2002 P.I.E. Program Tours Set

MEMPHIS, TN – Dates and locations of the 2002 Cotton Foundation Producer Information Exchange (P.I.E.) Program have been scheduled.

Cotton producers from Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee will travel to Arizona and California, July 6-12. Producers from Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico will visit operations in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, July 20-25. Arizona and California producers will see operations in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi, Aug. 3-8. Producers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia will tour the Texas’ High Plains and South Texas, Aug. 17-23.

The National Cotton Council’s Member Services staff in conjunction with local producer associations conducts P.I.E. The program enables cotton producers to observe cotton production and talk to their peers in regions different than their own. Participants gain new perspectives in such areas as land preparation, planting, fertilization, pest control, irrigation and harvesting. The overall goal of this unique one-on-one, on-farm communication is helping participants improve their yields and fiber quality.

Upon completion of the 2002 tours, the P.I.E. program will have exposed more than 600 cotton producers to innovative production practices in regions different than their own.