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FARMING ON THE HIGH PLAINS OF TEXAS • SEPTEMBER 2015 • ISSUE 11, VOLUME 1 HIGHPLAINSAG.COM
WEST TEXAS HOSTS PLA A HUNGER FOR SORGHUM COTTON INC. LAUNCHES ADS GRAPE HARVEST IN FULL SWING
Emerging Uses for Cotton Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar Texas Tech University
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INSIDE: HIGH PLAINS AG MAGAZINE
WHEN IT COMES TO TRAILERS
Cotton
6
Feature
8
Page
Page
COTTON INCORPATED LAUNCHES NEW CAMPAIGN
CREATING NEW AND EMERGING USES FOR COTTON
JOHN ROLEY
L OFFERS YOU MORE L
Corn
10
Page
Peanuts
11
Page
BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR THE CORN INDUSTRY
WEST TEXAS HOSTS PEANUT LEADERSHIP ASSOCIATION
Grapes
Sorghum
GRAPE HARVEST IS IN FULL SWING ON THE HIGH PLAINS
GROWING UP WITH A HUNGER FOR SORGHUM
12
Page
14
Page
ABOUT HIGH PLAINS AG MAGAZINE High Plains Ag Magazine, based in Lubbock, Texas, is proud to feature local articles about farming and ranching on the High Plains of Texas. For more information, please contact one of the representatives below:
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COTTON
PCG is a strong supporter of these efforts by Cotton Incorporated and The Cotton Board and we feel it is important to help spread the word about what they are doing. Photos Courtesy of The Cotton Board
COTTON INCORPORATED RELEASES NEW ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN
At a time when cotton’s market share is threatened by manmade synthetic fabrics, Cotton Incorporated responds with authenticity. A new tagline reminds consumers “Cotton. It’s Your Favorite for a Reason.” The first commercial launched in April with thirty- and fifteen-second spots; additional commercials have been rolled out over the course of the year.
Corporate Strategy & Program Metrics, Cotton Incorporated. “We learned that 69% of consumers say that their favorite piece of clothing is at least 60% cotton. This is particularly significant because it shows that even though cotton has experienced a contraction in market share, it is still something consumers want.”
Aaron Barcellos, Cotton Board Chairman and California cotton producer, said “I’m very proud of this new campaign, and it is just the beginning of a concentrated effort by the Cotton Research and Promotion Program to regain market share for cotton. The campaign does a nice job reminding consumers about the emotional connection that keeps them coming back to cotton.”
Cotton Incorporated research also suggests that while the majority of consumers prefer cotton, they don’t always check garment labels for fiber content. “Some garments may look and feel like cotton, but may not perform like cotton, especially over time,” adds Kitchings. This campaign includes a call-toaction message to “check the label” for fiber content.
“Cotton apparel has always been popular with most everyone but we may not be aware that the things we love are made with cotton,” explains Ric Hendee, Senior Vice President, Consumer Marketing,Cotton Incorporated. “This new campaign will focus on many of our favorite clothing items and point out the reasons why we love them and keep on wearing them. The campaign uses real stories from real people.”
Through the campaign, Cotton Incorporated aims to remind consumers of the versatility of cotton, and acknowledge the style, comfort, durability, and quality of cotton apparel. The commercials’ storytellers are diverse in interests, style, and background, but each is passionate about telling their stories through their favorite piece of clothing. The new commercials will tell those stories with accompanying digital extensions and promotions, including social media. _________________________________________________
“We conducted extensive consumer research to inform this campaign, and we wanted it to reflect what consumers are saying they like and want,” said Kim Kitchings, Vice President
Mary Jane Buerkle, Plains Cotton Growers, Inc. 806-792-4904 - maryjane@plainscotton.org Lubbock, Texas
Page 6 \ September 2015 \ www.HighPlainsAg.com
EVERY DETAIL MATTERS.
Details. From the seed I plant to the strength of my fiber – every detail plays an important role when it comes to success and profitability. FiberMax® cotton seed delivers quality fiber and outstanding yields year after year. Quality that’s sought after and demanded by mills worldwide, strategically bred to outperform the competition, right here at home. So for the most important detail on my farm, I choose the seed that takes me furthest. FiberMax. For Quality and Yield.
©2014 Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer, the Bayer Cross and FiberMax are registered trademarks of Bayer. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.FiberMax.com CR0714FIBMAXA137V00R0 A-27019-7
www.HighPlainsAg.com / December
2014 / Page 7
Emerging Uses for
Cotton Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar, PhD. Texas Tech University
Photos by: Rowdy Bolen
Cotton
, fondly referred to as “white gold,” has been a main stay on the High Plains of Texas for many generations. The economy of the High Plains is heavily dependent on cotton and it’s allied industries. Cotton grown on the High Plains is an export commodity and hence the global economy affects this region. As China is the leading importer of U. S. cotton and its manufacturing and economic decline hits the U.S. cotton industry, it is an important task for our industry to increase cotton’s demand and consumption. This can be achieved by finding new and alternative uses for cotton.
Cotton as an Industrial Fiber
A sustained effort by the U. S. industry has made cotton a household name and a preferred wearable fiber. But in the recent past, due to competition from polyester and economic competitiveness, its share has declined. New opportunities are needed to find high-performance and value-added applications such as sportswear for the white fluff.
BP Oil Spill and Cotton as Oil Sorbent
Sometimes, calamities and disasters can lead to some positive news. An upsurge in interest to use cotton for oil spill applications happened after the BP oil spill incident. Five years ago, the Deepwater Horizon spill accident that lasted for 87 days, resulted in the spilling of 4.9 million barrels of crude resulting in environmental and human disasters. The environmental cleanup industry began looking for new and ecological friendly materials to contain the spill. Luckily cotton in its natural form could fit that bill as it could absorb Page 8 \ September 2015 \ www.HighPlainsAg.com
en
crude oil and separate water and oil. Texas Tech University seized that opportunity and started looking into cotton as a natural sorbent for crude and other oils. A project funded by U.S. cotton producers showed that one gram of natural cotton can absorb 50 times its weight higher than synthetic fiber. More importantly cotton being a natural material can biodegrade, thereby avoiding environmental contamination. Due to agronomic conditions on the High Plains, 1015% of cotton produced falls into the low micronaire, discounted type. Surprisingly, this low micronaire cotton absorbs more oil than better cotton. This created new and value-added applications for discounted cotton from our region. This cotton can be used to protect the environment and enhance human health.
New Consumer Applications
With the advent of non-traditional manufacturing technologies such as nonwoven manufacturing, new consumer oriented products such as baby wipes and hygiene products from cotton are evolving. Costco’s Kirkland wipes are a classical example for such products. These days, consumers prefer cotton in baby wipes due to its skin friendliness and environmental sustainability.
After hurricane Katrina, the United States Department of Agriculture invested heavily to find alternative uses for U.S. cotton to increase its consumption. The USDA laboratory in New Orleans has the state-of-the-art wipe making machine that can be used to develop cotton based wipes that find a lot applications in consumer, hygiene and medical sectors. Interestingly, cotton in its cleaned unbleached form was successfully developed into high performance wipes.
What’s Next?
The U. S. cotton industry over the years has done well to improve yield and quality. With cotton now trading at 67 cents per pound, it is important for our industry to find new and value-added applications. This will certainly increase its consumption, which in turn will lead to positive economic ripple effects in the high plains.
_____________________________________________ Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar, PhD. Nonwovens & Advanced Materials Laboratory Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
www.HighPlainsAg.com / September 2015 / Page 9
CORN
Farmers and industry professionals rallying on Capitol Hill to show EPA the importance of RFS for the ethanol industry.
BE AN ADVOCATE FOR YOUR INDUSTRY!
Corn is more than a fun movie snack or a staple for a grilled summer meal. In fact, the largest use for corn in the U.S. is livestock feed. Corn is becoming an essential part of the fuel scene across America and the world as the key ingredient of conventional ethanol. The Renewable Fuel Standard is the basis for encouraging the nation’s energy sector to utilize this renewable, clean-burning fuel to lessen the country’s dependence on foreign oil and work toward using a fuel that’s more environmentally friendly.
This year, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed Renewable Volume Obligation numbers for 2014-2016. Within these numbers, 3.75 billion gallons was cut from the ethanol obligation over the two-year span. That is equivalent to nearly a billion and a half bushels of corn lost. According to the National Corn Growers Association, ethanol adds over $43 billion to the gross domestic product every year, as well as reduces the price of fuel for consumers and the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. Bruce Wetzel, Corn Producers Association of Texas president and corn farmer from Sherman, Texas, describes the importance of RFS and how the actions of the EPA are affecting corn farmers.
hearing held by EPA. “We’ve done our part, and our allies in the ethanol industry have done their part. It’s time the EPA sided with those of us supporting a domestic, renewable fuel that’s better for the environment.” Wesley Spurlock, NCGA vice president and CPAT board member from Stratford, Texas, was in attendance of the RFS rally in D.C. Spurlock also participated in the hearing in Kansas City, Kan., by offering a testimony from a Texas perspective to EPA. Spurlock says many NCGA members, senators, representatives and farmers were eager to learn about the RVO change and how they could encourage EPA to at least propose an RVO at levels in the original statute. “The whole point of the rally was to get the farmers fired up. All 300 attendees left from the rally to the House and Senate buildings to speak with senators and representatives about RFS and WOTUS,” Spurlock says. “We wanted to fire people up to continue to fight for RFS while the comment period was open.”
“The EPA is trying to reduce the amount of ethanol below what is actually written in law,” Wetzel says. “The EPA does not have the statutory authority to change law.”
More than 40,000 farmers are members of NCGA, and many farmers took the opportunity to speak up for ethanol and corn by submitting comments to the EPA for review. “There is an RFS advocacy app [RFA Advocacy] that can be found in the iTunes or Android store. It is a really neat app with talking points and issues to discuss,” Wetzel says. “It is a great way to keep up with RFS issues.”
June and July rallys allowed farmers and industry professionals to come together to advocate for the use of ethanol – a homegrown fuel that is boosting rural economies and lightening the toll each tank of gasoline takes on American consumers.
Farmers are encouraged to join CPAT, and become involved in the legislative process protecting the agricultural industry. For more information on how to join CPAT and updates on the corn industry, check out the CPAT website, www.TexasCorn.org.
“We simply cannot afford – and will not tolerate – efforts to cut the demand for corn, and that’s exactly what your proposal will do. We cannot let this stand,” Chip Bowling, NCGA president and corn farmer in Maryland, said during testimony at the RVO
Submitted by Jessica Corder, Communications Clerk, Texas Corn Producers Board • Corn Producers Association of Texas
Page 10 \ September 2015 \ www.HighPlainsAg.com
________________________________________________ ______________________________
PEANUTS
Peanut Leadership Academy makes trip to West Texas
WEST TEXAS HOSTS PEANUT LEADERSHIP GROUP Last week, peanut farmers participating in the Peanut Leadership Academy made a trip to Texas to learn more about the region’s agricultural production and gain valuable insight to further develop their skills as leaders and advocates for the industry.
The PLA is a cooperative effort between grower organizations and agricultural extension. Syngenta Crop Protection and the American Peanut Shellers Association sponsor the academy. Participants are nominated by agricultural leaders in their counties and then selected by a committee of state leaders. This year’s academy includes farmers from across the Southeast, Virginia-Carolinas and Texas, as well as representatives of the shelling industry. The group arrived in Lubbock, on Aug. 10, and enjoyed a full day of agricultural tours the following day. The first stop was at Lahey Farms headquarters in Brownfield, where Jarred Ericson, a farm partner and former PLA participant, showed the group how peanuts are farmed in West Texas. “Many of the academy’s participants have never been exposed to agriculture in the Southwest” Texas Peanut Producers Board Executive Director Shelly Nutt said. “This trip to Texas is an excellent opportunity for them to see the scale at which many in West Texas farm. They get to see first hand the equipment that’s being used here, and get into the fields and discuss the challenges and successes in growing this crop.” From the peanut field, the group toured Birdsong Peanut’s
shelling facility. This gave them the opportunity to see all aspects of how the peanuts are processed before heading to the manufacturers.
“There have been a considerable number of peanut farmers in this region look to wine grapes as a new venture,” Nutt said. “It’s such an interesting, new market for this region.” On Wednesday morning, the final day of the West Texas portion of the academy, the group held a classroom session in Lubbock before continuing its agricultural tour of the region. Farmers gained powerful insight on working with the media and legislators, as well as learn more about Texas cotton, corn and issues facing the agricultural industry in the state. “We enjoy the opportunity to host each class of the Peanut Leadership Academy in our state,” Nutt said. “As our Texas farmers gain a lot of insight touring in the Southeast, we hope the farmers from other regions have a fun, educational experience here.” All-in-all the academy’s visit to West Texas was a success. The class will make its next trip to D.C. in a few months to gain firsthand experience in agricultural advocacy on The Hill. _______________________________________________ Submitted by Stephanie Pruitt Communications Director, Texas Peanut Producers Board
Heart Will Go Nuts for Peanuts!!! Your
1681 FM 403 Brownfield, TX 806-637-0568 www.HighPlainsAg.com / September 2015 / Page 11
WINE GRAPES
2015 Merlot Grapes, harvested at Bolen Vineyards, in Smyer, Texas.
WINE GRAPE HARVEST IN FULL SWING ON THE HIGH PLAINS It’s September and wine grape harvesting is in full swing. The majority of the white wine grapes have been harvested and now we focus on the red wine grapes. Almost every winegrower has had or will have a successful crop this year. The white wine grapes provided some of the heaviest tonnages we’ve seen in years. White wine grapes are often subject to lower tonnages due to their early bud push in the Spring when late freezes can damage buds. This year without the late spring freeze, some growers were pulling 8-10 tons/ac of white winegrapes. That’s 16,000 to 20,000 lbs of winegrapes per acre!
In September, if the weather stays hot and dry, expect to see a record number of tons of red wine grapes harvested. More and more acres were planted in 2013 and 2014, even with the late Spring freeze losses which hurt vineyard yields. Most owners were very persistent about the future of growing more Texas wine grapes and this year will certainly show how much the High Plains will contribute to the overall growth in wine consumption in Texas. __________________________________________________ Rowdy Bolen is Publisher of High Plains Ag magazine and grows wine grapes in Smyer. He is also on the board of the High Plains Winegrowers association. Visit www.highplainswinegrowers.org to learn more about growing wine grapes
Bobby Cox, owner of Pheasant Ridge in Lubbock County, was ecstatic with the white wine grape turnout this year on the High Plains. “We are really pleased with how the white grapes are looking this year. The whites have produced excellent tonnages and excellent quality. Everything looks good, really good,” he said.
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With the majority of white wine grapes already being harvested, now growers are looking at their red wine grapes in the vineyard. Our Merlot, for example, was harvested on August 28th. This is relatively early but the brix and ph numbers suggested it was time to harvest. Steve and Raenee Newsom from Southwest Ag Specialites in Sundown brought their harvester over to pull our Merlot wine grapes. Last year, 20 of our friends harvested ONE ton of wine grapes, which took almost 8 hours. Steve’s machine took about 5 hours to harvest ELEVEN and a HALF tons of fruit on 4 acres. It’s such an awesome feeling to get your crop out of the fields. No more worries about birds or hail. No more worries about brix (sugar content) or how a 1” rain will affect your ph. No more worries. Unless you have more acreage to harvest. Like the majority of the High Plains, we have more than one variety planted in our vineyard in Smyer. Our Malbec wine grapes are probably about two weeks behind in maturing the fruit and we will patiently wait for them to get ready. Like most farmers, it’s a hurry up and wait game. Page 12 \ September 2015 \ www.HighPlainsAg.com
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www.HighPlainsAg.com / September 2015 / Page 13
SORGHUM
Sorghum farmer Lee Whitaker of Claude, TX
GROWING UP WITH A HUNGER FOR SORGHUM
It is not every day farmers are exposed to every fact of the sorghum industry. From seed innovation to the development of end products and everything in between, Lee Whitaker, a member of the Leadership Sorghum II Class, is getting that experience firsthand. “It is neat to see what happens before and after the field,” Whitaker said. “Before this program, that is all I had been exposed to.” Growing up working with his dad, Whitaker has known farming his entire life and followed his father’s footsteps. His farm has grown from a few leased acres in the late 1990s to 3,600 acres today in Claude, Texas, a third of which are sorghum acres. Sorghum has a strong foothold in Whitaker’s area in the Texas panhandle and has been a smart choice for his operation. Drought resistant qualities and the ability to graze the stalks for his cattle operation benefit him greatly. The growing market for grain sorghum locally has also influenced his decision to continue growing grain sorghum.
Whitaker decided to become involved in the leadership sorghum program to expand his knowledge of the sorghum industry. He said he was eager to experience everything the program had to offer. “It is so neat to be able to figure out what else you can do [with sorghum], whether it is sent to a feed lot, a pig farm, used in plastics, packing peanuts, or other places like the China market,” Whitaker said. This experience has lead Whitaker to make some big changes in of his operation beginning with the seed he uses. “Every year I am trying new varieties and constantly trying to find something better than the year before,” Whitaker said. “I just want to be more involved in the industry.” Whitaker has attended sessions focused on various aspects of the sorghum industry and he said he has
Page 14 \ September 2015 \ www.HighPlainsAg.com
enjoyed all of these trips, but visiting the Canton Rail Terminal in Kansas was particularly interesting to him.“Seeing that big elevator, seeing how hungry for sorghum that area is and how eager they are to help farmers was fascinating,” Whitaker said. Whitaker said his eyes have been opened to increasing market places for sorghum globally, and he plans to expand his marketing efforts to those outlets in the future. Prior to Leadership Sorghum, he said he was limited to what he learned on the farm and now he sees a new world of opportunity in the sorghum industry. “I would encourage people to go through the program because they will develop life-long friendships and learn things that will change their operation for the better,” Whitaker said. Whitaker continues striving to improve his operation on a daily basis. He said he wants to gain as much experience as possible to achieve goals for the farm, so his children have something they can be proud of when they are old enough to take over. Whitaker said sorghum will continue to be a staple crop on his farm for years to come. He sees long-term potential for growth in sorghum from a marketing standpoint and is excited for the future of advanced seed technology and new products for consumers.
“There is a big world out there that I had not been exposed to before,” Whitaker said. “There are just so many things sorghum can and will be used for, and opportunities continue to expand the more sorghum is studied and used.” __________________________________________________
Kayla Wilkins, Communications Intern United Sorghum Checkoff Program, Lubbock, Texas
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