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October 12, 2012
 

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NCC Announces Emerging Leaders Program

The NCC has launched the Emerging Leaders Program, an effort aimed at ensuring the US cotton industry benefits from a continuity of sound leadership.

The project, sponsored by a grant to The Cotton Foundation from Monsanto, not only will provide participants with an in-depth look at the US cotton industry infrastructure and the business and political arenas in which it operates but give them intense professional development training, including communication skills improvement.

"We are grateful to Monsanto for agreeing to provide financial support for this important endeavor," NCC Chairman Chuck Coley said."This program will help identify and train those who are committed to taking on the challenges of guiding this great industry in the future. The Council relies on highly effective industry leadership to communicate cotton policy and issues to Congress, the media and other agricultural groups. That's why we need industry members who are willing to step up and assume greater responsibilities."

Dave Rhylander, Monsanto's marketing manager for the Deltapine cotton brand, said, "The cotton industry has always had significant involvement from farmers, ginners and the other segments. This program will help those volunteer leaders maximize the time they contribute to state, regional and national organizations while building a national network of emerging leaders. The team at Monsanto is excited to be involved with the program."

Emerging Leaders Program objectives include helping participants gain a better understanding of: 1) the NCC's role, including its programs, policy development and implementation process; 2) Cotton Council International's role in developing and maintaining export markets for US cotton, manufactured cotton products and cottonseed products; 3) the broad spectrum of issues that affect US cotton's economic well-being; and 4) the US political process. The program also will encourage participants to increase their involvement in these and other NCC activities.

This leadership initiative will focus on helping participants improve their communications skills -- including presentation and business etiquette, instruction for engaging with the news media, and utilizing social media tools and tactics.

Each class will consist of eight to 10 industry members, and class members will participate in three sessions during the year. The first session will provide a NCC orientation, professional development/communication skills training and a briefing on agribusiness. The second session will enable participants to see policy development at the NCC's Annual Meeting while the third session in Washington, DC, will focus on policy implementation and international market development.

There is no age limit for program candidates whose primary livelihood must be derived from at least one of the seven raw cotton industry segments. Nominations will be made by one of the following: a certified interest organization, NCC officer or NCC director. Selections will be made by the NCC chairman in consultation with the NCC President's office and NCC Member Services.

 
USDA Announces Soil Initiative

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced the launch of an effort to highlight the benefits of improving and maintaining America's soil. The NCC, along with other agricultural organizations, cosigned a letter supporting the initiative.

"This initiative will help our farmers meet current and future demands for American-grown agriculture by encouraging good soil and natural resources practices that are beneficial to their operations," NRCS Chief Dave White said. "We understand that soils and farms vary across the country, so our job is to provide farmers the very best information available to meet their unique needs and help their business thrive."

The NRCS awareness/education effort features farmers from numerous states who are increasingly interested in how improved soil health can benefit their operations. The agency is studying successes and identifying lessons learned in Ohio, Indiana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Indiana, Utah, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Montana and Kansas in order to share with farmers in other states.

The initiative will include field days, fact sheets, brochures and videos along with web, radio and social media announcements. To "Unlock the Secrets in the Soil," go to NRCS's soil quality page at www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/soils/health or contact your local NRCS office.

 
'12-13 Cotton Crop Estimate Raised

In its October crop report, USDA estimated a '12-13 US crop of 17.29 million bales, up 180,000 bales from the September report. Upland production was estimated at 16.63 million bales and extra-long staple (ELS) production at 657,000 bales.Harvested area was an estimated 10.44 million acres, implying a non-harvested area of 1.92 million acres based on planted acreage revised from USDA's June Acreage Report. The resulting abandonment rate is 15.5%. The national average yield per harvested acre was estimated to be 795 pounds, 22 pounds lower than the five-year average.

On a regional basis, the Southeast crop is estimated at 5.12 million bales based on harvested acres of 2.73 million and a regional average yield of 900 pounds, 111 pounds more than the region's five-year average.In terms of yield per harvested acre, Floridaand Virginialead the region with an estimated yield of 960 pounds per harvested acre. Floridaalso leads the region in largest gains in yield when compared to its five-year average (+200) followed by Virginia(+149) and North Carolinawith an estimated yield of 910 pounds per harvested acre (+130).

In the Mid-South, expected production is 3.96 million bales. Harvested area is estimated to be 1.97 million acres and the expected yield 967 pounds per harvested acre. Only Missouriis projected to see a yield decline when compared to its five-year average (-61). Yields in all remaining states are forecast to exceed their five-year averages.

The Southwest upland crop is estimated at 6.32 million bales. Expected harvested area is 5.13 million acres and the regional average yield is 591 pounds, 111 less than their five-year average of 702 pounds per harvested acre. Relative to the five-year average, all of the region's states are down in terms of yield with the greatest decline expected to be seen in Oklahoma, down 304 pounds to 466 pounds per harvested acre. The Texasupland crop is estimated at 6.10 million bales. Expected harvested area is 4.90 million acres and the estimated yield is 598 pounds, down 102 pounds from its five-year average.

Upland production in the West is an estimated 1.24 million bales with an estimated harvested area of 386,000 acres and a regional average yield of 1,542 pounds, 75 pounds more than the region's five-year average. The greatest gains in yield are expected for Arizona, up 122 pounds to an estimated 1,624 pounds per harvested acre.

The ELS crop is an estimated 657,000 bales. Harvested area is pegged at 237,000 acres with an average yield of 1,328 pounds per harvested acre.

                                        US Cotton Crop, '12-13

PLANTED

ACRES

Thou. 1/

HARV.

ACRES

Thou.

YIELD PER

HARV.

ACRE

Lb.

5-YEAR

AVG.

YIELD

Lb.

480-

POUND

BALES

Thou.

UPLAND

SOUTHEAST

2,747

2,728

900

789

5,115

Alabama

380

377

764

676

600

Florida

108

105

960

760

210

Georgia

1,290

1,285

934

826

2,500

North Carolina

585

580

910

780

1,100

South Carolina

298

296

868

797

535

Virginia

86

85

960

811

170

MID-SOUTH

2,020

1,965

967

913

3,960

Arkansas

590

580

1,034

985

1,250

Louisiana

230

220

960

823

440

Mississippi

470

460

1,012

924

970

Missouri

350

330

945

1,006

650

Tennessee

380

375

832

768

650

SOUTHWEST

6,962

5,127

591

702

6,315

Kansas

57

52

415

653

45

Oklahoma

305

175

466

770

170

Texas

6,600

4,900

598

700

6,100

WEST

392

386

1,542

1,467

1,240

Arizona

200

198

1,624

1,502

670

California

142

141

1,617

1,537

475

New Mexico

50

47

970

1,094

95

TOTAL UPLAND

12,121

10,206

782

805

16,630

TOTAL ELS

239

237

1,328

1,324

657

Arizona

3

3

1,120

930

7

California

225

224

1,350

1,379

630

New Mexico

3

3

828

814

5

Texas

8

8

960

899

15

ALL COTTON

12,360

10,443

795

817

17,287

Source: USDA-NASS October Crop Production Report.
1/ Updated from June Acreage Report.



 
US Cotton Export Projection Lowered

In its October report, USDA projected '12-13 US mill use unchanged from the previous month at 3.40 million bales while exports were lowered 200,000 bales to 11.60 million bales due to lower forecast imports by China. This generates a total '12-13 offtake of 15.00 million bales. Ending stocks for '12-13 are projected at 5.60 million bales for an ending stocks-to-use ratio of 37.3%.

For the '11-12 crop year, USDA gauged US cotton production at 15.57 million bales. Mill use and exports were unchanged from the September report at 3.30 and 11.71 million bales, respectively. Total offtake for '11-12 is pegged at 15.01 million bales. Ending stocks totaled 3.35 million bales. The stocks-to-use ratio for the '11-12 marketing year is 22.3%.

USDA's October report raised the projected '12-13 world production estimate by 2.29 million bales from the September report to 116.32 million bales. World mill use was lowered 680,000 bales from the September report to a projected 106.87 million bales. Consequently, world ending stocks for '12-13 are projected to be 79.11 million bales, giving a stocks-to-use ratio of 74.0%.

For the '11-12 marketing year, USDA estimated world production at 124.13 million bales, down 30,000 bales from the September report. World mill use was lowered 1.11 million bales to 103.17 million. World ending stocks on July 31, '12 are now estimated at 69.56 million bales. This has a corresponding stocks-to-use ratio of 67.4%.

 
National Stakeholders Meeting on Honey Bee Health

The USDA-led Colony Collapse Disorder Steering Committee, in conjunction with Pennsylvania State U., will host a National Stakeholders Meeting on Honey Bee Health on Oct. 15-16. The meeting will focus on the primary factors affecting honey bee health, including: nutrition, pesticides, pests/pathogens, bee biology and colony management.

As part of that Committee, EPA will participate in the meeting. NCC IPM Specialist Dr. Don Parker will attend the meeting because the impact of pesticide use on bee populations has become an increasingly important topic for cotton production as beekeeper and anti-pesticide groups pressure EPA to accept label language such as, "Do not apply when bees are present."

More information on the meeting is at http://ento.psu.edu/events.

 
Biotech Labeling Initiative Losing Support

In just a little more than three weeks, Californians will vote on Proposition 37, the Genetically Engineered Foods Right to Know Act, which would require labeling of food products made from genetically engineered crops. Food processors and agricultural groups, including the NCC, believe that such labeling will be used by anti-biotech activists to scare consumers. Additionally, such mandated labeling would violate the Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) long-standing policy for labeling.

Prop 37 once held a statewide lead by more than a 2-1 margin. In the latest poll conducted by the Pepperdine U. School of Public Policy and the California Business Roundtable, that lead has tightened – going from 48.3% to 40.2% with undecided voters accounting for 11.5%.

Kathy Fairbanks, a spokesperson for the "No on 37 Campaign," said greater skepticism shown in the poll was the result of a combination of television advertising, news stories and newspaper editorials opposed to the measure.

"The more people learn about Proposition 37, the less they like it," Fairbanks said. She noted that what people don't like are the many exemptions in the initiative.

Under the measure, most dairy products and alcoholic beverages, for example, are exempt — even though biotech corn is fed to cows and other animals and goes into beer, bourbon whiskey and other liquors. A similar initiative in Oregon was defeated by opposition from the dairy and alcohol industries. Organic products, fresh meat, eggs, restaurant meals and even bake sale offerings also would be exempted.

Roller cited an overturned Vermont law requiring dairy farmers to disclose use of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) in producing milk products. In the case of International Dairy Foods Association v. Amestoy, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, in 1996, ruled that mandatory disclosure of rBST use on labels would be "the functional equivalent of a warning" and require dairy farmers to "speak against their will" on a matter that doesn't involve "a reasonable concern for human health."

Eric Lasker, a partner in Hollingsworth LLP, noted that Prop 37 proponents argue on behalf of consumers' right to know. He said food labeling based on consumer demand violates the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act because it "misleads the consumer into thinking there's a material difference" between biotech and non-biotech foods. He cited FDA guidance issued in '92, '01 and '09 stating that there is no evidence of a safety concern with biotech foods.

 
Sales, Shipments Steady

Net export sales for the week ending Oct. 4 were 124,200 bales (480-lb). This brings total '12-13 sales to approximately 5.9 million bales. Total sales at the same point in the '11-12 marketing year were approximately 7.3 million bales. Total new crop ('13-14) sales are 243,400 bales.

Shipments for the week were 188,400 bales, bringing total exports to date to 1.7 million bales, compared with the 974,100 bales at the comparable point in the '11-12 marketing year.

 

 
Effective February 3-9, 2023

 

Adjusted World Price, SLM 11/16 75.24 cents *
Fine Count Adjustment ('21 Crop) 0.00 cents  
Fine Count Adjustment ('22 Crop) 0.00 cents  
Coarse Count Adjustment 0.00 cents  
Marketing Loan Gain Value 0.00 cents  
Import Quotas Open 3  
Special Import Quota (480-lb. bales) 139,111  
ELS Payment Rate 0.00 cents  
*No Adjustment Made Under Step I  
     
Five-Day Average  
Current 5 Lowest 13/32 CFR Far East 100.16 cents  
Forward 5 Lowest 13/32 CFR Far East  NA
Fine Count CFR Far East 102.53 cents  
Coarse Count CFR Far East 100.30 cents  
Current US 13/32 CFR Far East 100.20 cents  
Forward US 13/32 CFR Far East NA