AgWired

Cotton growers in the Southeast have been dealing with weed resistance since the first case was confirmed in Georgia in 2005. While it spread rapidly in that region, Texas cotton growers have been comparatively resistance-free – but not anymore, according to Dr. Paul Baumann with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension who gave growers an update at the Beltwide Cotton Production Conference Tuesday.

“Over the past couple years, 2011-2012, we saw a dramatic increase in the number of reported or suspected sites, particularly for common waterhemp,” he said. “We have confirmed resistance in a large percentage of these sites. Bottom line is – we’ve got the issue.”

That’s mainly in southern Texas, but there is resistance rapidly developing in the plains as well where they have found a large number of sites with resistant Palmer ameranth pigweed. “We that being one of the major cotton production areas, this is a big issue for us,” Dr. Baumann said.

He says they believe one reason Texas has been slower to develop resistance to glyphosate is that growers have already been using multiple modes of action, which is the primary way to fight the problem.

Listen to my interview with Dr. Baumann here: Paul Baumann interview

2013 Beltwide Cotton photo album

The FMC team at the 2013 Beltwide Cotton Conferences has been hard at work here talking to growers about Display and Anthem. We sincerely appreciate their support making coverage of this year’s event possible. Since this is the last year that technical exhibits will be a part of the Beltwide, the FMC folks say they will miss this opportunity to interact with cotton growers, but they will still be involved in other shows in cotton producing areas.

Growers who stop by the booth here at Beltwide have been signing up to win $250 gift cards for Cabela’s – they had a drawing for one yesterday and will draw for another today. Stop by and win!

2013 Beltwide Cotton photo album

During the Tuesday morning general session of the Cotton Production Conference in San Antonio, Gaylon Morgan with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service gave a review of 2012 in cotton production.

“Several of the states are going to set record yields this year,” Gaylon said, particularly in the Southeast and the Delta.

“As you move further west into Texas and Oklahoma, we were better than 2011, but we still only harvested about 72% of our cotton acres in Texas and Oklahoma only harvested about 50% of total cotton acres,” he continued, explaining that that was due in part to a continuation of the drought, but also to an early freeze. “Up in the high plains of Texas we had an early freeze October 8 in the irrigated cotton that was doing fairly well there that more or less ended the season for them.”

Way west in Arizona and California where the cotton is irrigated, yields are pretty consistent, but they did observe glyphosate resistant Palmer ameranth for the first time. “So the monster is moving further west,” he noted.

Listen to my interview with Gaylon here: Gaylon Morgan interview

2013 Beltwide Cotton photo album

National Cotton Council president and CEO Dr. Mark Lange gave his Washington update during the Beltwide Cotton Production Conference on Tuesday, explaining what the taxpayer relief act passed on New Year’s Day means for them with the extension of the 2008 Farm Bill.

“One thing they didn’t do was make any cuts,” Mark told me during an interview. “All that means is the next four year farm bill is going to have five years worth of cuts in it. That’s going to make coming to a good resolution about farm policy all the more difficult.”

The big problem is all of the major issues that Congress has to deal with in the next 60-90 days – including sequestration, debt ceiling and the budget. Mark says he is concerned with what the farm bill extension might mean for the WTO cotton trade issue with Brazil. “I know the U.S. government will be talking with the Brazilians in the next week or so and we should get some feedback,” he said.

Listen to my interview with Mark here: Mark Lange interview

Check out photos from the conferences here: 2013 Beltwide Cotton photo album

Display is on display for cotton growers visiting with FMC Corporation this week at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences.

FMC Technical Support specialist Rusty Mitchell says Display (TM) is a new cotton harvest aid for defoliation and weed control that contains a combination of two PPO active ingredients – Carfentrazone, which is FMC’s Aim and Fluthiacet-methyl. “We wanted something that was a little bit gentler than what we’ve seen with carfentrazone, something a little more subtle from the standpoint of dropping leaves and less concerns with leaf sticking,” Rusty explains.

Display was just released last August so this will be the first full year of commercial availability. Rusty will be doing a presentation on Display Thursday morning for growers here at Beltwide – and more information is always available at FMCcrop.com.

Listen to my interview with Rusty here: Rusty Mitchell interview

Check out photos from the conferences here: 2013 Beltwide Cotton photo album

Despite various weather challenges, 2012 was a good year overall for cotton production, especially where National Cotton Council Chairman Chuck Coley farms in Georgia, and he is optimistic about the year ahead.

“We had an excellent crop in the Southeast, in fact we’re still ginning that crop,” Chuck told Southeast AgNet‘s Randall Weiseman. “We always wish the price is better but we see a bright future for cotton in the Southeast.”

Chuck says acreage will definitely be down this year because of the price but he is hopeful about the U.S. regaining its competitive edge in the future. “There’s some problems with the supply in China and getting consumption back up but I think through programs like National Cotton Council International and Cotton Incorporated will keep working.”

Listen to Randall’s interview with Chuck here: Chuck Coley interview

Check out photos from the conferences here: 2013 Beltwide Cotton photo album