Cotton Farming December 2023

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

DECEMBER 2023

www.cottonfarming.com

North Carolina Brothers Build Lasting Legacy With Regenerative Measures

Marking A Milestone The Seal Of Cotton Turns 50

Oil Content Focus Of Designer Cotton

Vol. 67 No. 12

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

DECEMBER 2023

www.cottonfarming.com

FE ATURES

6 DESIGNER COTTONSEED

Clemson University and Cotton Incorporated researchers believe now is the time to look a little closer at the benefits of cottonseed oil.

12 LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY

North Carolina cotton farmers Donny and Mark Lassiter have implemented decades of sustainability measures for their operation.

15 ARIZONA COTTON FACTS

The story of cotton continues to resonate with Arizona families. Here are a few details to consider.

20 GINNERS MARKETPLACE

8 Marking A Milestone In 1973, Cotton Incorporated created the Seal of Cotton. Over the past half-century, Cotton Incorporated’s trademark has given an identity to the entire cotton industry. From cotton farmers who proudly display the Seal of Cotton on their truck’s license plates and in their farm shops to brands and retailers who use the Seal of Cotton to differentiate their products in the marketplace, the power of the Seal is real.

the official publication of the ginning industry Dan Taylor and his wife, Linda, are sponsors of the new Cotton Heritage Center at the FiberMax Center for Discovery in Lubbock. This is their story.

WEB EXCLUSIVE Once again, the Cotton Consultants Conference kicks off the Beltwide Cotton Conferences. Louisiana consultant Hank Jones talks about some of the topics and speakers to be featured at the upcoming meeting in January. Go to www.cottonfarming.com for this Web Exclusive report.

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

4 Editor’s Note 5 Cotton’s Agenda 11 Industry News

14 Research & Promotion 16 Specialists Speaking 22 My Turn

SUPPLEMENT DECEMBER 2023

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

Early Soybean Production System How Variety Development in Texas Influenced the South

ON THE COVER: A West Tennessee cotton field prior to the 2023 harvest.

Cover photo by Eric Bell.

A Supplement to Cotton Farming and Rice Farming Magazines

Look for Soybean South following page 20 in the Southeast and MidSouth editions of Cotton Farming.

To have industry news and content delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for the monthly e-newsletter at www.soybeansouth.com.

COTTON FARMING (ISSN 0746-8385) is published monthly January through December by One Grower Publishing LLC, 875 W. Poplar Ave., Suite 23, Box 305, Collierville, TN 38017. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, Tennessee, and at additional mailing offices. 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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DECEMBER 2023 | COTTON FARMING 3

Editor’s Note Carroll Smith

EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com Southeast Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com

Turn The Page, Write The Next Chapter

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s the year draws to an end, people typically sit and reflect on how their season went. “Why did we, once again, not have a ‘normal year?’

I’ve never in my life seen anything like this.”

After having experienced this thought numerous times myself, it occurred to me that a “normal year” is elusive, a phantom we chase that doesn’t exist. The best we can do is learn from our experiences — good or bad — and keep going, confidently moving forward into next season.

In this month’s cover story, “Marking a Milestone, the Seal of Cotton turns 50,” we applaud the trademark’s ability to promote cotton and U.S. cotton growers to the world through promotion and product labeling over the past half century. But even after reaching this milestone, we are not through with it. As noted in The Cotton Board article on page 14, Cotton Incorporated is unveiling a new consumer marketing campaign called Memories are Made in Cotton to show that “cotton is as much a part of the future as it is our past.”

And in Northampton County, North Carolina, Donny Lassiter farms cotton with his brother, Mark. As third-generation farmers, they are building a lasting legacy that will support long-term sustainability for their operation. After harvest wraps up, the brothers don’t think about closing the book. Instead, they look forward to turning the page when spring comes back around.

“You get to the fall and harvest a crop,” Donny said. “You’re supposed to be excited, and I am, but I love the spring because it could be anything. It could be the best year ever. The unknown, the challenge and the opportunity — I look at challenge and opportunity as almost the same thing.”

Another observation involving cotton production is that the 2023 crop varied wildly not only from state to state but from field to field. In some areas, there were reports of a staggering 4+ bales of cotton per acre whereas in other places, yields did not do as well. But as Georgia cotton specialist, Camp Hand, said, “There are a lot of questions for me this far out, but I would definitely start thinking about next season if I were a grower.”

The Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association also is about to turn the page. Be on the lookout for informative flyers in the mail and an exclusive TCGA Q&A that will be published in the January issue of Cotton Farming. The 2024 event takes place April 4-5 at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center in Lubbock, Texas, and everyone across the Cotton Belt is invited to attend!

In closing out this note, I encourage you to celebrate your wins and put your losses behind you. Turn the page.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Carroll

Associate Editor Cassidy Nemec cnemec@onegrower.com Digital Content Editor Katie Guthrie Art Director Ashley Kumpe ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Carroll Smith (901) 326-4443 Associate Publisher/Sales Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Production Manager David Boyd dboyd@onegrower.com Audience Services Kate Thomas (847) 559-7514 For subscription changes or change of address, call (847) 559-7578 or email cottonfarming@omeda.com 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 2023 © ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing, LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

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If you have comments, please send them to: Cotton Farming Magazine, 7201 Eastern Ave., Germantown, TN 38138.

4 COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2023

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Cotton’s Agenda Gary Adams

Developing And Delivering Throughout the year, the National Cotton Council communicated with lawmakers to provide adequate funding for a new farm bill that contains a strong producer safety net and other provisions important to U.S. cotton’s health.

How were sufficient farm bill resources sought?

■ Early in 2023, the NCC and many national/ regional cotton organizations joined 400 other agriculture groups on a letter to the House/Senate budget committees’ leadership requesting sufficient budgetary resources for a new farm bill. Along with more than 50 other agricultural associations, the NCC also sent a letter to Administration leaders and to House/Senate budget and appropriations panels’ leaders specifically urging crop insurance programs be protected from any cuts in the appropriations process. An action aimed at reducing pressure on farm bill resources — and one the NCC supported — came when Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) urged Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to use Commodity NCC Chairman Shawn Holladay Credit Corporation authorities to conveyed U.S. cotton’s farm bill prior- open access to markets and promote American-grown products abroad ities at a Congressional hearing. which could “strengthen trade opportunities, increase revenue streams and help producers thrive in a global economy.”

How were other farm bill provision priorities conveyed?

■ As I noted in an earlier column, the NCC participated in Congressional farm bill hearings to convey industry priorities. In separate hearings, NCC Chairman Shawn Holladay and NCC Director Patrick Johnson offered recommendations that could help address new operating challenges such as changing markets, extreme weather events and increased production costs. Both testified that a new farm bill needs to include: 1) increases to the seed cotton reference price and the marketing loan rate; 2) restoring the Economic Adjustment Assistance

for Textile Mills payment rate to the original value; 3) modernizing various marketing loan program repayment provisions; 4) continued support for the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development Program (FMD); and 5) adding marketing loan provisions to the Pima loan program.

Since then, Holladay and other NCC leaders went to Washington, DC, where they met with more than 20 Senators and Representatives, including the House and Senate agriculture committees’ leaders. The NCC delegation reiterated these priorities and requested elimination of the current prohibition on joint PLC/STAX enrollment.

Also, the Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports, chaired by Robbie Minnich, vice president of NCC’s Washington Operations, told Congressional Members that programs like MAP and FMD work and investments in them need to increase significantly in the new farm bill to keep up with competitors.

Any other farm policy activity?

■ The NCC commented on the Risk Management Agency’s request for feedback on implementation of provisions related to prevented planting. We continued to oppose legislation such as the Farm Program Integrity Act that proposed to lower payment limits and marketing loan gain/loan deficiency payment caps, change current definitions of active engagement in farming, and remove payment limit exemptions from farming partnerships.

The Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance, of which the NCC is a member, urged Congress to pass a farm bill that advances voluntary bipartisan climate solutions. The NCC also was among 20 groups that launched the “Farm Bill for America’s Families: Sustaining Our Future” campaign to urge passage of the 2023 farm bill this calendar year. We continue to push for passage of a farm bill before year’s end or some extension of current law. Unfortunately, it may be well into 2024 before Congress’ farm bill provisions are adequately developed.

Gary Adams is president/CEO of the National Cotton Council of America.

INSTAGRAM: @COTTONFARMINGMAGAZINE

DECEMBER 2023 | COTTON FARMING 5

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Oil Content Focus Of Designer Cottonseed

int has been the focus of cotton research and breeding efforts for centuries, but Clemson University and Cotton Incorporated researchers believe now is the time to look a little closer at the benefits of cottonseed oil.

Christopher Saski, an associate professor of systems genetics in Clemson’s Plant and Environmental Sciences Department, and Don Jones of Cotton Incorporated, have received a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use molecular tools and unique plant germplasm to understand and improve the genetics underlying oil content in upland cotton.

“Our vision is to develop a joint fiber and seed cotton production system to maximize the value of both lint and seed,” Saski said.

During this study, researchers plan to develop germplasm with high cottonseed oil content and genetic resistance to Fusarium oxysporum, vasinfectum race 4 (FOV4), which causes fusarium wilt of cotton. Fusarium wilt is the No. 1 disease threat to upland cotton.

“Using cutting-edge research and collaboration, we will empower breeders with the tools and knowledge they need to optimize cotton production for growers, thus helping secure the future of this vital crop,” Saski said. “We also will invest in training the next generation of interdisciplinary plant scientists with knowledge of genetics, genomics, bioinformatics and biotechnology to deepen understanding of cotton’s plant biology.

“This is critical as growers face new challenges from a changing climate and a growing global population.”

Better Oil Content

The researchers want to ensure the new cottonseed has improved nutritional benefits in its oil. Foster Kangben, a doctoral student from Ghana who is a Fulbright Scholar and is working with Saski on the project, said improved oil content is an added incentive for cotton production.

“For growers, cultivating high oil-content cotton varieties can prove to be a lucrative venture, offering an additional incentive alongside fiber production,” Kangben said. “As for consumers, cotton oil could emerge as a favorable alternative to other types of cooking oils, especially for culinary applications, offering not only its unique properties for cooking but also potential health benefits.”

Cottonseed oil has been in use for over a century as a source of edible oil and biodiesel because of its high content of unsaturated fatty acids. It also is used as a cooking oil in marinades, dressings, pastries, margarine and shortenings. It is a stable oil compared to other cooking oils because of its long shelf life. Cottonseed oil also has a high smoke point and it does not “mask” the taste of foods, making it ideal for multi-purpose frying.

Humans can benefit from eating cottonseed oil. Studies have shown that the short-term consumption of a diet rich in cottonseed oil lowers total and LDL (bad) cholesterol because this oil contains fatty acids such as palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic.

Aside from culinary and human health-related uses, cotton-

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Clemson University doctoral student, Foster Kangben, works on cottonseed genetics and plant architecture. The cannabis-shaped leaf on this cotton variety is known as “okra-leaf.” seed oil also has potential as a renewable alternative fuel source to petroleum-based fuels. Vegetable oils have been shown to offer similar output with slightly lower thermal efficiency when used in diesel engines. Studies have shown that various blends of cottonseed oil had a substantial reduction in carbon monoxide emission in conjunction with improved heat release characteristics.

More Money For Farmers

Researchers will also work to identify the genetic basis of oil and protein traits in cottonseed. Clemson’s high-performance computing resource, the Palmetto Cluster, will be used to conduct genetic analyses to determine various cottonseed oil traits.

The study will be planted in six field locations — South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Georgia and Arizona — over two years to collect data on how the environment influences oil traits.

Developing cottonseed with improved oil content and genetic resistance to FOV4 will help ensure South Carolina cotton growers get an increased income based on lint yield and a “newly enhanced byproduct” in cottonseed oil, Jones said, adding collaborating with Saski on this project was an easy decision to make.

“I am working with Dr. Saski based on his proven record of delivering solutions to grower problems,” Jones said. “For example, he leads a private/public sector partnership that, in four short years, identified resistant germplasm to the devastating pathogen, FOV4. In doing so, he and his team also discovered the causative genes for the resistance and how that defense mechanism works. Using the same genetic resources —which is very cost-effective — he will employ the same process to uncover genes that control oil content in cottonseed.”

Clemson University provided this article.

COTTONFARMING.COM

TFB Names 2023 Outstanding Young Farmers, Ranchers

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oung farmers and ranchers are cultivating a bright future for agriculture and for Texas. This year’s Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher (YF&R) finalists recognized by Texas Farm Bureau share a drive, dedication and passion for agriculture. Each year, TFB’s Outstanding YF&R competition recognizes the accomplishments of some of the state’s top agricultural leaders between the ages of 18 and 35 and rewards them for their hard work, dedication and determination. The 2023 finalists are Jay and Francie Clark of Brownwood, Cassidy and Hailey Hayes of Port Lavaca and Kade and Morgan Hodges of Sterling City.

“We are proud of these farmers and ranchers who represent a bright future for agriculture and the next generation of Texas Farm Bureau leaders,” said TFB President Russell Boening.

Cassidy & Hailey Hayes

Cassidy and Hailey grow corn, cotton, soybeans and raise show pigs and steers for 4-H and FFA students to exhibit at local, state and national shows. They have 90 sows used primarily for the production of show pigs and have a small Americancross cattle herd.

In addition to farming and raising livestock, Cassidy is a corn seed dealer and judges livestock shows across the nation.

Hailey is an Agriculture and Natural Resources County AgriLife Extension agent in Calhoun County. Cassidy serves as the Calhoun County Farm Bureau president, and Hailey was a member of AgLead XV, TFB’s premier ag leadership program.

The couple are both involved in state YF&R events and county activities. Cassidy and Hailey are also active in their local community and assist 4-H and FFA students with livestock projects.

They live in Port Lavaca with their son.

Jay & Francie Clark

Jay and Francie raise beef cattle and hair sheep, as well as operate a feedyard in Brown County. The couple also have an event venue on their ranch—The Homestead at Clark Ranch. They have adapted their fifth-generation ranch to a constantly changing market and are focusing on regenerative principles. They utilize marketing programs like the Global Animal Partnership (GAP) standards and certification to maximize profitability.

Jay serves on the Brown County Farm Bureau board of directors, is the county’s YF&R chair and on the TFB YF&R and TFB’s Sheep and Goat Advisory Committees. Jay was a member of AgLead XV, TFB’s premier ag leadership program. The couple is also active in numerous local boards and organizations and live in Brownwood with their three children.

Kade & Morgan Hodges

Kade and Morgan raise sheep, goats and Angus-cross cattle.

They also formulate rations and mix feed for their feedlot where they finish out a portion of their sheep and goats each year.

Kade is a sixth-generation rancher whose family has been ranching in the same area since 1889. Morgan was also raised INSTAGRAM: @COTTONFARMINGMAGAZINE

Cassidy and Hailey Hayes raise cattle and grow cotton, corn and soybeans near Port Lavaca, Texas. in a family deeply rooted in agriculture. Together, the couple implement sustainable management practices, such as rotational grazing, on their ranch and continually evaluate new research and technology to introduce to their business.

The couple serves on Coke-Sterling County Farm Bureau board of directors and are actively involved in YF&R events and activities at the county, state and national level. Morgan also serves on the TFB YF&R Advisory Committee. Kade and Morgan also are part of commodity organizations and active members of their church. The couple lives in Sterling City.

Contest Details

The winner will be announced at the TFB Annual Meeting in Frisco and will receive a $60,000 member-dealer voucher to be used at Ford, Case IH, Grasshopper, CAT or John Deere, courtesy of Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Companies; and expensepaid trips to the TFB Annual Meeting and American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Convention.

Two runners-up will receive $500 cash award, courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company; and an expense-paid trip to the TFB Annual Meeting.

The state winner will advance to compete in the national contest hosted by AFBF. Information on the contest and TFB’s YF&R program can be found online at texasfarmbureau.org/YFR. The Texas Farm Bureau provided this article.

DECEMBER 2023 | COTTON FARMING 7

COVER STORY

Marking A Milestone The Seal Of Cotton Turns 50

BY KIM KITCHINGS

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provides income for more than 250 million people worldwide, including 28 million cotton farmers, but until the creation of the Seal of Cotton and its marketing programs, cotton was only thought of as an agricultural commodity. The initial idea for designing a cotton trademark came when Dukes Wooters, Cotton Incorporated’s first president, wanted a symbol to convert cotton from a commonplace agricultural commodity into an identifiable consumer brand.

In 1973, Cotton Incorporated created the Seal of Cotton to brand cotton products, primarily apparel and home textiles, and its corporate marketing and promotional efforts.

The Seal was designed by San Francisco-based creative agency Landor Associates, which also created logos for two other iconic brands — Levi Strauss and Coca-Cola.

The Seal was designed to be sewn in labels, shared on hang tags, featured in retail stores and utilized in promotional material to distinguish and identify cotton items.

“The assignment was to find a way for cotton to stand out from competing fibers,” recalls Susan Landor Keegin, project manager for Landor Associates at the time. Susan and her colleagues presented 12 options for the iconic logo, and the winning one was Susan’s design. The inspiration for the design, she recalls, came from a trip through California.

ERIC BELL

ver the past half-century, Cotton Incorporated’s Seal of Cotton trademark has given an identity to the entire cotton industry. From cotton farmers who proudly display the Seal of Cotton on their truck’s license plates and in their farm shops to brands and retailers who use the Seal of Cotton to differentiate their products in the marketplace, the power of the Seal is real. We can all be proud that today, more than eight out of 10 consumers are aware of the famed trademark, which promotes cotton and U.S. cotton growers to the world through promotion and product labeling. This single symbol stands for the many attributes that differentiate cotton fiber and fabric from its synthetic competitors, including natural, quality, durability and sustainability.

Cotton is the most widespread, profitable non-food crop in the world. Cotton has been woven throughout the eras of American culture and is part of monumental moments in each of our lives. From the minute we are born, we’re wrapped in a cotton blanket, we sleep in cotton sheets and live in cotton t-shirts and denim jeans. Our hygiene products contain cotton and even food we eat is made using cottonseed oil. And, many producers are feeding whole cottonseed to their dairy and beef cattle. Cotton production

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COTTONFARMING.COM

SEAL OF COTTON MILESTONE MOMENTS 1970s

COURTESY OF COTTON INCORPORATED

THE SEAL OF COTTON IS INTRODUCED IN 1973.

“I was going to see relatives and saw cotton growing in the fields with the bolls puffed up. Something about seeing it in person, the rigidity of the stem, and the softness of the boll inspired my design.”

Susan’s design depicted a white cotton boll rising from the word cotton, specifically the two Ts in the word cotton, laid against an earth-tone brown background. And the rest, as they say, is history. Today, the Seal of Cotton is registered in nearly 70 countries with over 950 brands. There are 190 worldwide licensees.

Brand Relevancy, Awareness

Brand recognition and relevancy are created by understanding the pulse of consumer’s needs. From the start, Cotton Incorporated has invested in consumer research, weaving the insights learned from research with quality fiber and products to transform a simple logo into an emblem of trust. Cotton Incorporated has been conducting consumer research for three decades to gather consumer attitudes, behavior and insights. This data shows that over the past 20 years, more than eight out of 10 consumers are aware of the Seal of Cotton and associate the Seal with fashion, durability, quality, comfort, trust and sustainability. For designers and brands, the Seal of Cotton is a powerful consumer influencer and an effective sales builder. It provides a convenient visual reference for consumers who want to know that a product is made from cotton.

This year, we conducted an awareness study of various competing logos, and awareness of the Seal of Cotton logo remains significantly higher than any other fiber or fabric logos tested. The Seal of Cotton garners more than two times the awareness of the next closest logo, Lycra. It has four times the awareness of wool and 10 times greater awareness than that of Tencel.

INSTAGRAM: @COTTONFARMINGMAGAZINE

The Seal of Cotton dominates almost all positive perceptions when tested against other fiber logos, particularly in keywords like natural, plant-based, softness, safety, sustainability, vintage, trusted, comfort, authenticity and reliability. More than 80% of consumers say they can rely on a brand and its product when it features the Seal of Cotton.

In the 2023 study, consumers tell us that cotton and cotton blends are two to three times more likely to represent critical attributes in apparel than clothes made of polyester, poly blends, rayon and rayon blends.

Those attributes include comfort, quality, sustainability, breathability, non-irritating, easy care and hypoallergenic.

Fifty years of marketing and innovation have earned consumer affection, with more than 90% stating that cotton is a preferred choice because of its comfort, softness and versatility. As an industry, we can be proud that the Seal of Cotton garners more than two times the awareness of other fiber logos and brings consumers a sense of emotional and physical comfort and familiarity. The Seal of Cotton helps consumers identify the emotional connection they have with cotton, something no other fiber can claim.

Brand Collaboration

We are proud to offer brands and retailers the opportunity to leverage 50 years of visibility and positive connections to the Seal of Cotton trademark by using it on their products and in collaborative promotions. Cotton Incorporated’s Brand Partnerships team collaborates with department stores, e-tailers, mass merchants, specialty chain retailers and influencer-bred brands to create cotton-centric fashion and sustainability marketing programs at point-of-sale featuring the Seal.

By calling attention to cotton, through the

The Seal provides a focal point that serves as the basis of advertisements and produces an identity for cotton. By the end of 1973, 18% of Americans identify the Seal of Cotton.

1980s THE MARKET SHARE AND AWARENESS AROUND THE SEAL OF COTTON GROWS. Cotton’s share of the total textile market climbs five points to 39%, while recognition of the Seal of Cotton trademark soars to 63%.

Cotton Incorporated launches its “True Performance” advertising campaign, using hangtags with the Seal of Cotton to identify millions of garments at retail.

Cotton market share climbs to 49%, while awareness of the Seal of Cotton trademark grows to 71%. Mill consumption of U.S. cotton reaches levels not seen in 15 years.

1990s A PIONEERING MARKETING COLLABORATION IS FORGED. Procter & Gamble displays the Seal of Cotton trademark for the first time on non-textile products: Cheer, Tide and Ivory Snow.

2000s A PIONEERING MARKETING PARTNERSHIP IS FORGED WITH PROCTER & GAMBLE. Cotton Incorporated celebrates the 20th anniversary of its Osaka, Japan office, reconfirming its commitment to building a strong future for cotton products in Asia.

In conjunction with Cotton Council International, Cotton Incorporated develops a trade and consumer marketing campaign for India called the Cotton Gold Alliance. This marks the first time the Seal of Cotton has been used outside of the Americas for consumer promotions.

DECEMBER 2023 | COTTON FARMING 9

2004 CONSUMERS INCREASINGLY SHOW AFFINITY FOR COTTON. Consumer recognition of the Seal of Cotton trademark reaches more than 80%.

Kim Kitchings is the Senior Vice President, Consumer Marketing, Cotton Incorporated

2005

COURTESY OF COTTON INCORPORATED

NEW INNOVATIONS PUT THE COMPANY AHEAD OF THE SUSTAINABILITY CURVE. The creation of the Natural™ trademark is developed as a part of the company’s larger sustainability strategy. Building on the wide recognition of the Seal of Cotton, the trademark resonated across multiple industries, ultimately being adopted by six brands for their own green marketing efforts.

2006 CLOSING THE LOOP ON COTTON SUSTAINABILITY. Cotton Incorporated began to spotlight the problem of textile waste, starting the Blue Jeans Go Green™ denim recycling program to help keep old denim out of landfills and turn it into something new.

2015 THE COMPANY’S MARKETING AND ADVERTISING EFFORTS CONTINUE TO EVOLVE. Expansion of digital advertising and Seal of Cotton programs to work with companies such as Spotify, Buzzfeed, Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond and REVOLVE to ensure consumers are surrounded by cotton messaging.

2020 to today AS THE WORLD CONTINUES TO CHANGE, THE COMFORT OF COTTON REMAINS. Three in 4 people recognize the Seal of Cotton.

For more than 50 years, The Seal of Cotton has been registered in nearly 70 countries with more than 950 brands.

There are 190 worldwide licensees.

Seal of Cotton trademark, brands and retailers can tell a story consumers identify with, in addition to aligning with the perceptions of quality, trust and sustainability associated with cotton. Over the years, partners like Amazon, Zappos, Aeropostale, Saks Fifth Avenue, Good American and REVOLVE have used the Seal of Cotton in promotional efforts to positively influence purchase decisions for cotton apparel and home products.

The Seal symbolizes quality, durability and comfort on cotton-rich products online and at brick-and-mortar locations.

The sentiment from the retail industry is that the Seal of Cotton is an iconic representation of the inherent benefits of the fiber, giving consumers peace of mind and helping them quickly find fashionable, comfortable cotton products at all price points.

Seal Of Cotton Legalities

There are no royalty fees required for brands and retailers to be able to use the Seal of Cotton trademark on their products.

However, there is one essential requirement — the product must be predominantly made of cotton. In fact, Cotton Incorporated has an entire team dedicated to ensuring the Seal of Cotton trademark is used correctly and in accordance with qualifying guidelines. The Seal can be used in a wide range of communications, including packaging, promotional programs, point-of-sale displays, interactive digital experiences and beyond. Inquiries about using the Seal of Cotton on products should go to cottonoutreach@cottoninc.com.

Seal of Cotton’s Future

The strength of a brand encompasses much more than the visual representation

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of an iconic logo. It includes the collective spirit and unwavering dedication of the team behind it. Cotton growers, ginners, merchants, spinners, brands, retailers and Cotton Incorporated’s team of researchers and marketers helped build the Seal of Cotton’s legacy. The individuals who make up the U.S. cotton industry are the custodians of the Seal’s values and the driving force that propels it towards longevity. It is in our commitment to excellence, innovation and adaptability that this brand finds the resilience to transcend eras and inspiration for the future.

Cotton Incorporated will continue developing new fabric technologies that keep cotton relevant and requested. We’ll expand our research demonstrating cotton’s natural advantage in sustainability areas including circularity. We’ll build our advertising, brand and retail partnerships with inspirational and results-oriented programs. And, we will continue to develop more research on the benefits of cotton in non-traditional markets and in cottonseed and cottonseed oil, helping build food opportunities.

In today’s competitive environment, it is Cotton Incorporated’s role to keep cotton relevant and consumers excited about the products we produce. Using the power of the Seal of Cotton helps us do that. The Seal of Cotton recognition remains strong after 50 years, and together, we can ensure that cotton will always be The Fabric of Our Lives.

Kim Kitchings is the Senior Vice President, Consumer Marketing, Cotton Incorporated.

For more information on the 50th anniversary of the Seal of Cotton, visit: lifestylemonitor. cottoninc.com/50-year-anniversary/ COTTONFARMING.COM

Industry News Trust Protocol Reports Total Area Of Enrolled Cotton Acres The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has announced an increase of 25% compared to 2022 in the total area of planted cotton acres enrolled in the program, reaching 1.6 million acres in 2023 — its greatest extent to date.

This represents not only impressive growth in enrolled cotton acreage in a single year but also the fourth successive year of continued expansion of enrolled cotton acres. The 1.6 million planted acres enrolled in the Trust Protocol represents 16% of all planted U.S. cotton acres in 2023.

“With the growing number of enrolled acres, we’re making even more environmentally responsible cotton accessible to our brand and retailer members for sourcing. The Trust Protocol team is excited to support our members in their more responsible sourcing practices,” said Daren Abney, executive director of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol.

Brand and retailer members can track both U.S. Cotton and Protocol Cotton through the Protocol Consumption Management Solution (PCMS) and claim Protocol Consumption Units (PCCUs). Protocol Cotton is grown and harvested on Protocol farms and 1 PCCU is minted for each kilogram of Protocol Cotton in the system. To date, 970 million PCCUs are available to be consumed in the PCMS, which is equivalent to 4.45 million bales of cotton.

The Trust Protocol’s vision is to set a new standard in sustainable cotton production where full transparency is a reality and continuous improvement is the central goal.

The program currently has more than 1,800 supplier members over 40 companies and brands including global brands and retailers such as Ralph Lauren, Gap, Levi Strauss & Co. and J.Crew.

Floodwaters On California Farms Help Boost Aquifers According to the California Farm Bureau, the historically wet winter early this year motivated greater adoption of a water management strategy known as flood-managed aquifer recharge, or flood-MAR. This is a strategy in which excess flood flows are diverted onto farmland INSTAGRAM: @COTTONFARMINGMAGAZINE

to boost depleted groundwater aquifers.

“We knew from the previous year, even in intense drought years, we have opportunities with these big storm events and need to do everything we ca n,” said Ca lifornia Depar t ment of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth.

She recently addressed water managers, farmers, government officials and others, as part of the Flood-MAR Forum held in Sacramento.

“Our ability to respond to those kinds of intense rain events is becoming increasingly important,” Nemeth said.

In other Ca lifornia water news, Gov. Gavin Newsom certified the Sites Reservoir project to be fast-tracked for construction, exercising for the first time his power under a new state law to streamline the process to break ground on infrastructure projects.

Continued on page 19

Perfect Peanut Partner Cotton Varieties Made for Peanut Country

Russell Nuti, Ph.D.

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or farmers planting cotton near peanuts, one simple change makes management a whole lot easier.

Throughout the South, cotton and peanuts are a common rotation with fields planted near one another — sometimes across the turnrow. Producers growing cotton and peanuts have long dealt with the challenge of 2,4-Db applications drifting from peanuts into cotton. With dicamba-tolerant cotton, the problem doubled: Growers had to avoid both 2,4-Db drift from peanuts into dicamba-tolerant cotton and dicamba from cotton into peanuts.

Scan for Now there's a better fit for cotton planted near peanuts — what some are calling the “perfect peanut video and partner.” PhytoGen® W3FE varieties have the Enlist® more! cotton trait for labeled applications of Enlist One® and Enlist Duo® herbicides with 2,4-D choline. Because growers commonly use 2,4-Db to control weeds in peanuts, there are distinct synergies between crops.

“You can plant peanuts adjacent to PhytoGen W3FE varieties and spray Enlist herbicides in your cotton even if peanuts are downwind, because peanuts are considered a compatible crop in the product use guide for Enlist herbicides,” said Russell Nuti, Ph.D., PhytoGen cotton development specialist. “Another advantage is that growers can spray Enlist One herbicide or Enlist Duo herbicide on their PhytoGen W3FE varieties, triple rinse the tank, and then spray 2,4-Db in their peanuts. Because they never have to put dicamba in the tank, growers have the option to increase efficiency by using one sprayer for both crops.”

Nuti also pointed out that PhytoGen W3FE varieties come with other advantages. Many PhytoGen W3FE varieties offer built-in resistance to RKN and reniform nematodes, protecting roots and allowing plants to make better use of available water and fertilizer. Plus, PhytoGen cottonseed is well-known for early season vigor, helping plants get off to a great start. “Add in high yield potential, and you get a great package for growing cotton in peanut country,” Nuti said.

“PhytoGen W3FE varieties truly are the perfect peanut partner.”

™® Enlist, Enlist Duo, Enlist One, PhytoGen and the PhytoGen Logo are trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. Enlist Duo® and Enlist One® herbicides are not registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your area. Enlist Duo and Enlist One herbicides are the only 2,4-D products authorized for use with Enlist® crops. Consult Enlist herbicide labels for weed species controlled. Always read and follow label directions. © 2023 Corteva.

DECEMBER 2023 | COTTON FARMING 11

Long-term Sustainability In Cotton Building A Lasting Legacy With Regenerative Measures

BY CASSIDY NEMEC ASSOCIATE EDITOR

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onny Lassiter of Lassiter Family Farms is no stranger to finding new ways to improve the farm’s crop every year. He, a two-time Ag Business graduate of North Carolina State University, and his brother Mark, have implemented decades of sustainability measures for their operation.

Farm Overview

Stemming back to the land their granddad sharecropped on after returning from World War II in 1944, the Lassiters now operate a roughly 10,000-acre farm in Northampton County, North Carolina, as third-generation farmers.

“Granddad was still around when we were coming along, and we grew up at the knees of our dad working on the farm whether we wanted to or not. It’s a great way to grow up,” Donny said.

Year-to-year, cotton comprises 35% to 50% of those acres depending on the market and is noted as the linchpin of their rotation. The remaining acres consist of wheat, barley, three types of peanuts, regular and food grade soybeans, corn and pumpkins across their mainly sandy to sandy-loam soil.

Their cotton is all dryland, and they irrigate about 5% of their other crops.

For cotton, they plant Deltapine, DynaGro and Stoneville varieties.

“The Liberty system has worked well for us; we haven’t used a lot of auxins. We may use them in trouble spots, but it’s not something we’re using across all of our acres. Thankfully, we have the tool,” Donny said.

Outside of the day-to-day work Donny is a part of, he is also involved in the agricultural and local community.

He is on the executive committee and currently treasurer for Cotton Incorporated, is active in North Carolina Farm Bureau, part of North Carolina Cotton Producers Association, serves on his county farm service agency and is a deacon at his church.

In any given year, Donny’s favorite part

12 COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2023

Lassiter brothers Mark (left) and Donny on their Northampton County farm. of the season comes at the beginning.

“You get to the fall and harvesting a crop, you’re supposed to be excited, and I am, but I love the spring because it could be anything. It could be the best year ever. The unknown, the challenge and the opportunity — I look at challenge and opportunity as almost the same thing.”

A Tag-Team Approach

The brothers take a divide-and-conquer technique to their farm while also

working closely with 12 other employees.

“We’ve got some really great guys.

They’re all local, and we’ve just got a really good group,” Mark said. “They know what it takes to be farming; they can see things and help be part of the management decisions. We are very fortunate.”

Donny said he and his brother use their different, yet compatible, strengths in maintaining and making decisions for the farm. “We kind of divide and conquer,” he said.

COTTONFARMING.COM

In the spring, Donny may be found planting cotton while Mark works on planting peanuts before swapping crops in the fall for harvest. On a big-picture level, Donny said Mark is very technical and mechanical — whether GPS, precision ag or welding-related — he is on it.

Donny, on the other hand, is more management and marketing focused.

Their consultant Daniel Fowler plays a big role in making their agronomic decisions, as well as Dr. Guy Collins, Extension cotton specialist at NCSU, with all the variety trials conducted.

As for after harvest, both brothers, their father and two other families are partners with Producers Gin in Murfreesboro, North Carolina. The owners make up about half of what they gin, with the rest coming from other producers in the area, Donny said.

Sustainability Methods

The Lassiters have been working on forming good agricultural practices for decades now.

“A lot of things are tied to the buzz words of ‘sustainable’ and ‘regenerative’ now that we were doing because they made sense economically years ago,” Mark said.

Over 20 years of cover crops have been planted on the farm. They started with wheat and have done some rye and mixed-species cover, with wheat and rye working the best for their area and management style. Donny said the improvement they have witnessed over the years from these cover crops is notable.

“We can really tell our soil profile is building up — keeping that residue on top and building that profile. You look after the soil, it’ll look after you,” he said.

“Soil health is really at the core of what we’re trying to do.”

In addition to cover crops on 100% of their acres, the Lassiters make use of variable-rate applications as they have for over a decade now, liming and swath control to avoid overlapping in the fields.

They are also 100% no-till on all crops aside from peanuts. The John Deere platform and Climate FieldView provides them with profitable returns as well.

“We went through a period where we were just collecting data; we weren’t utilizing it,” Donny said. “Now, through the Deere platform and Climate FieldView, we’re making agronomic decisions with variety and placement choices. Deere even has a program called Harvest Profit that’s more on the financial side, so you can tie all of that together and back to INSTAGRAM: @COTTONFARMINGMAGAZINE

Donny’s family from left to right: son Carter, Donny Lassiter, wife Jamie and son Wallace. the field level.”

Rotation also plays a big role on Lassiter Family Farms. Most is built around the peanut rotation.

“We want at least three-to-four years between peanuts, and what’s so great about cotton is it just fits in that role.

We’ve got a lot of different soil types and are right on the verge of the Coastal Plains here in North Carolina, and cotton fits well on all of them. We may do peanuts, then wheat, then soybeans, then two years of cotton with maybe a year of corn in there. Cotton is truly our linchpin when it comes to our rotation. It just fits wherever, and you can spread it around well.”

Ag Of The Future

Overall, Donny believes information is much easier to obtain now, evidenced by technology and increasing efficiencies over the years.

“It used to be hard to get information to make variety decisions, and that’s a lot easier now. The efficiency of what you can do with equipment now, whether it’s high-speed planters like we’re running now, the baler cotton picker as compared to the traditional picker, or even the grain combines — what you can do in a day’s time has really changed.”

Donny said the way data is collected and used on their farm has changed tremendously as well. “Before, we kept it all on notepads; now we keep it on iPads.

You can find it when you need it most of the time instead of it being on the back of an envelope or somewhere else.”

“Even in making a marketing decision on a crop — whether it’s Twitter or networking with other people, you can make

better decisions on varieties and pricing,” he said.

He noted the rising trend of consolidation in agriculture.

“When I was in college, Dad was pretty progressive in terms of size, even in his time, working about 2,000 acres of land.”

Since then, different farmers, including his father-in-law, have retired over the years and led them to acquiring more land for their operation. He said he’s witnessed the growth firsthand, and they’ve always tried to be profitable in what they were doing — not just in terms of acres.

Donny said he sees the future of ag being more data-driven and having more automated equipment, causing there to be an eventual need to not be hung up on certain varieties and look at what can be most beneficial for operations based on relevant data.

“Like it is now, a lot of the important decisions are going to be made in the office instead of on the turnrow.”

Down home, Donny is able to witness his and Mark’s families growing up on the farm with his two boys and Mark’s four.

“What better place for a kid to grow up, ride around on a golf cart, and go fishing on a little farm pond?” he said.

The challenges encountered on the farm are not few in number, but Donny has an optimism that carries him through each season.

“I look at challenge and opportunity as almost the same thing. For us, we want a great crop and do everything we can, but so much is out of our hands. I like the opportunity that any year could be the best year — my glass is always half full.”

DECEMBER 2023 | COTTON FARMING 13

RESEARCH & PROMOTION

Memories Are Made In Cotton

New Advertising Campaign

In April of 2023, Cotton Incorporated’s Consumer Marketing Division launched a new consumer marketing campaign called Memories are Made in Cotton. Cotton Incorporated realized that everyone has core memories made while wearing cotton clothing. Cotton is the fabric of their go-to blue jeans, statement dress, fancy button-down and cozy hoodie. The new advertising campaign shows that cotton is as much a part of the future as it is our past.

Thematically, the campaign shows that through the significant milestones in life and the little moments in between, consumers were wearing cotton. It’s comfortable, breathable, versatile, timeless and natural. Cotton Incorporated’s new campaign utilizes the powerful phenomenon of nostalgia to establish cotton as the common thread woven through life’s best memories. The campaign not only nods to the past but encourages consumers to make new memories in cotton.

The campaign has television commercials that have run on ABC, FOX, TLC, Freeform, Bravo, E! and HGTV and on streaming channels including Hulu, Roku, Amazon, Tubi, CW and YouTube. Additionally, a robust digital and social media

14 COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2023

COURTESY OF COTTON INCORPORATED

F

or Cotton Incorporated, consumer marketing is a strategic tool for connecting with customers, raising brand awareness for cotton and creating relationships that promote loyalty to cotton. Cotton Incorporated works hard to influence consumers to care about what’s in the clothes and home textiles they buy. Because of years of research, Cotton Incorporated knows the amazing benefits of cotton and is working hard to educate consumers about why cotton is “The Fabric of Our Lives.” One of the most effective ways to educate is through consumer marketing campaigns.

Using various marketing tactics like television and digital advertising, social media and website marketing, brand

BY STACEY GORMAN WARREN, ARKANSAS collaborations and public relations, Cotton Incorporated targets consumers with messages backed by solid consumer data insights, encouraging them to choose cotton products over alternatives like synthetic fibers.

These consumer-targeted marketing activities are crucial for the cotton industry, as they help keep cotton relevant and top-of-mind for shoppers when making purchasing decisions.

When consumers understand the benefits of cotton, research shows they prefer cotton more than any other fiber and have an emotional connection that no other fiber can claim. Hence, shoppers who understand the benefits are more likely to seek out and purchase products made from cotton, which helps drive demand and ensure the industry’s ongoing success.

campaign has served campaign ads on sites including Buzzfeed, Well+Good, MindBodyGreen, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and TikTok. There was also an entire audio ad program with Pandora and Sirius.

The Power Of Nostalgia

“We develop campaigns like Memories are Made in Cotton to increase awareness of cotton’s many benefits, such as its natural comfort, versatility and durability,” said Anne David, Director of Advertising, Cotton Incorporated. “A key message we promote across all consumer marketing platforms is to check the label for cotton. We know consumers have a high emotional connection to cotton, and we want them to continue to care about what is in their clothes to actively seek out cotton.”

To make the consumer’s journey to purchase cotton easy, Cotton Incorporated has created a Shop Cotton collection featuring looks from the campaign. The collection features key pieces from the iconic eras of cotton fashion trends, like ’60s mod mini dresses and ’70s sport sets, ’80s tracksuits, ’90s grunge, and 2000s low-rise jeans and more. To shop for cotton items inspired by Cotton Incorporated’s campaign, visit thefabricofourlives.com and click the “Shop Cotton” icon.

When you’re shopping on your own, Cotton Incorporated encourages everyone always to check the label for cotton and keep purchasing and wearing the natural fiber that connects us all. Cotton Incorporated’s Advertising team worked with the Brand Partnership team to bring Memories are Made In Cotton to retail by promoting a curated cotton collection of retro styles with 2023 brand partner, The Zoe Report.

The new campaign uses the power of nostalgia (during the 50th Year of the Seal of Cotton trademark) to remind consumers that their best memories have a common thread: COTTON! Cotton is, and always has been, The Fabric of Our Lives because it’s woven into every facet of our everyday life: past, present and future. To find out more and see the commercials, visit thefabricofourlives.com.

Stacey Gorman is The Cotton Board’s director of communications.

Contact her at sgorman@cottonboard.org.

COTTONFARMING.COM

Arizona Cotton Facts We Can’t Ignore

BY JULIE MURPHREE ARIZONA FARM BUREAU STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS

W

hile cotton’s footprint in Arizona has shrunk in terms of acres planted (in earlier decades as much as 500,000 to 600,000 acres of cotton in Arizona were planted), the story of cotton in our state continues to resonate with Arizona families. Here are a few facts to keep in mind.  Even though cotton is over 5,000 years old, the people who grew and used it throughout the globe never met each other. Some of them even lived on different sides of an ocean, but astonishingly enough, they still managed to develop similar tools to clean, prepare, spin and weave this natural fiber.  Cotton seeds are tough enough to survive travel across oceans on the wind.

This could explain how botanists are not sure where the first cotton plants came from, and probably why similar varieties sometimes grow thousands of miles apart.

But it does explain why the Hohokam Indian tribe was growing it thousands of years ago here in the southwest. Arizona is cotton country on an ancient scale!  Despite its well-earned reputation of casual comfort, the actual word “cotton” is an English version of the Arabic “qutun” or “kutun,” a generic term meaning fancy fabric. One of cotton’s original popular names was “vegetable wool.”  Cotton is a sustainable and renewable fiber. Typically, the seed is planted in the spring and harvested in the fall once the green bolls have opened to produce the fluffy, white fiber (a long-season growing crop; compared to 60 days for lettuce to mature).  Over the years, seed varieties of cotton continue to improve. Next year, Bt cotton (Biotech) will complete 28 years of cultivation in the United States.

Despite the challenges of misinformation in the public forum, this seed technology has enjoyed the confidence of farmers, researchers and policymakers. Bt cotton has not only benefited farmers but also INSTAGRAM: @COTTONFARMINGMAGAZINE

the textile industry, and oil industry and boosted economies throughout the globe.

This genetically modified seed has saved countless billions in pesticide use and improved cotton yields as destructive pests were eradicated.  We’ve been growing cotton in Arizona since the Hohokam, a prehistoric North American indigenous people group who lived approximately A.D. 1 to 1,450 in the semiarid region of present-day central and southern Arizona, largely along the Gila and Salt Rivers. Their original canal systems mapped the way for our modern-day systems.  People forget that cotton is also a food product. The cottonseed oil produced from the harvested seed crop is considered a healthy cooking oil and chefs love it for its high flashpoint (can heat the oil higher than olive oil without burning it) and because it’s tasteless.

Additionally, crushed cotton seed is used to feed livestock.  Cotton is 100% biodegradable and compostable. Under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, cotton wipes made of cotton will biodegrade completely in four weeks.  Ar i z on a c otton , a l ong w it h California cotton, is some of the whitest, highest-quality cotton in the nation.

One main reason is that Arizona and California irrigate the cotton fields. With so little rainfall in the southwest, the cotton fiber is not at risk for compromised quality due to wind and rain.  One of the finest extra-long staple (ELS) cotton was developed and grown right here in Arizona. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in Sacaton, Arizona, had a breeding program that helped develop the ELS cotton.

Arizona cotton farmer DeAnna Diwan, based in Pinal County, recently shared a rich family history on the Rosie on the House Show. “Like his father before him, dad knows the soil in and out,” she said.

“The farming now is me and my father, and cotton is our favorite crop. Cotton harvest is like Christmas to me.”

TRAIT STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES NOTICE TO FARMERS Bayer is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Bayer products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Bayer’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.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba, glyphosate or glufosinate are approved for in-crop use with XtendFlex® Cotton. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with XtendFlex® Cotton.

B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states.

Check with your representative for the registration status in your state. Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba. Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Contact your seed brand dealer or refer to the Bayer Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs. Insect control technology provided by Vip3A is utilized under license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. Bollgard®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, Roundup Ready Flex® ThryvOn™ and XtendFlex® are trademarks of Bayer Group.

Liberty® and LibertyLink® Logo are registered trademarks of BASF Corporation. Agrisure Viptera® is a registered trademark of Syngenta Group Company. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship. All other products, company names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Before opening a bag of seed, be sure to read, understand and accept the stewardship requirements, including applicable refuge requirements for insect resistance management, for the biotechnology traits expressed in the seed as set forth in the Technology Stewardship Agreement that you sign.

By opening and using a bag of seed, you are reaffirming your obligation to comply with the most recent stewardship requirements.

DECEMBER 2023 | COTTON FARMING 15

Specialists Speaking

2023 Cotton Crop Recap ALABAMA Steve M. Brown

The world’s two oldest cotton experiments are a couple of blocks away on the Auburn campus. Yield data are determined by hand picking two rows by 10 feet, and then a one-row, tractor-mounted, 1960’s version, red picker gathers the entire block, altogether a couple of acres.

I’ve participated in hand picking in past years and was looking forward to doing so for the 2023 harvest.

The morning was dew-less and another obligation delayed me. When I arrived at The Old Rotation, graduate and undergraduate students were literally picking the last locks of the last plot.

The final picking.

There will be a final harvest for each of us, some by our own choice, some by others’ choices, still others by something unexpected or even tragic.

Given the complexity and enormity of most farm enterprises, prudence requires a plan for transition to the next generation or heirs. We often don’t know exactly when the “baton will be passed.”

Several years ago, I was invited to a dove hunt, one of my favorite activities. Farming was minor part of the overall enterprise of this farm, and their other highly specialized business required unique equipment valued in the millions. The owner was past his mid-70s, and his many exploits and ventures qualified him as a candidate for the proverbial, “world’s most interesting man.” When I saw all the stuff and knew the skilled work force his operation required, I thought, “I hope he has a good succession plan.”

I once visited a good friend who was dying of ALS. He knew it and so did I. I urged him to make sure his life’s details were in order, specifically that he had a will for instructions about his business, property, etc. He did not. Two weeks later, he died. No will.

Again, the complexities of each and every farming operation, along with life’s uncertainties, demand plans regarding the future. Transition plans, succession plans, estate plans, wills — whatever the label, such need to be in place. Year’s end is good time to finalize these formal documents.

16 COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2023

December is a time to recap the season but also to prepare for the future. cottonbrown@auburn.edu

GEORGIA Camp Hand

When looking back at a growing season, many folks say something along the lines of, “Well, it wasn’t a normal year.” Meanwhile, I ask myself what a normal year is, as it seems like each year presents unique challenges.

The 2023 growing season was no different.

We had the best May we have had in a couple years, with timely rains throughout the month leading to likely some of the best stands we have had in a long time. The deer then took their share, and once we got to June, the plant bugs ate on a good bit of our cotton as well. A cooler-than-average summer delayed our crop a hair, but a hot and dry August caught us back up. We did have a favorable August and September for reduced boll rot and hardlock compared to the last two years, which was welcomed by many. Overall, harvest weather up to now (I’m writing this Nov. 6) has been impeccable. We are a little further behind than I’d like to be at the point I am writing this, but part of that can be attributed to a delayed peanut crop as well.

To this point, I believe our crop is average to above average. Many growers I have spoken to are thrilled with their crop, and I haven’t heard a ton of reports of “bad cotton” throughout Georgia. Some have been all over the board, but farmers have mostly positive things to say.

I spoke with someone recently about the current outlook headed into next year. There are a lot of questions for me this far out, but I would definitely start thinking about next season if I were a grower. Keep an eye out for variety trial results and county meeting dates. Myself and the rest of the cotton team are looking forward to getting out on the road again, talking with you all about this year and preparing for next year.

As always, if you ever need anything, your local UGA county Extension agent and specialists are here to help! Don’t hesitate to reach out. camphand@uga.edu

COTTONFARMING.COM

Specialists Speaking NORTH CAROLINA Keith Edmisten Cotton yields in North Carolina are, overall, not as good as what we would like to see. Cool weather early and high thrips pressure delayed much of the crop and made yields more dependent on August rainfall than normal.

Many areas had little to no rain in August and therefore did not produce a top crop to contribute to yield. We are seeing yields start to pick up as we picked a lot of the drought-stressed cotton first and have been getting into better cotton. Fairly small amounts of rainfall in August really made a difference in yields.

The quality of the crop is generally good. Some areas and gins are reporting a higher-than-normal percentage of high micronaire. However, we are pleased that the average micronaire is 4.57 as of Oct. 26 with the early classing, which disproportionately comes from drought-stressed cotton. About 10% of the bales classed to date have micronaire values of 5.0 or higher. We should see this go down as we move forward into cotton where growers had some top crop and were waiting for that to mature. 80% of the bales classed so far have a 31 color, and the staple, strength and uniformity values are good. keith_edmisten@ncsu.edu

MISSISSIPPI Brian Pieralisi

TEXAS Ben McKnight

As we approach the end of 2023, it seems for many the feelings about this past year are similar to those experienced at the end of 2022. This year again presented many of the similar weather-related challenges that cotton producers across Texas experienced last year.

For some, early season precipitation and adequate soil moisture was enough to get the crop out of the ground and off to a decent start. As the months of June and July rolled around, temperatures again rose into the triple digits for extended periods of time and the chance of rainfall was slim. Yields in many parts of the state were mostly below average in dryland production systems, and irrigated cotton yields were a mixed bag with some great yields in some cases.

As we approach a new growing season in 2024, I’d encourage producers to be active with soil testing over the next few months to determine plant nutrient needs for the next crop. One of the top concerns of cotton growers in Texas is rising input costs, and having an idea of the precise amount of fertility amendments to apply for a desired yield goal can help curtail some unnecessary costs associated with overfertilizing.

Additionally, variety selection is often at the top of everybody’s to-do list over the fall and winter months, and I encourage growers to look at variety testing results to assist with this decision-making task. The Texas A&M RACE Trial results will be published beginning in December at varietytesting.tamu.edu, and these results can be a great resource for as-

STEVE M. BROWN

Here we are again with another cotton season recap.

Another chance to recapture the highs and lows we experienced here in Mississippi! At least the dry fall we hoped for cooperated with us, allowing for a timely harvest.

2023 cotton was off to a really good start this year until mid-June. Torrential rain and violent storms affected a number of regions, which delayed maturity and created a vulnerable situation for dryland cotton. The impending drought compounded a late crop, creating a recipe for low yields and poor fiber quality. The southern Black Prairie experienced excessive rainfall for multiple days in July, causing significant fruit shed, most of which was in the money zones. By money zones, I am referring to low-to-middle nodes and first position fruit.

Central and south Delta had the makings of a bumper crop in August, but the drought was a little too severe in some locations, reducing yield expectations by 100 pounds to 200 pounds of lint per acre. Based on my

observations, the best cotton was picked in the north Delta and northern Black Prairie in pockets that received adequate rainfall.

By far, the most severely affected region was the southern cotton-producing areas near Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Unless irrigation was available, these crops rendered little, if any, cotton lint yields. To date, there are still fields in this region that haven’t received significant rainfall since July 2 and are tremendously behind the 30-year rainfall average. Hopefully relief is in store in terms of rainfall to offset the drought and recharge these soil profiles.

Mississippi State University official variety trials and on-farm demonstrations will be available on mississippi-crops.com by Dec. 1, 2023. Feel free to contact me if there are any questions regarding MSU cotton variety trials! bkp4@msstate.edu

INSTAGRAM: @COTTONFARMINGMAGAZINE

DECEMBER 2023 | COTTON FARMING 17

PHOTOS BY RANDY NORTON

Specialists Speaking

“Some varieties can handle heat stress better than others and will pollinate some compartments of the boll,” said Arizona cotton specialist Randy Norton. “This results in misshapen, ‘hooked beaked’ bolls that may not abort but will not open symmetrically, which reduces yield.” sisting growers with selecting suitable varieties to plant in 2024 for their operation. The Texas Plant Protection Association Conference will be held Dec. 5-6 in Bryan, Texas, and the 2024 Beltwide Cotton Conferences will be held Jan. 3-5 in Fort Worth, Texas. I look forward to seeing you at the meetings! bmcknight@tamu.edu

ARIZONA Randy Norton

The 2023 season has ended up being one of the most unique seasons we have seen in several years. The early part of the season (April through June) was much cooler than normal with delayed emergence and slow early season growth. In early July, the season changed dramatically with temperatures increasing and remaining above normal for a significant period of time through the remainder of the season.

Many new records for high temperatures across Arizona were set along with a new record for the number of consecutive days over 110 degrees Fahrenheit during the month of July in the low desert areas of Arizona. These weather patterns resulted in a new record for the number of Level 2 (L2) heat stress days for Arizona at 36, as recorded at the University of Arizona Maricopa Agricultural Center. Nearly 25 consecutive days of L2 heat stress was measured in central Arizona.

Coupled with the excessively high daytime temperatures were elevated overnight temperatures, which have proven to have a significant negative impact on fruiting patterns. During the period of July through mid-August, very little fruit was set in a majority of the Arizona crop. Monsoon moisture was also nearly non-existent in many parts of Arizona during the 2023 summer and that fact, coupled with reductions in available irrigation water, resulted in lengthened irrigation intervals and higher levels of water stress in a lot of the crop during the peak of elevated temperatures.

18 COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2023

All these conditions resulted in a suboptimal year for cotton production across much of the state in 2023 and even though the final numbers have not been released yet, the statewide average yield is likely to be reduced when compared to recent years. A lot of what was experienced in the 2023 season was largely beyond the control of the producer. However, attempting to manage a crop to minimize the potential of outside stressors on the crop is the best we can do in a year like 2023. I am always amazed at the resiliency of the producers in Arizona and even though 2023 was an incredibly difficult year, they will be back in the spring with fresh hopes of a successful and productive season in 2024. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu COTTONFARMING.COM

Industry News Continued from page 11

Exclusive Club Puts The ‘Ton’ In Cotton For 19 Years Cotton farmers who yield a ton or more of FiberMax cotton could take home a truck equally worth its weight when they apply for BASF’s FiberMax One Ton Club, now in its 19th year.

Club enrollment is open and could land growers impressive rewards, like a twoyear lease on a Ford Super Duty F-350 Lariat truck.

The application deadline is Feb. 29, 2024. Printed qualification forms were mailed to FiberMax growers in October, and applications can also be submitted online. Qualifying growers who attend the club members’ banquet in Lubbock, Texas, on April 4, 2024, can enter for a chance to win a two-year lease on a Ford Super Duty F-350 Lariat truck. Ford is not a sponsor of the FiberMax One Ton Club. Terms and conditions apply.

To qualify for the FiberMax One Ton Club, growers must produce a minimum of 2,000 pounds of ginned cotton per acre on a minimum of 20 acres

planted with 100% FiberMax cotton from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2023. The club is open to growers in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Ok lahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Cotton acreage can be irrigated or dryland. Growers must provide an accurate and complete qualification form and gin recap sheets to verify 2,000 pound per-acre yields.

Head of Seeds & Traits — U.S. Agricultural Solutions, Bryan Perry, said, “The FiberMax One Ton Club is one our favorite long-standing traditions at BASF. For nearly two decades, we’ve been celebrating cotton growers and their high-yield achievements — a feat we know isn’t always easy. These individuals literally put the ‘ton’ in ‘cotton,’ and we can’t wait to celebrate their accomplishments this spring.”

Learn more about the FiberMax One Ton Club by visiting fibermax.com/otc or by contacting your BASF agronomic solutions advisor or agronomic services team member.

CCOY Cotton Consultant of the Year established 1981

Paul Pilsner 2017 CCOY AWARD RECIPIENT

Texan Paul Pilsner consults primarily in Matagorda, Wharton and Fort Bend counties.

“We are blessed to work with this group of farmers. Even when times were tough, they kept growing cotton. They’ve never lost their touch.”

In-season, Pilsner keeps in touch with other consultants as well as industry and Extension personnel from the Rio Grande Valley to College Station.

2024 NAICC

Annual Meeting & AG PRO EXPO

January 15-19, 2024 • San Antonio, Texas

“As consultants, we always reach out to one another to come up with answers. When I was chosen for the Cotton Consultant of the Year award, it was an honor to know the guys I’ve always considered icons of the industry had voted for me. I am humbled to say the least.”

Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by

www.NAICC.org

Cotton Farming INSTAGRAM: @COTTONFARMINGMAGAZINE

DECEMBER 2023 | COTTON FARMING 19

Ginners Marketplace COTTON

COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.

Cotton, History And A Passion For Giving Back “It is not about us, it is about the industry and agriculture in general. We are not trying to promote ourselves. We are glad we are in a position to give,” said Dan Taylor, a cotton producer and current president of the FiberMax Center for Discovery (FCFD) board of directors.

“Cotton has fed and clothed many people on the High Plains of Texas and we need to remember the past,” Linda Taylor said.

Together, Dan and Linda are the sponsors of the new Cotton Heritage Center currently under construction at the FiberMax Center for Discovery in Lubbock. This new wing will tell the story of cotton production with an emphasis on the history of cotton ginning. It will house the 1875 Goodman Gin, an entire 1912 Lummus gin line out of Brookshire, Texas, in addition to Dan and Linda’s collection of unique cotton artifacts.

The Taylor’s love and appreciation for the cotton industry has grown over their time on the High Plains. Dan grew up in Blum, Texas, on a cotton farm, and had never set foot in Lubbock until he arrived for college at Texas Tech. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do, but after hand-harvesting cotton from childhood till he graduated high school, he knew he didn’t want to work with cotton.

West Texas Cotton Farming It was at Tech that he met Linda Featherston who grew up on a ranch in Goldthwaite, Texas, where they did a little farming, but never grew cotton in her lifetime. Dan jokes that Linda thought wool and mohair was the fiber of choice until she moved to West Texas. When Dan graduated with an agricultural education degree in 1964, he married Linda and started teaching agriculture science at Lubbock-Cooper.

He bought a used 1953 Super M Farmall and started a 6-acre

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project farm at Cooper, Texas. The Taylors then rented their first farm in 1968, a 10-acre tract at 78th and Elgin. Dan started renting acres wherever he could — corners and undeveloped sections, too small for other farmers to mess with.

COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.

Family-Owned Buster’s Gin

His experience and reputation grew and in 1975, Dan became the manager and part owner of Buster’s Gin in Ropesville, one of the only family-owned cotton gins left in Texas at the time.

In 1986, Dan and Linda bought Buster’s. His first year at Buster’s, there were 34 active gins in Hockley County, and Buster’s ginned 1,664 bales. 2007 was the record season for the Taylor’s Distractions have become “routine” in our daily lives. Our and Buster’s ginning 116,358 bales. phones go off , we get text messages we’rebuilt bombarded by In addition to growing Buster’s, theand Taylors an elevated the never-ending cycle.

Everything seems to be trying to classroom at the news gin and began providing educational tours get our attention, andcivic it’s easy to lose sight of what’s to local schools and groups.

They also startedimportant. collecting Things sneaktoup on you, and thosehistory. are theToday, ones that artifactscan related ginning and cotton they will are jump upto and you.donating the artifacts to FCFD. looking thebite future, In the last year or so, their we’velove seenofhuge increases oureducacosts.

Speaking of others, cotton, historyinand As I write this, we’re getting news of the highest inflation in tion has been passed down to their three children and four more than a generation… maybe two. grandchildren, who encouraged and supported their parents’ While I’m personally seeing some of the things that increased decision to donate to FCFD. so “We much down atobit, not and common costs for thatcotton have areease so excited seeit’s Mom Dad’sfor passion gone up this much, this fast, to come down or come down very shared because this industry was their life’s work,” said their much.

We will likely haveCook. to learn to been live with someofof love them.over daughter, Davon Taylor “It’s a labor decades to both collect the cotton gin equipment that it will The Cost Of Insurance house and to help build this museum.

I am so proud their legOne theon costs that acy willoflive here. ” snuck up on many gins in the past year or so is the cost of insurance. Normally, this is a once-a-year expense we article get hitby with.

The original Marshal Gillit and Lacee Hoelting first apThe past renewal cycle orissue two have been more than a publibit of peared in the Summer 2023 of The Plow, the official sticker for manyCenter in theforginning industry. associacation ofshock the FiberMax Discovery.

This isYour an excerpt.

Take A Hard Look At Insurance Costs ED BLOWERS And Safety Culture At TheS EGin tions have been aware of this and have brought it to the attention of our memberships. But I think many of us got distracted by the other things going on and have now been hit with the reality that it’s not getting better.

This is a simplified explanation, but insurance companies are going to do what they need to in order to stay in business. They must make money like we do. The companies take our premium and invest it. They pay claims with it, and they expect to have some left over. If losses are low and return on investment is good, you have happy insurance companies. We get stable premiums and competition.

If they have poor investment returns and higher-than-expected cost of claims (read inflation), you have unhappy insurance companies. They may decide to pull out of the market and/or significantly increase rates. This locations is where we are today.

Stocked at strategic Your ginners associations and the National Cotton Ginners’ throughout the about cotton Association have been concerned this belt for some time. We need healthy insurers and competition, but we really can only Call Jim 972.381.8899 | Cliffgranberrycorp.com help one side of the insurance problem…losses. NCGA has put together a list of questions to ask yourself, so you can evaluate

Lummus Ag Technology wants to express its appreciation to our many loyal customers for their continued support and business. With the challenges we face in our industry, we are continually working to evolve and adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs.

Lummus offers a wide range of products and services, all geared to help your operation be efficient and profitable. Regardless of the project scope, contact Lummus to discuss your goals and needs to ensure your success.

Just a short list of items we offer:  Gin Dor-Les® and E.E. Dor-Les® Press upgrades 16” diameter Bottom Ram Conversion Hydraulic Tramper/Pusher Conversion Premier™ III Series Hydraulic Pumping Units Press Rebuilds (strain rods, boxes, sills, etc.)  Quality OEM Repair Parts  Unmatched Technical Service

The future is bright! Cotton prices have optimism at levels we haven’t seen in a while. A renewed commitment to customer service has Lummus excited for the future – join us as we move forward!

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INSTAGRAM: @COTTONFARMINGMAGAZINE TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING

Physical Address: 225225 Bourne Boulevard • Savannah, Georgia 31408-9586 Physical Address: Bourne Boulevard • Savannah, Georgia 31408-9586USA USA Mailing Address: P.O. Box 929929 • Pooler, Georgia 31322-0929 USA Mailing Address: P.O. Box • Pooler, Georgia 31322-0929 USA Phone: (912) 447-9000 • Fax: (912) 447-9250 Phone: (912) 447-9000 • Fax: (912) 447-9250 TollToll Free (USA Only): 1-800-4LUMMUS (1-800-458-6687) Free (USA Only): 1-800-4LUMMUS (1-800-458-6687) Web Site: www.lummus.com • E-mail: lummus.sales@lummus.com Web Site: www.lummus.com • E-mail: lummus.sales@lummus.com

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My Turn Recollections Of Life In The Mississippi Delta

I

grew up in a rural com- bet I would have laughed, too! Both sets of my grandmunity east of Leland, parents farmed. So, as a child growing up in the ’80s I Mississippi, that is referred wouldn’t stand for anything else in terms of a career. Like to as Longswitch or some- many of us growing up in the ’80s, I fell victim to style times Dunleith. This area is rich trends, MTV, hyper-color T-shirts, mullets, skateboards in farming and cultural history. and Nintendo. But, I always kept my focus on farming.

Leland is home to Jim Henson By the time I was junior high school, my dad had me and the Kermit the Frog driving a tractor in the summertime. It was no big deal Museum, which is something back then because I had been driving most everywhere all “Lelanders” proudly boast! since I was 10 years old. That’s just how it was back then.

As a child, I always thought of I still think that’s what makes a good driver. If you learn Brian Longswitch as it pertained to risk aversion, have a few close calls and refine long disPieralisi me, as a long switch… maybe tance reverse driving skills… on your own, then “you’re an association with discipline? good.”

However, the area was formerly known as Long and I was operating any, and all, equipment by the time the Columbus/Greenville railway ran along side of old I was in high school and would work after school and Highway 82 or Longswitch Road. The name Longswitch on the weekends. I remember cutting stalks until late at came from the train track switch that was there before my night after football practice. After high school, I went time. to Mississippi State University and earned a degree in Anyway, as a child growing up on a cotton farm, I spent ag pest management with full intentions of farming most of my time on the farm, my grandmother’s house or upon completion. I turned down a couple of graduate the shop. I have vivid memassistantships and started ories of a fleet of 2- and my first year of farming “I was a quick bike ride 4-row cotton pickers pullin 2001. I soon realized I from where all the action was.” ing around the shop yard wanted to further my edufor servicing. I still rememcation. In 2003, I enrolled ber the sounds of engines racing, then idling and then in a Master of Business Administration program at racing again. I remember farm workers huddling around Delta State in Cleveland, Mississippi. I would work 55-gallon drums burning waste cotton to stay warm during the day and take night classes for the next three on cold mornings. There’s something about smells and years. Soon after earning this degree, I married my wife, sounds you encounter as a child that you never forget. and we started a family with three Pieralisi boys who are My grandparents and uncle lived on either side of the about two years apart in age. They still have early memshop yard, and my parents were about a quarter mile ories of me farming, especially the oldest. from the shop. So, I was a quick bike ride from where 2015 was my last crop to farm with my father and all the action was. Therefore, during the summer, my uncle. It was a bittersweet decision, but we all knew grandparents’ house was the place for all cousins to meet it was the best one for all of us. Again, I found myself up and play. My grandmother was well known for her in the classroom with three little ones at home and an cooking, arts and crafts and music. She would prepare unclear future, while I was working on a PhD. I still visit lunch every day, which is something I miss dearly. She our farm frequently. My dad and I will visit with the also played piano, guitar and accordion. Each year, she family who now rents the land, and I will take my boys played accordion in Lake Village, Arkansas, for the hunting in our woods. As I look back on my path and Italian Heritage festival! the farm I came from, it makes me proud to work in this Growing up in an Italian family, I was able to witness role as cotton specialist! Although an unconventional some of the last of the heritage that came over from path, I feel blessed and grateful for the opportunities Italy to farm. My grandparents would have their friends and the people along the way. over to entertain and have drinks. Oftentimes, the adults would start speaking Italian, and they would laugh and — Brian Pieralisi, Mississippi cotton specialist laugh. I can only imagine what they were laughing at. I bkp4@msstate.edu 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.

22 COTTON FARMING | DECEMBER 2023

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