Making critical cotton production and marketing decisions will be front and center at the 2014 Beltwide Cotton Conferences Jan. 6-8 in New Orleans. The forum, coordinated by the National Cotton Council for producers, consultants, researchers specialists and industry representatives, will be held at the New Orleans Marriott Hotel.

It begins the first day at noon. A half-day Cotton Consultants Conference will concentrate on new industry developments (including new varieties, chemistries and technologies).

Eleven cotton technical conferences will meet concurrently on Jan 7 and Jan. 8.

Also on Jan. 7, selected technical conferences will meet with the consultants conference at scheduled times to discuss important issues, including research.

“We believe that having some of the technical conferences meet with the Cotton Consultants Conference will foster a lively exchange of ideas and shared experiences among researchers and others who assist producers with making key decisions,” said Bill Robertson, the NCC’s manager, Agronomy, Soils and Physiology, who coordinates the conferences.

Some key timely topics considered for joint sessions are: insect interactions with the 2,4-D and Dicamba weed control technologies; target leaf spot, which has emerged as a problem in the Southeast and Mid-South; nematode control; on-farm variety testing; irrigation and plant growth regulator interaction; irrigation instrumentation/data collection for help in scheduling; alternative nitrogen products; and how cotton production is being affected by today’s various crop rotation scenarios.

The Beltwide offers continuing education units (CEUs) and is the venue for recognition events: The Cotton Foundation/Farm Press Publications’ High Cotton Awards,Cotton Grower magazine’s Cotton Achievement Award, and Cotton Farming magazine’s Consultant of the Year.

The National Cotton Ginners Association will hold meetings in conjunction with the Beltwide Cotton Conferences, and will participate in the technical conferences for cotton ginning and cotton engineering-systems.

Ag news daily to your inbox: Subscribe to Delta Farm Press Daily.

The annual Beltwide Cotton Conferences brings together those with a stake in a healthy U.S. cotton production sector, including cotton industry members, university and USDA researchers, Extension personnel, consultants, and service providers, to share timely information.

2014 Beltwide Cotton Conferences self-registration will be available 24 hours a day beginning Jan. 5. The same can be done at a staffed registration desk that will open on the morning of Jan. 6. Housing/registration instructions, a schedule of events and general information are at www.cotton.org/beltwide.

  Also of interest:

Has cotton production become too demanding?

Why did the Dunnahoes plant cotton this spring?

Producer checkoff dollars fund a variety of cotton promotion successes