Cotton Breeders Need Some Hurrahs
When I was a kid we plowed deep, planted black cottonseed and sprayed the heck out of the crop. We have solved a lot of problems since then and a great many of those problems have been tackled at the beginning stage of growing the crop.
Starting with the right seed is the most important decision a grower can make when planting season rolls around.
The changes to seed and plant traits in my lifetime have been miraculous, from seed coatings that protect the seed and young plant from disease to the genetic alterations that control our biggest pests.
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Choppy Conditions Along Cotton Supply Chain
Volatility will continue to rule the cotton market in 2023 with China remaining the dominant force when it comes to demand.
Speaking at the annual meeting of Southern Cotton Growers/Southeastern Cotton Ginners at the Marriott Myrtle Beach Grand Dunes in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Cotton Incorporated Senior Economist Jon Devine said volatility in prices, volatility in supply and demand, and uncertainty about choppy business conditions in each stage of the supply will impact the market.
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12 New Cotton Varieties Will Be Available To Producers This Season
Twelve new commercial cotton varieties will be available for cotton producers in 2023. It’s a diverse showcase featuring increased yield potential, higher quality and new technology.
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Monthly Cotton Economic Letter January, 2023
Movement in cotton benchmarks was mixed over the past month.
Despite relatively wide intraday changes, movement in the March NY/ICE contract, values were constrained within the range between 79 and 89 cents/lb that has held them since early November.
Prices for the December NY/ICE 2023 contract, reflecting market expectations for the 2023/24 crop year, have followed a gentle upward trend defined by a series of higher lows. That trend pulled prices up from 75 cents/lb in early November to values over 80 cents/lb.
The A Index was stable over the past month, holding to levels near 100 cents/lb.
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The Southern Cotton Ginners Association Presents Awards at Annual Meeting
The Ag Achievement Award, which is presented each year to a farming operation and university that have worked together cooperatively to promote innovation, efficiency, quality, safety, conservation, and environmental practices. Kody Beavers and Louisiana State University AgCenter, are the 2023 recipients of the award.
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Continued Market Volatility Expected For 2023 Cotton Market
Cotton production can be financially stressful and for many cotton producers in Oklahoma and Texas, the 2022 crop was a disappointment. Price and yield prospects withered like cooked cabbage as the hot and dry growing season wore on. However, it is not too early to be thinking about plans for the 2023 cotton crop with most of the short crop harvest just behind us.
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USDA Researchers Develop Naturally Fire-Resistant Cotton Lines
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service have bred four cotton lines that can be used to make self-extinguishing textiles when exposed to fire. The hope is that these cotton lines will reduce the need for flame-retardant chemicals to be embedded in consumer products.
The new cotton lines were developed from cultivated varieties with a novel flame-retardant trait. When exposed to an open flame, the fabric from the new cotton lines self-extinguished compared to regular cotton fabric, which burned entirely in seconds.
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LA Producer Helps Tell The Story Of US Cotton To Brands & Retailers
The visionary cotton producers who formed the Cotton Research and Promotion Program in the 1960s knew that to stay relevant in our industry they had to come together to tell the story of U.S. cotton.
Over the years, the story of cotton’s advantages over synthetic fibers has evolved, expanded and become multi-faceted with different messages targeting different audiences. One of the most important messages recently has been that U.S. cotton farmers are committed to sustainability and continuous improvement on their farms.
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Cotton Board Promotes Wyonzek To Vice President Of Operations
The Cotton Board has promoted Emily Wyonzek to Vice President of Operations for the organization.
Bill Gillon, President and CEO of The Cotton Board, stated, “Emily has demonstrated the kind of dedication, management skills, and commitment to innovation that are the hallmarks of successful leaders. Among other things, she has directed the Human Resource operations of The Cotton Board, managed our four Regional Communications Managers, and helped guide the strategic priorities of the organization. Specifically, along with our Director of Communications, Emily and her team have used the Cotton & Coffee platform and strong Cotton Incorporated tour participation to ensure producer stakeholders in the Cotton Research and Promotion Program are more aware of the great work being done by Cotton Incorporated.”
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An Optimistic Futures Price For Cotton And A Pessimistic One
Cotton prices in 2022 were like a roller coaster ride, including increased volatility and the highest price achieved for the past decade. Multiple rapid market rallies in the cotton market were observed in 2022, followed by a quick withdrawal of speculative money, resulting in an immediate plunge in cotton prices after the rally.
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US Cotton Sector Benefits From 2023 Government Spend Package
The assistance, included in the FY23 omnibus spending package, includes US$3.74bn for disaster assistance for US ranchers and farmers, including cotton and other row crop producers.
Schneider, a Louisiana producer, said the industry appreciates that the package includes $15.45m for cotton pest management activities, $4m for USDA’s cotton classing laboratories, and increased funding for cotton genetics and fibre quality research programmes within the Agriculture Research Service.
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Nation’s Leading Agricultural Educational Conference For Producers Is Headed To Baton Rouge, Louisiana
The 26th Annual National Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference, the Southern Soybean & Corn Conference, the Delta States Irrigation Conference and the Southern Precision Ag Conference are headed to Baton Rouge, LA. The conferences are sponsored by Cotton Incorporated and US Rice Producers Association.
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Ol' Man River--The Mighty Mississip'
For most of my childhood, I grew up about 10 miles west of Vidalia, Louisiana, where the Mississippi River bridge crossed over to Natchez, Mississippi. But when I was about 2 years old, we actually lived in Vidalia for a couple years in a little eggplant-colored house close to the levee. Later on, the houses on that side of the street were torn down to make way for the new bridge that was completed in 1988. So, then there were two — eastbound and westbound.
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LSU Ag Center Team Receives Grant To Help Farmers Irrigate Efficiently
When drought conditions set in across Louisiana this summer, many farmers resorted to irrigation to try to save their crops. While it helped preserve yields and quality in some cases, the sharp uptick in irrigation raised an alarm among those who monitor water usage in agriculture.
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Louisiana Cotton Production Higher, Sugarcane Lower
Louisiana cotton production and yields were both higher in November while sugarcane production and yield were both down.
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