By Clint Thompson
There is no shortage of issues impacting Georgia cotton production. Whether it is the unpredictable weather that affected planting this spring, insect pests like stink bugs and whiteflies, or the looming farm bill; all have challenged the state’s growers in their quest to be more efficient and sustainable.
All were highlighted during the Georgia Cotton Commission’s (GCC) Mid-Year Meeting and University of Georgia (UGA) Cotton Pre-Harvest Workshop on Wednesday in Statesboro, Georgia.
Meeting’s Importance
Taylor Sills, GCC executive director, highlighted the meeting’s importance at this point in the production season.
“This is the second year we’ve had this mid-year meeting. We’ve had really great response from our industry partners who helped us to put it on, and we’ve had good response, not just from producers in the local area but producers and industry people from all over the state. We’ve also had a couple of growers from North Georgia here, from as far away as Oconee County. I know the Extension agent all the way in Seminole County left at 3:30 (a.m.) this morning,” Sills said. “What that tells me is that we’re obviously giving out some information that people find valuable.
“It’s more about, this is what has happened to date, what do we need to do to finish it out, whether it’s related to the Commission or UGA Extension, or we’ve got people from the National Cotton Council and Cotton Board here as well. That’s sort of what it’s all about today.”
UGA specialists like Camp Hand and Phillip Roberts updated the attendees about this year’s crop and what they need to remember heading into the second half of the season. Representatives from the Cotton Board and National Cotton Council provided updates pertaining to cotton research and promotion and the farm bill.