cotton farming, november 2014

Cotton FarmingCotton Farming®

www.cottonfarming.comwww.cottonfarming.com

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES NOVEMBER 2014ONE GROWERPUBLISHING, LLC

KEVIN BRINKLEY'SMARKETING TIPS

HOW TO PICKA NEW VARIETY

2015

SEEDVARIETY GUIDE

HOW TO PICKA NEW VARIETY

KEVIN BRINKLEY'SMARKETING TIPS

2015

SEEDVARIETY GUIDE

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There’s nothing like the feeling of heading out to your fi eld in your favorite jeans. The ones that just fi t right. That’s what it’s like to grow PhytoGen® cotton. It’s about the reassuring sight of our early vigor. It’s about relying on our consistent yield. It’s about feeling comfortable knowing you’ve made the right choice.

800-258-3033 PhytoGen.com

®PhytoGen and the PhytoGen Logo are trademarks of PhytoGen Seed Company, LLC. ®DOW Diamond and the WideStrike Logo are trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affi liated company of Dow. PhytoGen Seed Company is a joint venture between Mycogen Corporation, an affi liate of Dow AgroSciences LLC, and the J.G. Boswell Company. L38-076-119 (09/13) BR 010-34414 DAAGPHYG3072

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COTTON FARMING NOVEMBER 2014 3

D E P A R T M E N T S & C O L U M N S

Cotton FarmingPROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES NOVEMBER 2014Vol. 58 No 11

www.cottonfarming.com

4 Editor’s Note6 Cotton’s Agenda16 Marketing

24 Specialists Speaking27 Industry News34 My Turn

F E A T U R E S

ON THE COVER: It all starts with seed in the hopper boxwhen planting begins in 2015. Photo by Tommy Horton.

MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICEArkansas cotton breeder Fred Bourland offerssome advice on how to choose a variety.

14

2015 SEED GUIDECotton Farming offers its annual Seed Guidelistings for the new crop season.

9

Even though this year’s cotton crop harvest isn’t finished insome regions of the Belt, it’s already time to make decisionson which varieties to plant in 2015. This is a time for producers to study Official Variety Trials as well as testplots on their own farms. It’s all about finding varieties thatfit specific fields.

Decision Time8

COTTON FARMING (ISSN 0746-8385) is published monthly January through December for $40 per year by One Grower Publishing LLC, 1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, TN 38119. PeriodicalsPostage paid at Memphis, TN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sunbelt Fulfillment Services, 307 Southgate Court, Brentwood, Tenn. 37027-7987 (Phone: 615-377-3322) (Fax: 615-850-5319). International rates are $55.00 in Canada/Mexico, $90.00 in all other countries for air-speeded delivery. Surface Delivery not available due to problems in reliability.

LOYALTY TO COTTONThe Jordan brothers farm in Florida andAlabama and are committed to quality.

28

Depending on the region, harvest was a bit unpredictable for thisyear’s cotton crop. In many parts of the Belt, the crop was atleast one or two weeks late. Cotton Farming Editor TommyHorton offers a special update. Go to www.cottonfarming.comfor his report.

WEB POLLRESULTS

WEB EXCLUSIVE

How many of the new 2015 cotton varietiesdo you plan to incorporate into your

production system based on what you haveobserved? Go to www.cottonfarming.com

for the results.

Look for the Soybean South supplement following page 26 in theMid-South and Southeast editions of Cotton Farming.

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4 COTTON FARMING NOVEMBER 2014

Editor’s Note

Many years ago, the process of choosing a new cotton seed vari-ety was so much simpler – or at least it seemed that way.Obviously, the technology wasn’t nearly as advanced in thosedays. A producer pretty much had his favorite variety and

stayed with it as long as he could.To say that today’s environment has drastically changed doesn’t even

begin to tell the story. If you look at our annual Seed Guide on pages 9, 10and 11, you’ll get the picture. The choices are numerous. Technology hastaken cotton farmers to a different world where varieties and new technol-ogy are coming at them faster than a NASCAR race car cruising at 200miles per hour at Daytona Beach, Fla. Okay, maybe not that fast, but youget the picture. Varieties are now being commercially released to the mar-ket at a dizzying pace. No matter where you farm in the Belt, a new vari-ety is coming down the pipeline nearly every year, and hopefully it is acustom fit for your region.

Meanwhile, consultants and Extension specialists are scrambling asthey try to educate themselves after studying research trial data for a cou-ple of years. And, of course, we can’t forget the seed sales representativesout there trying to explain the complexities of a new germplasm orgenetic trait.

Even though the technology train is on a fast track, we shouldn’t com-plain. This is exactly what the marketplace wanted more than a decadeago when textile mills – both overseas and here at home – started clamor-ing for better quality in the cotton they received.

Can any of us remember the 2001 Beltwide Cotton Conferences inAnaheim, Calif., where this very topic was front and center at theProduction Conference? This is where textile mill executives pleaded withfarmers in the audience to deliver better quality, so that mills could com-pete in the global market. Farmers, meanwhile, engaged in a healthy dia-logue with the mill speakers and talked about yields being more importantbecause that is what paid the bills.

It was a memorable exchange of ideas, and, in my opinion, sparked animportant debate about cotton quality.

Today, nearly 14 years after that memorable Beltwide ProductionConference, the pipeline has continued to deliver an array of varieties thatare giving farmers exactly what they need. More tools, more options andsuperior fiber quality. This unquestionably will keep U.S. cotton farmerscompetitive as we look to the future.

If you have comments, send them to: Editor, Cotton Farming Magazine,1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, Tenn., 38119. Or send e-mail to: [email protected].

Tommy Horton

Seed Variety ChoicesRemain Crucial

One Grower Publishing, LLC1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, Tennessee, 38119

Phone: 901-767-4020

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COOPERATION: Cooperating withCOTTON FARMING are various cotton producer organizationsacross the Cotton Belt. Many representatives of producer organiza-tions serve on COTTON FARMING’s editorial advisory board.Opinions expressed and conclusions reached by contributors arenot necessarily those of the cooperating organizations or the edi-tors. All statements, including product claims, are those of theperson or organization making the statement or claim. The pub-lisher does not adopt any such statement or claims as its ownand any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect theopinion of the publisher.Copyright 2014

ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing,LLC also publishes RICE FARMING, THE PEANUT GROW-ER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH.

Mike Lamensdorf PRESIDENT/TREASURER

Lia Guthrie PUBLISHER/VICE PRESIDENT

EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION

Editor/Editorial Director Tommy Horton

[email protected]

Senior Writer Carroll Smith

[email protected]

Southeast EditorAmanda Huber

[email protected]

Art DirectorCarol Watson

ADMINISTRATION

Publisher/Vice PresidentLia Guthrie (901) [email protected]

Associate PublisherCarroll Smith (901) 767-4020

Sales ManagerScott Emerson (386) 462-1532

[email protected]

Production ManagerKathy Killingsworth (800) 888-9784

[email protected]

Circulation ManagerJanet Owens (229) 386-8809

For circulation changesor change of address, call

(800) 888-9784

Cotton FarmingCotton Farming ®

David Burns – North Carolina David Lynch – South Carolina

Bob McLendon – GeorgiaLarkin Martin – Alabama

Mike Sturdivant Jr. – Mississippi Charles Parker – Missouri

Jimmy Hargett – TennesseeAllen Helms – Arkansas

Jay Hardwick – Louisiana Ronnie Hopper – TexasRon Rayner – Arizona

John Pucheu – California

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

ONE GROWERPUBLISHING, LLC

TH's Editor's Note_ 4 10/24/14 9:26 AM

WHAT CUSTOMERS WANT

Less Cotton In China?Several years ago when I was working for the Globecot News

Network (www.commoditynetwork.com), I wrote a story detail-ing the decline of China’s cotton production in lieu of the needto “import what you wear and plant what you eat.” I was a bitpremature with my forecast, but there is no doubt China is nowon the road to producing less cotton.

Recently announced government policies are ensuring pro-duction will primarily be in the western part of the country(Xinjiang province), while eastern land, once dedicated to cot-ton, will be used for corn, rice and other grains. Eventually, therewill be very little cotton, if any, produced in the east, while over-all production will hover around five million metric tons (or less)and consumption will fluctuate between seven to eight millionmetric tons, leaving imports to fill in the gap.

Interestingly, despite the decline in cotton production, Chinahopes to keep a consumption ratio of approximately two-thirdsdomestic and one-third imported. This will be extremely difficultto maintain. Water, land and logistics are just a few of the yearlyheadaches facing Xinjiang producers. And, though the provincedoes produce excellent quality cotton, it still has trouble consis-tently meeting the volume needs of the eastern-based textilemills on a regular basis.

Perfect TimingHaving spent the last two months interviewing FCStone’s tex-

tile mill and cotton merchant client base in China, I can tell youthe most common feedback I have heard is “can you help ussecure high quality cotton on a consistent basis? Our clientsneed higher count yarns, and we can’t make any money in thelow count world.”

The unfolding China story will have a huge and profoundimpact on the U.S. cotton industry – producer of the highestquality cotton in the world. This is a phenomenal opportunity tomatch consistent high quality production with consumptionbased on direct and firsthand feedback from the world’s largestconsumer of cotton.

Brands such as Bayer’s FiberMax and Stoneville cotton areperfectly positioned for China’s textile mill’s needs. At FCStone,we are positioning our global client base of both cotton produc-ers and consumers to take advantage of this strategic shift. It willbe exciting to watch and participate in this next stage of devel-opment for the U.S. cotton industry.

Sponsored By

“The unfolding China story will havea huge and profound impact on the U.S. cotton industry.”

– Jim Lambert

New OpportunityFor U.S. Cotton

In ChinaBy Jim LambertDirector of Sales

FCStone Merchant Services, LLCNashville, Tenn.

Jim Lambert of FCStone Merchant Services, LLC, believes that U.S. cotton is primedto deliver high-quality cotton to China in the near future.

From Fiber To Fabric• China is producing less cotton.

• China’s mills need high-quality cotton.

• Excellent opportunity for U.S.

• Mills need higher count yarns.

• Ideal position for FiberMax

and Stoneville cotton.

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Cotton’s AgendaMark Lange

The Agricultural Act of 2014 is a farm law that features a greater reliance on crop insurance programs,and cotton producers need to understand their options before making program choices for 2015 crops.

Are there any decision-making resources?■ USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) isupdating a “Crop Insurance Decision Tool” thatwill illustrate the insurance choices available tocotton in 2015. This resource, at http://prod-webnlb.rma.usda.gov/apps/CIDT/, is aimedat helping upland cotton producers betterunderstand the Stacked Income Protection Plan(STAX) and the Supplemental Coverage Option(SCO), which will be available for 2015 uplandcotton. The tool shows how coverage is deter-mined, when indemnities are paid, the approxi-mate premium cost and how it interacts with anunderlying crop insurance policy. It can helpproducers quickly explore and understand thevariety of coverage options that these new prod-ucts offer. While the tool will provide users withestimates to help them make purchasing deci-sions, producers should consult their crop insur-ance agent for detailed information and a premi-um quote specific to their operation.

RMA also recently released premium rates andexpected area-wide yields for STAX and SCO for2015. Those can be found by clicking onthe Actuarial Information Browser linkat www.rma.usda.gov/tools/. In addition,

STAX coverage areas can be found byclicking on the “RMA Farm Bill Page” atwww.rma.usda.gov.

Are there any other tools available? ■ The Texas A&M Agricultural and Food PolicyCenter has an online farm bill decision-aid toolat https://decisionaid.afpc.tamu.edu/. It cov-ers possible future outcomes of the numerousprogram options on producers’ respective farmsto help determine the best of those options.Included is a look at the new Agricultural RiskCoverage and Price Loss Coverage commoditysafety net programs for grains and oilseeds.Both programs offer protection for producerswhen market forces cause substantial decreasesin crop prices and/or revenues. Producers willhave until March 31, 2015, to select the pro-gram that works best for them. Landownersmust make crop base retention or reallocationfor covered commodities by February 28, 2015.

How is NCC helping with decision making?■ NCC continues to post updates on farm lawimplementation at www.cotton.org/issues/-members/farmbill/2014/index.cm. The NCCalso has scheduled 25 educational meetingsacross the Cotton Belt to provide cotton industrymembers and agribusiness firms with in-depthinformation regarding 2015 insurance optionsfor cotton under the new farm law. The meet-ings will explore STAX and SCO, including cov-erage levels, expected yields and premium rates;include an update on overall farm bill imple-mentation; and a Q/A session. The meetings willbe from Nov. 10 to Dec. 10, and times (all timeslocal) and locations are on the NCC’s website atwww.cotton.org/-news/releases/2014/stax-work.cfm. (See page 30). Producers, industryfirms and agribusinesses are encouraged toattend at least one of these important meetings.The NCC will cover that information in regionalwebinars in December. More information will beat www.cotton.org.

Mark Lange is the president and chief executive officer for the National Cotton Council of America.He and other NCC leaders contribute columns on this Cotton Farming page.

Decision Time

Upcoming NCC-conducted farm law educational meetingswill focus on 2015 insurance options for cotton.

6_9 10/22/14 9:41 AM

Melissa SiebertInsecticide Biology Team LeaderDow AgroSciences

Every year presents different growing conditions and new challenges,and 2014 was no exception. For some of the most troublesome pests, theuniversity Extension experts predicted accurately that:

• Tarnished plant bugs were capable of surviving the harsh winter.• Nonmigratory lepidopteron caterpillar pests were not impacted,

because they overwinter as pupae deep in the soil; predators were impact-ed by the freezing temperatures.

• Mild stink bug pressure was due to sensitivity of weaker greenspecies to the extreme conditions.

What no one anticipated was an explosion of the sugarcane aphid.Overall, sucking insect pest pressure in cotton could be categorized as

moderate. Thrips pressure was at lower levels relative to previous years,due in part to frequent rains. Tarnished plant bugs were a concern season-long for cotton growers, even though overall infestations were also lower.

Many growers relied on Transform WG insecticide, which offers a newclass of chemistry, applied at or near bloom for control of tarnished plantbugs. Aphids occurred later than normal in the cotton season, and infesta-tions were persistent. Growers found applications of Transform targetingtarnished plant bugs were also an effective tool for the control of cottonaphids. Cool temperatures in late July did teach us that control of cottonaphids might not be as rapid as when plants are actively growing andaphids are actively feeding.

Sugarcane AphidInfestations of the sugarcane aphid spread like wildfire on grain

sorghum from northern Mexico to Texas, into the Mid-South and acrossAlabama, Georgia and Florida. The pest has a phenomenal reproductivecapacity and the ability to produce copious amounts of honeydew, result-ing in rapid damage to entire fields. Transform was used on the majority ofgrain sorghum acres under an emergency Section 18 and provided effec-tive control. Commercial experiences indicate that insecticide applicationsmust be timed at the early onset of infestations, and optimizing coveragethroughout the canopy is essential. If a grower can keep the populationscontained to the lower third of the canopy, it is considered a “win.”

Prepping For 2015Although it is impossible to accurately predict what 2015 will bring,

there are best practices that can be executed now to minimize someinsect problems. Be sure to destroy cotton stalks as soon as possible afterharvest to reduce populations of overwintered boll weevils. Fall tillage candestroy heliothis pupae buried inches below the soil surface. Application ofa fall herbicide can reduce weed infestations that harbor insects.

As always, when the unknown pest problem does happen, have confi-dence in the region’s strong network of consultants, university Extensionspecialists and the industry to deliver solutions that help enable success.

1. The university Extension experts predicted pest pressure accurately.But no one anticipated the explosion of the sugarcane aphid,creating an unexpected need for a fairly new chemistry.

2. Transform was used on the majority of grain sorghum acres underan emergency Section 18 and provided effective control of thesugarcane aphid.

3. Thrips pressure was at lower levels relative to previous years, duein part to frequent rains. Tarnished plant bugs were a concernseason-long for cotton growers, even though overall infestationswere also lower.

4. Many growers relied on Transform WG insecticide, which offers anew class of chemistry, applied at or near bloom for control oftarnished plant bugs.

5. Best practices can be executed now to minimize some 2015 insectproblems.

6. When unknown pest problems happen, have confidence in theregion’s strong network of consultants, university Extensionspecialists and the industry to deliver solutions.

Recap: Mid-South Insect Pressure In Review ▼

• B.S. degree in plant and environmental soil science –Texas A&M

• M.S. degree in entomology – Louisiana State University

• Doctor of philosophy in entomology – Louisiana StateUniversity

• Currently insecticide biology team leader/technical expert,spinosyns and sulfoxaflor, North America MesoAndeanRegion – Dow AgroSciences Crop Protection Researchand Development

• Published articles in multiple journals, including Journal ofEconomic Entomology, Journal of Cotton Science andJournal of Agricultural Entomology, among others

• Past president of the Mississippi Entomological Association

• Enjoys life with husband, Jonathan, and daughter, Claire, 7

Sponsored By

Mid-South InsectPressure In Review

Cotton Consultant’s Corner

®Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. Transform WG is not registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions.

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It is a consistent theme each year when cotton seed com-panies announce their lineups for the new crop season.Some varieties have a longer shelf life than others andremain on the market. Meanwhile, new ones always

appear – or so it seems. The question is how does a farmermake an informed decision with so many options?

As you’ll see in Arkansas cotton breeder Fred Bourland’sstory on page 14, a variety choice is based on many factors.What kind of soil is on a farm? How variable is the soil pro-file? What are the weather conditions? Is the growing sea-son longer or shorter? Are there serious weed and insectproblems? The list goes on and on.

That is why it’s important for a producer to know his pri-orities before makingthat choice.

Numerous Options ForToday’s Farmer

In the case of 2015,the choices are numer-ous for seed varieties.When you scan our 2015Seed Guide listings onpages 9, 10 and 11, youwill notice that All-Texhas another strong line-up of RR Flex, RRFlex/Bollgard II and con-ventional varieties.

Americot is adding anew BollgardII/RoundupReady Flex variety to itsNexGen lineup.

Bayer CropScienceannounced four newFiberMax varieties andthree new Stoneville varieties in January of 2014 and willhave additional announcements later.

Four commercial varieties from Bayer CropScience haveTwinLink technology, which first became available in 2014.TwinLink combines season-long Bt protection against wormpests with weed management technology. It contains twoBayer proprietary Bt genes that provide management ofmajor lepidopteran pests, such as tobacco budworm, pinkbollworm and cotton bollworm.

PhytoGen is offering 10 different varieties for 2015. Thelineup includes six new upland varieties, an introduction ofa new trait technology and root-knot nematode tolerance.

Deltapine will unveil its new 2015 varieties at its annualNew Product Evaluator event in December in Nashville,Tenn. One of its relatively new varieties – DP 1454NRB2RF – was commercialized for planting in 2014 and wasbred for resistance to root-knot nematodes.

Specifically, the trait enables strong root growth in cottonplants and can reduce root-knot nematodes. DP 1454NRB2RF was planted by numerous farmers in Georgia andTexas in 2014. In evaluation by farmers in 2013, it deliveredhigh yields in both nematode and non-nematode environ-ments, according to Deltapine officials. It is expected thatmore varieties bred for resistance to root-knot nematodeswill be commercially released soon.

Deltapine will return 12 Genuity BG II/Roundup ReadyFlex varieties for 2015, one Genuity Roundup Ready Flexvariety and four Pima varieties.

Meanwhile, Dyna-Gro will have five varieties available in2015, including a new one – DG 2355 B2RF.

Croplan will return three varieties to its lineup and haveadditional announcements later on.

Hazera had four Pima varieties in 2014 and will returnall four this year.

Finally, Seed Source Genetics will return all seven of itsconventional varieties.

Seed Companies Delivering TechnologyWhile many farmers may be overwhelmed at the rapid

pace of new varieties being delivered to the market eachyear, it would behoove everyone to remember how far seedtechnology has come in the past decade. Never before havecotton producers had so many choices.

It’s what they need to compete in today’s global market.

All seed companies listed in this year’s Seed Guidecontributed information for this article.

PRODUCTION

Planting DecisionsStart Now For 2015

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Roundup Ready FlexEpic RF medium 3.6-4.6 smooth 1.08-1.13 27-30 Highly adapted to HP irrigated/dryland.Patriot + RF medium 3.5-4.9 semi-smooth 1.08-1.10 27-30 Superior fiber and high yield potential.

Roundup Ready Flex/Bollgard IIRapid B2RF early 3.8-4.8 semi-hairy 1.14-1.17 29-31 Picker type. Excellent yield potential. Edge B2RF early-late 3.7-4.8 semi-smooth 1.10-1.20 28-32 Picker type. Premium fiber qualities. Nitro-44 B2RF medium 3.5-4.4 semi-smooth 1.17-1.26 29-37 Picker type. Superior fiber/high yield.

Conventional A102 med-early 3.5-4.9 semi-smooth 1.07-1.19 25-31 Adapted to Texas Gulf Coast, HP, OK.LA122 medium 3.5-4.9 smooth 1.08-1.20 26-31 Picker. Excellent yield potential.7A21 medium 3.5-4.8 semi-smooth 1.11-1.21 29-32 Picker. Excellent fiber quality.(Pima) P-203 medium 4.0-4.4 semi-smooth 1.42-1.48 44-46 Exceptional length and strength.

Bollgard II/Roundup Ready FlexAM 1550 B2RF early-med 4.2-4.8 semi-smooth 35-36 28-29 Excellent yield potential/fiber quality.AM 1532 B2RF medium 3.7-4.5 smooth 35-37 27-29 Excellent yield potential/widely adapted.

NexGen Bollgard II/Roundup Ready FlexNG 1511 B2RF medium 4.6-4.8 semi-smooth 35-37 30-31 Excellent yield potential/fiber quality.NG 4010 B2RF medium 4.0-4.7 smooth 36-37 30-32 Proven verticillium wilt tolerance. NG 4012 B2RF medium 3.9-4.6 smooth 36-37 30-32 Excellent yield potential/fiber quality.NG 3348 B2RF early-med 3.5-4.2 semi-smooth 35-37 29-31 Excellent yield potential/stormproof.NG 5315 B2RF full 4.5-4.7 smooth 36-38 28-30 Full-season variety for Delta/Mid-South.NG 3306 B2RF early-med 4.0-4.7 semi-smooth 36-37 28-30 New variety. Excellent yield/fiber quality.

Roundup Ready FlexNG 4111 RF medium 3.7-4.6 smooth 36-37 31-32 Straight Flex sister to NG 4010 B2RF.NG 1551 RF very early 3.8-4.5 semi-smooth 35-36 30-32 Suited for N. High Plains, Okla. & Kan.NG 1572 RF very early 3.5-4.1 hairy 35-36 27-28 Suited for N. High Plains, Okla. & Kan.

Conventional AM UA48 early 4.5-4.9 smooth 37-39 36-38 U. of Ark. variety/excellent quality.

FiberMaxFM 1830GLT early-med 4.2 normal/smooth 1.21 32.1 GLT with excellent fiber quality.FM 2334GLT medium 4.2 normal/smooth 1.21 31.8 GLT with excellent fiber quality.FM 1320GL very early 4.2 normal/s. smooth 1.11 29.6 Very early/excellent storm tolerance.FM 2322GL medium 4.3 normal/s. smooth 1.16 32.2 GL variety/excellent Vert Wilt tolerance.

FM 2011GT early 4.2 normal/s. smooth 1.13 29.9 High yielder with RKN tolerance for HP.FM 9250GL early 4.0 normal/s. smooth 1.15 30.0 GlyTol/LL stacked variety for HP/RP.FM 9180B2F early 4.0 normal/smooth 1.16 30.6 Great fiber and easy to manage.FM 2484B2F medium 4.0 normal/smooth 1.18 29.9 High yielding variety for HP/R. Plains.FM 1944GLB2 early-med 4.4 normal/s. smooth 1.19 31.6 GLB2 with excellent fiber quality.FM 2989GLB2 medium 4.4 normal/ smooth 1.13 29.8 GLB2 stacked variety for Texas.FM 8270GLB2 med-full 4.5 okra/smooth 1.16 31.8 GLB2 okra leaf for south Texas.

Variety Maturity Micronaire Leaf Type Staple Length G/Tex Comments

ALL-TEX

AMERICOT

FIBERMAX

New varieties for 2015 in blue

2015SEED

VARIETYGUIDE

2015SEED

VARIETYGUIDE

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StonevilleST 4747GLB2 early-med 4.3 normal/s. smooth 1.19 29.6 GLB2 with broad adaptation across Belt.ST 5032GLT early-med 3.9 normal/s. smooth 1.20 30.0 GLT high yielder, best under irrigation.ST 5289GLT medium 4.3 normal/very hairy 1.14 28.3 Excellent yielder with GLT/improved fiber.ST 6448GLB2 full 4.4 normal/smooth 1.21 30.8 Full season, improved fiber with GLB2.ST 4946GLB2 early-med 4.5 normal/s. smooth 1.15 32.2 GLB2, broad adaptation/RKN tolerance.

Upland PHY 222 WRF very early 4.8 smooth 36 31.1 Early maturity/Northern High Plains.PHY 333 WRF early 4.5 hairy 37 30.8 Excellent yield. Broadly adapted.PHY 417 WRF early-mid 4.4 semi-smooth 36 30.7 Industry leader. RKN resistant/good yields.PHY 427 WRF early-mid 4.6 semi-smooth 36 31.3 Good yielder. RKN resistant/early vigor.PHY 495 W3RF mid 4.6 semi-smooth 36 32.7 Superior yields. WideStrike 3 technology.PHY 339 WRF early 4.5 semi-smooth 37 32.0 Early maturing variety for all regions.PHY 367 WRF early 4.6 semi-smooth 36 31.3 Early maturity. Excellent yield/fiber quality.PHY 375 WRF early 4.6 semi-smooth 36 30.1 Early maturity. Broad adaptation.PHY 499 WRF mid 4.8 semi-smooth 36 33.0 Excellent seedling vigor. High yields.PHY 575 WRF full 4.3 smooth 38 30.7 Full-season variety. Excellent fiber.

PimaPHY 805 RF mid 4.34 semi-hairy 46 46.6 Gen./RR Flex. Fusarium Race 4 tolerance.PHY 811 RF early-mid 4.18 semi-hairy 48 45.1 Gen./RR Flex. Fusarium Race 4 tolerance.

Acala PHY 755 WRF mid 4.4 semi-smooth 40 36.8 Best fiber package. WideStrike technology.PHY 725 RF mid 4.3 semi-smooth 38 34.8 High yields/quality fiber. RR Flex.

Genuity Bollgard II/Roundup Ready FlexDP 1410 B2RF early 4.1 light-hairy 36.4 30.9 Broadly adapted across West Texas.DP 1454NR B2RF full 4.3-4.5 light-hairy 35.1-37.6 29.1-31.4 Resistant to root-knot nematodes.DP 1311 B2RF early 4.4 light-hairy 36.5 29.4 Excellent fiber quality/short season.DP 1321 B2RF early-mid 4.4-5.2 semi-smooth 34.6-36.8 30.0-31.0 High yield potential/widely adapted.DP 1359 B2RF full 4.0-4.6 smooth 34.9-36.8 29.8-32.4 Outstanding yield/adapted for TX-Okla.DP 1212 B2RF early 4.5 light-hairy 36.4-37.6 31.0-31.7 Excellent vigor and staple/TX high yielder.DP 1219 B2RF early-mid 4.0-4.5 semi-smooth 34.9-37.5 30.2-32.7 Broadly adapted/can handle stress.DP 1252 B2RF full 4.2-4.7 smooth 34.4-36.9 28.1-29.6 Proven high-yielder on irrigated soils.DP 1133 B2RF mid 4.4-4.9 smooth 35-37.1 30.7-31.6 Fits tough areas in E. TX/Lower M. South.DP 1137 B2RF mid 4.3-4.6 smooth 35.3-36.6 28.3-29.4 Vigorous plant where larger stalk needed.DP 1034 B2RF mid 4.5 smooth 37.2 29.6 Vigorous plant/excellent stability.DP 1044 B2RF mid-full 4.2-4.5 semi-smooth 34.1-36.4 28.8-30.1 Very popular in Texas/great on dryland.DP 1050 B2RF full 4.1-4.8 smooth 34.7-37.3 28.3-29.5 Proven performer/excellent fiber quality.

Genuity Roundup Ready FlexDP 1441 RF mid-full 4.2-4.6 semi-smooth 34.6-36.6 30.2-32.3 RR Flex variety handles tough conditions.

PimaDP 358 RF Pima mid-full 4.2 hairy 48.0 42.8 Pima quality/tolerance to Fusarium Race 4.DP 340 Pima mid 4.1 hairy 48.0 40.4 Outstanding yield potential in Calif/TX.DP 357 Pima mid 4.1 hairy 48.0 39.7 Potential for high yield/excellent fiber.DP 360 Pima mid 3.9 hairy 48.0 41.3 New Pima variety/resistant to FOV Race 4.

* Variety data based on Beltwide testing for DP Pima varieties, which are based on testing in California and Arizona.

STONEVILLE

PHYTOGEN

DELTAPINE


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Roundup Ready Flex/Bollgard IIDG 2285 B2RF early 4.3-4.6 semi-smooth 1.16-1.19 29-31 Reponsive to irrigation/broadly adapted.DG 2355 B2RF early-mid 4.0-4.6 semi-smooth 1.14-1.16 30-32 Broadly adapted to TX, Mid-South, East.DG 2570 B2RF early-mid 4.4-4.6 smooth 1.13-1.17 30-32 Broadly adapted to all areas of Belt.DG 2595 B2RF medium 4.3-4.7 semi-smooth 1.15-1.18 29-32 Best performance in Southwest.DG 2610 B2RF med-full 4.04-4.07 smooth 1.15-1.19 29-31 Best performance on sand, silty soil.

CG 3006 B2RF very early 4.0-4.5 semi-smooth 35-37 30-31 Determinate type of N. High Plains.CG 3156 B2RF early 4.1-4.6 semi-smooth 35-37 29-30 Adapted for limited water environments.CG 3787 B2RF mid-full 4.2-4.6 semi-smooth 35-37 29-30 Outstanding yield/fiber. Consistent.

HA211 medium 3.8-4.1 semi-smooth 48-50 36.5-38.5 High yielding for Acala/Pima regions.HA175 very early 3.8-4.1 semi-smooth 46 36.5-37.5 High yielding, extremely early.HA690 early-med 3.8-4.1 semi-smooth 48 37.5-38.5 New variety, very high yielding.HA1432 medium 3.8-4.1 semi-smooth 46-48 38-39 New variety, very high yielding.

ConventionalSSG HQ110CT early 4.5-4.8 smooth 35-37 28-30 Smooth leaf picker type.SSG HQ210CT mid-early 4.5-4.8 smooth 35-37 28-30 Smooth leaf picker type.SSG HQ212CT mid-early 4.5-4.8 smooth 35-37 28-30 Smooth leaf picker type.SSG HQ310CT mid 4.2-4.8 smooth 35-38 28-30 Smooth leaf picker type.SSG CT Linwood mid-early 4.2-4.5 hairy 35-38 28-30 Hairy leaf picker type.SSG UA 103 early 4.0-4.5 hairy 36-39 31-33 Okra leaf, picker type.SSG UA 222 mid-early 4.0-4.5 semi-smooth 36-39 29-33 Picker type.

DYNA-GRO

CROPLAN

HAZERA

SEED SOURCE GENETICS


Additional Varieties Will Be Announced At 2015 BWCC In JanuaryLook for all the pertinent information on these varieties in the February issue of Cotton Farming.The complete list of 2015 varieties will also be on the Cotton Farming website for the entire year.

2015SEED

VARIETYGUIDE

2015SEED

VARIETYGUIDE

9 10 11_CF 11/13 template 10/23/14 12:37 PM

INGENIOUS.

CF1114 Layout_CF 11/13 template 10/17/14 8:20 AM Page 6

To learn more about this new herbicide coming

to market soon, visit IngeniousHerbicide.com

CF1114 Layout_CF 11/13 template 10/17/14 8:21 AM Page 7


EDITOR’S NOTE – Fred Bourland is a cotton breeder andmanager of the Northeast Ag Research Station in Keiser,Ark. In the following report, he discusses the importantdecisions facing a cotton producer when he chooses newvarieties to plant.

Choosing the best cotton variety for a given situa-tion can be highly beneficial to a cotton producer,but identifying that variety can be a difficult task.Since there is

no one perfect variety, aproducer must establishspecific priorities foreach situation and iden-tify the variety thatbest meets those impor-tant priorities.

Prior to the advent oftransgenic cottons, vari-ety selection was pri-marily based on expect-ed yield in a particularsituation. Today, pro-ducers first determinewhich transgenes aredesired. Even if othervarieties may producehigher yields, producersmay limit their choicesto specific transgenicvarieties to facilitateinsect and/or weed con-trol. Desired trans-genes primarily depend upon expected pest species and den-sities (primarily weeds today) and technologies used in adja-cent fields (drift issues).

With regard to variety selection for 2015, my first concernis glyphosate-resistant pigweeds. If resistant pigweeds aredominant in a field, the producer must first choose a strate-gy to deal with them. Effective weed control must be accom-plished primarily by herbicides with limited reliance onhand-chopping (due to its high cost and low effectiveness).At present, LibertyLink systems appear to be the bestapproach to address resistant pigweeds. In 2014, 37 percentof cotton in the U.S. South Central region (71 percent inArkansas) was planted to LibertyLink varieties.

Both technology fees and the costs of herbicide treatmentsmust also be considered. In addition to the technology fee,costs associated with LibertyLink systems generally includeapplications of pre-plant and residual herbicides in additionto application of Liberty.

Effective Control Of CaterpillarsAll available caterpillar-control transgenes (Bt2,

TwinLink and WideStrike) are various constructs of Btgenes. Except for minor acreage of conventional varieties,all 2014 cotton planted in the South Central region carriedone or more of these genes. Some differences among thesegenes have been measured, but all provide reasonably effec-tive caterpillar control, but supplementary insecticidal con-trol of bollworms on these cottons is now commonly

required. Presentlyavailable caterpillar-control insecticides arehighly effective andmay provide cost sav-ings over Bt cotton ifhigh worm pressure isnot present.

After transgene tech-nology is addressed,selection of varietiesreturns to long-estab-lished principles ofchoosing varieties thatare likely to producestable, high yields ofpremium quality cotton.Producers should main-tain a base of varietiesthat have previouslyperformed well in theirarea, and then explorethe use of alternativevarieties on a limited

basis. Results from state variety tests and local striptests/demonstrations should be used to determine whichspecific variety to plant. Parameters from these tests usual-ly include lint yield and fiber quality.

Additionally, our Arkansas Cotton Variety Test reportincludes maturity, yield components (how yield is attained),pubescence (hairs on leaves, stems and bracts) and hostplant resistance (resistance to bacterial blight, Verticilliumwilt and tarnished plant bug).

Current cotton prices demand producers to carefully eval-uate every component of production costs. Technology feesmay be avoided if viable alternatives are available. To beviable, the alternative must provide cost-effective control ofweeds and/or worms and produce competitive yield andacceptable fiber quality.

Contact Fred Bourland in Keiser, Ark., via email [email protected].

Producer’s PrioritiesDictate Variety Choices

SPECIAL REPORT

BY FRED BOURLANDKEISER, ARK.

Fred Bourland says producers must establish priorities before makingcrucial decisions on cotton varieties.

14_CF 11/13 template 10/23/14 2:02 PM

WinField is a trademark, and CROPLAN is a registered trademark of Winfi eld Solutions, LLC. © 2014 Winfi eld Solutions, LLC

Cotton plus a few agronomic copilots.Conditions as unique as yours call for unique solutions.

CROPLAN® is answering that call with high-performing

cotton seed genetics. More important, we’re putting

more hardworking, dedicated people on the ground than

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variety for every acre, and offer season-long guidance to

protect your investment all the way to harvest. Visit your

CROPLAN® retailer or go to croplan.com to learn more.

CF1114 Layout_CF 11/13 template 10/15/14 2:20 PM Page 9


If you want to sell something for the highest possible price, you should try a method that

dates back to around 500 B.C. That’s around the time humans first used auctions as a

means to a higher price. Your first thought may be, “I’ve never heard of an auction for

cotton.” And you are correct if you think an auction is strictly a fast-talking, hammer-

wielding dude in a room full of bidders.

However, it is possible to auction your cotton to the highest bidder without having all of

the bidders in the same room. For 39 years, farmers have been using online trading to

recreate the auction effect for their recaps. In fact, since 2000, The Seam has handled

billions of dollars in farmer transactions through its online trading system.

Here’s how it works. The chart below tracks the actual bidding activity of a typical online

recap. In this case, the bidding started soon after the recap was offered around 2:42 p.m.

Over the course of the next few hours, 12 buyers engaged in bidding the recap online. As

bids were placed on the recap, an expected bid trend developed as prices gradually moved

higher. This was the result of buyers starting low and inching up their price in hopes of

discovering the

minimum price to

buy the recap.

The prices that

stand out are the

ones that are well

above the trend line.

These are the “out-

liers.” Buyers with

unique market cir-

cumstances create

these “outliers” with “higher than trend bids.”

For example, an outlier bid may be from a buyer that owes a certain quality of cotton

against a sale and thus must pay a high price to ensure his ability to deliver. It’s also

possible a buyer with unique market knowledge may place an outlier bid.

If a profitable merchandising opportunity is known to exist and a buyer sees it,

he will seize it.

Situations like this are normal occurrences on The Seam’s cotton trading system.

MARKETING

WHY NOT AUCTION YOUR COTTON?

Need More Information?Kevin Brinkley is senior vice president for The Seam inMemphis, Tenn. For additional information, call (901)374-0374 or go to www.theseam.com. Contact Brinkleyvia email at: [email protected].

Kevin BrinkleyThe SeamMemphis, Tenn.

And while it’s not unusual for farmers to beat the mar-

ket if their timing is right, they can always be assured

that their cotton will find the market in the most

transparent and competitive marketplace available.

This recap sold just after about three hours on the

market. It sold online for a little more than 5 cents per

pound over futures with all charges paid. For recaps that

traded one-to-one negotiation style (over the phone), typ-

ical sales on the same or better style cotton were about

2.5 cents per pound less on the same day. We label this

as “previously undiscovered margin.”

The cotton farmer that sold this recap used technolo-

gy not only to produce his crop but also to sell it. Selling

online allowed him to create his own auction with the

potential of more than 80 different companies competing

for his recap.

Finding The ToolsGiven the current cotton market fundamentals, you

need the right tools to help squeeze every dollar from

your crop. As a seller of cotton, there are a couple of

foundational issues that work in your favor.

First, the mix of merchants and cooperatives originat-

ing U.S. cotton has changed significantly over the past

few years. Recognizing this change is important because

it has affected who buys cotton from farmers. In addition

to the well-known buyers of U.S. cotton, there are a

number of new companies that have entered the U.S.

origination market.

Second, it’s important to realize that importers still

prefer U.S. cotton. Importers see the U.S. market

as the land of opportunity because of our fiber quality

and availability.

Both of those factors mean that there is demand for

your cotton. So why not use them to auction your cotton

to the highest bidder? To create an auction-effect for

your recaps, there is a critical need – “liquidity” or a suf-

ficient number of serious bidders trying to buy your

cotton. But how do you find liquidity? The Seam.

Now is the time to consider using technology to your

advantage in selling your cotton.

16_CF 11/13 template 10/23/14 4:02 PM

Sign up for our E-NewsYou’re already a long-time reader ofCotton Farming magazine. In fact,you’ve been a loyal reader for manyyears. So, how else can you stayinformed on the latest developments inthe cotton industry?

Subscribe today to the Cotton Farmingmonthly E-News. You’ll find consultantcommentary, recap of important stories,Cotton’s Calendar of Events and otherquick and informative updates.

It’s easy staying informed on everythinghappening in the world of cotton.Cotton Farming E-News will help keepyou plugged in.

Sign upGo to www.cottonfarming.com and look forthe Cotton Farming E-News link in the upperright corner of the home page. It's quick and easy.



SePRO Corporation has col-laborated with weed scien-tists from universities,USDA, Cotton Incorporated

and the National Cotton Council todevelop a new herbicide mode ofaction for cotton. Brake, with theactive ingredient fluridone, wasdiscovered approximately 35 yearsago and was an outstanding cottonherbicide with excellent crop safetybut was not commercialized inU. S. row crops.

However the active herbicide, fluridone, has been regis-tered and widely and safely used as an aquatic herbicide(trade name Sonar) for many years.

Due to the proliferation of herbicide-resistant weeds,specifically glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth, and thelimited number of herbicide modes of action available foruse in cotton, a renewed effort has begun to develop new

products to deal with the problem.

Perfect Timing For New ToolDr. Robert Nichols, senior direc-

tor of agricultural research atCotton Incorporated says, “No newherbicide modes of action havebeen registered for use in rowcrops since the 1990s. Because ofthe increase in the number of her-bicide-resistant weed species andthe increasing prevalence of resis-tant weeds, weed scientists are

advocating diversification of weed management tactics andproducts to counter resistance.”

Brake F2 is a combination of fluridone and fomesafenthat was developed through collaborative research effortswith university scientists. This combination of two herbi-cides enhances the consistency of the product’s performanceunder different moisture regimes, according to Nichols.

Section 18 emergency exemptions were issued for the useof Brake F2 in four states (Georgia, North Carolina, SouthCarolina and Tennessee) in 2014.

“The development of Brake took another major step for-ward this year,” says Dr. Tyler Koschnick, vice president ofresearch and regulatory with SePRO Corp. “We had theopportunity to work with growers and crop consultants oversome significant acres. As an example, the conditions inTennessee this year reinforced that Brake performs wellunder wet conditions.”

Special Exemptions SoughtIn 2015, as many as eight states (Georgia, North

Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas,Mississippi and Texas) are considering a request for Section18 emergency exemptions for the use of Brake to controlglyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth.

Brake looks to be a very effective tool in the fight againstglyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth but must be part of acomprehensive weed management program that includesscouting and timely post-emergent applications with over-lapping residuals.

In some trait-based weed management systems, no effec-tive over-the top options exist for control of glyphosate-resis-tant Palmer amaranth.

“Cotton Incorporated has been instrumental on the issueof herbicide resistance,” says Koschnick. “It has been verysupportive in the development of new herbicide modes ofaction and creating sustainable weed control systems.”

The Cotton Board, which administers Cotton Incorporated’sResearch and Promotion Program, contributed informationfor this story.

RESEARCH & PROMOTION

A Promise Delivered.

Online opportunities are here.

Cotton Farming

www.cottonfarming.com

Research HelpingIn Fight Against Pigweed

Weed resistance is a major problem today.

18_CF 11/13 template 10/23/14 4:03 PM


As heroic wildfire fights persistacross California, recoveryfrom last year’s catastrophicforest fires continues – and

the fight to restore watersheds, land-scapes, lost homes and livelihoodsaffected by the 2013 Rim Fire in theStanislaus National Forest has nowshifted to the courtroom.

Almost immediately after theStanislaus forest supervisorissued a Rim Fire recovery planlast month, environmentalgroups went to court to preventcertain portions of it from beingimplemented. Specifically, thegroups wanted to block plansfor salvage logging on 15,000acres of the 260,000 acresaffected by the fire.

Three environmental groups,including the Arizona-basedCenter for Biological Diversity,filed a motion for a temporaryrestraining order to stop thelogging. But that motion wasdenied by a judge last week.

“While it remains to be seen whetherthe court will grant the plaintiffs’request for a preliminary injunction,this is a significant legal decision forthe U.S. Forest Service,” says MarkRentz of Sacramento-based IntegratedNatural Resources Management.

Win For Local Economies?Rentz says the ruling “also repre-

sents a win for local economies, sup-ports efforts to restore the ecosystemsaffected by the fire, and acknowledgesthe work of Yosemite StanislausSolutions,” which he described as acoalition of environmental groups, for-est-products companies, ranchers,community businesses, and county,state and federal agencies.

The court’s denial of the restrainingorder, Rentz says, “clearly indicatescollaborative efforts and integratedresource management strategies as

being encouraged and as having a posi-tive impact on project certainty, con-flict resolution and economic viability.”

As disastrous wildfires become morecommon, Rayne Thompson, CaliforniaFarm Bureau Federation FederalPolicy Division manager, says there isgrowing need for collaboration amongconservation, forestry and farm groupsto restore forest areas following a fireas quickly as possible.

“Allowing restoration activities toremove dead trees and clear brushallows new tree growth and provideseconomic development for the manyrural communities struggling to recov-er,” Thompson says.

“Innovative partnerships are devel-oping because the way we’ve managedour forests in the past and the waywe’ve approached recovery from thesecontinuing disasters has not alwaysworked effectively.”

Need For CollaborationWith the catastrophic King Fire

burning in the American River Canyonin El Dorado and Placer counties, andwith recovery efforts just beginning inthe wake of the Boles Fire thatdestroyed 150 homes in the SiskiyouCounty community of Weed, expertssay the need for collaboration in recov-ery efforts has never been greater.

But, recently, environmental groupsfiled another motion – a request forpreliminary injunction – to stop recov-ery logging in the Rim Fire area inTuolumne County. A hearing has beenset in federal court in Sacramento, andlegal experts anticipate a lengthycourt process.

“Wildfires can not only cause devas-tating losses of life and to private andpublic property as well as naturalresources, they can also trigger legalactions that may hinder recovery,”Thompson says.

“We need to find ways to help fami-lies and forests recover. Obstructingthose efforts through the courts maynot be the most helpful approach.”

Kate Campbell is assistant editor of AgAlert at California Farm Bureau.Contact her at [email protected].

In Aftermath Of Fires,Court Battles Begin

BY KATE CAMPBELLCALIF. FARM BUREAU

SPECIAL REPORT

“We need to find ways to help families andforests recover.”– Rayne Thompson, Calif. Farm Bureau Federation

19VAC_CF 11/13 template 10/22/14 9:05 AM

It’s time for growers to expect more from a cottonseed. And Stoneville® delivers.

Through advanced breeding, growers can expect improved germplasm, excellent

disease tolerance, high yield potential and high-quality cotton. Now that

there’s a cottonseed that delivers it all, the sky’s the limit.

WHEN YOU GIVE COTTON GROWERS THE TOTAL PACKAGE, THE SKY’S THE LIMIT.

©2014 Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer, the Bayer Cross, Stoneville and

Stoneville Design 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.Stoneville.com

CR0914STONEVA105V00R0 A-27190-1



The format may have changedsomewhat from previousyears, but one fact remainsconsistent about the Beltwide

Cotton Conferences (BWCC) in SanAntonio, Texas, on Jan. 5-7.

Timely information will be offered toattendees, and one of the most impor-tant events will be the annualConsultants Conference. It will beginwith a half-day session on Jan. 5,starting at noon.

“This event has grown through theyears, and it will be open to anyoneattending the Beltwide,” says BillRobertson, coordinator of the Consult-ants Conference.

Robertson has returned to his posi-tion as Arkansas Extension cotton spe-cialist, but he will continue to coordi-nate this conference. The program will

be diverse and include reports on newcotton varieties, chemistries andemerging technologies. Discussionsalso will be conducted on the NationalCotton Council’s efforts to deliver cont-amination-free cotton.

On the morning of Jan. 6, the 11 cotton technical conferences will con-vene, and some will meet jointlywith consultants to discuss topics ofmutual interest.

Some of those conferences will con-centrate on weed and insect control,pollinator health, control of plant bugsand other key insect pests.

Weed Issues AddressedIn addition, a panel discussion will

feature state-by-state university rec-ommendations for overall weed control,including management of Palmer ama-ranth and water hemp. ArkansasExtension weed specialist Tom Barberwill coordinate this presentation.

A weed scientist from each region ofthe Belt will offer timely recommenda-tions on how to deal with weed resis-tance. Extension updates will be pre-sented on various new technologiesbeing introduced to deal with thesecrucial problems.

Other topics likely to be addressedare: 1) managing nematodes, targetleaf spot, root rot and other cotton dis-eases, 2) the results of uniform agrono-my/physiology studies conducted inmultiple Cotton Belt locations during2014 and 3) plant nutrition/soil man-agement, including updates on irriga-tion and fertility practices.

“The good news is that we will havea wealth of information available foranyone who attends the Beltwide,”says Robertson. “I think it’s also verygood that the consultants will kick offthe conference on the first day.”

Robertson believes that it is advan-tageous to have the BWCC in SanAntonio at the Marriott RivercenterHotel, which has hosted this eventnumerous times through the years.

“The hotel staff is very familiar withhow the Beltwide conference is con-ducted, and that is definitely a plus,”he says. “Plus, San Antonio is a conve-nient location for many Texas produc-ers who can easily drive to that part ofthe state. I am anticipating anotherexcellent conference.”

The National Cotton Council con-tributed information for this article.For additional details about theConsultants Conference or BWCC, visitwww.cotton.org.

Consultants To MeetAgain At BWCC

SPECIAL REPORT

NAICC ANNUAL MEETINGAND AG PRO EXPO

January 21-24, 2015Peppermill Resort Spa Casino • Reno, Nevada

For information call: (901) 861-0511 • www.naicc.org

photo credit: VisitRenoTahoe.com

Come Join Us In RENO!

“The good news is that wewill have a wealth of

information available foranyone who attends the

Beltwide.”– Bill Robertson

22_CF 11/13 template 10/23/14 4:03 PM


The U.S. Department of Agri-culture’s (USDA) NationalInstitute of Food and Agricul-ture (NIFA) has awarded

more than $18 million in grants tosmall businesses for high quality,advanced research and developmentthat will lead to technological innova-tions and solutions for American agri-culture. NIFA awarded 100 grantsthrough the Small Business Inno-vation Research (SBIR) program.

“Small businesses are adept at find-ing solutions that can advance agricul-ture, create new jobs and growour economy,” says USDA SecretaryTom Vilsack.

“These grants will provide resourcesso small businesses can innovate andcreate new breakthroughs. The SBIRprogram has provided hundreds ofsmall businesses with the ability toexplore new ideas that have led to cut-ting-edge solutions to pressing chal-lenges and helped keep American agri-culture innovative and strong.”

Support For ResearchThe SBIR program exists to stimu-

late technological innovations in theprivate sector and to strengthen therole of federal research and develop-ment in support of small businesses.The program also fosters and encour-ages participation by women-ownedand socially or economically disadvan-taged small businesses.

Companies initially apply for PhaseI feasibility studies, which may be fol-lowed by Phase II research and devel-opment projects. Phase I grants are

limited to $100,000 and a duration ofeight months, while Phase II grantsare limited to $450,000 and a durationof 24 months. Approximately 30-40percent of Phase I projects continueonto Phase II.

In fiscal year 2014, USDA awarded$7,421,711 in Phase I grants and$11,048,055 in Phase II grants. A com-plete list of fiscal year 2014 SBIRawards is available at http://www.-nifa.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2014news/10_20_sbir_grant_descrip-tions.html.

Since 1983, the SBIR program hasawarded more than 2,000 research anddevelopment grants to American-owned, independently operated, for-profit businesses with 500 employeesor fewer.

Diverse Funding SourcesNIFA funds and administers the

SBIR program, with additional fund-ing provided by the Animal and PlantHealth Inspection Service, Agricul-tural Research Service, EconomicResearch Service, National Agricul-tural Statistics Service and U.S.Forest Service.

Through federal funding and leader-ship for research, education andExtension programs, NIFA focuses oninvesting in science and solving criticalissues impacting people’s daily livesand the nation’s future. More informa-tion is at www.nifa.usda.gov.

USDA provided information forthis article. Go to www.usda.gov foradditional details.

Govt. Support CrucialFor Ag Research

SPECIAL REPORT

Government research grants are crucial in helping agriculture find solutions toremain strong in today’s economy.

Trait Stewardship Responsibilities:

Notice to Growers

Bayer CropScience is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Bayer products are commercialized in

accordance with ETS Product Launch

Stewardship Guidance and in compliance

with the Bayer Policy for Commercialization

of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in

Commodity Crops.

The combination of biotechnology traits

expressed in this cottonseed has achieved

full regulatory authorization in the U.S.

and several export markets. Processed

fractions from this cottonseed, including

l inters, oi l , meal and gin trash, must

not be exported without all necessary

approvals in the importing country. Bayer

CropScience encourages growers to talk

to their cotton merchant, broker, or product

purchaser to confirm their buying position

for commodity components of this product.

Information regarding the regulatory status

of this cottonseed can be obtained at

www.biotradestatus.com.

Bt products may not yet be registered in all

states. Check with your Bayer CropScience

Representative or refer to the most recent

TwinLink® Insect Resistance Management

(IRM) Guide for restrictions in your state.

I nd iv idua l resu l ts may va ry , and

performance may vary from location to

location and from year to year. This result

may not be an indicator of results you may

obtain as local growing, soil and weather

conditions may vary. Growers should

evaluate data from multiple locations and

years whenever possible.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL INSTRUCTIONS. L ibertyLink® crops

contain genes that confer tolerance to

glufosinate, the active ingredient in Liberty®

brand agricultural herbicide. Liberty

herbicide will kill crops that are not tolerant

to glufosinate.

©2014 Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander

Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always

read and follow label instructions. Bayer, the

Bayer Cross, Liberty, LibertyLink, Stoneville,

Stoneville Design and TwinLink are registered

trademarks of Bayer. Excel lence Through

Stewardship is a registered trademark of Excellence

Through Stewardship. Liberty is not registered in

all states. For additional product information call

toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit

our website at www.BayerCropScience.us

CR0714STONEVA094V00R0 B-27081-1

Before opening

a bag of seed,

be sure to read,

understand

and accept the

stewardship

requirements, including applicable refuge requirements for Insect Resistance Management (IRM), for

the biotechnology traits expressed

in the seed as set forth in the Bayer

Grower Technology Agreement

(BGTA) that you sign. By opening

and using a bag of seed, you are

reaffirming your obligation to comply

with the most recent stewardship and

regulatory requirements.

23VA_CF 11/13 template 10/23/14 4:06 PM


Specialists Speaking

Race Continues To Finish Up HarvestFLORIDA David Wright

As producers finish up harvesting, days are gettingshorter, and attention turns to how the year turnedout and hunting. There were not record yields as wehave seen for the past two to three years, and spo-radic rains in certain areas and ample rains in nearbylocations resulted in a very non-uniform crop. Earlyrains leached fertilizer, and late rains delayed harvest.

Overall, there are several high-yielding varieties from which pro-ducers can choose with different technology for many of the weedproblems that we are encountering. Producers are worried about theprice, and if cotton will fit into the rotation next year. High yieldswill be required at current prices to figure in a profit.

With several months before the next crops start, producers willhave a chance for the price to change and hope that next yearis better. [email protected]

MISSOURI Mike MilamAccording to the Oct. 15 Cotton and Wool out-

look, Missouri’s yield is projected at 1,087 poundsper acre. However, this past week, we have had a lotof severe thunderstorms and wind. I have heardreports of cotton being on the ground in a number offields. In our heavier fields, I expect that water will bestanding for awhile after the rains stop. The good

news is that we are projected to have a very low probability of rainfor the next two weeks.

According to the Missouri Crop Progress and Condition Reportreleased on Oct. 14, 21 percent of our cotton has been harvested.This compares with the five-year average of 34 percent. So, gettingthe crop out of the field could be a challenge. Only three percent ofour cotton is in the poor range, so with our boll load we still have alot of yield potential.

While our heat units have been lower this year, there are plentyfor total production. After the crop is out of the field, producersshould map fields for weeds, nutrient and drainage problems. Soilsamples should be taken to prepare for next season. Missouri andNRCS cost-share money is available for the drainage issues. Many ofthe larger ditches have been cleaned out, making it easier to drainfields. [email protected]

NORTH CAROLINA Keith EdmistenThere is certainly no such thing as a normal year

in North Carolina, but this year was closer to “nor-mal” than last year. Because of this, I would putmore emphasis on variety evaluations from this yearthan last year. This is especially true for the later-maturing varieties that tended to underperform lastyear. As you read this, I am sure you have already

been considering varieties for next year.If we knew what the weather would be for 2015, we could all

pick the perfect variety. Since we do not know the weather for thecoming year, utilizing multiple varieties with different maturitieshelps to spread risk. Earliness is very often emphasized in cotton, butlater-maturing varieties do have some advantages. These wouldinclude more drought tolerance, generally better fiber quality andspreading the defoliation and harvest period so that less cotton isopen at one time and exposed to weathering losses.

I would pay particular interest to potassium levels as you soil test

this year. Potassium deficiency was the most common nutrient defi-ciency I saw in 2014. Following two years of rather high rainfall, youmay find that potassium has leached below the rooting zone, partic-ularly on deeper sandy soils. [email protected]

LOUISIANA Dan FrommeAs we approach the latter part of October, approx-

imately 60 to 70 percent of the cotton acres havebeen harvested. Harvest conditions have been good,with the exception of one to six inches of rainfallbeing received throughout the state during the sec-ond week of October. Hopefully, we can finish thecotton harvest during the early part of November.

Yield estimates remain on the positive side in most portions of thestate with the exception of two parishes in the south-central portionof the state where they received heavy amounts of rainfall through-out the season. This year’s crop still has the potential to be the sec-ond best on record for Louisiana.

According to USDA-AMS figures (as of 10/17/14) out of Rayville,24 percent of the bales received produced a micronaire value of 5.0or greater. In 2013, 58.7 percent of the bales produced a micronaireof 5.0 or greater. Length, strength and uniformity values are verycomparable to the 2012 and 2013 [email protected]

GEORGIA Guy CollinsApproximately one-fourth to one-third of Georgia

cotton has been harvested as I write this on Oct. 16.Yields have been variable, depending on irrigationcapabilities or length/severity of drought stress duringthe summer. Most of the acreage harvested to datehas been the early maturing dryland crop. There havebeen some higher than expected yields in some

fields, and USDA-NASS has forecasted our average yield to be 911pounds per acre, which is relatively high given the stress this crophas been through this season.

At this point in time, as more irrigated fields are defoliated, yieldsof the later-planted irrigated crop appear to be strong. Regrowth wasespecially severe during the early fall but seemed to be slightly slow-ing during mid October. A few rainy and cooler spells slowed har-vest progress during late September and early October, and severalproducers reported multiple applications in order to achieve accept-able defoliation during that time.

Declining temperatures may influence product selection and ratesof defoliants for the remainder of the crop. Hopefully, good harvestweather will help us achieve the best yields and quality [email protected]

ARKANSAS Bill RobertsonMother Nature has presented challenges to the

cotton producers of Arkansas basically the entire sea-son. An estimated 24,000 acres of cotton were all butdestroyed on Oct. 7 by early morning storms con-taining hail in Craighead and Mississippi counties.The passage of a weather front the following week-end brought additional wind and rain statewide that

has reduced a pretty good crop to just an average one for many.As expected, we all are anxious to have this one over and in the

books. Regardless of the challenges, as a season comes to an end,

24 25 26_CF 11/13 template 10/23/14 10:56 AM

plans for next year should be falling in place. Variety evaluation tobegin the process of variety selection for next year should be a prior-ity. Evaluating the performance of newer varieties to the standardson your farm and comparing notes with on-farm variety testing pro-grams near you and the official variety trial or OVT conducted byDr. Fred Bourland will help provide you the information to select thebest varieties for your farm.

There are many sources of information for new varieties, tech-nologies and products. The University of Arkansas Division ofAgriculture Cooperative Extension Service offers an excellent sourceof unbiased recommendations for crop production. Do your home-work wisely and make decisions that best fit your needs or situationto improve your bottom line. [email protected]

MISSISSIPPI Darrin DoddsCotton harvest is nearing completion, and most

Mississippi producers are very happy with their 2014crop. The USDA is predicting that Mississippi willproduce 1,154 pounds per acre this season. As mostknow, Mississippi producers set a new yield record in2013 at 1,203 pounds per acre, which places the2014 crop in good company. With the exception of

one significant storm system, harvest season has progressed relative-ly smooth. In addition, a large portion of our fields have beenworked and are in good shape for next season.

One thing to keep an eye on as we head into 2015 is soil fertility.Given that we have produced very good crops for the past severalyears, it is crucial that you are fertilizing your land properly. If youhave been fertilizing for a two-bale crop but have produced a three-bale crop the past few years, you are mining your soil of essentialnutrients. With crop prices down from previous highs, it is temptingto save money by cutting back on fertilizer. This is a short-term solu-tion that could ultimately come back to haunt you.

Fertilizing to replace what was removed through the harvested

crop, as well as applying extra to build soil test levels if needed, willbe a key component to optimize yields in the [email protected]

TENNESSEE Tyson RaperSeveral untimely rains caught many producers

between defoliation events or (even worse) immedi-ately prior to picking here in the middle of October.Still, the forecast looks favorable and with a little luckmost caught in limbo will be able to pick their cropwith little penalty in quality; most all varieties in ourtesting program held locks through the wind and rain

and should pick fine given that they have time to dry/bleach. The additional rainfall, moderate temperatures and longer-than-

normal time frame between defoliation and picking have supportedregrowth in some areas. Fields which did not receive a regrowth pre-vention product are easy to pick out from the road and are requiringan additional application to remove the new growth. Initial yieldnumbers and quality reports from the field are very promising, butthese numbers are coming from the earliest planted cotton. Fingersare crossed that these values hold as we move into later maturingfields. [email protected]

TEXAS Mark KelleyAcross the High Plains and Panhandle Regions of

Texas, cotton producers are gearing up for a goodharvest season. At this point, there are some fieldsthat have been harvested and several that have hadharvest aids applied. However, with continued heatunit accumulations, though it is very few per day,some are holding out to allow more time for bolls to

mature. These are mostly later-planted fields that just need a bitmore time to finish. For the most part, harvest aids seem to be work-ing well due to the warm conditions under which most were


24 25 26_CF 11/13 template 10/23/14 4:08 PM

applied. With no conditioning freeze/frost in the near-term forecast,producers who were opting to hold out for a freeze to prepare thecrop for harvest may want to consider a low-cost harvest-aid appli-cation on fields that are better than 80 percent open to prepare thecrop for stripper harvesting.

At this point, overall quality of the cotton crop in these areas hasyet to be determined. As the harvest season progresses, more infor-mation on yield and quality will be made available. [email protected]

ARIZONA Randy NortonCotton Root Rot (CRR - Phymatotrichopsis

omnivora) is a potentially destructive fungus that canaffect cotton plants from early bloom through cutout.Depending on the timing and severity of diseaseoccurrence, final crop yield may be dramaticallyreduced. Distribution of this disease in Arizona cot-ton fields is very spatially defined as it occurs in simi-

lar areas of a field every year. However, variations in size of theaffected area may occur from year to year.

Reasons for the variations in timing and extensiveness or severityof the disease from year to year are poorly understood. Recent dis-covery of the effectiveness of a fungicide in the control of CRR haspiqued the interest of researchers and producers alike. Evaluationsconducted in Arizona in small plot trials over the recent three yearshas shown significant reductions in disease incidence with the use ofthe active ingredient in the product Topguard (flutriafol). The EPAgranted a Section 18 emergency exemption for the use of Topguardin Arizona for 2014, and approximately 500 acres were treated

commercially across the state with effective results. It is expected that a full label for use in cotton will be available by

the end of 2014 for use in the 2015 cotton season. However, arenewal of the Section 18 will be pursued to ensure that it is avail-able for our producers in Arizona for 2015. For more information ongeneral cotton production topics, go to cals.arizona.edu/[email protected]

ALABAMA Charles BurmesterThe northern Alabama cotton crop in late

September and early October was one of the bestlooking cotton crops that I have seen in some time.Cotton pickers were hardly leaving any cotton in thefields. Two weeks of rain and wind has greatlychanged the looks of this crop. Some cotton is on theground, and much is stringing out of the burs. Cotton

pickers are again running, and yields are still good in most areas.Some of the later cotton is still opening very slowly as these greenbolls still need more drying time. Overall, we predict a good cotton crop for northern Alabama, but we will always wonder whatit could have been? [email protected]

TEXAS Gaylon MorganCotton harvest in the Southern Blacklands is con-

cluding in late October, which is more than a monthlater than normal. However, yields have been quiteimpressive in both dryland and irrigated fields in theUpper Gulf Coast, Blacklands and Winter Gardenregions with some three-plus bale dryland yieldsbeing reported. Harvesting has really just begun in

the Northern and Southern Rolling Plains with about 15 to 20 per-cent defoliated. Dryland yields will be highly variable, as usual, butoverall the dryland cotton is expected to be below average due tolack of rainfall or rain too late in the season to help.

The irrigated cotton is expected to be quite good across much ofthe Rolling Plains, except some widespread areas that received somebad hail storms. The 2015 cotton variety results for South andCentral Texas will soon be available for producers atcotton.tamu.edu, and producers can begin preparing for the2015 season.

These variety results are a great place for producers to evaluatethe performance of cotton varieties in large-plot replicated trialsacross many locations. [email protected]

OKLAHOMA Randy BomanAs of this writing, the 2014 Oklahoma growing

season is winding down, and harvest is ramping up.The moisture situation is still challenging in the farsouthwestern corner of the state. Many producershave made harvest-aid applications on higher yield-ing cotton, and some lower yielding fields havealready been harvested.

Thanks to cotton heat units at Altus from September through mid-October running about 17 percent above normal, many late fieldshave gained remarkable maturity. Normally, cotton-maturing weath-er is over by around Oct. 20, and first freezes in the area beginaround the first week in November. The dryland crop will struggle inmany places, but a high percentage of acres will be harvested. Theirrigated crop will do a lot of the heavy lifting with respect tobale production.

We are looking forward to harvesting new releases and standardsin our variety performance trials to see what’s in store for the nearfuture. It never ceases to amaze me how far yield and quality havecome over the last few years. [email protected]


Specialists Speaking

For up to the minute cotton market information

Experience means credibility. Listen to two experienced farm broadcasterswho keep their listeners updated on news

that affects your farming operation.

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

The Mississippi AgriNews NetworkAg Voice of the Delta

Louisiana Agri-News NetworkLouisiana’s Source For Ag News

John WinfieldFarm Director

Miss. AgriNewsNetwork

Don MolinoFarm DirectorLa. Agri-News

Network

Tommy HortonEditor

Cotton Farming magazine

24 25 26_CF 11/13 template 10/23/14 10:56 AM


Getting Back To The Basics:Conventional Cotton Seed

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Booking All Varieties

USDA, House Ag CommitteeAnnounce Risk Mgt. Tools

House Agriculture CommitteeRanking Member Collin Peterson hasjoined U.S. Department of AgricultureSecretary Tom Vilsack and other farmleaders to unveil the new AgriculturalRisk Coverage (ARC) and Price LossCoverage (PLC) programs, new riskmanagement tools authorized by the2014 Farm Bill.

Peterson made the following state-ment to the media:

“The 2014 Farm Bill made impor-tant reforms to farm programs andprovides farmers with a choice of aprice or revenue-based safety net thatwill only provide assistance if there isa price or crop loss. Farmers will nowbe able to visit their local FSA officesto learn more about these importantrisk management tools and make thebest decision for their individual opera-tion. I have been closely followingUSDA’s efforts to implement the 2014Farm Bill and am pleased to seeimplementation of ARC and PLC move ahead.”

For more information, farmers canvisit www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc.

Frontier Mills AnnouncesPerkins As President/CEO

Frontier Spinning Mills HoldingCorporation has announced the promo-tion of Robin Perkins to chief executiveofficer. In conjunction with the promo-tion, John L. Bakane is retiring fromfull-time responsibilities as chief exec-utive officer, and he will remaininvolved with Frontier as executivechairman of the board of directors.Frontier is owned by affiliates ofAmerican Securities LLC, a New York-based private equity firm, and mem-bers of Frontier management.

For additional information, go towww.frontierspinning.com.

Dow’s Enlist SystemReceives EPA Registration

The Enlist Weed Control System isnow approved by federal regulatoryauthorities. The EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) registeredEnlist Duo herbicide for use withEnlist corn and soybeans. EPA’s deci-sion is the final step in the federal reg-ulatory process for the Enlist system.

The Enlist corn and soybean traits

were deregulated in September. With regulatory approvals now in

place for Enlist corn and soybean traitsand Enlist Duo herbicide, DowAgroSciences will release its 2015 mar-ket intentions for Enlist in the comingweeks. Enlist Duo herbicide is a pro-prietary blend of new 2,4-D cholineand glyphosate. For more information,go to www.enlist.com.

Bayer Ag Museum DedicatesNew Technology Exhibit

The Bayer Museum of Agriculturein Lubbock, Texas, continues to growand add new features for its visitors.Recently, a new technology exhibit wasdedicated to the building.

Included were an interactive cottonexhibit, horse-drawn plows, a 1920sreplica blacksmith shop and an exhibiton the history of cotton ginning.

On hand for the festivities wereLubbock Mayor Glen Robertson, CityCouncilman Floyd Price, CountyCommissioners Patty Jones and BillMcCray and Texas Tech UniversityPresident Duane Nellis.

Go to www.press.bayercrop-science.com for more information.

Industry News

27_CF 11/13 template 10/23/14 4:09 PM


SPECIAL REPORT

In the midst of challenging weatherconditions across much of theCotton Belt this year, preliminaryreports are positive about a new

triple-stacked herbicide technologyfrom Monsanto that may help in thefight against weed resistance.

Select producers in the Southeastwere able to plant and grow newDeltapine Bollgard II XtendFlex exper-imental cotton varieties with the trait.Obviously, the new technology hasn’treceived regulatory approval fromUSDA and the Environmental Protec-tion Agency. However, an announce-ment could occur at any time.

Pending approval, the varieties withthe new trait could be available for the2015 crop season. Monsanto expects tooffer the trait in its Deltapine brandseed and to select licensees.

The new technology is designed toprovide farmers with more consistentand flexible control of weeds – especial-ly glyphosate-resistant weeds suchas pigweed. It also has effective toler-ance to dicamba, glyphosate and glu-fosinate herbicides.

Another added bonus is the abilityto have up to 14 days of residual activi-ty and the option of dicamba applica-tions before, during and after planting.

Early Positive ReportsThe Jordan brothers – Mike, Steve

and John – farm in Malone, Fla., butalso have acreage in Alabama. Theiroperation consists of 2,350 cottonacres, 650 peanut acres and smalleracreage devoted to specialty cropssuch as cucumbers and potatoes.

They took part in Monsanto’sGround Breakers program, in whichproducers are provided training onnew trait technology and gainfirsthand experience with herbicideapplication requirements.

“I like what I’ve seen so far,” saysMike. “I like the variety, but I alsohave been impressed by the overalleffectiveness of the weed control sys-tem. We have been waiting on thistechnology, and the field has beenclean all the way through the season.

The farmers are asking for this, andwe need it.”

Mike says his neighbors are anxiousto know how the new experimentalvariety has performed, but he won’thave the final analysis until afterharvest is finished.

Mainly, he’ll answer two questions.How did the new variety perform, andhow effective was the weed controlcomponent of the program ?

If anybody understands the weedresistance problem, it’s the Jordanbrothers. Between all three of thebrothers’ farms, they have spent near-ly $50,000 on hand weeding in previ-ous years to battle resistant pigweed.

Even with a zero tolerance for pig-weed, Mike says it is nearly impossibleto have 100 percent clean fields. Ditchbanks are ideal places for pigweeds togerminate as well as areas whereuntimely rains can negatively affectherbicide applications.

Another reason that the Jordans areanxious to have the new Xtend Flexcotton technology approved is becauseof spiraling production costs. With cur-rent cotton prices in the 60 to 67-centrange, it behooves all producers tofind new ways to cut costs and bemore efficient.

“Like I said, it is encouraging to seewhat this cotton looks like right now,”says Mike. “It fluffed out really good. Iam happy with what I see.”

Impressive TechnologyIn terms of better yields, Mike antic-

ipates continued increases with thenew Xtend Flex varieties. In otherwords, he doesn’t foresee any “yielddrags” caused by the new technologyand traits.

“I think these varieties are ahead ofthe game when you compare them tothe old days,” he says.

“If I could communicate any kind ofmessage to USDA, it would be that weneed this technology. We need it now,and it will affect our ability to producecotton in the future.”

The Jordan brothers also heartilyendorse the Deltapine New Product

New Technology MayHelp Control Weeds

BY TOMMY HORTONEDITOR

BY TOMMY HORTON

Cotton Farming

CCOY1998 Cotton Consultant of the Year

Chuck Farr

As a kid in high school, I heardabout what consultants did to aidfarmers. I wanted to do some-thing along those lines when Igot out of college. With cottonmaking a comeback in the mid-to late ’80s, I found my calling.

Mike Dodson, an independentconsultant with a growing busi-ness, hired me. One thing led toanother, and I was fortunateenough to buy the business andhave kept it going ever since.

The friendship and trust that Ihave gained among those withwhom I work are the greatestrewards anyone can have. In thefall, we are blessed to see whatwe have accomplished in just afew short months....and lookforward to starting another year.

Cotton Consultant of the Year sponsored by

A CONSULTANT’S GREATESTREWARDS ARE FRIENDSHIP & TRUST

28 29_CF 11/13 template 10/23/14 8:47 AM

Evaluator program. By participating,they are allowed to plant new experi-mental varieties on their farm to seehow they perform before potential com-mercial release at a later time.

This year they planted their acreagemostly to five Deltapine varieties:

DP 1252 B2RFDP 1050 B2RFDP 1034 B2RFDP 1028 B2RFDP 1321 B2RF

Committed To CottonVeteran consultant Wes Briggs has

worked with the Jordan brothers forseveral years. He says the key to theirsuccess is an ability to “be on time ineverything they do.”

“They like to analyze and find waysto be more efficient,” he says. “I havehelped them with variable-rate pro-grams, and they’ve had a lot of successdoing that.

“I’m not surprised that they areinvolved in those Xtend Flex experi-mental varieties. They are looking forways to deal with weed resistance andimprove their farms.”

Contact Tommy Horton at (901) 767-4020 or [email protected].


The Jordan brothers – John, Steve and Mike – are proactive in their approach tocotton production and embracing new technology.

28 29_CF 11/13 template 10/23/14 8:48 AM


ALABAMADothan – November 19, 3 p.m. - National PeanutFestival Fairgrounds - Volunteer Building, 5622Highway 231 South.

Belle Mina – November 20, 9 a.m. - Tennessee ValleyResearch & Extension Center, 9494 Experimental Loop.

ARIZONACasa Grande – November 11, 9 a.m. - The PropertyConference Center - Ellington Ballroom, 1251 WestGila Bend Highway.

ARKANSASBlytheville – November 20, 2 p.m. - ArkansasNortheastern College - Governor’s Ballroom/-Statehouse Hall Bldg, 2501 South Division Street.

McGehee – November 19, 1:30 p.m. - McGeheeMen’s Club, #1 Airport Road South.

CALIFORNIACoalinga – November 10, 9 a.m. - Harris Ranch Inn &Restaurant - Garden Ballroom, 24505 West DorrisAvenue.

GEORGIAStatesboro – November 18, 3 p.m. - Bulloch CountyAg Center, 151 Langston Chapel Road.

Tifton – November 19, 9 a.m. - UGA Tifton CampusConference Center, Small Auditorium, 15 RDC Road.

LOUISIANAMonroe – November 18, 9 a.m. - Bayou DeSiardCountry Club, 3501 Forsythe Avenue.

MISSISSIPPIStoneville – November 19, 9 a.m. - Delta BranchExperiment Center - Capps Center, 82 Stoneville Rd.

NORTH CAROLINARocky Mount – November 17, 9 a.m. - East CarolinaAgricultural & Education Center - Auditorium, 1175Kingsboro Road.

Lumberton – November 17, 3 p.m. - Southeastern NCAgricultural Events Center, Room 4/5, 1027 Highway75 East.

OKLAHOMAAltus – November 20, 1 p.m. - Oklahoma CottonCooperative Assn., 20284 East CR 165.

SOUTH CAROLINASantee – November 18, 9 a.m. - Family DevelopmentCenter, 210 Brooks Boulevard.

TENNESSEEJackson – November 20, 9 a.m. - West TennesseeResearch & Education Center, Room A 605 AirwaysBoulevard.

TEXASAmarillo – December 9, 9 a.m. - AgriLife ExtensionCenter, 6500 Amarillo Boulevard West.

El Campo – November 19, 8:30 a.m. - El Campo CivicCenter, Duson Room, 2350 Mechanic St.

Lamesa – December 10, 8:30 a.m. - Leroy ColganBldg., S. 10th St. & S. Houston St. at Forrest Park.

Lubbock – December 10, 1 p.m. - Bayer Museum ofAgriculture, 1121 Canyon Lake Drive.

Miles – November 19, 9 a.m. - Young FarmersBuilding.

Monte Alto – November 20, 9 a.m. - Rio Farms, SamSparks Auditorium, 25601 North FM 88.

Plainview – December 9, 2:30 p.m. - PlainviewCountry Club, 2902 West 4th Street.

Robstown – November 19, 3 p.m. - Richard BorchardFairgrounds, Ballroom B, 1213 Terry Shamsie Blvd.

St. Lawrence – November 18, 9 a.m., St. LawrenceParish Hall.

Stamford – November 19, 2:30 p.m. - Stamford HighSchool, Auditorium, 507 South Orient.

NCC To HostInsurance Meetings

SPECIAL REPORTTrait Stewardship ResponsibilitiesNotice to Farmers

Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in

accordance with ETS Product Launch

Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance

with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization

of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in

Commodity Crops. Commercialized

products have been approved for import into

key export markets with functioning

regulatory systems. Any crop or material

produced from this product can only be

exported to, or used, processed or sold in

countries where all necessary regulatory

approvals have been granted. It is a violation

of national and international law to move

material containing biotech traits across

boundaries into nations where import is not

permitted. Growers should talk to their grain

handler or product purchaser to confirm their

buying position for this product.

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

states. Check with your Monsanto

representative for the registration status in

your state.

Individual results may vary, and

performance may vary from location to

location and from year to year. This result

may not be an indicator of results you may

obtain as local growing, soil and weather

conditions may vary. Growers should

evaluate data from multiple locations and

years whenever possible.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to

glyphosate, the active ingredient in

Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides.

Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will

kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate.

Bollgard II®, Genuity Design®, Genuity Icons,

Genuity®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton

Design®, Roundup Ready® and Roundup®

are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC.

Dedicated to Cotton. Committed to You.® and

Deltapine® are registered trademarks of

Monsanto Company. All other trademarks

are the property of their respective owners.

DP-CF-15012 LCREV_2014

The National Cotton Council (NCC) has scheduled 25 educational meet-ings across the Cotton Belt to provide its members with in-depth infor-mation regarding insurance options for cotton under The AgriculturalAct of 2014.

The first meeting will be on Nov. 10 and the last two meetings on Dec. 10.The meetings will provide an in-depth look at the new Stacked Income

Protection Plan (STAX) and the Supplemental Coverage Option. Coverage levels,expected yields and premium rates will be covered in detail in order to betterequip producers with the information necessary to evaluate the insuranceoptions for 2015.

The schedule of meetings listed by state (all times local):

30_CF 11/13 template 10/22/14 9:43 AM

COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.

OSHA Changes RuleOn Injury Reporting

The Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA) has ratherabruptly issued a new rule, changing therequirements for reporting injuries andfatalities. Under the old rule, employerswere required to notify OSHA withineight hours of the event if they had aworkplace-related fatality, or if a work-place accident resulted in the hospitaliza-tion of three or more employees.

The requirement for fatalities hasremained essentially the same under thenew rules, but requirements for reportinginjuries have changed significantly.

First of all, they have changed the timerequirement for reporting injuries. Youhave 24 hours from the time you learn ofan injury to report it. On the other hand,you now have to report any time a singleworker is hospitalized for treatment dueto a work-related injury. In addition, anyeye loss must be reported, as well as any amputation.

The amputation requirement is wherethe real issues begin. When OSHA origi-nally proposed this updated reportingrequirement, it had used a definition ofamputation that required the loss of bonebefore an injury would count as an ampu-tation. This rule was sent out for publiccomment in 2011 and was then left dor-mant. Last month, OSHA suddenlyissued the final rule, which goes intoeffect on Jan. 1, 2015.

The big surprise comes when you readthe final rule carefully and discover thatthe definition of amputation has beenchanged to one that does not require lossof bone or hospitalization. So, now thatthe rule is final, the loss of a fingertip ortip of a toe without any bone loss or hospi-talization is supposed to be reportedto OSHA, according to this updatedfinal rule.

In the final rule, OSHA stated thatthere were 14 hospitalization incidentsreported in 2010 under the old rule. Theagency is estimating there will bebetween 66,000 and 100,000 injuriesreported per year under the new rule.Stay tuned as employers and our


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associations work to figure out how to work withthese new definitions, but be aware that startingin 2015, most employers will find themselveshaving to report fairly minor injuries to OSHA.

There is always the chance that someone willdecide to challenge this rule in court, but most ofthe experts seem to think that a challenge wouldbe difficult. On the other hand, it remains to beseen what OSHA will do with the increase inreports. If it receives the numbers being predict-ed, it is hard to imagine how the agency will findthe time to read them all, much less actuallyrespond to each one.

Kelley Green of the Texas Cotton Ginners’Association contributed this article. Contact himat [email protected].

Cotton’s CalendarNov. 11-12 – Pink Bollworm Meeting, Phoenix, Ariz.Nov. 11-14 – CCI Sourcing Summit, Scottsdale, Ariz.Nov. 12-13 – CI Crop Mgt. Seminar, Tifton, Ga.Nov. 19 – PCCA Board meeting, Lubbock, Texas.Dec. 2-3 – Boll Weevil Action Comm. – Little Rock, Ark.Dec. 9-11 – Cotton Board meeting – St. Petersburg, Fla.Dec. 17 – Staplcotn Board Meeting, Greenwood, Miss.Jan. 5-7 – BWCC, San Antonio, Texas.Jan. 14 – PCG Quarterly Meeting, Lubbock, Texas.Jan. 14-16 – Cotton/Rice Conference, Baton Rouge, La.

31 32 33_CF 11/13 template 10/23/14 4:10 PM

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George Washing-ton once said, “Iknow of no pur-suit in which

more real and importantservices can be rendered toany country than byimproving its agriculture.”Having worked in agricul-tural research for 34 yearsin the Mississippi Deltaand witnessing the migra-tion from King Cotton to alandscape dotted withgrain bins, I have seen

firsthand the changing face of rural America.In 1976, the bicentennial year, USDA published

its Yearbook of Agriculture titled “The Face ofRural America” that was billed as a visual recordof America’s agriculture 200 years after theDeclaration of Indepen-dence. Now, 38 yearslater, even greaterchange continues. In1960, the average Am-erican farmer fed 25people. Today, that number has grown to 155 peo-ple. For many years, agriculture was credited withsupplying food and fiber for the world. However,today a third has been added – fuel. As our nationcontinues to grow, its dependence on energy, alter-native energy and/or renewable energy is criticalfor the future.

Another George Washington – GeorgeWashington Carver, born in Missouri in the1860s – was an American scientist, botanist, edu-cator and inventor. His reputation is based onresearch on alternative crops to cotton, such aspeanuts, soybean and sweet potatoes. These cropsaided nutrition for farm families but also could beused as sources of other products that couldimprove quality of life. He developed and promot-ed hundreds of products made from peanuts,including cosmetics, dyes, paints, plastics, gaso-line and even nitrogylcerin.

Mississippi State University Extension Servicejoins other states in celebrating the centennial ofthe Smith-Lever Act (1914). CooperativeExtension was designed as a partnership of the

U.S. Department of Agriculture and the land-grant universities authorized by the Morrill Actsof 1862 and 1890. Legislatures in the variousstates then enabled local governments in thecounties to become a third legal partner in theeducational endeavor. The MSU-ES has a pres-ence in all 82 counties in Mississippi in the form ofAgriculture and Natural Resources, Family andConsumer Science and Education, 4-H YouthDevelopment, and Enterprise and CommunityResource Development.

The Delta Research and Extension Center atStoneville celebrated its 100th anniversary in2004 and dedicated the Charles W. Capps Jr.Entrepreneurial Center. This state-of-the-artmeeting facility offers 18,000 square feet of meet-ing space, a 400-seat auditorium and distancelearning capabilities. The Centennial Rotationwas established the same year to evaluate croprotations with the latest technologies. The rota-

tions include two-year, three-year andfour-year rotationswith cotton, corn andsoybeans with allcrops in each rotation

grown each year. When I came to Mississippi in 1980, corn yields

were 28 bushels/acre (88,000 acres), cotton yieldswere 488 pounds/acre (1.125 million acres) andsoybean yields were 16 bushels/acre (3.85 millionacres). In 2013, dramatic changes were evident ascorn yields were 176 bushels/acre (830,000 acres);cotton yields were 1,203 pounds/acre (287,000acres); and soybean yields were 46 bushels/acre(1.99 million acres) – all record yields.

I have now moved to a new office in the VernerG. Hurt Research and Extension Building on thecampus at Stoneville and watched out my windowas the old three-story was laid to rest. The grassnow grows green where a monument once stood.The 83-year-old building is now only a memorybut having spent the majority of my professionalcareer within those walls, it remains special tome. The landscape is changing, and I suppose weall change along with it.

– Wayne Ebelhar, Stoneville [email protected]

Rural America Is Changing

My Turn

Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling unusual “farm tales” or timely storiesfrom across the Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting story to tell, send a short summary to

[email protected] or fax to (901) 767-4026. We look forward to hearing from you.

Wayne Ebelhar

‘I have seen firsthand the changing face of rural America’

34_Don Cameron My Turn #2 10/23/14 2:03 PM

Always follow IRM, grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. Details of these practices can be found in the Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers printed in this publication. ©2014 Monsanto Company. DP15012-CF-DE-1133, 1311, 1034 11/1

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