2024 Cotton Economic Outlook
One of the drawbacks of having a conference right after the holidays is that you may have some presenters end up sick. But not usually four in the same session.
That’s what happened at the Economics and Marketing part of the National Cotton Conferences last week in Fort Worth, but Dale Cougot of Olam Agri, who serves as the National Cotton Council Southwest Region Merchant Delegate, bravely stepped forward to fill all four roles and provide the cotton market outlook, world cotton outlook, and cotton policy update.
Cougot stressed that consistent supply is crucial for the industry to maintain its market share. “The last three years when the U.S. had a fairly low crop, from a global cotton perspective, thank God Australia had a crop,” he said. “In the retail world, if you lose a product line, you never get it back. So you’ve got to have that consistent supply to our retailers.”
Listen to Cougot’s outlook presentation.
BWCC Economic Outlook - Dale Cougot, Olam Agri 40:02
broadhead Acquires Filament
broadhead has acquired Filament which makes it one of the nation’s largest agencies serving industry-leading food and agriculture clients.
broadhead, an employee-owned, data-driven, creative agency powering brands that transform how we eat, move and live, has acquired Filament, a Madison, Wisconsin-based agency specializing in production and recreational agriculture.
With a segment-leading client portfolio, Filament has a strong history in helping client brands resonate with the end-user and influencer audiences they know well. The agency was founded in 2004 and currently employs 50 people.
“At broadhead, we’ve long respected Filament’s work, their people and its role as a thought leader in the agricultural marketing space,” said Dean Broadhead, founder and CEO of broadhead. “Together, we’ll have added depth across teams that will help us build opportunities for our clients and for our people.”
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Industry Ag News 1/5
U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol Update
The Beltwide Cotton Conferences Sustainability Conference included an update on the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol by new executive director Daren Abney who assumed that position in July 2023.
Abney says membership in the program continues to increase. “We work with the entire cotton supply chain so we take memberships from growers all the way up to retailers and brands,” said Abney. “The first year of the protocol had just over 300 or so growers but as of this season we are now over 970 growers participating.”
The protocol saw an increase of 25% compared to 2022 in the total area of planted cotton acres enrolled in the program, reaching 1.6 million acres in 2023.
Interview with Daren Abney, US Cotton Trust Protocol Executive Director 4:37
Chad Brewer, who worked on the protocol since December 2022, says growers were able to sign up this year for the Climate Smart Cotton Program. “April 25 we began the program and we began staffing up and building out our enrollment interface,” said Brewer. “Of the 978 farmers that enrolled in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, 778 of them submitted applications for the Climate Smart Cotton Program, which far exceeded our milestone for year one.”
The Trust Protocol’s vision is to set a new standard in sustainable cotton production where full transparency is a reality and continuous improvement is the central goal. The program’s core values include a commitment to U.S. cotton’s legacy of authenticity, innovation and excellence, environmental stewardship, caring of people, and personal and corporate integrity. The program currently has more than 1,800 supplier members over 40 companies and brands including global brands and retailers such as Ralph Lauren, Gap, Levi Strauss & Co. and J.Crew.
Interview with Chad Brewer, US Cotton Trust Protocol/NCC 4:26Cotton Consultants Kick Off Beltwide
The Consultants Conference kicked off three days of Beltwide Cotton Conferences Wednesday in Fort Worth, Texas.
Louisiana consultant Hank Jones says the committee works to include lots of topics of interest to cotton consultants. “We try to cover a wide range of topics and certainly we want to stay current, and want to address topics that are going to provide value for us and our customers,” said Jones. Some of those topics this year included new cottonseed varieties and how to best manage them, new technology and products, and a regulatory update on the Endangered Species Act.
Interview with Hank Jones, cotton consultant 6:31
The conference also included a panel discussion about Bayer’s ThryvOn Technology, the first biotech trait for tarnished plant bug and thrips species, which was fully approved for commercial use in 2023.
Arkansas cotton consultant Tyler Hydrik says it has been very successful. “It has completely eliminated the need to spray for thrips and I think we can cut back on plant bug applications as well,” said Hydrik. “Overall, I think everybody’s really happy with it and the percent of acres that it’s going to take up in ’24 is definitely going to increase.”
Listen to the interview with Hydrik and panel discussion to learn more.
Interview with Tyler Hydrik, cotton consultant 4:49Consultants Conference Thryvon panel
2024 BWCC Thryvon panel 47:42
Second Women in Ag Tech℠ Meeting This Month
Women in Ag Tech℠ (WiAT) will hold its second in-person meeting January 21-22, co-located with The VISION Conference at the Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa. WiAT continues to champion opportunities for women in agricultural technology and fostering a vibrant community through mentorship, idea exchanges, and collaboration.
The event promises an enriching experience for attendees, featuring a keynote address, panel discussions, and interactive sessions led by industry professionals. Lara L. Sowinski of CropLife Media Group will lead the meeting and a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation will deliver the keynote “Cultivating Resilience: A Woman in Ag Tech’s Insights on Food Safety, Cybersecurity, and Leadership in STEM.” Lara shares, “Women in Ag Tech meetings aren’t about just sitting and listening. Here, we come together as women to actively learn, engage, and support one another. It’s a fresh and dynamic approach, setting us apart from the usual conference experience.”
Women in Ag Tech offers various registration options. Attendees can opt for the Women in Ag Tech meeting only or combine it with The VISION Conference taking place on January 22-24. To learn more visit: https://www.thevisionconference.com/women-in-ag-tech/
Support for WiAT comes from leading organizations and sponsors committed to advancing women in ag technology, according to Chris Pernell, WiAT Business Director. “This gathering is more than a conference; it’s a movement. By amplifying the voices and contributions of women in agricultural technology, we are driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and shaping a more inclusive future.”
For more information and registration details, visit the WiAT website or contact Chris Pernell.
2024 Beltwide Cotton Conferences Kick Off
The National Cotton Council (NCC) and its cooperating partners are starting the new year with the 2024 Beltwide Cotton Conferences getting underway today in Fort Worth, Texas.
Conferences coordinator Lauren Krogman says attendance is back to pre-COVID levels. “Right now our registration numbers are close to 800 so we are really happy to see everyone here,” said Krogman, who adds that people are welcome to register on site through Friday.
The Beltwide features a number of different conferences rolled into one for members of the cotton industry. “The goal of the Beltwide conferences is to help industry members, producers, and ginners make informed decisions aimed at improving productivity, sustainability, and profitability,” Krogman said. Three days of individual reports, panel discussions, hands on workshops and seminars are designed to provide attendees with information they need to help producers make key cotton production/marketing-related decisions.
Learn more in this preview interview with Krogman.
Interview with Lauren Krogman, NCC 4:20
Precision Ag News 1/3
Animal Ag News 1/2