The NCC's Quality Task Force, chaired by Kent Fountain, a Surrency, GA, ginner, convened by conference call and webinar to hear reports on a variety of quality issues confronting US cotton.
Robbie Seals with USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Cotton Program provided an overview of the '15 crop's quality. He pointed out three major concerns: 1) the drop in the percentage of the Southeast region's crop that was classed color grades 41/32 and higher – as more than 90% of the '14 crop was classed 41/32 and higher but less than 50% of the '15 crop had been classed 41/32 and higher; 2) the average leaf grade for the '15 crop has increased over the two previous crop years with the largest increases seen in the Texas/Oklahoma region; and 3) a notable increase in extraneous matter seen in the Southeast. He also reported that the percentage of Pima cotton grade 3 and higher is lower than previous years.
Darryl Earnest, deputy administrator for USDA-AMS Cotton and Tobacco Program, and other USDA-AMS staff briefed the task force on several issues that have been brought to their attention regarding color shifts in some old crop cotton bales.
Earnest also updated the task force on the innovations in USDA's classification system. He discussed improvements in the high volume instruments used to class cotton along with the automation of the cotton sample movement process; noted that improved image analysis for color, trash and extraneous matter are being reviewed by the classing office; and stressed the need to better educate the industry on how cotton is classed and the recent changes that have taken place in this process.
Dale Thompson, the NCC's manager of Marketing and Processing Technology, updated the task force on lint contamination monitoring and ongoing efforts to educate the industry on the importance of zero contamination for US cotton. NCC President/CEO Gary Adams closed with a brief review of recent trends in the loan premiums and discounts schedule with task force discussion focusing on the discounts applied to cotton grades that previously had been considered below grade.
Agricultural Air Quality Panel Renewed
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced the renewal of USDA's Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) and the selection of its members for the '16-18 term.
The task force, formed in '96 at the direction of Congress to address agricultural air quality issues, is comprised of representatives from industry, agriculture, academia, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and other agricultural and environmental experts.
The task force currently is chaired by Jason Weller, chief of USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service. Among task force members in the Cotton Belt appointed for the new term are: Bill Norman, NCC's vice president, Technical Services; Annette Sharp, Louisiana Dept. Environmental Quality; Lingjuan Wang Li, North Carolina State U; Brock Faulkner, Texas A&M U; Kelley Green, Texas Cotton Ginners' Assoc.; Anissa Purswell, Enviro-Ag Engineering, Texas; Bryan Shaw, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; and Ben Weinheimer, Texas Cattle Feeders Assoc.
"The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force is another example of USDA's continued commitment to developing science-based solutions and conservation measures that not only reduce the agriculture industry's environmental impact, but in many ways enhance our natural resources through improved agricultural practices," Vilsack said. "Bringing together a variety of perspectives and scientific insights to this task force will help reach solutions to resolve air quality challenges."
TheAAQTF promotes USDA research efforts and identifies cost-effective ways the agricultural industry can improve air quality. It also helps better coordinate activities and resources among USDA agencies and other federal partners such as EPA and advises the Secretary of Agriculture on air quality and its relationship to agriculture based on sound scientific findings; reviews research on agricultural air quality supported by federal agencies; promotes intergovernmental (federal, state, local and tribal) coordination in establishing agricultural air quality policy to avoid duplication of efforts; and ensures that air quality conservation practices supported by USDA are based on peer reviewed research and are economically feasible for producers. More information is at http://1.usa.gov/1JMUY4c.
Cotton Board Appointments Announced
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced the appointment of eight members, eight alternates and three advisors to serve on The Cotton Board. The cotton producers and importers appointed by the Secretary are charged with working together to oversee the Cotton Research & Promotion Program. All appointees will serve three-year terms ending on Dec. 31, '18.
The newly appointed advisors are: Haywood E. Harrell, producer, Halifax, NC; and Ava L. Alcaida, producer, Parker, AZ.
The re-appointed members are: Adam S. Hatley, producer, Mesa, AZ; George T. Warbington, producer, Vienna, GA; Benjamin O. Boyd, producer, Sylvania, GA; Jeffery T. Posey, producer, Roby, TX; Mark D. Williams, producer, Farwell, TX; Janet C. Ydavoy, importer, Yardley, PA; Sonja Chapman, importer, Boonton, NJ; and John E. Mathews, importer, Pennington, NJ.
The re-appointed alternate members are: Randy L. Braden, producer, Midland, TX; Catherine B. Allen, importer, Athens, TN; and Heidi R. Goold, importer, Pewaukee, WI. The newly appointed alternate members are: William B. Harrison, producer, Yuma, AZ.; John M. Ruark, Jr., producer, Bishop, GA; Jaclyn Dixon Ford, producer, Alapaha, GA; Julie D. Holladay, producer, Lubbock, TX; and Akiko Inui, importer, New York, NY.
The re-appointed consumer advisor is Karen E. Kyllo, Springfield, NJ.
Cotton Board Chairman Aaron Barcellos, a Los Banos, CA, producer, was pleased with Secretary Vilsack's appointments saying in a news release that, "These new leaders are very qualified and will be tremendous assets to The Cotton Board. Our efforts to broaden the perspectives of Board Members and Alternates will pay positive dividends for the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. I look forward to collaborating with the new appointees and gaining their insight as our Board works to move the cotton industry forward."
The Cotton Board has been pleased over the last several years to join with the industry's certified producer organizations to encourage and support diverse representation within the Cotton Research & Promotion Program. With this continued goal in mind, The Cotton Board created two new advisory positions for the purpose of adding insight on production, promotional, and research issues affecting minority, young, and under-represented cotton producers.
Cotton Board President/CEO William Gillon recently published a blog post on the importance of board diversity and said, "Our Board believes diversity is simply smart business. We are not seeking a diverse membership solely for the sake of checking a box. True board diversity/inclusion offers many benefits to an organization and, in our case, the cotton industry as a whole. Board diversity addresses more than age, racial and gender diversity, but also diversity in skills, philosophies, economic circumstances, and life experiences."
The Cotton Research and Promotion Program is designed to advance the position of cotton in the marketplace. It is funded by assessments on all domestically produced cotton and imports of foreign-produced cotton and cotton-containing products, and is authorized by the Cotton Research and Promotion Act of 1966. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service oversees Cotton Board operations.
Bale Packaging Panel's Annual Meeting Near
Those considering attending the '16 Joint Cotton Industry Bale Packaging Committee (JCIBPC) annual meeting, set for Feb. 24 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Memphis, TN, are reminded that a room block is being held at the hotel for the nights of Feb. 23 and 24. The deadline for making room reservations is 5 pm on Feb. 2. Reservations can be made by calling by calling the DoubleTree's central reservations department at 901-767-6666 or 1-888-612-4887 and ask for the "NCC Bale Packaging" room block group.
On-site meeting registration opens at 12:15 pm. The first general session will be held from 1-2 pm. The JCIBPC's executive session to discuss experimental and compatibility test programs will follow the first general session and a second general session is scheduled to follow the executive session.
'16 BWCC Recorded Presentations Available
'16 Beltwide Cotton Conferences (BWCC) attendees now may access that forum's recorded presentations at www.cotton.org/beltwide/index.cfm?page=recorded_presentations, where instructions also are posted. Attendees can use the ID that the NCC emailed to them to access these presentations recorded through the Confex Podium system. That ID number is the same one that was on an attendee's '16 BWCC name tag. A high-speed Internet connection is required.
The NCC has made the Confex Podium presentation service available to BWCC speakers and attendees since the '06 BWCC. The primary goal is to provide attendees timely access to a wide range of conference presentations prior to the published proceedings– including reports they did not hear at the conferences and reports they heard but want to review. The '16 BWCC proceedings, meanwhile, will be distributed to attendees in May.
'16 COTTON USA Promotions Launched
Cotton Council International (CCI) promoted US cotton to the global home textile industry at the first international trade show of the year -- Heimtextil in Frankfurt, Germany. For four days, the COTTON USA pavilion at Heimtextil served as an international meeting point for the entire cotton trade, including merchants, mills, manufacturers, brands, retailers and the news media.
CCI, Cotton Incorporated and Supima provided information about the global cotton market, sourcing, consumer research and the marketing and promotional services offered by the US cotton industry. Industry partners and licensees reported positive economic indicators at all stages of the cotton production chain, giving a promising outlook to the '16 business expectations for US cotton.
COTTON USA licensees conducted business meetings, which increased traffic to the US cotton exhibit. Several companies from Turkey signed COTTON USA licenses during the show, and companies from Germany and South Asia expressed interest in joining the COTTON USA license program. Another attraction at the exhibit was the introduction of the Solucell product innovations for cotton terry products. COTTON USA licensees displayed samples of these cotton products which represent new business opportunities for US cotton.
CCI also presented product samples from the new collections of international COTTON USA licensees including: Bassetti (Italy); Caliphil (Taiwan); Cogal and Camillatex (Italy); Graser Exclusive Bettwäsche (Germany); Kimpeks and Nesa (Turkey); Liztex (Guatemala); Ningbo Guangyuan, Sunvim and Shijiazhuang Changshan (China); Textiles Brito and Zermatex (Mexico); and Zucchi Group (Italy).
Heimtextil maintained its position as the world's leading trade show for home textiles, with an increase in visitors and exhibitors from '15. More than 69,000 trade visitors and 2,866 exhibitors from across the world travelled to Frankfurt to start the new business year, of which 68% and 89%, respectively, came from abroad.
Sales, Shipments Steady
Net export sales for the week ending on Jan. 21 were 163,400 bales (480-lb). This brings total '15-16 sales to approximately 6.0 million bales. Total sales at the same point in the '14-15 marketing year were approximately 9.4 million bales. Total new crop ('16-17) sales are 852,900 bales.
Shipments for the week were 167,700 bales, bringing total exports to date to 2.9 million bales, compared with the 3.4 million bales at the comparable point in the '14-15 marketing year.
