March 27, 2023

3 Min Read
Harvested round cotton bale in field.
Brad Haire

Florida Cotton Growers Association President James Marshall invites Florida cotton producers to three listening session to discuss policy, research, education and promotion of Florida Cotton.

The meetings will be:

  • March 29 10:00 am-12:00 pm CDT at the Jay Community Center, 5259 Booker Lane, Jay, Fla.

  • March 30 10:00 am-12:00 pm CDT at the UF/IFAS Extension Jackson County, 2741 Penn Ave. #3, Marianna, Fla.

  • March 30 4:00 pm-6:00 pm EDT at Farm Bureau Insurance, 407 Dowling Ave. SE, Live Oak, Fla.

For more information contact Madeline Wright at 850-557-387 or [email protected].

Florida Cotton Growers Association held its inaugural annual meeting July 14, 2022. FCGA is organized for promotional, educational, scientific and agricultural purposes:

  • To promote and protect the interests of the Florida cotton industry.

  • To unite all persons engaged or interested in the production, marketing, distribution and utilization of cotton.

  • To encourage the interest of federal, state, and local governments, experiment stations and industry throughout the state to further promote educational and scientific projects which will aid the entire cotton industry in the state.

  • To encourage proper cultural and cultivation practices and soil conservation in the production of cotton.

Related:Nominate your favorite cotton grower for the High Cotton Award

Policy

It is critical that cotton producers have access to an effective commodity policy that provides price/revenue protection to address prolonged periods of low prices and a strong and fully accessible suite of crop insurance products that producers can purchase to tailor their specific risk management needs.

Since 2018, according to USDA, cotton costs of production have increased by 19 cents per pound based on an average yield of 850 pounds per acre. Despite higher production costs and the subsequent increases in financing needs, the maximum level of the loan rate has remained at $.52 since 2002. New farm law should seek to better meet the cash flow needs of producers, while also improving the critical marketing and flow aspects of the loan program.

Research

FCGA producer research investment has provided a steady increase in variety yields over the past 15 years as well as improvements in fiber quality for US production.With most of the U.S. production exported, improved fiber quality has increased the reputation of US cotton production as consistent suppliers of high-quality cotton.

Minimalization of root-knot and reniform nematode threats have resulted from discovery and commercial development of genes and molecular markers based on research conducted at several universities and USDA labs.

Related:Deadline nears to enroll 2022 cotton into U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol

Cotton Leafroll Dwarf Virus (CLRDV) identified in the Southeastern US near the Florida border lead to multi-disciplinary group of researchers to quickly join together to study the pathogen’s affect in Upland cotton.

Ramularia leaf spot, a disease that has caused widespread yield loss in Brazil, has prompted U.S.-based researchers to study its movement across the Southeast. This research is being led by a University of Florida researchers.

FOV4, a soil inhabiting fungus that has caused a 90% reduction in upland acreage in California over the past two decades, is a serious threat, based that there is no resistance. Once only confined to California crops, 2017 FOV4 was discovered near El Paso, Texas.

Cotton Incorporated conceived and built a private/public sector partnership to address the issue. In just five years, highly FOV4 resistant germplasm has been publicly identified and released, and more importantly, genes for resistance and tightly linked markers developed so breeders can more effectively select in their programs.

Promotion

U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol developed to communicate Upland cotton's sustainability story to brands, retailers, and the public-at-large, correcting long held viewpoints about the cotton productions that were distorted and not fact based.

Source: Florida Cotton Growers Association

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