Clemson announces state cotton meeting

Cotton growers can learn about the current crop situation and price outlook as well as new varieties during the 2022 South Carolina Cotton Growers Meeting slated for Jan. 25 in Santee, South Carolina.

The meeting gets underway with registration at 8:15 a.m. at the Santee Conference Center, 1737 Bass Drive, Santee. Carl Brown, chairman of the South Carolina Cotton Board kicks off the first morning session at 9 a.m. with a welcome and update from the Cotton Board followed by reports from Kent Fountain, the National Cotton Council of America chairman, and South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers.

Nathan Smith, professor and Clemson Extension agribusiness program team director located at the Sandhill Research and Education Center (REC), will talk about high prices and the current cost and return picture for cotton as compared to other crops.

“I also will talk about an area where producers should not cut to try to save costs,” he said. 

Clemson entomologist Jeremy Greene from the Edisto REC will talk about bollworms, stink bugs, thrips and cotton aphids. Greene also will address the cotton leafroll dwarf virus, a virus transmitted by cotton aphids, and the new Bt trait for thrips and plant bugs.

The second morning session includes presentations by William Hardee, Clemson Extension area agronomy agent for Dillon, Horry and Marion Counties, who will address the impact of water quality on pesticide efficacy, and Ed Barnes of Cotton Incorporated, who will give a report as related to seed quality issues.

The afternoon session will include a review of the 2021 cotton crop, as well as an update on new varieties by Mike Jones, Clemson Extension state cotton specialist located at the Pee Dee REC. Will Groover of BASF, Dan Pitts of Americot, Zach Webb of Bayer Crop Science and Jason Woodward of Phytogen also will talk about new varieties for the southeastern United States and give a cotton industry update.

The meeting is expected to adjourn at 2:30 p.m.

Pesticide recertification and certified crop advisor credits will be offered.

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

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