China, Volatility, On-Call Sales, Shipping Backlog, and Late Harvest remain the buzz in the cotton market. Contrary to the opinion of a few traders, and speaking to the total of the textile mill sector, the cotton market is neither tanking nor headed anywhere but up. The market is consolidating its price activity within the five-cent range around 108 cents.
Read MoreLouisiana cotton farmers are past the halfway point of harvest. Despite less-than ideal growing conditions, yields have been better than expected. LSU Ag Center's Craig Gautreaux has a progress report.
Read MoreYield maps are considered as a year-end report card for a farm that shows us what worked and where. Most consultants and growers utilize cotton yield maps at the end of the year to evaluate field performance and how certain management practices may be adjusted in the next season to maximize productivity across the whole field.
Quality of yield data is important to make sound and informed crop management decisions. Errors in yield data can occur at various stages of cotton harvest.
Read MoreFrank Appleberry has a list of things to apply each spring to his crop fields in Tillar, Arkansas: preplant fertilizer, preemergence herbicides and oh, don’t forget the liquid blend of pulverized caterpillars, teeming with live viruses.
It sounds unconventional, but for a growing number of American farmers, this type of bioinsecticide is proving a regular and reliable tool to control Helicoverpa zea, the multi-crop pest known as soybean podworm, sorghum headworm, corn earworm and cotton bollworm.
Read MoreThe Louisiana Cotton Festival is back for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
The fun kicks off Wednesday, October 20 at 5:00 p.m. when the fairgrounds open.
Read MoreIndia’s 2021/22 consumption is forecast at a record 25.5 million bales and exports are projected at the second-highest level in 8 years at 5.8 million. This level of total use is forecast to lower ending stocks to 12.4 million bales, down nearly 4.0 million compared with the record level 2 years prior.
A robust recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and stronger domestic consumption and exports of cotton yarn, fabric, and products are projected to support a significant downfall in stocks.
Read MoreWith crops, farmers will adapt — they always have and always will. To help this adaptation, however, a Texas A&M AgriLife research project has used artificial intelligence modeling to determine what traits cultivars will need to be successful under changing climate conditions.
The project’s other goal was to help extend the life of the Ogallala Aquifer. Safeguarding the aquifer will require understanding how crops adapt to future cropping practices, especially since climate change predictions indicate summers will be warmer and dryer in the future.
Read MoreThe cotton market had a wild session Friday, moving from limit-up bid to lower, and then slightly higher at the close. After a night of potential strong Chinese buying, ICE Futures were limit up, however, traders became disappointed with USDA’s weekly export-sales data.
Those numbers show sharply lower sales and starkly lower shipments. Thus, profit taking emerged, sending prices down. However, given that the trend remains undeniably up, the market did regroup to finish higher.
Read MoreSeven students were selected from 17 qualified applicants for the 3rd annual AMVAC Cotton Industry Advancement Scholarship. Each scholarship recipient received $2,000.
“Every year, it’s amazing to see the skill, knowledge and passion these students have for the cotton industry, and it’s an honor to support young leaders as they pursue their dream careers,” said Paul Vaculin, cotton marketing manager at AMVAC.
Read MoreThe explosion in cotton prices continued this week as U.S. and offshore funds poured bags of cash into both the New York Cotton Exchange and the Chinese ZCE. The climb to the top continues, wherever that is. The price objective of $1.25 to $1.35 is still in the realm of possibility, although I am a bit dazed by the limit up to limit up trading.
Read MoreBoth traditional and organic producers are increasing their use of cover crops for a variety of reasons — to control erosion, choke out weeds, improve soil health and enhance water availability. Now research by University of Georgia scientists is examining which cover crops may also provide important habitat for predatory insects that could help control disease- and damage-causing pests in cotton.
Read MoreA cold front blew through yesterday, chasing off clouds in the overcast sky and replacing them with sunshine and a crispy nip in the air. It was as if the stars had aligned just right on the first day of fall. October has always been my favorite time of the year.
One of my fondest memories is going out to the farm with my dad early in the morning. He stood at the edge of the field and smiled as he looked out over the open cotton. To me, it seemed the lines on his face were not as deep and his demeanor was more relaxed than it had been during the hectic months leading up to harvest.
Read MoreThe 2022 Beltwide Cotton Conferences (BWCC), set for January 4-6 at the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, will offer attendees timely updates on the latest research, technology and issues affecting U.S. cotton production and processing.
The BWCC, coordinated by the National Cotton Council, annually brings together university and USDA researchers, regulatory agencies, extension personnel/agents, consultants, and industry sales/support personnel to exchange information about new products and production/processing systems that can be tailored to individual farming operations for maximum efficiency.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for October 2021, which are effective Oct. 1, as well as marketing assistance loan rates for upland cotton in 2022. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.
Read MoreThe cotton crop in the Deep South is later than normal. Weather didn't cooperate. But there's time to thread the needle on timely aggressive harvest aids to grab more quality yield from some fields.
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