant, engine oil, spindle grease and spindle solution as needed. Round-module picker owners usually replenish the supply of plastic wrap when servicing is complete.

Information for this article was provided by Cotton Incorporated.

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Industry News

Dow AgroSciences presents $20,000 on behalf of cotton consultant Larry Kimery (center), 2016 Transform My Community Contest grand prizewinner, to the Gibson County, Tenn., Carl Perkins Center. Joining Larry are Jay Golz (from left), Dow AgroSciences district sales manager; Leah Blackburn, Gibson County Carl Perkins Center director; Judy Kimery, cotton consultant; and Joel Alvey, Dow AgroSciences local sales representative.

Be A Hometown Hero: Enter The Transform My Community Contest To Win $20,000 Attention hometown heroes! Tell us how Transform WG insecticide has transformed your cotton fields and how $20,000 could improve your community. The third annual Transform My Community Contest opens Aug. 1 to consultants and farmers in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.

The contest is sponsored by Dow AgroSciences and Cotton Farming magazine.

On the entry form, tell how Transform has helped protect your cotton yield from plant bugs and how your favorite organization or charity (local FFA chapter, food bank, library, etc.) is working to help transform your community. Your idea could win $20,000 for your community and a $1,000 cash prize for you.

In 2015, grand prizewinner A.J. Hood, who farms near Monticello, Ark., helped fund construction of a baseball field and playground designed especially for kids with disabilities. Last year, Dow AgroSciences donated $20,000 to the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse on behalf of Tennessee cotton consultant Larry Kimery. This money allowed the center to hire a full-time family advocate who works directly with children, who have been victims of child abuse, and their families.

The deadline for submitting your short essay is Sept 30. Visit www.

TransformMyCommunity.com to access the TMC entry form.

Global Brand Hugo Boss Joins Cotton LEADS Ranks Global luxury fashion house Hugo Boss is the latest of more than 460 partners from across the global supply chain to join the Cotton LEADS program in a show of support for the sustainability credentials of Australian and U.S. cotton.

The Cotton LEADS program influences cotton supply chain strategies by raising awareness of characteris-

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tics common to the Australian and U.S. cotton industries. These include responsible production practices, strict regulations that protect the environment and people, the ability to affect positive change nationally, nationwide cotton research and development programs, and sustainability benchmarking.

The German-headquartered Hugo Boss group includes the Boss and Hugo brands. In welcoming Hugo Boss to the Cotton LEADS program,

Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay says that increasingly, “Brands and retailers are demonstrating a genuine desire to deliver products made from responsibly-produced raw materials.”

Cotton Incorporated Senior Vice President, Global Supply Chain Marketing Mark Messura says, “Just as Hugo Boss is a leading global fashion brand, the Cotton LEADS program leads the way in both responsible cotton production and the sharing of best practices and other educational resources with the global cotton community.”

Hugo Boss Head of Sustainability and Logistics Heinz Zeller says, “Cotton is one of the most important raw materials for the high quality products of Hugo Boss. The Cotton LEADS program enables Hugo Boss to source sustainable cotton matching high quality standards with a guaranteed availability.”

The Cotton LEADS program is a joint effort of the Australian and U.S. cotton industries. The program is designed to raise awareness of responsible growing practices and commitment to continuous improvement among cotton producers in the member countries. For more information, visit www.cottonleads.org.

EPA, U.S. Army Move To Repeal 2015 ‘Waters Of The U.S.’ The Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Army and the Army Corps of Engineers are proposing a rule to rescind the Clean Water Rule and re-codify the regulatory text that existed prior to 2015 defining “waters of the United States” or WOTUS. This action would, when finalized, provide certainty in the interim, pending a second rulemaking in which the agencies will engage in a substantive re-evaluation of the definition of WOTUS. The proposed rule would be implemented in accordance with Supreme Court decisions, agency guidance and longstanding practice.

“We are taking significant action to return power to the states and provide regulatory certainty to our nation’s farmers and businesses,” says administrator Scott Pruitt. “This is the first step in the two-step process to redefine waters of the U.S.” This proposed rule follows the COTTONFARMING.COM

Industry News Feb. 28 presidential executive order on “Restoring the Rule of Law, Federalism, and Economic Growth by Reviewing the Waters of the United States Rule.”

The February order states it is in the national interest to ensure the nation’s navigable waters are kept free from pollution, while promoting economic growth, minimizing regulatory uncertainty, and showing due regard for the roles of Congress and the states under the Constitution. To meet these objectives, the agencies intend to follow an expeditious, twostep process that will provide certainty across the country.

The proposed rule would recodify the identical regulatory text that was in place prior to the 2015 Clean Water Rule (another name for WOTUS) and that is currently in place as a result of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit’s stay of the 2015 rule. Therefore, this action, when final, will not change current practice with respect to how the definition applies.

The agencies have also begun deliberations and outreach on the second step rulemaking involving a re-evaluation and revision of the definition of WOTUS in accordance with the Executive Order.

“The Army, together with the Corps of Engineers, is committed to working closely with and supporting the EPA on these rulemakings. As we go through the rulemaking process, we will continue to make the implementation of the Clean Water Act Section 404 regulatory program as transparent as possible for the regulated public,” says Douglas Lamont, senior official performing the duties of the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works.

For the pre-publication Federal Register notice and additional information, go to http://www.epa.gov/ wotus-rule

2017 Crop Hail-Out And Replant Guide Released In Texas The latest Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service crop hail-damage assessment and replant guide is now available. Take time to study this crop management tool before next season begins in case inclement weather results in a decision-making scenario.

Dr. Calvin Trostle, Texas A&M Twitter: @CottonFarming

AgriLife Extension Service agronomist at Lubbock, says Texas farmers in the Lubbock and South Plains region regularly face the risk of hailed-out crops during June. When it occurs, especially on cotton, he says growers may need to wait up to a week before determining the fate of their hail-hammered crop.

Should they stay with the crop, fallow the rest of the season or replant?

To help them navigate through the options, Trostle recently published his 15th annual “2017 Alternative Crop Options after Failed Cotton and LateSeason Crop Planting for the Texas South Plains.”

“That lengthy title pretty well sums up what this crop management tool is all about,” Trostle says.

The document posted at http://lub bock.tamu.edu is updated annually in June. It encompasses everything from assessing damaged cotton stands, to herbicide precautions, and basic agronomics including the last recommended planting dates for various crops.

Dr. Seth Byrd, AgriLife Extension cotton agronomist at Lubbock, says Trostle’s work is invaluable, because assessing a damaged cotton stand can be tough.

“Farmers need to be patient, because it sometimes takes a week before you know what the survival rate of cotton plants on a hailed-out field will be,” Byrd says. “This is important this late in the season as a damaged stand with as little as 1.5 plants per foot of row may still be a keeper, especially if the plants are uniformly spaced.”

Danny Nusser, AgriLife Extension regional program leader at Amarillo, says the publication offers good timely information for AgriLife Extension agents and producers alike.

“Producers may be surprised they even have options, and viable crop replanting and late planting options are available as late as mid-July,” he says. “This is especially true moving south from Lubbock.”

Trostle says, “The guide reflects a lot of what I have learned about farming in the Southern High Plains region. And truthfully, preparing it every year may help me as much as anyone to deliver sound science-based advice to growers.”

For more information, contact Trostle at 806-746-6101 or ctrostle@ ag.tamu.edu.

CCOY 2017 NOMINATIONS Cotton Consultant of the Year

Deadline Nears For 2017 CCOY Nominations

Cotton consultants keep “footprints in the field” to help their farmers maintain a healthy bottom line. Each year, Syngenta and Cotton Farming magazine co-sponsor the Cotton Consultant of the Year award to honor the top consultant in the Cotton Belt.

Nominees are voted on by past CCOY winners. The 2017 recipient will be recognized at the CCOY Award Reception March 2, 2018, at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis and featured in a special four-page insert in the March 2018 issue of Cotton Farming.

Don’t delay. Fill out the nomination form on page 7 and send it in. The deadline for entries is Aug. 22.

Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by

Cotton Farming AUGUST 2017 COTTON FARMING

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Specialists Speaking 2017 Cotton Crop Progress ARIZONA Randy Norton In my travels around the state over recent weeks, I have observed cotton fields at all stages of development. The crop in western Arizona has now been terminated and is being prepped for harvest. The remainder of the state is at varying stages from peak bloom to cut-out. For the most part, as of this writing, the crop is in fairly good condition.

Heat stress has been prominent this year and has had a significant impact on fruit retention levels across the state. Insect pressure has been light to moderate again this year, and limited treatments for whitefly and lygus have occurred as of this writing. As we approach the final stages of the season, decisions will be made within the next several weeks related to crop termination or final irrigation date. This can be a difficult decision given all the factors to be considered, including current fruit load, crop vigor, soil water-holding capacity and potential heat unit (HU) accumulation.

Observations show approximately 600 HU are required for a fresh bloom to mature to a harvestable boll. Sufficient plant water conditions during this period of fiber development within the boll are critical. A good way to determine the date for your final irrigation is to identify the last flower intended for harvest and the estimated boll maturity date based upon historical HU accumulations.

Data for boll maturity estimates can be found at the Arizona Meteorological Network (AZMET) weather site. A final irrigation date can then be estimated to ensure proper crop water status to sustain boll development through to the estimated maturity date. Several factors will provide variation in the amount of water needed to achieve boll maturation that needs to be considered, including soil water-holding capacity, current weather conditions (crop evapotranspiration estimates) and water availability.

More detailed information on this topic and others related to late-season crop management can be found at cals.arizona.edu/ crops. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu

OKLAHOMA Randy Boman The U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Agricultural Statistics Service released the 2017 Planted Acreage Report on June 30. According to the report, NASS is projecting 470,000 planted cotton acres in the state. For Oklahoma, this is a 54 percent increase compared to last year’s 305,000 planted acres. If we have a good to excellent production season, the bale volume could once again test the ginning infrastructure.

Overall, it has been a fairly challenging start for many producers, but we believe the overall crop is in reasonably good condition at this time. Earlier planted irrigated cotton is blooming, and many fields came into first bloom at 10-12 nodes above white flower, which indicates a solid yield potential if later factors align. We are still waiting for the later planted irrigated and considerable dryland acres to hit the bloom stage. The nodes above white flower count will provide good information with respect to yield potential.

We had excellent rainfall in many areas, but some dryland fields are being released due to skippy stands arising from poor emergence.

We are seeing some abandonment at this time. These fields typically missed beneficial rainfall to assist filling in stands after high winds

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dried out soil in the seed zone behind the planters. There has been some hail in places, but it has not had a major effect on acres across the state.

After various rainstorms, weed flushes were observed. It is readily apparent that producers opted to not include residual herbicides either preplant or pre-emergence in some fields. This was obviously a not a good decision, and weed pressure was substantial. The importance of overlapping residual herbicides cannot be overstated. As we move into August, the dryland crop likely will be “getting thirsty,� and producers will be watching the skies for that important August rain. randy.boman@okstate.edu

MISSOURI Mike Milam The July 10 Missouri Crop Progress and Condition Report shows 68 percent of the cotton is squaring and 9 percent is setting bolls. We are slightly behind last year, but ahead of the five-year average. Our cotton acreage is estimated to be 300,000 compared to 280,000 planted last year. The planting intentions were higher, but the weather conditions did not allow the remainder to be planted. Much of our cotton was planted past optimum planting dates.

The big news this year has been dicamba damage complaints, which are up from last year. On July 7, the Missouri Department of Agriculture stopped the use of all dicamba products. However, on July 13, it allowed spraying to continue because we now have Section 24 c labels for Eugenia, XtendiMax and FeXipan. In addition, the Missouri Department of Agriculture has a required notice of application form on its website.

Our cotton appears to have potential, but I have concerns about frequent thunderstorms. We seem to have had several a week, and rain is again predicted over the next few weeks. Growth regulators should be used to keep up square and boll set and promote earliness. We also need to watch for late-season insects and target spot. Weather will be one of the factors that affects our final yield. milammr@missouri.edu

ARKANSAS Bill Robertson The March Prospective Plantings report released by U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Agricultural Statistics Service estimated Arkansas cotton plantings to be 500,000 acres. The 2017 planting season was a difficult one. Several producers switched from planting or replanting cotton to planting soybeans as we got deep into May. The Arkansas Acreage Report released June 30 estimated acres at 440,000. This estimate is realistic when failed and prevented planting acres are included with the 424,000 acres the Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation had mapped at the time the acreage report was released.

Our cotton crop is much improved since last month. The most recent NASS Crop Progress and Condition Report for Arkansas reported cotton flowering or setting bolls ahead of the five-year average.

Thirty-six percent of the cotton was excellent and 49 percent was in good condition.

A crop condition measure many like to use is nodes above white flower (NAWF). The NAWF value at first flower gives a good indicaCOTTONFARMING.COM

TIM HALL/NELSON IRRIGATION

Specialists Speaking

Supplying adequate water to the crop will be key, especially though the third to fourth week of flowering as the plant produces flowers and begins filling bolls.

tion of the plant’s horsepower or its ability to supply fruit load needs.

In Arkansas, we target of 9 to 10 NAWF at first flower and define cutout as NAWF=5.

We have seen a lot of variability in NAWF in our April-planted fields. The dominant factor for this is related to available soil moisture. Fields with NAWF values of 6 or 7 at first flower still have the potential to meet our yield goals. However, timing of inputs is critical to meet plant demands to avoid earlier-than-desired cutout.

We have a great deal of horsepower going into flowering in much of the May-planted cotton. We generally see our most vigorous fields averaging 9 to 10 NAWF at first flower. We have seen some fields with 12 to 14 NAWF at first flower.

It is important to know how much horsepower and potential demand exists in your fields to be able to satisfy plant needs to reach your yield goals. It is also important to identify cutout and use heat units beyond cutout to determine input termination.

Our yield potential is very good at this time. Going into August, we must continue to manage the crop in a timely fashion to maintain yield potential while keeping expenses in check and hoping that Mother Nature doesn't throw us more curveballs. brobertson@uaex.edu

TEXAS Seth Byrd Rain during late June and early July brought relief from a hot, dry period that lasted from a few weeks to a couple of months, depending on what part of the region you’re in. We’re entering the middle part of the season for cotton that’s on the “normal schedule,” or what’s left of it after a challenging first couple of months.

There also are many replanted cotton acres or even cotton planted as far back as mid-May that are at cotyledon stage in early July. This crop faces an uphill battle in producing any harvestable bolls. But, more often than not in replant situations, going back to cotton was the most attractive and favorable option.

As of July 13, much of the Texas High Plains cotton crop is one TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

to three weeks behind where we would expect it based on planting date. However, most of it should be in bloom by the middle of July.

This will still leave five to six weeks for flowering and setting fruit before our typical last effective bloom date of Aug. 25. Supplying adequate water to the crop will be key during this period of peak moisture demand, especially though the third to fourth week of flowering as the plant produces blooms and begins filling bolls.

For producers in the northern part of the Panhandle, the last effective bloom date may even be earlier, depending on what sort of weather the fall brings. In these shorter-season areas, late-season management of irrigation and nitrogen is critical to optimize maturity, time harvest-aid effectiveness and avoid excessive late-season growth. seth.byrd@ag.tamu.edu

TEXAS Gaylon Morgan Most of South and East Texas looks promising for good yields and favorable quality. Certain dryland areas throughout these regions have missed some rains and only have moderate yield potential. Harvest in the Lower Rio Grande Valley was underway in mid-July and will be well underway in the Coastal Bend by the first of August.

This harvest season is a bit early compared to recent years, but historically is not off-target by much. Cotton in the Upper Gulf Coast is progressing more slowly with adequate moisture and excellent yield potential. The Blacklands’ crop from south to north is also looking good, with more variability in crop condition in the southern region.

Variable best describes both the Southern and Northern Rolling Plains this season in stand establishment, crop stag and hail damage.

The irrigated cotton looks decent approaching bloom, while dryland cotton is six nodes to bloom stage. Hailstorms have been prevalent this year throughout the Rolling Plains and have affected a lot of acres. Most producers have been successful with their weed control programs this year, whether using LibertyLink, Roundup Ready Flex, XtendiMax or Enlist technologies. Fortunately, we have had minimal AUGUST 2017 COTTON FARMING

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Specialists Speaking off-target movement of the labeled dicamba products or Enlist Duo. However, we have observed numerous fields that received applications of the incorrect product, causing tremendous damage to the non-tolerant crop. gdmorgan@tamu.edu

LOUISIANA Dan Fromme The Louisiana cotton crop is extremely variable this year due to high rainfall amounts received in April, May and into June. Planting dates ranged from the last week of March through the first week of June.

Plant bug numbers have been high during June and July. Bollworm numbers began to increase in July and have been challenging to control. Currently, mepiquat chloride applications are being made to manage plant height.

We should start seeing some open bolls during the last part of July and early August.

Farmers and consultants will place emphasis on plant bug and bollworm control for the remainder of the season. Timely rains will be needed during the last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August to finish out the 2017 crop. At the end of August, producers will begin defoliating earlier planted cotton fields.

Fluctuation in planting dates, high amounts of rainfall, and heavy plant bug and bollworm pressure have made the 2017 crop extremely variable. These conditions pose a challenge to estimating how good the crop is going to be. dfromme@agcenter.lsu.edu

MISSISSIPPI Darrin Dodds August typically brings a number of changes in Mississippi agriculture. Some grains are being harvested, selected insect sprays have been terminated, and cotton is headed toward the finish line. For those who have irrigation, cracked bolls and water termination usually occurs in early to mid-August.

However, the Mississippi crop as a whole appears to be at least two weeks behind “normal.” In addition, most of this crop has a very shallow root system given all of the rainfall early in the growing season. Having said that, monitor the soil moisture status under your crop carefully and irrigate as necessary to maximize yield.

2017 is stacking up to be the year of challenges. In addition to issues alluded to previously, bollworms started making an appearance in mid-July, and more feeding was observed in two-gene Bt cotton than in years past. It appears there are some changes occurring with bollworm susceptibility to Bt cotton, and foliar oversprays are becoming more common.

The best thing we hope to happen for the 2017 Mississippi cotton crop is fall weather similar to what was observed in 2016 and a few scattered rainfalls during August and early September to help finish out this crop. dmd76@pss.msstate.edu

TENNESSEE Tyson Raper Tennessee’s cotton crop began to grow rapidly during the third week in June. Fortunately for those growing corn, most areas have received a minimum of an inch of rain per week from mid-May to early July. Additionally, temperatures have been relatively moderate.

Although this will likely result in an above-average corn crop, our cotton crop has not accumulated the heat units we were blessed with during the 2016 season and it has slightly delayed cotton maturity. Blooms were scattered through the earliest planted cotton by July 4, but I suspect the average acre in Tennessee had its

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first bloom on July 7.

I believe a hot, dry June is one of the best environmental scenarios for a cotton crop. After experiencing slight water deficits during the early vegetative stage, the transition from emphasizing vegetative growth to emphasizing reproductive growth is generally much smoother. With that said, proper plant growth management has been very important this year.

Here on July 9, our crop is currently growing very rapidly, and it is time to pull back on the reins. Rain chances have been disappearing from the forecast, so selecting a mepiquat chloride rate high enough to slow growth without risking negative yield impacts if rain disappears from the forecast has been tricky. It appears this weather pattern will continue for the next several weeks, so by the time you read this you’ll probably be making a decision on your last plant growth regulator decision while in the same predicament.

I’ll post another PGR article on our website near the end of July.

However, I’ve been leaning toward higher rates to potentially produce a shorter plant to possibly reduce target spot incidence and severity. Keep up by visiting news.utcrops.com or Twitter @TysonRaper for updates. traper@utk.edu

NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins The last two weeks of June brought somewhat drier and sunny weather that seemed to improve growth and health of the 2017 crop in North Carolina. As I write this on July 3, the 2017 crop is still two to three weeks behind, depending on when it was planted.

Only a few fields produced a bloom before July 4 this year.

With that said, sunny weather with warm temperatures and timely (not excessive) rains can accelerate maturity. In recent newsletters, we’ve encouraged producers to be timely with all of their management practices, which is the best way to approach a later-than-normal crop for earliness.

One concern associated with later-planted cotton is the potential for caterpillar issues, as the cotton crop could be more vulnerable and a likely target for moths during the prime periods of their flight.

Most farmers will know if caterpillars are likely to be a problem by the time this article is published. However, several factors are already aligning in early July to suggest caterpillars may again be a challenge in 2017.

Previous research conducted by our North Carolina State University Extension entomologist has shown when bollworm pressure is heavy, proactive management targeted at eggs and very small larvae is more effective than reactive management. This can only be accomplished with thorough and frequent scouting. guy_collins@ncsu.edu

FLORIDA David Wright July and August are critical months for cotton to set a good boll load. Our farmers try to set most of the fruit load in July for earlier maturity and less management time. However, things happen like insects, dry weather or wet conditions that delay sidedress applications of nitrogen.

In many cases, producers try to add yield to a good fruit load and protect yield from insect and disease damage. Herbicide-resistant weed escapes often are pulled to prevent spreading during harvest, which results in more weeds in subsequent years.

Growers are managing height with growth regulators, and some are tankmixing fungicides for target spot and other diseases due to the wet conditions that have occurred. Current crop conditions are favorable for a good yield. wright@ufl.edu COTTONFARMING.COM

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Ginners Marketplace COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.

Tune Up Your Safety Program It’s late summer, which means ginning season is right around the corner. And a few of you are already well into it by now. We always joke that repair season is over when cotton shows up on the yard. There are always a million things that seem to never get done in a timely manner. Don’t let your safety program review be one of them.

One of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s key safety program elements is review and improvement. This feedback mechanism should be built into yours.

At least once a year, review how your safety program worked (or didn’t work) and where improvements can be made.

Step Up Your Game Plan I can’t tell you how many ginners have a good-looking safety program that appears to have all the right stuff. And then in the heat of battle (night shift or someone quits), some part of the training never happens for the new guy or gal or something big breaks down and you skip the weekly safety meeting.

These are the types of things you need to look at to determine how to do them better. Ask yourself, “How can we make sure everyone gets properly trained and all of the safe-

ty meetings are held when possible?” Maybe you’ve already taken care of this. Perhaps you gave the new people limited duties and had them come in early the next shift to watch the videos and complete the training. If so, that’s great. It’s also a good idea to look at your training to see if it’s relevant. How do you know if what you are showing or telling your employees is even sinking in?

Program evaluation means setting safety goals for the program and then measuring the results to see if you’ve achieved those goals. Look at each aspect of your safety program: management leadership, worker participation, hazard identification and assessment, hazard prevention and control, education and training, and communication with outside contractors.

Determine if goals are being met and where improvements can be made. Take a few minutes in the next few weeks before cranking up the gin to see if there’s any aspect of your safety program that needs improvement… I bet there is.

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

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Hanging Together To Face The Challenges There’s no doubt we live in interesting times. Maybe I should say we live in challenging times. Every time we turn around, it seems something new is thrown at us. These tests can cause a lot of pain, but they can also result in personal and business growth. As an industry, we are facing low prices, very few safety-net provisions, labor issues and government overreach.

These are tough times. We’ve faced them before, and we’ll get through them, but not without work and likely some sacrifice. Ben Franklin famously says, “We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we will all hang separately.”

That phrase comes to mind whenever I look at what we face as an industry. One thing that cotton has had that nearly all other commodities struggle with is unity. Organizations can either be torn apart with strife or shine as a unifying force holding the industry together. The groups that make up the cotton industry are individually struggling with their own challenges.

However, we need to pull together for the common goal of keeping cotton as a viable commodity for the American farmer.

So, what does that mean exactly? I certainly don’t know right now. That’s why we meet. That’s why we form organizations. That’s why we hang together.

We meet challenges head-on — together. We need to form policies that guide the direction of our industry so we can present unified ideas and not a bunch

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of competing ideas to the outside world. Division equals weakness; organization equals strength.

Unified Voice Called ‘Refreshing’

If I have heard it once, I’ve heard it 50 times from Capitol Hill staff: It is so pleasant when cotton comes to Washington with a unified voice. They say it is refreshing to hear the same message from people across the country. They say many commodities don’t do this. If cotton is going to make it through these challenging times, it has to be by doing it plate 3/7/14 3:26 PM Page 1 together.

That’s why being part of Southern Cotton Growers and the Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association is so important. But simply being a member isn’t enough. Active participation is an essential part of membership. Members need to talk to the board members who represent them, and board members need to bring those ideas and concerns to the board as a whole. Then and only then can debate take place and understanding of the process occur. Sometimes we get what is best for us, and sometimes we yield to what is best for others. But we always compromise and come together.

I’ve loved being part of this industry and enjoyed how it has come together for almost 30 years. For the most part, unity has brought prosperity. We’ll come through these challenging times, but we need to hang together or we will most decidedly hang separately.

This article by Dusty Findley of the Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association first appeared in the January 2017 edition of “Viewpoints,” a souvenir magazine distributed at the Southern Southeastern Annual Meeting.

Cotton’s Calendar 2017 n Aug. 8-10: Cotton Board/Cotton Incorporated Joint Meeting, Durham, N.C. n Aug. 16: Plains Cotton Cooperative Association Board Meeting and Delegate Body Meeting, Lubbock, Texas n Aug. 17-18: 2017 American Cotton Producers/Cotton Foundation Joint Summer Meeting, Westin Buckhead Atlanta Hotel, Atlanta, Ga. n Aug. 23-25: National Cotton Council Mid-Year Board Meeting, Peabody Hotel, Memphis, Tenn. n Sept. 20: PCCA Annual Meeting, Lubbock, Texas n Sept. 20: PCCA Board Meeting, Lubbock, Texas n Sept. 20: Staplcotn/Stapldiscount Annual Meeting, Greenwood, Miss. n Sept. 25: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors/Auditors Meeting, Phoenix, Ariz. n Sept. 26: Calcot Ltd. Board of Directors Meeting/90th Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Ariz. n Oct. 11: Plains Cotton Growers Inc. Board Meeting, Bayer Museum of Agriculture, Lubbock, Texas n Oct. 18: PCCA Board Meeting and Delegate Body Meeting, Lubbock, Texas n Nov. 15: PCCA Board Meeting, Lubbock, Texas n Dec. 5-7: Cotton Board/Cotton Incorporated Joint Meeting, St. Petersburg, Fla. n Dec. 20: PCCA Board Meeting and Delegate Body Meeting, Lubbock, Texas

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My Turn Motor Cooking And Other Reflections

I

began scouting cot- herbicide-tolerant traits have also been added ton in 1978 after my to the cotton plants. We have tractors that drive d e a r g r a n d m o t h e r themselves; pickers that bale cotton; and spraysaw an ad in the local ers, fertilizer applicators and planters that delivnewspaper soliciting cot- er variable-rate technology.

I really love my job even though it is hectic at ton scouts to work for the Phillips County, Ark., times. Talking to consultant friends and praying Cooperative Extension are the only ways to keep my sanity during the S e r v i c e . A f t e r w o r k - heat of the battle. And most days I do not have ing there for three sum- time to go somewhere to eat so I have learned to mers, I began managing cook on the intake manifold of my truck motor.

Bob My truck broke down four or five years ago so the insecticide screening I had to put it in the shop and get a rental truck. plots at the Cotton Branch Griffin Experiment Station in The next morning I fixed my food, wrapped it in aluminum foil, put it on the truck motor and Marianna.

Upon graduating from the University of went about my business. The shop called me Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1984, I took the job about 10 or 11 to tell me my truck was ready. of research specialist entomologist at the Cotton I quickly took the rental truck back, got my other truck and then Branch Station. While thought about my food employed by the sta“I am just like my underwear — that afternoon. I had tion, I worked under left it on the rental the supervision of Dr. 100 percent cotton.” truck! I bet when the Jake Phillips and Dr. mechanic opened the Phil Tugwell, both great mentors. I will never forget Dr. Tugwell hood and saw that aluminum foil, he wondered, telling me in order to effectively manage cotton “What in the world?” A couple of years ago, my insects you must know the cotton plant inti- Sunday school class even bought me a motor mately and recognize the delicate relationship it cookbook for Christmas titled “Manifold Destiny: The One! The Only! Guide To Cooking On Your shares with insects and its environment.

In 1987, I started Griffin Ag-Consulting, Car Engine!”

Most of my career has been spent looking at which I still operate today. Over the years, I have been blessed to make great friends to share cotton exclusively. I used to say I was just like my thoughts with. Some who come to mind are Mr. underwear — 100 percent cotton. I am passionRay Young, Charles Denver, Marvin Wall, Jim ate about cotton and helping my growers remain Kimbrough and Dr. Gus Lorenz. Gus is as good profitable. Over the years, I have worked for of an applied entomologist as there is. I consider some of the best farmers imaginable. It is hard to him a dear friend who has helped me tremen- believe I have three clients who are the third gendously through the years. Little did I know we eration of families I have worked with.

I have been told I stress too much at times. would still be in close contact today after playing God tells us in Colossians 3:23 that whatever you volleyball during lunch on the U of A campus.

Cotton consulting has really evolved over the do, work at it with all your heart, as working for years. I remember budworms becoming resis- the Lord, not for human masters. I rely on God to tant to pyrethroids, the introduction of Bt cotton, help me through life and definitely while consultRoundup Ready cotton (farming ugly), the first ing. He alone gets credit for my successes. Many plant bug insecticide resistance and boll weevil hours of prayer is my recipe for a good season. eradication. I had trouble believing we could get – Bob Griffin rid of boll weevils when I used to find traps full Jonesboro, Ark. of them in only a few days. Now, Bollgard III is bobgriffin@suddenlink.net about to be introduced commercially, and several

Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling unusual “farm tales” or timely stories from across the Cotton Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting story to tell, send a short summary to csmith@onegrower.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

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