Clemson announces S.C. Cotton Meeting

Deer damage, economics, new varieties and new technologies are among the topics slated for discussion during the 2024 South Carolina Cotton Growers Meeting, January 23 in Santee, South Carolina.

The meeting gets underway with registration at 8:15 a.m. at the Santee Conference Center, 1737 Bass Drive, Santee, S.C. Frank Rogers, chairman of the South Carolina Cotton Board, kicks off the first morning session at 9 a.m. with a welcome and update. This will be followed by updates from South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers and Chairman of the National Cotton Council Shawn Holladay.

The first morning session ends with a look at the cotton situation and price outlook for 2024 by Nathan Smith, Clemson Cooperative Extension Service economist.

The second morning session begins with a report from Leslie Beaty, chief chemist and residue lab supervisor for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture Seed Laboratory. Ed Barnes, senior director of ag research, will give a report from Cotton Incorporated and John Mueller, Clemson plant pathologist stationed at the Edisto REC in Blackville, South Carolina, will talk about 40 years of nematode control in cotton.

The morning sessions end with a presentation by Corey Heaton, Clemson Extension state wildlife specialist at the Sandhill REC near Columbia, South Carolina, related to deer pressure on South Carolina cotton.

Following lunch, the afternoon session will include a review of the 2023 cotton crop and an update on new varieties by Michael Jones, Clemson Extension state cotton specialist located at the Pee Dee REC in Florence, South Carolina. Also, during the afternoon session, Will Groover of BASF, Robert Lemon of Americot, Zack Webb of Bayer Crop Science and Chris Main of Phytogen will talk about new varieties for the southeastern United States and give a cotton industry update.

The meeting is expected to adjourn at 2:45 p.m.

For information, contact Michael Jones at majones@clemson.edu.

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