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September 7, 2012
 

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Parties Adopt Beliefs on Agriculture

During the Republican and Democratic conventions, both parties adopted their platforms outlining their individual parties' beliefs on a range of issues, including agriculture. Both party platforms support crop insurance, expanded trade and funding for food safety.

There are several issues where they differ, including stances on regulation and energy policy. Both platforms recognized previous bipartisan action regarding commodity programs and call for the end of direct payments in favor of a move toward programs similar to crop insurance. The Democratic platform also includes language supporting a permanent disaster relief program. Both platforms offer similar views regarding agricultural research.

Representatives of both parties will participate in a Presidential agricultural issues forum on Sept. 12 in Des Moines, IA. Sen. Johanns (R-NE), a former USDA secretary, will represent the Romney campaign and former Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge will represent the Obama campaign.

Congress returns the week of Sept. 10 and a group of more than 60 agricultural organizations, including the NCC, plan to hold a rally on Capitol Hill to urge passage of the farm bill before its Sept. 30th expiration. In addition to grower leaders, House and Senate Members have been invited to speak. The rally is expected to draw several hundred farmers and ranchers.

 
Programming Discussed For '13 Beltwide Cotton Conferences

The Beltwide Cotton Conferences (BWCC) Steering Committee, chaired by Mississippi producer/ginner Kenneth Hood, discussed topics for consideration at the '13 BWCC, set for Jan. 7-10 at the Marriott Rivercenter and Riverwalk hotels in San Antonio, TX.

Information on the conferences is at www.cotton.org/beltwide. On Sept. 14, the site also will include instructions for early housing, which will begin that day as a special benefit for NCC and Cotton Foundation members only.

Key agronomic, pest management, economic and policy reports are being planned for the Cotton Production Conference. Among key issues being considered are weed resistance prevention/management, managing energy-related expenses, including those associated with fertility and irrigation practices; the growing importance of weather patterns on crop mix/production decisions and of social media for timely information sharing.

"There will be discussions of tools available that can help producers hold down their energy-related expenses," said Bill Robertson, the NCC's manager, Agronomy, Soils & Physiology. "For example, there are stabilizers that can help producers enhance fertilizer availability to the plant and many irrigation scheduling programs available at no cost that can help producers increase irrigation efficiency."

Robertson said the Steering Committee, which is comprised of several producers and producer/ginners from across the Cotton Belt, also discussed the importance of more judicious use of crop inputs, especially with the current high fertilizer and fuel costs. In addition, there was recognition of the significance of conserving natural resources through the use of cover crops, tillage practices and better irrigation scheduling/application.

"Weed resistance, unfortunately, still needs attention as pigweed resistance is now suspected in parts of Texas and possibly in Arizona," Robertson said. "The management of various insect pests – stink bugs in the Southeast, plant bugs in the Mid-South and fleahoppers in the Southwest – also will be discussed along with variety selection, new chemistries and cotton marketing."

Another area the Steering Committee deemed relevant is today's growing use of social media as a way for timely sharing of information. The use of smart phones, blogs, tweeting and Facebook, for example, is making real time information flow much easier between producers, consultants, Extension, researchers and agribusiness personnel.

In addition to the Cotton Production Conference general session and workshops, the '13 BWCC will continue to feature the New Developments from Industry session, the Cotton Consultants Conference and 11 cotton technical conferences.

 
Enviros/Beekeepers to Sue EPA Over Neonicotinoid Registrations

The Center for Food Safety, Beyond Pesticides, the Sierra Club, and four commercial beekeepers filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue EPA if the agency does not enter into formal consultation with the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) within that timeframe regarding the registrations of clothianidin and thiamethoxam, both neonicotinoid insecticides.

The groups are alleging that EPA violated Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act by failing to ensure, through consultation with FWS, that the registrations of clothianidin and thiamethoxam products are "not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any threatened or endangered species" or adversely modify the critical habitat of any federally listed species and that 18 threatened or endangered insects may be affected by uses of the insecticides. The groups also expressed concern over the impact these insecticides may have on honeybees and other insect pollinators.

EPA has approved 86 products containing either clothianidin or thiamethoxam in the past 12 years, including products registered for use on cotton.

In July, EPA denied a request filed by Beyond Pesticides, the Pesticide Action Network, and the Center for Food Safety for the emergency suspension of clothianidin products based on the products' toxicity risk to bee populations. The agency found that there is "insufficient data" to support an imminent hazard finding under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide & Rodenticide Act (see 7/20/12 Cotton's Week).

 
NCGA Comments on Air Quality Rule

The National Cotton Ginners’ Assoc. (NCGA) submitted comments on EPA’s proposed rule for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM) (see 6/29/12 Cotton’s Week).

The NCGA conveyed its support for EPA’s decision to retain the existing PM10 standard and the existing 24-hour PM2.5 standard. However, the NCGA expressed concerns about other proposed changes and alternatives offered to the PM NAAQS, which include a lowering of the annual primary PM2.5 standards and the secondary welfare-based standard that is focused on visibility.

NCGA’s comments also urged EPA’s administrator to ensure that “exceptional events” related to natural events, such as high winds, are treated in such a way that allows a state or local agency a clearly defined process for excluding this data at a reasonable cost.

The comments are at www.cotton.org/ncga/upload/NCGA-NAAQS-Comments-2012.pdf.

 
CCI Promotes US Cotton Home Textiles

US cotton home textiles from COTTON USA licensees were the focus during the 18thIntertextile Shanghai Home Textiles show in Shanghai, China.

Cotton Council International's (CCI) booth with COTTON USA licensees Shanghai Imagine Home Textile Co., Ltd. and Ibena Shanghai Technical Textiles Co., Ltd. highlighted the comfortable, natural and environmental-friendly lifestyle associated with cotton and the current "COTTON USA: Naturally Live Your Life" campaign in China. CCI also promoted US cotton home textiles from 11 other COTTON USA licensees. The exhibit featured products manufactured by: Hong Liu, Goldsun, Dadong, Loftex, Sunvim,Dinosaur, Shanghai Qiaode, Dafiny, North Home, Casablanca and PurCotton.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles is one of the largest fairs for home textiles and also is an international platform to trade. This year's event attracted 1,331 exhibitors from 29 regions. More than 40,000 people visited the show.

CCI facilitates business relationships between COTTON USA licensees—from upstream manufacturers to home textile brands in China—while assisting them in vigorously promoting their US cotton home textile products to consumers.

 
Sales Weak, Shipments Steady

Net export sales for the week ending Aug. 30 were 117,400 bales (480-lb). This brings total '12-13 sales to approximately 4.8 million bales. Total sales at the same point in the '11-12 marketing year were approximately 6.9 million bales. Total new crop ('13-14) sales are 172,900 bales.

Shipments for the week were 233,300 bales, bringing total exports to date to 757,600 bales, compared with the 515,400 bales at the comparable point in the '11-12 marketing year.

 

 
Effective Sept. 7-14, ’12

Adjusted World Price, SLM 11/16

 65.82 cents

*

Fine Count Adjustment ('11 Crop)

 1.53 cents


Fine Count Adjustment ('12 Crop)

  1.73 cents


Coarse Count Adjustment

  0.00 cents


Marketing Loan Gain Value

 0.00 cents


Import Quotas Open

13


Special Import Quota (480-lb bales)

819,155


ELS Payment Rate

0.00 cents


*No Adjustment Made Under Step I

 

Five-Day Average




Current 5 Lowest 3135 CFR Far East

86.07 cents


Forward 5 Lowest 3135 CFR Far East

NA


Coarse Count CFR Far East

NA


Current US CFR Far East

87.20 cents


Forward US CFR Far East

NA


 

'11-12 Weighted Marketing-Year Average Farm Price  
 

Year-to-Date (Aug.-July)

88.32 cents

**


**Aug.-July average price used in determination of counter-cyclical payment