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Ginners Marketplace COTTON
COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.
Proactive Approach Helps Prevent Contamination In the last Ginners Marketplace column, I discussed several plastic contamination sources and the need to eliminate those in our cotton. It is necessary for ginners to be proactive in order to protect and retain the U.S. cotton industry’s reputation for delivering high-quality cotton with a goal of zero contamination. A few precautionary measures can definitely make a substantial difference. One potential contaminant can be avoided by checking bale presses for hydraulic oil leaks and repairing any leaks before the ginning season. Bale presses should continue to be monitored for leaks and cleanliness during operation. The ginner should instruct employees that if they observe oil or other contaminants, they are to notify their supervisor as soon as possible. The gin manager also is responsible for housekeeping in and around the gin. A clean, well-organized gin is safer and more productive, encourages pride among employees and helps reduce the frequency of lint contamination. Any potential contaminants found around the bale press should be completely removed but never swept or blown into the press or press pit. In fact, no part of the gin should ever be used as a trash receptacle. Only contamination-free seed cotton should be
allowed anywhere in or around the gin. We have been told by textile mills that wire used to attach the permanent bale identification (PBI) hang tags to the bale packaging sometimes finds its way into the lint and damages expensive processing equipment. Ginners should not use wire to attach these tags. If using traditional hanging tags, use zip ties or cotton cord in place of wire to secure the tags. Consider using adhesive backed PBI bale tags. Also unacceptable are the practices of slipping an extra bale tag coupon under a tie or placing PBI tags on the bale’s surface inside clear bale bags. These tags can become contaminants. Remember, the definition of contamination is anything that’s not cotton. This includes excess moisture. Ginners should monitor final bale moistures levels. Those levels should be no greater than 7.5 percent at any point in the bale – and that
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Cotton Ginners Marketplace
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 COTTON FARMING SEPTEMBER 2015
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